Benefit Adventure Trail program 2017

Katie Upton . katieupton.com

2017 MASSACHUSETTS HORSE BENEFIT ADVENTURE TRAIL

All proceeds go to the MSPCA at Nevins Farm

Special Thanks to Our Title Sponsor!

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Welcome

, and thank you for coming to the 13th-annual Massachusetts Horse Benefit. One of my goals is to give back to the equestrian community. I do this in many ways, such as giving free Junior Horsemanship Awards to events in the Bay State; donating lifetime subscriptions to all public libraries in Massachusetts; partnering with the state’s horse clubs and associations whose members receive a free subscription; and, in every issue publishing a Lend a Hoof feature that profiles a local nonprofit organization that needs our help.

The benefit is just another way to give back. Each year, proceeds go to a nonprofit equestrian or equine-rescue organization. This year we’re proud to honor the mission of Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at Nevins Farm in Methuen. Thanks to your support, in the past 12 years we’ve raised more than $60,500!

A very personal thank-you to each and every competitor, sponsor, advertiser, and volunteer for participating in this special event. This Benefit Adventure Trail wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of everyone at Sandalwood Stables, especially Robin “Chick” Taylor who envisioned and created the trails, and the Mele family.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Sanders, publisher, Massachusetts Horse

Katie Upton

originals . commissions . prints . posters . calendars

katieupton.com . 805-682-1710 3

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What a beautiful day!

Thank you for joining us for the Massachusetts Horse Benefit Adventure Trail in support of MSPCA at Nevins Farm.

My family and I are so glad to see you and your horses out enjoying these special trails in the name of a great cause.

Our family’s horses have it good. They’ve got pastures of green grass, roomy stalls with fluffy shavings, the vet is a phone call away, and they get all the kisses and treats they could ever hope for. The work Nevins Farm does to make this is a reality for so many less fortunate horses and farm animals is humbling, and so worthy of this day and all of your fund-raising. We want every horse to feel safe, healthy, and loved, and are grateful for the work MSPCA at Nevins Farm does to achieve this.

I’m grateful to my family and friends that made this day possible — whether it was posting countless arrows out in the woods, grooming the trails to perfection, decorating jumps, cooking lunch (Who thinks my mum should start a food truck?!) or just offering encouragement — they made it all happen! Thanks most especially to my grandfather, Chick Taylor. He envisioned this incredible trail system and pursued it tirelessly aboard his tractor. It makes him happiest to see it filled with beautiful horses.

The greatest of thank-yous goes to Stephanie, who’s kept the Massachusetts Horse Benefit going 13 years strong, raising more $60,500 for Bay State non-profits. Her vision to foster community, rally support for those in need, and keep fun at the root of equestrian events is manifested here today, in every issue of Massachusetts Horse, and in the strong local camraderie she’s helped shape.

Have a great ride!

Alessandra Mele, Sandalwood Stables co-owner, Massachusetts Horse features writer 5

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Thank You to our Generous Sponsors!

Silver Sponsor: Donald Sommer. Sommer Hill Farm Haflingers, Adams Division Sponsor: Cado Farm/Marion Miller Class Sponsor: HorseBack & Body/Jo Bunny Supporting Sponsor: The Mason Agency/Diane Mason-Arnold

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Find us on Facebook & Ebay or email kkwildhorse2010@hotmail.com 8

General Rules

y All riders MUST wear an ASTM/SEI-approved helmet when mounted. y All riders MUST wear a hard-soled boot with a heel. y No dogs allowed at event.

y Any discrepancies or questions should be directed to the manager. y Any abusive behavior toward any animal will result in dismissal.

y Horses prone to kicking and mares in heat must have a red ribbon in their tail.

y All horses must have a 2017 Coggins test.

What’s a Hunter Pace?

y All horses must have some type of bridle and some type of saddle.

A hunter pace is a low-key competitive event derived from foxhunting. Teams of two or three riders follow a course laid out over terrain which is meant to simulate the riding conditions encountered during a foxhunt — that is, a mixture of gaits that a foxhunter typically uses as a fox’s scent is found and followed by hounds through open country and along wooded trails.

It’s up to each team to guess what the organizers of the pace have decided is an ideal time to complete the course and to adjust its progress accordingly. The ideal time is determined by sending out one or more test teams to ride the course before the event.

On the day of the event, the team that completes the course in a time closest to the ideal is placed first.

