As you clean out your tack room and closets at this time of year, put aside equipment, clothing, blankets and other horse-related items for tack sales being held at several organizations this month and this fall.
Riding with Heart, 639 Route 513, Pittstown, is holding its sale March 26 and 27 to benefit its therapeutic riding program. Drop items from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and Saturdays from noon-3 p.m. Call 908-735-5912 to let the organization know before you come.
Riding with Heart will pick up big donations within a one-hour drive. Email tacksale@ridingwithheart.org. Contributions are tax deductible.
Mane Stream (adaptive riding and therapy services) is seeking donations of new and gently used tack or horse related items for its fall tack sale in Oldwick Nov. 6 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The spring sale originally scheduled for next month has bee cancelled.
Collections are still ongoing, however. There is a contactless drop-off for unwanted bridles, saddles, blankets, tack boxes as well as outgrown boots, breeches, jackets and horse-related jewelry, models or knick-knacks. Proceeds go toward Mane Stream’s mission to improve the quality of life for children and adults with physical, developmental, emotional, and medical challenges through a diverse program of equine assisted activities, therapy services, and educational initiatives.
All donations can be dropped off at the stable at 83 Old Turnpike Rd. Oldwick during office hours. Those who want to make a donation of have questions should contact Jen Dermody at jen@manestreamnj.org, (908) 439-9636 or visit the website at www.ManeStreamNJ.org
Mane Stream is a 501(c)(3) non-profit registered charitable organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals with physical, developmental, emotional, and medical challenges through a diverse program of equine-assisted activities, therapy services and educational initiatives.
Several British equestrian organizations are collaborating with British Equestrian on a survey designed to help safeguard the future viability of riding centers, many of which are experiencing the same problems as lesson stables in the U.S.
It may be time for a similar survey in the U.S. to assess the extent of the issues and how to address them. In Britain, questionnaires sent to 1,700 stables ask about capacity, facilities, staffing and activities provided, as well as the main challenges faced around viability, marketing and profitability.
“A viable future for our riding centers has never been more uncertain,” said Mandana Mehran Pour, head of participation at British Equestrian.
“Riding centers and schools face a series of difficulties, not least those presented by the global pandemic in recent years. Costs are rising, the licensing process is more complex than ever and a shortage of suitable staff and horses are just some of the early indications from proprietors of the issues they’re facing.
“We aim to deliver accurate and meaningful data that gives a ‘health check’ on the nation’s riding centers, which can then be used to target areas for improvement and where help is most needed. It also will give us facts to present in our lobbying of government on the issues, as well as present a realistic picture of the impact of Covid-19 on the sector,” she continued.
Such facilities in both the U.S. and Britain are where many riders get their introduction to horses, and it’s important that the sport has that kind of base on which it can continue to build.
The “fighting spirit of an entire army in one person” powers professional show jumper Cassandra Kahle as she recovers from a traumatic brain injury suffered in a January fall, according to her mother, Natasha Brash.
Cass, who was in a jumpoff when her horse fell with her, has made huge strides in healing and can now walk on her own, her mother, said, though she keeps a hand through a belt on her daughter’s waist to insure she doesn’t stumble.
Natasha, an equestrian professional from British Columbia, is sharing a room with Cass at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. Cass is undergoing rehab there, where she’s a staff favorite. It’s easy to see why for anyone who knows her.
“She finds the best in every situation,” explained her mother, noting that characteristically, “she’s the bright light in the room. We laugh all day long.”
Cass, who is 29, rides with Emil Spadone’s Redfield Farm in Califon, N.J., and Ocala, Fla. She expects to come back to New Jersey with the rest of the crew from that stable next month, though their departure north may be delayed a bit from their usual schedule, Natasha said.
Want to send a card? Here is the address: Cassandra Kahle WFRC108
Shepherd Center
2020 Peachtree Road, NW
Atlanta, GA 30309
Shepherd staffers do memory games with Cass to strengthen her recall ability. But she doesn’t remember the week before her accident, the incident itself and the period of unconsciousness that followed. Her memory is good dating from three weeks ago, according to her mother.
When will she ride again? Perhaps a year after the accident, he mother said, though she thought she might do some therapeutic riding before that.
