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Lauren Allen
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Tracey Turner of Windsor, South Carolina, driving her pony Chadonnay. Janelle Marshall is the navigator. Southern Pines CDE, April 2025. Photography by Marcelo Saenz. Read more on page 8.
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From the Editor
Spring in the South is glorious, and this one has been exceptional. Flowers have been absolutely exploding in bloom and I even have a fluffy new foal to play with! The temperate weather and lengthening days have every equestrian enjoying their horses and time outdoors, but not everyone who enjoys horses does it from the saddle…
Did you know that the Carolinas are home to the largest group of carriage drivers in the country? With the area’s long tradition of horse sports, several communities have emerged as driving hot spots, such as Southern Pines in North Carolina and Aiken in South Carolina. We take a closer look at what attracts people to driving.
We also get to know a few drivers in depth. Read about our Equestrian of the Carolinas: an international chef d’equipe for the U.S. Combined Driving teams named Marcie Quist, who has done just about everything you can do with horses and is now dedicated to giving back to the driving community from her home base in the Southern Pines area. Our featured young athlete is an up-and-coming competitor in the combined driving world, Ashton Maye. Check out Ashton’s story and his competitive goals.
Spring is a great time to kick off new projects. Have you been dreaming of building your very own farm? Every horseperson wishes they could spend more time with their horses, and keeping them at home is a great way to know them more deeply. However, having your own farm comes with challenges. Our experts have some excellent advice on mistakes to avoid and things to think about before you build.
The vivid hues of the season are a perfect complement to the Aiken artist Patricia Borum’s colorful and varied art. Borum brings her lifelong passion for horses to her work—from her geometrical paintings and sculptures, to planters and fountains—she even adds her artistic touch to home goods like plates and pillows. Feast your eyes on her beautiful work while you read her fascinating story.
We hope you love these stories and pictures—please reach out to us through our website at TheCarolinasEquestrian.com or on Facebook or Instagram and tell us about people we need to talk to, events we need to cover, or places we need to go see.
Lauren Allen, Editor
Driving in the Carolinas
A Southern Stronghold
by Lauren Allen & Suzanne Konefal
Louise Blankinship through the water at the Southern Pines CDE, April 2025
Photography by Marcelo Saenz
If you’re driving your car through an equestrian community in the Carolinas, don’t be surprised if you see a different sort of driver, one with a horse and carriage! There are several major hotspots for equestrian driving in North and South Carolina, especially in Southern Pines, North Carolina and Aiken County, South Carolina. Dan Rosenthal, an Aiken resident and the past president of the American Driving Society, says that the Carolinas are home to the largest group of carriage drivers in the country.
There are different groups of drivers, just as there are different disciplines of riding: recreational drivers are like people who enjoy trail riding (but with a carriage), whereas pleasure driving is a horse show competition deeply rooted in tradition and style. Combined driving is pleasure driving’s sporty sibling—basically eventing in a carriage. “There are 2000 members of the American Driving Society,” said Rosenthal. “Of those, about 600 in any given year do combined driving.”
One reason drivers are attracted to the Carolinas is proximity to competitions and the availability of professionals in the area. A defining feature that almost every driving enthusiast emphasizes is that the Carolinas offer a truly friendly group of people who absolutely love sharing their sport with others.
Rebecca Gutierrez is a combined driving competitor based in Aiken County, the proprietor of New Heritage Farm Carriages, and a realtor specializing in equestrian properties. She points out that the social aspect of driving is one of its best features.
“It’s great because you can take people with you, so even if a person doesn’t ride at all, they can go out with you on the carriage and have fun. So that’s a huge selling point – I just took my 88-year-old mother out for a drive. It’s wonderful that they can participate with you doing what you love.”
Rosenthal agrees, noting that every competition has a party, and the logistics of handling multiple horses, such as a four-inhand team, requires multiple people on the carriage. “It’s a very different sport, not just because it is small. It’s because being with other people and sharing it is a big part of the experience.”
Compared to riding disciplines, driving attracts an older crowd – Rosenthal says that the average age of a carriage driver is 66.
“Driving tends to be people’s second equine sport,” he said. “I was a classical dressage enthusiast for 25 years before I discovered carriage driving.” Aging eventers are especially attracted to combined driving, because it is similar to eventing, but, as Rosenthal says with a laugh, it’s a sport you can do sitting down.
Southern Pines
Southern Pines has a rich driving history and a vibrant community that has contributed significantly to the sport’s growth and development. From its early beginnings to hosting prestigious competitions, the area has become a hub for enthusiasts and professionals alike. The Moore County Driving Club has been active in setting the stage for competitions and schooling shows and the Carolina Horse Park has contributed a great deal to the sport. This 250-acre facility, located in Raeford, North Carolina (a short drive from Southern Pines), hosts events that regularly attract international-caliber competitors.
