Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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CONNECTICUT, MASSACHUSETTS & RHODE ISLAND

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

contents

Fall/Winter 2021

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in every issue 7 From the Publisher 9 Your Letters 10 If the Saddle Fits: Advice from Community Experts 24 Farms 42 Horsepeople

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58 Horse Logic 62 Trail Guides 76 Grand Prix Guidance 79 Overherd 87 Partners 95 This Olde Horse

100 Events Calendar 113 Directory

Stacey Stearns

98 Youth Awards

62 Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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COMMUNIT Y

HORSE CONNECTICUT, MASSACHUSETTS & RHODE ISLAND

vol. 1, no. 2 Fall/Winter 2021

ISSN 2766-5011 PRINT; 2766-502X ONLINE

99 Bissell Road, Williamsburg, MA 01096

•

phone: (413) 268-3302

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communityhorse.org

Community Horse is owned and operated by Community Horse Media LLC and is an all-breed, all-discipline equestrian publication for Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. © 2021 Community Horse All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this magazine or portions thereof in any form without prior written permission.

publisher Stephanie Sanders • steph@communityhorse.org • (413) 268-3302

editor Kathaleen Emerson

public liaison Sally L. Feuerberg . (203) 339-0357, sally@communityhorse.org

feature writers Mark R. Baus, DVM, Nicole Birkholzer, Sally L. Feuerberg, Alessandra Mele, Kara Noble, Stacey Stearns

contributors Bozzuto's Media, Terri Cage, Allison Forsyth, Maddie Fortin, Emilie Goddard, Sarah Grote, Jim Healey Katie Hylen, Patricia E. Jackson, ShawnaLee W. Kwashnak, Amy Keith, Ed Latham, Suzy Lucine Lori Mahassel, Christine Mard, Diane Merritt, Paulajean O’Neill, Karen Parlin, Annamaria Paul Pine Grove Photography by Shawn Yospin, Heather Souto, Amanda Theriault of Act Regal Photography Shawn Yospin, Nancy Zacks

advertising & questions main office • (413) 268-3302 • info@communityhorse.org

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Community Horse is printed with soy-based ink on recycled paper.

the fine print The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Community Horse staff or independent contractors, nor can they be held accountable. Community Horse will not be held responsible for any misrepresentations or any copyright infringement on the part of advertisers. Community Horse will not be held responsible for typing errors other than a correction in the following issue. All letters addressed to Community 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 Community Horse, are assumed to be legally released by the submitter for publication. Community 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.

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

From the Publisher eral barn-kitty Belfie has been liv-

F

piness. They’ve made up their own family

ing with his little herd for more

and I’m so very lucky to witness it.

he’d show up for a few days, eating and

crisp air, blue sky, and a breeze to keep

sleeping, and then be gone for three or

away the bugs. I’m heading out the door

four days. I knew he was an unneutered

to pull carrots, some for me and some for

male so I purchased a trap and he got the

my ponies.

Today is a perfect late summer day —

Maddie Fortin

than five years. In the beginning,

Pequeniño, Little Rasta Man, Peanut, and Belfie.

full treatment — neuter, deworm, vacci-

Be sure to visit us at Equine Affaire

nations, blood test for diseases. He no

November 11 to 14 in West Springfield,

longer leaves for days at a time to fulfill

Massachusetts. This year we’re in booth

his biological mandate to reproduce.

805 in the Better Living Center across

Instead, he’s with his little herd of

from the seminar stage. We’ll have a few

Miniature horses day and night. He’s with

back issues available and discounted sub-

them when they graze, when they rest, as

scriptions to Community Horse. Stop by

they wander about in their pasture . . .

and tell us what you’d like to see in these

he’s always with them (unless it’s pouring

pages and how you think we’re doing. Or

rain). It’s a beautiful friendship.

let’s just talk horses!

I’ll never get to pat him, and yet I get so much joy just observing him. Belfie’s

Enjoy this lovely season and we’ll see you at Equine Affaire!

not ready to turn in his feral card, so to speak, letting me know when I put out his food that he’s still one tough dude with his hisses and growls. Yet, Belfie and the horses bring me so much peace and hapCommunity Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

Your Letters To the Editor: I received my Spring/Summer issue and I love the new format. Feels so important and chock full of information.

Michelle G. Helmin, Director of External Affairs The Ethel Walker School, Simsbury, CT

To the Editor: I received my copy of the Spring/Summer

To the Editor:

issue and it feels strong and heavier in

Thank you for writing a wonderful article

hand, like a book! Lots of good articles!

about my farm.

Althea Bramhall, Hometown Realtors

Kim Herfert, Seapowet Stables, Tiverton, RI

To the Editor:

To the Editor:

Thank you for sending the Community

The new magazine is gorgeous! I love the

Horse Youth Awards for the horse shows.

inclusion of so many trail riding destina-

We’re so excited to award these!

tions! I’ve updated the link on my South

Marie Foohey, The Pines Horse Shows

Coast Series website; I’ll be spreading it around Facebook as well. Nice work!

Melody Fretschl, South Coast Series Horse Shows

Let us know your thoughts!

We’ll enter you to win a $75 Cheshire Horse gift card!

All letters received by March 5 will be entered in the drawing. Send your letters to: letters@communityhorse.org or Community Horse, 99 Bissell Rd., Williamsburg, MA 01096.

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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If the Saddle Fits

Advice from Community Experts

Em ilie ard dd Go

by Alessandra Mele

A

s far as saddle fit goes, it may be one of those skills we equestrians are often guilty of feigning.

There’s the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants miracle saddle: “I’ve got the best saddle,” many a rider has boasted. “It fits every horse I put it on!” Then there’s the Princess and the Pea saddle-pad theory: “Throw another pad under it and he won’t feel a thing.” And, of course, there’s the million-dollar solution: “If you want a perfect fit, buy the most expensive brand.” The myths and misinformation surrounding saddle fitting in any discipline are many, and the result is that saddle fitting left to an amateur is plain old guesswork. Nothing comes of that but a sore back.

The best place to turn for a correct fit is a saddle-fitting expert. Whether it’s a traditional English or western saddle or a cutting-edge trail saddle, it’s always worth taking the time to make sure your horse is comfortable in his tack. To clear up some of the mystery around saddle fit, a few saddle-fitting and saddle-making professionals offer their advice here.

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

The English Fit In the town of Royalston, Massachusetts, there’s a wealth of English saddle–fitting expertise. Anthony Cooper is a Britishtrained saddler who has been making, fitting, and repairing saddles since 1984.

Joshua Siegel is the owner of Siegel Saddlery, a full-service English saddle– fitting and repair business. Josh learned the trade from Anthony, first as his apprentice and then as his assistant, before establishing his own business. Both saddlers bring a vast store of knowledge to the trade, as well as invaluable advice when it comes to getting the correct English fit.

Anthony says that diagnosing a poor fit is not nearly as complicated as riders often make it. Simply put, if something looks wrong, it probably is wrong. “Look at the saddle on the horse, without any pads.

If the part of the saddle just behind the shoulders looks tilted to the front or back, it’s not fitting,” he says. “Beyond that, if you think the saddle is level but you’re still unsure about the fit, palpate the horse’s back after you ride to check for any tender spots. Look for rub marks at the front and the back. When riding, if you feel as though you can’t sit in a correct, balanced

position without thinking about it, this is probably the result of a poor fit. If something looks or feels wrong to you, it most likely is wrong, and that’s when you should have a saddler look at it.” Both Anthony and Josh recommend that if you have a saddle that is ridden in consistently, you should get it fitted every six months to accommodate a horse’s constantly changing body.

When the saddle fitter makes a visit, it pays to follow along and understand their process. Josh likes to see the client ride in the saddle during the visit, for a more dynamic view of the fit. “I’m very hands on and go through each step of the fitting with clients,” he says. “I want them to feel that the tree isn’t pinching at the shoulders, and to run their hands along the panels to see that the tree isn’t bridging at all. If a client gets the opportunity to experience a good saddle fit firsthand, they’ll be able to more easily recognize issues and more aware when changes occur.”

Josh and Anthony take several points of fit into account when assessing a saddle. “The saddle tree must match the contours of the horse’s body just behind the shoulders,” Anthony says. “That’s where the biggest issues come up with tree fit; it’s either too narrow or too wide.

A tree that’s too narrow will perch on the horse, causing the points of the tree to stick him behind the shoulders, and a tree that’s too wide will slip down and sit right on the horse’s withers. Getting a good fit behind the shoulders with the appropriate tree size is really the most important part of the fit.”

Josh expands on this concept. “It’s crucial that the rider’s weight is dispersed evenly,” he says, “which is achieved through proper tree angle, correct saddle balance, and even panel contact free of any bridging or gaps.”

When Anthony or Josh goes to work on a saddle, any adjustments made are based on those key points of fit. “I’m adjusting the front of the saddle to fit behind the shoulders correctly,” says Anthony, “and from there I adjust the

panels so that it sits level on the horse. As long as there’s enough fullness in the wool panel, you can make adjustments to make it fit level.”

Making adjustments within the wool panel is called flocking: the saddler adds, reduces, or replaces wool to balance the seat and distribute weight properly. Josh recommends periodic reflocking in addition to regular fitting. “Maintaining the flocking and panels is important,” he says.

“Over time, flocking can settle, compress, and get hard or lumpy. Depending on the age of the saddle, every five or six years it’s a good idea to reflock.” Both men prefer wool over foam in the panels and recommend converting foam to wool for a more adjustable fit. “A lot of close-contact jumping saddles tend to be foam-filled, which doesn’t leave room for any adjustments aside from temporary pads or shims,” Anthony says. “Converting the panels to wool offers a fresh palette, which can be readjusted to fit the horse’s body.”

The best place to turn for a correct fit is a saddle-fitting expert.

The Flair air system is another flocking method: It consists of four air-filled bladders, within the panels, that can be adjusted to accommodate the shape of the horse and the seat of the rider. “I like the Flair air system because it provides constant contact and even pressure,” Anthony says. “Older and very sensitive horses can benefit from it, and riders who are physically unable to sit straight, perhaps from a hip replacement, can find a good balanced seat with this system.”

At the end of the day, that good, balanced ride thanks to a comfortable horse is what a skilled saddler wants his clients to be able to achieve. Anthony and Josh seek these results with every saddle they address. “A good fit enables the horse to move more freely and puts the rider in the proper position, and that should be the goal of each fit,” Josh says.

Anthony agrees: “Your horse is going Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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to feel more comfortable under a correctly fitted saddle. If the horse is comfortable, you’re going to have a great ride.”

The Western Fit A proper fit is just as important with a western saddle. In fact, the additional weight of the heavier materials makes fit crucial, as the saddle must be supported at the appropriate points for a good, balanced fit. A proper western fit starts from the inside out and from the very beginning of saddle construction. Keith LaRiviere, of Blue Dog Leather in Orange, Massachusetts, is a professional western saddle maker and leatherworker.

“It’s very important for people to understand how the design of the saddle affects the horse,” Keith says. “When I’m building a saddle, my primary concern is always the horse’s comfort, because when something isn’t right, the horse is the one who suffers.”

Keith has an extensive background in leatherwork and tack repairs, and learned saddle making in Colorado from the highly regarded saddler Jesse Smith, who has more than 55 years of experience.

Keith has been building handcrafted western saddles from scratch since 2011, and the finished products are beautiful, functional, and comfortable.

When Keith sets out to build a saddle, he thoroughly evaluates the horse that will wear it, but that’s just a small step. “I don’t build a saddle to fit any one particular horse,” he says. “All of the saddle makers I’ve studied with will tell you that they build to suit a certain body type: wide, stocky builds; narrow builds; medium builds; and so on. Horse’s bodies are always changing; they’re likely to be in much fitter shape in the late summer than they are in the early spring, and the body changes and develops throughout their lifetime. A horse is likely to change even within the amount of time that the saddle is being built. What I’m looking for is the general body type the horse has and a few basic measurements that will shape the saddle.”

An understanding of the structure 12

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

within a western saddle is essential here.

The width of the gullet and the angle of the bars, which distribute weight to protect the spine, are the two main concerns when fitting the saddle. Gullet width is measured at the joint of the fork and the bars. The bar angle should be as close to the angle of the horse’s back as possible.

Length of bars is also a factor, and Keith says it’s one of the most important measurements he takes.

“If you’re trying to get a shoe that’s not your size onto your foot, will putting on a different sock make it fit better?” Amy Barton asks.

“The distance from the back of the scapula to the curve of the last rib determines how long the bar should be,” he says. “If the bar is too long, you risk two points of discomfort. First, the bar can interfere with the movement of the shoulder. Second, when the bar is extending beyond that last rib, the weight in the saddle is falling on unsupported muscle.

There’s no bone to support the weight, and this causes the bar to dig into the back and will certainly cause discomfort.”

Keith gets trees for his saddles from some of the finest tree makers in the country. “What I try to do is select a tree that comes very close to fitting the horse’s body type but is big enough to distribute the weight the horse needs to carry over as large an area as possible,” he says.

“Then it’s my responsibility to build a seat that allows the rider to have a good position, which results in even distribution of weight over the bars and the skirts. Ideally, you want the low point of the seat, where all of the rider’s weight is concentrated, to sit over the low point on the horse’s back, where it can most easily carry the weight.

It’s most comfortable for the horse and gives the best balance to the rider. Think of a seesaw,” he says: “The center is the most stable part to be sitting on.”

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One of the most common issues Keith faces is riders who want a saddle that’s too big for their britches. “I was making a saddle for a woman who was about five feet, five inches tall and weighed about a hundred and fifteen pounds soaking wet,” he says, “and she wanted a sixteen-point-five-inch seat. I really don’t think a person that size needs a seat that big, especially if the horse she’s riding is short-backed. To be comfortable, everything has to be proportional.”

Recognizing existing discomfort is the first step to address saddle fit, and Keith points out a few things to look for.

“What we interpret as misbehavior under saddle can often be discomfort, and it’s your first indicator that something doesn’t fit right,” he says. “For example, if you’re asking your horse to stop and in the process you’re rolling your hips to shift your weight back, that causes the saddle to dig into his back. Then the horse isn’t going to be thinking about what you’re asking him to do; he’s thinking about how he can get away from the

pain. He doesn’t have any way to tell you that, so we have to question the misbehavior as a possible sign of discomfort.”

There’s also a common physical indicator that a saddle is causing pain.

“Another sign of bad fit,” says Keith, “is the appearance of white hairs on the withers and along the back. That means the pressure is enough that it’s cutting off circulation to points on the back.”

Take the time to find the right western saddle — one that’s a good fit for both horse and rider — and you’ll be rewarded with comfortable rides. “Quality materials and skilled craftsmanship go a long way,” says Keith, “and give you the best chance possible for a good fit.”

Thinking Outside the Tree The traditional modes of saddle construction and fit have endured for centuries, but there are some new approaches. In fact, there’s a host of innovations for riders to explore, but it’s important to separate the real solutions from the gimmicks. Making sure the saddle design is

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

the product of science, research, and experience is a good first indicator of credibility.

Amy Barton met Danny Kroetch, of DK Saddlery, which is in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, at Equine Affaire in 2006, when she was deep into her search for saddles to properly fit her Dales Ponies. Their particular build — a short, wide back and massive shoulders — made for a tall order, and she wasn’t having much success.

“I spoke with six or seven saddle companies, had my ponies measured and assessed, and test-rode some beautiful saddles with excellent craftsmanship, but I found myself disappointed,” Amy says, remembering. “For close to six thousand dollars, I thought I should be feeling a big difference. They were all nice saddles, but I still felt as though my position should be better. I should feel centered over the middle of my horse, leg underneath me, horse moving freely and relaxed. I wasn’t getting that, but I put down a deposit on the saddle that came closest.”

Still feeling unsure about her saddle choice, Amy met Danny by chance.

Despite his cowboy hat, he had a lot of insight on dressage and jumping saddles Amy hadn’t heard before. “I was blown away by Danny’s passion and knowledge about saddle fitting, and his very scientific approach,” she says. “He explained biomechanical movement and the way his saddles were designed for the natural asymmetry of the horse. He had me try one and just twenty strides into the ride, I immediately felt the centered, balanced, relaxed ride I’d been looking for. I went back to the saddler who was holding my deposit and told him I’d changed my mind.”

Danny is a Master Saddle Fitter and designer. His designs feature an adjustable fit that works with the natural asymmetry of a horse’s back, and are supported by significant research. Inspired by Danny’s passionate approach to saddle fitting and

thrilled by her own experience with the saddles, Amy became a saddle fitter for the DK Saddlery line and travels to Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

“The ultimate goal is always to make the best decision for the long-term health of the horse,” she says. “He should be happy and comfortable, never in pain, when we’re riding him.”

DK Saddlery’s adjustable-fit technology addresses the horse’s asymmetries, something a rigid wooden tree can’t do.

One problem the saddlers frequently encounter is the tendency of traditional saddles to apply the same amount of pressure on each side of the horse and to apply that pressure too high up. Amy explains how DK Saddlery offers the flexibility that horses need: “Danny’s tree creates the correct length and angle of the tree point, which enables the shoulder hole of the horse to remain open, which enables the scapula to fully rotate under the tree point. The gullet plate on a DK English saddle has fifty centimeters of adjustability and can be adjusted to fit any horse’s asymmetrical shape.”

As for western saddles, the same principle of adjustability provides a good fit.

“Western riders tend to put their favorite saddle on every horse they’re riding, then pad it up to make it fit,” she says, cringing.

“If you’re trying to get a shoe that’s not your size onto your foot, will putting on a different sock make it fit better?”

Amy asks. “Probably not. Shims are also not necessarily the best fix — they don’t allow weight to be distributed evenly along the length of the bars. DK western saddles are engineered with adjustable bars that maintain consistent and equal pressure from the front of the bars to the back.”

The use of Flair air technology in all DK saddles also makes for an adjustable fit made for the horse’s biomechanical movement. “If I never told you there was

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air in the saddle, you wouldn’t even know, but it’s key for comfort,” Amy says. “As the horse is working, his muscles are expanding and contracting, constantly changing shape. The air moves away from pressure and spreads out within the panels, making the saddle comfortable in his shoulders and keeping the gullet from pinching him on the spine. He’s then able to lift his back and get up underneath the saddle.” Amy says she prefers Flair air over foam or wool because of the compression that can occur with either one of those materials, compression that causes the panels to harden and no longer conform to the horse’s back.

As a horse’s body is ever-changing, an adjustable saddle is a long-term solution that can always be fine-tuned. “With DK Saddlery, we recommend having someone come out and look at the saddle once a year,” says Amy. “If it’s a young horse who’s changing quickly, maybe more often than that. When I adjust an English saddle, I

have a mechanical press with a gear box that can apply four tons of pressure per square inch, which lets me open or close the gullet plate as needed, on one side or the other. For western saddles, riders need nothing more than an Allen wrench to fully adjust the saddle themselves; they can move the bars in or out to fit a variety of horses.”

Technology helps DK Saddlery design forward-thinking saddles. “Wood and wool and leather were the only materials available four hundred years ago, when saddles were first developed,” Amy says, “and craftsmen are still inclined to use them. Through scientific research, we’ve developed entirely new ways to address comfort for both horse and rider.”

What to Expect During a Saddle Fitting Consultation Consult a saddle fitter to be sure your existing saddle fits your horse and when purchasing a new or used saddle to make

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sure it fits you and your horse. By giving your horse and saddle a thorough evaluation, both static (no rider) and dynamic (rider), many saddle-fit issues can be solved and avoided.

“It’s smart to hire a saddle fitter to help you find a saddle for your horse instead of guessing or using gullet width alone,” says certified independent saddle fitter Lise Krieger of New England Saddle Fit. “There are many more aspects of a saddle that need to match the horse’s back, like panel shape/depth/length, front gussets or no, shape and angle of the tree. Often, without help, people purchase saddles that do not fit.”

A clean horse, a list of questions to ask the saddle fitter, and the ability to ride the horse (if looking at a present saddle)

Subscribe today at community horse.org!

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

are all good preparation for a visit from a saddle fitter. “If I’m just taking tracings and photos to help the client find a saddle, riding is not part of the evaluation,” says Lise. “I talk my clients through fitting sessions to teach them what I’m doing, if they’re interested.”

“When I’m assessing a present saddle,” Lise says, “I’ll inspect the saddle itself for a good tree, intact billets, and other safety checks, as well as fit. If the saddle needs slight adjustments to correct the rider’s position or fill holes (wool flocked), I do that on site. If a wool-flocked saddle is too hard (panels are hard due to years of use and sweat) I recommend sending it with me to reflock. Billet replacement is also something I’ll need to do in my workshop.”

“If the present saddle is a foampaneled saddle that works, but needs finetuning, I help the rider with shim pads to make the corrections on site,” Lise says.

“When a saddle can’t be made to fit or the client is looking for a new saddle, I take tracings, photos, and notes about the horse’s conformation, rider’s needs, riding style, and budget, and then I do the research to help them find a saddle that’s appropriate,” says Lise. “Sometimes I have one in my truck that works! As an inde-

pendent saddle fitter, I carry a couple of brands and I’m not obligated to sell those brands solely.” A brand saddle fitter only sells the brand they carry.

With many experts and resources about saddle fitting available, we riders have no need to “fake it” and risk a sore back and nasty rubs. If you suspect your horse is uncomfortable under the tack, you owe it to him to get a saddle fitter’s opinion. y 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.

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Canterbury

Farm

Horse Power Farm Eventing Derbies

by Sally L. Feuerberg

D

Amanda Theriault, ActRegal Photography

United States Eventing Association (USEA) Area I Championships, plus many students have won numerous Connecticut Dressage and Combined Training Association (CDCTA) year-end awards. I also attend USEA-certified crosscountry design training every three years to comply with USEA standards of course design, as well as to stay up to date with

Ed Latham

eep in the woods of Canterbury, Connecticut, is a nine-acre farm owned and operated by Ann Bowie and her husband, Ed Latham.

Horse Power Farm has grown and developed into one of eastern Connecticut’s top cross-country schooling facilities.

In 2011, Horse Power Farm began hosting a series of eventing derbies. The

Ann Bowie riding Axle.

Megan Cisco riding Winter.

need for cross-country practice is huge.

These derbies are the perfect start for the green eventer or the professional with a young horse.

new and upcoming changes in the eventing discipline.

CH: Tell us about Horse Power Farm and yourself.

Ann: My husband and I have owned and operated Horse Power Farm for 15 years.

We provide a small and welcoming atmosphere designed to offer training in dressage, stadium jumping, and crosscountry to riders ranging from those new to the sport to the more seasoned veteran.

I’ve been riding since the age of eight and have been instructing riders of all skill levels for more than 40 years. My students have qualified for the American Eventing Championships (AEC) and 24

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

CH: What drew you to the sport of eventing?

Ann: What first drew me to the sport of eventing was traveling to England to the Moat House Riding Academy in Benenden, Kent, to study for my British Horse Society Intermediate Instructor Teaching Certificate, otherwise known as BHSII(T). There I found my passion — the well-rounded education of horse and rider for all three eventing phases. I gathered valuable insight behind the foundation to dressage, the stamina within stadium jumping, and the endurance for cross country. It inspired me to share my passion with others at home.

CH: Tell us about the different types of jumps in your cross-country courses.

Ann: Each jump is built to ask the horse and rider a certain question on the crosscountry course. Terrain and jump placement also play an important role in the functionality, as well as the difficulty, of each jump type.

A coop horse jump has A-frame sides that attach to a peak at the top of the fence, looking like a narrow house roof that someone has just placed on the ground.

Banks are either steps up or steps down. Up banks are ridden like vertical jumps while down banks ride like you are jumping off a cliff. There may also be a staircase of banks to be ridden up or down.

A chevron is a narrow V-shaped jump.

Chevrons are usually placed as elements in combinations to test how much control the rider has over the horse to navigate through narrow flags.