Hunter paces are divided into three divisions with different ideal times. The Field Hunter division is for those experienced in the hunt field and/or who wish to take the course at a faster pace. In a foxhunt, groups of riders are organized by fields (groups) called

flights. The first flight are those who are directly behind the hounds and are the jumpers.

The Field Hunter division optimal time is based on the first flight in a foxhunt.

The Trail Rider division is for those who wish to travel more slowly and are not jumping.

The optimal time for the Trail Rider division is based on the second flight in a foxhunt, a flat-only group that follows the full route of the hounds at a slower pace.

The Walk Trot division’s optimal time is based on the hilltopping field in a foxhunt. The hilltopping field follows at a walk and trot and is farther back so as to observe the hounds at work.

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SmartPak Hunter Pace Rules

y The team in each division with the time closest to the ideal, wins!

y Divisions: Field Hunter (walk, trot, canter, and hand gallop; over fences up to 2') Trail Rider (walk, trot, canter, and hand gallop; all seats; jumping optional) Walk Trot (walk and trot only; all seats; jumping optional)

y Every team with a rider under 16 years of age must have one adult rider.

y Individual riders, who are not part of a team, will be matched with riders.

y If you must pass a rider or team, ask permission to pass, call out which side you’ll be passing on, and then go slowly and carefully. Do not pick up a faster pace immediately, wait until you are a decent distance away to not endanger the other riders.

y The course will be clearly marked and has a mandatory stop area and walk area.

y There will be volunteers throughout the course if you need assistance.

y All the trails you are riding on are privately owned, not public. Please respect the landowner’s generosity and stay on the marked trail.

y Please do not school at the fences. If you need to do it a second time, only jump it in the direction you just did it.

y Take jumps safely; be sure no oncoming riders are approaching the same jump; call the jumps before you take them.

y Six ribbons and six prizes will be awarded in every division to each rider.

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.

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Horsemanship Knowledge Quiz Rules

y This event is open to riders and non-riders.

y The most correct answers in each division will win.

y Types of questions will be multiple choice and fill-in-the blank.

y Topics will include but are not limited to tack, breeds, anatomy, parasites, and colors of the horse.

y Quizzes can be taken throughout the day at the quiz area. We ask that you don’t discuss the quiz after taking it to make it fair for all.

y Divisions: Youth 12 and Under, Youth 13 to 17, and Adult.

y For those competing toward the day-end championship, for each incorrect answer, 10

Thank you to our quiz sponsor Westfield Feed and Easthampton Feed!

seconds will be added to your overall time.

easthamptonfeed.com 288 Union St. Westfield 413-562-3689

18 Mechanic St. Easthampton 413-527-0778 12

Neatness Counts

Please clean up around your trailer and pick up all your trash prior to leaving.

Hay, manure, and shavings be spread in the field and trash can go in the trash can near the gate behind the barn. Thank you!

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NATURAL GROOMING PRODUCTS . BATH AND BODY . JEWELRY HANDMADE NATURAL GROOMING PRODUCTS FOR HORSES HANDMADE NATURAL BATH AND BODY CARE ITEMS FOR RIDERS PRECIOUS METAL EQUESTRIAN-THEMED JEWELRY

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Hunter Pace Directions

KEEP TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF TRAIL at all times!

Pass oncoming riders left shoulder to left shoulder!

Jump safely: take any fences you like, or don’t, but call the fences and be sure there are no oncoming riders approaching the same fence!

Follow the Blue Arrows

1. Start by looping clockwise up the hill

2. After you pass the garage, bear right heading uphill 3. Turn right, head east up and around the East Loop 4. Enter Field at northwest corner, loop counterclockwise on the out side track (take outside fences if jumping) 5. Join back up to the trail and go west, downhill (go left) 6. Cross Bridge toward West Loop 7. Bear right to complete West Loop counterclockwise 8. Head east back over bridge 9. Stop for a five minute water break, then go to the right 10. Head south, uphill 11. Bear left southwest up big hill 12. Make a sharp left turn north into Central Park 13. Follow trail north through Central Park 15

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Follow the Red Arrows

14. Turn right, head east up and around East Loop 15. Enter Field at southwest corner, loop clockwise on the inside track (take inside fences if jumping) 16. Join back up to the trail and go west, downhill (right) 17. Follow trail northwest through Central Park 18. Turn left, heading west toward Bridge 19. Cross bridge toward West Loop 20. Bear left to complete West Loop clockwise 21. Head back east over Bridge 22. Head south, uphill (go right) 23. Bear right heading south up Gentle Hill 24. Emerge behind the garage 25. Exit trail heading downhill, west along pasture to finish!

