The Plaid Horse April 2025 - The International Top Sport Issue by The Plaid Horse

Does the cost of horse care make your pulse race?

We did a study with U.S. horse owners about the lifetime cost of care and uncovered some heart-pounding answers.

Average total expenses throughout a recreational horse’s lifetime: $412,001

Underestimation of yearly costs by competitive horse owners: 363%

Horse owners who end up feeling some form of stress about horse expenditures: 85%

No doubt, horse costs can be a challenge.

Being prepared for lifetime costs can ease ongoing nancial worry.

It’s no secret that horses hold a special place in our hearts. In fact, the Synchrony Equine Lifetime of Care study revealed 70% of horse owners consider their horse a family member, best friend or like a child. That being said, regardless of the relationship, a lack of knowledge about the cost of care can be a source of stress for horse owners.

That is the purpose behind this research. To help you understand the emotional, psychological and nancial factors associated with owning a horse. Empowered with a comprehensive view and insights, you can be nancially prepared to manage lifelong expenses of the horse that's so dear to your heart. Download the study to see more about what other horse owners think about cost at equinelifetimeofcare.com

Source: CareCredit Equine Lifetime of Care Study, 2023.

*Subject to credit approval.

Horse owners who say they’re stressed by an expense that’s less than $1,500: 53%

Horse owners who have a dedicated savings plan for horse expenses: 1 out of 3

Horse owners who don’t know what nancing options their veterinarian provides: 54%

Don’t stress! There’s a solution.

Friendly, exible nancing can help give you peace of mind about cost.

The CareCredit health and animal care credit card gives you a budget-friendly way to pay over time for all types of veterinary services, products and procedures at locations in the CareCredit network.* It can be used for lameness, diagnostics, surgery and hospitalization, even wellness exams and vaccinations. Ask your veterinary team if CareCredit is accepted in their practice. It's the budget-friendly solution that helps keep the focus on providing a lifetime of care for your horse.

Oldfields School, a historic private boarding and day school for girls in grades 8-12, is more than your typical high school. Situated in the picturesque Maryland countryside, it combines a 157-year legacy of academic innovation with programs that empower young women, all within its college preparatory framework. Known for its strong sense of community, traditions, and small class sizes, Oldfields is setting a new standard in equine education with its immersive Equine Science Concentration. This unique program is attracting attention from students, college programs and professionals within the equine industry.

Colleges and universities recognize the distinctive nature and value of our Equine Science Concentration. The path ahead is full of opportunity for our graduates.

- Ansley Smithwick, Head of School

AN IMMERSIVE EQUINE SCIENCE CONCENTRATION IS GIVING GIRLS A LEG-UP

EQUINE SCIENCE CONCENTRATION

The Equine Science Concentration at Oldfields was created to address a growing need within the equine industry for young women equipped with both academic and practical knowledge. Recognizing this demand, Oldfields developed a distinctive program that blends classroom learning with real-world, hands-on experience.

Students work directly with horses, veterinarians, farriers, stable managers, trainers, and other industry professionals to apply their academic knowledge in workplace settings. Classes provide in-depth instruction in several critical areas:

Equine Science History of the Horse in Sport

Equine Anatomy & Physiology

Equine/Small Business Math

Stable & Horse Show Management

Equine Nutrition & Wellness

Grooming for Success

Internship Opportunities

This immersive approach offers students opportunities to learn and to practice the skills needed to understand the science and business of the equine world. Whether it's studying biomechanics, horse wellness, or managing the logistics of a barn or horse show, the applied

experiences provide functional skills. These skills give our students a competitive edge as they transition to college or enter directly into the equine industry.

While riding is not a requirement, the program pairs seamlessly with Oldfields’ exceptional equestrian program, enabling students to deepen their understanding of horses both in and out of the saddle.

Our Equine Science Concentration is designed to provide a foothold for high school students who want to pursue a degree in an Equine or pre-veterinary field and for those that need experience to earn opportunities within the industry.

School Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) teams where students gain valuable experience in competitive riding and sportsmanship. A key component of the program is the focus on sports psychology and strength and conditioning. This helps develop a rider’s mental and physical resilience along with their technique.

EMPOWERING

EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION

THE NEXT GENERATION

- Amy Phillips, Director of Riding

field and for those that need experience

- Amy Phillips, Director of Riding

- Amy Phillips, Director of Riding

RIDING PROGRAM

Oldfields School’s Equine Science Concentration goes beyond being just a program; it offers a comprehensive, career-focused pathway that empowers girls with practical skills, knowledge, and hands-on experience. This innovative program builds on the Oldfields tradition of combining realworld experiences with academic excellence. Confident and capable young women seamlessly transition into college programs or directly enter the equine industry equipped with advantageous micro-credentials. By shaping the future of female equine professionals, Oldfields continues to inspire and prepare its students to lead in this dynamic field.

For those who want to take their riding capabilities to the next level, Oldfields offers an impressive riding program integrated into the daily class schedule. Students receive personalized instruction in hunter/ jumper, dressage, or eventing disciplines. With access to talented school horses, expert instructors, competitive opportunities at all levels, and top-tier clinicians, students are challenged to push their limits and refine their skills within a supportive, professional environment.

The knowledge and confidence I've gained in this program have exceeded my expectations. I’m now thinking in detail about how to start a business someday. Mrs. Goodrich, my teacher, inspires me every day and has also helped me better understand the mechanics of a horse, which has made a huge difference in my riding!

- Colby S. ‘26, Oldfields Student

instruction in hunter/ jumper, dressage, students are challenged to push their

IEA TEAMS

The School also fosters a strong sense of community and teamwork through participation in the Middle and High

- Colby S. ‘26, Oldfields Student

Oldfields invites all students passionate about equine education to explore the many opportunities available within the Equine Science Concentration.

Oldfields invites all students passionate about equine education to explore the many opportunities available within the Equine Science Concentration. Visit the Oldfields website, follow their social media or contact the school to learn more!

Visit the Oldfields website, follow their social media or contact the school to learn more!

www.OldfieldsSchool.org 443-662-1003

Instagram: @OldfieldsSchool

RWC FARMS LTD

Congratulations to Our Team on a “Magical” 2024 Show Season!

“HARBOR SQUARE RWC”

Segantini X Esta

Breeders: B.H. Harms

Best Young Horse at Devon

Best Young Horse at Upperville

Overall Grand Champion for the USHJA Sallie B. Wheeler Hunter Breeding Finals

USEF National HOTY 2yo Hunter Breeding Champion

Overall Grand Champion USEF Hunter Breeding Horse

“CHARDONEIGH RWC”

Cabardino x Lovin Honor

Breeder: April Speyer

2nd at Devon

Reserve Best Young Horse at Upperville

Winner of the 2yo Filly Class at the Virginia Young Horse Festival & Sallie B. Wheeler Finals

Robert Clark: 2024 USEF Leading Hunter

Breeding Owner

Emily Anne Belin-McDonnell: 2024 USEF Leading Hunter

Breeding Handler

Robert & Jane Clark Ontario, Canada * Ogdensburg, New York

Endless Thanks to Trainer/Handler Emily Anne Belin of Magic Hill Farms, LLC and Handler Christopher Webb.

We’re excited to introduce our versatile Strap Set, designed to seamlessly convert your Belt Wallet Clutch into a stylish crossbody bag.

You can also pair it with our Wristlet for another chic, hands-free option!

Available in Navy Waterproof Leather and in Black Natural Grain Leather.

Shown here with our Belt Wallet Clutch, sold separetly.

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

Art Direction

Advertising

Subscriptions & Plaidcast Manager

Plaidcast Production

Online Editor

Thank you for joining us in reading this in print, where this piece of art was meant to be consumed.

Jumping Longines Ranking World #2 (as of 02/28/2025) Kent Farrington with his supermare Greya, winner of two 5* classes at Wellington International this season

2026 TerraNova Winter Series

The International Top Sport Issue

COVER: Dinette Neuteboom, co-founder of HorseGrooms with Amy McGann, photographed in Wellington

Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Qualifier

QUALIFIED RIDERS FOR

LONGINES FEI WORLD CUPTM

Alise Oken

McLain

Laura

Kaitlin Campbell

Karl Cook

Skylar Wireman

Darragh

Shane Sweetnam

Daniel Coyle

Erynn Ballard

Tiffany Foster

PHOTO

Linda Heed (SWE) with Skylander VS SWB Stallion. Winners at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2024/25 Western European League - Gothenburg (SWE) PHOTO: FEI/KIM LUNDIN

Maria Gabriela Brugal Gasso (DOM) and J’adore Flamenco. Winners of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ NAL - Puebla (MEX) PHOTO: FEI/RODRIGO CECEÑA

Relationships

I WAS ONCE WORKING at a horse show with a very funny cameraman who was a tech person and not a horse person by trade. The days ew by as he peppered us with quick quips or his observations about the horse world, which were accurate and stung–the tension and relief from tension that makes great comedy.

On one occasion, he turned around, and went, “Okay, okay. Here’s my impression of a grand prix winner interview.”

We all laughed ready for it. This was years and years ago now, but as I remember it:

Today I won the grand prix on my dream horse. I love him. He is my horse of a lifetime. He is the best. He changed my life. I got him yesterday, I don’t know, probably going to sell him tomorrow.

PHOTO: TORI SHEEHAN

PUBLISHER’S

NOTE

Even to an outsider, it is clear that we have let ourselves move so far away from building relationships with our animals.

I walk through the horse show and I hear people tell me about their young horses and their green horses who are 7, 8, and 9 years old. Do they consider the decade of care, training, and concern that went into breeding and training? Are they ippant or do they really not know?

Michael Blake, Team Ireland’s chef d’equipe, told World of Show Jumping in January, “Some riders from certain nations think that the horse was born at the mounting block with the tack on.” Ouch. And is he wrong?

I got into this like most kids; because I love horses. I love speci c horses too. I loved watching pairs and teams. The dream is the horse of a lifetime- the actual horse of a lifetime, who we are able to have for decades and enjoy through the seasons of life. The horse who trains

you how to train young horses, then trains you how to manage middle-aged horses, and then trains you how to be a responsible steward of an elderly horse. These relationships are rich in character and messy. The horses we still discuss years and decades later o en had idiosyncrasies that boiled our blood at the time. They taught us to be in the moment, to have a sense of humor, and how to turn up the heat in competition. They taught us to appreciate our team of people and everyone who shows up to make things happen. They made memories that we can joyously tease each other over dinner to this day. They are real, and they are imperfect. Thinking of our sport from the bottom up, we can do a better job of sharing this culture with new and young people in our sport. We can share the magic of every horse, the truly special animals, and those who just make us

wake up in the mornings and smile. Fundamentally, we need to answer the same questions within ourselves on so many issues- do we give in to this culture or do we x it? I believe in us. I believe in how powerful our relationships are with these horses. We can x so much within ourselves and how we approach this sport. We can do it. It starts at home. Run your barn how you think is right. Lead as a role model and by example. Show and tell your values. It starts with every single one of us and we’re up to the challenge!

Piper Klemm, Ph.D.

TPH PUBLISHER

Follow me on Instagram at @piperklemm

Plaidcast Live at Wellington International in February 2025

Sound Wave Healing® Estaryia Venus Restoring Balance Through Vibration and Frequency

IN A WORLD increasingly characterized by stress and disconnection, Estaryia Venus has developed a unique approach to healing that goes far beyond traditional wellness practices.

Sound Wave Healing® is a sophisticated modality that utilizes precise sound frequencies and vibrations designed to rebalance, relax and calm the brain and nervous system.

Most people operate at extremely high stress levels, sometimes without even realizing it. This persistent state prevents the mind and body from performing its optimal functions, including mental clarity and focus, cell repair and regeneration.

Estaryia combines her high quality, specifically tuned instruments with her voice, creating a beautiful and powerful sound vibration immersive experience that releases deeply stored stress and brings profound healing results.

Because horses absorb so much of a rider’s feeling and emotional states, releasing stress and increasing relaxation enables riders to have a deeper connection

A pioneer of over 33 years helping people through Sound Wave Healing®, Estaryia Venus has transformed lives, releasing stress, relieving pain, healing injuries and recalibrating the body’s energy, restoring its natural state of wellness.

with their horse. When a rider is in the zone with their horse, it maximizes efficiency in training and optimizes high performance results in the show ring. Additionally, stress, anxiety and tension inhibit healing of all kinds. Sound Wave Healing® dissolves the stress hormone cortisol and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, enhancing neural

communication and restoring equilibrium, allowing for natural healing to occur. Old and new injuries can receive healing, including back, knee, neck, shoulder, concussions as well as chronic pain, sore muscles, inflammation, headaches, arthritis and sleep issues, all of which hinder so many riders’ ability to continue advancing and achieving.

Through the decades, Estaryia Venus has seen people use their reduced stress to grow their creativity and have deeper insight and awareness for bigger and more long term projects for their careers, their families and their own body and health. Her passion to enhance life through rebalancing the nervous system and restoring calm to the mind and body, deepens people’s connection with their own inner wellness, their connection with others and the horses they love.