Daphne White and Marcie Quist, both Southern Pines-based drivers, manage the Southern Pines CDE which is owned by the Carolina Horse Park. White said that driving in Southern Pines is in a transitional state. While there are some new people coming into the sport, she stressed the need for more opportunities to help people get started, such as more barns with a professional and a lesson program for new drivers and horses.
“There was a traditional group of drivers that have aged out or passed away,” she said. “Back in the 90s there were a lot of people who grew up driving and came to Southern Pines seasonally ... There is plenty of opportunity for driving to grow
here, but one of the issues is not having as many professionals in the area anymore.”
Wiebe Dragstra, an accomplished driving professional based in nearby Vass, North Carolina, is one person who is helping the Southern Pines driving community grow – at the 2025 Southern Pines CDE he had five students competing. He sees a need for more opportunities for novices.
“In my humble opinion, the driving show organizers have to cater more to the beginners and make it more attractive for them to participate without being intimidated by courses that are not suitable for starters,” he said.
“The organization at our last driving event at the Carolina Horse Park did a great job to attract these new drivers by offering them a different, exciting and less intimidating cones course. Because of that we did see more new people in the Training classes. There is more work to be done, but it’s a start,” he continued.
The Moore County Driving Club has a mission to promote driving in the area, and its best known event, the annual Christmas Carriage Parade, is immensely popular and keeps carriages in the public eye. In addition, the club holds regular enjoyable drives and schooling opportunities.
Vickie Dickson at the Southern Pines CDE, April 2025. Photography by Marcelo Saenz
What is Combined Driving?
Combined driving is a competition recognized by the FEI, the international body that governs horse sports worldwide. Its rules were formulated in 1970 under the guidance of the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and the husband of Queen Elizabeth.
A combined driving event (CDE) is modeled after an old fashioned three-day event. It starts with a dressage phase, in which competitors perform a driven dressage test in a large arena. Horses and drivers are scored on each movement, just as they would be in a regular ridden dressage test.
The second day features the marathon, which is equivalent to eventing cross country. For the marathon, the competitor must complete a cross country course that includes a number of obstacles, otherwise known as hazards. Each obstacle includes a number of marked “gates” that the horse and carriage must pass through in the correct order. Hazards may include sharp turns, hills, water or a maze of solid posts and fences. The obstacles are timed: to get the best score, you must negotiate each one as efficiently as possible.
The third phase is cones, which is like the stadium phase of eventing. A cones course consists of a pattern of paired cones, each of which has a ball balanced on top of it. The drivers must pass through each prescribed set of cones without knocking down any balls – each ball that falls counts against the score, as do seconds over the time allowed on course.
Horses of all types compete in CDEs, from minis (termed “very small equines” or VSEs) to ponies, riding and harness horses of various breeds, and European warmbloods. There are divisions for single horses, ponies and VSEs, for pairs, and for teams, which usually means four-in-hands. The four-in-hand division is the most prestigious and difficult and is the only driving championship that has been included in the World Equestrian Games.
If you enter a CDE, you don’t do it alone, and you might use more than one carriage. For dressage, some people use a formal presentation carriage, because turnout is judged along with
performance. The marathon phase requires a rugged, modern vehicle, something more like a mountain bike with independent steering and shock absorbers. The marathon vehicle also includes a place for the navigator (or navigators, because you need two if you are driving a four-in-hand.) The navigator may help the driver find the best route through an obstacle or help out in case of trouble, but his or her main job is to keep the vehicle from tipping over by hanging off its back while going around sharp corners at speed. In the other phases, one or two people may simply sit in the carriage as grooms, and are not allowed to give directions or assist the driver in any way.
Combined driving attracts a diverse group of enthusiasts and has a devoted following in North and South Carolina, including a number of international competitors.
Ray Mansur, Windsor Trace CDE 2023
Rebecca Gutierrez, Windsor Trace CDE 2024
Michelle Huguet, Stable View CDE 2024
Text & images by Pam Gleason
Dana Diemer, an Advanced Single Pony competitor, adds that Southern Pines is an ideal place for drivers due to its active community, good coaches and plenty of places to drive.
“It’s a great activity to take your non-horse friends on, a great way to get out in the fresh air. The sport of combined driving makes some sense to eventers as it’s a three-phase competition. It’s pretty easy to make the switch.”
Aiken County, South Carolina
“Aiken is like Disney for horse people,” said Rebecca Gutierrez, who relocated from New Mexico after coming to Aiken for a driving camp.
“There is nearly every discipline imaginable here… and for driving, this is one of the Meccas. A lot of the drivers have congregated in Windsor, which is just outside of Aiken.”
Gutierrez says that Windsor’s sandy footing, its friendly equestrian communal subdivision, and access to 800 acres of commercial pine forest all make the area perfect for driving. “We have all these resources right in our backyard,” she said.
The Aiken Driving Club is pivotal for the area and has a variety of competitions, especially during the winter months, with regular shows, combined tests, driving derbies, outings and
educational opportunities. The Windsor Trace Combined Driving Event, held each November, is the premier event, attracting accomplished whips from across the region and beyond. The Stable View Combined Driving Event, which had its first trial competition in the fall of 2024, promises to bring even more upper level drivers to Aiken in the future. Landmark Farm holds two-day driving trials and expects to have its own three-day CDE soon as well, and there are pleasure shows at Highfields Event Center.