Rolled or rounded tops are jumps that have height and width, but the tops are arched. The horse cannot see the back of the top, but because once you get past the apex of the arch the rest of the obstacle is lower, so it follows the arc of a normal jumping horse.

Tables are thought of as being a square spread. There are many variations of the table jump, but most of the time when we refer to a table, we are thinking of something that has a solid, flat top, sides, and fronts of various types.

Ditches are often a hole in the ground flagged to be jumped across.

The Horse Power Farm derby course often consists of many jumps ranging from under one foot in height up to three feet.

USEA standard widths vary on the course as well to make larger jumps more robust for the more accomplished eventer. The cross-country field contains the perfect amount of rolling terrain to challenge even the more advanced rider on course.

CH: For those new to the sport, can you explain an eventing derby?

Ann: An eventing derby allows riders to exercise their skills in cross country in a more peaceful environment than a three-

phase event. The derby field contains similar questions and terrain that you would see in a traditional three-phase cross-country course, making it the perfect opportunity to gain exposure to the sport. The event showcases the elements of cross country by challenging horse and rider to complete a course of jumps within a certain allotted time. Each division also has an optimum time. This is the total calculated amount of time it takes to complete the course at the recommended speed. Each division has a standard speed fault time. Riders must complete the course within this time to avoid being too fast or too slow, as either will accumulate penalties based on USEA standards.

The cross-country course is judged according to the current USEA rules. The first round is the scored round. An extra schooling round may be added. Coaching by a trainer/coach is permitted and encouraged during any extra schooling round.

We offer In Hand, Pre-Elementary, Elementary, Beginner Novice, and Novice levels at every derby.

The course opens to walk and ride on scheduled Fridays at 1 p.m. and closes at 7 p.m. or dusk. The course opens again on Saturday at 9 a.m. and concludes Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. Scoring is posted throughout the event. Results are posted after the last ride and can be found on the website. Ribbons awarded to first through sixth will be mailed. A Closest to Optimum Time ribbon will be awarded at each derby. Series awards will be presented at the last derby of the year, along with several special awards. These include the Most Improved Rider throughout the series, and the rider who has done all four derbies with the best score.

CH: What are some of the advantages for the rider participating in and learning about the sport of eventing?

Ann: Eventing is a sport that teaches riders of all ages effective horsemanship with unique challenges. It exercises versatility and showcases the true connection between horse and rider. Several different disciplines find that schooling in the Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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phases of eventing helps to keep the horse and rider forward and straight.

Each phase of eventing poses its own individual challenges, but when all three phases come together, it’s a perfect combination of bravery and poise.

CH: What lessons do you offer to the rider who wants to learn more about the sport?

Ann: I assess the skill level of each student and their horse and develop a course of instruction. Each student, beginner or advanced, showing or not, is given instruction to gain the necessary tools, ability, and confidence to ride independently.

I also conduct clinics at Horse Power Farm. The farm has a variety of stadiumand cross-country jumps from elementary to training level, making it an ideal location for a clinic.

training and two lessons a day. This is excellent for focusing on one issue that needs tweaking.

We live on the property, which provides us with the opportunity to always watch the safety and health of your horse.

In addition to the cross-country training course, we have a 130' x 160' sand arena with lighting for dressage and stadium phases. Our stalls are 12' x 12' and 10' x 10'.

We offer daily individual turnout. The change of blankets, boots, etc. as needed is also provided as well as a tack room with individual lockers. We feed hay four times a day and will feed the owner’s choice of grain.

Horse Power Farm also offers training board, which includes complete daily care and four to five training lessons customized to meet individual needs.

CH: What are the special services and amenities Horse Power Farm has to offer?

CH: What are some of your proudest moments and memories of Horse Power Farm?

Ann: As for special services, I offer Test and Tune. Test and Tune is two days of

Ann: I’m proud of all that Horse Power Farm is every day. I treasure every success,

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

no matter how big or small. Some of my happiest moments are watching students accomplish their goals; the “ah-ha” moments are the best! I love watching the success of those who stick out the long, hard road to making a well-trained horse, as it takes incredible amounts of time and patience to accomplish.

Seeing riders come from all over New England to enjoy the derbies is another reason to be proud. I’ve made several years of memories putting on the derbies for all to enjoy and look forward to many more!

CH: Any parting words of advice to present and future eventing riders?

Ann: Never go faster than you can keep straight, and always remember, straight and forward! y Sally L. Feuerberg is the president of the Middlebury Bridle Land Association and a longtime resident of Newtown. Trail riding and continuing her lesson programs are her passions, along with the care of her family, horses, and farm.

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Bagged & Bulk Grains We carry a full line of Tribute Equine Nutrition products as well as Kalmbach Feeds for all classes of livestock.

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Chester

Farm

Corinthian Farm Nature and Beautiful Trails

by Stephanie Sanders

C

orinthian Farm, in Chester, is owned

by Paula and Tom Beck and offers five to six miles of trails and views for local equestrians.

Paula and Tom enjoy sharing the farm and its trails with the equestrian community.

CH: Tell us about Corinthian Farm.

Paula: I’ve been horse crazy from the time I was a small child. My parents took me to Aspinwall Stables in Lenox, Massachusetts,

Paula: When my husband, Tom, and I got married in 1996, we bought land in Chester. Over the next few years we bought adjacent lots that now total 131 acres. It was all woods. Tom ran an excavation business and did all the clearing and foundation

on my fifth birthday for my first ride. That became my Saturday home, taking lessons and hanging out the rest of the time with friends. When I was 15, my first job was at Aspinwall Stables, and later, since Aspinwall Stables’ owner, Sam Greenfield, was also running the barn at Eastover Resort, I moved there. It was the best job I’ve ever had! Taking Eastover guests and campers out on the trails was the best.

I worked at Eastover every summer until I graduated from high school. Once I started working full-time and making some money, I realized my dream of buying my first horse, a young Thoroughbred that I named Mr. Bay. My sister, Karen, and I boarded our horses at Susan and Bob McNinch’s barn. They are former owners of Eastover so we had access to all the trails.

work for the house. Over the next few years, Tom built a garage/workshop for himself, and then (Finally!) we built our barn. I designed the barn: six stalls all with doors out to the pasture, with overhangs on each side. It’s simple and makes taking care of the horses so easy, as they have in/out access practically all year long.

We have two pastures and a round pen on a total of about seven acres. All the acreage in back of the barn is dedicated to fields and trails. I named the place Corinthian Farm, after my favorite Bible passage, from the first letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians that begins, “Love is patient, love is kind.”

After the buildings went up, Tom concentrated on all the land behind the house. He made a road up to the top of

CH: How did you get started with horses?

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Karen and I convinced some of our friends to buy horses too and eventually Karen was giving lessons and running horse shows.

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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Double B Ranch Horsemanship for All Disciplines Training . Lessons . Boarding . Certification

our hill and cleared a large field with terrific views that we never knew we had! He surrounded the field with numerous trails and continues to make trails. Our trails are wide enough to accommodate riding two to three abreast.

We currently have two horses, a Lippitt Morgan named Belle, who was born on the farm, and a Quarter Horse named Champ.

Jeannette FullerPhotography

CH: What events have you had at the farm?

Training

Jeannette FullerPhotography

We train horses and their owners. Natural horsemanship is all about the human nurturing a relationship with the horse so strong and close, so as to earn the horse’s complete trust. We do this using soft and quiet techniques, which are always in the best interest of the horses.

CH: What events are planned for 2021?

Intense Horsemanship Lessons Ranch/Trail Obstacle Course Cow Working/Cow Sorting (mechanical cow on premises) Ranch Roping . Team Penning . Reining Training Performance Horses Flat Work/Jumping . Equitation/Classical Dressage

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Paula: Our first event was a hunter pace in November 2020. Jackie Pitoniak, a trainer from Holyoke, gave us the inspiration when she mentioned that our property would be ideal for a hunter pace. Tom has put so much work into the land, and we really wanted to share it with others. Jackie helped us with the planning, design, and jumps. We also partnered with the Hampshire County Riding Club (HCRC) and that gave us a great start. The hunter pace was a bit more than four miles over varied terrain with natural and man-made jumps and a water crossing. It took about one hour to ride.

Out first event was on a gorgeous day.

We had two divisions, Field Hunter and Trail. We had 19 riders, making up nine teams. Everyone had a great time and the event was a success. Prizes for the teams in each division with the optimal time were gift baskets with horsey items.

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

Paula: So far, we have scheduled two events — a TREC competition and a hunter pace.

First, in partnership with HCRC, we will be hosting a TREC Competition on September 11. TREC, Techniques de Randonnée Équestre de Compétition, is a trail/obstacle/orienteering sport with European origins, which features specific trail-riding skills at an informal or competitive level. It’s a perfect opportunity, especially for trail riders, to be introduced to new skills.

HCRC kicked off the series on Wednesday, July 21, with a ZOOM educational session on mapping and orienteering with TREC organizers Tim Thomas and Kim Stoddart of North Carolina. That was followed by a TREC Clinic and Competition,

held July 24 at the HCRC’s grounds in Goshen. The morning session was a guided learning format and the afternoon a friendly competition with obstacles judged independently and awards/ribbons for the winners.

The TREC Competition, including all three phases — obstacles, control of paces and mapping — will take place September 11 at Corinthian Farm. We’re fortunate to have Meg Robbins, a TREC enthusiast and past president of TREC USA, coordinating all three phases. (Learn more about TREC at sportoftrec.com and about the event at hampshirecountyridingclub.org.)

Our second annual hunter pace with the HCRC is scheduled for Saturday, October 23, to enjoy peak foliage on the mountains over a five- to six-mile course. Tom has built several new roads and trails so we will be able to offer a longer ride. While on the trails, the views to the east are Huntington and Worthington and to the west we see Middlefield and Becket. The trails are mostly grass and dirt on level ground. We do have one rather challenging long hill. In a few of the low places, it can get slippery when wet.

Our parking area can accommodate 20 plus trailers.

Bob Burrelli Academy of Natural Horsemanship In the Traditions of the Vaquero (Classical Dressage Principles)

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CH: What are your goals for Corinthian Farm? cian with more than 40 years experience in all Paula: While Tom and I are not interested in offering boarding or lessons, we want to share our beautiful property with as many horsepeople as possible. Along with the hunter paces, we plan to host one-day clinics with professional horsemen and -women. We are open to suggestions for any horse events.

We also welcome small groups that just want to trail ride and see the views.

disciplines. Uses natural horsemanship to solve your horse’s problems. Beginning with ground work to achieve harmony and trust, you’ll then move on to riding for that balanced partnership so essential to all phases of riding.

CH: What makes Corinthian Farm unique?

If you want help with your horse, or to hold a clinic, please contact us. Call for a free demonstration!

Paula: We’re a private, small farm that values the natural beauty of our trails and wants to attract like-minded visitors. Corinthian Farm has an abundance of wildlife and is so peaceful. We see deer, foxes, coyotes, beavers, porcupines, moose, bears, otters, and a pair of Canadian Geese that come every spring to our pond to raise their family. Sharing the beauty of the trails and wildlife at Corinthian Farm is our goal. y Stephanie Sanders is the publisher of Community Horse and lives on her 12-acre Pocketful of Ponies Farm in Goshen, Massachusetts.

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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Foster

Farm

Cornerstone Farm Advocating for Horses

by Kara Noble

ornerstone Farm is a familyoriented riding facility located in Foster, Rhode Island. The farm’s services include riding instruction in multiple disciplines for all ages and abilities, boarding, leasing, horse training, horse shows, youth riding camps, and on-farm pony parties.

Beth Stone, the owner, manager, and instructor at Cornerstone Farm, is an expe-

C

family is not horsey; I was the only child who had any interest in horses. When I was old enough, they sent me for riding lessons. I started out riding saddle seat with Gloria Rubendunst, and I got my first horse when I was eight years old. By my teenage years, I was also riding hunters.

Early on in my career, I was hired as the barn manager for Johnson & Wales University, and I got some mileage run-

rienced horse professional who serves as the president of the Rhode Island Federation of Riding Clubs, and is the past president of the Tri State Horsemen’s Association and the founding president of the Rhode Island Driving Club (now merged with the Massachusetts Carriage and Driving Society to make the Southern New England Carriage Driving Association). She actively lobbies for legislation concerning the horse industry in Rhode Island. Beth recently spoke to Community Horse about what makes Cornerstone Farm special.

ning a big barn there. After that I took a job as an equine veterinary tech and started teaching riding lessons on the side. By 1984, I decided it was time to go full time and make horses my business.

My work with horses has always been about finding a way to pay for my own horse habit.

I’m a tough boss, so I manage the farm myself, with help from my 17-yearold granddaughter, Brieann. She loves to ride and she’s my right-hand person. My husband, Chris, is the farm’s fix-it man, fence mender, and hay hauler.

CH: How did you get started with horses?

Beth: Cornerstone Farm is where I grew up. I’ve worked with horses all my life. My 38

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

CH: What kind of place is Cornerstone Farm?

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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Beth: I’m very proud that Cornerstone has always been a small family farm. We’re on the main road in Foster, which is a pretty rural town in the northwestern corner of the state. By Foster standards, we’re in the middle of town, directly across the street from the fairground and the fire station, with the post office right next door.

We have 14 horses at the farm now, 10 school horses and four boarders. My ideal is to have twice as many school horses as I do boarders, so if I get a couple more boarders, I can get some more school horses!

Our main barn has box stalls for seven horses, our second barn houses four more, then the rest are in run-in sheds. We have a well-maintained sand ring that has excellent drainage and footing. We’ve got a round pen and grass fields for jumping.

None of it is fancy, but we’ve got what we need.

CH: Your educational and lesson programs seem to be the center of activities on the farm. What are the focal points of your programs?

Beth: I teach about 40 students a week, and at this point I’m teaching my third generation of riders. Several of my graduates have gone on to become professionals in the horse community. One, Hannah Sette, is a trainer at Success in Saddles in Kernersville, South Carolina. Another former student, Jeremy Reid, runs a colt-starting business.

My past students include veterinarians and trainers, as well as a professional jockey with more than 5,000 career wins. I’m proud of all of them.

Hunt seat is by far the most popular riding discipline in this area, and it provides the most showing opportunities, so most of our riders are hunt seat. But not everyone wants to be a hunter or ride western pleasure, so we offer a lot of options such as saddle seat, dressage, jumping, and carriage driving.

Expensive private lessons would discourage some of my students from getting into horses, so we run affordable programs. We have an arrangement with Paine Elementary School to offer an after-school program for students in second to fifth 40

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

grades. The kids are delivered to the farm by the school bus. They ride for half an hour, then spend another hour learning around the farm in areas ranging from grooming to horse management before their parents pick them up. The program is immersive and gives a good overview of horses for a reasonable price.

We have a similar program for home schoolers, as well as an entry-level program on Saturday mornings called Saddle Club.

It’s an amazing group of kids who come

from different school systems and who are different ages, but they work together, supporting and helping one another.

Our therapeutic program, New Horizons, started in the late 1990s, and in 2011 we incorporated it as a nonprofit.

It’s a small program with a long waiting list, but it’s so much fun and it means a lot to our clients.

CH: You say talented school horses are the secret to your success. One of your school horse mares, Violet, was SmartPak’s School Horse of the Year in 2015, and she was inducted into the USEF/EQUUS Foundation’s Horse Stars Hall of Fame in 2016. How do you find such fabulous school horses?

Beth: Violet is one in a million, a real standout. She’s older now, pretty much retired. But we’ve got a lot of other wonderful school horses too.

I don’t go out and buy horses. They come to me — but they’re a handpicked lot. Some are former Johnson & Wales horses. Others are from Stephens College in Missouri. A couple originally belonged to students who outgrew them.

The right match between a horse and rider can make anyone feel good about themselves. Over the years, we have had a lot of reliable school horses who have done just that.

CH: You enhance your teaching with educational opportunities, including a horse show series, youth horse camps, and 4-H. What is their role in your programs?

Beth: Horse shows, especially for young people, can be such character-building experiences. Everyone can benefit from the challenge of setting goals and competing. We have four shows in our series this year [May, July, September, and October]. We’ve had great turnouts so far, with lots of first-time exhibitors. The local farms bring their students because they know they’ll get good, solid mileage in a really safe, nurturing environment.

We also offer week-long summer and school vacation camps for kids ages six to seventeen. Each week has a theme, classes are small, and lessons are geared to each rider’s individual abilities and interests.

The camps let the kids hone their skills or try something different.

I’m a 45-year 4-H veteran and I’m on the planning board for the 4-H horse program in Rhode Island. I’ve seen that program go through a lot of changes. I encourage my students to get involved in 4-H and nothing does that better than horse shows. We have a couple of 4-H club shows annually and we always have a games’ show at the end of the year.

Someone lent us a 40-foot storage trailer to use as a tack room. People took horses in.

Former students called to make sure everything was okay. Our community was supportive. It was very heartwarming.

I’m an advocate for horses and I want everyone to appreciate them. That’s part of why I’ve been the president of the Rhode Island Federation of Riding Clubs since 1989.

We’re advocates for the horse community in Rhode Island. It’s important to me to take my passion for horses beyond the farm and lobby for the industry at large.

My goal for the farm is for it to be a good experience for everyone, a chance for people to get hooked on horses. Even if horses are not something they commit to as a lifelong passion, I want people to feel comfortable and friendly with them.

I want everyone to leave Cornerstone Farm saying, “Wow, that was fun!” y Kara Noble is a writer and editor who lives on a hobby farm in Montgomery, Massachusetts, with her husband, Jerry, an Icelandic mare, a Shetland pony, and a pair of very opinionated miniature donkeys.

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CH: What are some of the goals of Cornerstone Farm, and what would you say is its best attribute?

Beth: Camaraderie is one of the best features of the farm. Our Cornerstone crew supports one another wherever they go. I love it when people feel they can come up and ask me for something when they need my help.

We saw how good it is to have that kind of reputation on New Year’s Eve, 2017 when we had a fire in our barn that destroyed the office, our tack room, and part of the hayloft. The community was so giving.

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Simsbury

Horseperson

Suzanne Piela, DVM Mentoring Youth

by Sally L. Feuerberg

I

University of Notre Dame and her DVM at the University of Minnesota. She also did a small-animal internship in medicine, surgery, and emergency medicine at Rowley Memorial Animal Hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts. But Suzanne is far more than a multi-faceted science instructor and veterinarian — she’s a spark that awakens and ignites the spirit of learning in the young women she teaches.

Jim Healey

’ve met so many extraordinary and fascinating people through writing for Community Horse and it never ceases to amaze me how easily I connect to each person I interview. I’m always surprised by how quickly I get caught up in their contagious enthusiasm and energy. I’ve come to realize, however, that the reason is simple. We have one major glorious thing in common: our mutual love of the horse. Once that

bond is established, our conversations flow effortlessly, no matter what topic we discuss.

I’ve been awed and inspired by the people I’ve met, particularly when I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Suzanne Piela, Chair of the Science Department and Science Faculty at the Ethel Walker School in Simsbury, Connecticut. The school was established in 1911, and is an independent, college preparatory, day and boarding school for girls in grades six through 12.

Suzanne joined the Ethel Walker School in the fall of 2007 and has taught a wide range of diversified science courses.

She earned her B.S. in biology at the 42

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

CH: You started out as a small-animal veterinarian for 10 years and then worked as a park naturalist. After that, you taught ecology and worked as a middle- and high school science and math tutor at the Ethel Walker School. Throughout those early years, were there particular experiences that attracted you to teaching the sciences, particularly equine science?

Suzanne: Teaching science was a natural fit for me based on my educational background in biology and veterinary medicine. I’ve always been interested in science, and have also gravitated toward teaching. During my senior year in undergrad where I majored in biology, I was a teacher’s assistant for the biology lab for

biology majors and pre-med majors. I helped with lab organization and set-up, developed and presented lab lectures, and provided hands-on assistance in wet labs.

During my summers in veterinary school, I worked at the science museum and developed a curriculum for teaching general care and the anatomy of the horse to elementary students through art projects, cooperative learning games, and interactive demonstrations. I also developed a curriculum for teaching a veterinary class called Get Set To Be a Vet to elementary students using live animal demonstrations and labs to teach nutrition and general care of small animals.

In my time practicing as a veterinarian, I developed and presented lectures on veterinary medicine topics to medical staff

CH: What is your advice for young women considering further study in equine science or the sciences in general?

and veterinary technicians. I also participated in high school career programs and served as a mentor for high school students. I was a mentor and instructor to new veterinary graduates at the practice and developed an instructional program and lectures for veterinary students.

Because there was already an equestrian program on campus, it was a logical progression to develop an equine science course at the Ethel Walker School. The presence of horses on campus allowed for a natural outdoor classroom and many equine “patients” for the students to examine and learn from. It was also a great way to merge my veterinary background with my love of teaching.

The ability to actually perform procedures like PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) and gel electrophoresis give our students a realworld application of science and a taste of how exciting a career in science can be.

We offer a year-long, research-based science course at Ethel Walker where students carry out their own authentic research centered on the global crisis of antibiotic resistance. In this course, the students have to adapt and deal with unexpected situations and setbacks along the way and build resilience as they experience what it is really like to “do science.”

Another big focus for this class is learning about the experiences of women in science, exploring the challenges and

Jim Healey

Suzanne: There are many opportunities for a career in the equine field besides being an equine veterinarian. In my equine science course, we talk about different career options and I’ve had guest lecturers come to speak with the students that have included an equine dentist, farrier, equine chiropractor, and equine nutritionist.

This is an exciting time to pursue a career in any science-related field. High school students today are able to engage in a more hands-on science experience. At the Ethel Walker School students are able to immerse themselves in the lab experience and design their own inquiry-based labs to explore various scientific principles.

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successes that women have faced both historically and in today’s world.

CH: With your full schedule of teaching, do you still get the opportunity to go to the barn and ride?

Suzanne: During the pandemic I haven’t been to the barn to ride but prior to that I would find time to ride occasionally. The barn is definitely a Zen place for me and I love how it forces you to be present in the moment when you’re there — I tend to leave the chaos of life behind when I enter the barn.

CH: How long have you been involved with horses?

Suzanne: I started riding at the age of five and continued to ride consistently until my early twenties. In high school, I worked at a riding stable to pay for my lessons and was a trail guide, which was my favorite part of the job. As an undergrad, I helped to start a riding club and was president of the club

my senior year of college. We did not have horses on campus but traveled about 30 minutes to get to a barn that sponsored our club. I was able to ride two to three times a week as an undergrad, which was a wonderful way to decompress from the stress of classes.

In vet school, I was on the foaling team and the colic team and concentrated my final year in equine medicine and smallanimal medicine and surgery. I was involved in some equine research studies as well.

CH: Was there someone who inspired you to pursue your career path?

Suzanne: When I was in elementary school, I rode at a barn that was owned by an equine veterinarian. His two daughters ran the riding program and one of them was in veterinary school. She was my favorite instructor and I really enjoyed hearing about her experiences in veterinary school.

She was also my favorite because she took

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us on trail rides that usually ended up with a trip through the Dairy Queen drivethrough on horseback. Also, around the same time, I was obsessed with the late 1970s television show Quincy, which was about a medical examiner. I wanted to be a forensic pathologist for the longest time but my love of animals pulled my medical career in the direction of veterinary medicine instead.

CH: What’s the most rewarding part of teaching at the Ethel Walker School and what makes it so exceptional among teaching institutions?

Suzanne: One of the most rewarding parts is the supportive community aspect of the school — the relationships between students, between faculty and students, and also the relationships between colleagues are genuine and meaningful. The concept of young women uplifting each other is a common thread throughout the school.

I also love that every student leader-

ship position at school is held by a young woman and that the school offers myriad leadership roles for students to occupy. I love that we’ve an all-women science department at the school — each member of the department has an advanced degree in her field of study and an unwavering passion for science, which makes for amazing science role models for our students.

THROUGHOUT MY INTERVIEW with Suzanne, I found myself thinking of all the youth she has inspired during her career.