Find out how Sound Wave Healing® can help you! Individual and Group Sessions Private Retreats Call or text for info: 808-673-1829 www.Estaryia.com

2025 Schedule Preview

Welcome 1 - National / Level 3 March 20-23

20-23

Welcome 2 - National / Level 3 March 27-30

Welcome 3 - National / Level 3

Welcome 4 - National / Level 3

April 3-6

April 10-13

Spring 1 - Premier / Level 6 April 30-May 4

30-May

Spring 2 - National / Level 4 May 7-11

EE Spring 3 - Premier / Level 4

May 14-18

Spring 4 - National / Level 5 / CSI 2*

pring May 21-25

Spring 5 - National / Level 6 / CSI 3*

May 27-June 1

Spring 6 - Premier / Level 5 / CSI 2*

June 3-8

Summer 2 - Regional /Level 3 June 20-22

Summer 3 - National / Level 6 / CSI 2*

Summer 4 - National / Level 6 / CSI 3*

& Pony Spectacular with Pony Derby

Summer 5 - National / Level 6 / CSI 2*

Summer 6 - National / Level 6 / CSI 3*

Summer Finale 1 - Regional / Level 3

June 25-29

Summer - July 1-6 / CSI July 8-13 July 15-20 Level Aug 8-10 19-21

Fall 1 - Regional/Level 3 Sept 19-21

Fall 2 - National/Level 4 Sept 24-28

Fall 3 - National / Level 5 / CSI 2*

EE Fall 4 Level Oct 7-12 6 - Oct 14-19 & Major League Show Jumping Oct 22-26 S

Oct 1-5

EE Fall 4 - National / Level 6 / CSI 3*

Fall 5 - National / Level 6 / CSI 5* & 2* & Major League Show Jumping

Fall 6 - National / Level 5 / CSI 2*

All levels subject to change.

MARCH 19 - APRIL 13, 2025

$ 7 5 0 , 0 0 0 + I N P R I Z E M O N E Y ! R M !

“HorseGrooms has created a wonderful community for grooms from all over the world. Dinette oﬀers a chance for grooms to interact socially with their peers, continue their education through articles and in-person lectures, and plan for the future with outside resources. HorseGrooms has really stepped up for the hardest working individuals in our industry. I am always honored when she reaches out and we can collaborate on the industry and help our wonderful groom friends and colleagues.”

—COURTNEY CARSON 5* GROOM AND FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL GROOMS ASSOCIATION

Equine Impact Small Business GrandAwardChampion

HorseGrooms

Elevating the Grooming Profession Through Education and Community

IN THE EQUESTRIAN WORLD, riders o en take center stage, but behind every successful competitor is a skilled and dedicated groom (or team of skilled and dedicated grooms working together!).

HorseGrooms, founded by Dinette Neuteboom and Amy McGann, is working to change the narrative by elevating the grooming profession through education, connection, and community building.

PHOTO: ASHLEY NEUHOF PHOTOGRAPHY

WORDS: PIPER KLEMM, PHD

HorseGrooms Creative Director Amy McGann

WORLDWIDE EXPERIENCE

Growing up in The Netherlands, Neuteboom found horses through a classmate at school and was hooked. Although she came from a non-horse family with her mother a teacher and her father a musician, she was able to get riding lessons and follow the Dutch national system through the instructor education and achieve her international trainers’ license.

“That’s how a lot of people have horses in Holland- they work 60% of a traditional full-time job with a couple young horses on the side that you are trying to produce. I went to school to be a teacher and taught at an equine college and had jumpers between three and seven years old outside of that I would sell as I could. Sometimes it went well and sometimes it didn’t. Like most people in the Netherlands, I did everything myself outside of my day jobcleaned the stalls, drove the truck, braided the horses, rode the horses, groomed the horses, handled all logistics, and then also had to be the nutritionist, gardener, pick-up trash- everything at the barn. You just do everything yourself,” explained Neuteboom.

Feeling wanderlust to explore the world, she made a plan in her mid-30s to figure out how she could explore and experience more. She saved money for a couple years then quit her job, sold her horses, sold her truck and started her worldwide tour in Wellington, Florida.

“I really wanted to see the Winter Equestrian Festival. I had heard so much about it and I just wanted to experience it. And then I thought I would be done with horses to travel. I did volunteer work in Peru for 5 months and learned Spanish and traveled through South America before I ended up in Argentina. There is a big Zangersheide barn in Argentina with a couple thousand horses and I wanted to see it. I went there, helped the vet for a week, and then the owner asked me if I could ride. I stayed for a year riding 10 horses a day- just riding my butt off!” Neuteboom shared.

From there, Neuteboom continued on her journey going to work in New Zealand before ending up back working

“HorseGrooms is an outstanding resource and support not only for top grooms, but also for all of us in the industry! I am very proud to have contributed in a small way to their success. Huge congratulations, Dinette and Team!”

—DR.

DARBY BONOMI, PERFORMANCE PSYCHOLOGIST

AND CONTRIBUTOR TO HORSEGROOM

at the Winter Equestrian Festival. After a year working in China, she mostly relocated to the United States as a barn manager and grooming rider and has been here for almost a decade.

McGann connected with Neuteboom instantly on varied backgrounds and an adventurous spirit. Also from a non horse family, she was obsessed since birth and grew up riding English on the East Coast.

“I had a 20some crisis and left my career and life that I’d built on the East Coast and came out west to start ranching on a cattle ranch and then a horse ranch. I met Dinette when we were backcountry guides in Wyoming taking folks out for the day,” said McGann.

Riding and caring for her horses everyday in Montana, McGann brings to HorseGrooms traditional brand strategy and brand design for start-ups combined with her passion and connection for horses and the people who make their lives possible.

THE BIRTH OF HORSE GROOMS

“The main thing was horse welfare,” explains Neuteboom when asked about the inspiration behind HorseGrooms. “I wanted to do something in my capability when we started talking about social license and how we move our sport going forward. I love to create content, mainly written, and I love to connect people and share knowledge.”

After meeting McGann, who brings extensive creative talent to the organization, the two joined forces to create a platform that would elevate the grooming profession while simultaneously improving horse welfare.

BUILDING EDUCATION AND CONNECTION

According to McGann, everything HorseGrooms produces is meant to either educate or connect people. Their content strategy includes live Q&As, meetups focused on groom nutrition and skills development, and features spotlighting successful grooms.

Dinette, Tori Colvin and El Primero at WEF 2023

“When we’re sharing winning grooms or putting spotlights on the website, those are meant to bring people together no matter what discipline people are specializing in or where they are in the world,” McGann explains. “It all comes back to education and connection. That’s our tagline too, and part of our mission really condensed is ‘for horsemanship and community.’”

The education component supports the welfare of horses and promotes best care practices, while the community aspect empowers grooms and advocates for their wellbeing.

RECOGNIZING THE VALUE OF GROOMING

Both founders emphasize that good grooms possess a multitude of skills that often go underestimated. As Neuteboom describes, “A good groom is a vet, a nutritionist, a logistic manager; you can drive, you can ride horses, you can see when horses don’t feel well... there’s so

much they do that gets underestimated by a lot of people.”

This comprehensive skill set is why the relationship between groom and rider is so important. “The groom sees everything from the moment they step in the stall in the morning,” Neuteboom explains. “They know if the horse ate their hay, if the water is dirty, how they look, if they’re bright... The groom is with those horses 12 hours a day, so they know them inside out and most of the time better than the riders.”

CREATING PROFESSIONAL PATHWAYS

Looking to the future, Neuteboom envisions a credential system for grooms. This would establish different tiers in the grooming industry, from basic stall cleaning and turnout to more advanced skills like wound care and show preparation.

“You’d have to connect payment and working conditions to those things,” she notes. “So if a good employer wants to hire a three or four-star groom, they better give them what they deserve in terms of respect, work conditions, money, and benefits.”

Such a system would not only help employers identify qualified grooms but would also empower grooms by providing clear pathways for career advancement.

HORSEGROOMS TESTIMONIALS

“For decades the only way to gain experience and learn as a professional groom was through trial and error. The introduction of the HorseGrooms community and platform has brought the grooming industry into the modern world by making resources and mentorship readily available to anyone wanting to improve their horsemanship. Those who are able to attend a HorseGrooms MeetUp in person have the opportunity to discuss and exchange knowledge in real time in a safe environment while those in more remote locations are still able to access much of the same information through the online platform in a way that’s never been done before. We all do this work because we love horses and Dinette and company have found a unique way to ensure everyone gets to learn and move forward in the industry together!”

—SHAY STENCHEVER, FEI GROOM FOR NICKY GALLIGAN AND US REPRESENTATIVE OF THE INTERNATIONAL GROOMS ASSOCIATION

“HorseGrooms is an invaluable platform, offering keen insight from qualified horsemen. It shares education and resources essential for the advancement of outstanding horse care and optimal barn operations.”

—RICHARD PADILLA, GOTHAM NORTH ROAD MANAGER AND NEW YORK EMPIRE LGCT TEAM MANAGER

PHOTO: VIKTORIIA LUZAN PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP)

At the first HorseGrooms MeetUp in 2024 (above) Dinette in Argentina in 2011 showing young horses from Zangersheide Argentina (left)

HORSEGROOMS TESTIMONIALS

“HorseGrooms has filled a void in the industry that has long been needed. Grooms have needed a voice and a way to meet, collaborate, learn, and share in each others’ successes, and HorseGrooms has created an awesome community for them. They continue to find new ways to provide learning opportunities and use professionals in the industry as well as the veteran grooms themselves to foster an environment where everyone is welcome and can benefit from each other. I so admire what they have built!”

—JENNIFER WOOD, JUMP MEDIA AND EQUESTRIAN

BUSINESSWOMEN

“Everyone in Horse Sports truly understands that we could not have our business or the opportunities we have without our unwavering and dedicated grooms. I was very fortunate to have assistants that cared for our horses at a very top level and always grew to know them as individuals. My team contributed to not only the success of each horse but their longevity and well being. When you look at a horse in the grooming stall and they have a calm happy face you know, you have the right people taking care of them. I am grateful for my years with grooms who supported me and my horses so well. The organization HorseGrooms is a valuable tool of awareness, education and networking that is long overdue and appreciated by all involved. We all need to continue to support their efforts.”

—COLLEEN MCQUAY, NRHA HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE, CO-INITIATOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL HUNTER DERBY AND GREEN HUNTER INCENTIVE PROGRAM, AND HUNTER/JUMPER TRAINER

BUILDING A DIGITAL COMMUNITY

The impact of HorseGrooms is already evident in the feedback they receive. McGann shares that one participant described getting “a digital sense of warmth of community” from the platform. Another groom who doesn’t attend many shows told Neuteboom, “I’ve never felt so connected to the grooming world because I never meet anyone since I’m always home.”

This sense of belonging is particularly meaningful in a profession that has historically lacked recognition. “HorseGrooms is all of us,” says McGann. “It’s living out the groom life and values in the real world...and it’s just all for the love of the horse, love of the sport, and the desire to be a part of something meaningful.”

CHANGING THE CULTURE

Beyond building community, HorseGrooms is working to shift cultural perceptions about grooming as a profession. While many barns employ full-time grooms who handle all aspects of horse care, Neuteboom believes there’s value in encouraging riders, especially young ones, to be more hands-on.

“I think it would be great if trainers encourage kids to do barnwork and be involved,” she suggests. “Everybody needs to know how to tack up a horse and to learn certain signs that horses show us and what they mean. Every trainer, owner, rider, and parent is responsible for keeping horsemanship alive and HorseGrooms is here to help!” By fostering greater involvement and

WAYS TO SUPPORT HORSEGROOMS

Simply put, without generous sponsors and donors, HorseGrooms would not be affordable for the vast majority of the equine grooming community. HorseGrooms’ mix of free support and advanced resources directly impacts the careers, connections, and communal knowledge base of grooms worldwide, and so they also impact the horses in their charge and the teams they are a part of. By sponsoring or donating to HorseGrooms, you further the shared mission to keep horsemanship alive and advance the craft of grooming.

Supporting HorseGrooms is an investment in the heart of the equestrian community, elevating the grooming profession, fostering better horsemanship, enhancing horse welfare, and potentially improving performance outcomes. For businesses, HorseGrooms has a media kit available with advertising and other opportunities. Request one by emailing to headgroom@ horsegrooms.com. There are also several meaningful ways individuals can contribute:

1 JOIN THE STABLE SUPPORT PROGRAM

By partnering with HorseGrooms through the “Stable Support” program, your contribution directly empowers grooms with essential resources and support systems crucial for their well-being and efficiency. This collaboration not only benefits the grooms but also fosters an environment where the entire team can thrive. In return for your sponsorship, HorseGrooms puts your stable on the website and your groom or team in the spotlights. This is a great way for trainers,

understanding of the grooming process, HorseGrooms hopes to increase respect for the profession while keeping traditional horsemanship alive.

“Everything we’re putting out is meant to either educate or connect people. Finding and connecting grooms with mentors is a huge part of this. The popular HorseGrooms meet-ups we’ve held are built around education and skills and also have a connection component. We share winning grooms and stories of people and spotlights to help more people meet grooms and barn managers and feel that familiarity and community at the shows,” said Amy.

Neuteboom notices grooms at Wellington International who met at HorseGrooms events smiling and

owners, and riders to show their support publicly and by doing that, encourage others to do the same.

2 ONE-TIME OR RECURRING DONATIONS

Every contribution, regardless of size, supports the development of resources, education, and opportunities for grooms.

3 GIFT YOUR GROOM AN INSIDERS MEMBERSHIP

Providing your grooms with an Insiders Membership grants them access to exclusive content, Q&A sessions with top grooms and industry experts, and a supportive community. This investment in their professional growth benefits your team and enhances horse care standards.

4 RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE GROOMS’ EFFORTS

Regular acknowledgment of grooms’ hard work boosts morale and reinforces their importance within the team. Simple gestures of appreciation can lead to a more motivated and dedicated workforce. Think of bringing lunch or coffee, giving an extra day or a couple extra hours off, or doing night check for your groom.

By embracing these initiatives, riders, trainers, and owners not only uplift their grooms but also contribute to a more knowledgeable and cohesive team, leading to improved horse welfare and potentially better performance results.

waving and saying hi to each other on their many treks to and from the rings.