Driving enthusiasts in Aiken make their presence known in the greater equestrian community by participating in some of the area’s most iconic events. For instance, the annual Aiken Trials Thoroughbred races and the Aiken Steeplechase have traditionally held carriage parades before or between races, and the annual Hoofbeats Christmas Parade downtown always includes carriages.
This spring, Rebecca Gutierrez and Taylor Bradish (a young driving professional) even put on a combined driving exhibition before the Grand Prix Eventing Showcase at the Aiken Horse Park, inviting the Olympic event riders, Boyd Martin and Phillip Dutton, to try their hands at driving through some obstacles.
Bill Allen negotiates the water at the Windsor Trace CDE, 2024. Photography by Pam Gleason
Tryon and Beyond
The Carolina Carriage Club, based in western North and South Carolina says it is one of the oldest driving clubs on the East Coast. The club holds an annual pleasure show in Tryon, North Carolina and CDEs at Windridge Farm in Mooresboro. Additionally, it sponsors clinics and educational events at various facilities including Harmon Field and FENCE, both in Tryon.
Tryon’s big attraction is Tryon International, a world class equestrian facility, that holds two annual CDEs, including the long-running Katydid CDE, which relocated from its original home in Windsor, South Carolina. The marathon portions of Tryon International’s CDEs take place on the spectacular cross country eventing course. One interesting thing about combined driving is that, although there are many unique types of driving obstacles that must be created
specifically for a CDE, some features of an eventing course can be adapted to driving, such as a water jump. Back in 2018, those who attended the World Equestrian Games were treated to some especially thrilling competition watching powerful international four-in-hands galloping cross country and splashing through the water on the Tryon International course.
The driving communities in the Carolinas foster a sense of togetherness and engagement among residents. Events and competitions provide opportunities for people of all ages to come together, volunteer, and participate in a unique sport that brings the past into the present. The carriage drivers of the Carolinas continue to be a driving force in shaping the landscape of competitive and recreational driving both regionally and nationally.
Interested in learning to drive?
Here are some resources:
Aiken Driving Club: aikendrivingclub.com
American Driving Society: americandrivingsociety.org
Carolina Carriage Club: carolinacarriageclub.com
Moore County Driving Club: moorecountydrivingclub.com
Chester Weber leading Team USA to its first ever driving World Championship. Tryon International 2018 . Photography by Pam Gleason
Equestrians of the Carolinas
Marcie Quist
By Suzanne Konefal
Marcie Quist is a combined driving professional, FEI official and United States Equestrian Federation judge based in Vass, North Carolina. Originally from New York City, Marcie says she was a horse-loving kid, living in the big city without access to horses until she discovered a man in Greenwich Village who kept ponies on an empty lot.
“I would work for him after school and on weekends and got to ride and drive the ponies,” she said. “We also gave pony and carriage rides to other kids.”
Though Marcie drove ponies as a child, it wasn’t until the late 1990s that she was introduced to the sport of combined driving. Before that, she did a little of everything with horses: “From
English and Western riding and showing in open shows in every type of division – pleasure, equitation, gymkhana and a bit of jumping,” she said. “Then I discovered eventing and spent most of my time in eventing until I moved to Southern Pines.”
Marcie relocated from Montana to escape the long winters and have more opportunities to ride. At the time she had a small Thoroughbred stallion named Montana Light (Monty) who was extraordinarily tractable.
official and has acted as the chef d’equipe for America’s driving teams, most recently at the World Driving Championships in Szilvásvárad, Hungary in September 2024, where she was in charge of the United States Four-inHand team.
“He was not overly talented, but he had such a great brain he would do everything I asked,” she said. After seeing a combined driving event in Southern Pines, she decided to see if he would drive, and he took to it right away. With a few lessons under her belt, she was soon competing in CDEs. Monty remained amazingly versatile and stands out as one of her favorite horses.
“During a single week in Southern Pines, he won a Novice eventing class, went fox hunting mid-week and then participated at Preliminary level combined driving the next weekend. He was the kind of horse that did everything,” she said.
Over the next decades, Marcie competed in many CDEs, concentrating on the single horse division. She even took a horse to Germany in 2018, and lived and competed in Europe for two years. By that time, she was an FEI official, but she had rarely used her license because she was actively competing at the FEI level in the United States.
“However, when I moved to Germany, I found that being an official at FEI competitions was a great way to meet a very diverse group of Europeans and travel to many different places,” she said. Today, she has retired from active competition herself, but is in demand as an
Over the years, Marcie’s husband, Dave, has been very important in her driving career, even though she said he isn’t really a ‘horse guy.’ “He did ride with me a lot and also has ridden on the back of the carriage when needed as well. He is a super guy as he is the primary horse (and dog) care person now because I am gone so much as an official in driving.”
