Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

M A S S AC H U S E T T S

HORSE

December/January 2019 mahorse.com $4

PREPARE FOR A MASSACHUSETTS WINTER CALLAHAN STATE PARK TRAIL GUIDE

TROUBLE AT THE MOUNTING BLOCK HORSE LOGIC

HEROES, HORSES, AND HOUNDS LEND A HOOF

2 Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

contents

December/January 2019

columns 18 Heroes, Horses, and Hounds Saving Two Lives at Once

8

Sarah Seaman

ŠSandyHorse

Lend a Hoof

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20 Trouble at the Mounting Block Horse Logic

34 Events Calendar Massachusetts Only

Stacey Stearns

41 Junior Awards 14

22

features 8 Prepare for a

Massachusetts Winter Lead Feature

Horsemanship

in every issue 16 Dana Goedewaagen Horses Come Full Circle

5 From the Publisher 7 Your Letters

Horseperson Feature

24 Overherd 30 Partners

14 Callahan State Park Trail Guide

22 The Barnyard Maples Deep Connections Farm Feature

39 This Olde Horse 40 The Neighborhood 42 Is This Your Horse?

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

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FARMFAMILY. COM

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Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

From the Publisher A big part of our community is the businesses that sustain us and our horses, be it local boarding stables, trainers, veterinarians, farriers, tack shops, feed stores, or the tractor dealers in the next county. To keep our community healthy and strong we need to support these businesses and keep our dollars in the local economy. Buy locally. Tell our advertisers you saw them in Massachusetts Horse.

I hope you’ll put up your feet with a cup of something hot and delicious and enjoy this issue.

We certainly have enjoyed putting it together with you in mind.

May your winter be a magical one.

POP Photography

T

ter is a tall order and if done right, will he first snow will soon be upon allow you to enjoy this beautiful yet us. The stillness as it falls and blankets our world, the unique- challenging season for horsekeeping. ness of the flakes, the serenity it imparts On page 8, you’ll find some tips and — all serve to remind us that winter is a magical time. My favorite sounds of the season are the earlymorning songs of the chickadees as they flit among the hemlock branches and the crunchy squeak of snow on a very cold evening. I love the frost on my horses’ eyelashes on a cold early morning, the way the snow shines like glitter in the Peanut and Little Rasta Man at Pocketful of Ponies Farm. moonlight, and watching ideas to winterize your farm and care my horses move silently through the for your horses as the weather turns new snow in their pasture. cold and the snow piles up.

Preparing for a Massachusetts win-

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HORSE vol. 17, no. 4 December/January 2019

ISSN 1945-1393

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the fine print The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Massachusetts Horse staff or independent contractors, nor can they be held accountable. Massachusetts Horse will not be held responsible for any misrepresentations or any copyright infringement on the part of advertisers. Massachusetts Horse will not be held responsible for typing errors other than a correction in the following issue. All letters addressed to Massachusetts Horse, its publisher, editor, and staff are assumed for publication. Photos, stories (verbal or printed), notifications, news items, and all other material that is submitted, including all materials and photos not specifically solicited by Massachusetts Horse, are assumed to be legally released by the submitter for publication. Massachusetts Horse assumes no responsibility for damage to or loss of material submitted for publication. Reasonable care will be taken to ensure the safety and return of all materials.

Your Letters To the editor:

To the editor:

Thank you very much for your organization of the Massachusetts Horse Benefit Adventure Trail on September 16 at Apple Knoll Farm Equestrian Center in Millis for Central New England Equine Rescue. With your help, we’re able to continue the vital work of saving horses and finding them new homes. Since its inception 15 years ago, we’ve saved 250 horses!

Please know how much gratitude we all have for your support. It makes a big difference in this little rescue’s world.

Thank you so much for all of your support. You’ve been a fantastic friend to Nevins and homeless horses everywhere.

Heather Robertson, Director of Development, MSPCA at Nevins Farm

Betsy Johnson, Vicky Berry, Roxann Banks, Randy McLam, Bill Robinson, and the committee members, Central New England Equine Rescue, West Brookfield

To the editor: This [Massachusetts Horse Junior Horsemanship Award] is a great award that you make available to those juniors who strive in the horse world and may not have the finances to have it all but do it all through their wants and values.

Felicia Knowles, Massachusetts Horsemen’s Council Vice President

Let us know your thoughts!

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All letters received by January 5 will be entered in the drawing. Send your letters to: steph@mahorse.com or Massachusetts Horse, 99 Bissell Rd., Williamsburg, MA 01096.

To the editor: I really appreciated your article on parasite management.

[Deworming: An Easy-to-Understand Guide; October/ November 2018] I’d like to give a copy to my boarders to help them understand why testing is important and come from barns that never have done it this way. You explained it all so nicely with good references. Thank you!

Kate Cameron, Red Mare Farm, Hatfield

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Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

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Prepare for a Massachusetts Winter

Alessandra Mele

by Stephanie Sanders

F

or horse owners, every season has its challenges. In summer, pesky flies are an issue, along with sweltering temperatures. Spring brings boot-eating mud and those irritating no-see-ums. Autumn, the most favorable season for trail riding, has the fewest flaws, except, of course, it’s all too brief.

Then there’s winter: frozen water, ice underfoot and -hoof, mounds of snow with nowhere to put it. Several years ago, a December ice storm caused extended power outages and many of us learned how to take care of our horses without electricity — no well water, no lights, no water heaters — for weeks.

As you watch the temperatures slowly drop, awake to hoar frost on the early-morning pastures, and find yourself in pitch dark by the six o’clock evening feed, questions of winter barn management creep to the front of your mind.

Planning ahead for the winter can go a long way to making your barn and your horses healthier. You’ll also have more time to enjoy those gorgeous winter days for riding your horse.

Winterizing the Barn In the Bay State, where winter can seem never-ending, it’s essential that your barn be well stocked should you be snowed in. If you have room, store enough hay for the season. Hay is gener8

ally less expensive in summer, when you can buy it off the field, so stocking up will save you money as well as worry about whether you have enough hay to last through the current blizzard. Store hay in a clean, dry, and convenient area so when the snow falls, it’s easy to get to.

Maintain enough grain for two weeks to avoid running out when you’re unable to dig out the truck and get to the feed store.

Store a minimum of two weeks of bedding in a dry and easily accessible spot.

Insulate aboveground piping with wrap-around insulation. Check electric pipe wraps used in previous winters for wear and tear and rodent damage.

Remove temperature-sensitive liquids and medication and store in more suitable conditions to prevent damage.

Declutter tack rooms, work areas, aisles, and indoor arenas by storing fans, fly spray, bathing equipment, fly sheets, and other warm-weather items for the winter.

Check barn drains, pipes, and gutters to avoid potential problems. Clean the gutters so they are free of leaves and debris.

Pack any holes in stall floors with fill so they don’t collect water and freeze, making for slippery footing and colder stalls.

Stock up on some extra barn sup-

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

plies like double-end snaps, screw eyes, extra gate latches, and a short length of chain. In an emergency, you can use a length of chain and double-ended snaps to keep a gate closed until you can get it fixed. It’s also a good idea to have a few extra fence posts and rails or boards on hand in case a winter ice storm brings a tree down on your fence or your beaver-like horses chew through a rail or two.

Put tire chains, snow blowers, and blades on your tractor before the first snow, not the morning after. Keep a can of silicone spray handy to coat the surfaces of metal parts to help prevent snow buildup and to lubricate chains.

Drive markers into the ground on each side of the driveway and parking area before the ground freezes. Set up snow fencing where snow is likely to drift across driveways and paths.

Place a bucket of sand and a shovel at each barn doorway.

Create an emergency and winter storm plan. Flashlights, extra batteries, fuel for generators, car charger for your mobile phone, and battery-powered radio/weather radio are a few supplies to have on hand. Invest in a batterypowered headlamp to keep your hands free while performing chores during a power outage.

Lastly, know your barn and indoor arena roof snow loads. To estimate the

Alessandra Mele

weight of snow on your roof, go to fema.gov and search for SNOW LOAD SAFETY GUIDE. It’s a thorough, easy-tounderstand PDF to help you avoid a collapsed roof.

Water We naturally monitor our horses’ water intake during the hot summer months, but some of us relax that vigilance during the winter. Getting enough water during cold weather is just as important as it is during a heat wave. Yes, horses need less water during the winter, and therefore drink less. However, often they drink too little. To counter that tendency, simply offer your horses warm water during the winter.

There are correlations between decreased water consumption and fecal impaction colic. Increasing the amount of water a horse drinks is an easy and inexpensive way to keep the horse at the peak of health during the winter.

A project completed at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center demonstrated that ponies, when offered either warm water or near-freezing water, drank 40 percent more warm water. This statistic remained constant whether the ponies were offered water that was kept warm constantly or the buckets were just filled with warm water twice daily. The ponies drank the most within three hours after feeding, or after the water buckets were refilled.

At Pocketful of Ponies, during the coldest weather, I bring hot water in two-gallon containers to the barn after feeding in the morning and in the evening — one in each hand. (Campingsupply stores stock containers of various sizes that are flexible and don’t crack in the cold. Each container has a cap, so water doesn’t splash onto your clothing on the way to the barn.) If you’re wondering how warm or cool to make the water, remember, if you wouldn’t drink it, don’t ask your horse to drink it. My horses will actually leave what’s left of their hay to come drink what I call “horse hot chocolate” — warm water.

For a bucket filled with water outside while the horses are turned out, it helps to place a small rubber ball or two in the water — dog toys about the size of a tennis ball are good. They will float on top and keep the water moving so it doesn’t freeze as quickly.

Air Quality When you feel frozen solid no matter how many bulky layers you wrap yourself in, it’s tempting to close the barn up tight and smother your horse in fluffy blankets to make him cozy. Before you decide to shut out the cold, though, consider your horse’s needs — he may be more at ease in the elements than you think.

Many of us think that if we’re cold, our horses must be cold too. Not neces-

sarily so. Nature has provided horses with an effective thermal blanket in the form of a coat that increases in both length and density as the days grow shorter. In addition, horses can fluff out their coat in cold weather, and their body heat warms the trapped air, creating a layer of insulation against the cold.

Stalls and barns needn’t be heated — a horse’s body heat will do the trick.

But be sure to eliminate drafts by sealing up cracks in the walls and windows in your horse’s stall. Horses in the wild will hunker down with their heads into a blizzard so that their rearward-growing outer coat isn’t ruffled, allowing the trapped air to escape, and a healthy herd will survive the most brutal temperatures. In a stall, however, drafts can whistle through at high speeds and from all directions, ruffling hair from odd angles and breaking the insulating benefits of the winter coat.

However, don’t completely seal up the barn. An indication of poor barn ventilation is the smell of ammonia, especially in the morning, before doors and windows are swung open. Another is moisture buildup on the inside of windows. Good ventilation is always of the utmost importance for the health of your animals, even in the bitter cold.

If your hay is stored above your horses in a loft, as you feed hay throughout the season, instead of emptying the hayloft from one end to the

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

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Alessandra Mele

other, keep the hay more evenly stacked across the loft floor, giving some insulation to the horses below.

Heated barns are an enticing option, but are generally an appropriate solution only for a large barn in which all horses are clipped and working. Horses are naturally happy and healthy in fresh cool air. A good solution for keeping your bones warm in between chores? Heat the tack room!

To Blanket or Not to Blanket That’s the question countless Bay State horse owners ask themselves each fall.

Horses simply don’t get as cold as we do in the same weather conditions that make us shiver and get out the insulated overalls. Although some horses have special requirements because of a thin coat or age-related internal thermostat problems, most are quite comfortable until the temperature dips below zero degrees Fahrenheit or the wind-chill is below zero.

Your horse’s breed plays a big role in how much winter coat he grows. For example, a typical thin-skinned Thoroughbred who doesn’t grow much of a winter coat uses a lot of the energy he gets from his feed to keep himself warm. In this case, to save both your feed bill and overfeeding your horse in order to keep on sufficient winter weight, consider blanketing when temperatures (wind chill included) are lower than 25 to 20 degrees. Then there’s his pasture buddy of nondescript breeding, who come December turns into the abominable snowman with a coat so thick you could lose your hand 10

in it: no need to blanket him at all.

Aside from horses that have been clipped and those that need a winter blanket because they have an insufficient coat, many are blanketed by owners who simply want to provide their horses with that extra bit of warmth or protection from precipitation.

If you decide to blanket your horse, be sure to remove the blanket daily to check for blanket rub marks. It’s good to let your horse’s hair fluff up and let his skin “breathe.” At the very least, straighten the blanket and run your hand beneath it to make sure your horse isn’t sweating.

Check your horse’s body condition frequently during the winter months, as a blanket and/or a thick winter coat can easily hide if he’s gaining or losing weight.

Horses kept in pastures need a simple south-facing, three-sided shed for protection from the elements. The average horse, when not blanketed, will grow a sufficient winter coat, and will appreciate the freedom to go in and out of a run-in shed.

At Pocketful of Ponies, the herd spends windy days and nights in the run-in shed, or if the wind direction is such that it makes the shed less comfortable, huddled near a stand of trees that acts as a wind block. When the air is calm, the horses are always out and about, even in the heaviest of snow; they seem to enjoy moving and investigating rather than standing in the shed.

As the sun rises, they congregate in the shed’s open south side, soaking up the early morning sun, their coats fluffed

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

out. Sunny mornings after breakfast are spent in front of the shed with the winter sun warming their coats as they lie down or enjoy a quick nap on their hooves.

Clipping for appearances should be kept to a minimum, as a long coat and facial, ear, and fetlock hair form a barrier that protects the skin from the snow and cold air. Fetlock hair also protects your horse from the sharp edges of ice-covered snow. If you ride frequently and your horse works up a sweat, it’s best to clip his body only in the areas covered by his blanket when he’s at rest.

Winter Feeding Feeding high-quality hay year-round is important, but it’s especially important in the winter months, as even the best barn ventilation can’t ease the chronic breathing problems many horses develop by inhaling moldy and dusty hay spores.

Increase hay intake during especially cold days to fuel the horse’s inner furnace — the process of digesting fiber keeps him warm. Hay digests slowly, so constantly providing him with plenty of hay will have him generating heat longer. Slow feeders are an excellent solution here, as they enable a horse to feed on a controlled amount of hay all day long.

There’s no need to increase the amount of grain in order to increase the number of calories: The horse processes grain quickly, and too much puts him at risk for colic and other digestive issues. He’ll do best with some

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

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extra hay to keep him busy, warm, and full.

As you adjust your horse’s intake, keep an eye, or rather, a hand on his weight under his blanket or through his thick winter coat.