THE ROAD AHEAD

As HorseGrooms continues to grow, Neuteboom hopes it will become sustainable enough to be her full-time job. “I would love this to be my full-time job in the future and just share a lot of knowledge between people and make it sustainable and do even more. We have so many ideas. But I want to stay active as a groom or home rider or barn manager myself as well for as long as I can. Just to stay involved, to know what’s going on, what the challenges are, to talk to vets, farriers, and other experts.”

McGann emphasizes that their vision has always been to build “this undeniable worldwide community

where grooms are supporting and cheering each other on, and they’re also contributing to the future of this career. There is a digital warmth to this community that grooms all over the world are starting to feel.”

By bringing grooms together, providing educational resources, and advocating for better working conditions, HorseGrooms is working to ensure that those who care for our equine athletes receive the recognition, respect, and working conditions they deserve.

Great horse care starts with great grooms, and HorseGrooms Insiders is giving grooms the tools, knowledge, and community they need to thrive. Discover more by using the QR code

HORSEGROOMS TESTIMONIALS

“I think the HorseGrooms platform is an excellent forum to discuss the care that we provide our horses. I have had the very good fortune to work with many excellent grooms, and I have great respect for their dedication and hard work. I believe that a skilled and attentive groom is crucial to the long term health and soundness of their horses. There is no doubt in my mind that the experienced grooms with whom I work help me to provide the best possible outcomes to the horses we care for together.

I’m pleased to contribute to HorseGrooms because I enjoy the dialogue about how we can best care for our horses, and I think that I can learn from the information it provides.”

—KIT MILLER DVM, VETERINARY CONTRIBUTOR TO HORSEGROOMS

“Grooms are vital to the success of our industry and the well-being of our horses. Partnering with HorseGrooms and Dinette Neuteboom is allowing US Equestrian to help support grooms with content, best practices, and insights from top grooms in the industry. Ultimately, the goal is to bring this vital community closer together and share their immense knowledge and expertise.”

—VICKI LOWELL, CHIEF MARKETING AND CONTENT OFFICER FOR US EQUESTRIAN

“Grooms are the backbone of equestrian sport anywhere in the world. HorseGrooms plays a vital role in keeping grooms engaged in their community, informed about important topics beyond sport, and safe while at work. As a former groom, I am thrilled that an organization like this exists to help legitimize the profession and promote high ethics and standards in horse care. Dinette’s vision for HorseGroom’s and dedication to the mission is second to none!”

—LENORE BROWN, DIRECTOR OF SPONSORSHIPS AT WELLINGTON INTERNATIONAL AND FORMER GROOM

“We often say the horse comes first. If that is true, then we have an obligation to support the caregivers who make that possible. HorseGrooms exists to provide a network of resources for our community.”

—MICHELE HOLLIS, MD, PHYSICAL HEALTH CONTRIBUTOR TO HORSEGROOMS

“HorseGrooms has built a wonderful community for those that it serves. The educational MeetUps and videos provide unique opportunities not only for education, but also to meet fellow grooms, to be able to learn from each other, and develop our skills further while also creating a vast network of friends and acquaintances committed to being the best possible professionals in our field. It is especially important in that it is cross-disciplined so that we have the chance to know and learn from grooms active in other equine sports. It’s been a great place to not only continue my education but also learn from everybody’s personal experiences.”

—JENNI GIANNINI, FEI GROOM/BARNMANAGER AT NORMAN & NICK DELLO JOIO’S WEMBLEY FARM

“I was thrilled to discover the HorseGrooms community. It is a long overdue organization to help support and offer education in so many areas for grooms - the mega important part of our team caring for our equines. Thank you, Dinette, for all you are doing.”

—LENDON GRAY, USEF LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENT, OLYMPIAN, FOUNDER OF DRESSAGE4KIDS

“HorseGrooms has been a game changer for grooms in the industry. It is a safe place we can go for support from our peers, help with mental health and burnout as well as updates on FEI protocols and opportunities for further educating ourselves with other professionals within equine sport.”

—EMMA FORD, OLYMPIC GROOM AND CO-AUTHOR OF THE BOOK WORLD CLASS GROOMING

1 Margo Thomas, Laura Kraut’s groom, was one of the clinicians at the first HorseGrooms MeetUp in 2024 • 2 Through her work in the field, Dinette Neuteboom is grateful to be surrounded by incredible horse people who help her stay informed and connected to what’s going on in the industry • 3 At the HorseGrooms MeetUp Yoga & Stretching, the attendees learned from Yoga instructor and former groom Sarah Pyrda from Live Lightly about stretches and exercises to take care of their own body • 4 Dinette, Tori Colvin, Aurelio Eleizondo after Private Practice won his second WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular in 2020 • 5 The HorseGrooms MeetUp about equine anatomy and basic stretches with Brittany Gray of Gray Scale Equine was much appreciated by the attendees • 6 HorseGrooms braiding MeetUp

PHOTO: VIKTORIIA LUZAN PHOTOGRAPHY; BRIDGET HALLMAN; HORSEGROOMS (2)

Lordanos / Raphael / Larome

Grand Prix Stallion with Grand Prix Offspring

Available Fresh Daily with LFG

Grand Prix Stallion with Grand Prix Offspring

Available Fresh Daily with LFG

Jacomar / Calvados / Tangelo

Rubioso N / Silvano N / Romadour II

Lucky Braids

Ruthann

Mission for Sound Horsemanship

THE NAME OF Ruthann Smith’s business, Lucky Braids, is endearingly derived from what clients used to call Smith’s seemingly magic e ect on horses and their manes.

“People said I braided luck into the manes,” Smith says, “but really, my work was about encouraging calm and centeredness in the horse during the process of braiding. What happens in the barn establishes a horse’s worldview, which is pivotal to what happens under saddle. By teaching the horse to stand still, I am teaching it to relax.”

Which horse seems more likely to win? The one looking all around as they walk to the ring, or the one that is relaxed, con dent, and focused? Smith says, “I was instilling a quiet con dence–which is the foundation of making horses’ hearts big and what I believe to be the key to winning.”

Smith’s

WORDS: MARLEY LIEN-GONZALEZ

PHOTO: TRACY EMANUEL

Bestselling Lucky Braids products, the All-In-One Shampoo and Dry Wash

Ruthann at dressage Olympic medalist Monaco’s retirement

Equine Impact SmallChampionBusiness Award

Smith never saw a lifetime career in the horse world, but when she braided for what she thought would be a steppingstone occupation, she realized that she was already roped in. “My job was to help the horses look and feel like winners,” Smith says of her time spent knuckles deep in mane and tail hair—so to help others do the same, she created awardwinning products, multi-media guides, demonstrations, and Top Turnout Clinics.

CULTURE OF CARE

Smith grew up in a barn she describes as the canonical old school of horse care and training with an Olympic medal toting mentor. By chance, her mother was college roommates with renowned dressage rider Dottie Morkis and by the age of 9, Smith was regularly watching and working around some of the top performing horses in the world. During her formative years, she spent a decade as a working student, weaving together comprehensive knowledge of all the pieces that play a role in a horse’s success.

“Many people are integral to getting a horse to the ring and every person on the team matters. When I shi ed from grooming to braiding, I was still part

of the team and acutely aware of the horses’ needs and feelings,” says Smith. “Sometimes I would let the grooms know a horse may need extra time. Or, if a horse was uncomfortable, I did what I could to relieve them or told someone. It’s about building a community of caring around the horse.”

When Smith tried to move on from horses and pursue her other passion of documentary lmmaking, she stumbled upon a growing gap she felt compelled to ll. “To quit braiding, I started teaching clinics. I was scouting someone to take my accounts. What I discovered is that my own culture of sound horsemanship was dying,” she says, “I turned the lens around and made my how-to braid video.”

“At clinics, I would be running down aisles pulling saddle pads up into pommels and opening the stall doors all the way so the horses didn’t catch their hip. She realized standards among top horsemen were not being passed down to the masses, so she expanded her clinic content to beyond just braiding. Top Turnout Clinics and groom trainings now address horse care, handling and safety, taught in both English and Spanish.

GROOMING AND CARE TIPS FROM RUTHANN SMITH

CURRY: The best thing you can do for your horse is curry lots. It’s an important way to increase circulation and also listen to how the horse feels.

WALK: Getting your horse out of the stall and walking lots is pivotal to maintaining soundness of body and mind. A wonderful thing you can do to bond with your horse is to take them out walking and grazing. When riding, it’s important to walk lots before and after riding. Many soundness issues can be avoided with taking plenty of time to warm up and cool down.

SKIN ISSUES: Lucky Braids All-In-One Shampoo offers relief and helps protect against: bumps, rubs, scratches, itching, fungus, rain rot, scurf, sweet itch, bugs, stains, breakage, and more. Always dry legs completely. I prefer toweling to increase circulation. Lucky Braids Shampoo helps avoid issues, but if there are scabs, don’t pick them. Let crud fall off when the skin is healed.

STAIN REMOVAL: Use the Whitener/Dry Wash on ANY color horse on cold mornings, when muddy at the ring, or when in a rush. Keep tough old stains soaking—the longer the better—to separate the stain. Once gone, just use Lucky Braids Shampoo to keep the coat easier to manage.

One Lucky Braids customer’s results from the All-In-One Shampoo for Horses & Dogs

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

“Ruthann has been a sponge since back in the day, learning everything she could about what’s best for horses. It’s a natural evolution that she would share her knowledge by teaching sound horsemanship and developing grooming products that are the most ef cient and effective. Her work helps everyone save money and time as well as have the best relationships with their horses.

—DOTTIE MORKIS

“Lucky Braids products are a staple in my program! I see less skin irritation and stronger, healthier looking hair. Grooming, braiding, and clipping has never been easier. Even stains that layer deep come out with ease. I will always use Lucky Braids in my barn.”

—EMILY ELEK, STONEWALL PONIES

“Over the years, my clinics have evolved to focus a bit less on the mechanics of grooming and more on the awareness of the energy you bring to a situation and being conscious of the why behind the what—which can be life-changing,” says Smith. Top Turnout Clinics are for everyone—from any discipline or breed. Grooms, riders, trainers, vet techs, parents, partners; everyone could learn something they’ll use every day with horses, for the rest of their lives. A er all, the wise man says, ‘I don’t know.’”

KEEP IT SIMPL E

While revolutionizing how people understood horse care and relationships from the ground, Smith realized the grooming product market wasn’t suiting her and her principle values of simplicity, comfort, and e ciency.

Ruthann was perplexed by why every barn had cabinets full of products and still so many skin problems persisted.

With a horsewoman’s sensibilities, and years grooming and braiding under her belt, Smith dove into producing her own line of products. Initially, she just wanted to braid clean manes and reduce rubbing. As it turns out, she was able to nally solve a host of issues with very few products that protect and o er relief to skin, as well as strengthen hair. Her streamline protocol makes easy to resolve problems with typically only 1-2 products, instead of 8-11 conventional products. This means less to buy, manage and ship. It’s better for the horses, their people, and the planet.

“I worked with a naturopathic vet to develop a distinctive and more e ective strategy. I didn’t intend to have a business. I didn’t set out to have products. I realized how perversive age-old problems were and had to solve them. I want it to be easy for horses to be comfortable in their skin—for the highest quality care to be simple and easy,” she says.

TOP TURNOUT CLINICS AND GROOMING RESOURCE

True to Lucky Braids’ overarching mission of raising the bar of horsemanship, Smith has also spent years compiling educational resources, which she shares on her website and across her social media platforms. These include articles she has written that address the most important and commonly misunderstood issues regarding

horse care, handling, safety, braiding, and management. Ruthann also shares her formula for braiding beautifully via her how-to video, specialized tools, yarn, and hands-on workshops at clinics.

“In these days of the internet and social media, it can be tricky to determine who o ers sound horsemanship and who is simply well-branded. The marketplace is muddy, with tons of dissenting opinions. I created the Grooming Resource to address important, sometimes forgotten, aspects of horsemanship,” says Smith.

In this age, trainers spend increasing time at the ring. There are fewer true barn managers constantly on the aisle and maintaining the quality of care. Customers come and go. Riders are not o en encouraged to really connect and care for their horses themselves. That’s where Lucky Braids meets the market, with products that make quality care easier, so people can love horses in the ways they want to be loved.

“My articles share tips, observations, and things learned the hard way while working with the greats. I hope the educational resources I share inspire people to do right by their horses,” she says, “I know if they do, it not only will save them time and money. It levels the playing eld. Horses are our teachers and healers. In the process of helping them be their best, they give us the opportunity to understand ourselves better. Horsemanship is a life skill.”

PHOTO: LARA MCPHERSON

WIHS Barn Night Winners won a 2-day Top Turnout Clinic with Braiding Workshops. All ages are engaged and learn a lot

We Deep Dive Into Equine Industry Standards and How To Improve Upon Them

WORDS: KATIE DERER

INDUSTRY STANDARDS help maintain a certain level of professionalism, safety, and horse welfare in the equine industry. Many argue that there is still significant room for improvement—especially when it comes to worker compensation, better work conditions, and industry-wide transparency. As the equine world evolves, these “industry standards” must also adapt to meet the changing demands of both the workforce and the horses themselves.

The push for livable wages, a healthier work-life balance, and ethical practices is becoming more prominent, particularly as the next generation of equine professionals demands change.