What advice can she offer to those interested in becoming an FEI official?
“FEI stewarding is a good starting point for all interested horse people,” she said. “The FEI needs a lot of stewards at each competition, and the application and training process for the lowest level only requires minimal experience, is online and affordable. For FEI technical delegates and judges, the process is more complicated with required standards of experience at the national federation level as an official and in competition,” she said.
When she is not on the road officiating, Marcie spends her time trail riding her driving horses, gardening and appreciating the outdoors.
Marcie says she is proud of her equestrian accomplishments, from being the Novice eventing champion of Area 9 (Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota) to being the chef d’equipe for the American international teams in combined driving.
“Each day living in the country on a farm with animals to enjoy and care for is the best part of life,” she said. “I am proud to be completely involved in horses.”
Complementary Therapies for Horses
Should you consider them?
Debra Powell, PhD, PAS
Many horse owners are interested in alternative therapies, but what are they, and do they work? While injured horses should always be treated by a licensed veterinarian, complementary therapies are sometimes used along with traditional veterinary medicine, both to speed healing and to improve performance. There are practitioners who offer magnetic field therapy, infrared therapy, chiropractic, osteopathy, massage, kinesiology taping, myofascial release, and the list goes on.
So why would you consider trying a complementary therapy for your equine partner?
Here are some reasons:
1. Overall improved health and wellness. Horses of any age may benefit from complementary therapies, and using them could help your horse achieve and maintain his full potential.
2. Musculoskeletal issues. Horses face the strain of carrying a rider or pulling a carriage while performing rigorous activities. Complementary
therapies may help repair strained or injured bones, muscles, and connective tissues.
3. Life stresses. Horses might be stressed from travelling to and from shows, management and feed changes, or training challenges. Complementary therapies may help horses cope with emotional, mental, and physical stresses.
4. Standard or traditional medical treatments are not always effective. Some horses just do not respond fully to traditional medical treatment. Complementary therapy may be what is needed to resolve lingering issues.
Here are some of the more commonly used complementary therapies that your veterinarian may recommend in conjunction with standard treatment.
Therapeutic Massage
Therapeutic massage can loosen tight or cramped muscles, decrease stiffness and increase joint flexibility. Because massage and stretching can help loosen scar tissue gradually, it may help restore a
Therapy blanket in use at Engineered Equine Performance in Aiken, South Carolina.
horse’s mobility after an injury. The compressionand-release pattern of equine massage also helps promote circulation, which can be particularly beneficial for stall-bound horses.
Massage also helps horses relax. They may drop their heads, lick or chew, sway with the massage therapist’s movements or even close their eyes and go to sleep.
Chiropractic
The premise of chiropractic is that structure plus function produces performance. An equine chiropractor uses various tools and methods to straighten out the vertebrae in a horse’s spine, which may have become misaligned and could irritate the nerves that branch off from the spinal cord. According to chiropractic theory, adjusting the spine enables the horse’s nervous system to function properly and restores range of motion to joints and proper function to muscles.
Equine chiropractic has a long and sometimes controversial history, but recent research published in veterinary journals has indicated that it helps some horses. Chiropractic adjustments are
not forceful and should be painless when done correctly. Maxine Emerich, who is the owner and manager of Engineered Equine Performance in Aiken, South Carolina is a proponent of both chiropractic and massage.
“Using complementary therapies such as massage and chiropractic regularly is a great way to keep an eye on your horse’s body condition and can keep your horse performing at their best,” she said.
Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy
Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy, known as PEMF, delivers low frequency, high intensity electromagnetic waves. These waves can penetrate a horse’s tissues where they influence cellular behavior and have been shown to help horses heal from various injuries. PEMF can be used to treat non-healing bone fractures, inflammation, arthritis, pain, edema, and chronic wounds.
Another type of PEMF that is gaining popularity is BEMER® (Bio-Electro-Magnetic-EnergyRegulation), which is a low frequency, low intensity PEMF device that is designed to promote circulation.
The Combi Floor combines controlled vibration and PEMF. Engineered Equine Performance.
Red light therapy has a number of uses.
Laser and Red Light Therapy
Light therapy comes in two basic forms: laser and red light. The goal of both is to stimulate healing. The different light sources have different properties.
The light from laser therapy is monochromatic (one color) and is of one wavelength. Lasers are graded from Class I (the lowest strength) to Class IV (the highest strength with the deepest tissue penetration.) Lasers in class 1-3 are known as cold lasers. They stimulate healing in specific, targeted areas. Class IV lasers have some thermal effects and may cause burns if used incorrectly – they are typically employed by licensed veterinarians in clinic settings.
Red Light Therapy (RLT) uses light emitting diodes (LEDs) to deliver light over a wider area. Stephanie Pope is a certified equine and canine acupressure practitioner and the owner of Poll to Pastern Holistics in Charlotte, North Carolina. She said that red light therapy is ideal for treating joints, superficial muscles or the spine, and can
be used to promote wound healing. What’s more, she says it is gentle and safe and has a long-lasting and cumulative effect.
