Atlantic Horse & Pony

Horse Pony Horse& ATLANTIC

Volume 31 Number 4

February - April 2018 $4.95

A road trip to remember Carl Hester Master Class

Taking the guesswork out of foaling Work

that cow!

All the

pretty foals Peat moss

The dark horse bedding

Woody of Witless Bay Allan McNeil

Standardbreds 24/7 and news from around the region

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In this magazine All the pretty foals......................................................................................Garry Leeson 12 Volume 31 #4, February - April 2018

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Publisher and General Manager: Chassity Allison Publisher Emeritus: Dirk van Loon Editor: Lisa Hines Editorial Assistants: Mike Bienstock Piper Whelan Advertising: Janie Smith-Clattenburg Jannine Russell Fred Holborn Circulation: Tammy Wolfe Production Coordinator: Angie Fredericks Production/Graphic Design: Stephen Nickerson Webmaster: Angie Fredericks Field Editors: P.E.I., Jana Hemphill N.S., Teresa Alexander-Arab Nfld., Alison King Published and printed in Canada.

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Maritime-born tech start-up takes the guesswork out of foaling....Nicole Kitchener 14 Spirited horse stories and experiences (Book Review).........Teresa Alexander-Arab 17 Work that cow!...................................................................................... Judith Scrimger 18 Peat moss:.............................................................................................Nicole Kitchener 22 the dark horse bedding that gives back Woody of Witless Bay is going to the birds........................................Nicole Kitchener 24 Love of salt-sprayed grass turns Newfoundland Pony into shorebird tracker A road trip to remember...............................................................................Alison King 28 Two Maritime riders enjoy weekend of a lifetime at the Carl Hester Master Class Allan McNeil: Standardbred breeder and trainer............................... Judith Scrimger 32 Page 12

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DEPARTMENTS: Sweepings............................................................................................................................4 What’s happening................................................................................................................5 Around the region...............................................................................................................9 Nova Scotia Report....................................................................Teresa Alexander-Arab 36 Prince Edward Island Report...................................................................Jana Hemphill 38 New Brunswick Report......................................................................................................40 Newfoundland and Labrador Report...........................................................Alison King 42 On a lighter note................................................................................................................44 Classifieds...........................................................................................................................45 Directory of Advertisers....................................................................................................46 ON THE COVER: Shelley Scott-Rector and Gary Fitzgerald bundled up to enjoy a very wintery sleigh ride with Freya the Fjord at Mountain Spring Farm in Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia. (Bernie Rector photo) SUBSCRIPTION FORM ON page 17.

ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 3

sweepings

Cyclones and sandpipers The covered faces of the folks on the cover of this issue tell the tale. We’re in the middle of a “polar vortex,” hot on the heels of a “bomb cyclone” as we put this issue to bed. In other words, everything that blew over and away is now frozen to the ground.

Regardless of the challenges of horse keeping in the Great White North, the horse industry in Atlantic Canada is a going concern as evident in the pages of this issue. More and more competitors from different disciplines are working hard at home, then travelling to compete away successfully at larger venues, against stiff competition – often with locally bred horses. All of that comes with the challenges of keeping horses (and trucks!) healthy and happy on long trips, and of course paying for it all.

The option to purchase live streaming of the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto in November means you can now skip the travel and catch an Atlantic Canadian in most of the divisions from your own comfy couch. If you can’t be there, it’s a great option even with occasional technical glitches. If you can make your own fresh squeezed lemonade and Rösti potatoes with cheese and sour cream, you might just fool yourself into believing you’re there (at least until the screen freezes again).

The easterners made their presence known at the 2017 Royal. New Brunswick bred Bellphina won the coveted Lieutenant Governor’s Cup in tough competition, and our Nova Scotia pony jumpers were so fast they had exactly the same blistering jump-off time to tie for first in a class. A rarity, but perfect timing for two happy teenagers and their coaches as they headed back home to the Annapolis Valley and Brookfield.

You can read a bit more about the Royal Winter Fair throughout the magazine.

Local dressage riders Erin MacQuarrie and Jane Fraser also made the long trip to Toronto last fall to ride with Olympic gold medalist Carl Hester. Features writer Alison King was on hand and brings us a summary of the Carl Hester Master Class from the beautiful Caledon Equestrian Park.

Back at home, the fun sport of sorting and penning continues to grow. Judith Scrimger took in a clinic at Murphy’s Stables in Hantsport, N.S., with Brent Smith of Smith Performance Horses to learn more about this mind challenging discipline. Scrimger also met up with hard working horseman and standardbred trainer Al McNeil at his farm outside of Windsor, N.S. Garry Leeson checked in on the process of finding good homes for incoming foals from Manitoba, and

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we have the story of a young civil engineer’s successful venture into the world of equine reproduction technology.

Stall cleaning is the great equalizer no matter the equine pedigree, and one that is especially groan worthy this time of year. Nicole Kitchener looks into peat moss as an ultra Canadian bedding alternative with the bonus of turning the manure pile into “green.”

The delightful tale of Woody, the bird tracking Newfoundland Pony from Witless Bay, who’s taken food motivation to a whole new level, and the story of Boris, the indomitable barn cat, round out this issue.

We have lots to be proud of here in Atlantic Canada, with great breeders, trainers, coaches, farriers, vets, and loads of dedicated riders and committed family members who believe in the value of this demanding sport. Share your ideas and thoughts. We want to hear from you.

This is your local magazine. What do YOU want to read about?

Just 55 days until spring. Hang in there.

Lisa Hines

what’s happening Jan. 20- Jan. 21: Jane Fraser Lessons, Five Fires Equestrian Centre, Brookfield, N.S. Visit www.fivefires.ca.

Jan. 27-28: Jane Fraser Lessons, Five Fires Equestrian Centre, Brookfield, N.S. Visit www.fivefires.ca.

Feb. 3-4: Jane Fraser Lessons, Five Fires Equestrian Centre, Brookfield, N.S. Visit www.fivefires.ca.

Feb. 4: Winter Penning Clinic, Horseshoe Shoal Stables, Malpeque, P.E.I. Text or phone Shane, 902-432-4680.

Feb. 10-11: Jane Fraser Lessons, Five Fires Equestrian Centre, Brookfield, N.S. Visit www.fivefires.ca.

Feb. 17-18: Jane Fraser Lessons, Five Fires Equestrian Centre, Brookfield, N.S. Visit www.fivefires.ca.

Mar. 10-11: Jane Fraser Lessons, Five Fires Equestrian Centre, Brookfield, N.S. Visit www.fivefires.ca.

Mar. 18: Winter Penning Clinic, Horseshoe Shoal Stables, Malpeque, P.E.I. Text or phone Shane, 902-432-4680.

Mar. 24-25: Jane Fraser Lessons, Five Fires Equestrian Centre, Brookfield, N.S. Visit www.fivefires.ca.

Mar. 26-30: March Break Camp and Intro to Horse Riding, Storybook Adventures, Brookfield, P.E.I. Visit Storybook Adventures Facebook page.

Apr. 1: John Thompson Clinic, Five Fires Equestrian Centre, Brookfield, N.S. Visit Rockin’ The Rail Performance Horses Facebook page.

Apr. 7: Travis Smith Introduction to Reining clinic, Five Fires Equestrian Centre, Brookfield, N.S. Email Jkane09@bellaliant.net.

Apr. 14: NSEF Coach Symposium. Location to be announced. Phone Gidget Oxner, 902-425-5450 ext. 342 or email nseftd@ sportnovascotia.ca.

Apr. 14-15: Hyde Moffatt Clinic, Storybook Adventures, Brookfield, P.E.I. Visit Storybook Adventures Facebook page.

Apr. 15: Winter Penning Clinic, Horseshoe Shoal Stables, Malpeque, P.E.I. Text or phone Shane, 902-432-4680.

Apr. 21: Valley Reiners Tack Sale, Sky Valley Farm, Nictaux, N.S. Visit www. maritimereiner.com.

ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 5

May 5-6: Western and English Dressage Clinic with Brian MacMahon, location to be announced. Phone Sheila Currie, 902-4255450 ext. 337 or email nsefmembership@ sportnovascotia.ca.

May 11-13: Restless Pines National Spring Show, Restless Pines Farm, Hammonds Plains, N.S. Phone Heidi MacInnes, 902-209-7355 or email restlesspines@ ns.sympatico.ca.

May 12-13: Valley Reiners Open Show, Lawrencetown Exhibition Grounds, Lawrencetown, N.S. Visit www.maritimereiner. com.

May 12-13: Ranch Riding Clinic with Mona Lewis, Murphy’s Stable, Hantsport, N.S. Contact Debbie Murphy on Facebook or phone 902-476-6106.

May 12-13: Travis Smith Clinic, Coyote Creek Farm, Chester Basin, N.S. Visit www.welcometocoyotecreek.com.

May 17-20: Windsor Spring Horse Show, Hants County Exhibition Grounds, Windsor, N.S. Phone Tanya Singer, 902-7987073 or email avonponyclub@yahoo.ca.

May 19-20: M&N Trail Clinic, Murphy’s

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Stable, Hantsport, N.S. Email suelowe3@ hotmail.com.

May 25-27: Dressage New Brunswick Bronze/Gold Show #1, Princess Louise Park, Sussex, N.B. Phone Nancy McAlinden, 506-459-4960 or email dressagenb@ gmail.com.

May 26: Brittany Fraser Beaulieu Dressage Clinic, Five Fires Equestrian Centre, Brookfield, N.S. Visit Dressage P.E.I Facebook page.

May 27- 28: Equi-Health Canada Instructor Clinic, Countrytime Stables, Glovertown, N.L. Visit Countrytime Equine Facebook page.

May 29: Advanced Equi-Health Canada Instructor Clinic, Countrytime Stables, Glovertown, N.L. Visit Countrytime Equine Facebook page.

Jun. 2-3: NB/PEI Barrel Horse Association Pointed Show, Princess Louise Park, Sussex, N.B. Visit www.npbha.org.

Jun. 3-4: Liberty Horsemanship Clinic with Lori Duff at Countrytime Stables, Glovertown, N.L. Visit Countrytime Equine Facebook page.

Jun. 8-10: Sambea Hunter/Jumper Show, Sambea Farm, Lawrencetown Beach, N.S. Phone Nathalie Green, 902-488-9607 or email sambeafarm@gmail.com.

Jun. 9: Todd Hill Farm Hunter Day #1, Todd Hill Farm, Enfield, N.S. Phone Karen Gillighan, 902-883-9577 or email karen@ toddhillfarm.com.

Jun. 9-10: 2018 R.I.D.E.R.S. Seahorse Bronze and Gold Show #1, Hants County Exhibition Grounds, Windsor, N.S. Phone Deanne Hemphill, 902-462-4375 or email dhemp@bellaliant.net.

Jun. 16-17: Valley Reiners NRHA Show, Windsor Exhibition Grounds, Windsor, N.S. Visit www.maritimereiner.com.

Jun. 17: Equine Health and Emergency First Aid Course, Countrytime Stables, Glovertown, N.L. Visit Countrytime Equine Facebook page.

Jun. 18: Advanced Equine Health and Emergency First Aid Course, Countrytime Stables, Glovertown, N.L. Visit Countrytime Equine Facebook page.