FLASHBACK: IT’S 2019

Let’s take a trip back to pre-covid. As someone who once survived on coffee and margaritas, I spent over the last decade before covid as a rider, groom, younghorse trainer, and instructor; I know all too well the struggle to make ends meet. After working every opportunity, every angle, thinking outside the box, and plenty of graveyard shifts, and supplemental side hustles- I found myself still unable to successfully navigate an income where I could unburden myself enough to buy groceries, carry health insurance, and pay necessary vehicle or rental bills. Through this burnout, I lost faith in the industry, closed my first farm operation, and switched into restaurants and hospitality so that I could successfully make it out of the debt I had accumulated and reassess where to begin again, and if I really wanted to. This article tackles the elusive “industry standards”, where they come from, and how we can utilize other industries to create more realistic industry standards moving forward.

TAKE A LOOK: 1980

Let’s go back in time for a moment.The year is 1980. Let’s take a look at the global perspective, as we navigate cost of living,

expenses, minimum wage, and the overall atmosphere surrounding the horse industry.

THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE IN 1980 WAS $3.10, UNLEADED GAS WAS $1.19, COLLEGE TUITION FOR 4-YEAR INSTITUTIONS $738/YEAR.

So what, inflation is normal. It is common to watch obligatory eye rolls when the statistics are shared, however, when the current generation suffers from the past and current affairs of decisions made by a select few, it is up to the industry and everyone in it to find common ground for the greater picture: the future. It is lack of foresight, preparedness, and communication that the state of the equine industry continues its belief in current “industry standards.” Don’t agree? Ok, let’s check some facts. In short, whether you agree or not, everyone in the industry is at fault. As I move through this follow-up article, be sure to read the last article for context. Together, we can analyze where reformations are needed to encourage industry professionals to make better choices to everyone’s benefit.

FAST FORWARD: 2022

Let’s take a look at the industry compared to 40 years ago.

$1 USD IS EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT $3.14 IN 2020. A PRICE INCREASE OF OVER 214.09%, WHICH IS AN INFLATION RATE OF 2.90% PER YEAR BETWEEN 1980 AND 2020.

When you think of industry standards, what comes to mind? After polling peers and professionals, the vast majority that replied can be composed into four groups: income, horse care, training, and work expectations. Unfortunately, industry standards can be classified into over eight separate categories, not excluding horse care and welfare, training and performance, business and employment standards, breeding and genetics,

discipline specific standards, sustainability and environmental standards, ethical practices and transparency, and professional development. Just by glancing at the list leads to the daunting question, how on earth any one governing body could undertake the enormity of such a task as regulating effectively?! The answer is: one body cannot, but YOU CAN. As an equine community, we can all help one another, or not. The future is up to you.

DID YOU KNOW?

The racing industry is one of the only worldly equine disciplines with rules and regulations regarding employee pay affecting the ability to compete? The rules regarding paying employees in the horse racing industry, particularly for those working in training, stabling, and racing operations, can vary greatly by country and jurisdiction. In many countries, there are specific labor laws that must be adhered to before individuals, particularly trainers, grooms, and other essential staff, are allowed to work or participate in racing. These rules are often designed to ensure that workers are properly compensated for their labor before they can be involved in racing events. Here’s an overview of some general principles in different countries:

In the United States, there isn’t a federal rule specifically requiring racecourse employees to be paid before being allowed to compete. However, horse racing is highly regulated by state-specific commissions, such as the California Horse Racing Board or New York State Gaming Commission, which enforce rules around fair labor practices. Employers in the horse racing industry, including trainers and race organizers, must follow Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) guidelines, which require timely payment for services rendered.

• Specific Rules: In some states like California, the rules might require proof

of fair compensation for stable workers or trainers before a horse is allowed to race, especially regarding workers’ wages. This ensures that employees such as grooms, exercise riders, and jockeys are paid promptly to prevent exploitation.

In the United Kingdom, under the National Minimum Wage and Employment Rights Act, employees working in horse racing, such as stable staff, grooms, and trainers, must be paid in accordance with minimum wage laws. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) enforces rules that require stable staff and other racing employees to be compensated before racehorses can compete.

• Specific Rules: For racehorses to be entered into races, a registered trainer must ensure that their staff are paid fairly and regularly. The BHA has strict regulations about employer responsibilities, including providing contracts, ensuring workers are paid, and offering fair conditions. Before a horse is cleared to race, there is often a requirement that all licensing and financial obligations concerning staff compensation are in good standing.

The Racing Australia governing body has standards for how trainers, jockeys, and other racing employees must be paid. Australian regulations stipulate that all employees must be paid in accordance with the Fair Work Act and are protected by awards that ensure fair wages. Stable staff and grooms must be paid on time for their work, and some states or territories

have specific rules that require these payments before a horse can be entered into a race.

• Specific Rules: In certain states, such as Victoria, trainers are required to comply with employment laws, including the payment of wages for staff like stablehands and grooms, before a race can take place. Payment disputes or evidence of unpaid wages could prevent a horse from being entered into a race until the issue is resolved.

France has very strong labor laws, and the French Racing Authority (France Galop) requires employers in the equine industry to adhere to strict pay and work regulations. The country’s system ensures that racing staff, including jockeys, grooms, and trainers, are paid according to French labor laws and are given contracts that guarantee wages.

• Specific Rules: To ensure fair practices, France Galop ensures that staff working on horse training or at racecourses are compensated before any horses are entered in races. Employers must provide proof of payment or a wage guarantee to enter a horse into a race.

In Japan, under the Japan Racing Association (JRA), regulates the horse racing industry, ensuring that workers, including trainers, grooms, and jockeys, are paid according to Japan’s employment standards law. The JRA requires employers to comply with the country’s labor laws, including the timely payment of wages.

• Specific Rules: In Japan, if an employer has a dispute or fails to pay workers such as grooms or trainers, the JRA may withhold a horse’s entry to races until the issue is resolved. This ensures that employees are treated fairly and that the industry maintains ethical standards.

In Dubai (UAE), The Dubai Racing Authority oversees horse racing in the UAE and enforces fair labor practices for employees in the equine sector, including those in training and at racecourses. Employers are expected to comply with the country’s labor laws, which set the minimum wage and employment conditions.

• Specific Rules: In Dubai, horses cannot compete unless all staff wages are in compliance with UAE labor laws. Employers must also ensure that the necessary documentation, including the proof of payment to staff, is in order before a horse is cleared to race.

Explain to me why the United States of America is one of the only countries without regulatory practices for pay, training, and professional development in equine sport. To me, the arguments are excuses. “America is so big”, “even if you regulate it, people will find a way around it anyway”. If you have similar thoughts, again, this widespread industry brainwashing is how we have become the industry of today. Just because following laws can be dismissed, doesn’t mean that there should be no laws at all.

In all the mentioned countries, the general theme is that employers in the horse racing industry must comply with local labor laws, which often include the requirement to pay staff—such as grooms, trainers, and jockeys—on time. Some jurisdictions explicitly prohibit a horse from competing if there are unresolved employment or payment issues, while others enforce this through licensing or certification requirements. The specifics can vary by country or even state/province, but in all cases, ensuring fair pay for workers is a critical aspect of maintaining ethical and legal racing operations. Just by adapting a few of these principles into other disciplines of equestrian sport, could certainly make a crucial step in keeping equestrians validated and safeguards in their jobs.

Of course, there is no perfect answer to one problem. But rather a collective effort in step by step processes, towards the reformation of daily norms and practices in the industry. There is one word in particular that strikes fear into the hearts of many participating in any job market: union. Unionization in the equine industry could significantly change the dynamics of worker rights, compensation, and working conditions for employees in various sectors, such as grooms, stable staff, trainers, riders, and veterinarians. While unionization is a relatively new concept in many parts of the equine world, incorporating a union could help address longstanding issues around pay, job security, working hours, and safety. Let’s take a moment to explore what unionization might look like in the equine industry:

1 Core Objectives of Equine Industry Unions

➥ Fair Wages & Livable Income: One of the primary goals would be ensuring that workers in the equine industry, including grooms, trainers, and stablehands receive fair compensation for their labor. Many workers are underpaid, especially in sectors like grooming or horse training, where long hours and physical work are common. A union could negotiate for minimum wage standards or livable wages, especially in the face of the rising cost of living.

• Better Working Conditions: Unions could advocate for better workplace

environments, including safer stables, better access to equipment, and more humane working conditions for both workers and horses. For instance, reducing the risk of injury, ensuring adequate time off, and offering protective gear for workers could be included in union contracts.

• Job Security & Benefits: Unionized workers could secure contracts that offer job stability, health insurance, retirement plans, and paid leave. This would help address the issue of job instability, especially for freelance or seasonal workers who may face a lack of benefits and uncertainty between jobs.

• Work-Life Balance: Union contracts could set standards for hours worked, ensuring a more predictable schedule, reducing burnout, and protecting workers from being overburdened with long shifts, especially during peak times like racing season or shows.

• Training and Education: A union could negotiate for funding or support for continuous professional development. It could ensure that workers in the industry are offered opportunities to learn new skills and progress within their field, creating a more professional and skilled workforce.

2 Types of Workers Who Could Be Affected

➥ Grooms and Stablehands: Workers responsible for caring for horses, mucking out stables, feeding, and providing general horse care could greatly benefit from union representation to secure fair wages, adequate rest periods, and better safety standards.

• Trainers and Coaches: Freelance and salaried trainers often face unpredictable incomes and difficult working conditions. Unionization could provide them with more leverage to negotiate fair pay and job security, as well as standards for working with horses and clients.

• Jockeys and Exercise Riders: Jockeys already have some level of representation in certain racing jurisdictions, but unionization could provide a more structured system of support. It could address concerns about weight requirements, health insurance, race-day pay, and post-race care, as well as better protections for their physical safety.

• Veterinarians and Farriers: Unionizing

veterinarians and farriers could ensure that they are adequately compensated for their specialized skills and receive protections related to their physical well-being, as their jobs often require intense physical labor and long hours.

• Event Coordinators and Other Support Staff: Individuals who work behind the scenes, such as event planners, horse show organizers, and barn managers, would also benefit from unionization to ensure proper compensation and work conditions.

Unionization Structure

➥ National vs. Regional Unions:

A national union could represent equine workers across multiple regions and disciplines, ensuring standardized practices and wages. However, local or regional unions may be more effective in addressing specific needs and challenges in different areas, such as thoroughbred racing versus dressage or eventing.

• Collective Bargaining: Unions would engage in collective bargaining with employers (e.g., stables, racecourses, training facilities) to negotiate contracts that secure better pay, hours, and working conditions. Through collective bargaining, workers would have more leverage to demand reasonable working hours, better benefits, and protection from unfair dismissal.

• Membership and Dues: Employees who wish to join the union would pay membership dues, which would fund the union’s operations, legal support, and advocacy. Union members could vote on the terms of collective bargaining agreements and help steer the direction of the union’s efforts.

4 Key Benefits of Unionization in the Equine Industry

➥ Improved Pay and Benefits: Unions would negotiate for standardized wages that reflect the true value of workers’ contributions, including compensation for overtime, holiday pay, and medical benefits. In the long run, this would help improve the financial security of workers in the equine sector.

• Standardization of Practices: Unions could help standardize practices across different sectors of the equine industry, from racing to breeding, creating more consistency in how horses are treated and how workers are managed. This could

promote better industry-wide safety and welfare standards.

• Advocacy for Animal Welfare: Unionized workers could push for more robust animal welfare standards. With a unified voice, workers could have more influence on shaping policies that ensure horses are treated humanely, both in terms of training and competition.

• Workplace Safety: Through union representation, workers could ensure that safety protocols are in place and enforced, especially considering the physically demanding nature of the industry. This could include better standards for facilities, proper safety training, and protective equipment to prevent accidents and injuries.

5 Challenges of Unionization in the Equine Industry

➥ Fragmented Workforce: The equine industry is highly fragmented, with

workers spread across many disciplines (e.g., racing, breeding, recreational riding, show jumping). This could make it difficult to organize a cohesive union that speaks for all workers, given the wide variation in needs and working conditions.

• Freelance and Contract Work: Many equine industry workers, particularly trainers, grooms, and jockeys, are freelancers or independent contractors rather than full-time employees. This makes unionization more complex since these workers may not fit the traditional employment model.

• Employer Resistance: Some employers might resist unionization, fearing that higher wages and more regulations could lead to increased costs or reduced flexibility. There could also be resistance from individuals who have traditionally operated in the industry on an informal, non-union basis.

• Cultural and Tradition: The equine industry, particularly in certain countries like the United States, has deep-rooted traditions and a strong culture of individualism. Resistance to change or “outsiders” trying to impose new rules could create significant friction between workers and employers.

6 Potential for Change and Progress

➥ Generational Shift: Younger equestrians, who are more attuned to issues like transparency, work-life balance, and fair wages, could drive the push for unionization. As these professionals gain more influence, they could reshape the industry into a more equitable and sustainable sector.

• Industry Evolution: While unionization in the equine industry may not be widespread yet, its growing momentum could bring long-term benefits. As the industry modernizes, workers’ rights,

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safety, and pay could become more aligned with the expectations of today’s workforce.

Unionization in the equine industry could serve as a transformative force that addresses some of the industry’s most pressing challenges, including fair compensation, safety, and transparency. Just a few of the problems that the industry faces today. While there are significant obstacles to implementing unionization—such as a fragmented workforce and resistance from employers—the growing need for better working conditions, livable wages, and ethical treatment of both workers and horses makes unionization a potential avenue for positive change. Together, one step at a time, I know the industry can be different. By fostering collaboration, accountability, and respect across the industry, a unionized workforce could help ensure that the equine industry becomes more sustainable, inclusive, and fair for all involved.

A JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES BEGINS WITH A SINGLE STEP- LAO TZU

While we may not be able to cover every individual perspective, we can certainly take away a more wholesome approach in finding solutions to the current plight of the laborers. At the same time, we must open up about the hard-truths in the equine industry. Our aim as industry professionals should be to work towards educating and furthering reform where necessary, to the benefit of the future of the equine industry. These articles are geared to open conversation for those in the equine community with a commitment to change. My sincere hope is that this information will fuel up and coming generations, as well as, serving as a reminder that progress must be made to keep the interest and integrity within the sport we have all come to love. Ultimately, the article is one of collective action, accountability, and empowerment: the industry will only change if its workers come together to demand transparency, fair pay, and better conditions for everyone involved. We are experiencing a generational shift in how equine professionals view their value and their rights. Let us sit down at the table and encourage ongoing reform in the industry to ensure it is equitable and sustainable for the future.

REFERENCES

American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), “Guidelines for Equine Veterinary Care”. AAEP Website

American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), “Horse Care Guidelines”. AVMA Website

United States Trotting Association (USTA), “Horse Health Requirements”. USTA Website

British Eventing, “Rules and Safety Standards”. British Eventing Website

The Animal Welfare Act (UK), “Transport of Animals”. UK Government Website

U.S. Department of Labor, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). U.S. Department of Labor Website

Jockeys’ Guild, “About Us”. Jockeys’ Guild Website

United States Hunter Jumper Association, “Certified Trainers”. USHJA Website

Colorado State University, Equine Science Program CSU Website

The Jockey Club, “Rules and Regulations”. The Jockey Club Website

American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), “Breeding and Registration”. AQHA Website

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Equine Facility Guidelines”. EPA Website

United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), “Sustainable Practices in Competition”. USEF Website

RSPCA, “Horse Welfare Guidelines”. RSPCA Website

Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), “Rules on Horse Welfare”. FEI Website

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), “Equine AntiDoping”. WADA Website

U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), “Equine Drug Testing”. USADA Website

THE EXPERT

KATIE DERER

Katie graduated from Delaware Valley University with a Bachelors degree in Equine Studies, specializing in Equine Training. She also studied abroad in the UK at Hartpury College, where she found her enthusiasm for research and globalization practices within the equine industry. In 2016, she formed Wilderer Equestrian as a young professional, committed to young horses, sales, and showing on the circuit. After 20+ years in the industry, she continues to document first-hand experiences, fight diversity inconsistencies, advocating for her peers, while searching for solutionbased policies to bring into practice.

EquiSol Jackie Jolie Harnesses Light For Improving Health and Performance

WITH HER PATENTED d esign, Jackie Jolie is thoughtfully cra ing products for the ultimate care and comfort of horses, dogs, and more. Using innovative light technology, her business EquiSol has the ambitious goal to heal pets worldwide. Using red and infrared light therapy, EquiSol’s line includes full-body blankets, bell boots, and leg wraps. EquiSol is designed for safety and versatility to be used by any equestrian.

WHY RED LIGHT?

The circulation of blood through the cardiovascular system from the heart throughout a mammal’s body allows proper function of the organs, overall health, healing of various forms, and delivery of nutrients and oxygen to all cells in the body (the National Library of Medicine). Increasing circulation allows the healing process to progress more rapidly by providing tissue with essential components necessary for repair. From decades of scienti c research on various mammals, red and infrared light increase circulation across all treated areas.

EquiSol blankets and products are used for any ailment that circulation aids in, areas such as prevention, healing, recovery, and rehab. They help hair regrowth, nerve regeneration, cardiovascular issues, so tissue repair, prevent scar tissue, and just promote faster healing and pain relief.

While there are many therapies proven to increase circulation, most require supervision, a literal hands-on approach and, in some cases, a vet to administer. EquiSol was designed with the practical,

WORDS: MARLEY LIEN-GONZALEZ PHOTOS: MADISON MONROE

Jackie Jolie, founder of EquiSol, poses with her DogSol Red Light Therapy Blanket and a prototype of the EquiSol Red Light Therapy Blanket

Equine Impact SmallChampionBusiness Award

economic horse owner in mind, o ering an accessible and e cient solution for equine care. It is simple to leave a horse on cross-ties or minimally attended while a rider is in and out cleaning tack, grooming their next horse, or picking stalls.

“Truly what many horses need, especially when there’s an injury or an illness, is light enhancement treatment every day or sometimes twice a day. I wanted to make that logistically simple for horse owners, grooms, and barn managers to implement with EquiSol,” says Jolie.

“We designed for simplicity in the barn and for anyone to be able to use. Practitioners don’t need to worry about harm- there is the easy on and o button, there’s a built-in 15-minute timer, and it turns o on its own.”

A BEGINNING IN BODYWORK

Jolie has spent the last 15 years as an equine and canine bodyworker, particularly catering to high-level performance horses. To her, better performance and better results have always started internally–with the comfort of the horse.

“It’s very ful lling to help the horses and empower the owners,” says Jolie. “I had a very natural, holistic mindset for healing. The whole body is connected.”

EquiSol’s red and infrared light therapy blankets were designed from the vantage point of thousands of hours of bodywork. They have full body coverage; neck, poll, and even belly band pieces. “Both the dog and the horse blankets have a belly band.

For horses, that covers castration scars, colic surgery scars, C-section scars, and bloating. It also has the ability to treat the abdominal muscles, lungs, the heart, and the microbiome in the gut. Same thing with dogs–they have spay and neuter scars, C-sections, bloat, and many of the same issues.”

“In my years of bodywork, I needed a full body session to really see a transformation. Even if there’s an injured tendon or ligament, or it’s their back that’s bothering them, you really want the whole body to get supported, because four-legged animals, especially horses, use another part of the body to compensate when one area is injured. It was important to me that EquiSol o ered a full body therapy,” said Jolie.

A MISSION OF BRINGING LIGHT

Jolie hopes that as people use red and infrared light therapy as the ultimate supplement in increasing circulation and comfort and promoting healing at a faster rate, they also recognize the many bene ts of letting their animals just be outside.

Horses naturally circulate and increase blood ow through constant movement and walking around. Horses that are in stalls for the majority of their lives can bene t from being in the sun, getting turnout, going for long walks, and of course, using EquiSol therapy as a supplement, not a replacement, for being in nature and out in the sun.

“You can never really replace the sun. No product out there, no device, nothing will ever fully replicate it; but at EquiSol, we’ve harnessed the power of light,” said Jolie.

The next steps for EquiSol are to elevate animal welfare and recovery across the globe. In development is a cat pad with EquiSol technology which will be able to t in a cat carrier and cater to a variety of di erent animals.

“I really would love to be able to help working animals, horses, and military or service dogs, and eventually raise the money for a full set of blankets for humane shelters and sanctuaries,” says Jolie, “The sooner you can heal a horse or a dog from an injury or surgery, then the sooner you can get them out for adoption. There are so many animals that are struggling with anxiety, loneliness, and depression; EquiSol could really help them relax and rest while they heal.”

BENEFITS OF RED AND NEAR INFRARED THERAPY

Reduces Cellular Inflammation: Helps alleviate in ammation at the cellular level.

Enhances Blood

Circulation: Boosts blood ow to tissues, promoting health and vitality.

Accelerates Wound

Healing: Speeds up the healing process of wounds and improves the appearance of scars.

Increases Cellular Energy: Enhances energy (ATP) production within cells for better function.

Stimulates Lymphatic

Activity: Activates the lymphatic system, supporting detoxi cation and reducing swelling.

Muscle Relaxation: Assists in relaxing muscles to ease tension and discomfort.

Promotes Endorphin

Release: Encourages the release of endorphins, providing natural pain relief.

Encourages Cellular

Repair: Boosts RNA and DNA synthesis, aiding the repair of damaged cells.

Supports Bone Healing: Aids in the healing process of bone issues such as fractures and breaks.

EquiSol Bell Boots and Leg Wraps provide red light therapy for hoof and lower leg support

APPLIANCE (1) TO ART (10)

Spending more on lessons than apparel in 2025

When we encounter art, or “the unexpected inevitable,” as Elizabeth Gilbert deﬁnes it, we might wonder: How did I get so lucky? This is what takes your breath away, allows contemplation, and inspires awe. On the other hand, there’s a lot of life that is pure appliance: Expected, hardware, completely unimagined.

This is your new monthly equine pop culture contribution—think: Where The Onion meets The New Yorker—to rate what we’re seeing out there, from Appliance to Art. Take it with a grain of salt and a hearty sense of humor. For the love of all things horse, don’t @ us. Have an idea for an entry? Email us at editor@theplaidhorse.com and we might include it in our next column.

A new name and elevated 5* status for the Kentucky International on your horse from the “right” side AND the right side

Getting off and

The USET Foundation announcing its $56 million in awards to equestrian athletes since 2003 at the USEF Annual Board Meeting

A camel ride of opening ceremonies at the Longines League of Nations in Abu Dhabi

shows that have fruits and veggies at the in-gate

GRAPHICS: BIG WILD CREATIVE, PHOTOS: THE PLAID HORSE, UNBRIDLED MEDIA

Winning without a re-ride

Using excessive health data metric tools to justify your athleticism All the spring riding clinics

Having family dinner with your horse friends outside of a horse show

Horse

RAISING STANDARDS SINCE 1986

KRISTIN LEE PHOTOGRAPHY

TIPS FOR RIDING SUCCESS: BE A WORKER

Workers show up. They are ready to learn from the moment they get to the barn. We all get distracted, but a worker is the one who puts in the extra time. They pick up, and help around the farm with whatever is needed. When they ride, they ride with a plan. They do transitions, and ﬁgures and have a goal. They ride without stirrups, without reins. They put in days of long, boring ﬁtness rides because it is the right thing for the horses. They do the hard things, because it makes them stronger and better.

False Horsetails: To What Lengths?

WORDS L.A. BERRY

“THE HYPOCRISY of the horse world [is that it] pretends to love horses but goes to obscene lengths to get the desired results.”

The Equiery, 2025

A remark within a review for a fictional murder mystery novel set in the world of competitive equestrians may not seem the typical place to invite a discussion about false horsetails, but it does beg an uncomfortable question.

To what lengths will horse show people go?

When it comes to natural false or “fake” tails, the short answer is that it depends on who and how one competes. False tails are banned among some organizations while others see their use as complicit to staying competitive, with the most exceptional and enhancing colors commanding exceptional prices.

It splices hairs thinner than horsetails to examine everything, everywhere all at once regarding—from a regulatory standpoint—their show ring use. In short, the breeds that do not allow fake tails in competition and will disqualify riders using them are the Arabian, Andalusian, Baskhir Curly Horse, Friesian, Lusitano, and Morgan.

On an international level, the FEI has

a procedure for requesting the use of tail extensions in dressage, para dressage and eventing competition, whereby riders wishing to participate while using a fake tail need to provide a veterinarian’s certificate stating their horse has injured its tail or has very little hair for other reasons.

Among Western show horses, the American Quarter Horse Association has ruled since 1997 that, “Tails may be

lengthened by hair-to-hair attachment only, with no attachments of any kind to the tail bone.”

While you won’t specifically find “tail” or “fake tail” in the index of its more than 370-page AQHA Rule Book, regulation VIO204.14 also oversees the use of “any item or appliance that restricts the circulation of the horse’s tail; use of any item or appliance other than a weighted tail that restricts movement of the horse’s tail; and use of any drug, chemical, foreign substance, surgical procedure or trauma that would alter a horse’s normal tail function.”

But in ranch riding, AQHA prohibits all tail extensions: “Horses competing in ranch riding classes should have a natural ranch-horse appearance from head to tail.”

HEAD SPINNING YET?

You’re not alone. As recently as January 2023, the USEF Board of Directors and Arabian Horse Association (AHA) sought to resolve rules regarding natural and un-natural tail standards “in conflict with each other, and indefensible,” and to include new amended language to the USEF Arabian Division.

It’s up to competitors to stay atop the

rules they must show by, but rules are open to amendment, if a well-informed constituency wishes to present a compelling argument for change.

Understanding where false horsetails come from, where their value is derived, and how and why their demand continues to grow presents a clearer picture of the lengths horse people should or should not go to use them.

TAKING ROOT

Before she was a USEF ‘R’ Western Dressage judge, four-time AQHA World Championship judge, 14-time Western Dressage World Champion, 34-time AQHA World and Reserve World Champion, and four-time AQHA Superhorse titlist (Skip’s Sierra Nick, Rugged Lark, The Lark Ascending), Lynn Palm of Ocala, Florida was just a kid showing the horses she loved, “rat tails and all,” in local and 4-H rings. Back then, she says, dressing up a sparse tail never entered her or anyone else’s mind.

Then came the 1980s and the first rudimentary tail additions. Palm tells The Plaid Horse, “They had a leather loop at the top to braid it in. It added zero weight. It was just ‘more tail’ to the tail.”

Schneiders Adjustable Weighted Fake Horse Show Tails. Includes four 4 oz. weights for a custom look. Retails $365-$525 (right)

Adding weight came later, when riders discovered an advantage beyond cosmetic enhancement.

“The only reason they started adding weights to fake tails was to stop the swishing,” Palm says. Because a swishing tail may transmit to a judge an unflattering message of stress or resistance and in the 1990s, that ruefully led to a nerving process euphemistically called “tail blocking” that temporarily paralyzed a horse’s muscles around its tail.

By 2012, AQHA legalized weighted tails and tail extensions, and the “big tail look” started showing up in hunter and western pleasure classes. Today, false tails can weigh from a half-pound to two pounds (plus the customizable four-ounce to one-pound allowances within the AQHA Rules weight system).

“It’s a touchy subject, period,” Palm says. “For folks trying to fit in with the competition it’s hard not to use one.

Nearly every stock horse breed and a lot of USEF, USDF classes allow them. Done right, it enhances the beauty of a horse’s hindquarters.”