Before I started feeding hay in small-hole hay bags and hay pillows 24/7 for my horses, I fed them extra hay when the weather was brutally cold.

The horses got extra hay morning and evening, and, when the wind was a factor, they received a supplementary feeding of hay at 10 p.m. to help them stay warm through the night. Now that the horses have hay 24/7, I don’t have to worry about them not having enough forage to keep warm, and with the small-hole hay bags, they all have maintained a healthy weight.

Don’t forget the salt! Year-round free access salt is essential to meet a horse’s requirements for sodium. Your horse will self-regulate what his body requires to keep his electrolyte system in balance. Many horses have a difficult time acquiring enough salt from a salt block. These were invented for cattle, with their coarse tongues, not for horses. Offering both a white salt brick and free-choice loose salt will enable

your horse to do what he does best: balance his natural chemistry.

Exercise, Exercise, Exercise During the winter, leave your horse turned out as much as possible to ensure sufficient digestive stimulation.

You won’t be endangering his health in other ways, as a horse in good condition with a heavy winter coat or adequate blanketing and access to windbreaks can withstand temperatures as low as 40 degrees below zero Fahrenheit.

Staying consistent with turnout is a virtually impossible task when the weather begins to change; any schedule you developed in the warm months will be thrown to the blustering wind.

Checking the weather obsessively, you debate whether to leave the horse in for the day or risk him getting caught in a freak blizzard. Unpredictable and unforgiving weather inevitably cuts down on outside playtime, but it’s important to get your horse outside whenever you can.

Regular exercise will invigorate your horse’s appetite, tone his muscles, increase lung and heart capacity, and help develop reflexes and coordination.

Safety is always the first thing to

keep in mind. If the ground is frozen and slippery, don’t attempt a full workout. Riding in fluffy snow, however, can be fun and a good workout for both of you. Using a longe line is usually a good way to get your horse moving. Just a few laps out on the line will get his blood circulating and muscles working. Even hand-walking around the farm is better than no movement at all, especially if you have some good hills to tackle.

Provide some sort of shelter: It’s your horse’s ultimate defense against the wind, snow, sleet, and rain. A run-in shed in the pasture will enable your horse to take cover when he needs it. A run-out paddock that still gives him access to his stall is an excellent setup, one that gives him the freedom to go out in the weather or to stay in, where it’s dry. If your situation doesn’t include an effective shelter, be wary of turning out your horse when the forecast is for threatening weather if you won’t be home to bring him in should the need arise. Sometimes keeping a horse inside for a day is the safe thing to do.

Regularly allowing horses to play in moderately soft footing will likely minimize problems that could occur when they’re turned out in deep snow. Horses continued on page 37 . . .

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Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

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Trail Guide

Framingham

by Stacey Stearns

Callahan State Park

C

allahan State Park opened in Framingham in 1970 with 435 acres. Since then, it’s grown to more than 800 acres in Framingham, Marlborough, and a small section of Southborough.

The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and

Pipeline Trail

though; with only seven-miles of trails, we knew we would eventually end up back at the parking lot.

We saw evidence of other horses on the Pipeline Trail — a pile of manure and hoof prints on some trails. There’s a private horse farm across from the Edmands Road parking lot. A lot of the

Earthen Dam Trail

Stacey Stearns

Trail Head

south of Edmands Road. Using GPS for 1031 Edmands Road, we discovered that it was a house on the left side of the street, but just further down on the right was the parking lot we wanted.

The sign at the road is missing, but once you get in the lot the information kiosk is labeled.

Recreation (DCR) and is adjacent to conservation land owned and managed by the Sudbury Valley Trustees on multiple borders. Callahan State Park is primarily used for hiking, horseback riding, and walking. Mountain biking, fishing, and cross-country skiing are also allowed.

Callahan State Park is a mix of open fields (approximately 100 acres of the property), ponds, and coniferous and deciduous trees. There are seven miles of marked trails comprised of fire roads, walking trails, and single tracks.

It’s home to a variety of wildlife and a very popular dog park. Eagle Pond is open for dogs to swim in, and has a beach-type area. Some trails require dogs to be on leash, but there are quite a few sections where dogs are allowed off leash, including the fields.

A Leg Up Callahan State Park is open from sunrise to sunset, and there’s no parking fee. We parked in the lot on Edmands Road and only rode in the southern half of the park — everything to the

Even though we arrived at noon on a sunny but brisk Sunday, there was plenty of room for me to pull into the parking lot on the left side and leave the two-horse trailer parallel to the road. A stone wall and some brush offer protection from the road. When it was time to leave I backed up into the middle of the parking lot and then pulled straight out onto the road.

I was pleasantly surprised to find an ample supply of trail maps in the box on the information kiosk. There were some large rocks that we used for mounting blocks on the edge of the parking lot, and a picnic table for those who want to bring their lunch. There are no restrooms. Ample signage alerts dog owners to clean up after their dogs, and bags and trashcans are provided.

Trails were all marked with brown signs. Smaller blue triangles were also labeled with key information. These were helpful in letting us know where we were going, especially after I had taken us in circles deep in the southern end of the park, where there were fewer signs. We knew we couldn’t get too lost,

14 Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

trails are trimmed to the height of hikers so ducking under branches is occasionally required on the less prominent trails.

Out Riding It We rode out of the parking lot on the Pipeline Trail. We weren’t on this for long before we crossed onto Sudbury Valley Trustees’ land. We followed this trail, and turned right on the loop that goes toward Packard Pond. This connects back onto the Pipeline Trail.

From there, we rode into some open fields. We could hear a large group of dogs as we continued through the fields.

We came up over a small rise and could see an expanse of open fields and the Millwood Street parking area. This parking area had several more cars than the Edmands Road area, and was a bit smaller, so I recommend parking at Edmands Road with a trailer. Millwood is the preferred parking area for dog owners because Eagle Pond is a short walk from there. The dogs we’d heard earlier were headed up the Moore Road

trail so we continued on the Earthen Dam Trail.

Earthen Dam Trail gives some pretty views of the area; it was windy, but fun. We came off the earthen dam and took Coco Ridge Extension Trail to what I thought was the Coco Ridge Trail. Our intention was to ride the perimeter of the park and loop back to the parking lot, but we ended up on Juniper Trail. We followed that until there was a downed tree that we couldn’t get around, and turned back and took Birch Trail instead. From there, we ended up on Lady Slipper Trail, and that connected us to Rocky Road Trail.

At this point we started going in circles! This section of Rocky Road was wide and smooth; Lady Slipper and Rocky Road should have reversed names. We came out on Pinecone Trail, which meant we had gone in the opposite direction of what I intended. We did the small half-circle on Pinecone and it took us back to Rocky Road.

When we arrived back at the Hawk Trail intersection, we took that, but again, it just did a circle and we were back at Rocky Road. We followed Rocky Road back down to where it intersected with Lady Slipper, and went straight, realizing the error had been going left at this intersection the first time instead of right, although we saw some beautiful woods while circling in the southern corner of the park. We also heard lots of birds and saw a few squirrels. On many of the perimeter trails there are homes within sight, and we heard children playing in one neighborhood.

There’s a large old stone fireplace in the woods off of Juniper Trail, but we missed seeing it because it is in the section of Juniper we couldn’t access due to the downed tree. We did, however, see a vintage rusted bicycle on the side of one of the other trails — art in nature. Stone walls crisscross the woods in many places of the park, and there are several large, old trees deep in the woods.

We followed Rocky Road back north through the park, again crossing into conservation land owned by the Sudbury Valley Trustees. Rocky Road connects to Pioneer Trail, and comes out at the Edmands Road parking lot.

The only place Rocky Road Trail was really rocky was just before arriving back at the parking lot. However, many

of the other trails were rocky, and there were lots of tree roots too. I recommend hoof protection.

We rode a slow five miles in two hours, and it was a pretty and relaxing place to ride. Close to the parking areas we saw other trail users, but deeper into the park we had the place to ourselves.

All of the dogs we met were well behaved and the people were friendly.

The bridges over Baiting Brook and other areas were sturdy and horse safe. We saw one bridge on Rocky Road Trail on the way north, in the Sudbury Valley Trustees land, that wasn’t horse friendly — it was narrow and arched, but there was a nice place for the horses to cross the water.

East Leigh Farm, just down the road from the Edmands Road parking lot, sells ice cream. I’ll definitely be making a return trip in warmer weather to explore the trails and Beebe Pond in the northern part of the park, and stop for an ice cream.

Happy trails!

Stacey Stearns, a lifelong equestrian from Connecticut, enjoys trail riding and endurance with her Morgan horses.

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15

Horseperson Feature

Stockbridge

Dana Goedewaagen

by Kara Noble

Horses Come Full Circle

T

has become a long, illustrious career. It was a very heady time.”

The excitement ended abruptly when Chase the Clouds colicked. “It was my first great heartbreak, my first great loss,” Dana says. “It was very hard to take.

I left the club shortly after he died.”

Dana wasn’t without work for long.

Jerry Nielsen Sr., owner of the magnificent Thoroughbred breeding facility at Sunnyfield Farm in New York, hired her to groom for his daughters, Sandy and

Stockbridge. Dana fell in love with the area, bought a home near the farm, and settled into eight years of grooming horses and ponies for the Wallers.

Even with a decrease in travel, the rigors of grooming took their toll.

“Grooming is very intense. The days are long and there are few days off,” says Dana. “You can’t work like that forever.

By the end, I was completely burnt out — mentally, physically, emotionally.”

She decided she was done.

Connecticut, for lessons with renowned pony trainer Emerson Burr.

The experience laid the foundations for her entire life.

“He was the primary father figure (besides my own father) for my formative years,” Dana says. “He instilled a solid work ethic in me, taught me the importance of a job well done, how hard work pays off, all the important lessons you learn as a kid.”

By the time she was 18, Dana realized she didn’t have the resources or the talent to pursue a career as a showjumping rider, so she elected to apply Emerson’s lessons in a different way.

She began grooming at FCHC, taking care of a barn full of brilliant hunters and jumpers.

She was in her early 20s when Leslie Burr-Howard arrived at FCHC. “I was the barn manager on the road at the very onset of Leslie’s career,” Dana says. “It was incredibly exciting. I was the groom for Chase the Clouds, Leslie’s first big grand prix jumper. I was with her during the heyday of what

Karen, who were both leading junior competitors on the hunter/jumper circuit.

At Sunnyfield, Dana cared for an impressive string of show jumpers, including French Leave, Watership Down, Taxi, and Master Dan. During the 1980s, she traveled with the Nielsens to prestigious competitions such as the American Horse Show Association/United States Equestrian Federation Medal Finals, where both girls seemed unbeatable, even in the face of competition from riders like Peter Wylde.

It was an exciting life, but a grueling one. By the time the Nielsen sisters aged out of the junior show jumping, Dana was in her early 30s and ready for a change. “I still wanted to groom,” she says, “but I had been on the road almost 365 days a year for many years. I was ready for something calmer.”

Mary Waller, an amateur hunter rider who was often stabled near the Nielsens at horse shows, offered her the ideal situation at Orelton Farm in

“I felt like I was breaking up with the horse business,” Dana says. “I didn’t know any other way to leave. There was so much emotion involved. It was too painful. I needed to make a one hundred percent clean break from the people, the life — like it never happened.”

Her new career choice was a timely one. “I come from a family of people in health care. They said, ‘In health care, you can work three twelve-hour days.’ I thought, ‘Wow — I could have four days a week to myself.’

“It sounds dramatic, but it was like being reborn. I had time on my hands for the first time in my life. Time to have hobbies, to go skiing, kayaking, hiking, camping. I’ve been a respiratory therapist for sixteen years, and sometimes I’m still not used to the fact that I have time that is my own.”

Dana also had more time to spend with her family, and one Christmas gathering, about six years ago, sparked another change in her life. Extravagant gift purchases that holiday prompted Dana to propose that the family

© Blue Moon Images, Dana Goedewaagen

hey say if you want to see how much heart a horse has, watch it with its rider, but to see how much love it can give, watch it with its groom. To capture the unique bond between horse and human, find a photographer like Dana Goedewaagen.

Dana was enamored with horses by the time she was eight years old. Her family indulged her equine passion by bringing her to the Fairfield County Hunt Club (FCHC) in Westport,

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Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

exchange homemade gifts the following year. Everybody liked the idea, but driving home that night, she realized she’d created a problem for herself. She couldn’t think of anything she could make for a gift.

Photography, she decided, might be the answer, even though she’d only casual experience with that art form. “I live in a pretty area,” Dana says. “I thought maybe I could take some landscapes I could frame and give as gifts.”

She Googled “best entry-level digital single-lens reflex camera,” bought a Nikon, and started studying.

The work ethic Dana had learned from Emerson kicked in. “Once I decide I’m going to do something, I’m like a dog on a bone,” she says. “I was determined to learn this craft. I started taking bad pictures of flowers and landscapes. I took the camera with me everywhere.”

She had it with her the day she stopped by Orelton Farm to ask Mary a question. They happened to be working horses outdoors when she arrived, so Dana took a few pictures. “They were terrible,” she says. “So I went back in the morning. I started going over more and more.”

Taking pictures of horses soon became an obsession — even more so when she realized she was good at it.

“When you have an interest and you discover you also have an aptitude for it, it’s like throwing a match on gasoline,” she says. “Get a little encouragement, have some success, and it just takes off.”

From the beginning, Dana’s photographs have shown her groom’s eye for detail and connection. “I have very little patience, and I have zero interest in standing in the ring taking pictures,” she says. “When I go to a horse show, my goal is to capture the feel, the rhythm of a horse show day, from that first cup of coffee in the morning when the horses are eating and people are bleary-eyed to the end of the day when horses are at the wash rack and people are cleaning tack.”

At a horse show, you are most likely to find Dana shooting at the barn. “For obvious reasons, my favorite people to photograph are the ones who care for the horses,” she says. “I love photographing grooms, blacksmiths, veterinarians, barn staff.”

She has expanded on her idea of photographs as gifts, and loves giving photos to unsuspecting grooms. “Last Christmas I printed and mailed photos to six grooms who had no idea they were coming,” Dana says. “They were thrilled.”

Her support for grooms has also encouraged her to donate photographs in support of the Grooms Award (groomsaward.org), a charity created in 1998 by her close friend Andrea Mewhinney. Given in memory of groom Moira Caffarey and horse transporter George Hennessy, the award is presented to the groom of the winning horse at shows including the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, the Devon Horse Show, and the Del Mar National Horse Show.

“When I was a groom, nobody would even buy us a cup of coffee in the morning,” says Dana. “It’s important to me to make sure today’s grooms get recognized.”