“Red light therapy is a non-invasive way to support the body’s natural healing processes,” she said. “By enhancing circulation and lymphatic flow, it helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues, further supporting the body’s natural ability to heal. .. [it] can also help balance the nervous system, encouraging relaxation and providing a calming effect for anxious or stressed animals.” According to Pope, RLT is an excellent preventive tool that works best when used as a part of a holistic approach to maintaining an animal’s well-being.
Equestrians across the Carolinas are recognizing the benefits of incorporating complementary therapies into their horse’s routines. Various modalities have proven that they can be a boost to traditional medicine, and can help maintain the overall health, welfare and productive longevity of our precious horses.
Planning for Perfection Build Your Dream Farm
By Lauren Allen
Every equestrian would love to wake up and look out the window to watch their horses grazing peacefully — most would be thrilled to walk out the door of their house and be at the barn. But keeping horses at home means taking total responsibility for their mental and physical health, and building your very own dream farm can be a complicated endeavor.
An ideal barn needs to provide a safe haven for your horses, with adequate space for them to move around and be sheltered from the sun or bad weather. Companionship is crucial for herd animals, so there should be room for at least two. Riders need a space to ride. Feed and tack storage, trailer parking and manure disposal are just some of the many elements that must be planned out.
A Diamond W Signature All Weather Arena
Plan Your Space
If you are starting from scratch, the first step in building your dream farm is choosing a site and determining how to set up your property. It is vitally important to consider access. For instance, you may have a small two-horse trailer now, but if you ever need to receive horses shipped in from elsewhere, you need to have enough space for a big truck and trailer to get in and turn around. On the other hand, too much access is not always a good thing. Some horse farms located on public thoroughfares struggle with passers-by feeding or petting their horses, potentially even harming them.
According to Austin Wood, the founder of Diamond W Contracting, “You’d be amazed how many people start construction without thinking about how materials will actually get in. If your driveway or access road can’t handle an 18-wheeler or even a dump truck, you’re in for headaches; multiple deliveries, damaged roads, and extra costs. And whatever you do, don’t pave anything until all the heavy equipment is done. You’ll save yourself a lot of regret.”
Create Your Arena
Austin Wood is based in the Carolinas and is a specialist in high-performance equestrian arena construction. He says that while the barn is often at the top of the list when planning a facility, the arena plays a central role in how the entire property functions. The placement, drainage and grading required for a functional arena can influence every other part of the layout, from water flow to road access, so it’s wise to think through the arena design early in the process, even if it’s not being built right away.
“It’s completely natural for people to focus on the barn first; it’s where we spend a lot of time and it anchors the property visually. If you’re serious about training though, it’s the ground your horse works on regularly that has the most direct impact on long-term soundness. You can always add aesthetic upgrades to a barn later, but if your arena isn’t safe and rideable year-round, it will limit what you can do with your horse on the property,” said Wood.
Every exceptional riding arena has one thing in common. “You can’t build a truly functional
A professional arena can be the centerpiece of a private farm and is important for anyone serious about training. Arena by CB Arenas.
Pam Gleason
equestrian facility without a solid drainage plan,” said Austin Wood. “Everything; your arena, your paddocks, even your barn depends on it. I always tell people—visit your site after a hard rain. You’ll learn more in 10 minutes than you will from every dry-site walk-through. Don’t just plan drainage for the arena, think about the entire property.”
Wood also recommends looking at satellite images to identify visible drainage patterns. While not a substitute for an in-person visit, checking the satellite view on Google Maps can give insight into potential issues. Noticeably darker areas on the ground surface often indicate spots where water tends to pool.
Establish Your Pasture
Corbitt Thomas, owner of Thomas Agri Service in central North Carolina, agrees that planning ahead and finding the right people to help you will enable you to avoid costly mistakes and regrettable choices. There are a lot of steps to developing a farm from scratch, from grading and removing stumps to fertilizing and planting grass.
Thomas recommends pulling a soil sample
early to help determine whether you need fertilizer or lime, and what grass grows well in your area. He also advises establishing pastures before putting in fencing, and to consider access when choosing gates. “A lot of people want to put in an eight- or 10-foot gate to try to save money, but you need at least a 12- to 16-foot gate in certain areas in case you have something go wrong in the pasture or you need heavy equipment to get in.”
Choose your fencing with security and safety in mind. Every fence type has pros and cons: electric fencing can fail during a power outage, wire fencing can cause injuries, boards break… Also, consider the likely paths of travel/possible outcomes in the event that the horses escape. Secure perimeter fencing is a great idea. Know your area’s weather concerns: is your location prone to flooding, fires, hurricanes?
Thomas cautions new farm owners to plan ahead for potential growth and development. If you are starting small but ultimately hope to expand, identifying the locations for future structures and developing their infrastructure
Grass is easy to grow across the Carolinas, but if you want your pastures to be user-friendly, site prep and planning is important. Making sure that you have convenient gates with adequate clearance for heavy equipment is crucial since pastures will require regular maintenance.