There has been a huge outpouring of support for 29-year-old Cass, not only from the U.S. but also in Canada, where she rode until she was 21. To show they are thinking of her, riders supporting her wear a Disney character pin on their saddle pads or jackets. Cass is well-known to be a huge fan of Disney and a regular visitor to Disneyworld.
The one job title that doesn’t appear on Dr. Jesslyn Bryk-Lucy’s resume is “juggler,” but there certainly would be justification for adding it.
The veterinarian in charge of caring for Centenary University’s 100 horses was recognized as the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH Intl.) 2021veterinarian of the year. She also has been involved in producing a well-received study about the importance of sufficient turnout for horses. The other balls that the Hardwick, N.J., resident is keeping in the air include teaching classes at Centenary, running a private veterinary practice and taking care of her family.
Dr. Jesslyn Bryk-Lucy. (Photo courtesy Centenary Univesity).
The attention Jesslyn gives to the Therapeutic Riding at Centenary (TRAC) mounts has paid off “in a team of happy, willing horses who are kept fit and healthy for our program participants,” according to Karen Brittle, TRAC’s director.
Another person who recommended Jesslyn told PATH of her caring approach recalling, “I will never forget a cold winter night: after putting down one of our beloved (TRAC) program horses, this veterinarian dropped to her knees in the snow to lovingly braid some locks of mane for me. Afterward, she wrote me an email on grieving.”
Dealing with horses used for therapeutic riding at Centenary’s equestrian center in Long Valley, N.J., requires that veterinarians adjust to a different mindset than they would have in evaluating horses for most prospective buyers.
“We’re not interested in `Will the horse hold up for competition; will the horse be able to walk, trot and canter without any worries about it?’ ” explained Octavia Brown, who founded the TRAC program and was a pioneer in developing therapeutic riding in this country. She discussed with Jesslyn what should be considered in terms of horses accepted for TRAC.
“What we’re looking for is personality and fundamentally walk-trot sound enough for what we want. That is what she and I worked on in her mindset and she got it really fast.
“The wonderful thing about Jesslyn, when the horse was showing signs of being uncomfortable or had arthritis, we would discuss how to manage the horse for the best quality of life, for its comfort, for what we needed to do. That’s the kind of thinking that woman has and that’s why we nominated her,” Octavia said.
Caring for the horses used in TRAC, many of whom are older, involves not only helping them through chiropractic work and acupuncture, which Jesslyn is able to do, but also making decisions about when to transition them from being ridden to being used for groundwork; when they should be retired and when they should be euthanized, if they can’t be made comfortable.
“She takes such special care of our horses, knowing what they do, knowing what they need,” Octavia commented.
“And she’s cheerful and nice to boot.”
Jesslyn has taught everything from equine health and anatomy to breeding management, usually amounting to 10 to 12 credits per semester, while checking over the Centenary horses three days a week and handling treatment and emergencies as necessary. She encourages students to help with diagnostics and treatment, which really amounts to teaching another class.
The veterinarian did not have any clinical experience with therapeutic riding prior to coming to Centenary, but is impressed by what she has learned about it.
“It takes very special people and horses to work in that field,” pointed out the 2009 graduate of Cornell University’s veterinary school.
Interestingly, though, Jesslyn’s daughter began riding in a therapeutic program at a local stable when she was two, even though she had no need for the therapeutic part of the experience, because “it’s colors and games and just getting your balance and steering. It was a perfect outlet to get her started.”
When she won PATH’s Region II award, a precursor to being in contention for the national award, it was “total shock,” said Jesslyn, noting she didn’t even know she had been nominated.
Every horse she deals with is important to Dr. Bryk-Lucy. (Photo courtesy of Centenary University.)
Upon earning the national title, she said, “I was speechless and truly honored. It’s just a very noble organization and they do such important work and for me to be involved in that and recognized in that way, I never thought that would happen to me. My private clients (at Leg Up Equine Veterinary Services) were proud to be a part of it, too.”
Jesslyn also has gotten attention for a paper on the benefits of turnout that she did with student Abigail Reilly, who is listed as the first author.
For students like Abigail who are trying to get into veterinary school, Jesslyn explained, “it’s important they get research experience so they can present at a conference or publish a paper that really sets their application apart.”