Dana also volunteers as a photographer for Equine Advocates in Valatie, New York. Her photographs are used in promotional materials that raise funds supporting the farm’s 80 rescued horses, donkeys, and mules.

After six years as a photographer, Dana still considers herself a beginner, one who revels in learning opportunities. In 2017, participating in her first exhibition introduced her to the intricacies of matting, framing, and hanging her work. This year, she began printing her own photographs, a process she has found surprisingly rewarding. “Printing was the missing piece for my photography,” she says. “A photo isn’t real until it’s in your hands. When it’s printed, a photo has duration.”

Her next goal is to master the art of portrait photography. She’s intrigued by the challenge of capturing the personality of individuals and the connection between a person and their horse or dog.

Dana Goedewaagen appreciates every step of the long, winding road that led her from her first riding lessons to her current life as a respiratory therapist and equine photographer.

“I’ve been lucky,” she says. “I’ve had amazing jobs, met incredible people.

For more than ten years I didn’t look at a horse, touch a horse. I thought I never wanted to see another one.

Photography brought horses back to my life. It’s a wonderful gift.”

And Dana’s photographs are a gift to all of us.

Kara Noble has a pair of Icelandic mares and a pair of mini donkeys at her farm in Montgomery and has ridden for most of her life. She’s a professional writer and editor and holds an MFA in creative nonfiction.

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17

Lend a Hoof

Sunderland

Heroes, Horses, and Hounds

by Alessandra Mele

Saving Two Lives at Once

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confidence she would witness in both human and horse.

“I started seeing the confidence that people were gaining through this experience of communicating with their horses,” Colleen says. “It was amazing how they would become very present, soft with their bodies, and mindful of all they were doing.” This observation would become a driving

Seeing successes like that with dogs and horses, Colleen and Jessica established the mission of Heroes, Horses, and Hounds and set to work making it a reality. The organization was officially established as a nonprofit in August 2015. Since then, Colleen, Jessica, and their team have developed comprehensive programs for training rescue animals to work in service of people with

verbalizing his thoughts. Colleen was touched and told him she looked forward to working with him next week too.

Moments like these are evidence that the work being done at Heroes, Horses, and Hounds in Sunderland is effective and important. “Our mission is to save two lives at once,” says Colleen. “We rescue unwanted horses and dogs and retrain them for animalassisted programs so that they may give disabled people their freedom back.”

The connection that results is deep and profound, allowing for a shared empathy that can conquer all sorts of challenges. “It truly changes lives,” Colleen says.

inspiration behind Heroes, Horses, and Hounds.

Colleen was also very interested in helping rescue animals, and wanted to pursue a viable means of helping homeless and unwanted horses and dogs. She saw an opportunity in retraining these animals so that they in turn could improve the lives of people with disabilities, and wanted to explore the possibility further.

She soon partnered with Jessica Mattson, who had extensive experience in training service dogs.

“Jessica’s son is autistic, and when he was very young, she was interested in joining him with a service dog,” Colleen says. “She found it nearly impossible, with either years-long waiting lists or high price tags standing in the way. So she decided she was going to do it herself, and found she was very successful in training service dogs. With the help of a well-trained dog, Jessica’s son attended a conventional high school where he graduated at the top of his class.”

intellectual and physical disabilities, ranging from training service dogs to engaging in equine-assisted therapy to Miniature horse hospital visits.

Heroes, Horses, and Hounds has seen consistent and exciting progress in three years, and Colleen is continuously inspired as they explore new initiatives.

“It’s all been a whirlwind; things have been moving along at a good pace,” Colleen says. “Every year we’ve raised enough money to do a little more, and now, I’m happy to say, we’re self-sufficient. We were able to purchase our farm in Sunderland in February of this year, and have even bigger plans in the works.”

The purchase of the farm in Sunderland was an important step in centralizing Heroes, Horses, and Hounds and giving the animals a place to call home. Colleen and her team have begun running pilot programs with small groups at the farm, with plans to expand.

“We’re in the process of establish-

courtesy of Heros, Horses, and Hounds

olleen Campbell will never forget the words of one young boy after he spent a day with her horses. He looked her in the eye and said, “Thank you Colleen, this has been great. I’ve had a wonderful time and I will see you next week.” Nothing out of the ordinary, really, except that these words of gratitude were spoken by an autistic boy who rarely felt comfortable

Making the Idea a Reality Working with horses has been a part of Colleen’s life for more than 20 years, during which she has largely focused on natural horsemanship training. In helping people with their horses, she was always amazed by the newfound 18

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

ing ourselves at the farm, and getting everything set up for full operation,” says Colleen. “Our goal is to be in a position next spring where people are able to come to the farm and take advantage of our programs on a much more regular basis.” There are also plans for purchasing a commercial building nearby that would serve as a space for training the dogs.

Colleen is thrilled to see these plans taking shape, and she and her team continue to work hard to ensure Heroes, Horses, and Hounds achieves its goals. In the meantime, she’s happy to see the organization’s three horses, Serena, Daisy, and Gracie comfortable in their new home and excelling in the pilot programs.

Programs for Everyone Heroes, Horses, and Hounds has developed a variety of programs that puts the organization’s mission to save two lives at once into action. “We really want to make this a one-stop shop that allows people of all backgrounds and abilities to come in at whatever stage they are at and work toward healing,” Colleen says.

“The programs are designed to allow individuals to heal themselves at their own pace rather than just provide therapy, because we want people to gain valuable skills and strategies out of the process.”

The equine programs Colleen offers bring together natural horsemanship techniques, equine-assisted therapy approaches, and a goal of giving new purpose to unwanted horses. One such approach is known as the Mirroring Program, which provides Colleen a great baseline when working with new individuals.

“The Mirroring Program consists of the individual, myself, and a horse in the round pen, where we explore what the horse is telling us about our own body language, and allows me to point out what the individual may not be aware they are projecting,” Colleen says.

“Horses are giant, emotional mirrors that give us the opportunity to be more mindful of what we’re feeling. Then, the individual can practice how to project their emotions effectively in order to get the response they’re looking for.”

The two horses Colleen uses for this exercise are perfect for the job: rescued Quarter Horse mares Daisy and Gracie. Both were pregnant and des-

tined for slaughter at an auction in Oklahoma when Colleen stepped in and saved them.

“Both girls are sweet and have been very useful to our program in their own ways,” Colleen says. “While Daisy tends to love everybody and shower affection to the point where she invades personal space, Gracie doesn’t trust easily and responds only when her handler is completely centered and relaxed. Both personalities teach lessons in setting boundaries, controlling emotions, and connecting toward mutual trust.”

Another successful program Colleen and her team have been developing is the Mini Miracles Program, which utilizes the blossoming skills of two-year-old Miniature Horse Serena.

Colleen adopted Serena as a foal, and has been working with her on manners, commands, and therapy techniques since the beginning.

“Serena is being trained for mobility service, which is at the basis of the Mini Miracles Program,” Colleen says.

“She’ll be going into hospitals to help people learn to walk, talk, and perform daily tasks after trauma and illness. She loves connecting with people and has shown so much promise in this job.

She’s been taught mobility tasks such as walking next to a patient with a harness, and locking her hooves to provide support if they lose their balance.”

The joy Serena is able to bring to patients with her visits is just as therapeutic as the physical assistance she can provide, and Colleen loves to witness this. “We’ve taken her into senior and long-term care centers where some people are reluctant to engage and are typically unresponsive. When Serena walks in, their faces will light up and all of a sudden they are reaching out to pet her, laughing, and recalling horses of their childhood.”

On the dog side of the operation, Colleen, Jessica, and their team offer programs tailored to the needs of any individual who can benefit from the companionship of a service dog. Fully trained service dogs are available for purchase, which includes training time with the recipient so that the dog’s abilities suit the person’s particular needs.

Heroes, Horses, and Hounds offers a Train-Your-Own Service Dog Program that’s an affordable, hands-on way to certify a service dog. “In this case, we have dogs that have been evaluated as

showing promise for service, or we can evaluate a dog someone has already,” says Colleen. “If he shows promise, then the pair will go through dog training classes that will certify them as a service dog team.”

A program Colleen is particularly excited about is the Everyday Heroes Program, which teams up an autistic child with a neurotypical child as they work toward training an animal. This may be training a service dog or working with a rescue horse or dog on the farm. “This is a program designed to build acceptance of autistic children so that they may be better understood,” Colleen says. Other similar programs are in the works too, geared toward veterans and inmates.

Colleen has been pleased with the progress of the pilot programs and is intent on reaching loftier goals to make Heroes, Horses, and Hounds accessible to all. “Our goal is to get these programs running especially well so that they show specific, measured results we can take to health insurance companies,” says Colleen. “If programs like ours could be funded through health insurance, more people would be able to afford these types of important therapies, and ultimately heal.”

Colleen and her team know it’s going to take more hard work than ever to reach that point, but from the results they’ve already seen, they know it’s well worth pursuing.

“It’s the feeling that we’ve made a difference in both an animal and a human life that keeps us all working at this,” Colleen says, thinking of the boy who thanked her so eloquently at the end of a good day on the farm. “We give the animals a second chance at life so they can improve the lives of others, and that’s something that inspires us every day.”

Want to lend a hoof? Visit heroeshh.org and click on the DONATE button where you can find a wish list, donation options, and some creative ways to volunteer.

Alessandra Mele is a freelance writer and designer in Wilbraham. She enjoys spending time with the horses on her family’s farm, especially riding her Quarter Horse, JoJo. To see more of her work, visit thehomegrownstudio.com.

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

19

Horse Logic

Trouble at the Mounting Block

by Nicole Birkholzer

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ou’ve groomed and tacked up your horse and are ready for a nice ride in the arena or on the trail. When you walk up to the mounting block, your horse refuses to go near it.

You back him up or ask him to make a circle so you can try once again to put him into position, but your horse walks right past the block. Now you’re getting a little bit frustrated. Why the sudden aversion to the mounting block? You decide you are going to make him stand and begin pulling on the reins. But that doesn’t work either.

Is your horse being stubborn? Is he ignoring you? Or is he perhaps keeping you from sitting on a powder keg?

Over the years, I’ve noticed that, in many cases, when a horse suddenly doesn’t want to stand still at the mounting block, there’s a good reason for that behavior. Horses are very in tune with their bodies; they know when their nervous system is overloaded and it’s therefore not safe for a human to sit on their back.

You might remember one of my earlier articles where I explained how my horse Shana had unexpectedly avoided me getting on her back before one of our trail rides. When I made her listen and mounted up, despite her efforts to convince me otherwise, I quickly learned that I’d been wrong. A few steps into our ride, I heard chainsaws and wood chopping activities.

Shana was aware of this activity before I heard it. In the end, I got off, and we walked home together to be safe.

That day I learned my lesson. If my horse, who generally lines up nicely next to the mounting block or log, is suddenly not willing to do so, I need to listen to her.

Earlier this year, Nancy, a client of mine, sent me an email recounting that after a lengthy hiatus from riding, she’d decided it was time to get back on her horse Tuck.

Nancy had groomed her boy and 20

then tacked him up with his western saddle and a rope halter with reins.

Next, they went into the round pen.

Nancy thought it was best to reconnect with her horse, at least initially, in a smaller enclosure.

Once in the round pen, Nancy, though eager to ride, walked Tuck around and then did some groundwork,

Alessandra Mele

including asking Tuck to circle in both directions, which he did willingly. Nancy was pleased that he listened so well and decided it was time to mount up.

When she brought Tuck up to the mounting block, he walked right past it.

She walked a circle with him and then headed to the mounting block, and again, Tuck didn’t stop. Nancy didn’t understand and asked Tuck a third time to stand next to the mounting block. This time as he walked by, Nancy got the sense Tuck was asking for her to let him go. So, she decided to trust her intuition and took the reins off his halter. Then she stepped back.

In her email, Nancy wrote, “I thought he was a bronc . . . around and around he went, bucking and farting.”

After Tuck had galloped, bucked, and released the pent-up energy, he trotted in toward Nancy, who had remained near the mounting block. Tuck stopped by the mounting block and stood quietly, letting Nancy know he was now ready to be ridden.

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

Nancy mounted up, rode Tuck for about 15 minutes, then called it a day, glad that she had listened to her horse.

Several months later, I was in New Jersey offering private animal communication sessions at a number of barns.

At one barn I met Meghan and her horse Jazz, a beautiful chestnut Quarter Horse. Meghan wanted to know why Jazz was reluctant to let her mount him on certain days.

I asked Jazz if he was in pain or if his saddle was hurting him. He didn’t confirm either. When I asked him to show me what it was like for him near the mounting block he showed me two pictures — one of him standing next to the mounting block like a statue and one of moving around the mounting block as if he had bees in his saddle pad, with a lot of energy running through his lower back. He showed me that on those days, when he felt this much unruly energy moving through his body, it wasn’t a good idea for Meghan to sit on his back.

Jazz showed me that he needed to throw that energy out of his body via a buck, a huge buck, and I saw both hind legs flying high. When I told Meghan, her eyes grew big.

“That’s so true,” Meghan said. “The few times I took Jazz away from the mounting block and put him on the longe line, he threw a buck like I’d never seen before. I have to send you a video.”

You might have heard that doing groundwork with your horse before each ride is a surefire way to get your horse’s mind in the game. That can be true, but if your horse’s body is buzzing like a bee, all the groundwork in the world will not provide the relief your horse needs to feel confident about carrying you on his back.

If your horse usually steps right up to the mounting block and suddenly doesn’t, most likely he needs to release some pent-up energy. The safest, healthiest way for your horse to release

the energy is on his own. Turn him out in the round pen, like Nancy did, or untack him and let him loose in the arena. In the meantime, grab a brush because most likely your horse will want to finish the release with a roll. It will be worth your effort grooming him a second time instead of brushing off the sand from your own backside.

If you need to use a longe line, allow your horse to move as he sees fit.

Most horses are lazy by nature and will not gallop around on their own for too long. The goal is for the horse to release excess energy, not to get energized by new adrenaline because you chase him around.

After your horse has discharged his excess energy, take a moment and reconnect with your horse. Stand by his shoulder and take three deep abdominal breaths to ground you both. Your horse will most likely lick and chew, happy that he feels calmer. Then ask your horse to step up to the mounting block so you can mount up and safely enjoy your ride.

We have your horse.

The Raucher family and the Heritage Farm sta and community would like to thank our many friends and business contacts across New England for their support as we ride into our 47th year!

We wish each and every one of you, whether you have two legs or four, a very Happy and Healthy Holiday Season with Best Wishes for 2019!

Always a nice selection of horses and ponies for sale.