But when everyone goes bigger and better, “done right” can get overdone.

“Too much or too heavy a tail compromises spine health,” says Palm. “A false tail takes away from a horse’s movement because it compromises communication and balance. When a horse has to struggle to find its balance it can’t perform well. That starts a vicious circle of more weight, harder work and poorer performance.”

“So if a weighted tail becomes a detriment to the horse, makes it struggle to balance and perform, or is impacting spinal health then it’s a ‘No’ from me.”

WEIGHTY DEMANDS

For two decades, one of the world’s chief suppliers of natural mane and tail

horsehair has been Yibai Horsehair Supply in China’s Hebei Province. Its output of horsehair— sourced from Mongolia and exported to Asia, Europe and North America for stringed instruments and fabric padding, as well as custom cut and colored hair for horse accessories including tail extensions—adds up to about nine tons a year.

“We often export horsehair to the United States,” says Yibai representative, Helen Lu. Orders since the start of 2025 and new American administration have been on the rise.

“Right after Trump’s election, many customers placed orders hoping to purchase a batch of goods before the tariffs took effect. The entire month of January was our busiest in 25 years.

“Many customers are companies that do this kind of service [horsehair tails] but our customers are also professional equestrians engaged in show horses and racing services. We did sell a lot of long (40” and above) horsetails in the past year, many of which are used to make extensions and fake tails,” Lu adds.

“Our customers usually require white horsetail hair which is natural and realistic. White horsetail hairs, all natural, are very rare and precious. We can fade black tail hair to white with some processing, but it would be too fake.”

THE COLOR OF MONEY

“Tail extensions have been allowed in the stock horse industry since 1997,” says Barb Delf, who launched Custom Tails in-stock and custom tail hair service in 1999 and today offers over 20 in-stock tail color options, custom blends hair and specializes in hard-to-match tails.

“Demand has grown every year. In the stock horse industry, with hunters and, most recently, in the dressage world,” she says.

Custom Tail extensions range from $110 to $865 and offers choices in top attachments (braider’s choice single loop, double loop or tie) and fullness/hair amount, weighing from three-quarters of a pound, progressively up to two pounds. And sure enough, blondes have more fun.

Lynn Palm’s gelding Sand N My Botz wears a special ‘charm’ – the false tail once worn by AQHA Superhorse, Rugged Painted Lark (left)

The most valuable custom tail extensions, measuring 30” to 43” long with blunt or tapered bottoms, come in white, silver, yellow and/or blonde color, starting at $200 to $760 for White Flaxen tail extensions up to $245 to $865 for Silver White.

Despite the value of some white tails equaling a car payment, Delf has never heard of nor experienced any thefts or a ‘shadow market’ for such extensions. “We have not been approached by sellers with questionable products [but] have been approached by folks who would like to sell their horse’s long tail hair to us. But since we buy tail hair in large quantities, the purchase of individual tails is not something we do.”

At Schneider’s Saddlery, now in its 76th year, vice president of merchandising Dana Palzkill says it has been offering extensions from 100% natural horsehair for several years, and the product performs well.

“There has been a slight increase since COVID (2020) consistent with normal category growth rates. White tails are harder to source and match, due to so many shades of white. Price depends on design complexity, material quality, and customization. Generally, more basic false tails start in the $100+ range, while premium, hand-crafted, custom options go for up to $350+, reflecting the artistry involved and use of ethically-sourced materials.”

Palzkill added, “Although Schneider’s has never experienced theft on our end, we’re aware that the scarcity of these natural hues can make them a target for those looking to cut corners. We encourage buyers and sellers to stay informed about proper sourcing practices and to support ethical providers.”

Being horsehair-adjacent was all it took for Ruthann Smith, professional braider and founder of Lucky Braids Hair & Skin, to receive a solicitation from Anping County Lijin Horse Hair Product Factory in China inquiring if it might supply her with horsetail extensions of “good quality and best price.”

“Once I spoke to a seller I was appalled,” says the mane and tail care expert, “imagining the life of horses with no tails. She assured me they grow back—if I’m not mistaken—in a year, and no harm is done.

Well, I’d like to see images.”

“I have no idea if people buy from these sources, only that they found me. I don’t make tails. But what I think is crazy is when people try to match a stained tail instead of getting a tail snowy white first. To me, integral to the discussion of fake tails is how it’s possible to get a big, flowing tail naturally on almost any horse.”

THE ICK FACTOR

Ethical is a heavy word not lightly thrown. Natural horsetails have to come from somewhere even when they seem to appear nowhere.

We asked Amy Dill, executive director with the Western & English Sales Association (WESA), providers of the world’s largest trade events for equestrian retailers and manufacturers, if the January WESA Trade Show in Dallas, TX, had false tails among its annual assembly of more than 550 product lines and 3,700 retailers. The trade show, she says, “unfortunately did not have any exhibitors with this product nor statistics to offer.”

Delf, who sets a booth up at the All America Quarter Horse Congress in Ohio, is candid. “The tail hair comes from deceased horses. We purchase the tail hair in bulk from a wholesale company in Asia. The tail hair is purchased from all around the world and is then cleaned and sorted according to color and length.”

At Schneider’s, Palzkill says strict sourcing protocols and a transparent supply chain counterbalance any under-the-table trade, as well as advocacy for industry-wide standards that protect both the animals and integrity of the craft.

“Because the United States does not have a tradition of equine tail slaughter, our natural tails are sourced from long-established, ethically regulated suppliers where tails are a byproduct of horses that have been humanely retired or passed away due to natural causes. Relationships with suppliers are built over years of networking and industry events that emphasize responsible animal husbandry.

Palzkill adds, “Being a horse lover, I think it is wonderful when beautiful tails live on, as each and every one of those horses were special.”

Andrea Dixon, who chose last June to invest a decade of horsemanship experience, including showing AQHA, into launching Equine Banding and Braiding by Andrea Dixon says, “I use trusted sources.” Schneider’s tails come from horses that have passed.

“The most expensive and hardest to color match are palomino tails. They can vary in color and some black or grey throughout the tail. I’ve seen one online for $480,” says Dixon, who has seen demand for false tails grow. “Now, people add hair into forelocks for a fuller look. Wish I’d thought of that! I’ve only seen that technique in halter, showmanship and western pleasure classes.”

READY, SET, SHOW Smith, like Palm, feels the line for false tails needs to be drawn at performance.

At least two top hunter barns Smith knows of use a “tiny bit” of hair in their fake tails, “Just a little, to round out the look of the hind end.” Because, as another barn manager declared as they passed a colorful string of them along a tack room wall, “We love our tails.”

Smith asks, “It’s just, what’s really happening? Where is the line? When a horse is going and the tail is getting caught between the legs, we have hit a point of diminishing return. It’s unnatural and, to me, unfortunate.”

“There has been some controversy about weighted tails,” says Dixon. “Some argue that it is cruel to put in a heavier tail since the weight is based on just a thin section of tail that is braided into the fake tail head. I personally haven’t seen a horse bothered by it but I have seen a few step on them and that has been tragic.”

It doesn’t have to be that way. A good tail, applied conscientiously, can enjoy as long a life as a good horse’s legacy. Palm intends to resurrect a light, thin horsetail formerly used on her FEI World Cup Finals horse Rugged Painted Lark (aka Bruce), on a new five-year-old AQHA gelding, Sand N My Botz, she has in training.

“It feels like good luck,” she says, recalling her tobiano partner laid to rest in 2022. “It feels kind of special.”

© Winslow Photography

© Andrew Ryback 2024

The Cost of Horses

THE SKITTLES bag crinkled in my coat pocket as I reached in to sh out a small handful of the candies. The sound usually provoked an enthusiastic reaction from the fellow on the other side of the door. But not today.

I slid the stall door open, the same way I had a thousand times before, normally greeted with an excited whicker or chu . But not today. He was standing in the back corner of the stall. His eyes half closed and his head down. He li ed his gray head when I stepped in. There was a ash of recognition in his liquid brown eyes as he slowly walked over and gently pushed his head into my chest. On a regular visit, I would grab my tack and we would go out for a ride together, whatever the weather. But not today.

For as long as I can remember, horses have stirred something in my soul. There’s a club; you’ll know if you’re in it. Horse people. You probably remember that girl in school who couldn’t stop talking about horses, every project was about horses, you might even still think of her today when you see a horse, though you haven’t talked for years. Horses are strange like that. Something about them captures the imagination in a way I can only scratch the surface to describe. Horse people will say it’s something we are born with, something in our blood. When it starts, it doesn’t matter your socio-economic background. Horses don’t care where you came from—if you’re in the club, you’re in.

When I was young, my family didn’t understand it. I was born in Jersey City and I had never even seen a horse. Horses are expensive! Nevertheless, I carried around horse books and My Little Ponies wherever I went. My kindergarten teacher asked about our family farm to my mother’s bewilderment. I used to have a stable of fake horses, pictures cut from magazines hung on my walls, fake documents indicating their breed registry and names, carefully stu ed in my sock drawer. I would spend my days running like a horse, jumping like a horse, neighing like a horse. I ended up excelling in high school track at the 300-meter hurdles thanks to all of that practice.

WORDS: BREANNE PALMERINI

THE PLAID HORSE $10,000 WRITING CONTEST CHAMPION

When I nally was able to take riding lessons at the young age of seven, I remember feeling like I had been waiting a lifetime, but horses are expensive, of course. The yearning to feel four legs underneath me and share that power with another being was so strong, I can still remember it clearly more than 30 years later. That bittersweet longing. Even a er that rst riding lesson, I knew it was never going to be enough. Just riding wasn’t enough, now I had to master the skill, to be the best. I needed my own horse, a partner to share my soul with, to whisper in his ear like in the movies, and ride o into the sunset with. It was like having an unquenchable thirst, while living in the desert. Horses are expensive. That price is one you will pay and pay if you’re a member of the club. It is isn’t just calculated in dollar signs. The thing you strive for will always just be a little out of reach and there will be pain.

I remember the rst time I was really hurt riding. I was in 3rd grade on a lesson horse at an English riding barn, learning how to jump. I remember aiming the school horse named Traveler at a small cross rail and the next thing I knew, paramedics were strapping me to a stretcher while my arm was screaming in pain and bent in a place it shouldn’t bend. Suddenly, my future included emergency surgery, a multi-night hospital stay and a long road of physical therapy. The doctor told my family my le elbow might never be the same again, and I might have limited usage depending on my physical therapy. I remember people said, “Oh what a shame. She loved horses so much.”

I remember asking how long it would be before I could ride again. I went back. I got hurt over and over through the years. I paid the price with physical pain, from broken bones, more hospital stays, chipped teeth, to a multitude of bruises. Then the emotional pain: I lost a horse I rode to colic, I lost a horse I rode due to lack of nances, I lost opportunities to ride because I didn’t have the means. Horses will break your heart and your body, but that crazy bunch of us will just keep coming back.

Now, standing here, looking at this horse, standing in this stall, this was the horse at the end of that road of heartbreak. This was the horse I dreamed about as a kid, to ride o into the sunset with. This

was the horse I had worked my way up the career ladder to a ord. I o ered him a handful of fruity candy, which would normally be greedily devoured, but instead he politely opened his mouth, in what seemed like habit, lipped the candies and they mostly fell onto the ground, into the shavings of the stall bedding.

“Hey, handsome prince,” I breathed into his neck. The tears starting to prick my eyes. We had about one hour. The pain I was feeling should have been familiar, but it was so hot and tight and I couldn’t get my thoughts around it as it caught in my

“There’s a club; you’ll know if you’re in it. Horse people… When it starts, it doesn’t matter your socio-economic background. Horses don’t care where you came from—if you’re in the club, you’re in.”

mind and my throat. I buckled the halter around his head and he appeared to perk up at the prospect of going on an outing.

Robby raced 14 times, a Texas-bred Thoroughbred. He won one race at Lone Star Downs, with the victory circle photo to prove it. I came into his life when his racing career was over. I answered an online ad and made the drive to Texas. When I met him, on a beautiful sunny March day years earlier, he was waiting alone in a small round pen at the end of a long gravel drive.

I stepped out of my car and I saw him and I nally believed in love at rst sight. There he was. Yes, it does exist. For a girl and her horse.

We worked and trained on a daily basis. I transformed Robby from a racehorse into a sport horse. The kind

people pay big bucks for. It took years of practice and perseverance. We rode our way through cross country courses big and small. We learned how to navigate the rocky road of life.

When I was getting divorced, when I was moving to new cities for work, when I felt like I didn’t have much of a family to depend on, I could always go to the barn. I always had Robby. When you ride just one horse long enough, your body and your movements become theirs. It doesn’t happen all at once, then, one day, you can’t remember when it wasn’t so. Saddling up is like putting on your favorite out t. The one that makes you feel the most you.

I remember a boyfriend told me that once. He said the rst time he came to the barn to meet Robby with me, he could see something di erent. The way I walked, the way I carried myself. I was more me. I was always more me when I was around horses. I was home when I was around Robby.

I can still feel the excitement when the announcer would call, “Three… two… one…have a great ride!” We would explode onto the cross0country course. All of the doubts and fears from life, about the course ahead, would melt away.

Robby was the most alive in those moments and so was I. The triumphant feeling each time we cleared a fence. Each time I faced down a demon, the lingering thought somewhere in my head: you can’t do it, you’re not good enough, you’re not brave enough. Every galloping stride, every massive fence, defeating these thoughts.

Robby already knew. He already knew we could do it and he never questioned it. I led him out of the barn into a cold rainy March day, much di erent from the one we met. Our last hour.