Jun. 28-Jul. 1: Windsor Summer Horse Show, Hants County Exhibition Grounds, Windsor, N.S. Phone Tanya Singer, 902-798-7073 or email avonponyclub@ yahoo.ca.

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Jun. 30-Jul. 1: M&N Trail Clinic, Coyote Creek Farm, Chester Basin, N.S. Visit www.welcometocoyotecreek.com.

Jul. 5-8: Restless Pines Tournament, Restless Pines Farm, Hammonds Plains, N.S. Phone Heidi MacInnes, 902-209-7355 or email restlesspines@ ns.sympatico.ca.

Jul. 7-8: NB/PEI Barrel Horse Association Pointed Show, Crapaud Agriplex, Crapaud, P.E.I. Visit www.npbha.org.

Jul. 13-15: Dressage New Brunswick Bronze/Gold Show #2, Princess Louise Show Park, Sussex, N.B. Phone Nancy McAlinden, 506-459-4960 or email dressagenb@gmail.com.

Jul. 14-15: Valley Reiners NRHA Show, Windsor Exhibition Grounds, Windsor, N.S. Visit www.maritimereiner.com.

Jul. 20-21: Roz Moskovitz Clinic, Clovelly Stables, Logy Bay, N.L. Visit equestriannl. ca/events.html.

Jul. 21-22: Norma Graham Reining Clinic, Coyote Creek Farm, Chester Basin, N.S. Visit www.welcometocoyotecreek.com. events/normagraham.

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around the region

Memorable 50-mile ride Atlantic Canada Trail Riding Association (ACTRA) member Russlyn Patriquin-Dyke along with her pit-crew husband David and her 11-year-old partArab mare Addy, travelled at the end of October to Myles Standish State Park in Carver, Massachusetts, to compete in the Flatlanders 50-mile endurance race. The park offered varied terrain and beautiful scenery making for a memorable ride.

Patriquin-Dyke and Addy tied for 11th place with her longtime friend and riding partner Cindy Hyson (formally from South Rawdon, N.S.). Her horse Addy won Region 16 Arabian horse association Part-Arab Champion.

Russlyn is a strong advocate for the sport. “I enjoy conditioning my mare. It gives me a sense of personal accomplishment when I see and feel her develop into an athlete. I love where this sport takes me – outdoors in scenic countryside while taking on the natural challenges the trail

offers, spending time with like minded riders, and getting together with friends at the end of the day to socialize over a

meal with a bonfire and a singsong.” For more information on this sport contact Russlyn at pr@atlanticriders.ca.

Russlyn Patriquin-Dyke (left) and Cindy Hyson (right) riding in the Flatlanders 50mile endurance race. (Wanda Clowater, Clowater Art and Photography photo)

ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 9

around the region

Maritime juniors storm the jumper ring at the Royal Winter Fair

by Judith Scrimger “I wouldn’t call it a rivalry. It’s more a friendship that pushes each other to do better.” That’s how Makayla Clarke, 15, of Brookfield, N.S., describes her relationship with fellow competitor, Grace Munro, 17, of Wolfville. These two have been burning up the pony jumper classes in the Maritimes for the last few years, and for the first time, both qualified for the Royal Winter Fair. It was Munro’s third time at the Royal and Clarke’s first in the big ring. With a half-dozen riders qualifying for the jump off round in the final, the tension was high.

The result was amazing. The two finished a clear round in exactly the same time of 23.100 seconds and shared the first place ribbon.

For Munro, who is coached by Jennifer Sarsfield, the win was especially sweet as it was her last show with Ever So Clever, her large pony-Quarter Horse cross. “We had sold her the month before the Royal but with the agreement I could keep her ’til then.” Last year Munro won the Championship ribbon.

“This year was a bit of a challenge because we stepped up to 1.10 meters during the summer and that meant horse distances as well. At the Royal, Pony Jumpers is .9 and the distances are set for pony striding so it was a bit of an adjustment. She was calm and relaxed in the warm-ups but she gets lit up in the ring.”

Clarke has owned Twisted, her grey 22-year-old WelshArab pony, for the last five years, and this was her best season under coach Danica Ellis. “The Royal was a lot more than I was expecting and it was pretty exciting but when we got in the ring we were just there to ride like any show.” One of the highlights was sharing the warm-up ring with Captain Canada,

Olympian Ian Millar. “When we were celebrating back at our stall, Ian Millar came over and congratulated me and said I had a great round.”

Another great round from a Nova Scotian came in the Junior Jumpers when Campbell Legere of Hammonds Plains

Campbell Legere of Hammond Plains, N.S., took the top place ribbon in the final class of the Junior Jumper Division at the Royal. The win was particularly sweet as this the first full season for her mount Ennou. This photo was taken in Quebec during the summer of 2017. (Tom von Kapherr photo)

Grace Munro, 17, of Wolfville, N.S., and Makayla Clarke of Brookfield, N.S., made a national impression at the Royal Winter Fair when the two tied for first place in the final of the Pony Jumper competition. Munro and Ever So Clever are on the left and Clarke and Twisted are on the right at the ribbon presentation. (Ben Radvanyi photo) Page 10 | February - April 2018 | ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY

around the region won the final class with her Dutch Warmblood, Ennou. Legere is very proud of her seven-year-old. “This was his first full year of showing. He’d only been to two shows when we got him last December. He’s really kind and has the biggest heart. When I miss, he takes care of me.” The two also placed in the CET Medal Final.

Legere, the daughter of coach Heidi MacInnes of Restless Pines, has been riding since before she could walk. “I depend on mom to help me a lot but we decided early on it was better if she was just mom and I’m coached by Benoît Bréard from Quebec.” While she’s been to the Royal multiple times starting in the small pony hunters, this was her first time in the jumper division.

These three were part of a large Atlantic Canadian contingent that showed in everything from Percherons to Welsh Ponies to the hunters. Shawna RinzlerJohnston took home the Governor General’s Cup (see N.B. Report).

Some horse –

Somebeachsomewhere A fairy tale story has come to a heartbreaking end. Standardbred racing legend Somebeachsomewhere was euthanized on January 14 at a New Jersey veterinary hospital in the U.S., where he was being treated for stomach cancer.

He was just 13 years old.

Purchased as a yearling at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale for $40,000

by Schooner Stables of Bible Hill, N.S., the Ontario sired colt (by Mach Three out of Where’s the Beach) was brought to Truro to start his training. It quickly became clear he had something special.

In 2008 his achievements led to him being named Horse of the Year in both Canada and the U.S., and here at home as CBC’s N.S. Newsmaker of the Year.

Somebeachsomewhere had career winnings of $3.3 million.

He’s been laid to rest at the Hanover, Pennslyvania, farm where he stood at stud since his racing career ended.

Condolences are extended to all of the Somebeachsomewhere family and his legion of fans.

ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 11

All the pretty foals

by Garry Leeson When Dean Shipley, a fellow auctioneer, told me that he was going to conduct a second annual foal sale at Pat Kidston’s Encore Farm it took me by surprise. “It must be a well kept secret,” I chided him, “I haven’t seen any advertising for it anywhere.”

He went on to explain that there would only be a few foals offered and that word of mouth and some Facebook would be sufficient to alert the local horse crowd that these youngsters from Manitoba were coming. Shipley went on to explain that finding good homes with the limited number of people who have the skills to care for them properly was the main objective of the sale.

I took him at his word but when I arrived at the auction site on the morning of the sale and saw so few trucks and trailers in the yard, my auctioneer instincts kicked in. I have coined a new phrase over the years. I call it microagoraphobia, which translates as a fear of small crowds.

I needn’t have worried because as the day progressed, it Page 12 | February - April 2018 | ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY

became evident that the right people, few but eager, were present.

Encore Farm’s massive riding arena was neatly arranged with several holding pens, each with three or four colts and fillies. They were a colourful lot, sorrels, bays, buckskins, palominos, and pintos – 10 stallions and nine mares.

Before introducing myself to Greg Little and his daughter Christine, of Little Valley Quarter Horses, the folks who had brought the foals from Manitoba, I stationed myself near the back of the arena to watch them working with the foals. I liked what I saw – both father and daughter handled their charges with strong gentle hands that encouraged rather than forced – the sign of a true horseperson.

After Christine offered the opening remarks, she led the first little buckskin stallion into the ring and Shipley slammed into gear chanting away, begging for the minimum reserve of five hundred dollars to commence the bidding.

It took awhile but finally a couple of people held up their bid cards and the game was on and the foal found a new

home. It wasn’t as easy for the next three foals; Shipley couldn’t squeeze an opening bid out of the buyers, so the foals went back to their pens.

Then things got better, as auctioneers are wont to say, “The crowd began to come out of the anesthetic.” The remaining foals and the three or four that were re-run, sold, bringing decent money, and it was a clean slate. The average prices were around $700, a bargain for the buyers when you consider the cost of raising, handling, and transporting them all the way from Manitoba.

Some people not familiar with the current standards of care demanded in the industry are still put off by the idea of PMU (Pregnant Mare Urine) collection. They dwell on some of the horror stories that abounded in the early years of the practice. I understand the reticence of the uninformed because I have direct knowledge of the conditions that once existed before stringent regulations were imposed.

In 1966, while I was serving as a constable on the Metropolitan Toronto Police Mounted Unit, Ayerst Laboratories offered me the job of inspecting their PMU producers in eastern Canada. I declined the offer and it was just as well because around that time, for various reasons, the collection stables in eastern Canada were shut down and I wasn’t about to move to Manitoba where they continued to operate. Until I met with the Littles at the auction, I hadn’t thought much about the matter but was pleasantly surprised to hear about all the improvements that had been made over the ensuing years.

It turns out that when Greg and his wife Faye got into the business in 1980, they hit on a formula that has done credit to their efforts. They have been focusing on breeding quality horses primarily with PMU collection as a byproduct. The foals at the auction attested to their efforts.

“My wife Faye and I got into the business because we love horses, and my kids have inherited that love,” said Greg, pointing to his talented daughter Christine, who was busy whispering a colt back into its pen.

(Left page photo) Sold and waiting for a ride home. (Top photo) Christine Little with the top selling foal. (Middle photo) Love at first sight. (Bottom photo) Auctioneer Dean Shipley and his wife Christa. (Garry Leeson photos) ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 13

Maritime-born tech start-up takes the guesswork out of foaling

by Nicole Kitchener When Lisa Pfister graduated from the University of New Brunswick (UNB) in 2016 with a degree in civil engineering, she knew she “wasn’t too keen” on a career in her speciality of structural building design.

Based on her own experiences with horse breeding, the young woman thought that could be something worth pursuing. Now, just a short time later, Pfister, 27, has married the analytical and technical aspects of her education with her passion for bringing new horses into the world through PFERA Inc., a biotechnology start-up that aims to alleviate much of the stress, guesswork, and financial strains associated with equine reproduction.

Pfister’s initial product, a birth-prediction system, is a noninvasive device that analyzes chemicals in a mare’s early milk (produced in the month before foaling) to determine – down to mere hours – when a mare will give birth. The device has already generated buzz among the international breeding community since PFERA launched in January 2017.