How fortunate they are to have a such an exceptional mentor, teacher, and role model. y Sally L. Feuerberg is the president of the Middlebury Bridle Land Association and a longtime resident of Newtown. Trail riding and continuing her lesson programs are her passions, along with the care of her family, horses, and farm.

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Spencer

Horseperson

Caitlin Eaton, DVM EquidDoc

by Alessandra Mele

r. Caitlin Eaton is the owner of EquidDoc Veterinary Services in Worcester County, an ambulatory veterinary practice treating horses, donkeys, mules, goats, alpacas, sheep, and llamas throughout central Massachusetts, MetroWest, and beyond. Dr. Eaton founded EquidDoc on a vision of veterinary practice that is collaborative and

D

Dr. Eaton: I was an animal-crazy kid, and I thought at a young age that I would be a veterinarian. As I gained more and more experience with animals — dogs, cats, horses, farm animals, and even sea turtles — it became harder for me to decide what I wanted to focus on because I loved it all. I went into veterinary school with an open mind, and it wasn’t until I was work-

client-centered, bringing the latest in equine medicine and performance right to the farm, around the clock.

Dr. Eaton’s days are full and bustling as she travels from farm to farm checking in with her many patients, but it’s all driven by the same intention: keeping horses healthy and their humans happy, so they can achieve their goals together. I chatted with Dr. Eaton about her career, EquidDoc’s unique approach to veterinary medicine, and how she and her team make it home for dinner (almost) every night.

ing in the large animal hospital as a first-year student that I fully committed to focusing on equine veterinary medicine.

When I was deciding what my focus might be, a mentor shared an anecdote that was once shared with her: “Which manure would you rather step in?” I’ve shoveled my fair share of horse manure since then, and it turned out to be just the right fit.

I’m at my best when treating horses.

CH: When did you first become interested in veterinary medicine? Did you always want to focus on equines?

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

CH: Tell us a little about your training and education. How did veterinary school shape the way you practice today?

Dr. Eaton: I was a biochemistry major at Bates College in Maine and graduated from Tufts Cummings Veterinary School in Massachusetts. While at Tufts, I learned

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about all animals, not just horses, and I’ve found that diverse training has helped me greatly with problem-solving when I’m

Large Animal Hospital in Grafton and at a local private practice focused on equine sports medicine. That first year allowed

Tessa Lumley, DVM, Renee Gregoire, CVT, Caitlin Eaton, DVM, Chrissy Lane, CVT, and Liz Forbes, DVM.

looking at an equine patient. As much as a veterinary school might shape your experience, it’s really what you do in your first year as a veterinarian that shapes how you will practice.

After graduation, I was fortunate to be selected for internships at the Tufts

me to put into practice the medical skills I learned in school, and also helped me develop the communication skills I needed to explain complex or difficult situations to anxious animal owners. It’s so important to me that owners and trainers clearly understand what is going on with

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their horses, and I always try to communicate as compassionately as possible, as if that horse were my own.

CH: Did you have any mentors who influenced your career?

Dr. Eaton: When I was in school, most veterinary practices were owned by men, and there were still more male veterinarians than female veterinarians in the field. I was so fortunate to train with some very strong women veterinarians who literally wrote the books on neonatal (newborn) foal medicine, respiratory medicine, and emergency and critical care for horses and farm animals. Drs. Jay Merriam and Lolly Cochran passed on their great knowledge of sports medicine and equine performance to me and served as great examples for me in running a sound veterinary business.

CH: What areas of practice interest you most as an equine veterinarian? What particular topics get you excited?

Dr. Eaton: I am happiest in general practice because I am able to do a little bit of

everything. I love helping owners achieve their goals with their horses, whether it’s making an older horse comfortable for light trail riding or helping a young prospect reach the next level. I also have a passion for equine dentistry. As our horses are living longer, we need them to have expert dental care so their teeth age with them. We often hear the adage: no hoof, no horse — but the same can be said for functional teeth as well. No teeth, no horse!

As a former college athlete, I also have a deep appreciation for sports medicine and helping our equine athletes of any age perform at their best. It’s been so rewarding to follow horses through the different phases of their careers, some for well over a decade. I’m really excited about the advances in equine performance medicine and our ability to offer biologics such as ProStride Therapy (a joint injection made from your horse’s own blood.) and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy (injections of a concentration of your horse’s own platelets to

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accelerate the healing of injured tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints) right on the farm.

CH: Tell us about your business, EquidDoc. What makes your practice unique?

Dr. Eaton: EquidDoc is a multi-veterinarian, 100% mobile practice. We focus mainly on horses, donkeys, and mules, but we do see some sheep, goats, llamas, and alpacas too. We offer 24/7 emergency coverage to our clients. In other words, the same veterinarians who treat your horse during the day will treat your horse during those critical emergencies.

All of our veterinarians work in a team-based approach, which means our clients benefit from the collective knowledge of three highly-skilled veterinarians.

EquidDoc provides diagnostic ultrasound and X-ray for performance and lameness cases, upper airway and stomach scopes, and chest and abdomen ultrasounds for cases requiring internal medicine care.

All veterinarians are skilled in dentistry and nutritional consultation to help

horses gain or lose the appropriate amount of weight, and we can recommend specific types of treatment and diet for horses with metabolic conditions. We also provide skilled ophthalmology care.

For equine performance medicine, we are happy to provide Prostride and PRP therapy right on the farm for steroid-free joint injections and soft-tissue injury rehabilitation. The ability to provide these specialized diagnoses, treatments, and therapies right where your horse lives definitely makes EquidDoc a unique choice.

CH: What’s a typical workday like for you?

Dr. Eaton: The greatest thing about my job is that every day is different! The day starts at the office stocking the truck and checking in with owners on cases and emergencies from the previous day. We usually see all of our mare reproductive (breeding) appointments in the morning.

Depending upon the time of year, we then see a number of horses for routine vaccination appointments and annual wellness examinations, or for oral exami-

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nations and dentistry. There will usually be a lameness examination or two, and I may also see a small number of emergencies throughout the day as they come up.

Emergencies may range from colicky horses to squinting eyes to cuts or lacerations.

CH: Are there any specific cases that stand out for you as a particular success, or maybe one that taught you something important? Tell us that story.

Dr. Eaton: There are so many cases that come to mind, and also different definitions of success. There was the horse that got cast in a frozen creek and needed heavy machinery to be hoisted up, and there was the old horse that made it through a severe colon impaction colic with on-the-farm care, both of which had happy endings.

But there are also the sad stories.

Arriving on emergency to a horse hit by a car, I assessed that the mare’s condition was declining rapidly. Although individuals on site had already called for a horse

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ambulance, it was unlikely the horse would survive the trip to the hospital. In that moment, I was not just the advocate for the horse but also for the owner to help her make the decision that she felt best, and to support her in that decision.

Ultimately, as horse owners, the most difficult decision we ever have to make is to humanely euthanize our horse, but in some instances, it is the kindest thing that we can do for the horse that we love.

Without a doubt that was a challenging day for that young horse owner, but I was glad to be able to provide the support and compassion that she needed in that difficult moment.

CH: What’s your goal when it comes to caring for animals and working with clients?

Dr. Eaton: My biggest goal is to help clients reach their goals with their horses, and that begins with clients clearly communicating what it is they are trying to accomplish. Sometimes that goal is to make sure the family horse or retired companion is comfortable and healthy; other times we’re trying to get a horse to a particular show. No matter the age of the horse, I always emphasize the benefits of preventative health care and performance care. If we can identify possible health issues before they become an emergency it’s not only better for the horse, but also more efficient and costeffective for the owner.

CH: What are the biggest challenges in your work?

Dr. Eaton: When I started practicing it was still commonplace to handwrite medical records and develop physical X-ray films. EquidDoc has driven innovation through the use of electronic medical records, digital X-ray, ultrasound, and gastroendoscopy technology, all using cloud technology, to help streamline communication between EquidDoc staff and our clients. All this technology has helped solve one of our biggest challenges — the paperwork! Treating horses gets very busy during show season especially, and the 52

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

long days can also present a challenge.

The use of technology increases our efficiency and helps get us home for dinner at night!

CH: What are your goals for the future of EquidDoc? Dr. Eaton: As EquidDoc continues to grow we’re looking for ways to continue providing affordable, top-notch care to our clients and patients. We are innovating the way we practice and deliver services to our clients to improve affordability, quality of care, and expand on the services we provide, all while considering our environmental impact and assessing ways that we can reduce it. We’re also focusing on ways we can create a sustainable lifestyle for our staff while still providing our clients with first rate, 24/7 emergency service.

CH: What do you love most about being a veterinarian?

Dr. Eaton: Being able to support our clients and be there for them in the good times as well as the not-so-good times is so rewarding. I love being able to support our local equestrian community.

EquidDoc staff belong to the same clubs and organizations our clients belong to, and we support the events they attend.

We support local sanctuaries and provide equestrian scholarships to local school children. I also love supporting and mentoring the next generation of equine veterinarians through ride-alongs.

Ultimately, what I love most is being able to make a difference in the health of a horse and the life of their human, and to me that’s what this job is all about.

y

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.

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Clayville

Horseperson

Betsey MacDonald

by Kara Noble

Revealing the Artistry of Animals

etsey MacDonald describes herself as an artist who lives with and loves animals. Her artwork hangs in more than 400 homes, and pet owners regularly commission her to create animal portraits. Betsey is a juried member of the American Academy of Equine Art and the Wickford Art Association, and her paintings and drawings of domestic

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grams in art and pre-med, and after I graduated, I taught high school chemistry and biology for 25 years and art for 10 years in Westport, Massachusetts, and Cumberland, Rhode Island. The whole time I was teaching, I kept painting and having art shows.

After my husband, Al, and I were married, we moved to Rhode Island

animals, wildlife, and landscapes have been featured in more than 25 solo exhibitions in galleries throughout the region.

She’s illustrated three children’s books and is the author of two of them: Scarecrowell, 1992; Fish Hawk: The Story of the Osprey, written by Gil Hernandez, 1995; and My Ocean Liner, 2000. She’s currently working on a fourth book, The Horse, Bit by Bit. Her artwork has appeared in publications for Equine Affaire as well as in numerous magazines and advertisements. Betsey recently spoke with Community Horse from her studio in Clayville.

because Al was a family doctor and we wanted to be closer to his office.

Now I’m 70, and I retired from teaching three years ago, which gives me more time for art. I made a studio out of half the hayloft in our barn. Sitting up there, painting with my dogs, I can look out the window to the north and see my three horses.

CH: Tell us a bit about your background.

Betsey: I grew up in New Bedford, Massachusetts. In college, I took pro54

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

CH: What kind of horses do you have and how did you get started with them?

Betsey: I’ve loved Morgan horses since I read Justin Morgan Had a Horse as a kid.

After I read that, I had to have a Morgan.

I got my first horse when I was about 13, and my first registered Morgan, a mare named Patty, when I was 16. I had her for 35 years and another Morgan mare named Ella for 33 years. Now I have three regis-

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tered Morgan geldings: Reno, who is 25, and Traveler and Journey, 18-year-old halfbrothers born two days apart out in Wisconsin.

I got Traveler first, when he was about eight months old. He was so special that when his brother came up for sale eight years later, of course I had to have him too. When I brought Journey home, I put up an electric fence separating the two horses to let them get used to each other.

The second they saw each other they started grabbing halters and playing over the fence like they did when they were

compelled to draw and paint animals.

When I was 57, I got a sabbatical [from my teaching job] to go to Rhode Island College to get my MFA. It was the best year of my life. My thesis was all animal painting. It was (my professors loved this description) a juxtaposition of living animals in their environment and dead animals — so, a deer standing in the woods and a deer hanging by its hooves, gutted. I know it offends people a bit, but it's important to me. I want people want to think about that, maybe just a little, when they see an animal.

foals. There was no question that they knew each other after eight years apart. I opened the gate and they started scratching each other's backs immediately.

I think we shortchange animals on a lot of different levels. I want to encourage people to look beyond what animals can do for us to who they are.

CH: How did you begin creating art and how has your artwork evolved over time?

CH: How do you like to work when you are creating animal portraits? Do you have a favorite medium?

Betsey: Most kids love art. I did. I’ve always drawn and painted animals. Even now, I have a framed drawing of my Saint Bernard, which I drew when I was about nine years old, hanging in my studio.

When I was working on my BFA in studio art at UMass in the 1970s, abstract expressionists were popular and abstract painting was the way to go, so I got a lot of criticism about painting realistic animals.

It’s very hard to be taken seriously when you paint animals, even when you paint them well. But with encouragement from two great professors at the college, Stephen Fisher and Lisa Russell, I stuck to it. I feel 56

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

Betsey: I usually paint from photographs because I do a fair number of layers. I often work from several photos because one has a better eye, another one has a better ear. But I don’t want to produce photographic artwork. I like to go a little bit further. For me, it’s not just the anatomy. I pay attention to what light does to the color of animals. Animals are earth tones — browns and grays, right?

But those aren’t the colors I see. When I ride my chestnut horse and the light hits his neck, I see oranges and violets, not

just yellow ochre. For me, it’s about looking at an animal and seeing what’s really happening there.

I currently have five works in progress, four oils and a watercolor. I rotate them because the oils need drying time before I put something new on top of them. I often take pictures of my work as I go along so I can look at it when I am somewhere else, then I can't wait to get back into the studio to make changes!

If I had to name a favorite medium, it would probably be oil, but I used to do more watercolor. Sometimes I create detailed pencil drawings, and I love charcoal because it’s so velvet black. I love to experiment, even with things like printmaking. Really, I like all the different mediums.

CH: What art shows and projects have you been working on recently?

Betsey: The Wickford Art Association Gallery in North Kingston had two of my pieces in their 2021 June/July show called Re-Composed Classics, which featured new artwork based on classic masterworks. I found an Andrew Wyeth painting called Open House with five horses in it. I had fun trying to paint the house the way he did, then stuck my own horses in it. My second piece in that show was based on a horse sculpture by Leonardo di Vinci. I painted the horse as if it was on an old Italian wall and Leonardo was a street artist. I looked up graffiti letters and wrote his name backwards because he would write backwards left-handed, then I put on a little crown because Leonardo was the king.

In August, I had a show at the Spring Street Gallery on Block Island called Reflections. All the pieces in that show featured reflections of animals. That project started when I did a painting of my yellow lab swimming in a pond. It made me look more carefully at water, and I couldn’t get over how water distorts an image. With reflections, a work can be both a realistic painting and an abstract painting.

This fall, I’m working on a show

titled Best Friends at The Sprout Gallery in Providence that will feature about 20 portraits of people and their animals — horses, dogs, goats, birds, cats, and likely others. This show opened a new door for me because adding people added a whole new color palette. I didn’t know much about skin tones, so a lot of learning and research has gone into it. Everybody is all over the idea of critical thinking in the sciences, but it’s just as important in the arts. Which color am I going to use? How should this brushstroke go? You’ve got to think about every move. Good art involves a lot of thought.

CH: Why do you feel so compelled to feature animals in your artwork?

Betsey: Drawing and painting animals is the best way to learn about them. But I’d like to think my artwork is of value to others besides me as I sit in my studio having a great time figuring out these paintings.

As a devout animal lover, my most important goal is to depict each animal and its very distinct personality and spirit.

Hopefully, my art will help people see animals with a little more depth, with a little more thought about who animals are, about the fact that they are very important beings in this world — beings that are not beneath us but here sharing this earth with us.

y

Kara Noble is a writer and editor who lives on a hobby farm in Montgomery, Massachusetts, with her husband, Jerry, an Icelandic mare, a Shetland pony, and a pair of very opinionated miniature donkeys.

Subscribe today at community horse.org!

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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Horse Logic

by Nicole Birkholzer

Teaming Up

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her body to teach Balou how to open and move his shoulder over. When the trainer’s words did not bring the desired result, she stepped in next to Kate and took her by the shoulder, moving her around, left and right, to demonstrate the correct body position.

Kate, surprised by the trainer and the sudden physical interference, lost her con-

Kate and her horse, Balou, were ready to refine their riding and communication skills. Kate found an ad for a clinic that promised “methods to refine your horsemanship,” which she thought would be a good fit.

On the morning of the clinic, Kate and Balou were asked to connect via groundwork. Kate tried hard to follow the trainer’s directions while Balou tried to follow Kate. Some moves were more successful than others.

In the afternoon, during their second one-on-one ground session, the trainer wanted Balou to move more fluidly from the shoulders. She told Kate how to direct

nection to Balou. Instead, she was focused on the hands on her shoulders and absorbed by her rising sense of frustration of not getting it. As a result, Balou’s left front hoof was now stuck to the ground.

Nothing was moving in the desired direction.

The trainer took the opportunity to work directly with Balou to get him unstuck. When asked, Balou moved his hoof, although his response was lackluster.

Grateful that her horse had accomplished the move, Kate called it quits.

As Kate and Balou headed to the trailer, ready to go home, her thoughts were unsettled. Kate is an accomplished

Terri Cage

enerally, horse owners have the best intentions to make the most out of an experience with their horse, especially when participating in a clinic. Unfortunately, there are times when things fall apart. Often, however, the horse’s point of view can shine the light on how to put the pieces back together and move ahead victoriously.

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

horsewoman, and yet she kept asking herself why she couldn’t get Balou to move his shoulder. The unexpected manipulation of her body by the trainer had felt offensive and she now felt like she knew more about how horses function when they are “braced” and resistant. Kate had hoped that she and Balou would leave the clinic with more refined skills, when in reality, by the end of the clinic she felt more “unrefined” than she had in her 50 years of working with horses.

Back at the trailer, when Kate asked Balou to step into the trailer, he refused.

When Kate asked again, he refused a second time. The trainer came over to help and insisted on using a flag. This is not how Kate and Balou usually work, and Balou reacted strongly; his eye got hard and dark, and he pulled back with a rigid, tense body.

By allowing the trainer to interfere, Kate felt she had betrayed her horse for the second time that day, and broke into tears.

Balou, a show prospect before Kate acquired him, had been trained tradition-

ally with pressure. Over the past two years Kate has applied a mindful approach with Balou, which has helped him overcome many old and painful training memories.

His eye had grown soft and “liquidy.”

Seeing Balou regress, standing at the back of the trailer, was painful for Kate. At that moment, she felt she hadn’t stood up for her horse or adhered to her own standards of how she worked with him. She felt she had violated his trust.

Finally, gathering her thoughts and shifting her focus to Balou, Kate asked him to get on the trailer so they could go home, and he loaded quietly, without the flag or the trainer.

Back at their barn, Kate led Balou to the pasture, and before she could offer him the usual goodbye treat, Balou headed off to see his friends, his herdmates. Kate’s heart sank a little deeper.

What had happened?

When Kate told me about her experience during a phone call, I could hear the distress and disappointment in her voice.

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She kept repeating that she had hoped to refine their skills, and instead, she’d allowed herself and the trainer to resort to methods that had set Balou back rather than forward.

As an animal communicator, I checked in with Balou, and he had a different point of view. He felt that the clinic had identified areas where they needed refinement. And while they may not have learned how to move together with more grace or get more subtle with physical cues, they did learn how to further refine their relationship.

Balou also felt that at one point, Kate had left him, both mentally and emotionally. Kate could pinpoint the moment.

When the trainer had explained how to move Balou’s shoulder step by step, Kate shifted her focus away from helping Balou to getting a task done. She was in her head, not paying attention to her horse. And when the trainer moved Kate around physically, it made Kate uncomfortable, feeling braced and resistant. Focused entirely on

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her own discomfort, Kate was unable to follow the trainer’s instruction or help Balou.

At that moment, she was entirely selfabsorbed, and lost her connection to Balou.

Balou felt a sense of accomplishment when the trainer executed the shoulder over with him. However, when the trainer handed Balou over to Kate, he still felt lost without their connection. Balou and Kate walked out of the arena as individuals, not as a team.

Balou explained that, for him, the most essential part of going places is about “going places with Kate.” He wants to explore the world with her by his side as a partner and advocate. According to Balou, “Kate knows me best.”

In the future, when Kate realizes something is unsettling for him, Balou would like Kate to speak up. For example, at clinics or during riding lessons, she could say to the trainer, “You know what, I feel Balou is overwhelmed. Let’s slow down.” Or, “You know what, I need to understand the big picture before I can execute the steps.” Or, “Please stop applying pressure from behind. I see that Balou is getting worried.”

Speaking those words to a teacher or trainer is difficult for many of us. I recall standing up for my horse Cutter at a clinic, and the trainer told me, “You baby your horse.” When I spoke up for my mare Shana at a different clinic, the trainer embarrassed me in front of the other participants and spectators. However, in both situations, my actions led to a better connection with each horse.

The experience at the clinic shook Kate and Balou’s foundation, but within a few days, their trust in each other was restored. Since our conversation, Kate and Balou have grown even closer. Kate has raised her awareness to notice the many ways she can be the voice for Balou—during riding lessons, on the trail with other horses, when the farrier and vet are called.

As hard as it may be for you to be your horse’s advocate, especially in these types of situations, the benefit is tremendous.

Every time you and your horse learn from

others, get inspired, and expand your horizons, you have a chance to discern what helps build your connection and what dismantles it. And each time you step up or speak up, your horse notices and trusts you more. y

Watering the country one arena at a time.

Nicole Birkholzer is an author, animal communicator, and equine behavior and communication specialist.

Her unique approach is based on respect, deep listening, and ancient wisdom. Her books, Horse Logic and Pet Logic, provide a dynamic and unique perspective on animal wisdom. To learn more about Nicole and her services, visit mindful-connections.com.

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Coventry

Trail Guide

Nathan Hale State Forest

by Stacey Stearns

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A Leg Up Use 2299 South Street in Coventry for your GPS, the address for the Nathan Hale Homestead. The driveway entrance is in the shape of a Y. Enter it from the direction you are traveling; you won’t be able to make the turn if you miss the first part of the Y. Pull up the driveway and past the homestead on your right.

Stacey Stearns

N

athan Hale State Forest is a 1,455acre forest in Coventry and Andover, Connecticut, that was once home to one of our favorite Revolutionary War heroes and the official state hero of Connecticut. Nathan Hale was a young man of 21 when the British hung him as a spy in 1776. Legend holds that his famous final words were, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” The state forest surrounds the homestead in Coventry where Nathan Hale was born and spent his early years.

Connecticut Landmarks, a nonprofit organization that oversees 11 historic properties, preserves and manages the Nathan Hale Homestead. Visitors can tour the home and outbuildings and see them in much the state that Nathan would have experienced when he was growing up. You can learn more about the homestead and admission fees at ctlandmarks.org.

On Sundays during the late spring, summer and fall, the homestead is bustling with visitors to the popular Coventry Farmers’ Market. During the rest of the week, the homestead is the perfect place to park your horse trailer and head out into the Nathan Hale State Forest and explore the trails.

Vikki Fortier of Chaplin is an avid trail rider, endurance competitor, and farrier. She often rides in Nathan Hale State Forest with two friends that have properties adjacent to the forest. “What I love most about riding at Nathan Hale State Forest is the beautiful view of the homestead as you exit the forest. It’s the perfect setting for photography,” Vikki says. “Also, the Nathan Hale State Forest brings back childhood memories of trail riding from Potter’s Horse Farm that was nearby.”

There’s a stone wall on the left, and parking here for other trail users. Keep going toward the red barn in the field on the left. Pull through the barway; it will look like you are driving onto the trail.

Then take a left into the field. I drove around the back of the barn, turned around in the field, and then parked along the stone wall behind the barn.

Do not attempt to park here on a Sunday when the farmers’ market is running. This is a extremely busy market and there will be no space for a horse trailer.

Use caution and wear blaze orange if you ride during hunting seasons.

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) manages Nathan Hale State Forest as a source of forest products and a sustainable

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wildlife habitat. The state forest sign is further down the road from the homestead; however, the best parking is at the homestead. Parking areas along the road are pull-offs suitable for a single car; if you arrive early, you can use one of these.