Watch videos and view photos at HeritageFarmEasthampton.com. see Call us to s and new horse s! ponie

Nicole Birkholzer is on a mission to understand the logic behind our horses’ behaviors. Contact her and learn more at mindful-connections.com.

Open to buy, sell, and trade horses 7 days a week, by appointment.

Nice Horses for Nice People.

The R aucher Family 30 Florence Rd., Easthampton, MA (413) 527-1612 HeritageFarmEasthampton.com State Auctioneer license # AU450

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Althea Bramhall,Hometown Realtors 617-678-9300, althearealtor@gmail.com

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

21

Byfield

Farm Feature

The Barnyard Maples Deep Connections

by Alessandra Mele

hen Gale Meserve heads out into the misty fall morning to feed the horses that call the Barnyard Maples home, she’s walking in the footsteps of generations before her. The 256 acres of rolling fields, green meadows, and apple orchards in Byfield was purchased by her great grandparents in 1924, and was where

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fields, tending crops, and caring for the horses. My dad and his palomino stallion would find time to ride in many parades in a Parade of Diamonds saddle, and were always a sight to be seen.”

Horses would be what brought Gale’s father and mother together too.

“Back in the 1950s, there was a riding club out here,” says Gale. “One day my

a wide breadth of experiences. She particularly remembers being influenced by her parents who visited ranches out West, and she got a true taste of herd communication that stuck with her forever.

“I was always intrigued watching the horses interact,” Gale says. “I loved to go into the herd and become a part of it. I saw the horses a little bit differently, and

they established the family farm. Many beloved family horses have grazed happily on this special land.

Today, Gale has shaped her piece of the farm into something all her own.

Inside the barn, she warmly greets her beloved mare, Sun Dun Bar, fondly known as Bagel, and the tobiano Paint pricks her ears, following every motion Gale makes. This is the result of a deep connection the two share, which Gale has spent years cultivating. In turn, Gale teaches others how to achieve such a bond through her Equine Instincts Horsemanship program. At the Barnyard Maples, education and communication come first for deep, lasting horse and human connections.

mother and her friend were out riding and came upon a big white farmhouse overlooking the river, and my mother joked ‘I’d love to live in a house on a farm like that someday!’” Gale recounts the love story with a laugh. “Little did she know she would ride down the country road a little ways and meet the young man that lived in that white house. He invited her to come to a riding club meeting, and the rest is history. They got married not long after and moved into the farmhouse.”

Gale’s mother was an accomplished horsewoman herself, and inspired much of Gale’s own career with horses.

“My mother was certified in horsemanship back in 1956,” says Gale. “We actually found her certificate recently. My father gifted my mother with a beautiful chestnut Quarter Horse mare, and they began a small breeding program here on the farm. They were after that palomino look coming from my father’s stallion.”

Needless to say, Gale’s childhood was filled with horses, and she developed a keen sense for equine language through

that experience opened a door for me.”

From there, Gale soaked up all the knowledge she could and worked with a variety of skilled clinicians to fine-tune her training methods. “I was always looking to learn, and I still am,” Gale says. “Horsemanship is an ongoing journey. Every horse is different, and I’ve always loved talking to other trainers about different approaches to communicating with them.”

In 1997, Gale and her husband Kevin purchased a piece of the original family farm in Byfield to call their own, and set out to build something special there. The old deed referred to the land as ‘the Barnyard’. This spot was where one of the original barns stood for years, surrounded by maple trees, and so Gale and Kevin settled on calling it the Barnyard Maples. They built themselves a timber peg home, as well as an in-law house allowing Gale’s mother to move back to the land she fell in love with so many years ago.

The next big project was constructing a barn, which Gale was most excited for. She wanted a small, private facility

A History of Horses It was a palomino stallion that inspired generations of horsemen and horsewomen at the Barnyard Maples. “My grandmother purchased a beautiful registered palomino stallion and gifted it to my father when he was just a kid,” Gale says. “They lived here working on the farm — milking cows, haying the 22

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

where she could pursue her training and work with others and their horses in an intimate setting. “We built a small barn with an attached indoor arena, heated tack room and observation room, wash stall, feed room, an outdoor arena, and individual paddocks,” Gale says. “It was designed to educate people on these magnificent animals in a safe environment that fosters connections. People trailer their horses here for sessions, use my own horses to learn, or I often go out to them.”

The facility is immaculately kept and tightly run. It’s been honored as a Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation Horse Farm of Distinction every year since 2010. Its construction and upkeep reflects all the principles and values Gale teaches in her programs. “Horse people of all backgrounds, disciplines, and experience levels are welcome to bring their horses here to do sessions with me, or use one of my horses,” Gale says. “This place is all about education, from equine instinct awareness to safety to stable management to health care. I love teaching it all.”

From the Ground Up Gale makes two things very clear: she’s not a riding instructor and the Barnyard Maples is not a riding school. However, Gale’s training methods get at something even more important, something that’s at the foundation of all good riding.

“All of my instruction is done on the ground,” says Gale. “That’s where the strongest connections and relationships come from. I want to help humans understand the instincts of the horse, and see things from their perspective.

When you start seeing things their way, that’s when we can establish a bond.”

This starts with an initial evaluation, where Gale observes the body language of handler and horse.

“First, I want to pinpoint where the problem is coming from, and make sure there is nothing physical getting in the way of communication,” Gale says.

“The horse may point out something that needs to be fixed immediately, and we address those issues first.”

Next, Gale takes into consideration the way horse and handler interact, asking them to perform certain tasks such as walking around the indoor arena or moving the horse around in a stall.

“You immediately see body language coming from that horse, indicating what he thinks of you,” Gale says.

“From that, I can identify where I can help, what goals can be set, and what

the steps getting there are going to look like.” Every horse is different, and Gale adjusts her programs to best suit each pair.

From there, it’s a process of the handler learning to see things that they may have been overlooking from their horse’s point of view, responding to the horse’s body language, and establishing a relationship built on trust and common ground.

“This journey begins in the stall, transitions into groundwork exercises, and continues up through liberty work, where the horse chooses to be with you,” Gale says. “I want each person to be deeply in tune with their horse, and that takes time. It’s exciting to watch this develop over the course of our sessions.”

Gale knows the relationships she is after come from more than just work in the arena, and strives to teach all aspects of horsemanship, relating them back to the horse’s instincts. She strives to teach all aspects of owning a horse, for all types of horse people. “This can be an education for the whole family, and it ensures happy, healthy horse ownership for the long run,” Gale says.

Gale has worked with all kinds of horse people at the Barnyard Maples, all with diverse goals. “My sessions are great for when riding isn’t an option; maybe the person or horse is getting older, recovering from an injury, or riding is not a safe option at the moment,” Gale says. “Another group I love working with is youth who want to explore a career with horses. There’s such a need for skilled horse people.”

No matter who’s looking to benefit from Gale’s instruction, it’s important to Gale that it’s a hands-on, personal experience. “No one is coming and just dropping their horses off for a quick turn around,” Gale says. “That won’t change your thinking. I’m looking to shift your perspective, and getting you to see through the horse’s eyes, so you will have the skills to handle anything the horse brings your way. The one-onone, personalized attention we’ll work through will help train both you and the horse for best results.”

Holly Jacobson, a local horsewoman, had heard about training programs over at the Barnyard Maples and thought Gale’s approaches might be the solution she was looking for. Gale came out to her barn to assess Holly’s horse as well as a friend’s, and Holly has been impressed with the progress ever since. continued on page 36 . . .

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

23

Overherd

News in Our Community Heritage Farm for Sale After 46 years, Heritage Farm in Easthampton is for sale. Established in 1972 by Jerry and Marie Raucher and their five children, David, Donald, Douglas, Dennis, and Diane, Heritage Farm has been an active hub of the horse community. The names Heritage Farm and the Raucher family have been synonymous with horses, horse shows, auctions, and horsemanship for 46 years.

Jerry Raucher, raised in Coney Island, New York, learned about horses from his grandfather, hitching horses to the wagon and delivering custard to customers despite the onset of automobiles. His interest in horses expanded into buying and selling horses out of Sunnyside Riding Center in Brooklyn.

Jerry and Marie crossed paths in the 1950s when she spent as much time as possible riding horses in the parks of Brooklyn with her brothers. Once they met, Marie and Jerry were seldom apart.

Their travels from stables in New Jersey to Long Island finally came to a conclusion once they settled into the 30acre Heritage Farm, a property with 24 stalls and an indoor arena.

As the Raucher family matured and the business grew, Heritage Farm expanded to include an additional 32-stall barn. At their peak of buying and selling horses, the Rauchers were handling 1,000 horses each year. Heritage Farm has hosted horse shows, western stock shows, WNEPHA hunter and dressage shows, and auctions. The auctions at Heritage Farm were the mainstay of the business and 24

much of the entire New England horse industry. The frequent auctions offered new and used tack, equipment, and supplies as well as horses, ponies, and donkeys.

Throughout the decades,

raising families. David has relocated to Montana.

Donald runs Raucher Brothers Auctioneers offering estate and equipment auctions across the state.

Douglas is a certified equine

usual, though on a smaller scale. Lessons will continue and there will be a small selection of sale horses.

To learn more about the property, contact Peter Davies of Borowski Real Estate at (413) 537-7190.

MonteRae in Ashby

While Heritage Farm is for sale, it’s business as usual for the lesson program and a small number of sale horses.

innumerable people have come to Heritage Farm auctions knowing that they were welcome to, in Jerry’s words, “buy, sell, or visit.”

Fast forward to 2018.

Jerry and Marie have both passed away and the Raucher family siblings have come to the difficult but necessary decision to sell the property.

Faced with the changing face of the modern horse business, each of the Rauchers has been focusing on their personal interests in the horse business while also

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

dentist as well as a USEF licensed judge. Dennis operates Heritage Livestock in southwest Missouri. Diane is a Massachusetts–licensed instructor who’s been running the lesson program at Heritage Farm. Several of the 14 Raucher grandchildren (ages 9 to 26) are quite interested in horses though many have branched out into other avenues for school and work.

While the property is for sale, Douglas and Diane will be running the business as

Nikki Rae Woodworth, a long-time Morgan exhibitor, trainer, and riding instructor, recently announced the opening of her public training stable, MonteRae, just outside the historic town of Ashby.

The beautiful 38-stall barn is located on 250 acres.

The building also houses a large indoor arena and round pen, as well as an office and lounge. Once Nikki and her 20-plus training horses are settled into the new location, she plans to hire a full-time riding instructor and offer outside lessons.

Nikki grew up riding with and working alongside her mother, Jean DeGutis, through high school, and later at Mike Carpenter Stables in Sutton. For the past 10 years, she’s trained and shown horses out of Maggie Hood’s Kelley Green Acres (KGA) in Mendon.

Maggie is closing the doors on her farm so she can spend more time with her daughters and their families.

She also plans to place a show horse in training with Nikki and enjoy the sport once again as an owner, breeder, and exhibitor.

Personally, Nikki achieved much success riding in the Saddle Seat Equitation division. She’s continued that success with her ability to coach Rachel Menard to the 2009 AMHA Saddle Seat Gold Medal

January, she broke up with her high school sweetheart, nearly lost her mother, suffered through the loss of a beloved dog, and uncovered fraud in her business account, which resulted in a court battle. Then on September 1, her 30th birthday, Jess received more bad news — she learned she had Stage IV colon cancer.

Jess, of Sutton, is a familiar face to United States Eventing Association Area I eventers, both due to her effervescent personality and

New Day Photography

Finals Championship and the UPHA Morgan Senior Challenge Cup Finals Championship. She coached Lauren White to the 2013 World Saddle Seat Classic Equitation Championship.

As a trainer, Nikki won the 2015 and 2016 World Open Park Saddle Championship riding As Predicted, and when she won the 2011 World Open Park Harness Championship driving SpringMill Superstition she became the youngest trainer to win this title, and the third

Nikki Rae Woodworth opened MonteRae in Ashby on 250 acres.

woman to accomplish this in the history of the Morgan Grand National. Nikki won the World Open Park Harness Championship a second time when she drove LC Amazing Spiderman into the winner’s circle in 2017.

Nikki has also had success coaching juniors and amateurs to national titles.

Training horses is in Nikki’s blood. “My whole life has been around horses,” she says. “Not many people can combine their passion and a hobby and turn it into a career. It’s a win-win situation. I can’t imagine a day when I won’t be training or showing horses.”

n Suzy Lucine

Jess Halliday Is Telling Cancer to “Buck Off” On some mornings, Jess Halliday wakes up hoping that the past year of her life has been a bad dream. Since

her intrinsic generosity. She’s the first to offer a lead to a horse reluctant to enter the starting box, to bring roadside aid to a stranded horse trailer, and to fill in as coach when a friend’s client needs help. Her business, JH Eventing, has been based out of several leased locations since 2005 until Jess built up the funds to purchase Baile Hill Farm in Grafton, in 2016. There she hosts clinics, jumper shows, and other educational events to benefit not just her own clients but also the greater community. Often these activities also serve as fundraisers for groups close to Jess’ heart, like Guide Dogs of America.

“Jess has such a good energy and is nonjudgmental,” says Booli Selmayr, an advanced-level event rider and Jess’s close personal friend. “Her barn is the barn we all wish we could have ridMassachusetts Horse December/January 2019

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den at growing up. It’s a valuable facility for the area.”

For this self-starter, her serious diagnosis is the latest bump in the road of what has proven to be a rocky year.

However, true to her outgoing, energetic nature, Jess hopes to turn her misfortune into an opportunity to raise awareness for a cause nearly everyone can connect to.

Jess isn’t one to dwell on the negatives, an attitude that has helped her achieve many ambitious goals in her equestrian career. The daughter of non-horsey parents Renee and Jim Halliday, she got her equestrian start in the pony hunter ring. But in her early teens, Jess went foxhunting with the Tanheath Hunt Club and became addicted to the adrenaline rush of crosscountry. At 14, she started eventing and never looked back. She scrounged together money earned from lifeguarding to purchase her first off-the-track Thoroughbred, Bernin’ Rubber, better known as Bernie, from Suffolk Downs in Revere when she was 16.

“I discovered I had a knack for taking horses off the track and reselling them,” says Jess. “I had no money to buy these horses, so I had to bring them up myself. I like to run them through preliminary and then find them a young rider to lease them or sell them.”

“When I think of Area I and Young Riders in the future, I think of Jess,” says Booli. “She has built the most amazing program geared at bringing up young people in the sport.”

In late April 2018, Jess had just returned from a winter in Aiken, South Carolina, with what she thought was a vicious stomach bug. But her symptoms lingered, and in early June she was trying to schedule her coaching duties around trips to the bathroom to vomit. She finally agreed to go see a doctor.