Free Five Minute Reading with Nicole Birkholzer, equine specialist and Massachusetts Horse columnist.

Why is your mare not getting along with her paddock mate? Why does your gelding shy at a certain spot on the trail? Why is your horse not settling in at the new barn? I help you understand the logic behind your horse’s, behavior so you can live happily ever after.

Visit Nicole’s booth near the quiz area!

Mindful Connections | nicolebirkholzer.com ®

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Keep your horse in shape this winter at

• Call for stall availability • No barn hours, if your horse is here, see them when you want • 70' x 135' indoor arena • 100' x 200' sand ring • Obstacle course • Jumping field

• Individual lockers • Heated water bucks in winter • Heated tack and lunch room • Two round pens • two grass pastures, many paddocks • Daily turn out

• Stall and run-in shed options • All disciplines welcome • Bring in your own farrier, vet, trainer, instructor . . .

• Owners and manager live on premises • Quiet, friendly atmosphere

This farm is a blessing to us and we want to share it with our boarders.

Bob & Nancy Carrier . 16 David Street . Southampton . (413) 527-0333

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Hess McWilliams Veterinary Services More than 50 years of compassionate veterinary care!

Frederick Hess, DVM . Rose McWilliams, DVM . Caroline Barstow, DVM Full service 24/7 veterinary care for the equine athlete to the backyard companion throughout Massachusetts and Vermont.

On your farm or in our on-site examination room.

• Wellness Services: Vaccines, wellness evaluations, and dental procedures.

• Lameness Services: In depth evaluation with our lameness locator, digital radiographs, and our brand new Edge 2 ultrasound.

• Reproductive Services • Pre-Purchase Exams • 24/7 Emergency Services

HessMcWilliamsvet.com

(413) 549-6900 . fhessdvm@crocker.com . 143 N. East St., Amherst, Mass.

Wishing Best of Luck to all Riders!

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Cheshire Horse Timed Obstacle Course Rules

y This is a timed event. The rider with the fastest time in each division is the winner.

y The course consists of 10 obstacles.

y An obstacle that is completed but knocked down or otherwise disturbed will cause an addition of time faults.

y There is a 60-second time fault if a rider comes off, remounts, and continues the course.

y Open to any rider, discipline, and breed.

y Timers’ decisions are final.

y Only one competitor on the course at a time.

y No horses or riders on the course prior to rider walk through.

y Divisions: Youth Novice, Adult Novice, Youth Open, Adult Open. y Novice divisions are walk trot only; open divisions may canter.

y For those competing for the day-end championship, your course time (including time penalties) will be added to your hunter pace time differential (Your time minus the optimal time for your hunter pace division.) and your horsemanship-knowledge quiz time. (You’ll have ten seconds added onto your overall time for each incorrect answer.)

y Six ribbons and six prizes will be awarded in every division.

House Calls Full-service Small-animal Hospital Grooming Pet Supplies HORSES

SMALL ANIMALS

CHIROPRACTIC

EXOTICS

HOMEOPATHY

ACUPUNCTURE

PHYSICAL THERAPY

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 21

famvets.com

Maintenance . Recovery . Performance Therapeutic Massage Bodywork . Reiki

Robert P. Schmitt, D.V.M.

By Appointment Only General Practice

South Deerfield Veterinary Clinic Elm Street & Routes 5 & 10 S. Deerfield, Mass.

(413) 665-3626 . (413) 665-5107 sdvc@aol.com . sdvconline.com 22

Time Schedule 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. – Riders may walk Timed Obstacle Course 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. – Field Hunters start hunter pace 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Trail Riders start hunter pace 11 a.m. to noon – Walk Trotters start hunter pace 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Timed Obstacle Course is open

Awards

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Horse-Knowledge Quiz area is open 2:30 to 3 p.m. – Awards!

y Awards for the highest individual fund-raiser and the highest team fund-raisers.

y A prize and ribbon from first to sixth place will be awarded in every division of the hunter pace, timed obstacle course, and horsemanship-knowledge quiz.

y A day-end award for the Overall Best Time will be given to the rider who competes in all three events and has the lowest combined time from the hunter pace time differential (Your time minus the optimal time for your hunter pace division.), obstacle time including time penalties, and your horsemanship-knowledge quiz time. (You’ll have ten seconds added onto your overall time for each incorrect answer.)

y Massachusetts Horse Junior Horsemanship Award — be sure to cast your vote! y Most Creative Dismount Award (unexpected dismount)

y Best Team Spirit Award for the hunter pace team with the most team spirit.