Download or print a map from the Explore Connecticut website (explorect.org/ nathan-hale-state-forest) before your visit.

Explore Connecticut has 12 miles of trails on the map. On the day of our visit we rode the red and yellow trails behind the homestead.

These trails are heavily used by mountain bikers and other outdoor enthusiasts. One of the first trail users we saw was a mountain biker who grumpily requested that we kick any horse manure off the side of the trail. We have taught our horses to curb themselves, and it’s especially important in busy areas such as Nathan Hale State Forest to try and work with other trail users so we can all maintain access.

We had shoes on our horses, and I was glad to have them as parts of the trail were rocky and roots frequently crisscrossed the trails. In a couple of places on the trail you’ll need to cross stone walls

that have been knocked over; be careful in these sections. There is a stream in the forest, and a small pond (or vernal pool), but both dry up during warmer months.

We packed water for our horses and generously applied fly spray.

Out Riding It Sunlight snuck through the trees overhead and softly lit the forest floor as we rode through the forest. We rode several different loops in the section close to the homestead. If you use the map, our loops resemble a cloverleaf headed toward Andover and Bear Swamp. Markings were inconsistent; some trails had them, others didn’t. We didn’t have trouble finding our way though, and meandered along, walking, and trotting in places.

Trails are a mixture of single-track and old forest roads. We rode through some technical single-track trails, over stone walls and looped around narrow trees on a trail that reminded me of threading a needle. The forest is a mixture of new and old growth, with some trees that look like they may have been young when Nathan Hale wandered through these woods, and others that are Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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much younger. There were a couple of large trees down in places on the day we rode. Insects and diseases have damaged or killed many trees here, as they have in many forests throughout the state.

All the trails we rode on this visit looped back to the homestead, and we stayed out for a couple of hours. We saw mountain bikers, hikers, and people with dogs on our ride, encountering more trail users closer to the homestead. Once you get further out onto the trails everyone is spread out more, as is the case with most trail systems.

One of the coolest parts of the ride for me was riding back down the main trail toward the homestead, and seeing it come into view. This is what Nathan Hale would have seen when coming back after a day exploring the woods. We rode past the house when we came back from our first loop, and then out the driveway, took a left and rode down South Street, and back into the woods for a different loop on the far side of the house. There’s a forest gate that you can easily ride around

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and then there are several trail options.

We picked a small trail heading off on the right and deeper into another section of the forest so we could have a longer ride.

We rode for two hours, just exploring the woods and riding the different loops.

We left many trails unexplored that we can come back and ride another day. We crossed South Street but didn’t connect into the yellow loop trail opposite the homestead. I’m planning to go back another day to ride this section.

I had never been to this forest, despite growing up nearby and visiting the homestead multiple times. There were just enough small inclines and technical sections of trail to make this a good workout for my horse, and an adventure for me as I wondered what would be around the next bend.

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

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Oxford

by Stacey Stearns

Trail Guide

Hodges Village Dam

O

Orange blazes identify trails that are also open to dirt bikes.

“I love the trails at Hodges Village Dam,” says Sharron Cochran of Monson.

Sharron is a longtime board member of Bay State Trail Riders Association, and she works to improve and preserve trails.

“It’s a nice place to ride,” she says.

“We park at the Greenbriar Recreation

Corps of Engineers constructed Hodges Village Dam in 1959.

Unlike other dams, there’s only a lake when flooding occurs; otherwise, it’s a pond. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also manages 1,200 acres around the French River and Hodges Village Dam. The land provides wildlife habitat, watershed resources, timber production, and is home to Greenbriar Recreation Area. The French River and area ponds offer water views and many diverse trails to explore.

Hodges Village Dam boasts 22 miles of multi-use trails. Equestrians, hikers, and mountain bikers have access to trails on both sides of the river. Dirt bikes are allowed only on one side of the river.

Area off of Route 12 in Oxford; there’s plenty of parking. The trails are nice with good footing. There’s a footbridge that we don’t cross over. And, once you’re in the Hodges Village area there’s a large metal bridge (French River Bridge on the map) you can go over which leads to more trails, but that is the side that dirt bikes are allowed on, so beware. You can probably get seven miles in on the eastern side without going over the metal bridge.”

The Mid-State Long-Distance Trail also crosses through Hodges Village Dam for part of its 90 miles. Volunteers who maintain the trail prefer that it remain foot traffic only. Equestrians are allowed to ride on it where it travels along other equine-friendly trails.

Stacey Stearns

xford, Massachusetts, is known for being the birthplace of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, Unfortunately, the town also has a sad history as floods in 1936 killed residents and damaged property. The French River creates a floodplain as it runs through the valley and this Worcester County town. To control flooding and prevent further tragedies, the U.S. Army

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A Leg Up For GPS, use 591 Main Street (Route 12) in Oxford for the Greenbriar Recreation Area. The official address for Hodges Village Dam is 30 Howarth Road in Oxford, but this will take you to the main parking area and dam. The town of Oxford manages Greenbriar Recreation Area and has playing fields and a skateboard park.

The entrance driveway has speed bumps. You’ll see the trail entrance for Hodges Village Dam on your left just past the speed bumps. I parked at the bottom of the hill on a grassy stretch, backing in along the woods to shade my trailer. The truck was pointing up the hill, toward the driveway and Route 12.

It’s a huge parking area, but there are some vandalism issues. A young family was leaving as I pulled in. They stopped and told me they had been there an hour, and someone had smashed a window in their car. Thankfully, nothing happened to my truck or trailer while I was out riding but do use caution.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Park Rangers actively maintain the area and provide programs throughout the year. Download a trail map before you go at nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/ Hodges-Village-Dam/. Maps are also available at the headquarters. You’ll need to check with a ranger for map location and availability.

Bay State Trail Riders Association hosted its National Trails Day event at Hodges Village Dam in June this year and members support Hodges Village Dam throughout the year. Volunteers play an integral role helping the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintain the trails.

Some trails are popular, and their continued use has exposed rocks and roots. I was glad to have hoof protection.

Also, the area as you first enter into Hodges Village Dam from Greenbriar Recreation Area has gravel to prevent erosion. The footing contains small stones that can get stuck in the bar of a hoof.

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swampy areas, river, and ponds. The deer flies kept me riding at a trot and canter on a June afternoon, despite the fly spray.

The blue-blazed trails on the Greenbriar side of the French River are open to horses, hikers, and other passive users. I only saw two mountain bikers and two walkers during my ride; otherwise, I had the trails to myself. Orange-blazed trails on the opposite side of the river are open to all trail users, including dirt bikes.

Hunting is also allowed on that side of the river, so wear blaze-orange in season.

Out Riding It You’ll want to ride on the trail out of the parking lot and then follow the blue blazes around Wellington Pond. I noticed blue blazes on trees and signposts at key intersections. The footbridge Sharron mentioned is just a short ride from the Greenbriar parking lot. There’s a path to the right of the bridge, and you can cross through the water. My horse stopped to get a drink here both times we crossed.

I saw wild blueberries growing along the trail as I rode by Wellington Pond. In one section the trail straddles two ecosystems—a pond on one side and swamp on the other. I’ve spent a week in Fryeburg, Maine, for many summers at the Pine Tree Endurance rides, and the paths along Wellington Pond reminded me of riding along the Saco River in Maine, with the water views and shady trails covered with pine needles.

One of the enticing features about Hodges Village Dam is the variety of trails—you’ll ride on woods roads, on meandering trails that weave through the woods, and past the remnants of houses from Hodges Village.

Trails are mostly wooded and wide enough to safely pass other trail users.

You’ll ride through areas with large trees; these are Atlantic white cedars that thrive in swamp environments. Red maple and birch can be spotted as you weave through the trails along the French River as they also do well in wet conditions.

I talked with two mountain bikers in the parking lot before I headed out on the trail and told them I was riding the blue loop. They had just completed an 11-mile ride on blue without crossing the river, and with minimal overlap. I decided to use their route. When I headed out onto the trail, at the first two intersections, I went right. The first one took me through the water next to the pedestrian bridge, and the second one kept me along Wellington Pond.

At the next intersection, I took a left and headed on the blue moderate trail, down toward the dam. I kept following this south (minus one wrong turn when I ended up at Oxford High School) until I reached the Mid-State Trail. You’ll easily know where you are with the yellow triangles marking the Mid-State. Here, I turned around and rode back the way I came, heading north, taking the left turns and different trails to head back to the Greenbriar parking lot. The map and blazes make it easy to follow your planned route.

Hodges Village Dam is one of those enticing places that you want to ride again and again because there is always something different to see as the seasons change or you explore a new area of the property.

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

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Warwick

Trail Guide

Goddard Memorial State Park

by Stacey Stearns

G

added fireplaces for picnics, among other improvements. The Goddard mansion, called “The Oaks,” burned down in 1975.

Today, amenities include a golf course, numerous picnic tables, game fields, and the performing arts center that hosts weddings, concerts, and other events.

Horses have always been a fixture at Goddard Memorial Park. The original estate had a barn and carriage house as

Native Narragansett people, and the nearby town of Potowomut, among others, recognizes their presence.

The children of Colonel Robert Hale Ives Goddard donated one of their estates to Rhode Island in 1927 “for the public use and for the enjoyment, recreation, and education of the public.” Their intent was to honor their late father’s memory, and the park formally opened in 1930.

A carousel was a popular attraction from 1931 until 1973. The carousel’s pavilion now includes a stage and is available for events and serves as a performing arts venue.

The Civilian Conservation Corps cleaned up after the 1938 hurricane and

well as the bridle trails the family used.

Today, equestrians enjoy a show area with a large ring and spacious parking, and 18 miles of bridle trails.

LuAnn Grafe is a resident of West Greenwich, lifelong trail rider, and served as president of West Greenwich Horsemen’s Association (WGHA) from 2002 to 2017. The club hosts numerous events at Goddard Memorial State Park every year. “I enjoy riding in Goddard Park and have been riding there for thirty years,” LuAnn says. “The footing is great, you get to ride along the shore of Greenwich Bay, and there aren’t that many bugs at any time of the year.”

A WGHA event introduced me to Goddard Memorial State Park several

Stacey Stearns

oddard Memorial State Park in Warwick, Rhode Island, is a metropolitan park with something for everyone. The 490-acre park, with access to Greenwich Cove and Greenwich Bay, is home to a number of diverse tree species, including 62 deciduous and 19 evergreens.

The collection of specimen trees dates to Henry C. Russell, an ancestor of Colonel Goddard. The land was once home to the

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years ago, and since then I make it a point to ride there at least once a year.

I’ve gone in different seasons and Goddard, with its natural beauty, never disappoints.

A Leg Up You can easily access Goddard Memorial State Park from Interstate 95. The official address for GPS is 1095 Ives Road in Warwick, and the equestrian area has its own entry point at the southern end of the park. This is the first park entrance you’ll see; it will be on your left coming from I-95 South. Large stone walls and trees line Ives Road. You’ll also see the ring and announcer’s booth on your left and other park maintenance buildings ahead when you pull in the equestrian entrance. You can park on the grass on either side of the driveway or up behind the ring. The trees scattered throughout the area offer some shade on warmer days. Other trail users occasionally use this parking area as well.

There are temporary restrooms avail-

able at the equestrian parking area. I always pack my own horse water, although there is access to water at the back of the park maintenance buildings.

The Rhode Island Division of Parks and Recreation keeps the park extremely well maintained and enforces all park rules. C and L Stables is located within Goddard Memorial State Park and some of the trails lead to the stable, although signs indicate which trails go to the equestrian area and which head to the stable. C and L offers trail and beach rides as well as pony parties and other recreational opportunities.

Out Riding It Ride toward the tree line at the back of the equestrian area to access the trails.

The driveway leads toward the trails, or you can also follow the driveway away from the ring and access the trails further in. I’ve always ridden straight out behind the ring and onto the trails. You can use the ring to warm up (no turnout is allowed) before heading out on the trails.

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

There’s a space where you can ride a short distance out of the woods and along the water. The tide will dictate whether you can stay on the beach or ride for a longer distance. If the tide is in, soak up the view, as there’s no space to ride on the sand, then head back to the trail.

Stacey Stearns

Within the trail system, there’s an inner and outer loop (for the outer loop, stay left at the fork in the trail) to the bridle trail. I always head for the outer loop so that I can catch glimpses of the water in Greenwich Cove through the trees as I ride along.

Trails are wide and lined with trees; the combination of shade from the trees and ocean breeze from the cove means it’s a cooler place to ride even in the warmer summer months, and that breeze also deters insects that bother horses in so many other locations. Pine needles cover many of the interior trails, and tree roots frequently crisscross the trails; use hoof protection as needed.

Although Goddard Memorial State Park is popular with all types of outdoor recreation enthusiasts, on the trails you are often left to your own thoughts, listening to the hoofbeats of your horse, or enjoying a quiet conversation with your riding buddy. The trees provide a peaceful canopy and the views of the bay peek through at different parts of the ride.

The first section of trail leads down to the park road and the parking area for the boat launch. Here, there are two options. You can cross the driveway and continue on the trails or ride down past the boat launch, head to the right and ride along the beach. This is a long stretch of beach and one of my favorite places to ride. It has an expansive view of the bay on one side with trees on the other side. I’ve seen horses high up on the trail above (some of the trails run along the edge, so use caution) as we’ve ridden along the beach. This stretch will bring you back out at the carousel pavilion and main area for park activities.

If you take the trail instead of riding along the beach, you’ll continue through the same wide, wooded bridle trails catching glimpses of the water until you arrive at the carousel area. Ride across the parking lot and then cross the road for another loop trail that takes you up to the tip of the park and offers views of Greenwich Bay. The loop brings you back down to the road.

From here, you can either ride the interior trails that parallel the picnic areas and golf course back toward the

equestrian area, ride on the beach, or ride back on the trails that brought you here. Sometimes I choose a different trail to explore and other times I let my horse choose, but the trails always seem to lead back to the bridle trails and the woods.

Trails all loop back around and I’ve never been lost in Goddard, even with all the trail options.

There is something about riding alongside the ocean that never gets old for me. The water pulls me in, the lull of the waves, always the same yet constantly changing. It’s an awesome feeling and Goddard Memorial State Park offers equestrians year-round access to the waterfront.

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

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Grand Prix Guidance

The Equine Hind Limb

by Mark R. Baus, DVM

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

limb generates significant amounts of torque on demand. Torque is defined as the force applied to a lever arm to rotate across a fulcrum or pivot. In the case of

Katie Hylen

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f the front limbs of the horse evolved to support the horse’s mass, the hind limbs developed as the motor for running, jumping, and everything else we have trained horses to do. This multijointed limb with its impressive muscle mass can propel the horse and rider rapidly over great distances or high fences.

It’s easy to imagine that if a special horse can jump a seven-foot wall, every other horse still has remarkable power from their hind limbs.

The real magic of the hind limb starts with the massive muscle mass of the upper limb. In order to control these muscles, the hock and stifle must move in perfect unison. To do this, the horse employs a unique mechanism called the reciprocal apparatus to ensure that the hock and stifle bend at the same angle during motion. The key structure of this apparatus is the peroneus tertius ligament, which connects the femur and the cannon bone. Like the front limbs, the hind limbs also have a group of ligaments, tendons, and muscles called the stay apparatus, which locks major joints in the hind limb. The stay apparatus allows the horse to remain standing with little or no muscle exertion.

Anatomically, the lower limb is similar below the knee of the front limb and the hock of the hind limb. The suspensory apparatus of each limb gradually accepts the body’s weight during motion and like a spring, releases the energy absorbed during the landing phase of the stride by pushing the body up and forward. However, the hind limbs are additionally challenged by the propulsive forces of the powerful hind limb muscles.

The suspensory apparatus stores and releases those tremendous forces with each step.

Applying the laws of physics, the hind

the horse’s hind limb, the forces are exerted from the muscles, the lever arms consist of the bones of the limb and the fulcrums are the joints. Because it is a multi-jointed limb of propulsion, the hind limb generates significant strain forces and compression forces on various parts of the limb.

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usually low-grade and highly manageable.

Hock pain will diminish during the warmup phase of exercise although it can still affect a horse’s performance after warming up. Due to the nature of joint-related problems, degenerative changes in the lower hock joint are progressive over time and with continued use. It’s common for hock joints to require some form of therapy, usually periodic injections, throughout the horse’s athletic career.

Inflammation in the stifle joint, although not as common as hock-related problems, is not unusual in the equine athlete. It’s generally more common in horses that compete at the higher levels.

The sources of inflammation tend to be related to the synovial tissue and therefore more manageable.

Hyperextension injuries of the hind suspensory ligaments (suspensory desmitis) are also common in the equine athlete and are most often chronic injuries rather than acute. This injury is more common in horses with long pasterns and low fetlocks. Horses with this conformation also tend to perform well in dressage and hunter divisions so suspensory desmitis is more common in these disciplines.

The key to preserving soundness is to understand your horse’s limitations based on conformation and preexisting conditions. You can then maintain a workload that’s consistent with those restrictions.

Needless to say, your veterinarian’s involvement during the purchasing process and throughout your horse’s athletic career is essential for determining peak performance and use levels. y

Katie Hylen

Based on similar laws of physics, the joints under the most strain and compression are the joints between the two longest lever arms: the hock and the stifle. The stifle is a complex joint with the largest amount of synovial lining of any joint. It consists of the femur, patella, tibia, and several interconnecting ligaments and a pair of menisci for cushioning.

The hock is even more complex, consisting of nine bones including the tibia and cannon bone along with five separate joints. Early in the horse’s evolution, the hock landed on the ground during locomotion, like the human ankle. The numerous bones and joints of the hock served the early horse well when it was on the ground, but this complex design posed a challenge as the load bearing shifted to the tip of the phalanx (toes) for greater speed and agility.

The causes of lameness in the hind limb are myriad and often related to the specific athletic pursuits of each horse.

Although congenital and developmental orthopedic conditions can occur before they become athletes, horses respond predictably with lameness problems based on their discipline. The lameness conditions associated with high-impact athletes like racehorses, jumpers, and three-day eventers are different from the lameness problems associated with low-impact sports such as dressage, gaited horses, and western performance horses.

Regardless of the nature of their activity, the one predictable source of chronic low-grade pain in the equine athlete is from the lower hock joints. This is expected for several reasons. First of all, the hock is subjected to repetitive forces because it is located between two long bones. Second, the lower joints of the hock are flat-surfaced joints with a very low range of motion. Even though they do not bend much, the fronts of the lower hock joints are subjected to significant compression forces with each stride.

This will ultimately cause inflammation and pain from the lower hock joints.

Fortunately, lower-hock joint pain is

Mark R. Baus, DVM founded Grand Prix Equine in 2009. He’s provided care to horses in the same region and for many of the same clients for more than 30 years. Mark began the Connecticut Equine Podiatry Group to foster relationships between farriers and veterinarians.

Overherd

News in Our Community A Tribute to Lance Wetmore (1938–2021) The life of Lance Wetmore was celebrated during the Connecticut Morgan Horse Show earlier this year in West Springfield, Massachusetts. Long-time friend and horseman John Bennett escorted Martha Wetmore into the ring driving one of the Wetmores’ Morgans. Martha was sitting in the box next to John, holding one of Lance’s hats in her lap.

From the time Lance Wetmore was a young man, he was always involved with horses. Lance taught himself how to ride and, with the help of Johnny Kriz, he found his way into the horse show world.

He started showing parade horses, roadster horses and ponies, and Palominos. In 1957, he met Martha Taylor, and they married in 1961.

After the Wetmores’ three daughters were born (Jennifer, Melissa, and Shauna), the family fell in love with Morgan horses. In 1975, they acquired Ledgelans Fires Chief, the first Morgan horse the family trained and showed.

With the help of her father, Melissa trained Chief to ride and drive. Chief represented their farm, Bittersweet, at all the Morgan shows.

As the years came and went, more Morgans became part of the Bittersweet Farm family, and the farm was incorporated as BSF Inc in 1995. Lance was now fully involved with training and showing.

The farm had a large summer riding program. Lance loved working with young students and teaching beginners how to ride. As the number of Morgans on the farm grew, BSF started their own breeding program with the Beta B prefix.

Students from the summer riding program continued with their lessons and soon became the foundation for the Bittersweet Farm show program. Parents loved the individual attention their chil-

dren received and many bought a Morgan to join the show world. It was important to Lance to show everyone the versatility of the Morgan breed.

Over the years, many of these students went on to win world and national championships. One of Lance’s students won the AMHA Youth of the Year Award.

Through all the shows, Lance’s daughters worked alongside him and eagerly

Lance Wetmore (1938–2021).

embraced his valuable lessons. He taught them to believe in themselves and be proud of their accomplishments. Melissa and Shauna both have their own farms today and continue to show the world what a Morgan is all about, while Jennifer has enjoyed success with her restaurant, Slainte.

Some people will remember the nights at the Falls Creek Morgan Show when Lance and fellow horseman, John Bennet, danced on the tack boxes — always a crowd pleaser. Others will remember the many times Lance led the Memorial Day Parade, riding one of his beautiful Morgans adorned in silver while carrying the American Flag.

In later years, Lance continued to Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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show in the Carriage Driving division, stepping out of the Morgan world to show Friesians and other breeds.

Lance promoted the Morgan horse in a quiet way by teaching, showing, and sharing the love, talent, and respect he had for the breed. He enjoyed talking with people and sharing his stories of years of riding and meeting people from all over the world. Lance donated his time serving as president of the Connecticut Morgan Horse Association and the Connecticut Horse Association.

Lance will be missed by all who knew him and his talent with horses will be carried on by his daughters, who will continue showing horses the way Lance taught them — with love, respect, kindness, and a gentle touch.

n Suzy Lucine

Horse Crazy: The Story of a Woman and a World in Love with an Animal New Canaan Mounted Troop (NCMT) hosted a live reading by Sarah Maslin Nir from her new book, Horse Crazy: The Story

of a Woman and a World in Love with an Animal. The outdoor reading and book signing was held to benefit New Canaan Mounted Troop’s therapeutic and equestrian programs. What a perfect way to spend a late afternoon! An author reading, refreshments, good company, and it took place outside of NCMT’s stately main barn in the courtyard.

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I’d heard about Sarah previously, not for her equestrian writings, but for her work as a staff reporter for the New York Times and particularly her work, Unvarnished, her investigation into New York City’s nail salon industry that uncovered the exploitive labor practices and health issues manicurists face. She was a 2016 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting for that work. Sarah has reported for the New York Times from around the world from West Africa and the Alaskan wilderness, to post-earthquake Haiti and wildfire-ravaged California. I was looking forward to a fabulous afternoon.

After a brief introduction by NCMT staff, Sarah talked about her book. As she read a portion, I was instantly captivated by her ability to embrace an audience. A few questions and answers followed.

Sarah was approachable, friendly, and warm, the type of person who made her potential readers eager to know more about her.

I took my book home and for the next few days, I looked forward to stealing time whenever I could to read more about Sarah, her horses, adventures, exploits, and her extraordinary equestrian accomplishments. I followed her development from beginning to ride at the tender age of two to the present day.

Fittingly, each chapter bears the name of a horse that became part of Sarah’s extended family and her sanctuary.

Sarah is a passionate storyteller of a subject I never tire of — the world of horses. I discovered things I’d never known about different breeds from all over the world including the elegant Marwaris from India. She shared many of her equestrian escapades throughout the book, from flying with horses in the cargo hold of a 747 to exploring the origins of foxhunting traditions. I loved and envied the stories of her becoming an auxiliary mounted patrol officer in New York City’s Central Park, and was entertained by her observations at BreyerFest as well as her surprising insights on the Chincoteague Pony Festival.

Sarah interviewed legends like Monty Roberts and wrote about the NYC Riding Academy, hidden in Manhattan and run

by Ann and George Blair, a very influential couple in her life who taught her about the erased history of the African American cowboy.