It was hard to believe there would never be another sunny a ernoon to look forward to, another cross country course to tear up, another fall day to ride through the crunching leaves. Robby munched on the grass, his gray-white back slowly becoming damp in the misting drizzle and I pulled my coat tighter.

I tried o ering another handful of Skittles, but again, he took the candies and they just fell out of his mouth into the grass. The grass he was eating, but without his usual gusto. I knew the longer

we stood and grazed, the more tired he would become and the more the pain would show.

I looked down at my phone. The hour was nearly up. Tears began to mingle with the wet, rainy mist on my face.

I leaned onto neck as he continued to graze. Scratching his favorite places. Breathing in his damp horse scent. Trying to forget the reality of the present moment and what was about to come next.

I started to lead Robby back into the barn, out of the cold and damp. He barely protested, a true sign of the pain he was battling.

The vet was already inside, waiting patiently.

“Are you guys ready?” he asked.

I nodded.

“Let’s head into the arena,” he said. “There’s more room in there.”

We followed him in.

“Alright, are you going to hold him?” the vet asked.

“Yes,” I replied, while tears continued to silently stream down my face. For the last several months, we had been trying to nd out what was ailing Robby; something was o . He was getting sicker and sicker. Eventually, we discovered it was a tumor, slowly killing him and his control over his body. Now, there was nothing else that could be done for him.

“Okay, you’re going have to make sure to keep his head up, while I have the needle here in his neck. Also, make sure to get back quickly. He’s not going to have control of where he falls,” the vet instructed.

With one last kiss on his nose, one last loving scratch on his neck, I said, “I love you, handsome prince.”

He looked into my eyes. His beautiful brown pools that sometimes shone with humor when he was up to mischief, shone with excitement when he was ready for a ride, but now, shone with a dullness, the pain he was trying to hide. I could see the

trust in his eyes, whatever was going to happen next, I was there, it would be okay.

The vet slid in the needle. The injection went in quickly. Robby’s eyes closed. He fell to the ground, all twelve hundred pounds collapsing down.

I felt my insides falling to the ground, my soul shattering in just the same way.

EPILOGUE:

Every equestrian has paid this price, in some way, the true cost of horses. Robby’s death spurred me to make some changes in my life and go for some dreams I had been keeping on the back burner. My husband and I decided to buy a small hobby farm. I tracked down not one, but two of Robby’s half-brothers. One as a yearling and the second off the track. We’ve also added another OTTB mare and a mini to round out the herd. I am still working on making it back to competing at higher levels, but every day is an adventure and horses are always humbling. Robby taught me so much about resilience and going after what you want. I didn’t let his death be the end of the story; rather, the beginning.

A Grand Prix dressage rider’s journey to liberty work and the lessons she learned on the way.

A simple system for figuring out and fixing what’s wrong with a horse’s performance.

A groundbreaking book by an animal enrichment specialist.

The untold story of Marguerite Henry, author of Misty of Chincoteague.

A compelling look at what it takes to make sure it is the horse that always wins.

A practical manual for understanding how horses think, feel, learn, and communicate.

Galactic

CHADINO

Discover the power of Chadino, a top breeding stallion with proven excellence on the international stage. As one of the most successful sons of Chacco Blue, Chadino has an impressive competition record: 20 starts at 150m, 36 starts at 160m, 1 at 165m, and 2 at 170m levels, including 39 team starts, 10 championship starts, and 67 starts at the 5* level. With a lineage that speaks of champions, Chadino has competed in prestigious events like the FEI World Cup Finals ‘17 & ’18, Olympic Games ‘16 and Wold Equestrian Games in ‘14, showing unmatched consistency, athleticism, scope, and heart. As one of the few stallions in the world approved and licensed by Selle Francais, Oldenburg, Zangersheide, Westphalen, and SBS, Chadino brings unparalleled versatility and prestige. Breed with a stallion that carries not only superior genetics but also the qualities every equestrian dreams of; talent, temperament, and triumph. Make Chadino the cornerstone of your breeding program and secure a future of equestrian greatness.

Ferenc Szentirmai

Simon Delestre

Phoebe Lang

33 STRENGTH AND FITNESS WORKOUTS FOR HORSES

BY JEC ARISTOTLE BALLOU

This excerpt from 33 Strength and Fitness Workouts for Horses is reprinted with the permission of Trafalgar Square Books (TrafalgarBooks.com).

EQUINE FITNESS expert Jec Aristotle Ballou’s new book, 33 Strength and Fitness Workouts for Horses, takes the guesswork out of tness gains for your horse. It clari es how long and how frequently to do given exercises, and in which combinations they are best performed to maximize your horse’s athleticism. Read on to learn a bit about strength exercises and try a workout.

STRENGTH ROUTINES

(SHORT BUT SERIOUS)

Due to the concentration of workload, strengthbased workouts are relatively short. When stimulus is applied in consolidated e orts, the necessary load to create adaptations is usually accomplished by 10 to 20 minutes of cumulative work.

Unlike with human athletes, gains are o en unrealized by taking horses to the point of total fatigue during strength sessions. Instead, accumulated stress of connective tissues can lead to dysfunction. Rather than making positive gains, the horse accumulates wear and tear. Ligaments are especially susceptible to strain and overload once muscles reach fatigue. The goal is to tax the horse nearly to the point of fatigue but not push past the line of diminishing returns.

For this reason be mindful about the duration of strength workouts and follow prescribed

exercises such as the one that follows. Unless you are working with a coach to modify workouts to meet speci c requirements, do not extend the length of reps. This can be tempting if you and your horse enjoy a particular routine, or you want to spend several minutes re ning a certain aspect of the overall performance. Remember, workout days are not for nit-picking or schooling new skills.

FIRST OFF…DID YOU WARM UP?

Prior to workouts, you will need to warm up. Remember, this means at least 10 minutes of brisk walking, followed by 5 to 10 minutes of livelier gaits. Just be sure to prime the horse’s body before starting the clock on a workout.

“HARD” WORKOUT DAYS: WHY AND WHEN

Once a tness foundation is in place, hard e orts do wonders for a horse’s body. In this case, “hard” does not mean that the e ort is mentally stressful or painful, or that you are teaching the horse a complex new skill. It means you are helping the horse’s body reach its full athletic capacity in small repeatable bouts that lie outside the normal e orts of everyday schooling and training. Beyond improving the strength of muscles, it improves their function. Hard e orts require more from the metabolic system and leave it better able to “ re” and fuel all muscle ber types; they improve muscles’ ability to fully activate, to generate power, and to shuttle away acidic waste byproducts of forceful contractions. Workouts like the one that follows make the body not only stronger but more e cient, metabolically and physically.

Aside from these mechanical bene ts, hard e orts improve the connections between muscles and the nerves that control them. They sharpen communication between muscles and their sensory and motor nerves. You can think of this as ensuring all the “electrical wiring” is hooked up and working well. This is especially crucial in cases where horses have done a lot of repetitive schooling. When a horse is ridden in an arena daily, for example, at the same energy levels, performing similar tasks, neuromuscular

AGILE ATHLETE

1. On one side of a 30-meter circle, set up four parallel poles that measure 9 feet apart at their centers. Position the inside end slightly closer and outside ends slightly wider. This allows you to choose a line of travel over the poles that best accommodates your horse’s canter stride length. Raise poles to a height of 6 to 8 inches.

2. On the opposite side of the circle, set up four parallel poles that measure 4 feet apart at their centers and slightly wider at their outer edges. These poles can either be raised or lying at on the ground.

3. It also helps to place cones at the other two sides of your circle as shown in diagram.

4. The objective is to ride your horse at a canter over the rst set of poles. You want to land neatly in the middle of each set of poles and immediately bound over the next pole without losing the rhythm of the canter.

5. Approaching the rst cone, transition downward to trot and proceed over the second set of poles.

6. Approaching the second cone, resume cantering and continue over the four canter poles.

Another value of hard intensity e orts is their brevity. Because they occur within a relatively short duration, they produce conditioning results while minimizing repetitive stress on the horse’s body. The productivity of hard workouts becomes negligible unless they are performed on a regular basis. This consistency is what allows adaptations to stack up on each other week by week and lead to measurable physiological gains. Aim to do a hard workout every 6 to 10 days. Many riders nd it helps to have the same designated day weekly, while others allow it to oat around within 10-day windows.

AGILE ATHLETE

Duration: Approximately 30 minutes Bene ts: This workout combines numerous e ective components—transitions, cavalletti, and energetic gaits. The great Olympian Ingrid Klimke has demonstrated the centerpiece of this workout in numerous clinics as bene tting horses across all disciplines. Here, we combine the exercise with active rest periods on straight lines to challenge the horse to recover without full cessation of activity. Set up the Agile Athlete pattern on a 30-meter circle ahead of time.

HOW-TO:

• For 12 minutes: Warm up.

• For 3 minutes: Canter speed changes (slow to very fast every 20 strides) around the perimeter of the arena.

• Do 10 reps of the Agile Athlete pattern on the le lead.

• For 2 minutes: Trot perimeter of arena.

• Do 10 reps of the Agile Athlete pattern on the right lead.

• For 2 minutes: Canter speed changes around the perimeter of the arena.

• Finish by trotting easy for 5 minutes and then walking on a loose rein for 10 minutes.

connections weaken. In our electricity analogy, the wires become corroded or loose. They need to be retightened and cleaned so the lights come on brightly as opposed to ickering.

Tip: If you struggle to achieve consecutive clean reps (that is, the workout is interrupted by the knocking down and resetting of the raised poles), add 10 reps of just trotting poles at the end of the session to ensure e ectiveness of the activity.

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LOVE‚ CANTER, ACTION

BY KATIE GILBERT

reprinted with permission from

THE HORSES know something’s wrong.

That probably explains why Ethel has four hooves fully planted on the ground, refusing to take the last step into her stall, no matter how hard Jess pulls at her lead.

I bite down a smile while I watch Jess struggle.

“Come on,” she says, her voice thick with irritation.

She thinks Ethel can’t hear it—can’t tell how much she hates her. But horses can sense irritation and anxiety. And today, there’s enough of that around here to power a small village.

“Move, you big. Stubborn. Monster.” Jess yanks the lead after each word, like she thinks if she pulls hard enough, her tiny f ive-foot frame can overpower the horse. Hell, even at f ive-eight I wouldn’t be able to do it. A grown man couldn’t force Ethel somewhere she didn’t want to be.

I let her pull for another thirty seconds, enough time to suffer for calling my favorite horse a monster. Then I walk over and hold my hand out, eyebrows raised.

Jess huffs—sending her long bangs f lying up in the air then back down on her forehead—before she hands the lead over.

“Good luck. She’s stubborn as can be today. Swear she knows I have a date and wants to make sure I don’t have time for a shower.”

“She’s nervous. They all are.”

Jess rolls her eyes. “No she’s not, Nora. She doesn’t know we’re all out of a job or that the ranch will be empty next week. The only thing she knows is if she plants her feet long enough, she’ll get a sugar cube before going in for the night.”

Ethel’s ear flicks at the word sugar. I run my hand along her favorite spot, the one on her neck. She nickers and nudges my chest.

“Long day, huh?” I ask Ethel. She lets out a little sigh and nudges me again. “Why don’t we get you in your stall so you can have some rest?” I pull gently at her lead and she follows right along. I’m proud of myself for resisting the urge to stick my tongue out at Jess as she steps in front of us to open the stall door.

I get Ethel settled, slipping her a sugar cube from the front pocket of my jeans. Once her lead is off, I take my time brushing her, hoping that ifi take long enough, Jess will leave. But despite the fact that she was whining about being late five minutes ago, she leans up against the side of the stall and watches me.

I’d already told Ethel goodbye this morning, mainly because I was only supposed to work until noon and thought I’d be gone by the time they took her in for the day. But I couldn’t bear to leave, knowing it’d be the last time I set foot on Shep Farm, the last time I got to help new

riders in and out of the saddle, watch as they went from terrified and stiff to relaxed and amazed. If Jess wasn’t here, I’d say another, better goodbye. A longer one. But with her watching, I simply finish my brushing, rub Ethel once more on her neck, and whisper, “Be good.”

Jess follows me out, locking the door behind us. The horses sigh and whinny as we walk by, some sticking their heads over the stalls as we pass, hoping for a quick scratch or pet. I don’t stop, knowing full well if I do, I’ll spend another ten hours here.

Without speaking, we both walk straight to Mrs. Shep’s office. The AC hits us when we walk through the door and I realize how hot I’ve been all day. I wipe at the hair stuck to my forehead, and, with the dirt all over my hands, it’s probably more black now than dirty blonde.

Mrs. Shep looks over her cat eye lenses at us. Those glasses and the chain attached to them-the kind that keep you from put ting them down somewhere and losing themare the only things about her that look old. I mean, her skin is wrinkling around the eyes, and she’s slower than she was ten years ago when I met her for the first time. But she once mentioned she married her husband in 1980 something, which was a long time ago, so she has to be old. Still, she doesn’t have any trouble hopping up in the

Excerpt

Tamie Smith CSI5* level competitor and horse trainer

saddle or clean ing the stalls.

But she does have trouble paying to run the ranch, which is why she’s been selling it off little by little over the years. And even though she tried real hard to keep it from happening, she finally let her son sell off all the rest. He convinced her to leave Georgia and live in Nevada with him-putting me out of a job and costing me the only place that had ever felt like home.

She smiles a little when she sees me, and I crumble at the thought that it may be the last time I get to see the lines that pop up around her mouth when she grins. Her eyes dart down to the desk she’s standing behind. She licks her fingers, combs through a stack of envelopes, hands one to me and then to Jess.

“Thanks,” Jess says. I wait for her to say more, to tell her how sorry she is that the ranch is gone, how much she’ll miss it. But she waves, sticks the envelope in her back pocket, and walks out the door we came in through.