The study was presented at the Equine Science Society’s virtual symposium last year. The question was how soft tissue injury related to restricted turnout.
Jesslyn recalled Centenary had five horses on whom nothing was working to bring them back to soundness. That prompted resorting to an old horseman’s remedy “turn them out 24/7 and we will look at them in a year.”
The result? “These horses have come back and are working, maybe at a lower level, but they’re still in the program,” said Jesslyn. For some of the horses, the return took only three months. For another, it was two years, but the horse is back jumping.
The research involved using records the university kept on the horses, looking at the initial injury, and whether they were being turned out more or less than 12 hours a day. The veterinarian said it showed horses turned out less than 12 hours a day were twice as likely to sustain an injury.
While thick collagen fibers provide tensile strength to the tendons, they are formed under static conditions and don’t have much give. Thin collagen fibers formed with exercise allow elasticity of the tendons. Horses that are exercised and spend time in the pasture have more thin fibers, meaning their tendons are better equipped to adapt to their movements.
“It makes sense when you talk about fitness and strength of the muscles, tendons and ligaments, they’re going to be fitter being turned out,” Jesslyn said, and the study backs that up. She and Abigail did all the research and wrote the paper together, while Linda Ritchie, a Centenary statistics professor, used her specialty for the project. Their work appeared as an abstract in a special issue of the Journal of Veterinary Science.
Jesslyn noted the entire paper hasn’t been published yet, with questions yet to be answered including conformation, paddock size and footing in paddocks. The intent also is involves putting GPS trackers on the horses to see how much they move.
“It is worth looking at this more,” noted Jesslyn, who is hoping for funding to continue the work with another Centenary student after Abigail leaves for vet school, and eventually get the paper peer-reviewed as a precursor to publication.
The veterinarian notes a lot of the TRAC horses have lived out 24/7, which helps their temperament and enables them to be quieter, calmer and happier, which is very important in their line of work.
As Jesslyn pointed out, “Colic, most of the diseases we see in horses are man-made, from us changing their management; from being grazers and constantly moving about on the plains to (instead) standing in a barn. I understand they’re performance horses and have a job to do and that’s why they’re here,” she acknowledged.
At the same time, she said, “I think we should…try as best we can to get them back to that grazing, moving environment.”
In its 35-year history, the Show Jumping Hall of Fame has never had a dinner to induct those being honored. Last night, that changed forever, as 180 people packed a dining room at the Wanderers Club in Wellington, Fla., to salute not only those being installed this year, but also many of the stars who have joined the Hall’s ranks over the decades.
“It was such a wonderful idea and so well received,” commented Melanie Smith Taylor, a 1984 Olympic gold medalist and longtime Hall member.
“The electricity in the room was incredible,” said Hall of Fame Executive Director Marty Bauman.
“This was truly one of the most moving nights I have experienced in my 50 years on the show jumping circuit,” noted Show Jumping Hall of Fame chairman Peter Doubleday.
“Seeing so many of our sport’s legends together was a thrill and the inductees’ acceptance speeches were very emotional. It was a night that I know most of us will never forget.”
The dinner’s success means it will be repeated on the same weekend every year, the night after the show jumping Nations Cup. The new tradition also includes the addition of blue jackets given to Hall members (think of the green jackets received by winners of the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National club.) The jackets were paid for with contributions from Peter and course designer Steve Stephens, both members of the Hall.
Inducted this year were Beezie Madden and the late Mason Phelps. Although Beezie, an Olympic and world championships multi medalist is still competing, the Hall allows those over the age of 55 who remain active in the sport to be honored, because so many people stay involved through middle age and beyond.
Beezie Madden gets her Hall of Fame jacket from the organization’s chairman, Peter Doubleday. (Kind Media photo)
A case in point about why that’s important involves Mason, who died suddenly last spring at age 72. The irrepressible former National Horse Show president and founder of the Phelps Sports public relations agency would have gotten such a kick out of joining the hall in person.
Marty, his close friend, spoke about Mason’s contributions. He noted that Mason was the person who brought him into the sport, and as a result played a major role in both his career and his life.