The breeding bug Pfister herself knows breeding is a tricky proposition. While attending UNB in Fredericton, she brought along her beloved Peaches from Ontario, a registered Westphalian named Fantastica (Fantastico/WerbeFunk). In 2013, she bred Peaches to Schwarzenegger, a Hanoverian stallion (Sion/Calypso II) standing at Ruth Hanselpacker’s Aileron Stables in Belfast, Prince Edward Island.

Early in the breeding season, Peaches came into foal with twins.

A potentially life-threatening situation for both mare and babies if the pregnancy continues, veterinarians will usually remove one embryo. Peaches happened to lose both during the process.

Getting her in foal again was “tricky,” says Pfister. Then, incredibly, she became pregnant with twins again. This time, Peaches absorbed one embryo and eventually gave birth to a healthy gelding, Simeon, now a four-year-old and Pfister’s riding horse.

While still studying engineering, Pfister interned for two summers at Aileron Stables. She absorbed all she could about equine reproduction from Hanselpacker and consulting veterinarians. A part-time position at a local veterinarian’s farm also offered valuable knowhow.

“That’s when the breeding bug hit,” she says. “In between breeding horses, I started getting quite comfortable with the work and activities at a breeding farm such as stallion collection, embryo transfer, everything that makes for a successful breeding business. That’s how a lot of the groundwork was laid for the ideas behind PFERA.”

Pfister, pictured here with Peaches’s 2017 foal Lugatti, wants to make breeding easier, safer, and more economical with PFERA’s equine reproduction technology.

(Photo submitted by Lisa Pfister) Page 14 | February - April 2018 | ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY

Cross-disciplinary skills PFERA arose from Pfister’s acceptance into UNB’s technology management and entrepreneurship program, a one-year engineering master’s degree in which students take a business idea from concept to fruition.

“I channelled all of my energy into figuring out solutions to problems in the reproductive industry,” says Pfister. “I nailed it down to the two main ones, ovulation prediction – so, when is the right time to breed a mare – and when is she going to give

birth. Those were the precursors to the first two products.”

For decades, figuring out when foaling might occur has been loosely gauged by using a test strip to check for levels of chemical changes in a mare’s early milk, and then visually comparing results to a colour chart.

“From that, they guess when the mare will give birth based on some rather vague guidelines,” explains Pfister. “This is a very subjective way of doing it. I want to make it very objective.”

Her innovative, patent-pending birth prediction system still uses a test strip, but now it is inserted into a hand-held device, which tests electrolyte changes and other parameters. An app then relays the results to the user’s smartphone via Bluetooth technology.

“It then gives you a prediction based on statistical analysis and an algorithm we have developed,” Pfister explains. “I built the system to reduce human error by a considerable amount.”

Last summer, the PFERA team – consisting of Pfister and a chief technology officer, both based out of Dundas, Ontario, and a veterinary scientist and field assistant on P.E.I. – pilot tested the device on 10 mares at three P.E.I. farms. Four days ahead of time they were able to predict to within four to eight hours when a mare would deliver, including Peaches, who gave birth to a black colt named Lugatti, by Licosto. (Peaches, who also had a 2016 filly, Svetlana (Sir Gregory/Fantastico), is currently in foal to another of Hanselpacker’s stallions, Dauphin.

In 2018, the device will undergo early adopter phase two and clinical trials as the PFERA team continues to build on accuracy.

“We really want to make sure that our data is so black and white there’s no dispute that the system works. And we learned so much from our preliminary data that we want to test some more things.”

appointments and health records. It will be available this spring to select breeders and veterinary practices, says Pfister.

“The meat of it is where we leverage those advanced statistical methods and algorithms to help with the ovulation predictions as well as embryo transfer schedules and templates just to help with the overall planning for pregnancy success.”

Both products are slated for commercial release in late 2018 or early 2019.

PFERA’s inaugural year has been a whirlwind, with many accolades, achievements, and invitations to conferences and

Investor interest PFERA is also developing breeding management software, which tracks aspects of day-to-day farm management such as

Simeon, now four years old, is Peaches’s first foal by Schwarzenegger, a Hanoverian standing at Ruth Hanselpacker’s Aileron Stables in P.E.I. (Photo submitted by Lisa Pfister)

ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 15

seminars, providing the business with some healthy traction and recognition from breeders from all over the world.

Pfister was able to hit the ground running partly because she secured some significant resources through juried business-pitch events. She was awarded $5,500 in UNB’s APEX Business Plan competition, and later took home a whopping $375,000 in cash and professional services in the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation’s Breakthru Startup competition. To top it off, Pfister won the $45,000 BioInnovation Challenge, an award aimed at the Atlantic region’s young life sciences companies.

Asked why she thinks there’s so much excitement about investing in PFERA, Pfister says the equine industry itself is the draw.

“It’s a massive industry that’s just always been there and it has such deep tradition behind it too,” she says. “As soon as they realize, ‘Hey, I know somebody with a horse and that horse is expensive,’ it connects the dots with them. And with a lot of investor types being familiar with the horse racing industry and what kind of value those breeders and trainers put on those horses, they see the value proposition.”

PFERA: What’s in a name?

At first glance, one might think Lisa Pfister’s company, PFERA Inc., is based on her last name. Funnily enough, it just kind of worked out that way.

“At the barn one day, a friend of mine Victoria Smith and I were sitting outside. She’s a graphic designer and I said, ‘Hey, I need a name for this company.’ I was calling it company X at that time.

So, we started translating the word horse into different languages.”

Pfister, born in Germany and raised in Ontario, recalls, “Because I want to eventually go to Europe with this product, I figured I’ll change it to the word pfera, which is a play on the word horse, ‘pferd,’ in German.”

Later someone pointed out PFERA could be an acronym for “Pfister equine reproductive analytics.”

“That’s a really weird coincidence,” says Pfister.

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book review

Spirited horse stories and experiences Shatner shares what he has learned with his own horses and doesn’t shy from discussing events that made him look like a fool

Spirit of the Horse: A Celebration in Fact and Fable, by William Shatner, Thomas Dunne Books 2017, ISBN: 978-1-250-13002-0, hardcover, 292 pages, $37.99, reviewed by Teresa Alexander-Arab.

About: This book is a compilation of William Shatner’s favourite horse stories, myths, and legends interspersed with his own experiences. I found this book to be interesting and an enjoyable read. In Shatner’s own words “This book was inspired by my desire not only to give my perspective on…my love of horses, but to share the thoughts and experiences of others.”

In a word: Enjoyable.

In full disclosure – I have been a huge Star Trek fan my whole life, so I was immediately keen to read it. When a famous person writes a book there is always a question as to whether they actually wrote it or if they used a “ghost writer.” As I read this book I could hear Shatner’s voice in my head. Some of his sentences had the same staccato quality

you may be used to hearing when he played Captain Kirk. As I got further into the book I found myself forgetting about his acting roles and started to enjoy the book for itself. The book may sell because of the author but it is strong enough to stand on its own.

This book can be picked up and read in pieces. The stories chosen from various literary works are interesting.

I enjoyed reading about Bucephalus (Alexander the Great’s horse) to steeplechasing in the 1800s. These stories are enhanced by the personal narrative.

Shatner shares what he has learned with his own horses. He does not shy from discussing events that made him look like a fool. Early in the book he describes an accident in which a rearing horse falls on him, crushing his leg.

Mr. Shatner says that he learned three valuable things from this: how not to fall, how professional the medical staff were at the hospital, and how to play a death scene in one of his movies. We all know that perseverance and a good sense of humour are essential for a life with horses.

It is clear in reading this book that Shatner has a genuine love and respect for horses. He talks about the spiritual connection as well as the physical. I was quite touched to see that he dedicated the book to his horses and his trainers.

I believe that many people would enjoy this book whether or not horses are part of their life.

ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 17

Work that cow!

(Top photo) Nancy Kennedy’s horse Nita shows the ability to turn back a cow that wants to get back to the herd at the Brent Smith Sorting Clinic. (Bottom left photo) Brent Smith of Smith Performance Horses encourages Sara Bragg to work the shoulders on Nemo, a Westphalian-Thoroughbred cross at a sorting clinic held at Murphy Stables in Hantsport in late fall of 2017.

(Bottom right photo) Brent Smith of Smith Performance Horses gives first time cattle sorter, Grace Giles, 16, some tips at recent clinic at Murphy Stables in Hantsport, N.S. “The number one issue in sorting is giving yourself enough space to work the angles between your horse and the cow. You cannot overpower the cow; it will beat you every time.” (Judith Scrimger photos) Page 18 | February - April 2018 | ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY

by Judith Scrimger “This game is not about who has the fanciest horse or the fastest horse, this game is about who is smarter. You aren’t here to chase the cows, you are here to work the cows.” If Brent Smith of Smith Performance Horses in Lawrencetown Beach, Nova Scotia, had a motto, it would be “Ride Smart.”

At a cattle sorting clinic at Murphy’s Stables in Hantsport, N.S., late last fall, Smith constantly reminded the riders to have a strategy in place before the flag goes down.

Sorting and cattle penning are becoming more and more popular in the region as both English and Western riders discover the excitement and just plain fun that comes from trying to separate a cow from the herd and move it to a pen.

At this sorting clinic, 10 head of cattle were brought into a round pen in the indoor arena. The cattle are numbered zero to nine. A team of two riders waits inside a second round pen attached to the first by an open gate. When the judge drops the flag and calls a number, one rider moves into the herd to separate that animal while the other rider waits “in the hole” by the gate. The goal is to move the animal into the second pen but not to let any other animal move with it. The team must then move all of the cattle individually in ascending order of numbers. This requires splitsecond decision-making, the ability to work as a team, and an agile and well-trained mount that can work in a small space.

In the sport of team penning, the entire arena is used. In this case up to 30 head are labeled from zero to nine, with three animals having the same number. When the flag drops, the judge calls out a number and a team of three riders must cut the three head with that number from the herd and move them into a pen at the other end of the arena while ensuring the other 27 stay put. With more distances to cover, the horses have to be fast and agile.

“Whether it’s penning or sorting, a good mount has to have a lot of cow sense. They have to be very forgiv-

Jack Zeggelaar’s Quarter Horse, Cash, shows the calm demeanour required to move into the herd quietly. At the same time, sorting horses have to be able to explode into action when the cattle suddenly make a move.

(Judith Scrimger photo)

ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 19

ing; it can get kind of rough out there sometimes because it’s fast paced.

They have to be really athletic and have good acceleration. There is a lot of pressure. It’s a very quick high, and they have to turn off again so they need a good mind,” says Smith. It’s no surprise then that Quarter Horses with cutting horse bloodlines are ideal. “They are naturally drawn to the cow. They can read a cow better than the rider. It’s why bloodlines are so important.”

If you don’t have a well-bred cow horse, you can still enjoy the sport.

Sara Bragg’s mount Nemo is a 16.3 Westphalian-Thoroughbred cross.

Bragg, who is a manager at the Greenhawk store in Halifax, rode hunters into her 20s. “I got a bit bored doing the same thing over and over and was lucky enough to get to try sorting with Bryce Milne in Grand Pré when I was going to Acadia. I loved it.” This was Bragg’s first clinic and she was grateful to a friend who lent her Nemo. “He seems to like the cows and I find the people are so much fun and so welcoming and I’m learning so much from Brent.” Bragg learned so much she was named the most improved rider at the clinic.