I raise my eyebrows and look back at Mrs. Shep, who’s sporting a full-blown grin now.

“Devastated, isn’t she?” Mrs. Shep says. I snort.

“I found her trying to wrestle Ethel into the stalls. She was here almost a year, and I don’t think she learned a thing.”

“Well, we can’t all be the horse whisperer.”

“I wasn’t expecting her to take over for you one day,” I say, grab bing a candy from the bowl in the middle of the desk and sticking it in my front pocket for later. “But she could have at least learned all the horses’ names.”

Mrs. Shep shakes her head and slips her glasses off her nose. They fall to her chest. “Not everybody has the kind of passion you do.”

“What you really mean is-other people have a life outside of this place.”

She smiles. “Have a seat. There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”

I settle into the leather chair that sits opposite her tiny walnut desk. It’s worn and faded in some places, but beautiful. She told me once that her husband made it for her, before he passed. I never got to meet him. By the time Mama and I showed up on Mrs. Shep’s doorstep, he had been gone for three years.

She rifles through a pile of papers on her desk, squinting a little at the words on

each one before she remembers to slide her glasses back on. Once she comes to whatever she’s looking for, a small smile creeps back onto her face. She folds the paper. Her chair squeaks a little as she leans back in it.

“Now,” she says, settling into whatever it is we’re going to talk about. “You’re sure you haven’t changed your mind about going to college?”

I force myself not to roll my eyes. Mrs. Shep thinks that because my mama’s gone now, she has to take over the college talk. Mama never went, and she wanted me to be the first in our family to go. I never wanted anything more than what I had found here at the ranch-horses and fresh air and hard work. After Mama died, I realized there wasn’t anyone around to disappoint if I didn’t go. So, I won’t.

I had planned to spend the rest of my life here, helping Mrs. Shep. That plan, unfortunately, has gone to crap.

But I still know I don’t want to go to college. I just have to figure out exactly where I’m going next.

“I’m positive,” I say, making sure not even a single note of doubt creeps into my voice. I really don’t want to have to talk about this again after today.

I brace myself for an argument, but surprisingly, she nods.

“And your daddy’s all right with that?” I bristle. “Daddy’s a strong word.”

That’s a lot milder than what I want to say-that the man who didn’t know I even existed a year ago would never really be a father to me. I don’t know how the courts found him after Mama died, when I was a ward of the state there for a hot minute, but they did. And both he and I have regretted it ever since.

Not as much as his wife, Cecelia, though.

They think I’m just taking a gap year, that I’ll see my friends leaving for college and change my mind.

I won’t.

“Well, he is your father, Nora. How does he feel about you not going to college?” I shrug. “He’s okay with it.”

She stares at me until I give in.

“Fine,” I say. “He wants me to go. But I’m seventeen. Almost eighteen. The man has known me a total of five months. He doesn’t get a say. So I told him I was taking a gap year.”

“I think you’re more stubborn than the horses sometimes.”

“Thank you.”

She purses her lips and takes another deep breath in through her nose. “It wasn’t a compliment, Nora. But if you haven’t changed your mind about college, then that makes what I’m about to tell you a little less complicated.”

I lean back in my chair and watch as she fiddles with the folded paper in her hands. She’s looking up at the wall behind me, her lips pursed, small wrinkles appearing around the outside of them. “I’ve done something. And I think it’s a good thing-I hope you will, too. But you might not. And if you don’t, feel free to tell me to go to hell.”

“You’re headed to Nevada. That’s the same thing, isn’t it?”

Her eyes narrow at me, but I see the whisper of a smile playing around her lips.

“You know there’s a world outside of backwoods Georgia, don’t you?”

“Of course I do.”

She stares at me, the hint of a smile gone. “And would you ever be willing to leave Georgia? Or are you set on staying in this tiny town for the rest of your life?”

I freeze, breath caught.

Is she asking me to come with her?

“I-” My voice catches. Is that what I want? “Well ...” I hesitate. “Yeah. I’ve thought about it.”

She relaxes, her shoulders dipping an inch. When she leans for ward to hand me the paper she’s been toying with, I take it. But I don’t open it.

Is it a plane ticket? Apology tickets to Disney World?

Sorry I’m abandoning you here, but at least you can ride the teacups and throw up overpriced popcorn afterward.

“Good,” she says. “I’m glad to hear it. Because there’s a big world out there, and I think you need to see a little more of it.” She nods at the paper. “Open it.”

I still don’t, fiddling with it instead, trying to sort through my thoughts.

Do I want to go to Nevada? I look at Mrs. Shep’s face, trying to remember when she became more like a grandmother than an employer to me. My heart skips, because even though I love her, and appreciate everything she’s done for me since Mama died, I do not want to tag along with her as a charity case.

“Mrs. Shep-”

“Open it, Nora, before I die of old age.” I grit my teeth. How much did she pay for this ticket? Maybe it’ll have the price

Build the barn your horses would choose, with quality workmanship at every level.

on it and I can reimburse her. My bank account is embarrassingly low after I had to repair Mama’s old, half-rusted pickup last month, the only thing she had left to give me when she died. But I can probably scrape together enough-

My mind stalls when I finally open it and read the words embossed on the top of the page. There’s no barcode, no destination or departure city. No gate number or price, because it’s not a plane ticket at all. It’s-

“What is this?”

I read the words EQUINE STUDIESDIRECT PATH PROGRAM, BILL INGS, MONTANA on the top of the page over and over again, like they’ll tell me something new. I skip down to the first paragraph, the words We are pleased to accept you jumping out at me, and I fold the paper in on itself again without reading any more.

“I don’t want to go to college,” I say reflexively. But the words Equine Studies are stuck in my head, begging me to open the paper again and see what else it says.

Mrs. Shep holds her hands up. “Calm down. It’s not a college.”

“Then what is it?”

“It’s a program, out in Billings.”

“A program?” I ask, and even I can hear the skepticism lacing my voice.

“Yes, a program. It’s a one-year advanced course on how to care for horses. How to break them, how to deal with small injuries, that kind of thing. It is not college,” she says, eyebrows raised, waiting for me to interrupt. I don’t, so she goes on. “It’s not in a classroom. It’s hard work and hands-on and all outside. I know that’s important to you.”

I thumb the paper again, and I want to read the whole thing so badly I can barely stand it. But I don’t. Not yet.

“I didn’t apply for this.”

“I know,” she says, steepling her fingers and looking down at the top of her desk. “I did it for you.”

I’m speechless for the space of three breaths.

“Why?”

Her eyes travel my face before she answers. “I know you thought you’d be working here forever. I thought so, too. When things started to go downhill, when the payments got harder and harder to make, I held off on selling this part of the ranch as long as I could.” She sighs. “Once

I saw the truth, that this place was too big and too expensive for me to keep on forever, I started looking for a contin gency plan for you. This was what I found.”

I meet her gaze, hearing what she doesn’t say. That she’s worried about what might happen to me after she’s gone. That she wishes it didn’t have to be this way.

That she loves me.

“It’s a very prestigious program,” she says, leaning forward, her arms on the desk. “I wasn’t sure my recommendation would be enough, so I didn’t want to say anything. You were wait-listed at first.” She gestures at the paper. “But someone dropped out, and you were next on the list. Figured it was high time to let you know.”

I push at the feeling that’s welling in me, one that I haven’t felt in so long I almost don’t recognize it. Hope. But hope is dangerous as hell-it builds you up and takes you higher and higher. Then it disappears, nowhere to be found as you fall and fall with nothing there to catch you.

The paper is heavy, expensive, and opens stiffly as I unfold it once again, a large crease running down the middle. There’s a congratulations. A start date. An address. Notes about the housing on site. And a price.

I almost choke.

“I can’t,” I say, my voice coming out strangled. “This is-” I fold the paper and push it back toward her. “There’s no way.”

She puts her hand down on the paper and pushes it back. “I’ve already paid half of it. Called and put down a deposit when the letter came in.”

“You what?” I all but shout. “How? Where did you find the money?”

“I finally sold Ethel.”

“And instead of using the money on something useful, like moving across the country, you spend it on me?”

“She was your horse as much as mine,” Mrs. Shep says, waving me off. “You and I both know you spent more time raising her than I did. You were there when she was born. And I’ve got enough money to be going on with.” I try to interrupt, but she beats me to it. “Just because I don’t have enough to run a ranch doesn’t mean I don’t have enough to live off of. Now, do you want to go or not?”

I stare her down, prepared to kick up a fuss until she calls and begs for the money back.

But after a second, I can see clear as day that she’s made up her mind and there’s no

talking her out of it. So, I sit back, letting the fight drain out of me.

I think for a minute before I answer her. No, I don’t want to go to college. But this isn’t college. It’s spending all day outside with horses, learning how to care for them. It’s training that will make me invaluable on a ranch somewhere else, somewhere far away from my father and Cecelia.

That last thought makes my decision for me. I swallow once before answering.

“Yes. I want to go.”

She smiles, pleased with herself and my answer. “Good.”

“But there’s no way I can pay for the rest of this. Not by the start date they put on the letter. And how am I supposed to get myself out to Montana? And—”

“That’s the second thing I wanted to talk to you about.”

“I’m not taking any more of your money.”

“I don’t have any more to give. If I did, I would pay for it today. But I can’t.” She looks me over before going on. “I assume your daddy can’t help?”

“Can’t or won’t?” I ask, but before she answers, I go on. “It doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t take his money, either. It’s bad enough having to live with him.” The perils of having a late summer birthday-I had to wait until I was eighteen to move out, according to the state.

“Well, I think I’ve got a solution to that, too. You know how they filmed that TV series here a few years back? The one about the vam pires? Well, there’s another crew coming in, for a movie this time. A man in a suit showed up with a check and took all the horses we had left, including Ethel. Overpaid, if you ask me. But I wasn’t going to tell him that.”

“Okay,” I say.

“They need someone to wrangle horses on set. Asked if I knew anybody.” It takes me a second before I realize what she’s saying.

“I don’t know anything about working on a movie set,” I say. “I’m sure there’s someone more qualified out there.”

“More qualified to work with Ethel? Who else knows when she’s irritated or upset or about to buck off a rider who hasn’t done more than watch somebody mount a horse on television?”

“I guess not,” I say reluctantly.

“You could say I’m right, you know. It wouldn’t kill you.”

I smile. “It might.”

Shannon Brinkman for Erin Gilmore Photography

She rolls her eyes. “You should take the job, Nora. It’s a big budget film. They’re paying enough to cover the rest of your tuition.”

My breath catches. “That’s ...” ‘’A lot of money,” she finishes for me. “A lot.”

“I’ll email you the location and time. I’ve got it around here some where.” Someone knocks on her office door. “Be with you in a min ute,” she hollers, then looks back at me. I stand as she walks around her desk, mortified to feel tears creeping at the corners of my eyes.

“Don’t,” Mrs. Shep says, her calloused hands rubbing up and down my arms. I look up at the ceiling to keep the tears from fall ing, a trick I learned after Mama died. The tears would come out of nowhere, then, and I had to find a way to keep from breaking down ten times a day at work. It helps. A little.

When I look back at Mrs. Shep, she’s only a little blurred around the edges. I

blink away the few rogue tears, and she’s clear again.

“Take the job,” she says, her face serious and concerned. “Take the job, take the money, and get out of here. Your mama would want more for you than this town. I want more for you than this town. Don’t make me spend my golden years floating around a pool wor rying over you.”

I nod once.

“So you’ll take the job? And the spot in Montana?”

“Yeah. I’ll take it.”

She smiles. It’s happy and sad and excited all at once. “Good.”

“Thank you,” I say. My voice trembles, making it clear that I’m about a second away from crying, again. “For doing all of this. Arranging the spot and paying for so much of it. The job. All of it.” I think of all the things I want to say: that I love her, that she’s the only thing close to family I have left, that she saved me from floundering around, looking for somewhere to

be other than in a home that suffocates me more each day. But before I can find the words to say, someone knocks on her office door again.

She pulls me into a fierce embrace. I tense when her arms wrap around me, but after a breath, I hug her back. When Mama and I showed up here, Mrs. Shep didn’t just give us jobs, she gave us a home. We lived in one of the guest suites for free, no privacy and no space, but a roof over our heads and a safe place to stay. She was like family, and I’m not sure where I’d be without her.

“Be good,” she says. “Don’t embarrass me out there.”

“No promises,” I say, pulling away and smiling. I follow her out of the office and nod at Charles, one of the ranch hands. Then I’m outside again in the scorching Georgia sun, and when the heat hits me like a ton of sun-soaked bricks, so does one question:

What did I just agree to?

To learn more, scan the QR code or go to albion.edu/equestrian equestrians@albion.edu

Albion, Michigan

To learn more, scan the QR code or go to albion.edu/equestrian equestrians@albion.edu

Albion, Michigan

To learn more, scan the QR code or go to albion.edu/equestrian equestrians@albion.edu

Albion, Michigan

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ON DAYS I SHOW, MY MINDSET IS…

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As a horsewoman, I am most proud of … that no matter the day or the outcome, my horses always come first. • As a horsewoman, I would most like to improve … by being kinder to myself while setting big goals and chasing high standards. • One thing I always have in my riding bag is… all the essentials for me, but also for my horses. I definitely don’t come empty handed–so, lots of treats!

riding, I focus the most on… how can I create the best feeling for the horse beneath me, and what I can do to make it a productive ride.

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• My most memorable round was... at the 2024 FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC) in Traverse City, MI., when I helped Canada take home Gold in the Team Final.

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PHOTO: ANNE GITTENS PHOTOGRAPHY (RIGHT)