Here are Marty’s remarks, which were straight from the heart:
“It is my belief that everyone wants to be loved – especially by those we love. And everyone wants to be appreciated – especially by those we care about. This was very much the case with Mason.
“And there was no one he loved more than his many friends in the horse show world and nothing he cared about as much as the horse show world to which he devoted his life, doing everything he could to try to help it and make it better.
“There were really two keys to Mason’s success. One is that he thought big. Real big! Like having four future Hall of Famers make a grand entrance into one of his Denim & Diamonds benefits riding on the back of an elephant.
“The other key was that once Mason decided to do something, he gave it everything he had, putting his entire being into it and spending every waking moment doing everything he could to ensure its success; whether it was his American (later International) Jumping Derby, which to this day remains unrivaled as the most spectacular horse show our sport has ever seen; or his Denim & Diamonds benefits which were the Party of the Year every year and which raised millions of dollars for the U.S Equestrian Team and other charities.
“Or Phelps Media Group, which he built into the biggest public relations agency in equestrian sports, or re-establishing the significance and grandeur of the National Horse Show.
“Being elected to the Show Jumping Hall of Fame would mean everything to Mason because it would say to him that the people he loved so dearly, love him too. And that what he accomplished in his life truly did make the horse show world better.”
Hall induction used to take place at the American Invitational, at one time the country’s signature show jumping event. When it was no longer held, the ceremony moved to the Devon Horse Show, but it was cancelled for the last two years due to Covid.
So the dinner, which listed Lauracea as a sponsor, not only inducted Beezie and Mason from the class of 2021, it also paid tribute to McLain Ward’s late mount, Sapphire, and Margie Goldstein Engle.
Margie Engle tells her joke (she is known for her jokes) as Hall Chairman Peter Doubleday looks on. (Kind Media photo)
They had missed out on their moment in the sun as members of the class of 2020. Margie took the microphone to tell a joke, something for which she is known, but asked Peter to read her acceptance speech. He does have that announcer’s voice, after all.
In the speech she wrote, Margie notes her admiration for the Hall members who are “giants in our industry.
These are horsemen and horses that we have learned from and continue to do so as we gain insights into how they had achieved success in our industry from watching how they train and how they perform.”
Sapphire’s owner Tom Grossman and her rider, McLain Ward. (Kind Media photo)
Citing the love of horses enjoyed by everyone in the dining room, she noted that has offered an opportunity to “learn some of life’s lessons of patience, kindness, faithfulness, perseverance and responsibility. The passion that we all share for them is what brings us all together.”
She thanked all those who have helped her, including her husband, Steve Engle, and also mentioned the late Dr. John Steele, a 2008 inductee, believing “he is looking down with a tear in his eye and a smile on his face as he sees Beezie and I sharing this honor.”
Marty said since the Hall was established, having a dinner had been mentioned, but it never worked out until now.
“Things happen when the time is right” he observed, and this obviously was the right time.
Melanie mentioned that in the future, she would like to see more of the young riders attend.
“They need to learn the history of the sport,” she explained.
“The awards are not just for the riders and horses, but also the people who started the organizations, who started the circuits. The course designers, the announcers, the stewards, the people who have been so influential in every aspect. It’s not just the people who are still alive, but you learn about the Gene Misches and other people who are no longer with us who made the sport what it is today.”
Laura Kraut, another show jumping multi-medalist who just won the USET Foundation’s Whitney Stone Cup for her contributions to the sport, said she originally came to the dinner just because of who the inductees were this year. But now it’s on her calendar for good.
“I will never miss this,” she vowed.
Here’s the key to who’s who in the feature photo. Front row: Beezie Madden, Karen Golding, Margie Goldstein Engle, Melanie Smith Taylor. Back row: Peter Doubleday, David Distler, Anne Kursinski, Steve Stephens, Leslie Burr Howard, Norman Dello Joio, Robert Ridland, Michael Matz.
I don’t usually link to things I didn’t write or come from an outfit that I don’t know. But I thought this information about the danger to animals from Covid sounded interesting, and I figured it couldn’t hurt to post this link about the subject and how to keep your animals safe. See what you think.