26

“Like a typical horse person, I should have gone sooner,” says Jess. Upon arrival, her vital signs were so poor the doctor sent Jess straight to the emergency room. After she was stable, she was referred to a gastrointestinal specialist, who changed

didn’t know I was sick. But when I told them, they tried to get me to go to Boston for a second opinion. They knew for me to admit that I didn’t feel well, I had to be pretty sick.”

In late August, Jess coached at the Area I

The Equestrian Histories Gallery at the Wenham Museum will be the first of its kind in Essex County. Photo of West Newbury Riding and Driving Club in 1920.

Bay State Equine Rescue’s Milly who has been adopted and now lives in Texas.

her medications nearly every week in an attempt to relieve her symptoms.

Meanwhile, Jess struggled to keep up with an overly full schedule. In late July, her medical team switched Jess from oral to intravenous medication, as she was unable to keep food down. For this highly independent young woman, realizing that she needed more help was a difficult reality to accept.

“My mother had a pulmonary embolism in March, and I had tried to not bother my parents,” says Jess. “They

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

Championships at the Town Hill Horse Trials in Connecticut; the weekend had been a struggle, and her constant vomiting and nausea left her feeling utterly wiped out. Concerned, her mother Renee traveled from her home in Stow to check on her daughter. Renee found Jess passed out on the bathroom floor.

“I was taken to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and they assumed I had some kind of a GI problem when I went in,” says Jess. “But the doctors there read the CT scans, which had

previously been done, and they saw the cancer right there. But since then, it had spread.”

Jess remained hospitalized for a week, during which time she went from never having had surgery to enduring four procedures in seven days.

Upon receiving her diagnosis, Jess’ first thought was for her mother. “I just thought to myself, she had been through so much, and she is just going to lose it on hearing this news,” says Jess. “The doctors sat down with me and were so caring. They told me not to Google it, and I have not. I think they expected me to break down, but in a way I was almost relieved. There was a reason for why I had been feeling this way; I had a diagnosis, and now we are going to fix it.”

Jess knew that the place where she would feel the best was at home with her horses and her dogs. Though her doctors wanted Jess to begin treatment as an inpatient, they agreed instead to install a port to administer her chemotherapy and allowed her to return home.

“My chemo is hooked up twenty-four/seven and is stored in a fanny pack,” says Jess.

She’s still riding, just those horses “less likely to launch me,” and she secures the pack to her body using duct tape. In addition, she attends radiation therapy Monday through Friday.

“I have kept trying to teach, but I can only work about half of what I normally do,” says Jess. “I did hire another instructor, and my barn manager [Meg Wood] has really stepped up to help.”

For many who are selfemployed in the equine industry, health insurance is both an expense and a source of stress. When Jess’ health began to decline early in the summer, she switched health insurance providers at the suggestion of her med-

n Christina Keim Chronicle of the Horse

Equestrian Histories at Wenham Museum The first of its kind in Essex County, the Equestrian Histories Gallery will be an evolving exhibit dedicated to inspiring discovery of the rich equestrian history that helps define Boston’s North Shore. Whether visitors are avid equestrians, nonrider enthusiasts, or young people eager to learn more about

these magnificent animals and their 6,000-year partnership with humankind, there will be something here for everyone.

Designed by world-class museum curators and exhibit researchers, each year the gallery will focus on the horse in sport — a hands-on experience engineered from its inception to meet the expectations of modern museum visitors and their families.

when Kay submitted an application to adopt her.

Our public support has brought us a long way. Why not join our team with a donation to help the horses?

To learn more about what we do and how you can help, visit baystaterescue.org.

director of external affairs.

“We still need about $40,000 but are now moving ahead with production for an opening June 2019!”

To learn more and donate, visit horses.wenham museum.org.

n Karin Orsi

Bay State Equine Rescue Bay State Equine Rescue (BSER) has been getting ready for winter filling the barn with hay and shavings.

As all horse owners know,

Newbury Morgan Youth Wins National Title

Howard Schatzberg

ical team. What she didn’t realize at the time is that her new plan only covers the cost of cancer treatment for patients who have been with them for one year — meaning that all of the expenses she has incurred to date are not covered. Jess is currently close to receiving assistance through a program sponsored by the state, but it still leaves a vast pile of medical bills left unpaid.

“I feel like I have enough support,” says Jess. “I told everyone that if anyone starts a GoFundMe for me, I will just donate the money.”

Unwilling to accept donations directly, Jess and her friends instead created a line of apparel festooned with the phrase BUCK OFF CANCER. “Honestly, knowing that there is an end to this is a huge motivation,” says Jess. “I was getting a little depressed this summer because I knew I couldn’t live like that, feeling sick and throwing up all the time. I cannot wait to feel one hundred percent and get back to things.”

Being able to be at home and look out her front door to see her horses and farm reminds Jess daily what it is she’s fighting for.

In the meantime, Jess has horses to ride, clients to teach, and young riders’ dreams to help fulfill.

To purchase your own Buck Off Cancer apparel, visit buck-off.myshopify.com.

Sophie Proctor of Newbury was named the 2018 American Morgan Horse Association Youth of the year at the Morgan Grand National in October.

(Photo from 2018 Connecticut Morgan Show of Sophie with FRF Seattle Reign, owned by Jared Gove.)

A diverse collection of artifacts and the exhibit design will inform the equestrian and educate the nonrider across a spectrum of age groups.

Beginning with children, the gallery will provide learning opportunities, programs, and offer engaging hands-on activities. Additional topics include physiology, preservation of open land, architecture, and the horse’s connection to military history from the Revolutionary War to the modern Olympics.

Adult equestrians and heritage visitors will learn the interconnected stories that capture the origins of the equine partnership with humankind in sport and commerce.

“We’ve raised nearly $500,000 from private donations,” says Peter Gwinn,

winter in the Northeast is a very challenging time.

Working with limited daylight, dealing with frozen water pipes, ice, and snow all add up to a great deal of extra work. It’s very helpful if you have a sense of humor and a good attitude to make it to spring!

Our beautiful Milly has been adopted! She has a wonderful new life in Texas, yes, Texas. Milly came to the rescue several years ago as an off-the-track Thoroughbred.

She raced early in her life then spent a few years as a brood mare. Last year, Kay, Milly’s new owner, was visiting Massachusetts. Kay spent time volunteering at BSER and fell in love with Milly. In the last 12 months, Kay has flown from Texas to Massachusetts each month to bond with Milly. We were thrilled

Triton High School senior Sophie Proctor of Newbury was named the 2018 American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) Youth of the Year. The award was presented on October 13 during the Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show in Oklahoma City. For winning this prestigious title, Sophie receives a unique prize package valued at $3,500, generously sponsored by the Cynthia Elaine Epperson Trust.

“I’m still in shock about winning this title,” Sophie says. “I’ve been competing in this contest for four years, and it’s rewarding to have all the hard work and preparations pay off.”

Sophie qualified for the national contest by winning at the Connecticut Morgan Horse Show this past June.

There are four phases to this contest — written exam, horse judging, oral presentation, and horsemanship — and Sophie won the horsemanship phase driving FRF Seattle Reign, owned by Jared Gove of Taylor River Farm. Sophie has been riding with Sarah Gove and Richard Boule at Taylor River for eight years. This is the first year she has learned to drive a horse. Throughout her show career, Sophie has only shown in the Academy division, so this year’s trip to the Morgan Grand National was bigger than ever for her.

Sophie plans to attend college next year as a business major. She said competing in

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

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the AMHA Youth of the Year Contests has improved her public speaking and communication skills, which she knows will continue to help her in college.

Sophie’s favorite phase of the contest is the horse judging. “It’s interesting to be able to view the horses’ performances from a judge’s perspective in the center ring rather than as a spectator watching from the rail,” Sophie says.

Sophie’s also quick to encourage other youth to participate in the AMHA Youth of the Year Contests on the local, regional, and national levels. “It’s a great experience and it gives you the opportunity to meet other youth from all over the country.”

mine the overall top Junior Horseperson.

Four hundred and twenty-five friends and family members then gathered for a fun-filled dinner and commemorative video celebrating juniors in their last year.

McKayla Langmeier won the

New England Equitation Championships

New England Horsemen’s Council Junior Hunt Seat Medal Final Champions Katrina Tiktinsky and Augsburg.

Between rounds, Frances McGivern was named winner of the Katie Battison Horsemanship Award. Topscoring juniors who’d never competed in a 3'6" final were eligible for a separate set of ribbons. First place went to Lila Ouellette. After two

The New England Equitation Championships (NEEC) celebrated its 43rd anniversary this year. The five-day event, held from October 17–21 at the Eastern States Exposition, is one of the longest running and most prestigious equitation finals in the country.

The renowned judging panel included Ken Krome (course designer), Hope Glynn, Jenny Fischer, Lynn Forgione, Brian Lenehan, and Jean Marie DunfordMiller.

The Adult Amateur Grand Championship Class on Thursday invited back champion and reserve riders from the four adult age groups to compete. Hannah Brown emerged as grand champion.

Junior Open sections ran Friday and Saturday. On Friday evening, 76 juniors took the written phase of the Horsemanship Class. Originating at the NEEC, the Horsemanship Class combines a rider’s written test score, practicum, and first round finals score to deter28

Anne Gittins

n Suzy Lucine

This young City to Saddle participant loved it when her father, who worked three jobs, was able to watch her ride.

Junior Sportsmanship Award.

Kelley Small received the esteemed Sue Brainard Award in recognition of her years of dedication to the NEEC. Cookie DeSimone won the Lifetime Achievement Award. Cookie is beloved by generations of students and has been a cornerstone of the NEEC as a member and cochair of the show committee.

Sunday’s Junior Medal Final featured 175 riders.

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

rounds and a test of the top three, Katrina Tiktinsky’s beautifully consistent trips made her NEHC Junior Medal Champion.

Ellie Ferrigno earned the High Point Junior Rider Award.

To learn more, visit newenglandequitation.com.

n Melissa Welch

City to Saddle’s Success City to Saddle is 15 years old — a small vision built with

giant smiles and a whole lot of hard work on behalf of board members, youth organizations, riding facilities, our equine partners, countless volunteers, and you, our financial supporters.

City to Saddle identifies children living in situations of economic disparity and provides them with opportunity. Not just the opportunity to see a farm for the first time, or to learn to ride, or to feel the soft muzzle and the gentle touch of our gallant school horses, but to find themselves in a level playing field with other children . . . maybe for the first time.

For many of the children who attend a City to Saddle program, this experience is life changing. After 15 years, we now see a generation of youngsters who attended that first camp at Dana Hall School out in the community as young adults, and we know we had an influence shaping them in a positive way.

These young people know what it is like to receive and also to give. They learned what it is like to face fear head on as they put brush to body on their first grooming effort. They learned how to persevere while their mount waited patiently for them to catch their balance on that first trot. They learned trust and compassion, the value of hard work and teamwork as they kept the stables safe and clean.

“We do turn out good riders but it’s the life lessons our children leave with that shows the true value of what we provide,” says riding instructor Bette Avery.

To date, 700 children have gone through City to Saddle programs with more than 100 in 2018. The model works. We continue to turn dreams into realities and more important, close the gap just one more inch by

n Kim Summers

Days of Champions Hunt Seat Medal Finals The highly competitive 37th Annual Massachusetts Horsemen’s Council Days of Champions Medal Finals,

held in September, was a great success. Close to 300 competitors qualified to ride in three days of equitation finals held at the Three

Alicia Reddington kept the show moving, the coffee hot, and good food available.

Between rounds, the MHC Days of Champions

Melody Taylor-Scott

providing a child a chance to grow and learn with horses.

City to Saddle is a group of dedicated people who ensure every dollar contributed goes directly to the children. With all of us working together, the funding, the access, the riding attire, and the hope provides a direct impact on shaping the lives of children who otherwised would not have the opportunity.

Massachusetts stables that hosted City to Saddle programs in 2018 are Mesa Farm in Rutland, Woodsong Farm in Brewster, Bear Spot Farm in Concord, Windrush Farm in North Andover, and the Horsesensibility program at Wildstar Farm in Sherborn.

2018 Massachusetts Horsemen’s Council Junior Medal Champion Sarah E. Hyde, who trains with Carl Catani at Riverwind Farm in Pembroke.

County Fairgrounds in Northampton.

Show chairman Felicia Knowles and show manager Tom Hern, along with show secretary Charlene Brown and hospitality director

Sportsmanship Award was given to Maddison C. White, Person of the Year was awarded to Renee Kwok, and Horse Lifetime Achievement Award went to Lex Luther.

The Junior Medal

offered deceptively challenging courses, set as multiple single bending line fences, and placed in the middle three-quarters of the arena.

The various options and turns required the exhibitors to ride off their eye and display a plan that would work for their horse’s stride.

Sarah E. Hyde, who trains with Carl Catani, rode beautifully throughout, was called to the top of the standings in both rounds and won the test! Reserve champion Morgan Budovsky, training with Kristen Chance, won reserve.

The MHC Mini Medal champion was Anna Leighton, who trains with Sheryl MacLeod, and reserve went to Pippa Springler, who trains with Molly Kenney.

To learn more, visit mahorsecouncil.com.

n Melody Taylor-Scott

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

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Partners

BSTRA would like to thank all our members, volunteers, and participants for making 2018 a successful year. Your support made a difference for our trails.

On September 30, BSTRA’s Day of Versatility was held at Stone Arbor Farm in Upton. Ron’s Body Works sponsored the events and provide goodies, including a water bottle for participants and a generous gift certificate for a trailer service for division winners.

Participants faced ten obstacles ranging from a traditional 360 degree box to a “cowboy” curtain. What a great way to improve your relationship with your equine partner while developing skills that come in handy on the trail.

Hot lunch was provided

by Jen Dwinnell, owner of Stone Arbor Farm, and event host Maureen. Thank you to our hosts Jen and her mom Maureen, sponsors, and volunteers including Marcie Freeman, Kelly and Jim Shaw, Suzanne Nicholas, Joyce Sandvik, Deb Deschenes, Cathie Hatrick Anderson, Jacki Cialdea, Lindsey Brochu, and Jen Driscoll for making the event a huge success.

Save the date for BSTRA’s Annual General Meeting and Awards Banquet. The banquet will be Sunday, February 3 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Coachmen’s Lodge in Bellingham. Election of officers will be held at 12:30 p.m. with lunch served at 1 p.m. Annual awards and a 30

for helping maintain and improve our grounds, and making this year’s activities a success. We continue to enlarge our woodland trails and obstacle course and make them available to our members all season. For our annual Scavenger Hunt, held on October 21, we used two miles of woodland trails to

Becky Kalaghar

Bay State Trail Riders Association

super raffle will follow lunch.