Pam Gleason
from the start will save headaches and money down the road. Will your barn be strictly private or will you take in boarders? What about a trainer? These choices will affect whether you may need bathrooms, tack storage and lounging areas.
Build Your Barn
John Blackburn is the founder of Blackburn Architects in Washington, DC, which specializes in equestrian structures. Blackburn notes that the climate of the Carolinas is notoriously hot and humid in the summer, and says that the firm’s projects in the region prioritize shade and natural ventilation.
“Starting with a site plan, Blackburn places new buildings to capture prevailing summer breezes and indirect solar patterns. Buildings situated on a hill or rise in the landscape will take advantage of breezes that flow up the hill and through the barn, cooling it. Air is pulled in low and vented out high, ventilating the barn naturally.”
Blackburn barns are placed perpendicular to the prevailing breeze in order to take the most advantage of the site. While courtyard style barns
are iconic to the South, Blackburn prefers more open shedrow barns for maximum ventilation.
Thought should also be put into the purpose and use of a barn when it comes to stall design. For instance, what size horses are likely to be in the stable? Will there be a need for foaling stalls? Will there be horses coming and going from outside locations? According to Blackburn, solid side walls between stalls are preferred for improved safety and biosecurity.
“The aisle door should slide, not hinge, for safety concerns,” he said, and it is nice to have “a yoke gate in the door to allow horses to stick their head out for socializing and to provide for some emotional security.”
Blackburn acknowledges that there are many more design choices to consider, such as flooring, types of feeders and waterers, hay racks, casting rails, lighting, fans, materials for walls, drainage, door latches, blanket bars and halter hooks, cross tie rings, and so on.
“There is a lot to consider when designing a horse barn for your horse, but your first concern should be health and safety.”
Above: Magnolia Farm in Camden, South Carolina was designed by Blackburn Architects. Right: Dr. Magda Wylie’s daughter’s pony gazes over the stall door in her home barn.
Living The Dream
Finally, once you have built your dream barn you will have the unenviable job of maintaining it against the onslaught of threats from the sun, rain, bugs… and the wood chewing, hole digging, board breaking, sadomasochists that we love best: our horses. Say goodbye to long, relaxing vacations—most horse owners struggle to let go of the weight of responsibility, even if they are able to find someone to cover the work. But is it all worth it?
Dr. Magda Wylie, an equine veterinarian in Camden, South Carolina says that it is. “You can’t put a price on looking out of your window and
seeing your horses in your front yard.”
Dr. Wylie is a lifelong equestrian who says that her farm is a work in progress. “If you have a special needs horse, you can one hundred percent control their care, and you get to know your horses so much better: you are more in touch with their personalities, their quirks, even their napping habits,” she laughs. “You know which one hangs out in the run-in shed when the bugs are bad, and which one wouldn’t go into the runin shed if the pasture was on fire…Making your dream farm a reality takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but it is definitely worth it.”
Under 21
Ashton Maye
By Lauren Allen
Ashton Maye is unusually driven. Only 10 years old, he is already competing at a top level in pleasure and combined driving. Ashton was awarded the United States Equestrian Federation 12 and Under Driver of the Year award in 2024, and he has big plans going forward.
Ashton lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Fairfield, Virginia, with his parents Paul and Cheryl Maye. The family breeds and produces Welsh ponies primarily for the hunter market, and Paul recently retired from his FEI competition career driving a four-in-hand team. Ashton has been driving since he was 4 years old, and although he also rides, he says that it was getting to spend time with his dad on the carriage and do the sport with him that really hooked him on driving.
According to Paul, combined driving is a great family sport. “You have to have two people on the carriage for all phases with a junior, so Ashton has me on the back, or Keady Cadwell, his trainer from Southern Pines.” Ashton is also regularly accompanied by his Boston Terrier, Rosie, and his stuffed red dragon named Hamilton.
Paul explains that there are three phases to combined driving. “It’s like three day eventing on wheels,” so dressage, marathon and then the cones course. Each tests the team’s precision and athleticism. The sport takes control, patience and discipline, “It’s a lot of training: when you
compete at a high level, it’s every day, five days a week…The horses have to be very supple and wellschooled.”
One of Ashton’s favorite partners is a Welsh pony mare named Jetta. Her quirky personality is what makes her so special according to Ashton, who says that she is “mean, but sweet to me.” Paul laughs and says “Yeah she loves him but she can’t stand adults.” Jetta sustained an injury in the field which ended her driving career but she retired to the life of a broodmare for the family, and is currently expecting her second foal.
Ashton has moved on to driving Zeizo, one of his father’s upper level team horses and hopes to move up the levels of FEI competition. “The American Driving Society shows allow kids to drive, but USEF is still a little bit more limited on ages,” says Paul. “So, Ashton’s goal for next year will be for the American Driving Society Preliminary Championships.”