My only disappointment was that I didn’t read the book before her talk at NCMT. There would have been so much I would have asked her, but I would have monopolized the entire evening. Sarah’s life has been filled with experiences involving the astonishing creatures we all are a little “horse crazy” over, and I look forward to her next book!

n Sally L. Feuerberg

Ten Years Rescuing Horses

Sarah Grote

The Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue (CDHR) has reached a major milestone — we’re celebrating our 10-year anniversary! Since our inception in 2011 by

Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue’s Autumn the Clydesdale and farm manager Stacey Randall.

CDHR’s founder, executive director, and equine veterinarian, Dr. Stacey Golub, we’ve rescued more than 100 horses and adopted the majority into loving new homes. We vet, quarantine, rehabilitate, train, and rehome horses with a strict contract for their life-long protection.

Since the start, farm manager Stacey Randall has been a key player in our great success, support, dedication, and expansion. I’ve always loved how she talks to

each horse that’s rescued, tells them her name, welcomes them to CDHR, and makes them comfortable. Stacey is admired for her strength, love, and compassion. When asked for her perspective of her experiences, she says, “Every single horse that has come to CDHR has made me a better person, a stronger person, a gentler person. I’ve carried a piece of every single one of them with me all 10 years. I had no idea just how much I could love.”

“It’s no secret that animal rescue is difficult,” Stacey says. “It’s all well worth it, but it’s hard and not for the faint of heart. Picture a fully functioning and fully operating draft horse rescue on a leased piece of property, losing their lease, and needing to find a new home for their horses and farm [as happened to CDHR in 2017]. It’s unimaginable and would be next to impossible to succeed . . . that is except for CDHR! I’m not sure I’ve ever been so proud of our volunteers as I was during that move, work, and build! We did it! We all kept our promise to the horses!”

Through our successful capital campaigns started in 2017, we were able to clear new land, build paddocks, purchase run-in sheds, install electricity, water, purchase a hay storage building, put a down payment on the land, and move the horses to their new home, Autumn Ridge, located in East Hampton. Our next capital campaign will be to build a barn.

I would like to give our supporters a huge thank you for their generosity, and the same for the best volunteers in the world who give everything — heart and soul, love, financial support, dedication, and expertise — that truly makes CDHR great. Our adopters have also provided incredible support. As an all-volunteer organization, everything we do, we do for the horses.

CDHR is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to saving the lives of draft horses bound for slaughter, in addition to the victims of starvation, neglect, or abuse. CDHR also provides a home for horses whose owners Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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are unable to provide for their needs. We educate people about the proper care, training, and responsible ownership of horses. We also promote and support equine efforts and animal rescue in times of natural disaster. To learn more, visit ctdraftrescue.org.

n Sarah Grote

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environment Protection and the Connecticut Greenways Council held their 22nd Annual Connecticut Greenway Awards and National Trails Day Celebration at the Brookfield Town Hall Bandshell in Brookfield, Connecticut, on Friday, June 4. Vevette Greenberg was among seven recipients acknowledged for their contributions to the promotion, development, and enhancement of the state’s greenways.

In March, Vevette was appointed to the Connecticut Equine Advisory Council as the Connecticut Horse Council’s Equestrian Representative for Connecticut’s Fourth Congressional District. She’s also been a member of the Connecticut Horse Council Volunteer Horse Patrol (CHC-VHP) for 14 years.

The VHP monitors and maintains trails in this district and throughout the state.

“Vevette’s an outstanding person for this appointment and for recognition by the Connecticut Greenways Council,” says Diane Ciano, first vice-president of the CHC. Diane, Meg Sauter (CHC board member), Christine Mard, Diane Morton, and Lynn Gogolya, friends and fellow members of the CHC-VHP and the Connecticut Trail Rides Association (CTRA), were present at the event to applaud, support, and honor Vevette’s achievements.

Vevette, who grew up being involved in the various aspects of horses, lives at her farm in Oxford with her husband and two sons, and cares for her four horses, her goats, chickens, and cats. She is employed as a hospice nurse.

“As an avid trail rider, I greatly appreciate the land that’s available for outdoor recreation in Connecticut,” Vevette says.

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n Sally L. Feuerberg

Farmington Polo Club Located in the heart of Farmington Valley, Farmington Polo Club (FPC) is an historic equine facility offering hunter/jumper and polo disciplines. The equestrian programs at Farmington Polo Club are designed to accommodate riders of all abilities, from beginners through more seasoned competitors, and provide the opportunity to learn each sport and the basics of equine care from the ground up.

Bozzuto's Media

Vevette Greenberg Honored

“I’ve realized the importance of educating the public about equines. This education includes protecting, preserving, and maintaining trails and open spaces while promoting equestrian use on our Connecticut trail systems so that future generations will be able to enjoy the wonderful opportunities that this state has to offer.”

Vevette is a member of the Middlebury Bridle Lands Association (MBLA), Cross State Trail Ride, Inc., and a lifetime member of the CTRA as well as an Area Vice President for the CTRA, which involves scheduling approximately ten rides annually throughout the state, in state parks and local forests, parks, foundation lands, as well as on private lands with permission.

The MBLA, CHC, and the CTRA congratulate Vevette on the award!

Farmington Polo Club team member Heather Souto on Morrocha.

The grounds at Farmington Polo Club host numerous public events

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throughout the year including the Dream Ride Experience, the signature fundraising event of the Hometown Foundation, honoring Special Olympics athletes and individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

From June to September, the weekends at Farmington Polo Club are filled with events to support and entertain the local community. Friday night Cinema Under the Stars events, benefitting the Hometown Foundation, feature showings of family-friendly movies on the jumbotron. Polo matches are held every Saturday and offer a wide range of preand post-match entertainment including live music, fresh food and drink, local pet adoptions, equestrian demonstrations, and more. On Sundays, the grounds are filled with exotic cars as the public gathers for Cars and Coffee events benefiting the Hometown Foundation with viewings of Formula 1 races on the jumbotron and a look into the Farmington Polo Club Beginner League polo practice.

Farmington Polo Club offers indoor and outdoor event spaces that can be booked for private events year-round.

Whether you’re planning your dream wedding day, gathering clients and colleagues for a day of fun, or bringing together your extended family and friends for a long-awaited reunion, Farmington Polo Club can assist you in selecting the right venue space. Food and beverage services provided by the Farmington Club include on-site catering, food trucks, and mobile bars. The Farmington Club culinary team is standing by to craft the perfect menu for any event.

n Heather Souto

Equine Affaire Is Back!

This fall, Equine Affaire returns to West Springfield, Massachusetts, on November 11–14 for North America’s premiere equine exposition and equestrian gathering. From educational clinics to exciting competitions to the largest equine-related trade show on the East Coast, there’s something for everyone at Equine Affaire!

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Elevating the equestrian experience since 1994, Equine Affaire has a full schedule of educational clinics, seminars, and demonstrations with some of the world’s best horsemen and horsewomen.

Featured general horsemanship clinicians include respected horseman Ken McNabb, renowned reining and liberty practitioner Dan James, all-around trainer and world-class showwoman Lynn Palm and natural horseman J.R. Robles.

Discipline-specific clinicians include Lendon Gray (dressage), Jim Wofford (eventing), Laura Kelland-May (hunter/jumper), Bryan Penquite (reining and ranch horse), Stephen Hayes (dressage), Bob Giles (driving), Lynn Palm (western dressage), Shaina Humphrey (hunter under saddle), Ed Dabney (trail and general horsemanship), Anita Howe (easy gaited horses), Karen Rohlf (biomechanics), Luke Reinbold (trail obstacles), Stephane Lockhart-Hayes (working equitation), Wendy Murdoch (Surefoot, Murdoch Method), Steven Stevens (general horsemanship), Sharon Wilsie (Horse Speak®), Fred Win (para reining), and the Diamond D Cowgirls (drill teams). More presenters will be announced in the coming months, so visit equineaffaire.com or follow EquineAffaire on Facebook for more details.

From the recreational trail rider to the top eventer, there’s always something new to learn for every equestrian. This year’s Equine Affaire is the perfect time to seize your chance to Ride with a Pro! To apply, visit equineaffaire.com or contact Lori Helsel at lhelsel@equineaffaire.com or (740) 845-0085, ext. 107. Fees for clinics range from $75–$350. All clinic fees include participation in the clinic, admission to Equine Affaire on the day of the clinic, and 24 hours of stabling for your horse. All applications are due by September 10, 2021.

In between clinics, there’s no end to the horse-themed fun available on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition during Equine Affaire. With more than 450 vendors spread across five buildings, the

Equine Affaire trade show is the perfect place to find the tack, gear, and show clothing you need. If you’re in the market for a new horse, tour the For Sale Stalls and the Adoption Affaire to find your new best friend. While you’re visiting the barns, make time to network with other horse owners and equine professionals at the Horse & Farm Exhibits and in the Breed Pavilion, where you can learn all about different breeds of horses, find trainers, breeding stallions, boarding stables near you, and much more.

Fantasia will return this fall for three magical performances on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. Every performance is unique and will feature a variety of acts, including liberty, freestyle reining, garrocha, driving, specialty performances, and many more.

It wouldn’t be Equine Affaire without the Versatile Horse & Rider Competition!

This year’s competition will take place in the coliseum on Friday, November 12. Up to 25 horse-and-rider pairs will have the opportunity to traverse a timed obstacle

course. Riders will compete for $5,500 in prize money, and you never know who might win.

Make plans to check out these special event features, brand-new for 2021! First, do you have tack, riding apparel, or other horse equipment that you’d like to sell?

Consider consigning them at the Equine Affaire Marketplace Consignment Shop!

Drop off your items in the morning and our friendly marketplace staff will sell your items for you while you’re off enjoying all the sights. Then come by in the evening or at the end of Equine Affaire to collect your earnings. Also new this year, Equine Affaire is delighted to host the International Liberty Horse Association (ILHA) Freestyle Invitational Competition.

Founded by Dan and Elizabeth James, ILHA is dedicated to promoting the discipline of liberty training. In this special competition, select competitors will perform freestyle liberty routines with their equine partners. Compulsories will take place on Saturday, November 13, and the finals will take place on Sunday, November

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14. Equine Affaire has also partnered with the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) to offer the IEA Intensive Clinic for young riders. This clinic will take place on Sunday, November 14, and offers an overview of English, western, ranch, and dressage disciplines in the IEA show format.

To learn more, visit equineaffaire.com or call (740) 845-0085.

Cheshire Horse Fall Sale The Cheshire Horse in Swanzey, New Hampshire, will hold its storewide Fall Sale Friday, October 8, through Monday, October 11. Celebrate fall and save storewide on apparel, tack, horse clothing, pet supplies, and more! Select vendor reps will be available to answer

your product questions. Not able to make it to the sale weekend? Join the Cheshire Horse rewards program at cheshirehorse.com to receive a coupon to save when you shop at your convenience later in October.

L’Cima Exclusive GCH Inducted into CMHS Hall of Fame On Friday evening during the Connecticut Morgan Horse Show, horse show announcer Dennis Rumsey opened the induction ceremony as follows: “Good evening Connecticut Morgan Horse Show exhibitors and friends.

Thank you for joining Terri Page and Sean Travers for this special occasion honoring the career of multi-titled World Champion L’Cima Exclusive GCH, better known to his friends as ‘Stretch.’”

L’Cima Exclusive was foaled on April 7, 1996, and was sired by L'Cima’s Spence Jr and out of Salem Kristine. A diverse pedigree proved to be the key to a successful career spanning 20 years in In-Hand, 86

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Pleasure Driving, Classic Pleasure Driving, and Classic Pleasure Saddle.

Larry Bolen shares his lasting impression of this Hall of Famer, “As you know, Stretch is one of my favorite horses of all time. I loved working with him and was fortunate, in the only time that I showed him, to garner a reserve world championship.

Stretch always gave more of himself than you asked. I truly think he loved showing as much as we loved showing him.”

“Few things make for a happier horse trainer than having a talented horse and an amateur that is his equal,” says Sarah Gove. “Terri and Stretch made the kind of team that gave each what the other needed. And it made for winning performances and exciting showmanship. It’s one thing to have a ‘horse of a lifetime.’

It’s another thing to know it. And Terri has known it every step of the way.”

After winning back-to-back 2009 and 2010 World Classic Pleasure Driving Championships, Stretch has spent the last nine years with Terri. Terri continued to work and show him at all the New England circuit shows. It was also a goal to show at all the shows he had never been to and win. And they did it several times as an amateur-owned and -trained pair.

Stretch’s kind and affectionate personality has left a lasting impression on all his trainers and caretakers. His career has exceeded all expectations. Terri says she thinks Stretch was “destined to be one of the greatest geldings of our time. We are so fortunate to have him in our lives. In Sean’s heart, ‘Stretch is the G.O.A.T.’ ” (Greatest of All Time)

n Suzy Lucine

Subscribe today at community horse.org!

Partners Bay State Trail Riders Association

Karen Parlin

A central mission of BSTRA is to keep our communities’ trails preserved and maintained for outdoor recreation and fitness.

Since 1973, this has been a core focus, taking many forms including education, trail work and activism, and now land ownership.

BSTRA is excited to announce the acquisition of 17 acres in Douglas. The parcel connects the Southern New

MaryEllen Coyne and Karleen Mohn, winners of the Bay State Trail Riders Association’s June Trivia Ride at Peppercorn Hill in Upton.

England Trunkline Trail (SNETT) and 131 acres of town-owned land behind the schools. BSTRA’s purchase ensures the property will remain open space and extends the trail network.

The short-term plan is to make improvements to the property and build a connecting trail. The land once hosted a farm dump, so clean-up is required. The new trail will connect the SNETT to the town property, including trails used by the schools’ cross-country runners.

BSTRA expects to get an additional two miles of trails on the parcel.

The long-term plan is to turn the property over to the Metacomet Land Trust, which will ensure the land is preserved and available for equestrians and other users.

In addition to buying this parcel of land, BSTRA donated toward the purchase of the Kelly property in Upton.

Thanks to the generosity of BSTRA and other donors, the Metacomet Land Trust recently purchased the property, expanding the Peppercorn Hill Conservation Area. The land will be held in trust by the Sudbury Valley Trustees.

BSTRA did maintenance work on the Peppercorn Hill trails in preparation for the June 18 Trivia Ride, sponsored by Tourbillon Trailer Sales. The last time BSTRA held a ride at Peppercorn Hills was in 1997!

As land is developed, purchase of open space properties is another way organizations can safeguard that trails remain for all users.

BSTRA’s fall calendar offers something for everyone including a judged ride. Of course, what would fall be without the Sue Brainard Memorial Hunter Pace? Sponsored by the Mane Place and Equinature, the Hunter Pace will be held in Douglas State Forest at the Wallum Lake Beach Parking Area, on September 19. Set-up for the Hunter Pace is September 18. Volunteers are welcome.

There will be four divisions: Hunter (fast), Hilltop (average), Trailblazer (leisurely), and Junior (average). The goal is to complete the course as close as possible to the optimal time for your division. Jumps are optional, and none are more than three feet. You can ride on your own or as a team. Ribbons will be awarded for first through sixth place.

Lunch will be provided. Can you believe this is the 31st year for this event?

For more information about the Sue Brainard Memorial Hunter Pace or any of our other rides, visit BSTRA.org.

See you on the trails!

y Annamaria Paul

Charles River Dressage Association The CRDA made a smooth transition to a 2021 filled with shows and clinics. In-person Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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shows returned in May and June at Apple Knoll Farm in Millis, with the show season continuing to September 26. There were smiles all around thanks to the enthusiasm of officers, volunteers, and riders.

Virtual shows continued to the delight of riders who prefer virtual to in-person shows for a variety of reasons. Numerous entries have kept the judges busy since the summer of 2020. The banquet is planned for November 20, and there will be a year-end clinic.

The year 2022 looks to be another great year for CRDA. The club has planned two virtual show series in addition to in-person shows. The first virtual shows are planned for January and March, with entries due in the first half of the month and videos due in the second half of the month.

Once again, the CRDA scholarship is sponsored by Sage Farm in Dover. The scholarship provides $500 for a rider to further his/her dressage studies and skills. The winner may use the money for mounted or unmounted lessons and clinics, or travel expenses to educational seminars. Applications are available at crdressage.org. Any member in good standing may apply for the scholarship.

Nonmembers may register for membership when they apply.

CRDA is open to all ages and riding levels. In addition to an adult membership, the club offers an affordable junior membership for members under the age of 18. All membership levels include reduced pricing for clinics and shows, eligibility for the scholarship, year-end awards, and volunteer awards. The heart of a nonprofit club is its volunteers; our members contribute hours each year to support the sport they love while gaining a feeling of satisfaction.

CRDA has some great new officers and volunteers. Erika Hendricks and Janet Sinclair organize volunteers for the in-person shows, Cerredwyn Horrigan is the virtual show secretary, and Laura Haney is the new membership coordinator.

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monthly meeting to learn more about the club. Meetings are held at Restaurant 45 in Medway on the first Tuesday of every month from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

The mission of CRDA is to provide affordable quality dressage schooling shows, clinics, educational lectures, and sponsorships to its members and local community. CRDA strives to offer a friendly casual forum in which riders can compete and gain knowledge about the art and sport of dressage.

Be sure to check crdressage.org and the Charles River Dressage Association Facebook page for information about shows, clinics, and activities.

y Nancy Zacks

Connecticut Morgan Horse Association In June, the CMHA celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Connecticut Morgan Open Horse Show (CMOHS) at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield. More than 270 horses and their riders joined us for an exciting week of competition, camaraderie, and celebrations. John Lampropoulos was our show

Connecticut Morgan Horse Association show committee members at the Connecticut Morgan Open Horse Show Gala.

manager with Pam Turner as our show secretary. Show committee members included Kaitlin Stachowiak (chair), Mary Tesla, Colleen Tondalo, Adam Lagosz, Elisa Santee, Amanda Zsido, Julianne Lagosz, David Hennessey, and Stacey Stearns.

CMOHS featured 198 qualifying classes and championships. We were excited to bring back the Nutmeg Sweepstakes in the Pleasure division.

Trail rides round out the lineup of 2021 CMHA events. Wanda Stazick, our trail committee chair, has four rides planned this year. We held the Spring Fling at Hammonasset in March, and the Arcadia Ride in July with members Linda Krul and Celeste Santos-Rivera coordinating. Our final two rides, open to all breeds, are October 24 in East Lyme and November 21 in Groton. To learn more, visit ctmorgans.org.

y Stacey Stearns

Connecticut Renegades Cowboy Mounted Shooters Riders were thrilled to start off this season in a somewhat normal fashion. By the time our Spring Clinic came around most of us were fully vaccinated and ready for some fun! The clinic welcomed several new shooters from Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New York. Many of these new riders joined us

Pine Grove Photography by Shawn Yospin

Exhibitors competed in hand, under saddle, and in harness. The 2021 champions were Liz Ciccone and LNT Cassanova.

L’Cima’s Exclusive, owned and shown by Terri Page Travers, was our 2021 Hall of Fame inductee. Terri drove L’Cima’s Exclusive to the song Diamonds

by Rihanna in a moving tribute to their countless victory passes at our show, on the New England circuit, and at the Morgan Grand National. Terri’s husband, Sean, and team members from Taylor River Farm and Braeburn Equestrian Center joined them in center ring for the ceremony.

We held a memorial ceremony for Lance Wetmore of Bittersweet Farm, who passed in April. Lance served as our president from 1991–1992 and was a horseman like no other. John Bennett, past president of CMHA and Lance’s friend, drove Martha Wetmore, Lance’s wife, around the ring as we paid tribute to this wonderful horseman. Lance and Martha’s family then joined them in center ring. You will be greatly missed, Lance!

On Friday night, CMOHS celebrated our 60th anniversary with a gala. Exhibitors, sponsors, and friends enjoyed an evening of camaraderie and celebration. CMHA recognized Kaitlin Stachowiak as our Person of the Year. Kaitlin is a longtime board member, chair of our scholarship committee, chair of the 2021 horse show committee, and past coordinator of our dressage divisions.

Youth are a central part of our CMHA mission. Caprice Tondalo of North Haven received the Eileen Hunter Memorial Scholarship. She recently graduated from high school and will be majoring in communications with a minor in marketing at Quinnipiac University. Once again, we had a strong turnout for the Youth of the Year Contest. Erin Robinson won the Senior Contest and will be representing us at the Grand National in October.

CMHA thanks our exhibitors, trainers, spectators, and sponsors for welcoming our show back in a big way. We look forward to seeing everyone again in June 2022 for the 61st show.

Connecticut Renegade Kayla Davis at the Appalachian Mountain Championship on Trigger.

for our May and June competitions.

Our Smokin’ Guns Match on May 9 was won by club president, Tom Beckman.

Only 1.5 seconds behind him was club vice president Sabrina Beckman. The Amity Mayhem Match, held on June 5, was won by Sabrina Beckman and the reserve overall winner was Kayla Davis.

Coming in third and Overall Cowboy was Tom Beckman.

Anxious to make up for lost time, several Connecticut Renegades traveled to Lexington, Virginia, to compete at the Appalachian Mountain Championship. The Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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(CMSA) hosted its second annual championship competition at the lovely Virginia Horse Center. This complex boasts 600 acres with eight barns, multiple campgrounds, miles of trails, and 19 show rings including a AA-rated indoor coliseum. This premier location in the heart of Virginia horse country traditionally hosts dressage, eventing, and hunter/jumper events, but for one week each year cowboy hats and six-shooters take over.

Out of 234 riders, the highest finishes for the Connecticut Renegades were Mike Brogan in 42nd place, followed by Kayla Davis in 55th place. Both riders shot clean (no missed targets) in the main match.

Mike finished third overall in his class, won his division in the Shotgun class, and finished ninth in the Eliminator event for his division. He shot 109 out of his 110 balloons that week! Kayla finished third overall in her class and placed seventh in the Eliminator event for her division.

Sabrina also competed in multiple events including the American Quarter Horse Association division and Cavalry. She finished fifth overall in the Cavalry event.

Thanks to the live video feed provided by the CMSA, family and friends were able to watch the competition and stay current with all the riders.

The Connecticut Renegades are happy to announce that Tom and Sabrina Beckman have been nominated along with 10 other families for the 2021 CMSA Family of the Year! Voting began on July 8 and the winners will be announced at the CMSA World Championship in October in Amarillo, Texas. Their devotion to our club and support to surrounding clubs make Tom and Sabrina excellent candidates.

The Connecticut Renegades are always welcoming new members. If you have an interest in horses and would like to find out more about our sport, please come to an event and introduce yourself to one of our many friendly members. For more information, visit ctrenegades.com.

y Allison Forsyth

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Connecticut Trail Rides Association CTRA is enjoying a busy season. Our numerous rides have been well attended.

Even our camping weekends over Memorial Day and Fourth of July were well attended despite very cold and wet conditions. Members enjoyed Christmas in July with many activities through the weekend.

The CTRA has a long history of community service. This year many of our members took on doing some land clearing and cleanup at Machimoodus State

Carole Rose on Sammy and Maria Werkoven on Minnie at the Connecticut Trail Rides Association Mountain Laurel Ride at George Seymour State Forest in East Hampton.

Park. The park rangers praised our efforts and good work.

We have many more rides scheduled throughout the fall including our Beach Ride at Bluff Point on September 12 and a Fall Foliage Ride in Chester on October 3.

Our annual fund-raising auction is set for August 15. This is always a great time for all and an excellent time to get great deals.

Our annual banquet and election of officers will be held at Monticello Banquet Facility in Meriden on November 6. At this banquet we give out our year-end awards. It’s hard to believe that by that time we will be thinking of winter and heat, instead of using our air conditioners!

y Christine Mard

Hampshire County Riding Club The club has an ambitious calendar of events for the season, and the grounds have been teeming with activity since May. We kicked off the season with our Fun Day, with divisions and games ranging from Lead Line to Adult, followed by a Versatility and Obstacle Clinic and Competition hosted by Peter Whitmore .