We hope to see you there!

And finally, thanks to all who have renewed their BSTRA membership for 2019. If you have not renewed or are not a member, please consider renewing or joining. Your membership ensures our trails are maintained and remain open to

Cheryl Fitzpatrick with Tucker at the Bay State Trail Riders Association Day of Versatility at Stone Arbor Farm in Upton.

POP photography

Our goal is to foster connections within the horse community throughout the Bay State, and one of the ways we do this is with our Partners Program. Massachusetts organizations that partner with us receive a free one-year subscription for each member and space in the magazine for news, photos, and event listings.

Barb Macon riding Sterling at the Hampshire County Riding Club’s TREC (Techniques de Randonnée Équestre de Compétition) Clinic on September 22.

equestrians and other trail users. Members also receive ride discounts and are eligible for year-end awards.

Happy holidays and see you on the trails!

7 Annamaria Paul

Hampshire County Riding Club Many thanks for the support of our members, their families, and our 4-H volunteers

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

hide Halloween-themed objects. Riders had up to one hour to find as many objects as possible. In divisions ranging from Lead Line to Adult, the best times with the most objects were awarded ribbons and prizes. At the same time, the Hilltown Misfits 4-H Club was hosting a Fun Day featuring old-time favorites such as Boot Race and Simon Says, gymkhana

classes, and an obstacle competition.

There’s a new horse sport in town. Following a club meeting presentation about TREC (Techniques de Randonnée Équestre de Compétition) by Bob Hatch and Stephanie Frend of Burnshirt Hills Equestrian Facility, there was so much interest that we volunteered to host a clinic in September.

TREC is a trail/obstacle/orienteering sport with European origins adding new trail riding skills at an informal or competitive level. At our clinic, horses and riders became familiar with obstacles used at TREC events and were introduced to the Control of Paces segment of the competition. A clinic on the orienteering aspect of TREC was held at Burnshirt Hills Equestrian Facility in October. We look forward to working with Bob and Stephanie to hold another clinic in 2019.

The HCRC Annual Meeting and Elections were held on October 17 at the Westhampton Library, with pizza and potluck desserts for all. The meeting portion was followed by a group discussion of what helps the club have a successful year, in preparation for January’s meeting, when we’ll be scheduling the 2019 calendar of events. We already have plans to host TREC and obstacle clinics.

One of our favorite annual rides of the season was the Northfield Mountain Foliage Ride held on October 14 with Barre Riding and Driving Club members as our guests. It was a perfect fall day where riders could choose their own route to the mountain-top reservoir and back, followed by a potluck barbecue at the picnic area.

We decided to postpone our November beach ride until spring.

To learn more, visit hampshire countyridingclub.org and follow us on Facebook.

7 Diane Merritt

Massachusetts Quarter Horse Association Greetings from MQHA! On November 3rd we held our first meeting, which will count toward our 2019 two-meeting requirement for members. We elected officers and board members at this meeting for the upcoming 2019 show season. Congratulations and welcome to our incoming officers and board members. Many thanks to our outgoing officers and board members.

We received many lovely hand-written thank-you notes from AQHA’s Youth Team USA for our support as they attended the World Cup. Our next meeting of board members will be December 1 at 6 p.m., and is being graciously hosted by Karen Brooks at her home in Winchendon.

We have begun planning our shows for the coming year. Our Novice Show will be held April 12 to 14, followed by the May show which runs from the 15th to the 19th. Both shows will be held at the Eastern States Fairgrounds in West Springfield. We’re pointing the Connecticut Quarter Horse Association Show June 12 to 16 for MQHA members. Our pointed New Hampshire show will be August 23 to 25. We’re in the process of finalizing the judges for these shows.

We welcome members to attend our annual awards banquet on February 24 at the Sturbridge Host Hotel in Sturbridge.

Finally, congratulations to the many MQHA members who attended the majors this fall! It was an exciting and favorable experience!.

Currently, we’re dealing with IT issues regarding our website and therefore have been unable to post updates.

We will continue to monitor the situation and are hoping to have a resolution soon. Please see our Facebook page for current information.

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season.

7 Lori Mahassel

New England Equestrian Center of Athol What were you up to the evening of November 3? This was likely one of the last, mild weekends of the fall season and NEECA members (and some non-

members) were gathered to enjoy a fantastic evening of mingling, food, drinks, and recognizing an outstanding year for NEECA. This was all happening at the 15th annual Fall Social, which brings together the NEECA community to reflect on and close out the current year’s events and recognize individuals for their contributions. This is also one of the largest fundraising events for NEECA. This year’s event was held at Ellinwood Country Club in Athol. This was a new location due to the closing of the prior location, the Athol-Orange Elks Club. The new venue offered a large, rustic-inspired meeting room to accommodate the 110 attendees. An adjoining room offered a long, wraparound bar and plenty of room for the

food set-up and auctions. Speaking of food, the buffet was provided by Affordable Catering of Orange. There’s never a complaint about the food at the Fall Social and this year was no different. Chef Dan Carr outperformed again!

After the food was served, year-end announcements were made. NEECA president Peter Whitmore discussed the successful campaign this year to bring lighting to the park that resulted in the installation of 20 light poles. Individual donors were recognized for their support and an individualized plaque will be placed on each light pole to recognize donors.

The Volunteer of the Year was also announced and this year’s recipient was Debbie Martin. Debbie does not yet own

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Auction items ranged from a new John Deere portable propane heater and a new Coleman portable grill to chaps, saddles, bridles, and gift certificates. Two homemade apple pies made

brought out. A handful of the flashlights had money hidden in them — a $100 bill, a $50 bill, and a spattering of $20s and $10s. For the price of a $13 flashlight, you had the chance to win much

Sue Ellen Mowcomber, DVM

her own horse but has donated an enormous amount of time to NEECA and is very deserving of the award. Another great recognition every year is the NEECA Youth Volunteer of the Year Award. This year’s winner was Liam Ellis, who, at the very young age of five, was not only the Youth Volunteer of the year, but was also the C-Division NEECA Gymkhana Champion!

The Fall Social includes both a live and silent auction run by the very comical auctioneer, Wayne Whitmore, from Quabbin Valley Auctions. This is always an exciting few hours and not to be missed! For months prior to the auction, NEECA board members are busy at work requesting and collecting donated items from NEECA members, friends, family, and the local community. The outpouring of support from many people and businesses is very much needed and so appreciated.

New England Equestrian Center of Athol Youth Volunteer of the Year is Liam Ellis pictured with his grandfather Frank Whitney and his mother, Mallory Ellis, at the Fall Social.

by Margo Petracone were claimed for $50 each! The auction became even more entertaining when a big bucket of flashlights were

more! The live auction raised about $4,000, with the final tally to be determined.

This is a great success for NEECA to help kick off next

year’s planning of events.

The silent auction also contained wonderful items for bidding including winter riding boots, chaps, a trailer alignment system, gift baskets, and gift certificates.

This is always a very fun table to peruse through and raised about $500 this year.

In other news, NEECA has made another significant step in development toward the park’s future. At the Athol Town Meeting in October, voters approved a request for the town to enter into a long-term lease for town property. While NEECA is focused on equestrian sports, the park is very much a multi-use endeavor for the community. It’s open to the public and NEECA welcomes others to use it. If you are ever in the area, please stop by. The park is located at 802 New Sherborn Road, in Athol. The beautiful, welcoming entrance and gait await your visit!

Thank you to all the

Want to understand your horse’s new and/or undesired

BEHAVIOR? Why’s he rearing? Why’s she fighting with a paddock mate?

Why’s he refusing to enter the trailer?

Black Friday Sale - Nov. 23 Small Business Saturday - Nov. 24

Swag bags to first 10 customers to make a purchase! Unadvertised specials!

Holiday Open House - Dec. 1 & 2

20% off $100 gift cards – use code MH2018 online!

Equine-themed holiday greenery. In-store specials! Snacks.

Whether you’re a veterinarian, trainer, or horse owner, you’ve probably experienced how seemingly out of the blue these behaviors start. Is it a health issue? A training issue? The truth is, very often it’s neither. Most behavioral issues displayed by horses are due to stress-related events or environmental circumstances. I provide successful solutions and suggestions to bring the horse back from distress to well-being, and with that back to good behavior.

To book a consulting session, go to nicolebirkholzer.com or email Nicole Birkholzer at nicole@mindful-connections.com.

32

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

32 Main Street, Westminster, Mass.

(978) 668-5662 . bridlepathtackllc.com

Open M-F 12-6, Sat. 10-5, Sun. events/mobile unit

North Shore Horsemen’s Association Hello from NSHA. We held our final pleasure show of the series on September 23 at Bob-Lyn Stables in Amesbury and had a great turnout. Our judges were Charlie Either, who officiated in ring 1, and Holly Scribner officiated in ring 2. We’re now looking forward to our banquet that will be held on January 19 at the Danversport Yacht Club in Danvers. To find point standings, banquet information, and annual scholarship details, follow us on Facebook.

We’re looking forward to the 2019 season as we will be affiliated with both the Massachusetts Horsemen’s Council and the New England Horsemen’s Council. Both shows will be “C” rated so come out and show and get your points for all three associations. We’re adding more classes and will continue with our popular classes. Lots of classes for the Walk Trot divisions as this seems to be up-and-coming with the 11 to 17 and the 18 and over age groups. Have a suggestion? Email me at twinhills56@yahoo.com or leave a message on our Facebook page.

Get involved with NSHA and join our board of directors to help plan our shows.

7 JoAnn Hamson

this October who had ridden in our very first event 30 years ago!

As a totally volunteer organization, we’ve fulfilled our mission of preserving and improving riding opportunities for local horse

police and fire departments, and the library, as well as local nonprofits including (but not limited to) Maudsley State Park, New England Equine Rescue North, Essex County Trail Association, Windrush Farm,

JoAnn Hamson

amazing volunteers who made this Fall Social a resounding success.

7 Anne Zukowski

Exhibitors at a North Shore Horsemen’s Association Pleasure Show at BobLyn Stables in Amesbury.

As the summer season came to an end and we put away the fly spray and brought out the blankets, we paused to reflect on the joys we’ve shared with our horse friends during the warmer months This year marked the 30th anniversary of WNRDC having the privilege of using Pipestave Hill for its events.

We actually had one rider

Donna Desario

West Newbury Riding and Driving Club

West Newbury Riding and Driving Club’s Adventure Trail had 45 riders. Many horses enjoyed bobbing for apples at one of the obstacles.

enthusiasts; supporting the preservation of open space areas; educating people about horses and horse related activities; and providing financial support to the town of West Newbury’s

Essex County Greenbelt, Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center, and the Equine Rescue Network.

For riding opportunities, we offered a wonderful, full year of events including two

horse trials, a series of Stephie Baer’s eventing clinics, and our annual fundraising Adventure Trail in September.

We had 45 riders who ventured out onto our Adventure Trail and came back with smiles on their faces. Riders were willing to attempt our obstacle course that included bobbing for apples for the horses, a “car wash,” polo, and more. This year we offered a guided ride for those who were unfamiliar with the area or who were new to trail riding. We also were given permission to ride on private property, which allowed riders to avoid bridges and street crossings.

For our October Horse Trials, Pipestave Hill could not have looked more beautiful. The leaves on the trees were changing to orange and red, and volunteers decorated the jumps with pumpkins, corn stalks, and mums.

We had 72 riders in all, including five western dressage riders. We also offered a guided course walk of the cross-country course and stadium-jumping course for those interested.

We have a lot to celebrate as we look back on this past year and plan for the coming year. We held board elections, bringing one new individual onto our already dedicated and enthusiastic group. We determined our annual donations and planned new educational opportunities.

We hope to create an equine/agricultural fair in 2019 to present the many treasures of West Newbury and the surrounding area, and to educate people about horses and demonstrate their many gifts.

To learn more about the WNRDC, visit wnrdc.com.

We had a great year!

7 Shipley Allinson

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

33

events Massachusetts

December

1 MHC HUNTER SHOW, Saddle Rowe, Medway. saddlerowe.com.

8 HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE, New England Equine Rescue North, West Newbury. neernorth.org.

1 4-H HORSE BOWL PRACTICE, Plymouth. plymouthcounty4h.org.

8 HOLIDAY TACK TAG SALE, Heritage Farm, Easthampton. heritagefarmeasthampton.com.

2 BSTRA EARLY CHRISTMAS RIDE, Grafton. bstra.org.

8 ONBH MASTERS’ DINNER, Wedgewood Pines Country Club, Stow. oldnorthbridgehounds.org.

2 HRC BREAKFAST WITH SANTA, Meadow Brook Restaurant, Hanson. hansonridingclub.org.

2 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Rising Star Equestrian Center, Medway. rideiea.org.

2 IHSA WESTERN SHOW, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley. mhcriding.com.

2 SEHA ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET, Monponsett Inn, Halifax. southeasthunter.com.

3 MHC HUNTER SHOW, Herring Brook Farm, Pembroke. herringbrookfarm.com.

8 CCDS ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY, Orleton Farm, Stockbridge. colonialcarriage.org.

9 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Willow Brook Farm, Holliston. rideiea.org.

10 MHC HUNTER SHOW, Herring Brook Farm, Pembroke. herringbrookfarm.com.

11 CRDA ANNUAL MEETING, Apple Knoll Farm Equestrian Center, Millis. crdressage.org.

8 – 9 RYAN MURPHY POLOCROSSE CLINIC, Apple Knoll Equestrian Center, Millis. appleknoll.com.

16 SANTA AND PONY RIDES, Willow Brook Farm, Holliston. willowbrookholliston.com.

8 – 9 HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE, SmartPak Retail Store, Natick. smartpak.com/retailstore.

16 MHC HUNTER SHOW, Herring Brook Farm, Pembroke. herringbrookfarm.com.

9 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley. rideiea.org.

16 WNEPHA HUNTER/JUMPER EQUITATION SHOW, White Horse Hill, Richmond. wnepha.com.

Season’s Greetings &Happy New Year!

Thank you to all our customers and friends who made this a year to remember.

Join us in 2019 for more jumper shows, clinics,

hunter paces, derbies, schooling horse trials, and our Schooling Horse Trials Championships!

Karen Morang Photography

Spotted Vision Photography

Apple Knoll Farm

25 Forest Lane, Millis, MA ~ (508) 376-2564 ~ appleknoll.com

34

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

29 – 30 GWYNETH MCPHERSON DRESSAGE CLINIC, RER Ponies, Hatfield. rerponies.com.