FeedMeApples

by Lindsey Molyneux

life-size driftwood sculptures . driftwood horse heads . small copper sculptures . prints

lindseymolyneux.com 23

Obstacle Course Instructions

Novice riders must only walk and trot; open riders may canter.

If no gait is mentioned in the instructions of an obstacle, you may choose your gait.

30-second time penalty for any obstacle not completed.

1. Start your timed obstacle course by going through timers.

2. Go through hay bale chute. (10-second penalty for each bale knocked down) 3. Go over first ground pole, halt at second pole, back until a hind hoof steps over first pole, continue over second pole to next obstacle.

(10-second penalty for moving pole more than a foot from its original position)

4. Serpentine through six cones. (10-second penalty for each cone knocked down or moved) 24

5. Go around deer and bear without stepping out of poles that circle them.

(10-second penalty each time the horse steps over a pole)

6. Recycle bottles by taking one out of first bucket and placing it in the second.

7. Mailbox - Take out carrot, put in your pocket, belt, boot . . .

8. Logs - Walk through logs.

9. Brush - Pass through brush. (10-second penalty if you knock down obstacle) 10. Bridge - Walk or trot over bridge.

11. Go around campsite without stepping over poles that circle it.

(10-second penalty each time the horse steps over a pole)

12. Go through timers.

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MSPCA Nevins Farm: 100 Years; 10,000 Horses

by Andrea Bugbee

V

isiting the MSPCA’s Nevins Farm in Methuen is like visiting a happy, hairy, feathery, furry, barking, mooing, nickering farmtopia — except that every single one of its adorable wards has no permanent home. This year, Massachusetts Horse has dedicated its September 23 Benefit Adventure Trail to raise funds for Nevins Farm. It’s the only open-door farm animal shelter in New

courtesy of MSPCA

profit organization that continues to serve and protect animals today.

Almost 50 years later, in 1917, prominent Methuen landowner Harriet Nevins donated a 55-acre farm to the MSPCA to use as respite for cart horses. “She really wanted to have a place where horses from Boston could rest for a month, and older police horses were allowed to retire here at that time,” says Nevins Farm Director of

The first gas-powered equine ambulance in Massachusetts donated by Harriet Nevins in 1916.

England, which makes us certain Nevins is a cause our readers will want to ride for.

Development Heather Robertson. The farm wasn’t truly a shelter back then.

Instead, it was more a space to accommodate humane treatment for working horses.

“Our entire history is really all about horses,” Heather says, adding, “But as an open admissions facility, we open our doors to every animal. No matter what their health, their age, their behavior, we need to be here for every animal. It wasn’t until the late 1920s that domestic animals also began to be sheltered here at Nevins Farm; this was the first MSPCA animal shelter for cats, dogs, etc.”

First, a Little History In 1868, Boston lawyer George Angell read a horrifying newspaper article. Two horses had literally been driven to death because they were forced to race, pulling carriages and two drivers each, over 40 miles of rough roads. Within a month, George’s public outrage had inspired enough compassionate supporters to found the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a non-

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Now, 100 years after Harriet Nevins’s gift, Nevins Farm encompasses not one, but five compassionate programs: the Noble Family Adoption Center for domestic pets; the MSCPA Equine Center for horses and farm animals; the MSPCA Humane Education Program; the Equine Ambulance and Safety Program; and the Hillside Acre Animal Cemetery.

As part of a well-earned birthday bravo, this is the perfect time to pause, look back, and see just how magnificent Harriet Nevins’ little rest farm has become.

expenses, such as vet and farrier bills.

“After three months, we re-evaluate,” Gia says. “So far, the results have been promising.” Gia says Nevins Farm also relies on a foster system to nurture horses through medical lay-ups.

Adopt! Did you know that Nevins Farm is just 15 minutes away from Dover Saddlery’s Plaistow, New Hampshire store?

You and your best riding buddy can literally take a road trip to Dover, poke through the awesome leftovers in the bargain basement, and find one or two treasures to take home. Then you can do the same thing at Nevins Farm! Drive down the road to Methuen, poke through the farm, marvel at the awesome “leftover” (unwanted) horses, and find yourself a treasure to take home.