Laura Kraut had been concerned about whether her 2018 World Equestrian Games team gold medal mount, Confu, would recover from a virus. She wasn’t even thinking whether he could compete in a grand prix again, with his last appearance at that level having been in November.
So when he beat his illness and returned to the arena, his victory last night under the lights in the 4-star $216,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix in Wellington, Fla., was especially welcome.
Laura Kraut and Confu. (Sportfot photo)
“The win tonight means everything,” Laura said.
“A few months ago, we were crying because we weren’t sure he was going to make it. It means the world to have him win, and to win on Horseware week, I don’t think we could have scripted it any better,” said Laura about her longtime sponsor. I’m so thankful to have had their support for many years, and it feels like winning this class was meant to be.”
She topped a 10-horse jump-off with a clean round in 36 .44 seconds on St. Bride’s Farm 15-year-old Holsteiner by Contact Me.
The Irish dominated the rest of the podium, with Conor Swail second in 37.10 seconds on Vital Chance de la Roque and Mark McAuley third in 37.55 seconds with Jasco vd Bisschop clocked in over Michel Vaillancourt’s course at the soon-to-be-rebranded Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.
EHV-1 hit the West Coast hard last month, leading to equine euthanizations and cancellation of shows, including May’s Nations Cup in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. It has just been announced the California Department of Food and Agriculture issued an Extension of Recommended Caution for California Equine Events through March 31.
That has led to cancellation of next weekend’s Dressage at Southern California Equestrian and postponement until June of Rancho California AHA Spring. The Galway Downs International Horse Trials has revised its schedule and moved to a two-day format at the beginning of April.
But now the Maryland Department of Agriculture has confirmed a pony in Montgomery County tested positive for Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1) on March 9. The index horse was sent to the Equine Medical Center (EMC) in Leesburg, Va., for treatment and subsequently euthanized due to complications, it was revealed yesterday.
Two other horses from the same barn have been sent to EMC for diagnosis, isolation and are currently under treatment. The Montgomery County farm, Meadowbrook Stables, has been placed on a hold order by the department, prohibiting movement on or off the farm until any exposed horses have been cleared for release.
Meadowbrook on March 18 posted an explanation of what happened: “Last Wednesday night, 3/9, our beloved pony, River, went to DuPont Equine Medical Center with neurological symptoms. She was euthanized the next day, 3/10. Subsequent tests confirmed that she had Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1). This sweet pony was a favorite of all of our young riders, as well as our staff, and will be greatly missed.
“Although we were shocked by her loss, we immediately began working with our veterinarian, Dr. Suzanne Welker, to self-quarantine, notify the State vet, and closely monitor the other 49 horses on our property. We set up 24 temporary stalls in our indoor ring, began taking temperatures and assessing all other horses for EHV-1 symptoms round the clock, and implemented biosecurity protocols.
“The next day, Friday 3/11, an Assistant State Veterinarian visited Meadowbrook and issued a routine hold order, meaning that horses must remain on site. Three other horses were also admitted to EMC; all are now recovering back at Meadowbrook. Other horses have also developed mild symptoms and are being treated by our staff on site. We’re optimistic that they’ll make a full recovery.
“From the outset, Meadowbrook has followed strict testing, quarantine, treatment, and biosecurity protocols. We’ve worked closely with our veterinarians, cancelled lessons and other programs from March 10 onwards, and closed Meadowbrook even to our boarders to reduce stress on the horses and prevent the transmission of EHV beyond our facility. We immediately notified local horse show managers, as well as IEA leadership, of the situation. No horse has left our property other than to go to EMC.
“Meadowbrook is grateful beyond words for our knowledgeable, hard-working staff, our board and many volunteers, as well as our veterinarian. Their skilled and tireless commitment over the last eight days to our horses’ health has been truly remarkable. As a result, we’re optimistic that our horses will recover and confident that no transmission has occurred to other equine facilities. We also appreciate all of the love and support that we’ve received from the horse community in the past week. Thank you to all who have reached out!”
Owners are advised to monitor horses carefully, and should contact their veterinarians to arrange for EHV-1 testing if a horse exhibits significant temperature elevation or neurologic signs.
Show jumper Cassandra Kahle is recovering from her traumatic brain injury, with landmarks including walking with the aid of a machine and finally being able to eat solid food.