In July, our TREC Clinic, held at the HCRC grounds, covered Phase I (trail obstacle course) and Phase II (control of paces). A fun competition in the afternoon included judging on both phases with ribbons and prizes in each category. This was

The Hampshire County Riding Club held a Fun Day at its club grounds in Goshen.

the first of three TREC events scheduled for this season. A Zoom evening webinar, featuring international TREC judges, was held as part of our speaker series, to introduce participants to TREC Phase III (orienteering techniques). These two events were held to prepare for our TREC Competition, featuring all three phases, to be held at Corinthian Farm in Chester on September 11.

A horse camping weekend at Wagon Wheel Campground in Warwick was a relaxing time to socialize with friends and try some new trails. We have also led two trail rides, one at the Chesterfield Gorge and one at the DAR State Forest in Goshen, along with an open weekend and overnight camping at the club for members to enjoy the trails, obstacles, and rings.

We had a Dressage Schooling Show on August 7, with Suzanne Mente as judge.

This was open to both English and western dressage riders.

There will be a Hunter Pace at Corinthian Farm in Chester on October 23. The farm is a perfect venue with more than 100 acres of field and forest over varied terrain.

The club is hosting a trail ride at the Kenneth Dubuque (Hawley) Memorial State Forest on September 19, a beautiful New England forest with 50 miles of trails and woods roads. The Fall Foliage Ride at Northfield Mountain and Recreation Center will be held on October 17 , followed by a potluck barbecue at the picnic area. Both rides are for HCRC members and their guests.

Our Meeting and Speaker Series is held on the third Wednesday of every month. Coming up is First Aid on the Trail presented by Caroline Barstow, DVM, of Hess McWilliams Veterinary Services, on September 15, hopefully in person; otherwise on Zoom. Visit hampshirecounty ridingclub.org for more Meeting and Speaker Series information.

The Hilltown Misfits 4-H Fun Day will be held at HCRC grounds on October 10.

This includes horseback games, old and new, and divisions from Beginner to Serious Competitor, including Lead Line.

Our Versatility Series, with year-end awards, is based on points earned from our Fun Day, Whitmore Versatility/Obstacle Clinic Competition, Dressage Show, TREC Competition, and the Hunter Pace. We also have introduced the HCRC All-Round Horse and Rider Recognition where members can accrue points for a variety of activities to earn medals/certificates.

Our Annual Meeting, Awards, and Elections will be held on October 2 .

To learn more, and to join us, visit hampshirecountyridingclub.org.

y Diane Merritt

Massachusetts Horsemen’s Council MHC has been up and running, happy that we are enjoying a robust 2021 season.

Nearly 100 shows have affiliated with MHC this year, with many still to go through November. Show dates and information Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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are posted at mahorsecouncil.com. It’s not too late to join MHC and be eligible for academic scholarships and year-end awards.

The MHC Pleasure Classic will be held at Briggs Stable in Hanover on September 12. Our judges this year are Charles Ethier and Jennifer Sullivan. This featured show is also affiliated with the New England Horsemen’s Council (NEHC) and the South Shore Horsemen’s Council (SSHC). It’s doublepointed for MHC. Besides being a favorite show for many, it‘s also an opportunity for exhibitors to get extra points toward the MHC race for 2021 year-end

October 1–3 at the Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton. Our judges this year are Patrick Rodes, Lyman Whitehead, John Roper, and Susan Horn.

Courses will be designed by Patrick Rodes.

Thursday, September 30 is warm-up day followed by a USHJA-sponsored educational forum and light refreshments.

Friday opens with the older adults followed by the younger adults. The day ends with the President’s Dinner Party, catered by Spoleto.

Saturday is Junior Medal Day. Not only does the junior rider who wins receive a special ribbon and prizes, the junior’s parent(s) is also awarded a ribbon and silver picture frame. Sunday is Mini Medal Day with the junior riders followed by the Adult Mini Medal riders. Additional awards include a Sportsmanship Award, the Hall of Fame for a special horse or pony, and the Person of the Year Award.

Information regarding plans for the 2021 awards banquet, to be held in February, will be available at mahorse council.com.

y Paulajean O’Neill

The Massachusetts Horsemen’s Council Pleasure Classic will be at Briggs Stable in Hanover on September 12.

championships. Offered are Lead Line, Walk-Trot for all ages, Saddlebred, Palomino, Morgan, Pleasure, Arabian/ Half Arabian, Open Halter, Showmanship, and many more divisions. Classics are offered in Walk-Trot 10 and Under, MHC/SSHC Walk Trot 11 & Over, Saddle Seat, Western Pleasure, and Hunter Pleasure.

Also offered at the Classic are two special awards, the Community Horse Youth Award, to be given to the junior who has shown the best horsemanship and sportsmanship, and the MHC Pleasure Horse Lifetime Achievement Award, given to an all-around equine schoolmaster who has given a lifetime of beginner lessons.

MHC’s other special show is the Day of Champions, which will be held 92

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Massachusetts Quarter Horse Association The MQHA held the annual Spring and May Shows for 2021. We’re grateful to our generous sponsors and the management who made these two events such a success.

We participated in the Region Six show in July, which saw an increase in numbers up from the previous, pre-pandemic year.

We will be awarding our scholarship monies soon and we look forward to preparing for the 2022 show season.

To learn more about the MQHA, visit our Facebook page and massqha.com.

y Lori Mahassel

Middlebury Bridle Land Association It’s time to mark your calendars and save the date of Sunday, September 19, for the MBLA’s Annual Fall Hunter Pace at the Larkin’s Farm at 747 South Street in Middlebury! MBLA vice president Sylvia Preston, her husband, Tom, and our

treasurer, Debbie Carlson, have consistently been out on our trails both on foot and horseback evaluating conditions, clearing and maintaining the trails throughout the fall, spring, and summer seasons. The trails are looking great!

Maybe you’re new to hunter pacing and you’re looking for the perfect pace to

mitting a completed registration form, waiver, current negative Coggins test, and payment. But don’t fret! We offer a noworries registration! If you don’t ride, for whatever reason, your check will be returned to you!

The cost for MBLA adult members is $50; adult nonmembers are $65. Junior MBLA members are $35 and junior nonmembers are $45. Lunch is available for $20 for nonriders, and of course, lunch for riders is free.

For registration and release-of-risk forms, as well as directions, visit middleburybridle.org. Questions? Call ShawnaLee at (203) 598-0065 or email info@middleburybridle.org.

ShawnaLee W. Kwashnak

y Sally L. Feuerberg

Old North Bridge Hounds

The Middlebury Bridle Land Association is holding its annual Fall Hunter Pace on Sunday, September 19, at Larkin’s Farm in Middlebury.

introduce your horse to this type of event.

Well, this is it! It’s a pace event with a little less chaos, fewer distractions, and more of a relaxed picnic-type of atmosphere. But it’s also the ideal pace for the veteran rider who simply loves a casual pace riding a course that offers some of the most beautiful vistas in Connecticut.

The MBLA Annual Fall Hunter Pace is part of the Associated Bridle Trails Fall Pace Series, and there will be four divisions: Hunt, Western, Junior, and Pleasure; all jumps will have a go-around. There will be no checkpoint, but there will be mandatory walk sections instead. Riders are asked to bring their own water and hay, and safety helmets must be worn by all riders. Appropriate footwear with heels is required for all divisions. First to tenth place ribbons will be awarded in each division with prizes for the first-place team in each division. Points earned go toward trophies in the Associated Bridle Trails Series.

Pre-registration is mandatory!

September 12 is the cut-off date for sub-

ONBH is a drag hunt, in which riders hunt the trail of an artificially laid scent.

No animals are harmed.

After a very quiet 2020, we were thrilled to be able to venture out this spring and return to our territory in central Massachusetts. Hunts were held in Stow, Concord, Groton, Berlin, and in Sudbury at Longfellow’s Wayside Inn. Following the hunt at Sudbury, everyone had lunch in the Ford Room, which was the private residence of Henry Ford when he stayed at the Inn. For the fall season we are planning a return to Longfellow’s Wayside Inn with a hunt leaving from the grounds of the inn out to the woods of Sudbury and return to have a delicious Thanksgiving buffet.

It’s an amazing way to spend the holiday, meeting friends, riding out with horses and hounds, stepping back in time, and you don’t have to cook!

Several other events are also planned for the fall including our annual Fall Hunter Pace out of Red Rail Farm in Lincoln. This ride takes you along some of the most beautiful countryside including Walden Pond, and there are jumps along the route if you so desire. The Hunter Pace usually takes place on the second weekend of October; check our website or join us on Facebook for details.

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the Foxhounds. The day will include a brief history of the sport in New England and the opportunity join both horses and hounds with your horse as an introduction to the sport. Details of this clinic are

Amy Keith

We’re also hoping to have a latesummer foxhunting clinic for interested riders to join us for a few hours to explore the sport of foxhunting. We will have hounds there as well as the Master of

Old North Bridge Hounds Ride and Luncheon at Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, Sudbury. Pictured here (from left to right): Ginny Zukatynksi riding Maddie, Sandra Bedford riding Kramer, Laurie Fitch riding MoeJo, Larry Franko riding Jolie, Marjorie Franko riding Sugar and Spice, Sue Freeman riding Tiffany, Wendy Good riding Spring, Marti Laramee riding Markie, Joe Seymour riding Max, Linda Souchek riding Betty Boop, Kelsey Buckley riding Gabbiano Interagro, and Sarah Murphy on Tucker.

How about a nice massage?

For your horse!

Redding, CT (203) 297-3008 kathy.curran@snet.net

Call or email for your introductory offer!

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

still being worked out, so be sure to check our website for more information.

To round out fall, a Poker Ride is being planned for riders of all disciplines to enjoy. One of our most lovely hunts, on foot or horse, is the Blessing of the Hounds. This will take place in Berlin and we welcome everyone to come and join us for the beauty, history, and love of animals and nature. Dates for both events to be announced.

Last but not least is the Masters’ Dinner in December. It’s a celebration of the year, and like our hounds, we love to eat, meet new friends, and party! Come join the fun! We hope to see you this year.

Our website, oldnorthbridge hounds.org, provides information on upcoming events, the history of our club, and contact information.

y Patricia E. Jackson

Meriden

This Olde Horse

A postcard advertisement for the Connecticut State Fair in 1889. The back promotes “new features and attractions, larger and better than ever before. Mammoth grange exhibit, plowing match, exhibit of Standardbred horses, agricultural implements, farm machinery, and much more. Races each day.”

Dawn Bonin Horsemanship Natural Horsemanship . Lessons . Sales/Leases . Versatility Course Two Outdoor Rings . Indoor Arena . Miles of Trails

October 10 - Practice Your Versatility Clinic . October 16 - Versatility Competition October 31 - Halloween Fun Ride November 7 - Practice Your Versatility Clinic . November 20 - Versatility Competition

See website for more upcoming events. Giſt certificates available!

Coventry, Connecticut 860-742-2667 (barn) . 860-985-7611 (cell) DawnBonin.com . BabcockHill.com Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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East Northfield

This Olde Horse

Ice harvesting on Wanamaker Lake in East Northfield c. 1905. Ice was the first agricultural product of the year in New England and harvested in the heart of winter throughout the 1800s. Specialized tools were developed to harvest 12- to 20-inch thick ice. Ice was stored in well-insulated, double-wall ice houses for up to two years.

BACON’s EQUIPMENT

UNPARALLELED IN CARE & AMENITIES Lessons . Boarding Training . Sales Hunters . Jumpers Equitation Full Service Multidiscipline Facility

Sales and Repairs for more than 40 years.

29 GOSHEN RD. (RT. 9) WILLIAMSBURG, MA

(413) 268-3620 baconsequipmentinc.com 96

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

24/7 On-Site Care . Open 7 Days . Onsite Trainers 29 Stalls with All-Day Turnout Custom Feeding Programs . Showing Opportunities Indoor Arena & Viewing Room . Direct Trail Access

GOLDEN ROSE EQUESTRIAN CENTER 411 North Street, Jefferson, Mass.

(781) 828-5015 . goldenroseec.com

Pawtucket

This Olde Horse

Narragansett Park was a Thoroughbred racing track in Pawtucket. The Narragansett Racing Association opened the track and steeplechase course on August 1, 1934 and chose the name of the track after Narragansett Park, a former trotting park in Pawtucket. The track was one of the first in the country to install a photo finish camera and a starting gate. On June 22, 1935, Seabiscuit broke his maiden at Narragansett Park.

On June 29, 1979, the stockholders of Narragansett Park voted to sell the track to the city of Pawtucket. The city sold the land to developers to stimulate employment and business investment.

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Youth Awards

Amanda Theriault, Act Regal Photography

The Community Horse Youth Award is given to the junior exhibitor who has shown the best horsemanship and sportsmanship at an equestrian competition. This is the youth who is working hard with a great attitude. This junior is taking good care of their horse, cheering on their friends, and helping others. Want a free award for your upcoming equestrian competition in Connecticut, Massachusetts, or Rhode Island? Visit communityhorse.org/ youth-awards.

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Stella Shaw, 15, of Lebanon, Connecticut, won the Youth Award at the Horse Power Cross Country Derby. Stella rides warmblood cross Joy Ride, owned

by Hidden Brook Stables.

Nine-year-old Taylor Sobieski of Portland, Connecticut, won the Youth Award at the Pines in June with Welsh Pony Royal Flair, a.k.a. Merry. Taylor trains with Diana Schaefer-King at Legendary Race Hill Farm.

Heidi Lamb, 9, of Prospect, Connecticut, won the Youth Award at the Pines in June riding Percheron/ Thoroughbred Gwen. This is Heidi’s first year competing and this was her second show.

Fifteen-year-old Victoria Vigneaux of Salisbury, Massachusetts, won the Youth Award at the Bradford Equestrian Center Dressage Schooling Show in June riding Fjord Sonja.

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

Grace Glasko, 17, and Tiger Lilly won the Youth Award at the Cornerstone Farm Open Schooling Show in Foster, Rhode Island.

Kira Olsson won the Youth Award at a Connecticut Dressage and Combined Training Association competition. Kira is trained by Jess Gross of Bit by Bit Stables in Uncasville. Kira rides Quarter Horse Rosie.

Carlie Shepard riding Shaken Not Stirred won the Youth Award at the Connecticut Dressage and Combined Training Association competition where her horse was full of shenanigans and Carlie rallied.

Seven-year-old Benjamin Post of Roxbury, Conncticut, won the Youth Award at The Pines in July riding Welsh Pony Crevanwood Martina.

Additionally, but not pictured:

y Eleanor Beichner, 14, of Essex, Connecticut, won the Youth Award at the Fox Ledge Farm Schooling Show in June riding Arabian TR Front Row Joe.

y Delaney Durkin, 12, of Scituate, Rhode Island, won the Youth Award at Cornerstone Farm in July riding Percy. y Quinn Thody, 10, of Moodus, Connecticut, won the Youth Award at the Fox Ledge Farm Schooling Show riding Cowboy.

y Delaney Aronson, 13, of Higganum, Connecticut, won the Youth Award at the Azrael Acres Horse Trials in Uxbridge in June riding Sriracha.

Congratulations!

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events CONNECTICUT

September 3 CINEMA UNDER THE STARS, Farmington Polo Club, Farmington. farmingtonpoloclub.com.

3 – 6 WOODSTOCK FAIR HORSE SHOW, Woodstock. woodstockfair.com.

4 PAWS & PONIES POLO MATCH, Farmington Polo Club, Farmington. farmingtonpoloclub.com.

4 CHJA SHOW, Gales Ferry. mvhchorse.com.

12 SUMMER SHOW SERIES V, Somers. shallowbrook.com.

12 PINES OPEN, South Glastonbury. pinesfarm.com.

17 CINEMA UNDER THE STARS, Farmington Polo Club, Farmington. farmingtonpoloclub.com.

18 CDA SCHOOLING DRESSAGE SHOW, Columbia. ctdressage.org.

18 CHJA SHOW, Suffield. endofhunt.com.

4 MANES & MOTIONS HORSE LEADER TRAINING, Middletown. hfsc.org/sports-and-fitness/manes-and-motions or (860) 685-0008.

18 BRITISH WHEELS ON THE GREEN, Farmington Polo Club, Farmington. farmingtonpoloclub.com.

5 CDA SCHOOLING DRESSAGE SHOW, Bethany. ctdressage.org.

18 FPC INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE POLO MATCH, Farmington Polo Club, Farmington. farmingtonpoloclub.com.

5 CHJA SHOW, New Milford. quietreinfarm.com.

6 CHJA SHOW, Willington. magnoliaruneqcenter.com.

5 TANHEATH HUNT INTRO TO FOXHUNTING CLINIC, Tyrone Farm, Pomfret. tanheathhunt.com.

10 3D BARREL RACING, All In Farm, Woodbury. (203) 948-3374.

10 CINEMA UNDER THE STARS, Farmington Polo Club, Farmington. farmingtonpoloclub.com.

11 AVON VALLEY SHOW SERIES, Avon. avonvalleyshowstables.com.

11 NEATO RIDE, Hurd State Park, East Hampton. neatorides.com.

11 H.O.R.S.E. OF CT VOLUNTEER DAY, Washington. horseofct.org.

11 LAMBORGHINI PRO-CHALLENGE POLO MATCH, Farmington Polo Club, Farmington. farmingtonpoloclub.com.

11 – 12 TIME IN THE SADDLE OPRC TRAIL RIDE, White Memorial, Litchfield. (860)309-4507 or johwye98@yahoo.com.

11 – 12 TSHA TRAIL RIDE AND OVERNIGHT CAMPING, Pachaug State Forest, Voluntown. tristatehorsemen.com.

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12 CTRA RIDE, Bluff Point, Groton. cttrailrideassoc.org.

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

18 – 19 RENEGADES CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH, Bethany. ctrenegades.com.

19 CHJA SHOW, Simsbury. follyfarm.us.

19 MBLA FALL HUNTER PACE, Middlebury. middleburybridle.org.

19 SNEHA SHOW, Glastonbury. snehassociation.com.

19 SCHOOLING OPEN SHOW, Portland. white-birch-farm-llc.com.

19 SCHOOLING DRESSAGE SHOW, Salisbury. weatoguestables.com.

21 FALL HORSE SHOW, Simsbury. wellawayfarmct.com.

24 3D BARREL RACING, All In Farm, Woodbury. (203) 948-3374.

24 – 26 WESTBROOK USEF GRAND FALL CLASSIC, Westbrook. westbrookhuntclub.com.

25 FPC TOWN CUP FINALS POLO MATCH, Farmington Polo Club, Farmington. farmingtonpoloclub.com.

25 CHJA SHOW, Simsbury. wellawayfarmct.com.

Been there . . . . . . jumped that.

Assisting owners, riders, and trainers with: • Equine Litigation & Dispute Resolution • Entity Selection & Formation • Equine Taxation • Ownerships, Partnerships & Syndications • Land Use & Agricultural Exemptions • Sales & Leases • USEF & FEI Hearings

SEAN T. HOGAN, ESQ. Member of the CT & NY Bar

10 Bay Street Westport, CT

©Skumer

203 . 221 . 3250 seanhoganlaw.com

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HORSE POWER FARM An Eventing Facility Lessons • Boarding Clinics • Test & Tune

Cross Country Derby October 8/9 Paperless Entry & Payment

Ann Bowie BHSII(T) Canterbury, CT horsepowerfarm.info 860.334.1772

25 SCHOOLING SHOW SERIES, Broad Brook. (860) 558-2065.

25 AUTUMN DAZE DERBY, Ayer Mountain Farm, North Franklin. sites.google.com/site/ayermountainfarm.

26 CCBA RATED SHOW, Glastonbury. facebook.com/TheConnecticut-Color-Breed-Association-1817831748468019.

22 INVITATIONAL FALL SHOW, Suffield. endofhunt.com.

26 CHJA SHOW, Westport. huntclubonline.org.

October 2 AVON VALLEY SHOW SERIES, Avon. avonvalleyshowstables.com.

2 H.O.R.S.E. OF CT BASIC HORSE CARE CLINIC, Washington. horseofct.org.

3 SNEHA SHOW, Glastonbury. snehassociation.com.

3 CTRA TRAIL RIDE, Cockaponsett State Forest, Cheshire. cttrailrideassoc.org.

3 CDCTA SCHOOLING SHOW SERIES, Treasure Hill Farm, Salem. cdctaonline.com.

3 TIME IN THE SADDLE OPRC TRAIL RIDE, Steep Rock Preserve, Washington. (860) 309-4507 or johwye98@yahoo.com.

7 PHTA FALL FOLIAGE HUNTER PACE, Chandler Farm, Pomfret Center. pomfrethorseandtrail.com.

8 – 9 CROSS COUNTRY DERBY, Horse Power Farm, Canterbury.

r horsepowerfarm.info. no Rai e!

Shin 9 NEATO RIDE, Natchaug State Forest, Eastford. neatorides.com.

FALL HUNTER PACE Sunday, September 19 Larkin’s Farm, 747 South St., Middlebury, CT Divisions: Hunt, Pleasure, Junior, Western 1st-10th place ribbons in each division Prizes for 1st place team in each division.

Points earned toward trophies in Associated Bridle Trails Series.

Pre-registration is mandatory!

By September 12, 2021. Don’t worry, MBLA offers a no-worries registration — if you don’t ride, for whatever reason, your check will be returned to you!

Register at middleburybridle.org.

Questions? Shawnalee at (203) 598-0065 or info@middleburybridle.org.

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9 RENEGADES CREEPIN’ INTO HALLOWEEN MATCH, Bethany. ctrenegades.com.

10 TANHEATH HUNT BLESSING OF THE HOUNDS, Tyrone Farm, Pomfret. tanheathhunt.com.

10 USEA HORSE TRIALS, Kent. kenthtorganizers@gmail.com.

10 GRTA HUNTER PACE, June Hill Farm, Stamford. thegrta.org.

10 PRACTICE YOUR VERSATILITY CLINIC, Babcock Hill Horses Naturally, Coventry. babcockhill.com.

10 CTRA CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE TRAIL RIDE, Machimoodus Sunrise State Park, Moodus. cttrailrideassoc.org.

10 DRESSAGE SHOW, Portland. white-birch-farm-llc.com.

11 DRESSAGE SHOW, Sperry View Farm, Bethany. centerlineevents.com.

15 SCHOOLING DRESSAGE SHOW, Gales Ferry. mvhchorse.com.

16 VERSATILITY COMPETITION, Babcock Hill Horses Naturally, Coventry. babcockhill.com.

16 – 17 DRESSAGE SHOW, Gales Ferry. mvhchorse.com.

17 AVON VALLEY SHOW SERIES, Avon. avonvalleyshowstables.com.

17 TIME IN THE SADDLE OPRC TRAIL RIDE, Larkin State Bridle Trail, Naugatuck. (860( 309-4507 or johwye98@yahoo.com.

17 CTRA TURKEY TROT, Cheshire. cttrailrideassoc.org.

Join us!

We are a small but dedicated group, passionate about horses and hounds, friendly and helpful to newcomers.

August 28 - Pomfret Hunter Pace (Sept. 4 rain date) September 5 - Intro to Foxhunting at Tyrone Farm September 19 - Fall Hunter Pace at Arcadia, RI October 10 - Blessing of the Hounds at Tyrone Farm November 14 - Tanheath Hunter Trials at CT Equest. Ctr. November 21 - Turkey Trot at Bass Farm

24 NBLA FROST ON THE PUMPKIN HUNTER PACE, Newtown. nblact.com.

24 CMHA HALLOWEEN TRAIL RIDE, East Lyme. ctmorgans.org.

24 FALL SCHOOLING HORSE TRIALS, Gales Ferry. mvhchorse.com.

25 HAY BURR INN CONCERT ON THE ROOF, Plainfield. hayburrinn.org.

30 SHALLOWBROOK RATED SHOW, Somers. shallowbrook.com.

31 HALLOWEEN FUN RIDE, Babcock Hill Horses Naturally, Coventry. babcockhill.com.

31 DRESSAGE SHOW, Sperry View Farm, Bethany. centerlineevents.com.

November 6 GRTA SILVER HORSE BALL, Greenwich. thegrta.org.