Adoption fees run from $300 to $1,200 and, recently, Nevins held a feefree bonanza for companion horses like Socks, whose sore neck keeps him from being ridden, but who is so darn sweet he’s the fellow little kids always get to brush in Nevins Farm’s camps.

No room for another horse? No worries. Nevins also has lonely pigs, goats, ducks, roosters . . . Not everyone is set up to take in farm animals, but as a horse owner, you might just have the perfect playground for one of these deserving animals.

Reader Advisory: You’re About to Want Another Horse Approximately 10,000 horses have received direct assistance through Nevins Farm in the past 100 years. Spread out, that’s 100 unwanted, ill, neglected, or abused horses each year for 100 years.

These horses’ stories are compelling, shocking, hopeful, and even heartwarming, but we’re not going to retell them here.

Instead, we’re going to tell you all the ways that horse lovers like you can help.

Foster! You know those Mustang and Thoroughbred makeover programs? Well, the Equine Center at Nevins Farm has a similar opportunity. It’s their three-month training foster program, and it’s perfect for riders who love a challenge but can’t commit to keeping a horse for life.

“A lot of the horses we get have some training issue,” says Equine Center Manager Gia Barss. “They would be more adoptable if someone could do some work with them and we could adopt them out as more solid citizens.” On most days, unfortunately, the Equine Center staff is too busy even to answer the phones, let alone dedicate training rides to multiple horses.

Under this new training foster program, approved equestrians can spend three months working with a horse, hopefully giving it the skills it needs for a successful, long-term placement. The foster family pays for daily upkeep such as hay, grain, and bedding. Nevins pays for larger

Volunteer! If you live anywhere near Methuen and you love animals, then Nevins has countless critters that need your help. Volunteers ages 16 and older who take the time to go through the volunteer application and orientation process can become some of the humane humans who ease the way for approximately 6,000 animals served by Nevins each year. If you’re horse smart, all the better. Your specialized skills will be manna for a staff outnumbered by paw and by hoof.

Emergency!

Here’s something you probably didn’t know: Massachusetts’ own Nevins Farm has the premiere equine emergency and response program in the United States. In

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1994 when Roger responded to an abuse call. Witnesses mistakenly thought that someone was trying to bury a living horse.

“When we got there, we found the owner was trying to pick up a downed horse with a front-end loader and a fire hose,” Roger says.

The horse, which ended up dying that evening, was emaciated from neglect,

Equine Ambulance and Safety Manager Roger Lauze has been at Nevins since 1985. According to Roger, it was Harriet Nevins herself who donated the first equine ambulance to the farm. “It was a goose neck, so it was way ahead of its time,” he says. Photos of that ambulance show a one-ton pickup truck pulling a trailer with big wagon wheels and lanterns hanging from its sides.

Equine emergency vehicles remained at that basic level — a truck pulling a trailer — until the summer of

and Roger knew there were other animals on the property in similar condition. He told the farmer that he’d take care of the burial — though his true motivation was to collect the horse’s body for evidence.

“Now I have a dead body and a horse trailer, and no way to get the horse in there,” Roger says. “The big thing that was missing in the horse world was a good way to move a downed horse.”

The challenge was gruesome, but for Roger, an equine emergency responder, it was both real and repetitive. He and

courtesy of MSPCA

fact, Nevins provides ambulance service for such acclaimed sport-horse events as Rolex, the World Equestrian Games, and Canada’s Pan American Games. Nevins also gives Equine Safety and Ambulance Training courses across the country to educate more emergency responders about effective procedures during equine emergencies.

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Hudson, New Hampshire, equine transporter Chip Fisher had already been trying to work out a rescue tool of some sort, but that evening, Roger stumbled onto the solution. He rolled the horse onto a stone boat (a pull-behind sled that farmers use to move rocks and other heavy items), then ratcheted him onto the trailer.

“Two weeks later, Chip had designed the rescue glide,” Roger says. “Since then, our program has gone crazy.”

The rescue glide is a lighter, more flexible version of a stone boat. In fact, it’s almost reminiscent of a child’s snow sled in that it has handles on the sides, it’s light and easy to maneuver, and it slides like a charm. Working with veterinarians (always), Roger and his team have developed a system where four people can get a downed horse onto a trailer in ten minutes. For horses with serious, curable illness, the rescue glide is key to saving lives.

Now, when he’s not tending rescues, Roger, an engaging speaker, leads oneand two-day clinics helping every emergency responder who wants to learn how to safely move a frightened, 1,000-pound animal. Some institutions that now use the rescue glide include Cornell University, the New York City Mounted Patrol, and Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.