Grace Giles, 16, also rides in the hunter ring but she works for Brent and Lindsay Smith in their barn, so Lindsay kindly lent her cow horse, Vegas, so Giles could try sorting for the first time. “You start working with the cow, you have a whole different mindset,” says Giles. “Looking pretty doesn’t count. You are focused on the cow and the riding just happens.

Vegas is really well-trained and she definitely helped me figure out the game and get a feel for it.”

The clinic included a group of less experienced riders and a more advanced group who were looking to hone their skills.

Sarah Amirault of Digby has always ridden Western and started with cattle penning at the barn where she boards.

“Hickory loved it and I did too. We went to the Crown series at Mike and Nikki Porter’s M&N Stables in Amherst this year and had so much fun.”

The Crown series is for women only Page 20 | February - April 2018 | ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY

and attracts as many as 57 competitors.

“The mental part is what I enjoy.

The strategy is really interesting,” says Amirault. “You have to develop cow sense and learn to read the herd behavior. Clinics are really helpful because you can identify and work on your weaknesses.”

Smith begins the two-day clinic with a session on basics. “You really have to warm these horses up. It’s not enough to walk, trot, lope some circles, and do a stop or two. You really have to get them loose. They have to give and bend and move their shoulders. Shoulder control is critical when you are working cattle.”

The more experienced group works with the Robo Cow, which is essentially a flag that moves back and forth on an electric clothesline controlled by a remote. “Robo Cow can teach the horse to wait, to follow, to make good turns. It’s a great aid because you can make it more predictable than a cow and it doesn’t tire out your live cows.

I use it more for the rider because with the mechanical cow they can break down the steps of getting the horse down and soft and can figure out where their hands and feet have to be.”

Stephen Murphy provided the venue and the cattle. “These are feeder cattle from a neighbour of mine. I feed them from November to April in return for using them in clinics over the winter. The cows don’t really work very hard and we change the “herd” often during the event so they don’t get tired.”

Because there is a fair amount of infrastructure required, there are only a handful of venues in the Maritimes.

“Creekview Stables and Baxter Cattle Company in Nova Scotia and Sussex in New Brunswick have some great events, and the competition at Old Home Week in Charlottetown has really good prize money,” says Smith.

With more clinics being offered and a new training program for kids, the sport is growing.

Sue Lowe of Newport, N.S., organizes a variety of clinics for Mike and Nikki Porter of M&N Stables in

Amherst, and tries to have a sorting or obstacle clinic just about every weekend at various locations throughout the province. “I think the sport will really grow. It’s very family oriented and lot of people come with their kids.

I’ve been doing it for 20 years now and I’ve watched kids grow up doing the sport.”

The Porters have recently made it even easier for kids to get involved.

“Our first clinic for youth last fall at Rather Be Riding Stables in Grand Pré had 14 participants from age seven to 18,” says Lowe. “It was so popular we organized a second clinic and it filled so quickly we had to turn kids away. We’ll be doing more for youth this winter. They are the future of the sport.”

(Top photo) Sara Bragg was a hunter rider for many years until she discovered the fun and excitement of working cattle. This was Bragg’s first clinic and she and her Warmblood cross, Nemo, won the most improved award.

(Bottom photo) Sarah Amirault of Digby, N.S., does team penning and sorting on her Quarter Horse, Hickory. She likes the strategy required to work with a partner to move the cattle.

(Judith Scrimger photos)

ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 21

Peat moss:

the dark horse bedding that gives back

by Nicole Kitchener Peat moss is largely known as a garden soil amendment, but it has been used as horse and livestock bedding for centuries. These days, peat is often overlooked as a stall bedding choice. Its dark-brown colour isn’t as aesthetically pleasing as the golden hues of straw or wood shavings. It can also produce a heavy dust that settles on barn surfaces and gives lighter-coloured horses a decidedly earthy tone.

However, peat is an environmentally friendly, veterinarian-recommended, scientifically-proven, healthy equine bedding option that can even put money back into horse owners’ pockets.

Grown in bogs, “peat moss is basically sphagnum moss, a semi-aquaticbased plant,” says Kyle Endres, vicepresident of Annapolis Valley Peat Moss (AVP). “If you didn’t rake up leaves in your backyard, you’d have an accumulation over 100 years. Moss is no different in that sense. Peat is the deposits of the cycle of growth and

decayed moss over years.”

Headquartered in Berwick, Nova Scotia, with subsidiaries in Prince Edward Island, AVP produces peat for the national and international agricultural and horticultural industries. A small percentage of its sales are derived from the local equine market, says Endres.

Health benefits Jim Baker of Port Williams, Nova Scotia, is a regular AVP customer. He and his wife Barb have operated their lesson and boarding barn, Sutton Hill Stables, for 12 years. While most horse owners buy peat in compressed plastic bags from co-op and feed stores or garden centres, Baker gets his delivered loose by the truckload. He finds bagged peat “crazy dusty” compared to the bulk product. A slightly damp peat is easier to manage, he explains.

“When the peat moss gets really dry, it takes more for it to be absorbent. It needs some moisture in it.”

Baker’s stall floors are lined with

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soft stall-floor mattress systems, so he uses just enough peat to soak up wet spots.

“It absorbs the urine very well,” he says.

In fact, peat can absorb about 10 times its own weight in moisture. This not only helps to reduce odour, it also neutralizes – contains and traps – harmful ammonia fumes emitted by urine.

Results of a study released in 2015 by the Natural Resources Institute Finland showed both horses and stable workers had fewer respiratory issues when peat was used versus wood shavings, due to its ability to reduce ammonia concentration. This is one reason veterinarians have long endorsed peat for horses with acute or chronic airway disorders.

But why doesn’t the dust emitted by peat cause or exacerbate breathing issues? The Finnish study notes that airborne peat particles are large enough they can’t enter the lower airways.

Peat is also a good choice for horses

that like to eat straw, potentially creating gastrointestinal problems, and its cushiony quality provides extra comfort underfoot for older, infirm, or sore animals.

Deep-litter peat Jackie Waddell of Green Bay, P.E.I., began bedding with peat about 15 years ago partly because of her own straw-munching equines. She uses peat as the base of a deep-litter stall system for her two mares. The horses have 24-7 stall-paddock access via an adjoining shed. In late fall, Waddell starts with a fresh bed of one bag of peat on the stalls’ clay-shale floor.

In addition, horse owners can be assured peat is a sound environmental choice on a larger scale, says Endres.

“We get asked a lot by the equine industry, ‘Is peat sustainable and renewable?’ The answer is yes.”

The Canadian peat industry has stringent mandates and protocols for sustainable management and reclamation, he says.

“Canada is looked upon as being the premiere country when it comes to peat moss.”

“Each week, as I clean stall, shed, and paddock, I take out any really wet peat moss and manure and actually rake dry crumbled manure from the shed into the stall,” she says. “It’s a bit of a balance between too

dry and too wet. If there is some moisture there, I usually leave it, but I don’t want to go in and go squoosh.”

Peat is susceptible to freezing in winter due to its high moisture content and can get “rock hard when it’s wet,” says Waddell. She finds though, by adding more dry peat, as necessary (about a bag a month), by the end of January, the stalls are perfect – “light and fluffy.” Baker gets around the problem of frozen “chunky” bits in his loose peat supply by moving some from the regular stockpile in an enclosed area beside his barn to a spare stall where it can defrost.

Bedding with a bonus AVP’s Endres says peat “can be more expensive than some of the by-products from the forest or silage industry.”

The least pricey option is to buy as Baker does – in bulk.

He says deliveries are usually about 35 cubic yards at a cost of $19 per cubic yard. Plastic bags range in size and price.

They are easy to store but can be cumbersome to move. A common bag volume is 3.8 cubic feet of compressed material, which costs anywhere from $7 to $12.

But both Waddell and Baker like peat because it keeps on giving.

The peat-stall waste mixture breaks down “very quickly” compared to shavings and straw – generally within two months, says Baker. By selling the compost to local gardeners in the spring, he recoups at least half his bedding costs.

“I have no problem getting rid of it.”

Baker spreads leftovers on his own fields, calling the compost “astonishingly good fertilizer.”

Waddell uses it in her own vegetable garden and her husband Kevin Laughlin, a beef farmer, values the stallpeat mix for his pastures.

Says Waddell, “It does acidify the soil because peat moss or peat bogs are very acidic places, so you do have to add garden lime. You would anyway, whatever manure you’re putting on, but you have to use a little bit more with peat moss than you would for other forms of composed manure.

And you really don’t have to compost this at all except if there’s hay seeds in it,” says Waddell.

(Left page photo) Peat is decomposed sphagnum moss.

The dead plant’s cells have a large water-holding capacity.

(Nicole Kitchener photo) (Top photo) Peat is recommended by many veterinarians for horses with respiratory problems.

Dust particles produced are believed to be too large to enter the lower airways. (Nicole Kitchener photo) (Bottom photo) Baker says his peat-stall waste mixture breaks down to compost in about two months. (Jim Baker photo) ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 23

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Woody of Witless Bay is going to the birds Love of salt-sprayed grass turns Newfoundland Pony into shorebird tracker

ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | FEbRuARY - APRIL 2018 | Page 25

by Nicole Kitchener Ponies are known for many things – riding and driving, cute content for cartoons and Internet memes, pasture ornamentation, and being general nuisances. But, as lifelong horsewoman Jeannine Winkel will agree, birding is not one of those things. That is, unless you’re Winkel’s trail buddy, Woody, the Newfoundland Pony from Witless Bay. About 30 minutes south of Newfoundland and Labrador’s capital of St. John’s, Witless Bay is a nature-lover’s paradise.

It’s what drew Jeannine Winkel to Canada from her native Germany in the summer of 2010 when she came to work as an onboat interpreter for Molly Bawn Whale and Puffin Tours.

Winkel and Woody met the winter after she landed in Newfoundland. Her boss Mike Shortall had acquired the pony from a rescue organization primarily for his girlfriend. As neither had any equine experience, Winkel stepped in to help.

She has ridden and cared for Woody ever since.

“Now Mike is pretty much just keeping Woody for me because he wants me to keep working for him on the boat. He

knows how much I like horses.” says Winkel. She also volunteers for the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society’s Atlantic Shorebird Survey.

“Some shorebirds are at risk or endangered. We want to keep an eye on how many are there and how the numbers are changing. We especially do fall and spring migrations. A lot of birds fly through and stop over on the beaches to forage for a bit.”

Killing two birds One of Winkel’s monitoring areas is on a peninsula in nearby Bears Cove, which also happens to be the location of one of her favourite trails to travel with 15-year-old Woody.

“When I ride along, I keep an eye out for birds and when there’s some, we stop, and I look through the binoculars and take photos if I can. While we stop, he’s allowed to graze. It keeps him quiet and happy while I do my observation,” says Winkel. Sometimes I even get off and send him off grazing while I sneak up on the birds to get pictures.”

Last winter, Woody began uncharacteristically stopping at random points on

the trail. Winkel would look around and, each time, would spot Purple sandpipers.

More prevalent that year, flocks of the shorebird species were present nearly every time pony and rider visited the peninsula.

“They chirp a little bit but they’re not very loud,” says Winkel. “Newfoundland is a very windy place and for me sometimes it’s hard to hear them.”

She eventually realized Woody’s sensitive ears were picking up the birds’ subtle sounds when she couldn’t. And for him, they meant a nice rest and his very favourite snack – sea salt-sprayed grass.