6 CTRA ANNUAL BANQUET AND MEETING, Monticello Banquet Facility, Meriden. cttrailrideassoc.org.

6 H.O.R.S.E. OF CT VOLUNTEER DAY, Washington. horseofct.org.

7 HUNTER PACE, Ayer Mountain Farm, North Franklin. sites.google.com/site/ayermountainfarm.

7 NEATO RIDE, Pattaconk Reservoir Ride. neatorides.com.

7 AVON VALLEY SHOW SERIES, Avon. avonvalleyshowstables.com.

7 PRACTICE YOUR VERSATILITY CLINIC, Babcock Hill Horses Naturally, Coventry. babcockhill.com.

www.TanheathHunt.com Follow us on Facebook: Tanheath Events Darcy Johnson MFH (860) 942-6448 Kara Waldron-Murray MFH (401) 752-9288 William Wentworth (860) 933-3523 14 TANHEATH HUNT HUNTER TRIALS, Connecticut Equestrian Center, Coventry. tanheathhunt.com.

19 – 21 H.O.R.S.E. OF CT TACK SALE, Washington. horseofct.org.

20 VERSATILITY COMPETITION, Babcock Hill Horses Naturally, Coventry. babcockhill.com.

21 TANHEATH HUNT TURKEY TROT, Bass Farm, Scotland. tanheathhunt.com.

21 SHALLOWBROOK RATED SHOW, Somers. shallowbrook.com.

21 CMHA TURKEY TROT, Bluff Point State Park, Groton. ctmorgans.org.

21 BAY STATE TRAIL RIDERS ASSOCIATION RIDE, THOMPSON. bstra.org.

December 11 H.O.R.S.E. OF CT HOLIDAY FESTIVAL, Washington. horseofct.org.

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events MASSACHUSETTS

September

11 HCRC TREC COMPETITION, Corinthian Farm, Chester. hampshirecountyridingclub.org.

1 BRIGGS STABLE MINI SHOW, Hanover. briggsstable.com.

11 USEA HORSE TRIALS, Millis. appleknoll.com.

1 AKF JUMPER SHOW SERIES FINALE, Millis. appleknoll.com.

11 BSTRA WILD WEST RIDE, Upton. bstra.org.

3 – 5 MYOPIA HUNT SHOW, South Hamilton. myopiahunt.org.

11 NEECA 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, Athol. neeca.org.

4 – 6 BLANDFORD FAIR SHOW, Blandford. (413) 695-8343.

11 CCDS LENOX TUB PARADE, Lenox. colonialcarriage.org.

5 HRC OPEN SHOW, Hanover. hansonridingclub.org.

12 SOUTH COAST SERIES HUNTER SHOW, Grazing Fields Farm, Buzzards Bay. southcoastseries.com.

5 MYOPIA POLO MATCH, South Hamilton. myopiapolo.org.

5 WNEPHA SHOW, Riverbank Farm, Dalton. wnepha.com.

5 USEF USEA HORSE TRIALS, Course Brook Farm, Sherborn. coursebrookfarm.com.

6 SCARLET APPLE HORSE TRIALS, Groton. appletreefarm.org.

8 – 12 NORTH EAST CLASSIC, Halifax. fieldstoneshowpark.com.

12 THREE-PHASE, Berlin. orchardhillequestriancenter.com.

12 DRESSAGE SHOW, Bradford Equestrian Center, Haverhill.

(978) 374-0008.

12 MYOPIA POLO MATCH, South Hamilton. myopiapolo.org.

12 WNEPHA SHOW, Bellwether Stables, Richmond. wnepha.com.

We Speak Fluent Neigh!

Boarding . Training . Onsite Leases Lessons with Licensed Instructor Owner is an Eventer Open to all riding styles!

All-day Turnout, Stalls with Run Outs, Individual Turnouts, and Pasture Board Heated Tack Room . Indoor Arena Round Pen . Trails . Outdoor Arena

Kate Cameron

4 Plain Road, Hatfield, Mass.

(978) 739-4707 www.RedMareFarm.com RedMareFarmLLC@gmail.com 104

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hase Two-P e Show ssag & Dre er 31

Octob

on up Poles ice of d n u o o nd Gr peitors ch Line a m Lead e-only co DF tests. ag US ire.

Dress USEA or al att inform t u b Neat

Apple Knoll Farm Jumper Shows

Jerry Schurink Clinic

September 1 - Finale with Awards

October 9 – 10

USEA Horse Trials

IEA Dressage

September 11

October 17

Area I Schooling Horse Trials Championships

Halloween Hunter Pace

September 12

October 21

Lainey Ashker Clinic

Norfolk Hunt Pony Club Clinic

November 13 – 14

September 16 - 20

Dressage Schooling Show September 26 Year-end Banquet November 20 – 21 crdressage.org

Norfolk Hunt October 5

Alex Brackin

lists Prize forms r nt y . and e knoll.com le e p at: ap the websit Check as events often dded! are a

Our MISSION is to provide a safe, comfortable, and well-equipped facility for horses and riders to develop the skills and confidence required for the sport of Eventing.

APPLE KNOLL FARM 25 Forest Lane, Millis, Massachusetts (508) 376-2564 | AppleKnoll.com Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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12 AREA 1 SCHOOLING HORSE TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIPS, Apple Knoll Farm, Millis. appleknoll.com.

12 MACLAY FINALS, Halifax. fieldstoneshowpark.com.

12 NEECA GYMKHANA SERIES, Athol. neeca.org.

12 MHC CLASSIC AND PLEASURE FINALS, Hanover. mhconline.com.

15 – 19 HUNTERS & HUNT SEAT EQUITATION, ZONE 1 HOTY FINALS, West Springfield. thebige.com/horseshow.

16 – 20 NORFOLK HUNT PONY CLUB CLINIC, Apple Knoll Farm, Millis. appleknoll.com.

19 WNEPHA SHOW, White Horse Hill, Richmond. wnepha.com.

19 BRDC OPEN SHOW, Barre. barreridingdrivingclub.com.

19 BSTRA FALL HUNTER PACE, Douglas. bstra.org.

19 DRESSAGE SHOW, Xenophon Farm, Montague.

(312) 367-9828 or xenophonshows@gmail.com.

23 – 26 SADDLEBREDS, HACKNEYS, MORGANS, AND FRIESIANS, West Springfield. thebige.com/horseshow.

25 USEF NEHC MHC SEHA MHJ SHOW, Medway. nv-farm.com.

26 USEA FALL HORSE TRIALS, Hamilton. grotonhousefarm.com.

18 SUNRISE SHOW SERIES, South Hadley. (413) 695-8343.

26 CRDA DRESSAGE SCHOOLING SHOW, Millis. crdressage.org.

18 HORSE TRIALS, Azrael Acres, Uxbridge. azraelacres.com.

26 BSTRA FALL BENEFIT RIDE, Oxford. bstra.org.

19 DRESSAGE SCHOOLING SHOW, Belchertown. independencestablellc.com.

30 – October 3 DRAFT HORSE SHOW, West Springfield. thebige.com/horseshow.

19 SCHOOLING TWO-PHASE AND DRESSAGE SHOW, Dracut. cutterfarm.com.

October

19 SCHOOLING DRESSAGE SHOW, Hatfield. rerponies.com.

1 – 3 MHC DAYS OF CHAMPIONS EQUITATION FINALS, Northampton. mahorsecouncil.com.

19 MYOPIA POLO MATCH, South Hamilton. myopiapolo.org.

3 SCHOOLING HORSE TRIALS, Plymouth. valinorfarm.com.

19 HCRC TRAIL RIDE, Hawley. hampshirecountyridingclub.org.

3 SOUTH COAST SERIES HUNTER SHOW, Grazing Fields Farm, Buzzards Bay. southcoastseries.com.

19 CMHSS SHOW SERIES, Camp Marshall, Spencer. cmhss.org.

MHC Pleasure Classic Finals Sponsored by the Massachusetts Horsemen’s Council Double Point MHC Show Affiliated with NEHC, SSHC Open and Breed Classes More than 100 exhibitors compete for great prizes and awards offered in a multitude of Open, Breed, Pleasure, Western, Saddle Seat, and Equitation classes in two rings to ensure a variety of classes.

Sunday, September 12, at Briggs Stable, 623 Hanover Street, Hanover, Mass.

Show Begins Promptly at 8 a.m.

Pleasure Classic Finals: Hunter, Saddle Seat, Western WalkTrot Pleasure Classics: MHC Walk Trot 10 & Under, SSHC Walk Trot 11 & Older (No qualifying needed for Walk Trot Classics)

Lifetime Pleasure Horse Achievement Award • Community Horse Youth Award

For more information, please visit mahorsecouncil.com.

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WNEPHA JOIN US!

The Western New England chapter of the Professional Horsemen’s Association of America holds Hunter, Jumper, and Dressage Shows.

HUNTER/JUMPER EQUITATION SHOWS Aug. 15 Bonnie Lea Farm, Williamstown, MA Aug. 22 Berkshire Humane Society at SJH Equestrian, Richmond, MA Aug. 29 Harmony Hill Farm, Great Barrington, MA

FINALS

Sept. 5 Riverbank Farm, Dalton, MA Sept. 12 Bellwether Stables, Richmond, MA

r 10

Octobe

Sept. 19 White Horse Hill, Richmond, MA Oct. 3

om epha.c Visit wn e! r o m to learn

Harmony Hill Farm, Great Barrington, MA

Oct. 10 FINALS Oct. 24 Muddy Brook Farm, Amherst, MA

DRESSAGE SHOWS English and Western Tests Visit wnepha.com for the 2021-2022 schedule!

Year-end awards in many divisions.

Full schedule can be found at

WNEPHA.com An organization for horsemen, by horsemen.

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BLAZE ORANGE HORSEWEAR

3 WNEPHA SHOW, Harmony Hill Farm, Great Barrington. wnepha.com.

3 MYOPIA POLO MATCH, South Hamilton. myopiapolo.org.

3 HDA SCHOOLING DRESSAGE SHOW, Briggs Stable, Hanover. heritage-dressage.org.

3 NEECA GYMKHANA SERIES, Athol. neeca.org.

5 NORFOLK HUNT, Apple Knoll Farm, Millis. appleknoll.com.

9 NEECA ELWIN BACON MEMORIAL FUN DAY, Athol. neeca.org.

9 USEF NEHC MHC SEHA MHJ SHOW, Medway. nv-farm.com.

9 – 10 BRDC FALL TRAIL RIDE WEEKEND, Felton Field, Barre. barreridingdrivingclub.com.

9 – 10 JERRY SCHURINK CLINIC, Apple Knoll Farm, Millis. appleknoll.com.

For hunting season, riding safety, and visibility.

10 TRICKS & TREATS OPEN FUN DAY, Blandford. (413) 695-8343.

10 HILLTOWN MISFITS 4-H CLUB FUN DAY AND SCAVENGER HUNT, Goshen. (413) 296-4409.

vests . tailbags . half sheets . halters helmet covers . collars . dog vests

The Original Equine Protectavest protectavest.com . (207) 892-0161

10 SCHOOLING THREE-PHASE, Groton. grotonponyclub.org.

10 HUNTER EQUITATION SHOW, Byfield. evenstrideltd.com.

10 WNEPHA FINALS, Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Center, South Hadley. wnepha.com.

Schooling Hunter Shows August 15 . September 12 October 3 . October 31

Schooling Jumper Shows August 11 . August 25 All Hunter Shows at Grazing Fields Farm in Buzzards Bay, Mass.

Classes for Lead Line through 2'6" Hunters and Equitation.

Ideal shows for novice exhibitors and riders on school horses.

Annual Banquet . High Point Awards!

All Jumper Shows at Valinor Farm in Plymouth, Mass.

Find us on Facebook at *South Coast Series Horse Shows* More information at southcoastseries.com or email mel@grazingfields.com 108

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

10 BSTRA MOUNT JEFFERSON PLEASURE RIDE, Hubbardston. bstra.org.

17 HCRC AND BRDC FALL FOLIAGE TRAIL RIDE, Northfield Mountain. barreridingdrivingclub.com.

17 IEA DRESSAGE, Apple Knoll Farm, Millis. appleknoll.com.

Stretch Classes for Equestrians

17 SCHOOLING TWO PHASE, Dracut. cutterfarm.com.

17 BSTRA JOINT RIDE WITH SCANTIC VALLEY, McDonald Farm, Wilbraham. bstra.org.

23 HCRC HUNTER PACE, Corinthian Farm, Chester. hampshirecountyridingclub.org.

23 SUNRISE SHOW SERIES, South Hadley. (413) 695-8343.

24 MSPCA HORSES HELPING HORSES BEACH RIDE, Crane Beach, Ipswich. mspca.org 24 HALLOWEEN HUNTER PACE, Apple Knoll Farm, Millis. appleknoll.com.

24 SCHOOLING HORSE TRIALS, Rehoboth. palmerriver.com.

24 WNEPHA SHOW, Muddy Brook Farm, Amherst. wnepha.com.

24 SCHOOLING HORSE TRIALS, Rehoboth. palmerriver.com.

24 BSTRA JUDGED PLEASURE RIDE, Oxford. bstra.org.

30 SCHOOLING HORSE TRIALS, Course Brook Farm, Sherborn. coursebrookfarm.com.

Independence Stable

Discover yourself. Enhance yourself.

Enjoy a stretch for life with Judith.

• Good posture has a profound effect on how we feel and experience the world around us.

• The balance of strength, mobility, and flexibility is key to achieving a strong, toned body.

• Strengthen your entire body to improve your posture.

Dressage Schooling Shows Traditional & Western Dressage Tests

June 13 . July 11 August 22 . September 19 Personalized Boarding & Training Riding & Carriage Driving Instruction

404 S. Washington St. Belchertown, Mass.

(413) 284-0371 independencestablellc.com

Judith is a retired international dancer/ performer who studied with Joseph Pilates in NYC the late 60s. She taught stretch/posture classes ALFA at Fitchburg State for 12 years.

Focus on breath control with movement.

ZZ Productions Judith Lindstedt zz.judithproductions@gmail.com Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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31 TWO-PHASE AND DRESSAGE SHOW, Hatfield. redmarefarm.com.

31 SOUTH COAST SERIES HUNTER SHOW, Grazing Fields Farm, Buzzards Bay. southcoastseries.com.

31 MYOPIA FALL HUNTER PACE, South Hamilton. myopiahunt.org.

31 BSTRA BIG PUMPKIN RIDE, Upton. bstra.org.

x Training x Drill Team

Lessons Clinics

Horse Shows Games Nights Summer Camps

November 6 NEECA FALL SOCIAL, Ellinwood Country Club, Athol. neeca.org.

7 BSTRA TURKEY TROT, Carver. bstra.org.

11 – 14 EQUINE AFFAIRE, West Springfield. equineaffaire.com.

13 USEF NEHC MHC SEHA MHJ SHOW, Medway. nv-farm.com.

13 – 14 LAINE ASHKER CLINIC, Apple Knoll Farm, Millis. appleknoll.com.

20 GRANBY HORSE COUNCIL LAST HURRAH RIDE, Evans Farm, Granville. granbyhorsecouncilct.com.

CrimsonAcres.org Orange, MA

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

20 – 21 CRDA YEAR-END BANQUET, Apple Knoll Farm, Millis. crdressage.org.

Got Manure?

RO

BIN

D. P E T E RS

EN

MHC NEHC HORSE SHOW August 19 50 CANDLEWOOD RD., IPSWICH, MA

BACKBAYFARM.COM

978-356-0730

MANURE REMOVAL FOR LARGE & SMALL FARMS We provide large and small horse farms with a manure removal program that suits the farm’s needs. Retain a 10- to 30-yard container at your facility and we provide regular service or on-call service. Choose to stockpile your manure and we’ll provide pile removal services.

Shirley, MA 978-425-6181 MitranoRemoval.com

Natural Balance Equine Dentistry Optimize the health and performance of your horse with minimally invasive techniques.

Wendy re-aligns the biomechanical function to fit the individual horse.

Horses . Ponies . Minis . Donkeys

Wendy Bryant, EQDT (413) 237-8887 . w-bryant@comcast.net . wbryantnatrualbalancedentistry.com Certified practitioner in Natural Balance Dentistry® Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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events RHODE ISLAND

September 4 USA VS. ENGLAND POLO MATCH, Newport. nptpolo.com.

19 OPEN SCHOOLING SHOW SERIES, Cornerstone Farm, Foster. cornerstonefarmri.com.

19 TANHEATH HUNT CLUB FALL HUNTER PACE, Arcadia. tanheathhunt.com.

25 FINALS POLO MATCH, Newport. nptpolo.com.

4 – 5 RHODE ISLAND EQUITATION CHAMPIONSHIPS, Tibri, Chepachet. rihorseman.com.

26 RIHA SHOW, Portsmouth. rihorseman.com.

9 CATHY DRUMM WESTERN DRESSAGE/WORKING EQUITATION CLINIC, Fairwinds Farm, North Kingston. fairwindsfarmri.com.

26 SCHOOLING SHOW, Phoenix Rising Equestrian Center, North Smithfield. phoenixrisingri.com.

11 NEWPORT PRO-AM POLO MATCH, Newport. nptpolo.com.

October

12 NEHC RIHA HUNTER SHOW, Hunter Ridge, Ashaway. hunterridge.squarespace.com.

9 DOREEN ATKINSON WORKING EQUITATION CLINIC, Fairwinds Farm, North Kingston. fairwindsfarmri.com.

18 USA VS. SOUTH AFRICA POLO MATCH, Newport. nptpolo.com.

Trail Rides by Beautiful Beaches

2 TSHA TRAIL RIDE, Escoheag. tristatehorsemen.com.

2 NEHC RIHA HUNTER SHOW, Dapper Dan Farm, East Greenwich. dapperdanfarm.com.

2 GHC BILL STRAIN MEMORIAL BEACH RIDE, Blue Shutters Beach, Charlestown. grandbyhorsecouncilct.com.

7 – 18 VIRTUAL WORKING EQUITATION FUN SHOW, Fairwinds Farm, North Kingston. fairwindsfarmri.com.

16 NEHC RIHA HUNTER SHOW, Dapper Dan Farm, East Greenwich. dapperdanfarm.com.

17 OPEN SCHOOLING SHOW SERIES, Cornerstone Farm, Foster. cornerstonefarmri.com.

24 NEHC RIHA HUNTER SHOW, Hunter Ridge, Ashaway. hunterridge.squarespace.com.

24 HALLOWEEN SCHOOLING SHOW, Phoenix Rising Equestrian Center, North Smithfield. phoenixrisingri.com.

Our popular two-hour horseback riding tour will take you by two beautiful beaches and out to a wildlife preservation. You’ll be delighted by panoramic views of miles of beach!

Reservations: 401.837.4188 No experience necessary.

Newport Equestrian Academy 287 Third Beach Rd., Middletown

newportequestrian.com 112

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30 RIHA SHOW, Portsmouth. rihorseman.com.

November 7 RIHA HUNTER SHOW, Hunter Ridge. Ashaway. hunterridge.squarespace.com.

14 RIHA SHOW, Sandy Point Stables, Portsmouth. rihorseman.com.

28 NEHC RIHA HUNTER SHOW, Hunter Ridge, Ashaway. hunterridge.squarespace.com.

Connecticut Directory EDUCATION, RIDING PROGRAMS ASSOCIATIONS

Connecticut Dressage & Combined Training Association cdctaonline.com The Connecticut Dressage & Combined Training Association offers clinics, lectures, a Dressage & Combined Training Schooling Show Series, USDF Regional Schooling Show Awards Program, TIP Awards for show day and year end, and a volunteer recognition program. Join us today!

Pomfret Horse and Trail Association pomfrethorseandtrail.com Pomfret Horse and Trail Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit volunteer organization formed in 2007 to preserve, protect, and maintain open space and the century-old system of riding and hiking trails in Pomfret, Connecticut. We work closely with landowners, local land trusts, and the town to maintain access and expand trail networks. We sponsor several rides each year that showcase the beauty of Pomfret.

CAT SPAY/NEUTER CLINIC

TEAM Mobile Feline Spay/Neuter Clinic Throughout Connecticut (888) FOR-TEAM; everyanimalmatters.org TEAM brings affordable spay/neuter and vaccination services for cats to more than 25 communities statewide. Any Connecticut cat — domestic, barn cat, stray, or feral — is welcomed aboard. Low cost. Call now to book your appointment.

DRESSAGE

Fox Ledge Farm Ann Guptill; East Haddam, CT (860) 873-8108; foxledgefarm.net USET Pan Am Dressage Team Silver, USDF Certified Instructor and Examiner, USPC Graduate A, and USDF “L” Judge Graduate. Training, lessons, board, clinics.

All levels welcome. Schooling show series. Wooded trails, and open, rolling fields. Ad on page 27.

The Ethel Walker School Simsbury, CT (860) 408-4200; ethelwalker.org Aline Rossiter, Director of Enrollment Management admission@ethelwalker.org At Walker’s, riders train on campus in the hunter, jumper, and equitation disciplines to achieve regional and national titles under the guidance of our nationally recognized trainers. Ad on page 47.

EQUESTRIAN ATTORNEY

Sean Hogan, Esq. Westport, CT (203) 221-3250; seanhoganlaw.com Attorney focusing on estate planning and assisting trainers, owners, and investors in equine-related transactions and litigation in Connecticut, New York, and before the USEF. Three decades of experience in the equine industry. Ad on page 101.

EQUINE DENTISTRY

Dillon’s Equine Dentistry Edward F. Dillon Serving New England (508) 528-2242 (voice/text); dilloneq.com Overall dental care for horses, ponies, minis, and donkeys. Twenty-five years experience. Tooth extractions, no power tools, no sedation required, no farm call fee. New customers welcome. Ad on page 74.

EQUINE MASSAGE

Equine Massage by Kathleen Curran Redding, CT (203) 297-3008; kathy.curran@snet.net How about a nice massage? For your horse! Certified

by Equissage. Call or email for your introductory offer!

Ad on page 94.

EQUINE RESCUES

Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue East Hampton, CT (860) 467-6587; ctdraftrescue.org CDHR rescues, rehabilitates, retrains, and rehomes Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

113

at-risk draft horses in the Northeast. We host gelding clinics, educate horse owners about responsible care, help struggling horse owners, and assist in times of natural disasters.

Rising Starr Horse Rescue Wilton, CT (203) 257-8345; risingstarrhorserescue.org We rescue, rehabilitate, retrain, and rehome at-risk horses. Adoptions, sponsorships, and volunteer opportunities. Programs with weekly fun and education. We give horses a second chance. 501(c)(3).

FEED & FARM SUPPLIES Benedict’s Home & Garden 480 Purdy Hill Road, Monroe, CT (203) 268-2537; benedictsgarden.com Serving Monroe and surrounding area since 1950.

Feeds: Blue Seal, Nutrena, Triple Crown, Kalmbach/ Tribute, New Country Organics. Hay, shavings, straw.

Horse/pet supplies and poultry/poultry supplies.

Lock, Stock & Barrel Bethany, CT (203) 393-0002; lsbfarmsupply.com Blue Seal, Purina, Standlee, Triple Crown, Cavalor, Nutrena, and more. Shavings, hay, tack, supplements, barn supplies, fencing, tractors, power equipment, and equipment service. Ad on page 124.

Pleasant View Farms Somers, CT (860) 698-2388; pleasantviewfarmsinc.com Premium quality hay, small and large square bales, large round bales, timothy, timothy/orchard grass, orchard grass/alfalfa, alfalfa. Bagged and bulk grains, bagged shavings in three flake sizes, pellets, hemp, and straw. Pick up and delivery. Ad on pages 28 and 29.