30 LUMPS AND BUMPS: WHAT’S NORMAL? Winter Equine Health Lecture Series, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine campus, North Grafton. ce.vet.tufts.edu/program/equinehealth-lecture-series.

January

February

26 – 31 CLEARANCE BLOWOUT, SmartPak Retail Store, Natick. smartpak.com/retailstore.

5 4-H HORSE BOWL CONTEST, Hanson Public Library. plymouthcounty4h.org.

6 MHC HUNTER SHOW, Herring Brook Farm, Pembroke. herringbrookfarm.com.

9 ACUPUNCTURE FOR THE EQUINE ATHLETE, Winter Equine Health Lecture Series, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine campus, North Grafton. ce.vet.tufts.edu/program/equinehealth-lecture-series.

12 MHC HUNTER SHOW, Saddle Rowe, Medway. saddlerowe.com.

13 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Harmony Horse Stables, Littleton. rideiea.org.

13 HANOVER HUNT AND RIDING CLUB ANNUAL BANQUET, Double Tree Inn, Rockland. briggsstable.com.

16 THE COUGHING HORSE — IS IT ASTHMA? IS IT ALLERGIES? Winter Equine Health Lecture Series, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine campus, North Grafton. ce.vet.tufts.edu/program/equine-health-lecture-series.

16 HCRC ANNUAL PLANNING MEETING, Congregational Church, Chesterfield. hampshirecountyridingclub.org.

9 MHC HUNTER SHOW, Saddle Rowe, Medway. saddlerowe.com.

10 IHSA WESTERN SHOW, Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Center, South Hadley. ihsainc.com.

16 JUMPER SHOW, Stoneleigh-Burnham School, Greenfield. sbschool.org.

2 4-H REGIONAL WINTER WORKSHOPS, Kingston Intermediate School. plymouthcounty4h.org.

16 MHC HUNTER SHOW, Saddle Rowe, Medway. saddlerowe.com.

2 WNEPHA AWARDS BANQUET, Stationery Factory, Dalton. wnepha.com.

23 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Four Winds Farm, North Oxford. rideiea.org.

3 WNEPHA DRESSAGE SHOW, Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Center, South Hadley. wnepha.com.

6 VITAMIN E DEFICIENCY — SO THAT’S WHAT’S WRONG! Winter Equine Health Lecture Series, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine campus, North Grafton. ce.vet.tufts.edu/program/ equine-health-lecture-series.

9 STATE 4-H EQUINE SEMINAR, Walpole. mass4h.org.

23 INDEPENDENCE TACK SALE, Belchertown. independencestablellc.com.

23 IEA REGION 10 FINALS, Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Center, South Hadley. rideiea.org.

23 IHSA HUNT SEAT SHOW, StoneleighBurnham School, Greenfield. sbschool.org.

24 WINTER SCHOOLING SHOW SERIES, Stoney Hill Farm, Barre. stoneyhillfarm.org.

9 NEHC YEAR-END BANQUET, Doubletree by Hilton, Milford. nehc.info.

25 MHC HUNTER SHOW, Silverstone Stables, Rehoboth. mahorsecouncil.com.

WINTER JUMPER SHOWS January 19

February 16

19 JUMPER SHOW, Stoneleigh-Burnham School, Greenfield. sbschool.org.

19 NSHA ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET, Danversport Yacht Club, Danvers. northshorehorsemens.org.

19 HRC AWARDS BANQUET, Pembroke Country Club. hansonridingclub.org.

19 4-H WESTERN MASS. WINTER WORKSHOPS, location TBA. mass4h.org.

26 – 27 GWYNETH MCPHERSON DRESSAGE CLINIC, RER Ponies, Hatfield. rerponies.com.

27 HUNTER SHOW, Medway. saddlerowe.com.

27 WNEPHA HUNTER/JUMPER EQUITATION SHOW, SJH Equestrian, Richmond. wnepha.com.

27 WINTER SCHOOLING SHOW SERIES, Stoney Hill Farm, Barre. stoneyhillfarm.org.

Cross rails, 2', 2'3", 2'6", 2'9", 3' (.60 to .91 meters) Want to compete over larger fences? Please inquire in advance.

574 Bernardston Road, Greenfield, MA.

sbschool.org/equestrian

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

35

. . . Barnyard Maples continued from page 23

Independence Stable

2019 Dressage Schooling Shows Traditional & Western Dressage Tests

May 5 June 2 August 11 September 8

nnual The A s Sale i Tack ! ary 23 Febru

Presents the 24th

Equine Expo Paraphernalia Sale Saturday, April 27, 2019 . 9-3 Large vendor marketplace selling new and used items! Plus services for the horse, rider, and driver.

Demonstrations All Day! $5 Admission . children under 10 free

Check our Facebook page for updates!

Held in the Arena Building at the Topsfield Fairgrounds, Route 1, Topsfield

404 S. Washington St. Belchertown, Mass.

(413) 284-0371 independencestablellc.com

Vendor Spaces Available . Free Parking

Send us your events

Brands we carry Abady Alpo Poulin Blue Seal Precise Canidae Pro Plan Diamond Purina Eukanuba Purina Mills Friskies Science Diet Iams Sensible Choice Kaytee Solid Gold Merrick Triple Crown Natural Balance Triumph Nature’s Recipe Wellness Neura Whiskas Nutrena Nutro Wild and caged bird Wysong and small animal feed.

Old Mother Hubbard Kakadu Oilskin Coats.

Pedigree Pinnacle

Country Corral 35 Main St., rear, Rte. 9, Williamsburg, MA (413) 268-0180 countrycorral@aol.com M-F 9:30AM - 5:30PM, Sat 9:30AM - 4:00PM Right behind A-1 Hilltown Pizza in Williamsburg center.

36

Contact Kay at: 978-768-6275 or kljoreo@aol.com

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

for the Annual Events Issue

by March 1, 2019!

Email events@mahorse.com.

Request a free Junior Award

for your event at mahorse.com/junior-awards.

“Gale offers a valuable service that isn’t easy to come by in this area,” says Holly. “Her training can be applied to such a range of situations. I first called her to help out a friend at the barn who was losing confidence with her off-thetrack Thoroughbred, which in turn was making the horse more skittish. At the same time, I wanted Gale to work with my horse and do some trick training to keep him busy. These were two totally different situations, but Gale’s methods apply to both, and she was able to make great progress with both of us. I’ve been around horses most of my life, but I’ve learned so much about myself and my body language from Gale, as she points out things I was never aware I was doing.

Working with her has been so helpful.”

Gale has witnessed transformations like these time and time again, and learns something from each pair that she works with. “I recently worked with a woman in her seventies,” says Gale.

“She’d loved horses all her life, but never learned to ride and had come to terms with the fact that she wasn’t going to. She still wanted to have a relationship with horses though, and groundwork was the perfect way to achieve that! Her skills are amazing, and it’s rewarding to watch her safely experience that bond.”

That bond is what this is all about, and Gale never tires of the thrill that achieving it brings. “There’s nothing better than when you’re working a horse at liberty, and he turns around, looking directly at you as if to ask ‘What would you like? Where are we going?’

Or, when you go out to the pasture and he sees you, and comes running to the gate saying ‘Pick me!’ ” Gale says. “This is so much fun.”

It’s clear Gale is having fun, and living out her dream by helping others achieve their own dreams. Watching her beloved Sun Dun Bar munch hay comfortably, she reflects on all that has been accomplished in the little barn.

“I’m so happy I was able to become a part of the history my great grandfather began here in 1924,” she says. “I’ve built my own piece of it, and each horse and person that comes to learn here is a part of that history, too.”

Alessandra Mele is a freelance writer and designer in Wilbraham. She enjoys spending time with the horses on her family’s farm, especially riding her Quarter Horse, JoJo. To see more of her work, visit thehomegrownstudio.com.

. . . Preparing for a Massachusetts Winter continued from page 12

that are given ample exercise are mentally content, and rarely develop vices such as pawing, stall kicking, and wood chewing.

Make sure your horse is staying active out in his pasture or paddock as well, not just planting himself in front of a hay feeder all day. Create paths through deep snow for him to walk along, and feed hay along a track by setting heaps/slow feeders at a distance from one another. This will encourage him to wander from pile to pile, almost like when he’s grazing.

Barefoot or shod?

Winter hoof care is largely dependent on what your horse’s activity level is going to be. If he wears shoes and you’re not going to do much riding, farriers usually recommend removing a horse’s shoes in the winter — that is, if the hoof conformation allows for it.

Going barefoot provides increased circulation to the hooves, which in turn produces stronger, healthier hooves.

Going barefoot is good for a healthy horse, and will be a little easier on your wallet.

If your horse is shod throughout the winter months, borium studs welded onto the shoe for traction and snow pads, which keep the snow from balling up in the shoe, are common winter shoeing solutions. Hooves collect snow and ball up with regular shoes without snow pads because snow melts from the warmth of the hoof and refreezes to the steel.

Barefoot horses normally lose the snow and ice that gets trapped in their hooves because there's nothing to freeze to; however some snow and ice create the perfect storm where the snow balls up in barefoot horses.

Be careful bringing your horse into the barn after being outside.

Snowballed hooves are very slippery.

Preferably, dig out the snow at the barn door prior to entering.

Dressing for a Winter Ride There’s something special about being out in the woods and cantering across snow-covered fields in the winter.

Don’t let Mother Nature chase you inside when the temperatures drop and there’s snow on the ground. It takes only the right clothes and the right attitude to get yourself outside and mentally jazzed during the long and frosty

Massachusetts winter months. You can still take those long trail rides with your horse and your friends. It’s simply a matter of dressing right to stay toasty warm and comfortable.

When dressing for winter riding, be aware that cold weather requires considerable care in dressing. Heat loss is not stopped by clothing. Instead, the clothing will trap the heat generated by the body and slow down its loss to the environment. Wool is still one of the best insulators and, unlike most other materials, it retains much of its insulating properties even when wet.

The secret to staying warm is to use loose layers of clothing, leaving lots of room for air pockets to trap heat where it’s wanted. Never underestimate the penetrating power of the cold, especially when your body is not strenuously working its muscles, such as when you’re on a leisurely trail ride. So, layer, layer, layer!

First, you’ll need to put a thin, nonabsorbent layer next to your skin to avoid chilling yourself if you sweat.

Synthetics such as acrylic, Lycra, and polar fleece and natural fibers such as wool work just fine for your first layers.

Whatever you do, don’t wear blue jeans. Don’t wear cotton outside in winter; keep it for lounging by the fire.

Cotton tends to absorb sweat and moisture and clings to the body, robbing you of precious body heat and giving you the chills. If you want to be an active rider year-round, invest in silk or polypropylene long underwear.

Next, cover your thinner, inner layers, top and bottom, with one or more bulkier layers. Think insulation and you’ll get it right. In addition, this layer should have a streamlined (not tight) fit. A wool or acrylic-blend sweater, or, better yet, thick and toasty polar fleece does the trick. Polar fleece is nonabsorbent and keeps you dry.

The key words regarding outer layers of clothing are windproof, waterproof, and breathable. Gortex, Thinsulate, or a similar outer shell is excellent. You’ll want to have pants as well as a jacket. Some snowmobile suits are lightweight enough to be flexible for horseback riding.

As with other winter riding clothes, avoid cotton outer shells, even those that are treated with water-repellent material. Snow may land on you, and when it melts, it can soak down through the layers and chill you to the bone.

Because of the need to manipulate reins, gloves are typically better than

HORSES SMALL ANIMALS EXOTICS ACUPUNCTURE CHIROPRACTIC HOMEOPATHY PHYSICAL THERAPY

HOUSE CALLS FULL-SERVICE SMALL-ANIMAL HOSPITAL GROOMING PET SUPPLIES

FAMILY VETERINARY CENTER BUD ALLEN, M.S., D.V.M. ROBIN KARLIN ALLEN, D.V.M. 99 MAIN ST. (RTE. 9) HAYDENVILLE, MA (413) 268-VETS FAMVETS.COM

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

37

Linda Parmenter

USDF Bronze & Silver Medalist USDF “L” Judge Instruction . Training . Clinics . Sales

Barefoot Hoof Care Rehabilitation of Laminitis/Founder & Other Hoof Pathologies Transitions from Shod to Barefoot Maintenance Trims

Diet & Nutrition Analysis Total Body Health

Natural Horsemanship Training Connection & Communication

Achaina

Classical Dressage & Work-In-Hand Balance, Strength, & Agility

91 Lombard Rd., Hubbardston (978) 928-5492 pinehaven@charter.net parmenterdressage.com

Holistic Equine Services . Kathleen Ladendecker

(413) 310-4692 . Achaina.com kathy@achaina.com

Hanover Equine Dental Terry Paul

Graduate of the American School of Equine Dentistry

Subscribe today! at mahorse.com

Performance floating for all disciplines.

Serving all of southern New England.

eqdent1@verizon.net . (781) 630-0741

Tack Repairs & Restoration

saddles . chaps belts . halters bridles . reins harnesses dog collars & leashes

Blue Dog Leather 64 South Shore Dr., Orange, Mass.

978.544.2681 bluedogleather.com Open by appointment, please call ahead.

38

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

mittens, and you can always pack more than one pair in your saddlebags or in your pockets in case the first pair gets wet. Look for gloves that are insulated and waterproof.

Wool or synthetic-blend socks will make you so much more comfortable than cotton. You can also buy thin silk or polypropylene socks to wear under an outer, wool pair. Don’t cram your feet into boots, however. Layer but don’t overdo it, as overlayering can impair circulation and actually make you colder.

Your riding helmet alone isn’t enough cold-weather protection for your head. Approximately 30 percent of one’s body heat can be lost through the head.

The neck is also a place of easy heat loss, so keep that scarf on as well and wear a turtleneck. Consider buying winter headwear accessories designed specifically for the winter rider that go over a riding helmet. If you don’t want to make the investment, simply put your scarf over your helmet and ears and tie it under your chin. Then both your head and neck are protected from winter cold.

Dressing appropriately for winter weather conditions gives you the chance to watch frosty blue skies and a winter sun turn the snow a dazzling white, or a plump gray sky full of snow clouds burst forth with flakes the size of silver dollars dusting and covering you and your horse as they fall. It’s a fabulous experience. So bundle up, tack up, get out, and enjoy winter.

Winter is just another season to enjoy your horse . . .

In the morning after a heavy snowstorm, take pleasure in the gentle sound of your horse’s hooves packing the snow as he greets you at the gate for breakfast.