“When I thought about it, I was like, ‘Of course you would like to stop and have a little break.’ He was helping me by helping himself.”

Winkel is also employed by the Canadian Wildlife Service as a shipside seabird observer in the Eastern North Atlantic offshore area.

“Unfortunately, Woody can’t come with me then,” Winkel jokes.

If he could head out to sea, perhaps the pony would be able to help locate other bird species too. But probably only if snacks and a rest are on order.

(Left photo) Winkel says Woody is very communicative. (Ian Jones photo) (Right photo) Last winter the Purple sandpiper population was larger than usual in Witless Bay, says Winkel. (Jeannine Winkel photo) Page 26 | February - April 2018 | ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY

(Top photo) Winkel slings binoculars and camera over neck and shoulders when she rides Woody to count shorebirds.

He goes bitless, so he can graze while Winkel works. Sometimes she dismounts to take photos. “He always stays with me until we continue on with the ride. I undo the reins so he can’t get tangled and then he goes off while I do my bird counting.” (Ian Jones photo) (Bottom photo) Purple sandpipers forage on craggy areas along the Atlantic coastline.

(Jeannine Winkel photo) ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 27

A road trip to remember Two Maritime riders enjoy weekend of a lifetime at the Carl Hester Master Class

Page 28 | February - April 2018 | ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY

(Left page photo) Carl Hester at Caledon Equestrian Park. (Karie Alderman photo) (Top left photo) Jane Fraser and Banjo GCF with the one-and-only Carl Hester. (Karie Alderman photo) (Top right photo) Erin MacQuarrie and Iron Butterfly in the clinic ring at Caledon Equestrian Park on Sunday, Oct. 22. (Karie Alderman photo)

by Alison King Forty-eight hours of driving. One thousand spectators. Two promising young horses. One Olympic gold medalist. Those were the ingredients for an unforgettable weekend and the road trip of a lifetime for two Maritime riders who travelled to Ontario in October to ride in the Carl Hester Master Class.

Jane Fraser of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Erin MacQuarrie of Hampton, New Brunswick, were among the 14 riders selected to participate in the event hosted by Caledon Equestrian Park near Toronto, the site of the dressage and show-jumping competitions at the 2015 Pan American Games. Fraser travelled with her six-year-old gelding Banjo GCF, while MacQuarrie opted to bring Iron Butterfly, a four-year-old KWPN mare she bred herself.

Both riders are seasoned competitors and Equestrian Canada certified competition coaches who regularly travel throughout the Maritimes to teach and compete. “I was thrilled to be chosen,” says MacQuarrie. “The chance to ride with Carl was the reason I applied; he’s someone I’ve always dreamed of riding with. I knew the long trip with a young mare who had never trailered that far before or been in an environment like Caledon Equestrian Park would be tough, but worth it.”

Fraser and MacQuarrie planned their road trips to allow ample time for their horses to rest and recover from the journey, and to spend some time preparing for the clinic with two of Canada’s top trainers. MacQuarrie worked with Jacqueline Brooks, while Fraser turned to Cindy Ishoy.

On the Thursday before the clinic, horses moved into the Caledon Equestrian Park, giving the riders and their mounts time to acclimate to the unique environment. The stabling, warm up ring, and clinic ring were all housed in the park’s huge indoor facility. The clinic ring was surrounded on three sides by VIP tables and bleacher seating with room for more than 1,000 spectators. With the buzz and movement from that many people, along with distractions such as a giant electronic billboard, an army of volunteers, and a breakfast and lunch buffet at one end of the ring, the atmosphere was electric.

Friday brought the opportunity for more schooling before a 10-15 minute introductory session with Hester, in which he watched each horse perform and asked the riders a few questions. A cocktail reception that evening allowed more time with Hester in a relaxed, casual environment, during which he cheerfully signed countless autographs and posed for numerous photos.

For Fraser, heading over to that “meet and greet” was when the reality of the situation dawned on her and the excitement started to build. “It felt like Christmas morning,” she laughs. “Carl was great. We had met briefly in the ring an hour before. At the meet and greet, he signed our jackets and laughed with us, which went a long way to making me feel at ease.”

“Carl was exactly what my impression of him has always been from watching him online,” agrees MacQuarrie. “He’s dry and down-to-earth with a great sense of humour.”

Like the majority of riders, Fraser was scheduled for only one session with Hester and as hers was on the Sunday, she got to enjoy Saturday’s full day of learning as a spectator.

The day’s program featured nine horse and rider combinations ranging from four-year-olds to Grand Prix, along with a demonstration ride from Hester’s student and British rising star Rebecca Edwards. Fraser also managed to fit in a schooling session with her coach (and sister) Susan Fraser and Cindy Ishoy.

“Riding on Sunday gave me a chance to watch on Saturday and get comfortable with Carl’s teaching style,” says Fraser. “Carl Hester is brilliant. He knows the sport. He knows the horse.

ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 29

Jane Fraser with her sister and coach Susan Fraser, all smiles after an unforgettable session with Carl Hester. (Alison King photo)

He is a trainer. And he has a wonderful communication style that allowed us to rise to the challenges he laid out in front of us.”

For MacQuarrie, the first day of the clinic was a little more intense.

The two four-year-old horses selected were scheduled together in the opening session on both days of the clinic, however Iron Butterfly had other plans.

She was quite overwhelmed by the busy environment in her schooling sessions, and Hester advised MacQuarrie not to jeopardize the young mare’s confidence by pushing her too far outside her comfort zone.

Instead, he recommended bringing her into the ring for short stints as many times as possible in preparation for the clinic, to allow her to slowly adjust.

For Saturday’s session, MacQuarrie allowed Andrea Bresee (the other rider with a four-year-old horse) some one-on-one time with Hester before bringing Iron Butterfly in for a few minutes of relaxed walking around the ring and easy trot work.

The strategy proved successful, as on Sunday, the mare displayed the calm, willing nature she’s known for at home.

Hester was appreciative of MacQuarrie’s patience and gentle, consistent

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handling of the horse, not to mention the distance she had travelled just for the opportunity to ride in the clinic.

“If I have a competition more than 90 minutes away from home or a start time that’s before nine in the morning or later than 4 p.m., I withdraw,” he joked.

His key advice to MacQuarrie and Bresee with their young horses included working on lots of stretching and taking frequent walk breaks, always encouraging the horse to reach for the bit whether working in contact or on a long rein, and knowing what their horse’s individual limits are.

“Push to the limit, but never past the

limit,” he said.

Despite the difficulties she encountered, MacQuarrie was thrilled with her weekend with Hester.

“My only goal was to give my mare a positive experience in such a big environment and we definitely accomplished that,” she says. “She got better every day in the ring and will be a better horse from the experience. It was amazing just to watch Carl work with so many talented horse and rider combinations all from Canada. It was a great experience and I’d do it again.”

Sunday was also Fraser’s day to shine in the clinic ring as she and Banjo GCF represented the FEI sixyear-old level. The pair worked on the beginnings of collection through a variety of exercises including trot-halt transitions, walk pirouettes, shortening and lengthening the canter stride, and flying changes, earning high praise from Hester for Fraser’s precision and attention to detail, as well as the calm, happy, and willing nature of her horse.

“As an auditor, the master class was invaluable,” says Fraser. “I’ve developed each of my horses, one horse at a time, and it’s been six years since I had to retire my Intermediate 1 horse due to soundness problems. To be fully immersed in watching the development of the dressage horse from the fouryear-old to Grand Prix was powerful.

“As a rider it was surreal,” she continues. “It’s empowering to know that we are doing good work with our horses. It’s empowering to discover that our geography simply means we have to drive (a lot) further than everyone else, but it isn’t a measure of our capabilities.”

While hailing from the Maritimes was no barrier to rider success at the clinic, geography certainly presented other challenges. Fraser notes that for local participants the clinic required an investment of $500 and a relatively short drive. For her, the two-day clinic involved 12 days away from the office, 48 hours on a trailer for her horse, more than $2,000 in fuel costs alone, plus stabling, accommodations, meals, and more.

Would she do it again?

“The simple answer is absolutely.”

ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 31

24/7

Kolby Oickle, 16, has been coming to Saulsbrook Stables since she was eight, where she has developed her training skills under the direction of owner Allan McNeil. Oickle does a variety of chores and jogs horses after school and weekends. (Top right photo) One of the most important elements of training is monitoring the fitness of the horses. Allan McNeil uses a stethoscope and stopwatch to check the heart rate of Cowgirlinthesand, barn name Sandy. “We check them at five-minute and 10-minute intervals after they work to see how quickly their heart rate returns to normal.� (Bottom right photo) Allan McNeil trains young Standardbreds for the racing industry in the Eastern Seaboard of the United States and central Canada. Saulsbrook Stables in Martock maintains both a breeding and training facility. (Judith Scrimger photos) Page 32 | February - April 2018 | ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY

Allan McNeil: Standardbred breeder and trainer

by Judith Scrimger Allan McNeil, a fifth generation horseman at Saulsbrook Stables in Martock, Nova Scotia, definitely works horses 24/7.

A breeder and trainer of Standardbred racehorses, McNeil can be seen jogging horses on the home track six days a week and at the racetrack in Truro on Sundays. In his spare time he oversees the breeding and foaling operation at the main farm and travels to the annual yearling sales in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Ontario. He also acts as a mentor to a handful of high school students who help out at the barn. His wife Adrianne Alexander and his two children, Maddie (four) and Campbell (two), also take part in the business that has an average of 50 horses on the farm at any one time.

What’s involved in becoming a trainer?

You have to be licensed by Standardbred Canada, and I also hold a licence from the United States Trotting Association.

(To be licensed a candidate must have years of practical work experience in racing and pass physical and written examinations.) I also have my driving licence and will drive in races occasionally.

How did you get into this business?

Standardbreds were always part of growing up but when I attended the Nova Scotia Agricultural College (now Dalhousie University), I studied animal science. I had one more course to go when I got a chance to go work for a veterinarian in Kentucky. I was interested in vet work so I decided to do it. My parents weren’t too happy about that! The vet had a number of racehorse clients and one of them was getting older and took a liking to me. He said: “Why don’t you team up with me?” And that’s how I got started. After that I trained in the U.S. and then in Ontario before coming back to Nova Scotia. For a while, I kept a satellite barn in Ontario but now I concentrate solely on Saulsbrook.

What is your average workday like?

We are on the go by 5:30 a.m. in summer but during foaling season we are up most of the night. We have 17 in foal due within a two-month period. It’s a bit easier now with a foaling camera; we don’t have to spend all night in the barn.

Most days the actual training is done by 1 p.m. We take the yearlings and put a foundation on them with two months of jogging a half hour each day, teach them manners, get them fit, and when they are ready we work twice a week off a clock where we go at speed.

A lot of time is spent in taking heart rates. We take their resting heart rates, and then see how long it takes to come back to the resting level after they work. Racehorses are all about

ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 33

has to be shod individually. We do use a lot of a Swedish half-shoe called a flipflop. We are always open to different approaches and shoes.