Ashton is homeschooled and his favorite subjects are social studies and art. When he isn’t working with horses, he loves to hang out with friends and family. He also enjoys bass fishing. He says that he likes “the strikes and the power of the fish.” When asked if maybe he has a thing for power, Ashton replies emphatically, “Yes!”
To keep up with this growing competitor in his quest for world domination, follow Team Ashton on Facebook.
Ashton competing at the Windsor Trace CDE, November 2024. Paul Maye is the navigator. Photography by Pam Gleason
Protecting Your Partner
The Importance of Annual Vaccinations
By Nicole Swinehart, DVM
“Hey Doc, I think we want to skip our vaccines this spring because we don’t take our horses anywhere.”
Thisis a very common statement I encounter when speaking to horse owners, especially now as prices continue to climb. I strongly believe prevention is the best approach when controlling diseases in our equids, especially because the stakes can be very high. It is important to remember that there is a geographical difference in what is recommended for our equine patients, so please consult your personal veterinarian for his/her recommendations. The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) is a great resource for horse owners.
In South Carolina, the following are recommended spring vaccines:
Recommended Vaccines in South Carolina
1: Eastern/Western Encephalitis: It is recommended to vaccinate biannually (twice a year) because these diseases are endemic in our mosquito population. Horses cannot spread the diseases to other horses, but they can be spread by the bite of a mosquito. Humans are also susceptible to these diseases. In horses, the vaccine is almost 100% effective, and the disease is almost 100% fatal.
2: Tetanus: This is caused by a spore-forming clostridial bacterium that produces a potent neurotoxin. It is commonly found in the soil, so horses are constantly exposed, especially through open wounds. The tetanus vaccine is recommended to be administered biannually.
can exist where horses become asymptomatic carriers. The virus can reactivate, resulting in shedding during stressful periods. This is how infection can occur in closed populations of horses. It is recommended to vaccinate horses that will be under stress biannually or those that are pregnant during the fifth, seventh, and ninth month of gestation.
3: Influenza: Equine influenza is a very contagious respiratory disease, and just like in humans, vaccination can provide protection as well as help make any infection less severe. An annual vaccine with a six-month booster is recommended, especially for competition horses that travel frequently.
4: EHV-1 and EHV-4 (Rhinopneumonitis): This virus is typically first seen in foals, then in weanlings, yearlings, and young horses coming into training. Latent infections
5: West Nile Virus: This is an arbovirus encephalitis transmitted from bird hosts by mosquitoes to horses, humans and other mammals. Horses and humans are dead-end hosts, meaning they can’t spread the disease to others. Case fatality is 33%, but 40% of horses that survive acute illness will exhibit residual neurologic effects. It is recommended to vaccinate biannually due to our prolific mosquito population.
6: Rabies: Incidence is low but the disease is fatal and carries considerable public health significance. Clinical signs are very difficult to discern from colic and other diseases. Vaccines induce strong serologic response after a single dose, can protect up to 12-14 months, and should be administered annually. This vaccine can only be administered by a veterinarian and is required by most equine practices to establish a horse as a client.
The most common question I receive from owners is “Why do we need to vaccinate so frequently compared to people and our canine and feline patients?”
Equines do respond to vaccines similarly to canines, but horses respond more slowly and they have a less robust immune response. The use of antibody titers (testing for antibodies) to determine if booster vaccination is required is not recommended in equines since protective levels of antibodies have not been defined for most equine diseases.
When trying to determine when and how often to vaccinate we need to ask these questions:
• What is the risk of infection?
• What are the consequences of the disease?
• What is the effectiveness of the vaccines?
• What is the potential for severe adverse reactions?
• What is the cost of immunization versus the potential cost of the disease?
It is important to remember that herd health and proper equine management still play a very important role along with a proper vaccine protocol. This includes parasite management, proper diet, clean water, and not overpopulating equine spaces.
Dr. Nicole Swinehart is one of the lead veterinarians at South Carolina Equine Associates in Camden, South Carolina. She is a 1998 Graduate of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Even horses that “never go anywhere” need protection from mosquito-borne viruses, as well as from rare, but 100% fatal diseases such as rabies.
Pam Gleason
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The Art of Patricia Borum Vivid Visions
By Mary Jane Howell
Patricia Borum, an Aiken-based painter and sculptor, does not remember a time when she didn’t love horses. They are the favored subject of her art – whether it’s a larger-than-life horse and rider sculpture at the entrance to one of California’s most exclusive gated communities, or a colorful painting of a polo pony. Although she no longer owns her own horse, Patricia loved riding and competing in her younger days. Now she enjoys all the equestrian disciplines that Aiken offers.
Patricia’s childhood was spent crisscrossing the globe and living in places that were wildly dissimilar – Iran and Italy, Kansas and Germany, Virginia, Holland, and England. Her father was a colonel in the Army Corps of Engineers, hence the nomadic lifestyle. No matter where the family was stationed, horses were a part of their lives. Patricia developed an attachment to any horse or pony she encountered, and she made use of her deep bond years later in her art.