HORSEMANSHIP

Babcock Hill Horses Naturally Dawn Bonin Horsemanship Coventry, CT (860) 985-7611 (cell); dawnbonin.com Lessons, versatility clinics and competitions, versatility course, sales/leases, two outdoor rings, indoor arena, miles of trails. Competitions. Ad on page 95.

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

Rebecca Hathaway Horsemanship Manager, Sandy Hook Equestrian Center Newtown, CT (203) 313-6389 (voice/text); rebecca-hathaway.com Riding lessons, horse training, natural horsemanship, boarding. Equitation, jumping, dressage lessons, horsemanship groundwork/riding, haul-ins welcome.

Self-esteem and confidence building, improve cognitive skills, problem solving, games, and fitness.

MANURE REMOVAL

Associated Refuse Hauler Newtown, CT (203) 426-8870; associatedrefuse.com Containerized manure removal for one to 100 horses; containers from 4- to 30-cubic yards. Serving Fairfield, New Haven, and Litchfield Counties in CT, Westchester and Putnam Counties in NY. Ad on page 44.

TACK REPAIRS & LEATHER WORK

Awl for the Horse Fran Hornick (203) 371-5635; awl4thehorse@gmail.com Repair work for English, western, harness, and more.

Refinishing, conditioning, custom work, leather carving. By appointment only; leave detailed message.

TACK SHOPS

Equestrian Outfitters Somers, CT (860) 749-4420; revct1@yahoo.com Your source for all things equine new and used.

Riders helping riders since 1986! English, western saddle seat, and dressage. Supplies, blanket cleaning, horse clothing, gifts, tack, apparel. Ad on page 41.

The Paddock Inc. Ledyard, CT (860) 464-1559; thepaddockinc.com The totally stocked English tack shop. Fitting you is what we do best. Great deals on your favorite equestrian gear for the whole family including your horse.

THERAPEUTIC PROGRAMS

High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Old Lyme, CT (860) 434-1974; highhopestr.org

High Hopes provides inclusive equine-assisted services including riding, carriage driving, and unmounted as well as field trips, summer camps, and specialty programs including leadership development, memory care, youth development, and veteran programs.

New Canaan Mounted Troop New Canaan, CT (203) 966-0634; newcanaanmountedtroop.org We are a 501(c)(3) youth development and therapeutic equestrian center. We operate a comprehensive horsemanship program for youth ages 7 to 17 and a therapeutic program.

SpiritHorse Therapeutic Riding Center 174 Morgan Road, Canton, CT (860) 841-9930; spirithorsect.org Therapeutic horseback riding and non-riding lessons for people of all ages, with and without disabilities.

Early intervention program, one-hour mentorship lessons, summer programs, and equine unified vocational agricultural training program.

TRAINING, LESSONS & BOARD

Horse Power Farm Ann Bowie, BHSII(T); Canterbury, CT (860) 334-1772; horsepowerfarm.info Eventing farm specializing in lessons, boarding, clinics, and test and tune. Cross-country derbies, perfect for the green eventer and the professional with a young horse. Dressage, stadium jumping, and crosscountry training. Ad on page 102.

VETERINARIANS

Beckett & Associates Veterinary Services Chip Beckett, DVM, Jennifer Webb, DVM Caitlin McIntosh, DVM, Stephanie Tornaquindici, DVM Glastonbury, CT (860) 659-0848; beckettvet.net; info@beckettvet.net Farm calls and trailer-in appointments. Preventative care, medical diagnostics, dentistry, sports medicine, ophthamology, surgery, alternative medicine, vaccinations, reproduction, and emergency services.

(860) 546-6998; bclargeanimal.com Equines, bovines, small ruminants, porcines, and camelids. Vaccinations, Coggins testing, fecal egg counts, radiology, infectious disease testing, emergencies, ultrasound, dental exams, and more. Mobile veterinary emergency service. Ad on page 26.

Kneser Veterinary Services Cara Kneser, DVM; Lindsay Brooks, DVM Serving Eastern CT and parts of RI (860) 823-8951; kneserveterinary.com Equine and farm animal veterinary services.

Exceptional routine and 24/7 emergency care.

Vaccinations, Coggins testing, health charts, lameness exams, diagnostic ultrasound, dental care, gastric endoscopy, and more. Ad on page 27.

Tri-State Veterinary Services Lisa Dauten, DVM Litchfield, CT (860) 459-0986; tristatevetservices.com Mobile large animal veterinary practice serving CT, MA, and NY. We provide skilled and reliable veterinary services to equines, cattle, swines, small ruminants, and camelids through science-based medicine, client education, and management ingenuity.

Twin Pines Equine Veterinary Services Ashley Kornatowski, VMD; Matt Kornatowski, DVM Serving Eastern CT and RI (860) 376-4373; twinpinesequine.com Quality, compassionate care for your horse. Offering medical, dental, surgical, lameness exams, chiropractic, acupuncture, digital imaging, reproduction, and saddle fitting. Insurance, pre-purchase, and wellness exams. 24-hour emergency care.

WATERING SYSTEMS FOR ARENAS

Sugarbrook LLC Chris Manville (860) 634-3826 Watering the country one arena at a time. Horse arena wet down systems, barn restoration, home renovation. Ad on page 61.

B-C Large Animal Clinic, LLC Alice V. Ennis, DVM Serving Eastern CT and RI Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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Massachusetts Directory ANIMAL COMMUNICATION

Mindful Connections® with Animals Nicole Birkholzer Phone consultations; barn calls serving MA, CT, and RI nbirkmc@gmail.com Is your horse suddenly shying at the mounting block?

Not getting along with a pasture mate? Depressed or overactive? There’s a reason for it. A phone call/barn visit gives you insights and clarity and provides you with a plan to bring your world and your horse’s world back into balance. Let’s tune in! Ad on page 61.

ASSOCIATIONS & CLUBS

Barre Riding & Driving Club Central Massachusetts barreridingdrivingclub.com BRDC is one of the oldest riding clubs, established in1938. We promote an active interest in horses and further ideals of equine education and sportsmanship through our open horse shows, vaccination clinics, trail rides, campouts, and more.

Hampshire County Riding Club Western Massachusetts hampshirecountyridingclub.org HCRC offers fun events for equestrians of all ages and disciplines including organized trail rides, versatility clinics and competitions, fun days, campout weekends, TREC, a hunter pace, a dressage show, and a speaker series.

Massachusetts Horsemen’s Council mahorsecouncil.com Join horse lovers of all breeds and disciplines with a focus on hunter/jumper, equitation, and pleasure styles of riding. Show circuit, Days of Champions, Pleasure Classic Finals, scholarships, internships, year-end banquet, and much more.

EQUESTRIAN ATTORNEYS

Kathleen A. Reagan Quincy, MA (617) 773-1597; kathleenreaganlaw.com 116

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

Horses, farms, livestock, and pets. Sales agreements, lease agreements, veterinary disputes, administrative law hearings, representation of nonprofit associations, racing industry needs, civil litigation, and mediation services.

Sowerby & Moustakis Law, PLLC Dedham, MA & Amherst, NH (603) 249-5985; massachusettsequinelaw.com Horse owner Peter A. Moustakis has developed a passion and appreciation with matters related to equine law including contract law, transactional work, personal injury, and trust law. Equine contracts including purchase agreement, bill of sale, transportation release, and breeding agreement. Equine facility boarding, liability, and lease agreements. Ad on page 53.

EQUESTRIAN PROPERTIES

Equine Homes Real Estate Sally Mann (800) 859-2745; equinehomes.com Featuring equestrian and country properties in New England and Florida. Our team of Realtors understands and appreciates the unique nature of these properties and looks forward to matching you to the property that is right for you. Ad on pages 2 and 3.

Hometown Realtors Althea Bramhall Serving Central and Western MA (617) 678-9300; althearealtor@gmail.com Let more than 30 years of experience work for you by hiring Althea to sell your farm.

EQUINE DENTISTRY

Dillon’s Equine Dentistry Edward F. Dillon Serving New England (508) 528-2242 (voice/text); dilloneq.com Overall dental care for horses, ponies, minis, and donkeys. Twenty-five years experience. Tooth extractions, no power tools, no sedation required, no farm call fee. New customers welcome. Ad on page 74.

Natural Balance Equine Dentistry Wendy Bryant, EqDT Leeds, MA (413) 237-8887; wbryantnatrualbalancedentistry.com Optimize the health and performance of your horse with minimally invasive techniques. Wendy re-aligns the biomechanical function to fit the individual horse.

Horses, ponies, minis, donkeys. Certified practitioner in Natural Balance Dentistry®. Ad on page 110.

Northeast Equine Veterinary Dental Services, LLC Leah Limone, DVM, DAVDC/Eq Topsfield, MA (978) 500-9293; nevds.com Board-certified equine dental specialist licensed to practice in MA, NH, VT, ME, RI, and CT. Comprehensive oral/dental exams, routine maintenance, advanced diagnostics with digital radiography and oral endoscopy, basic and advanced extractions. Ad on page 60.

EQUINE LAUNDRY

Jenn’s Tack & Blanket Service, LLC Jennifer Safron Gardner, MA (978) 340-5576 (voice/text); jennstackandblanket.com State-of-the-art equine laundry and repair facility.

Delivery available at many stables throughout central Mass. Visit website for pick-up/drop-off locations or drop off at the shop. Expert tack repair. Gently used blankets and tack for sale. Since 1980. Ad on page 48.

EXPOSITIONS & SALES

Equine Tack & Paraphernalia Sale Topsfield, MA Kay at (978) 768-6275; kljoreo@aol.com April 2022 in the Arena Building at the Topsfield Fairgrounds. Large vendor marketplace selling new and used items, services for the horse, rider, and driver. Vendor space available. $5 admission, free parking.

HOOF CARE

Betsy Merritt Serving western and central MA, northwestern CT (413) 348-5798; betsymerritt@hotmail.com Barefoot performance natural hoofcare. Orthopedic

trimming and holistic lameness rehabilitation.

Trimming to promote healing. Genuine options to conventional shoeing and hoofcare. All equines including donkeys and Miniatures. Ad on page 59.

INSURANCE

A & B Insurance Group Licensed in MA, NH, VT, ME, CT & RI (978) 399-0025; abinsgroup.com Insurance for all your equine needs. Farm and equine, equine mortality, horse owner’s liability. Our agents have been serving the equestrian community for a combined 50 plus years. Ad on page 8.

American National Boxborough: Donald Ludwig (978) 467-1001 Carver: Richard Blair (508) 866-9150 Centerville: Mark Sylvia (508) 428-0440 Great Barrington: Dominic Sinopoli (413) 528-1710 Middleborough: Kevin Sullivan (508) 998-0512 North Adams: Kim Perry (413) 398-5011 Northborough: Jeff Pichierri (508) 393-9327 South Deerfield: Rick Green (413) 665-8200 Southwick: The Mason Agency (413) 569-2307 Topsfield: Scott Brockelman (978) 887-8304 Wilbraham: Sean Rooney (413) 887-8817 Williamstown: Maureen O’Mara (413) 458-5584 Worcester: Thomas Carroll (508) 752-3300 Don Ray Insurance Terri Ray Serving CT, MA, and RI (781) 837-6550; donrayinsurance.com Competitive rates, educated service, and help substantiating values. Mortality and major medical, farm packages, horse associations and clubs, directors and officers, horse shows, clinics, expo coverage, instructor liability, and payment plans. Ad on page 34.

JUMP EQUIPMENT & TACK BOXES

Salty Dawg Equine Services Serving MA, CT, and RI (508) 259-6924; saltydawgequine.com Custom-made jumps, tack trunks, bit boxes, and more. Great for year-end awards. View photos at saltydawgequine.com and on Facebook.

Ad on page 4.

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MANURE REMOVAL

Mitrano Removal Shirley, MA (978) 425-6181; mitranoremoval.com We provide large and small horse farms with a manure removal program that suits the farm’s needs.

Retain a 10- to 30-yard container and we provide removal service. Choose to stockpile your manure and we provide removal service. Ad on page 111.

SADDLES & SADDLE FITTING

Integrated Saddle Services Amy C. Barton Serving New England and beyond (978) 621-2633; amycbarton@gmail.com DK saddle fitter and sales representative. DK Saddles feature an adjustable tree for every discipline.

Revolutionary design provides optimal freedom of movement, ensuring maximum comfort and peak performance for horse and rider. Ad on page 13.

New England Saddle Fit Lise Krieger Serving New England (203) 685-2308; newenglandsaddlefit.com Certified saddle fitter for English and western saddles.

Saddle assessments, fitting evaluations, flocking, repairs, consignments, and sales. Ad on page 14.

TACK SHOP

THERAPEUTIC PROGRAM

Blue Rider Stables, Inc. South Egremont, MA (413) 528-5299; bluerider.org Where happy horses help make happy humans. We offer a holistic educational environment in which people and animals can safely interact, and through their mutual therapeutic experiences, broaden the scope of their lives. Year-round programs for children and adults, with and without disabilities.

TRACTORS/EQUIPMENT

Bacon’s Equipment Paul Bacon Williamsburg, MA (413) 268-3620; baconsequipmentinc.com Kubota, Stihl, Land Pride, and Husqvarna. Sales and repairs for more than 40 years. Family owned and operated. Competitive pricing and always changing inventory. We have what you want! Ad on page 96.

Briggs Tack Shop & Trailer Sales Hanover, MA (781) 826-3191; briggstackshop.com A full-service tack shop with everything for the horse and rider plus we’re a Stübben Custom Authorized Dealer and Fitter. Authorized dealer of Kingston Trailers for more than 50 years! Ad on page 55.

Pasture Vacuum (813) 390-6730; pasturevacuums.com Managing manure the easy way! Reduce time cleaning pastures, paddocks, and stalls. Tow with golf cart, lawn tractor, or ATV. Reduce parasites. Vacuum bulk shavings and dump into stalls. Save money, shavings, and labor.

THERAPIES

TRAILERS & TRAILER REPAIRS

Grey Mare Magna Wave Jenny Cournoyer Serving MA, CT, and RI (774) 329-7489; greymaremagnawave.com Grey Mare Magna Wave offers the best in pulsed electromagnetic field therapy. Serving all of New England. Sessions to suit all needs. Rentals available.

Ad on page 15.

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HorseBack & Body Jo Bunny, LMT/CEMT Serving central and western MA, northwestern CT (413) 320-7690; jobunny@comcast.net Massage therapy for horses and humans. Recovery, maintenance, performance, bodywork, therapeutic massage, Reiki. Ad on page 51.

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

Briggs Tack Shop & Trailer Sales Hanover, MA (781) 826-3191; briggstackshop.com Authorized dealer of Kingston Trailers for more than 50 years! A full-service tack shop with everything for the horse and rider plus we’re a Stübben Custom Authorized Dealer and Fitter. Ad on page 55.

Whitehorse Truck & Trailer Service & Sales Northbridge, MA (508) 641-9212; whitehorsetruckandtrailer.com We come to you for complete trailer service! New and used trailers for sale, trailer consignments, prepurchase inspections, gooseneck and hitch sales and installation, truck modifications, brake controllers and repairs, and wheel/tire replacement. Ad on page 49.

Bradford Equestrian Center Keith & Lynda Angstadt Haverhill, MA (978) 374-0008; leangst@comcast.net Dressage training and instruction, full-care facility, individualized programs, excellent footing, indoor and outdoor arenas, ample turnout, reasonable rates, dressage competitions and clinics, and truck-ins welcome.

Yered Trailers Medfield, MA (508) 359-7300; yeredtrailers.com Since 1976, new and used trailer sales and service.

Hitches, brakes, inspections, tires, cameras, and custom fabrications. Kingston, Sundowner, and Featherlite trailers. A happy horse rides in a Yered Trailer. Ad on page 65.

Carrier’s Farm Nancy Carrier Southampton, MA (413) 527-0333; facebook.com/CarriersFarm Indoor arena, outdoor riding ring, round pen, fields, obstacles, trails, individual or group turnout, friendly adult atmosphere, all disciplines welcome, owner lives on premises.

TRAINING, LESSONS & BOARD

Cathy Drumm Teaching throughout the Northeast (413) 441-5278; cathydrumm.com Clinician, trainer, and coach of western dressage, working equitation, and mountain trail. Kindful training for horse and rider. “Happy, relaxed horses and riders are my objective.” Ad on page 34.

Apple Knoll Farm Millis, MA (508) 376-2564; appleknoll.com Our mission is to provide a safe, comfortable, and well-equipped facility for horses and riders to develop the skills and confidence required for the sport of eventing. Facility rentals. USEA horse trials, jumper show series, clinics, and more. Ad on page 105.

Back Bay Farm Ipswich, MA (978) 356-0730; backbayfarm.com A premier hunter equitation training and boarding stable. Riding lessons, showing, training, full board, sales, and leasing. Horse shows on farm; beach and country rides off farm. Travel to USEF local shows.

New riders welcome! Ad on page 111.

Bob Burrelli Natural Horsemanship Plymouth, MA (508) 224-9430; bobburrelli.com Natural horsemanship trainer and clinician with more than 40 years experience training and teaching all disciplines. Learn from the best to become your best.

Create a better partnership with your horse through gentle, effective, and traditional Vaquero training methods. Starting colts, helping problem horses, and helping horse and rider partnerships. Ad on page 33.

Central Mass. Equestrian Center at Camp Marshall, Spencer, MA (508) 885-4891; campmarshallequestriancenter.net An affordable equestrian facility that has something for everyone! Boarding, riding lesson program for beginners to advanced, horse shows, clinics, events, youth equestrian team, pony parties, summer riding camps, and facility rentals. Ad on page 50.

Crimson Acres Whitmore Family Orange, MA (978) 575-0341; crimsonacres.org Lessons, training, clinics, drill team, horse shows, games nights, boarding, and summer camps. We provide a safe educational environment. Dare to Dream Educational Farm Program. Ad on page 110.

Double B Ranch Plymouth, MA (508) 746-8545; doubleb-ranch.com Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

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Horsemanship for all disciplines. Natural horsemanship training, lessons, boarding, and certification.

Ranch/trail obstacle course, cow working/cow sorting, ranch roping, team penning, reining, training performance horses, flat work/jumping, and equitation/classical dressage. Ad on page 32.

Fuller Family Equestrian Lori Brogle & Emily Coggins Westhampton, MA (413) 539-1242; fullershorsefacility.com Intimate boarding environment and quality care.

Matted stalls, indoor arena, jumping field, outdoor arena, private and neighborhood trails, all-day turnout, indoor wash stall. Lessons with Chrysanthi Gavagan or bring in your licensed insured trainer.

Golden Rose Equestrian Center Julie Pickering; Jefferson, MA (781) 828-5015; goldenroseec.com Lessons, boarding, training, sales. Hunters, jumpers, equitation. Full-service, multi-discipline facility with 24/7 on-site care, open seven days, onsite trainers, all-day turnout, custom feed programs, showing opportunities, indoor arena, and trails. Ad on page 96.

Horses With A Heart Shana Holland; Chester, MA; (413) 354-7744 Infants through advanced. Problems, restarts, mounted and unmounted, horse therapy. Horses connect and communicate through body language, energy, and space. Body riding is safer, more harmonious, and healthier for horses. Will travel.

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Peter specializes in starting young horses correctly.

More than 25 years experience starting horses as well as fixing existing problems. References available. Also available for clinics and events. Board available as well as internship program. Ad on page 68.

Red Mare Farm Kate Cameron Hatfield, MA (978) 739-4707; redmarefarm.com Young horse training and starting. Lessons on your horse or ours. Kids and adults. Boarding with all-day turnout, stalls with run-outs, individual turnouts, and pasture board. Two-phase and dressage shows.

Eventing barn, open to all riding styles. Ad on page 104.

RER Ponies Heather Dostal Hatfield, MA (413) 427-2026; rerponies.com Lessons, summer programs, clinics, training, starting, Pony Club. Adults and children. Heather is a USDF “L” graduate and bronze medalist. Dressage, cross country, stadium jumping. Ad on page 75.

Stonebrook Farm Devin Burdick Phillipston, MA (978) 696-1269; stonebrookfarmdb.com Specializing in starting young horses for riding and driving. Boarding, lessons, training, and coaching.

Dressage and carriage driving focus. Devin is a USDF bronze medalist. Ad on page 75.

Independence Stable Dottie Foreman Belchertown, MA (413) 284-0371; independencestablellc.com Dressage schooling shows with traditional and western dressage tests. Riding and carriage driving instruction.

Board and training with highly personalized attention for each horse and rider. Ad on page 109.

TRANSPORTATION

It’s a Pleasure Training Peter Whitmore Orange, MA (978) 652-2231; itsapleasuretraining.com

VETERINARIANS

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2021

J.R. Hudson Horse Transportation West Bridgewater, MA (508) 427-9333; jrhudsonhorsetrans.com Dedicated to excellence in horse transportation. Serving the horse community for more than 35 years. Our goal is to provide our clients with the safest, most dependable service. Serving the lower 48 states and Canada.

EquidDoc Veterinary Services Caitlin Eaton, DVM & Liz Forbes, DVM Tessa Lumley, DVM

Central MA and beyond (508) 885-4205; equiddocvet.com Veterinary care for your horses including 24/7/365 emergency coverage for our clients, preventative health care, lameness exams, parasite management, radiography and ultrasound, dentistry, prepurchase exams, geriatric exams, and more. Ad on page 97.

Family Veterinary Center Bud Allen, MS, DVM & Robin Karlin Allen, DVM Haydenville, MA (413) 268-8387; famvets.com Horses, small animals, exotics. Acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, herbals, physical therapy.

Full-service small-animal hospital, house calls, grooming, and pet supplies. Ad on page 35.

South Deerfield Veterinary Clinic Robert P. Schmitt, DVM & Samantha C. Clay, DVM South Deerfield, MA (413) 665-3626; sdvconline.com Equine medicine, surgery since 1969. Emergency services, radiology, dentistry, reproduction. Vaccinations, wellness exams.

SRH Veterinary Services Helen Noble, VMD, Robert Orcutt, DVM Elizabeth Lordan, DVM, Evice Bolton, DVM Nicole Syngajewski, DVM, Delaney Patterson, DVM Ipswich, MA (978) 356-1119; srhveterinary.com Large and small animal medicine and surgery. Serving the North Shore since 1951. Ad on page 75.

EQUINE DENTISTRY

Dillon’s Equine Dentistry Edward F. Dillon Serving New England (508) 528-2242 (voice/text); dilloneq.com Overall dental care for horses, ponies, minis, and donkeys. Twenty-five years experience. Tooth extractions, no power tools, no sedation required, no farm call fee. New customers welcome. Ad on page 74.

EQUESTRIAN ATTORNEY

David Craven, Esq. Providence, RI (401) 490-0109; dcravenlaw.com Expansive trusts to include your equines, estate plans, contracts for horse purchasing, breeding, boarding, or training. Creating and/or advising on contracts between you and third party. Advising on regulations governing equine medical practices.

INSURANCE

American National West Greenwich: Ashley Johnson (401) 397-1050

THERAPEUTIC EQUESTRIAN CENTER

New Horizons Center for Equine Assisted Therapy Foster, RI (401) 397-9242; cornerstonefarmri.com Located at Cornerstone Farm. Offers riding and driving instruction to individuals with a wide range of disabilities utilizing the healing power of horses.

TRAINING, LESSONS & BOARD

Rhode Island Directory BARN CATS

Paws Watch Warwick, RI cats@pawswatch.org, pawswatch.org Barn cats need homes! Healthy, fixed, vaccinated barn cats provide rodent control. Delivered to your farm! All volunteer, nonprofit dedicated to helping Rhode Islanders provide spay/neuter and vaccinations for neighborhood feral cats.

Cornerstone Farm Beth Stone; Foster, RI (401) 397-9242; cornerstonefarmri.com Instruction in all disciplines, quality boarding.

Schooling show series: September 19 and October 7.

“Ride for the fun of it!”

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Community Horse 99 Bissell Rd Williamsburg MA 01096 communityhorse.org