Allan McNeil and the teenagers who work with him at Soulsbrook Stables in Martock, take a break from a morning of jogging racehorses. Left to Right, Greg Francis, 16, Allan McNeil, Sean Baxter, 16, two-year-old filly Saulsbrook Jessie, Kolby Oickle, 16, Evan Baxter 12, and Sara Baxter, 14. (Judith Scrimger photo)

heart, both physically in terms of fitness, and character-wise in that they have to have the drive and desire.

I train the youngsters and I want them to be well treated wherever they go and that means they have to have good manners. I’m breaking a lot of horses but I find if you are laid back and kind you can take them anywhere.

I like them to be confident, brave, and quiet so when they do their work they

are on the job but when they are turned out they can relax. We give the horses Sunday off unless they are racing and then they get Monday but it’s a sevenday week for us.

When it comes to breeding time, I’m reading the stud books all the time, and when it comes to buying youngsters in December, I’m spending three to four hours a day on the computer looking at videos. Then I travel to Lexington, KY., and Harrisburg, PA., and London, Ont., for the fall sales.

If it’s a day at the track, we start really early because I like to keep them at home rather than stable there. We’ll take a few trips to familiarize them, get them used to shipping and the more hectic environment. We’ll be at Truro at 8:30 a.m. for the 1 o’clock race start. I turn them out in the morning here before we leave for the track. Everything is really organized.

We don’t want to rush them. It’s really important they are relaxed enough to pee so that they aren’t in danger of tying up.

(Tying up is the commonly used term for a muscle cramping disorder that can have a variety of causes including overexertion or overexcitement.) Usually we are home by six that night.

Then there is the routine care. We usually poultice them from above the knee to the foot and wrap them; some will get sweated with liniment. If there is any filling, we take the heat out of them; some of them will get tubbed with ice water, apple cider vinegar, and epsom salts.

I do the shoeing as well. Their gaits have to be really good so we use a lot of different types of shoe, as each horse

Page 34 | February - April 2018 | ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY

What are the downsides to this work?

When you have high expectations for a horse and they don’t fulfill their end of the bargain or they get hurt. It’s tough when, for whatever reason, they can’t meet their potential. You have to try to limit your expectations so you don’t set them up for failure, and enjoy what they are and try your best and as long as they put in a good effort be happy with it.

What are the satisfactions?

Seeing one I started turn into a professional athlete competing at a high level.

To be able to turn on the TV and see them racing in big races.

Lis Mara was one success story. We bought him for $12,000 and his lifetime earnings were $2.1 million. He stood at stud in Ontario and in Australia, and was Canadian Horse of the Year. (According to the Standardbred Canada website, “Lis Mara won the elimination and final of the Breeders Crown, the Canadian Pacing Derby final, the Des Smith Memorial, and the American National. His 2006 world record Breeders Crown win (1:47.3) was the fastest mile in the history of that prestigious race. Lis Mara followed up his championship 2006 season by earning $1,008,681 while becoming the first horse in 20 years to defend his Canadian Pacing Derby title.”)

What I like about the sport is you can come out of anywhere and be a champion.

Lineage is important but you can still find an individual that has what it takes. When I go to the sales I have a certain budget, I try to be thrifty and smart. People are impressed by the big flashy fillies but I try to have an eye for something that no one else is noticing.

In addition to the horses, I like to see the kids who work with me develop their skills and their horsemanship. Kolby and Greg (Kolby Oickle, 16, of Three Mile Plains and Greg Francis, 16, of Sweets Corner) come after school every day and on weekends and holidays. I get so much enjoyment watching them develop. It gives them something to do and they’re a real help. The kids jog several horses for

me and if they weren’t here, I’d have to do it. Kolby has been coming here since she was eight years old and has a special touch with the horses.

What is the state of harness racing as an industry?

The betting part of it is not good right now here in the Maritimes. But the racing industry itself is strong outside the region in the Eastern Seaboard of the United States and Ontario, and there is a very strong market now. It’s a case of supply and demand and there’s a shortage of horses. At the last Harrisburg sales, 890 horses sold with an average price of $34,000. Of course the average was much bigger for the top bracket horses.

It’s tough to get into this business because you have to have the money to build your herd. And right now the demand is so strong it’s hard to keep a good mare for your breeding program because she’s easy to sell.

We have really built up a niche business here by breeding and buying foals and then putting the foundation on them. I have a lot of repeat clients and I even have clients who will simply buy a horse over the phone. We built up a strong reputation with Lis Mara and other horses that have done well.

What advice would you give anyone thinking about training?

The biggest thing about racehorses is you are taking care of the whole horse… legs and heart are so important. You have to really give yourself to the animal. We go all winter here so you have to be sure you have the dedication. You have to be willing to become a total horseman.

There’s a real science to it, e.g. you have to know how to feed them for optimum performance. You have to be able to make a plan and see how you will get there in six months. You have to be realistic with your goals.

And it’s tough on your body. You have to stay fit yourself. It’s not easy being a professional athlete and that’s what this is. It’s a sport.

Still it’s very gratifying. Every night when you go to bed, you get to think about how you can make a better horse tomorrow.

ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 35

Nova Scotia REPORT

with Teresa Alexander-Arab

Undaunted by the Weather

Page 36 | February - April 2018 | ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY

After a beautiful and unusually warm autumn, winter has descended on Nova Scotia with a bang. Like the rest of the country, we experienced bitter cold temperatures.

A massive wind storm on Christmas day knocked out the power for many residents of Nova Scotia (myself included).

However, in typical Maritimer fashion, we just adapted and made sure that our horses were well taken care of.

I was impressed by the creative solutions horse owners came up with – from using truck lights to light a barn to putting jugs with salt water in troughs to keep them from freezing. If you keep your equines at home my hat is off to you! If you board your animals and the barn lost power, make sure that you show your barn owner your appreciation!

Late autumn to winter is the time for Nova Scotians to wrap the season and begin planning for 2018. Despite our size we managed to pack a lot into a short period of time! Last year there were more than 45 sanctioned shows in Nova Scotia (either through EC or NSEF)! There were also a number of exhibition/fun/schooling shows and many more clinics. None of these events are possible without the tireless hours put in by volunteers and the support of sponsors.

The N.S. Hunter Jumper Association held their annual awards banquet on November 28, 2017. In addition to the many awards, they also recognized Susan MacNeil as the Volunteer of the Year and Scotia Plastics as Sponsor of the Year. All of the awards can be found at nshj. ca/standings/2017-hunter-standings/.

The Nova Scotia Equestrian Federation (NSEF) recognized the Scotia Series award winners at a reception on November 19, 2017 (the full list of awards can be found at www.horsenovascotia.ca. Congratulations to NSEF Scotia Series Provincial All Around Athletes Vickie MacKenzie (Senior) and Victoria Salt (Junior); Coach of the Year, Alissa Cue; and Youth Sportsmanship Award winner, Maryn Harlen. In addition to these awards, Dexter Construction was recognized as Sponsor of the Year; Jen Hamilton and Valerie McDermott won the Nova Trophy Community Service award; and Adrienne Smith received the Volunteer of the Year award. I had the opportunity to participate in some of the Scotia Series shows and I have to say that they were a lot of fun. NSEF is engaged in planning for the Atlantic Canada Equestrian Championship for 2018. Applications for host venues can be found on the NSEF website. Stay tuned for further updates.

Horse Trials NS held their AGM on November 25, 2017. Darlene Stevenson and her husband Sid Peters were recognized as Volunteers of the Year. Congratulations to all the champions: Katrina Mullane (Training); Svenja Huntemann (Pre-Training Sr.); Mirah Stultz (Pre-Training Jr.); Shauna Thompson (Entry Sr.); Claire Spearns (Entry Jr.); and Amanda Leadbetter (Pre-Entry Sr.). Events for 2018 are already scheduled and can be found at www.

HTNS.org.

All of the award winners worked very hard to get where they are and should be recognized. However, ribbons and

awards are not the only measure of achievement.

For many competitors, simply being in the ring (and staying there) is a huge accomplishment. For others, enjoying and riding their horse at home or on the trail is its own reward.

To help riders stay motivated over the winter and achieve results, Five Fires, in partnership with Jane Fraser, is inviting participants to set winter goals and test them at a clinic at the end of March. The test does not need to be a competition test (like a reining or dressage pattern) - it can be whatever you’d like to work on (e.g, an equitation goal or learning to canter). Those not riding for the winter can set an education goal (e.g., clinics audited, videos/books).

2017 was a busy year at Central Nova Horse & Pony Association in Truro with shows, clinics, and some fun gatherings happening from May to October! CNHP members were able to use the trails and cross country course well into November last year. Planning for the 2018 season is underway with horse shows and a spring Geezer Giddy Up and potluck (this event sounds made for me given my age and my love of eating). CNHP will be offering a Gold and Bronze Dressage show at the end of July with EC Judge Doreen Horsey. Plans are also in the works to offer a Pre-Entry Division at the July 15 Horse Trials. More information on all events can be found on the website www.cnhp. ca or on the Facebook page.

I’d like to close this report by recognizing the passing of a wonderful horseman, Lloyd Langille, who died on December 17, 2017. Born in Tatamagouche in 1932, Langille’s passion was draft horses. He started driving on the family farm as a child and worked them in the woods as a teenager.

He and his family showed horses for more than 50 years, and he judged throughout North America and England, including the World Percheron Congress (U.S.A.) and the Calgary Stampede. Langille enjoyed working with young or “problem” horses and passing on his knowledge to young drivers.

The horse world is a bit less because of his loss.

He will (and should be) long remembered for all he gave to the sport and to others. Langille was taken to his final resting place on a wagon drawn by six draft horses, all dressed as for a show. It was a beautiful sight. Horse and Pony would like to convey their condolences to Lloyd Langille’s family.

If you have any photos or information to share with Nova Scotia, please drop me a line at talexanderarab@gmail.ns.

Please send in your Nova Scotia related news, club activities, photos, and events to talexanderarab@ gmail.com or phone 902-354-5411.

(Left page photo) Five-year-old Addison MacIntyre is full of glee at her very first riding lesson at the Avon Pony Club in Windsor, N.S. She’s riding her big sister Anie’s pony, Dream. (Lindsay MacIntyre photo) (Top right photo) Danielle Semel and Alex Harvey enjoying a cold winter’s day hack. (Tory Clark photo) (Bottom right photo) Adrienne Smith presenting the Youth Sportsmanship Award to Maryn Harlen. (Shelia Currie photo) ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 37

Prince Edward

Island REPORT

with Jana Hemphill

New year promises lots of activity for Island horse people Clinics, shows, renovations, and more As I write this, the holidays are upon us and winter has officially set in on the Island. After a rather balmy November, December’s cold temperatures hit early and sent many a horse person scrambling to set up water heaters and pull out winter rugs.

While the snow has just begun, Island breeders are al-

Santina Beaton presents Glenn Pollock with the Junior Horse Champion award during the Island Reining Horse Association’s recent awards banquet. (Maria Maund photo) Page 38 | February - April 2018 | ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY

ready anxious for spring to meet their 2018 foals. Aileron Stables (Ruth Hanslepacker) is expecting six: Dauphin x Sir Oldenburg/Florestan; Dauphin x Weltruhm/Donnerhall; Schwarzenegger x Rienzi/Davignon; Londonderry x Dauphin/Weltmeyer; Dauphin x Brentano II/Imperator; Schwarzenegger x Fabriano/Prince Orac xx. Capall Warmbloods (Virginia Cooke and Andrew Kielly) are expecting three: Dauphin x Beau Soleil/Warkanson; Dauphin x Schwarzenegger/World Cup IV; Dauphin x Hampton/ Dauphin; and Star Gazer Farm (Jacquelyn Harlow and Eric Ford) are expecting two: Dauphin x Donarweiss GGF/ Loredo; Glorioso Noir x Donatelli/Laroche.