Eventually, Roger would like to train every fire department in the Bay State.

For instance, affordability hugely impacts animal overpopulation and neglect. “There used to be this attitude that if people can’t afford the pet, then they shouldn’t have the pet, but that’s something I wholeheartedly regret,” Mike says.

“People’s means are not the measure of their hearts.”

As a result, Nevins hosts affordable spay and neuter clinics. This cuts overpopulation and allows more would-be wonderful pet owners to adopt and keep animals. Furthermore, the MSPCA’s stopgap programs help owners keep their animals during hard times caused by sickness or unemployment.

“Animals make people’s lives better,” Mike says. “That companionship, that love they give unconditionally is something we get comfort from. Everybody deserves that, despite money.”

Nevins Farm has also increased its focus on education, hoping to cultivate a community that cares for animals. “Our education department is really laser focused on helping to build a more just and compassionate society,” Mike says. To that end, they host a weekly preschool story time. They make Monday holidays Family Service Days. They pair animals in need of a child’s love with children who need a uncritical reading partner. They host school vacation camps and, in the summers, 250 kids romp through the farm learning about animal care in oneweek sessions.

“It’s exciting. It’s really amazing what we have,” Mike says. “We help animals by helping people.”

Becoming “People People” Learning about the past is a fun way to help Nevins celebrate its centennial, but listening to Nevins Farm Director Mike Keiley talk about the future? Well, that’s like soaking in rays of hope for a just and kind civilization.

“We look at our place now as an animal resource center instead of just an adoption center,” Mike says. “We’re on the front lines trying to address those issues that have plagued animals in our community, but what we’re really looking at is, what are the problems people are facing in the community and what can we do to help that? We discovered that we need to be people people first, in order to help animals.

Till Death Do Us Part The final chapter in the Nevins Farm story is Hillside Acre Animal Cemetery, which, as the following excerpt from the farm’s newsletter shows, has existed since the farm’s earliest days: “Now as our society has as one of its possessions one of the most beautiful farms in Massachusetts we have selected an attractive spot for an animal cemetery . . . Already, as this copy of the magazine goes to press, the first internment has taken place. The charge for a grave or lot will be as such as to

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not make it prohibitive for those who find it hard to think of the bodies of their animal pets consigned to a rendering plant.”

Our Dumb Animals, July 1917

Others stop in seasonally to decorate graves with flowers, pumpkins, or holiday ornaments. Each September, the cemetery hosts a remembrance celebration.

The event typically draws about 100 people who socialize, listen to a speaker, and share their stories with others.

“We try to make it really personal for people,” Dave says, noting that there aren’t many options for pet burial in the

courtesy of MSPCA

“A lot of people who have their pets here adopted them from Nevins,” says Dave Gordon, who has cared for Hillside Acre for 13 years. “There are 18,000 pets that are buried here. That ranges from dogs,

cats, parrots, parakeets . . . It’s a huge loss for people; it’s a family member.”

The cremated remains of 14 humans also rest at Hillside Acre. “People want to be buried with their pets,” Dave says. “For some people, their pets are their families.”

A gated, serene burial space for animals, Hillside Acre is actually four acres offering the details and care of any traditional cemetery. The staff can refer clients to grief counselors, provide a viewing before the burial, and permit families to compose their own graveside goodbyes.

Most mourners choose to say a prayer, some have religious officiants, and many place the first shovel of dirt once the casket is lowered.

Spring through fall, Dave sees a steady show of visitors. Some visit weekly.

Methuen area (or in New England, for that matter).

“We really try to do the right thing for people. We just feel like we help them through the toughest time in their lives, and that makes us feel good,” Dave says.

“We go from the start of life to the end of life, right here at Nevins Farm.”

To lend a hoof, visit mspca.org.

Andrea Bugbee is a Pony Club mom, an IEA mom, and a backyard horse enthusiast. She does most of her writing while she waits for her daughter in the parking lots of numerous wonderful stables scattered throughout western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut.

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Special Thanks to Our Title Sponsor!

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Supporting our horse community since 2001.

Donating more than 2,000 Massachusetts Horse Junior Horsemanship Awards to Bay State competitions.

Raising more than $60,500 for horse-related nonprofit groups through the Massachusetts Horse Benefit Show.

Providing free subscriptions to the members of 34 organizations and clubs in the Bay State.

In our 16th year of providing news, photos, event coverage, and support to our equestrian community.

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