The 29-year-old professional rider was hurt when her horse fell with her in a jump-off at a show in January. She is getting better at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, boosted by her positive attitude and hard work in her therapy sessions.
Cassandra Kahle has a big smile as she recovers. (Photo courtesy of Natasha Brash)
“I have to say she is doing very well,” said Emil Spadone, the owner of Redfield Farm in Califon, N.J., and Ocala, Fla., where Cassie works.
“I got to see her firsthand walk on the Lokomat (treadmill) machine. Some of the rehab tools used in therapy are like from a sci-fi movie,” Emil said.
“They basically harness her to a robotic walking machine starting weightless and gradually add 70 percent of her own body weight to a 1,000-step, 18-minute walk. It was something to see,” enthused Emil.
“Then we had another four different hands-on session, with therapists working on all the aspects of resuming everyday activities.”
When Cassie was “cleared to go back on actual food,” at lunch she had a taste of plain chicken and string beans. Emil said she was very excited about being able to eat, and by dinnertime, enjoyed some hamburger, mashed potatoes and sweet potato pie.
Her mother, Natasha Brash, is with her and by the end of the month, it is hoped Cassie will be living in an on-site apartment but as an outpatient, coming to the center daily for her sessions.
“The exciting part of this is that she can come home on the weekends and be with her dog and the entire Redfield family,” Emil said.
As you clean out your tack room and closets at this time of year, put aside equipment, clothing, blankets and other horse-related items for tack sales being held at several organizations this month and next.
The Somerset County 4-H tack sale, always a regular feature, will be held Friday, March 18, from 6-9:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 19, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Ted Blum 4-H center, 310 Milltown Road, Bridgewater, N.J.
There’s a different approach this year. Anyone who has items to sell can set up at the center for a $15 fee, which gives them a spot with a table and two chairs. Commercial vendors also are welcome.
It used to be a consignment approach, where people would bring their tack and other horse-related items and leave them to be sorted by 4-H members for sale, with 4-H getting a percentage of the purchase price.
But as 4-H leader Judy Hennessey noted, doing it that way is labor-intensive and 4-H numbers have been dwindling.
“We don’t have enough kids in the 4-H horse program,” she noted.
In Bridgewater, she recalled, there was a time when “every kid had a horse in their backyard. Now I don’t think there’s a horse in Bridgewater. There just aren’t any kids with horses of their own any more, and the big barns don’t want kids going to 4-H.”
The advantage of 4-H is that members learn about horse care, over a stable where the kids just go to ride and don’t interact with the horses otherwise. The horse care concept will be highlighted at the county fair this summer, when Judy plans to have a farrier, a dentist, a driving exhibition and other demonstrations to highlight the organization’s focus.
Want more information? Call Judy Hennessy at (610)730-4739.
Riding with Heart, 639 Route 513, Pittstown, is holding its sale March 26 and 27 to benefit its therapeutic riding program. Drop items from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and Saturdays from noon-3 p.m. Call 908-735-5912 to let the organization know before you come.
Riding with Heart will pick up big donations within a one-hour drive. Email tacksale@ridingwithheart.org. Contributions are tax deductible.
Mane Stream (adaptive riding and therapy services) is seeking donations of new and gently used tack or horse related items for its fall tack sale in Oldwick Nov. 6 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The spring sale originally scheduled for next month has bee cancelled.
Collections are still ongoing, however. There is a contactless drop-off for unwanted bridles, saddles, blankets, tack boxes as well as outgrown boots, breeches, jackets and horse-related jewelry, models or knick-knacks. Proceeds go toward Mane Stream’s mission to improve the quality of life for children and adults with physical, developmental, emotional, and medical challenges through a diverse program of equine assisted activities, therapy services, and educational initiatives.
All donations can be dropped off at the stable at 83 Old Turnpike Rd. Oldwick during office hours. Those who want to make a donation of have questions should contact Jen Dermody at jen@manestreamnj.org, (908) 439-9636 or visit the website at www.ManeStreamNJ.org
Mane Stream is a 501(c)(3) non-profit registered charitable organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals with physical, developmental, emotional, and medical challenges through a diverse program of equine-assisted activities, therapy services and educational initiatives.