Island Horse Council has had a busy fall, hot on the heels of a successful Atlantic Equestrian Games. In November, IHC hosted a full day of equine related seminars at the Royalty Centre in Charlottetown. Topics ranged from insurance and veterinary care to equine nutrition.

IHC’s annual general meeting was held Dec. 21 and the annual awards banquet was postponed until the new year, date to be announced. It will be held at the Charlottetown Inn and Conference Centre.

A new IHC membership structure is planned for 2018, with details to be announced soon, but will include more types of memberships to accommodate more people than ever before. IHC has also begun extensive renovations at Strathgartney Equestrian Park. The existing two sand rings are being expanded to 120’ x 235’ and 185 x 230’ with new footing and new fencing. New fencing will be erected around the parking area as well. Fundraising efforts are being planned to help cover the costs of these as well as future plans that include a new secretary booth, storage buildings, a third ring, and temporary stabling.

Donations are welcome as well as volunteers!

Lots of Island horse groups held Christmas parties recently, including the Joyriders Therapeutic Riding Association. At their Dec. 2 Christmas and volunteer recognition party, Justin MacEwen was awarded Rider of the Year honours.

A couple of horse clubs are already reporting show dates for 2018!

The Western Horse Association is planning shows for: June 23-24; July 21- 22; and Sept. 8-9.

Horse Trials PEI also has a busy season planned, with clinics planned for April, May 19-21, and June 9-10; horse trials on June 23 and September 22; as well as a derby on August 4.

P.E.I. is becoming a popular clinic stop for some of Canada’s top riders.

Island Wide Equestrian in Winsloe, is hosting dressage Olympian Cindy Ishoy January 13-14.

Hot off a sold out Hyde Moffatt clinic in October, Storybook Stables in Brookfield, will once again play host to the Canadian Grand Prix Jumper rider, April 1415. More details can be found at www.facebook.com/ events/893588567485249/.

The Island Reining Horse Association held its annual awards banquet recently. Winners were: Open Reserve

Champion – Santina Beaton; Junior Horse Champion – Glenn Pollock; Non-Pro Champion – Maria Maund; Open Champion – Maria Maund; Novice Horse Reserve Champion – Anthony Cannon; Novice Horse Champion – Santina Beaton; Novice Rider Champion – Anthony Cannon; Youth Champion – Brittany Pollock; Green as Grass Reserve Champion – Brittany Pollock; Green as Grass Champion – Catherine Campbell; Supreme Team Champion – Maria Maund (and Pixie); Youth Reserve Champion – Catherine Campbell.

The Western Horse Association also held their year-end awards. Winners were: Open Halter Champion – Betty MacDonald; Open Halter Reserve – Anna Bryson; Small Fry Champion – Arielle Bonin; Small Fry Reserve – Molly Pollock; Green Horse/Green Rider Champion – Alison McEwen; Green Horse/Green Rider Reserve – Sarah Greeno; Novice Youth Champion – Madison Boss; Novice Youth Reserve – Adelynn Fisher; Novice Champion – Taylor Burke; Novice Reserve – Claudie Francoeur; Youth Champion – Lacey Geddes; Youth Reserve – Taylor Burke; Adult Champion – Anna Bryson; Adult Reserve – Alyssa Mutch; Open Champion – Betty MacDonald; Open Reserve – Anna Bryson; Youth Speed Champion – Torie Coughlin; Youth Speed Reserve – Brittany Pollock; Rookie Reining Champion – Brittany

Pollock; Rookie Reining Reserve – Jenna Pollock.

Lastly, our heartfelt condolences go out to the family of Wayne Bernard, of Mayfield, who died Dec. 9 at the age of 70. Bernard was a well-known Island horseman.

His knowledge of horses, especially drafts, was extensive.

He consulted with a few TV programs over the years, including, “Emily of New Moon.” He is probably best known as the kind, bearded, overall-wearing horse handler at Cavendish’s Avonlea Village. He spent several years at Avonlea taking visitors for wagon rides and sharing stories. So beloved was he that they named a barn at the tourist attraction in his honour. In a fashion befitting the horseman, Bernard was transported to his final resting place in a century-old wagon pulled by Mickey, a black and white Clydesdale. He was laid to rest in a new pair of bib overalls and his famous straw hat.

By the time this report goes to print we will have entered a brand new year. It is my wish, to all my fellow horse people, near and far, for peace and prosperity in 2018.

May you enjoy the warmth of love, the comfort of home, and the serenity of a life spent with horses.

Please send in your P.E.I. related news, club activities, photos, and events to Jana Hemphill, storybookstables1@ hotmail.com or phone 902-621-2029.

(Left photo) Sparky and Alexandra “Pinky” Scales were just one of the many participants in the Hyde Moffatt clinic held at Storybook Stables in Brookfield, P.E.I., in October. (Right photo) Kali Scales and Dakota took first prize in their POGS class at Storybook Stables Holiday Show in December. Presenting the ribbon is Joelle Bader, who in addition to winning ribbons on her own pony Mighty Mouse, took home the award for Ugliest Christmas Sweater! (Jana Hemphill photo) ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 39

New

Brunswick

REPORT

Big things from a little province The end of 2017 came to a close with vibrant fall colours quickly fading to vast horizons of white. Before the snow had a chance to hit the ground though, many AGM’s and award banquets had taken place for various breed and discipline associations.

Some of our equestrians travelled outside of the Maritimes to larger venues. Long time trainer Don Adams of Indian Mountain, N.B., attended the All-American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio. The Quarter Horse Congress is known as the world’s largest single breed horse show, and reports more than 17,000 entries with 6,000 or more horses attending the three-week-long competition. Aboard Chocolate N Chex, owned by Christine Brazeau, Adams slid his way to a top-12 finish in the Open Reining Division.

Holly Murley of Sackville, competed at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto in November in various breed classes, with much loved homebred TB Oliver Sudden and ponies Miss Everdeen and Wray Acres Saphire Rose.

Congratulations also to Murley on the sale of youngsters Dreamworks and Dreamcatcher to a new home in the United States. Grace Coleman of Moncton and “Morton’s Tom Cat” also travelled to the Royal. In a very competitive class of 18 riders, this pair placed sixth in Sport Pony Hunter Under Saddle. “It was a fantastic finish to the season. N.B. proud!” stated horse show mom Crystal Coleman.

January Thaw: Equine Expo took place on January 20 with all proceeds of the event donated to the Children’s Wish Foundation. The event would not be possible without the hard work of Karen Thomas and Brenda Nason and a group of tireless volunteers.

Congratulations to Grace Jennings of Fredericton on the arrival of new horse Esino W, a 16.1hh, eight-year-old KWPN gelding that arrived from the Czech Republic via New York just before Christmas. Jennings is excited for the 2018 show season to start and will be moving into the 1/1.1m division. Jenning’s former leased mount Blackberry, a longtime competitor in local jumper rings, has been sold to Karen Stephens of Keswick for her and her nine-year-old

Landslide Moonshine, Reserve Champion Jr. Stallion at the Royal Winter Fair, shown here by owner Matthew Hornbook of Mount Middleton, N.B. (Lynn Cassels-Caldwell photo, www.horsephotos.ca) Page 40 | February - April 2018 | ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY

granddaughter Hannah Knorr to share.

Watch for Knorr and “Rory” on the show circuit this coming year.

Molly Smith of Fredericton is currently in Ocala, Florida, riding with hunter rider Amanda Steege’s Ashmeadow Farm. Alex Jamael of Mactaquac is also in Ocala riding and training with Candice King, who has represented U.S.A. on multiple Nations Cup teams. Jamael will be showing Raphaella M, as well as recently imported Incanto in the five-year-old jumpers.

Congratulations to eventer Susan Pyke of Yoho on the purchase and arrival of Grover, who recently competed in the five-year-old Young Event Horse East Coast Championship at Fair Hill, Maryland, with trainer Adrienne Lorio.

Please send in your New Brunswick related news, club activities, photos, and events to HPNBReport@gmail. com.

Willa Gauthier of Someday Farms in Ontario opened up a spot for “Bella” at her facility prior to the Royal so rider Marti Embree (shown above with "Bella" and their prizes) would have time to get to know the mare and allow the pair to develop the working bond they needed to bring home the cup. The plan worked. (Shawna Rinzler-Johnston photo)

Bellphina wins prestigious Lieutenant Governor’s Cup Bellphina (Bon Balou X More Fun), owned by Shawna Rinzler-Johnston and shown at the 2017 RAWF by Marti Embree of Ontario, claimed the top title for three-year-olds in the under saddle cup class, the Lieutenant Governor’s Cup. Although she was a bit smaller than most in the class, at only 16.1hh, her amazing movement set her apart.

Bellphina also placed third in the Governor General’s Cup in hand class. Bellphina’s rise to the top was by no means a one-woman show. Rinzler-Johnston states that this win could not have happened without her friend Marti Embree who competed the mare on Rinzler-Johnston’s behalf.

Rinzler-Johnston competed at the RAWF with a total of five Carmaz Stables bred and raised horses. When asked what impact she hopes having a horse bred, foaled, and raised in the Maritimes win the cup will have in the region, she stated, “I hope having a Maritime raised horse win such a prestigious award will keep Maritimers searching for their next show prospects within the Maritimes instead of running elsewhere.”

N.B. Percheron Moonshine shines at the Royal When Matthew Hornbrook saw Windermere’s Sky is the Limit in a sale catalogue in Pennsylvania in the spring of 2017, he thought her breeding would make a great addition to his herd at Landslide Percherons in Mount Middleton.

After a great summer with the six-year-old mare, (she was champion Percheron at the P.E.I. Provincial Show and she

won the Best of Breed Percheron award in a national competition sponsored by Eberglo Minerals and Supplements and she won the Ebergo Draft Horse Challenge People’s Choice Canada Award sponsored by the same company), the Hornbrooks decided to make the trek to the RAWF and take on international competition.

It was an eventful trip. They had visited the Royal on a couple of occasions in the past but had never competed. Since they were taking Sky is the Limit, they decided to take their homegrown yearling stallion Landslide Moonshine along for the ride. Somewhere in Quebec they had just pulled off the highway for a break, when the fuel pump died on their truck. “We were lucky,” says Hornbrook. “There was a Dodge truck dealership just four kilometres down the road.” With the truck repaired they were back on the road for Toronto.

It was a whirlwind two days but well worth the trip. Sky placed fourth in her class of yeld mares, age four to six.

A “yeld” mare generally means a mare that is not in foal and has not foaled that year. It was a tough class with the champion in the class coming from a farm in the U.S. but the Hornbrooks were happy with the prize. However, the icing on the cake was the performance of their homebred yearling.

“Moonshine won his class and was Reserve Champion Junior Stallion,” says Hornbrook. The colt is from the mare, Elkview Marci and by Landslide Trojan, another homebred stallion. “We plan to breed a few mares to Moonshine in the spring and then we’ll see how he comes along.”

ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 41

Newfoundland & Labrador REPORT with Alison King

Happy New Year!

Congratulations and welcome to the 2018 Newfoundland & Labrador Equestrian Association (NLEA) board of directors: President – Jessica Anstey; Vice President – Madison Hearn; Secretary – Nicholas Hoyles; Treasurer – Jessica Fillier; Directors at Large – Danielle Bartlett and Jessica Pallard; Western Coaching Coordinator – Sylvia Locke; English Coaching Coordinator – Erin O’Reilly; Junior Representative – Julia McNeil.

Pat, a 10-year-old Percheron from Cache Rapids Stable out for a sleigh ride with the Pittman family from Corner Brook a few days before Christmas.

Following the sleigh is Emily Pittman on Mecca, a horse that she rescued last summer. (Lori Ann Pittman photo) Page 42 | February - April 2018 | ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY

A number of year-end awards were presented during the association’s AGM in November: English Athlete of the Year – Ashley Guy; Western Athlete of the Year – Stefanie Smith; Industry Builder of the Year – Sue Sweeney-Janes; Coach of the Year – Danielle Bartlett. The NLEA also recognized Katrina Butler of Sliding K Ranch and her horse Nacho for becoming the first Atlantic Canadian equestrian champions in reining.

December 15 was an historic day for Rainbow Riders, the province’s only therapeutic riding centre. Hundreds gathered on the cold blustery day to celebrate the grand opening of the organization’s new $6 million facility in St. John’s.

Rainbow Riders’ new state-of-the-art home is the result of a major capital campaign, support from all levels of government, and the generosity of local businesses and individuals who helped make this dream a reality.

Replacing the old dilapidated barn and cover-all type arena, the new facility boasts a bright and airy 16-stall barn with accessible washrooms and tack room, meeting rooms, office, kitchen and multi-purpose space, a large indoor arena with views of St. John’s harbour, new paddocks for the horses, and more than three kilometres of safe, groomed riding trails. The expanded facilities will allow many more children with disabilities to access the benefits of therapeutic riding.

Congratulations to Scott and JoAnne Forward who opened Wesgate Park Equestrian Centre this fall in the west end of St. John’s. The family-oriented stable offers boarding, lessons, pony rides, birthday parties, and more. The facility is named in honour of Wesgate Park, a very special Standardbred gelding the family owned and raced in the 1990s.

Bridle Path Stables continues to operate out of the former Clovelly Stables in St. John’s, while their new property is under construction. They expect to move into their new west-end facility later this year.

Spirit Horse NL received international attention for its equine assisted mental health programs, with a little help from some local mermen, or “merb’ys” as they prefer to be called. Members of the Newfoundland and Labrador Beard and Moustache Club took off their shirts

and donned sparkly tails, dressing up as male mermaids for a unique fundraising calendar that quickly gained popularity across Canada and around the world.

They chose the Spirit Horse program as the recipient for the money raised through calendar sales worldwide. While the total raised was not available at press time, plans were in the works for a gala reveal in January 2018.

Roz Moskovits made her last clinic tour of 2017 in St. John’s and Conception Bay South in December, with visits to Bridle Path Stables, Westgate Equestrian Centre, Silver Lining Stables, and Willadell Stables over a four-day period. “I love working with all these riders,” she says. “They all seem to have an unstoppable dedication to their horses.” She will be back in the area March 16-18 for clinics and show season prep.

Congratulations to Sue SweeneyJanes of Glovertown, who recently became one of five Affiliate Offices of Equi-Health Canada and announced the launch of Equi-Health Canada-Atlantic.

She is currently the only certified Equine Instructor, Instructor Trainer, and affiliate for all of Atlantic Canada as well as the upper Eastern U.S. A number of Equine Emergency First Aid courses are set for 2018 at host barns in St. John’s and Central Newfoundland, as well as the very first Instructor Training Course in Newfoundland February 24-26, and March 24-26 in Nova Scotia.

Countrytime Equine in Glovertown is proud to announce a clinic July 27-29 with Lorie Duff of Liberty Lane Farm, featuring liberty horsemanship and extreme cowboy obstacles.

Cache Rapid Stable in Reidville had a busy fall with riding lessons continuing until mid-December and resuming in early January. The Christmas season was particularly busy with sleigh ride bookings, a festive favourite every year. Welcome Cassandra Curtis, who recently returned home from Alberta along with her two horses, Venture and Galahad.

Please send in your Newfoundland and Labrador related news, club activities, photos, and events to Alison King, MyWordsmith.ca or 905-484-3261.

Hundreds of community members gathered on Dec. 15 to celebrate the grand opening of the new Rainbow Riders therapeutic riding facility (interior shown above) in St. John’s‚ N.L. (Melanie Stone photos) ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 43

ON A LIGHTER NOTE...

Boris: Barn warrior

Boris (left) and his co-worker Cleo take a break from their duties as the January 4 "Bomb Cyclone" blew through Nova Scotia. A cozy double bed in a heated tack room (complete with good food and water) makes life for a working cat quite comfortable. (Lisa Hines photo)

by Lisa Hines Boris started life as one of a spring litter from an older cat we took in when she was ready to burst. She raised her March litter and skipped off the day she was due to be spayed, not to be seen again until late August when she returned having carefully piled up 10 (yes, 10!) week-old kittens on the hay loft floor.

“Sketchy Mumma” (what we called her from that day forward) was a tiny cat who had no business birthing 10 kittens.

To complicate life for his siblings, big brother Boris moved back in for a second round at the milk bar, stealing their already limited supply, while at the same time clearly giving himself “super powers” from the bonus nutrition.

Boris quickly grew into his tough mobster handle – regularly bringing home “big game” including rats, weasels, and muskrats – always placing large kills directly inside the barn door for maximum shock value, and scattering smaller ones – a mouse nose here, a tail there. He’s even been seen hot on the heels of a fox.

He’s never hard to find. Just tack up and start down the long side of the ring.

His path back to the barn will correspond directly with the temperament and training level of the horse being ridden.

Quiet, dependable horses are approached slowly and carefully, in full view. Hot, recently started horses are approached at top speed, from under a bush, or tarp (when available).

Having a farm sitter in charge once presented an excellent opportunity for a week- long winter “stay cation” across the barnyard, even though he’d never shown much interest in house life before. A little extra grooming, and a few well-placed leg rubs convinced the sitter that he was placed on the wrong list and was in fact a house cat that regularly spent his days curled up on a bed. Look at me! How could such a clean, friendly specimen live in a barn?

Boris will soon turn 11. Four years ago he staggered into the riding ring just as my daughter had climbed onto a horse – as per schedule, but not looking and acting himself. A speedy trip to the clinic, and a few tests later confirmed Boris had consumed antifreeze somewhere in his travels. After a long weekend bender (vodka is an antidote

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for antifreeze poisoning) and the very best vet care (shout out to Dr. Walker at Avon Animal Hospital), I brought Boris home mostly because I didn’t have the heart to put him down that day. His blood work was terrible, his chances of recovery slim to none. But day-by-day he seemed brighter. He continued to eat, and soon his warrior spirit kicked in and it was back to business and “Boris” as usual.

More recently, Boris had a brush with skin cancer and once again Dr. Walker stepped into action, removing one ear and shortening the other. He somehow escaped after his ear job – squeezing his body, cone of shame and all, through the previously nailed down tiny tack room cat door – out and into the bushes. A long unsuccessful search ensued through the brambles and the muck. He was home the next day, stitches somehow still intact, cone of shame successfully removed, and a body deposited inside the barn door.

His new rugged earless look gives him an extra bit of swagger, even as he follows along behind my little grandson, gentle with his play, careful with his claws, and generous with his affection. A true warrior.

Atlantic Horse & Pony

Classified Advertisements FOR SALE: Set of light bobsleds for double team of medium size horses, completely re-wooded last year, includes body and seat, $1,200. Phone 902-647-2082.

FOR SALE: Wallenstein WX540 log splitter, stored inside, excellent condition, $1,950. For details and pictures email detter@eastlink.ca.

FOR SALE: Air-dried 1” pine lumber, 12”-14” wide. Phone 902-685-3996.

WANTED: Milk can covers for five- or eight-gallon milk cans, needed to complete a display of milk cans with my antique milk truck. Phone Bob Taylor, 902-893-8283.

Subscriber free ads must be identified. Include your full name, postal code, telephone number, subscription expiry date. Classifieds may be edited. No third party ads accepted.

WANTED: Smaller, working farm tractor to do some gardening. Does not have to be pretty, just sound and dependable.

Phone Ken Burrows, 902-221-2135.

FOR SALE: Farmi 500 log winch, used, $1,500. Phone 902-543-9794.

It’s Easy by Internet Now you can submit classified ads via our website at www.RuralLife.ca Click on “Post Classifieds.”

FOR SALE: Lloyd shingle machine and trimmer. Phone 902-637-2865.

FOR SALE: Lincoln 5-hp electric motor, 3-phase. Phone 902-685-3996.

ABOUT CLASSIFIED ADS Subscribers are invited to run four, noncommercial classified ads free per year. NOTE: “Free ads” may be edited. Horse names and pedigrees cannot be included. Please be concise when describing horses or other articles for sale.

FREE: Three bound volumes of Harrowsmith magazine from the 1980s plus two Harrowsmith Readers. Email purgatorypoint@gmail.com or phone 902-768-2416.

Real estate, stallions at stud, and sale of horses and equipment by breeders, dealers, and equine businesses are considered commercial.

The rate for commercial ads is 75 cents per word, $20 minimum plus 15 percent HST. Include payment with ad. Classified ads also accepted by mail: Horse & Pony, Box 1509, Liverpool, NS B0T 1K0.

ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 45

Directory of advertisers Animat......................................................................19 Bits n Bridles Tack Shop............................................ 8 Böeckmann North America....................................30 Clarence Farm Services.............................................. 7 Co-op Country Store..................... Inside back cover Double D Tack and Supplies.................................... 7 Equestrian Fashion Outfitters................................45 Greenhawk................................................................. 5 Handy Hay Nets......................................................... 6 Hay Smart.................................................................16 Hoofjack....................................................................46 Huestis Insurance/Henry Equestrian......................11 Intercity Insurance Services.....................................35 Jad-Vent Distributors/A Division of Davon Sales... 6 Legacy Equestrian Centre.......................................45 Maple Lane Equestrian Trailers............................... 4 McIntosh ProLine........................... Inside back cover MTB MFG Inc.-Baumalight....................................... 6 Natural Alternative Grazers..................................... 9 Nature's Wave..........................................................21 North Stream Farm Tack Inc...................................45 Nova Tree..................................................................31 Omega Alpha.............................................Back cover Sackville Harness Ltd...............................................46 Science Pure Nutraceuticals Inc.................Front cover Scotian Gold Co-op Store......................................... 8 Steady Brook Saddlery & Custom Leather...........45 Stone Hedge Farm Canada....................................11 Stuart Appt Horse Transportation........................35 System Fencing.........................................................20 Tarp-Rite Inc.............................................................15 Valley Flax.................................................................16 Wayne’s Saddlery Boot & Harness Ltd..................31 your Local.......................................Inside front cover

To Advertise Call 902-354-3740

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ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY | February - April 2018 | Page 47

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