“My love of horses – hugging and petting and just spending hours grooming them – really gave me an insight into their anatomy and personality,” explained Patricia.
Patricia was born in Germany, but her earliest memories are from Iran, where Colonel Borum was posted in 1963. Patricia and her family lived in a suburb of Tehran, with the Maranjab Desert at their back door. Donkeys and camels were plentiful, and Patricia will never forget when her family was given an Arabian stallion named Shakiya Habibi – they called him Clyde.
“We had gotten to know many Bedouins –sometimes we would go far out into the desert and camp with them in their tents. The stallion was a gift from them, and he was so gentle. We all rode him, and it was sad to leave him behind when my dad was transferred back to the states,” Patricia recalled.
Of all the countries where the Borums lived, England had the biggest impact on Patricia. For five years her family was in Denham, a village in Buckinghamshire, not far from London. There, Patricia lived the idyllic life of a horse-crazy teenage girl. She had a Dartmoor-Thoroughbred cross pony named Monty that she would ride through the countryside and compete in shows on the weekends.
It was also in these years that Patricia started to draw in earnest.
“My mom was an artist, and she painted landscapes and flowers using a pallet knife,” explained Patricia. “I wasn’t so interested in doing that – I loved using a brush with my oil paints. She really encouraged me and always made sure that I had the best brushes and paints because it really makes such a difference to your work.”
The years spent overseas exposed Patricia to many kinds of art. The Borums loved cultural outings to museums, churches, castles, and historical estates. Patricia soaked it all up –studying horse portraits by George Stubbs at the National Gallery and the farmyard scenes of John Frederick Herring at the Tate.
When she was 16, Patricia’s family moved to Virginia, where Patricia bought a Thoroughbred off the track that she trained for eventing. Later, she went to William Woods University in Missouri where she majored in equine science. Eventually, she ended up in California, where her father had his last posting. There, she began her professional career as an artist, starting out as a sculptor.
“I was fortunate to get commissions from people across the country, as well as Canada and Australia. I did smaller statues, as well as horse
Above: The “Aiken Fox” is one of Patricia’s first Aiken-based designs. He can be reproduced on many items, including pillows and wall hangings. Right: The polo pony, Dubonnet
Above: “The Spanish Horse and Rider” at the gates of Andalusia at Coral Mountain, La Quinta, California. The massive statue is 14 feet by 17 feet. Below left: “Anticipation;” Below right: “Two Horses” fountain/planter in Florentine color
heads that would sit atop gateposts, and fountains of many different sizes,” she explained. “I was even asked if I could create a fountain of a ‘mermare.’”
Two of her oversized pieces are in southern California: “Spirit” is an 11-foot-tall bronze that stands in a fountain at the Mission Ranch residential community in Rancho Mirage, near Palm Springs. The other is the exquisite Spanish horse and rider statue that guards the entrance of a resort community in La Quinta, near Indio. Each sculpture took over a year to create.
After she was established as a sculptor, Patricia also started painting, developing her own unique style.
“I went through a period where I was painting a lot of horses with long flowing manes and tails – think Andalusians – and I felt the need to paint something more simple and perhaps more stylized. And no manes,” she said. That was when she changed her approach, using stark lines and bold colors to depict horses in a different way. Her first subject was a polo pony named Dubonnet. She followed up with more polo ponies: Absolut, Courvoisier, Hennessy, Blue Curacao, and Campari.
“My dad and I came up with the names,” recalled Patricia. “He had a full bar at home
with all those liquors and we thought it would be interesting to use the names for my paintings. I was showing my art at a variety of polo events and the names made a splash with that crowd!”
One of Patricia’s favorite paintings using this colorful graphic style was of the 2014 Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome.
“He was California’s racehorse – he was born in the state; his owners and trainer were all from California; and he won so many races at the California tracks. We were all ecstatic when he won the Derby,” Patricia said. “And he was so beautiful – that glistening chestnut coat and white blaze and four white socks.”
In addition to paintings and sculptures, Patricia sells a line of unique porcelain plates and dishes with designs inspired by Hermès scarves.
Patricia and her parents decided to leave California a couple of years ago and they discovered Aiken the way so many people do –by knowing someone who had settled there. In Patricia’s case it was a horsey friend who lived in Three Runs Plantation.
“Aiken is such a wonderful, welcoming community,” she said. “And there are horses everywhere.”
Find Patricia Borum’s art on her website: patriciaborum.com. Or visit the Aiken Center for the Arts, 122 Laurens St., SW. Aiken, South Carolina.
Left: The polo pony Blue Curacao; Right: A portrait of the Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome, California’s favorite racehorse.
Kaylin Bender chases LJ Williams. Finals
Polo
Pam Gleason
Pam Gleason
Parting Shot
Phillip Dutton riding Possante in the $100,000 Stirling Capital Grand Prix Eventing Showcase at the Aiken Horse Park.