The sight of a horse rolling in the snow for a bath in the flakes brings a smile: he’ll leave behind loose hair and dirt — a special snow angel — and his coat will sparkle and shine. When he leaps up with a happy squeal and a lively buck, what better proof that your winter efforts have paid off?

Stephanie is the publisher of Massachusetts Horse and Connecticut Horse. A lifelong horsewoman, she’s been a riding instructor; a breeding manager at an 80-horse Arabian farm where she foaled out mares, collected stallions, and administered the vaccination and deworming programs; and has had her own farm for more than 25 years. She lives in the foothills of the Berkshires on the 12-acre Pocketful of Ponies Farm.

Susan Rainville

DRESSAGE

This Olde Horse

A. M. Simon, 32 Union Square, New York

Barre

Dressage Training, Groundwork & Response Training for a more confident partnership.

USDF bronze & silver medalist Dressage Schooling Show Series Weekly Lessons Affordable Training & Boarding Off-farm Clinics Adult Camp Competition Camps

White Spruce Farms Central Massachusetts (978) 257-4666 whitesprucefarms.com

Lise Krieger

Certified Saddle Fitter saddle assessments fitting evaluations flocking . repairs consignments . sales

newenglandsaddlefit.com newenglandsaddlefit@comcast.net 203 . 685 . 2308

Got Manure?

Lessons 5 Training Clinics 5 Drill Team Horse Shows Games Nights Summer Camps

MANURE REMOVAL FOR LARGE & SMALL FARMS

Roll-off containers 10 to 30 yards on call or scheduled service. Full stock pile removals.

Recovery . Maintenance . Performance Therapeutic Massage . Bodywork . Reiki

(413) 320-7690

978-425-6181 MitranoRemoval.com

jobunny@comcast.net

Proud sponsor of Bear Spot Musical Freestyle and Oakrise Farm Shows.

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

39

the

neighborhood

Your Everything Equine “white pages”

EQUINE ENTERTAINMENT •••••••••••••••••••••••••• DALE PERKINS/MESA FARM Rutland, MA, (508) 886-6898 daleperkinshorseshow.com Trick riding and much more.

Middleborough: (508) 747-8181 Northborough: (508) 393-9327 Southwick: (413) 569-2307 Wilbraham: (413) 887-8817 Williamstown: (413) 458-5584 Worcester: (508) 752-3300

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY RIDING CLUB Goshen, MA, (413) 268-3372 hampshirecounty ridingclub.org Monthly trail rides, woodland obstacle course, scavenger hunt, and clinics.

EQUINE MASSAGE •••••••••••••••••••••••••• HORSEBACK AND BODY Northampton, MA, (413) 320-7690 jobunny@comcast.net Massage therapy for horses, humans.

JUDGES •••••••••••••••••••••••••• MARY BRAZIE Egremont, MA, (413) 528-2367 arabpinto13@yahoo.com Judging open, 4-H, carded; lessons.

BARN CATS •••••••••••••••••••••••••• PAWS WATCH P.O. Box 7005, Warwick, RI 02887 cats@pawswatch.org, pawswatch.org Barn cats need homes! Healthy, fixed, vaccinated barn cats provide rodent control. Delivered!

EQUINE THERAPY •••••••••••••••••••••••••• HIGH HORSE HILL THERAPEUTIC HORSEMANSHIP Middlefield, MA, (413) 961-9311 highhorsehill.com Therapeutic horsemanship for all ages.

ED GOLEMBESKI Gill, MA, (413) 863-2313 riker119@comcast.net 4-H, open shows, clinics, lessons.

ASSOCIATIONS •••••••••••••••••••••••••• BAY STATE TRAIL RIDERS ASSOCIATION bstra.org Keeping trails open for equestrian use; organized trail rides; volunteer opportunities for trail clearing and maintenance.

BARNS •••••••••••••••••••••••••• CARRIAGE SHED Serving the Northeast, (800) 441-6057 carriageshed.com Barns, arenas, shed rows, custom buildings.

DRESSAGE •••••••••••••••••••••••••• BRADFORD EQUESTRIAN CENTER Haverhill, MA, (978) 374-0008 Dressage for all disciplines and driving.

Keith Angstadt, USEF dressage judge.

CATHY DRUMM Pittsfield, MA, (413) 441-5278 cathydrumm.com Clinics, lessons, training, western and English dressage, hunter/jumper.

LINDA PARMENTER Hubbardston, MA, (978) 928-5492 parmenterdressage.com USDF bronze and silver medalist, USDF “L” judge; instruction, clinics, training.

WHITE SPRUCE FARMS New Braintree, MA, (978) 257-4666 whitesprucefarms.com Dressage shows, instruction, all levels/ages.

FINANCING, LOANS, TAX PREP •••••••••••••••••••••••••• FARM CREDIT EAST (800) 562-2235, farmcrediteast.com Financing, loans, tax preparation, business consulting, financial planning.

HAFLINGERS •••••••••••••••••••••••••• SOMMER HILL FARM Adams, MA, (413) 743-9301 sommerhaflingers@yahoo.com One Haflinger is never enough.

HORSES FOR SALE •••••••••••••••••••••••••• HERITAGE FARM Easthampton, MA, (413) 527-1612 farmheritage.com Sale horses, boarding, lessons, and training.

STRAIN FAMILY HORSE FARM Granby, CT, (860) 653-3275 strainfamilyhorsefarm.com New England’s largest quantity sales stable since 1967. Forty family, trail, and show horses to choose from. New loads every week. We buy horses, take trade-ins, and consignment horses. Great three-week exchange guarantee. Find us on Facebook.

XENOPHON FARM Montague, (413) 367-9828 xenophonfarm@aol.com Dressage schooling shows, clinics, lessons, boarding, training, trails, owners on site.

INSTRUCTION/TRAINING •••••••••••••••••••••••••• BACK BAY FARM Ipswich, MA, (978) 356-0730 backbayfarm.com Lessons, boarding, training, and sales.

EQUINE DENTISTRY •••••••••••••••••••••••••• WENDY BRYANT, EQDT Northampton, MA, (413) 237-8887 wbryantnatrualbalancedentistry.com Natural balance equine dentistry.

Improved topline, maximized performance, increased flexion. Serving New England.

INSURANCE •••••••••••••••••••••••••• DON RAY INSURANCE Marshfield, MA, (781) 837-6550 donrayinsurance.com Farm, mortality, major medical and surgical, clubs, shows, instructors.

NORTHEAST EQUINE VETERINARY DENTAL SERVICES LEAH LIMONE, DVM Topsfield, MA, (978) 500-9293 nevds.com Licensed professional veterinary dentistry.

Routine preventive care, maintenance, diagnostics, extractions.

FARM FAMILY INSURANCE farmfamily.com Boxborough: (978) 467-1001 Carver: (508) 866-9150 Centerville: (508) 428-0440 Easthampton: (413) 203-5180 Great Barrington: (413) 528-1710 Marlborough: (508) 485-3800

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Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

NORWEGIAN FJORDS •••••••••••••••••••••••••• BLUE HERON FARM Charlemont, MA, (413) 339-4045 blueheronfarm.com Quality, purebred registered Fjords.

REAL ESTATE •••••••••••••••••••••••••• ALTHEA BRAMHALL HOMETOWN REALTORS North Quabbin region, (617) 678-9300 althearealtor@gmail.com Real estate is more fun with horse people!

EQUINE HOMES REAL ESTATE LLC MA and NH, (800) 859-2745, ext. 704 equinehomes.com. sally@equinehomes.com Sally Mann, Realtor, MA and NH. STABLES, FARMS, BOARDING •••••••••••••••••••••••••• APPLE KNOLL FARM Millis, MA, (508) 376-2564 appleknoll.com Eventing training, lessons, schooling trials, clinics; facilities available for events.

CARRIER’S FARM Southampton, MA, (413) 527-0333 rcarrier0333@gmail.com Indoor, outdoor arenas, round pens, fields.

GLENCROFT FARM Southampton, MA, (413) 527-8026 kraymond24@hotmail.com Boarding, pastures, ring, trails, fields.

SANDYHILL FARM Florence, (413) 320-1881 sandyhillfarm@yahoo.com Boarding, ring, trails, lessons available.

STRAIN FAMILY EQUESTRIAN CENTER LLC Southwick, MA, (413) 569-5797 strainfamilyequestrian.com Boarding, lessons, training, sales, therapeutic riding.

TACK •••••••••••••••••••••••••• CHESHIRE HORSE Swanzey, NH, (877) 358-3001 cheshirehorse.com English, western, feed, supplies, trailers.

SMARTPAK RETAIL STORE Natick, MA, (508) 651-0045 smartpak.com/retailstore Tack, equipment, supplements, blankets, apparel, gear, gifts, clearance outlet.

TRANSPORTATION •••••••••••••••••••••••••• J.R. HUDSON HORSE TRANSPORTATION West Bridgewater, MA, (508) 427-9333 jrhudsonhorsetrans.com Serving the lower 48 states and Canada.

VETERINARIANS •••••••••••••••••••••••••• FAMILY VETERINARY CENTER Haydenville, MA, (413) 268-8387 famvets.com Traditional and alternative care for dogs, cats, exotics, and horses.

SOUTH DEERFIELD VETERINARY CLINIC DR. ROBERT P. SCHMITT S. Deerfield, MA, (413) 665-3626 sdvc@aol.com Equine medicine, surgery since 1969.

Advertise for just $49 a year?

Yes!

Have your business and/or services in Massachusetts Horse and on mahorse.com for just $49 for the year.

Plus, receive a free one-year subscription .

Place your ad at mahorse.com.

Junior Awards Massachusetts Horse gives back to our community through its Junior Award program. The award is given to the junior exhibitor who has shown the best horsemanship and sportsmanship at a competition in the Bay State. This is the junior who is not winning, but who is working hard with a great attitude. This junior is

taking good care of her horse, cheering on her friends, and helping others.

Want to give out a free Junior Award at your upcoming event? Visit mahorse.com/ junior-awards. These awards are made possible by Stephanie Sanders, Massachusetts Horse publisher, and Absorbine.

WNEPHA JOIN US! The Western New England chapter of the Professional Horsemen’s Association of America has a full schedule of shows planned for 2019!

HUNTER/JUMPER EQUITATION SHOWS Dec. 16 White Horse Hill Jan. 27 SJH Equestrian Mar. 10 White Horse HIll

Scott Porter

Mar. 17 SJH Equestrian

rds Awa et qu Ban ry 2 rua Feb

Emily Lynch at the Massachusetts Horsemen’s Council Classic “No matter how difficult a challenge, I’ve never seen a rider with so much heartfelt determination and ambition,” says Leann Cravenho, Emily’s friend. “Emily finds a way to soulfully motivate and inspire each person that comes into her life. She’s a hard worker with a positive attitude. She’s always helping others. Emily has a kind word for everyone.”

Caitlin Looney at the Stoneybrook Open Show “Trace and I switched from western to English this summer and I’m proud of how far we’ve come,” says Caitlin. “We had a few bumps at the start but Trace has taught me to have patience and perserverance when pursuing our goals. It’s incredible to feel our hard work pay off in the show ring after all the behind the scenes lessons, training, sweat, tears, and falls.”

DRESSAGE SHOWS English and Western Tests

Feb. 3 Apr. 14 Apr. 21 Apr. 28

Mount Holyoke College Mount Holyoke College Heritage Farm Higher Ground Farm

Year-end awards in many divisions.

Full schedule can be found at

WNEPHA.com An organization for horsemen, by horsemen.

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

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Is This Your Horse?

Hatfield

Large and Small Animal Medicine & Surgery Serving the North Shore since 1951 Helen Noble, VMD . Robert Orcutt, DVM Derek Cavatorta, DVM PhD Kirstin Anderson, DVM . Ashley Taylor, DVM Mary Ann Montesano, DVM

295 High St, Ipswich, Mass.

978-356-1119 (ph) . 978-356-5758 (f)

Kaleigh Simmons

srhvets.com

Is this your horse?

This photo was taken at the RER Ponies Halloween Show on October 21 in Hatfield. If this is your horse, contact us at win@mahorse.com for a month’s supply of SmartPaks and more from the Bay State’s very own SmartPak, smartpakequine.com, and a two-year subscription to Massachusetts Horse.

A & B INSURANCE GROUP Insurance for All Your Equine Needs

RER Ponies Training, Lessons & Sales

by BHS trained, USDF “L” Graduate & Bronze Medalist

Farm & Equine . Equine Mortality . Horse Owners Liability

Heather Reynolds Dostal Available for Judging & Clinics U.S. Pony Club Riding Center offering boarding, training, pony starting, and tune-ups. Professional, well rounded, goal-oriented lesson program for riders of all ages beginner through advanced.

Accepting new clients with 2017 expansion!

54 Plain Rd., Hatfield, MA 413.427.2026

RERponies.com . rerponies@gmail.com 42

Massachusetts Horse December/January 2019

Our agents have been serving the equine community for a combined 50+ years.

Call Richard, Wendy, and John for a competitive quote with one of our many equine insurance carriers.

978-399-0025 | ABInsGroup.com Richard@abinsgroup.com Wendy@abinsgroup.com . John@abinsgroup.com Licensed in MA, NH, VT, ME, CT & RI

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BRIDGEPORT, CT PERMIT

Amherst Farmer’s Supply 320 South Pleasant St., Amherst (413) 253-3436 amherstfarmerssupply.com A.W. Brown Pet & Garden Center 144 Shaker Rd., E. Longmeadow (413) 525-2115 . awbrown.com Brattleboro Agway 1277 Putney Rd., Brattleboro, VT (802) 254-8757 . achilleagway.com

Bridgewater Farm Supply 1000 Plymouth St., Bridgewater (508) 697-0357 . bridgewaterfarm.com Country Corral 35 Main St., Williamsburg (413) 268-0180 . countrycorralonline.com Dodge Grain Company 59 N. Broadway, Salem, NH (603) 893-3739 . dodgegrain.biz

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Essex County Co-op 146 S. Main St., Topsfield (978) 887-2309 essexcountycoop.net

Hoosac Valley Coal and Grain 2 Gavin Ave., Adams (413) 743-0163 hoosacvalleycoalandgrain.com

Greenfield Farmers Co-op Exchange 269 High St., Greenfield (413) 773-9639 greenfieldfarmerscoop.com

Sweet Meadow Feed & Grain 111 Coolidge St., Sherborn (508) 650-2926 sweetmeadowfeedandgrain.com

Hardwick Farmers Co-op Exchange Rte. 32, Gilbertville . (413) 477-6913 hardwickfarmers.net

Thibault’s Poultry 92 N. Spencer Rd. Spencer (508) 612-1907