horseback magazine april 2016

2 HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 2 April 2016 www.horsebackmagazine.com

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www.horsebackmagazine.com April 2016 2 HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 3AN-49f (0113)

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Columns: 6 Horse Bites

22 Ride-N-Sync - Terry Myers

24 On the English Front - Cathy Strobel

28 Tack Talk - Lew Pewterbaugh

42 Cowboy Corner - Jim Hubbard

PUBLISHER EDITORVicki Long Steven Long

NATIONAL NEWS EDITORCarrie Gobernatz

LIFESTYLE EDITORMargaret Pirtle832-349-1427

[email protected]

EVENTS EDITOR Leslie Greco

ADVERTISING OFFICES HEADQUARTER OFFICE

(281) 447-0772 Phone & (281) 893-1029 [email protected]

BRAZOS VALLEY BUREAUDiane Holt(936) 878-2678 Ranch & (713) 408-8114 [email protected]

GULF COAST BUREAUCarol Holloway - (832) 607-8264 [email protected]

Volume 23, No. 4 Horseback Magazine, P.O. Box 681397, Houston, TX 77268-1397, (281) 447-0772. The entire contents of the magazine are copyrighted April 2016 by Horseback Magazine. All rights reserved. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Horseback Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other material unless accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. Horseback Magazine is not responsible for any claims made by advertisers. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or management. Subscription rate is $25.00 for one year.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Horseback Magazine, P.O. Box 681397, Houston, TX 77268-1397. Fax: (281) 893-1029

Email: [email protected] Phone: (281) 447-0772

April 2016FROM THE EDITORS DESK

I I suppose that there are tens of thousands of people in our area in Southeast Texas who had their first ride on a horse at a small kids park on Houstons South Main. I begged my much older sister and her ever patient husband to take me every time I stayed at their house. But the tame and tired amusement park horse wasnt my first ride. My love of everything horse began with my fathers

field horse, Old Paint. Old Paint was a working horse who earned his oats by carrying my father around hundreds of acres of our familys rice fields. The first thing I learned about horses was that Old Paint was not a kid horse. It was decided for me to solo on Old Paint at age 4, an age that tens of thousands of kids have started riding for probably thousands of years. My dad put me on the horses back, put the reins in my hand, and mistakenly let go. As soon as my dad let go of the reins as I bravely sat alone in the saddle, the horse ran away with me. I suppose I cried, I dont remember, but truth be known it was the biggest thrill of my young life. From that day forward my parents kept me off the horse. You see, I was a bit of a precious commodity. My brother, Bill, had been killed in World War II five months before I was born. Needless to say, I was spoiled beyond belief being born five months after his death. My precious wife and family suffer from that to this day. Despite the runaway adventure, my desire to ride was there from that time forward - in spades. I wanted nothing more than to ride a horse. And the advent of television contributed to my passion because in those black and white days, seems like about every other program was a cowboy show. First, Gene Autry was king and then Roy Rogers usurped the title, King of the Cowboys. Needless to say, I got to shake both their hands at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. My hand had a rosy glow for days, of that I am certain. I actually still remember how warm Roys hand was when he shook my young hand. Autrys horse was named Champion, and of course, Roys horse was Trigger, and he carried an entourage of horses and people with him. There was also Dale Evans Buttermilk, and a slew of other mounts whose names have been washed away with age. Im sure kids attending the big Texas rodeos get the same kind of thrill as I did in those days immediately following the Second World War. Today, my introduction to horses is repeated hundreds of thousands of times for kids going to their first rodeo. So heres my point. The first ride on a horse is something a person will never forget. From that first ride of mine, I was compelled to have a horse of my own, and by that I mean, a horse that I owned, not my fathers working field horse, Old Paint. From that, one thing led to another, and before I knew it, I was compelled to own a horse magazine! Im certain there are thousands of Texans out there who have an almost identical experience with their first ride. So remember this. When you take your kids to the amusement park, and you put them on the gentle ponies who earn their keep carrying kids in a circle, it is guaranteed to give them a lifelong memory. And that memory might be guaranteed to give a good horse a job. You could just be starting something that will last a lifetime. It sure did with me.

By Steven Long

Staff

Lifestyle & Real Estate:26 Changing a Horses Future Use - Tom Seay

30 Sire - Kelsey Hellmann

That Ride at Kiddyland

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSJim Hubbard, Steven Long, Vicki Long, Roni Norquist, Linda Parelli,

Lew Pewterbaugh, Cathy Strobel, Cory Johnson, Margaret Pirtle, Jaime Jackson

On the Cover: When one door closes another can open for horses of all breeds and disciplines. Retrain for ongoing and lifesaving value.

Cover Story:14 Second Chances - Jane Meggitt

www.horsebackmagazine.com April 2016 2 HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 5

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Horse Bites is compiled from Press Releases sent to Horseback Magazine. Original reporting is done as circumstances warrant.

Content is edited for length & style.

BLM ANNOUNCES THREE SELECTIONS FOR NATIONAL WILD HORSE AND BURRO

ADVISORY BOARD The Bureau of Land Management announced the selections for three open positions on its nine-member National Wild Horse and Burro Advi-sory Board. Ginger Kathrens of Fort Collins, Colorado, has been appointed for the category of humane advocacy; Ben Masters of Bozeman, Montana, has been appointed for the category of wildlife management; and Steven Yardley of Beaver, Utah, has been ap-pointed for the category of livestock management. Each individual will serve a three-year term on the Advi-sory Board. Ms. Kathrens is the Founder and Executive Director of the Colora-do-based Cloud Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of wild horses on public lands. Kathrens is an Emmy award-winning creator of the acclaimed Public Broadcasting System series documenting the birth and life of a Pryor Mountains (Montana) wild stal-lion called Cloud. Her first Cloud film was voted the most popular documentary in the 25-year history of the Nature series on PBS. Kathrens is an honor graduate of Bowling Green State University and holds a Master of Arts degree in Mass Communications from Florida State University. Mr. Masters, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Fin & Fur Films, LLC is best known for his suc-cessful documentary Unbranded, an account of a 3,000-mile ride on wild horses that has raised awareness of the BLMs adoption program and the myriad challenges facing public land managers. Masters holds a Bachelor

of Science degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University. Mr. Yardley, Vice President of Yardley Cattle Company, is a public land rancher and private landowner who holds grazing permits from the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service. A graduate of Southern Utah University, Yardley has been active with the Fu-ture Farmers of America, Utah Cattle-mens Association, National Cattle-mens Beef Association, and Southern Utah Universitys Block and Bridle Club. Currently, Mr. Yardley serves as Vice President of the Western Range-lands Conservation Association. The National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board advises the BLM, an agency of the Interior De-partment, and the U.S. Forest Service, part of the Agriculture Department, on the management and protection of wild free-roaming horses and burros on public lands and national forests administered by those agencies, as mandated by the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. Members of the board, who represent various categories of in-terests, must have a demonstrated ability to analyze information, evalu-ate programs, identify problems, work collaboratively, and develop corrective actions. (Information about the board can be found at: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/whbprogram/Advisory_Board.html.) Among its current efforts to strengthen the Wild Horse and Burro Program, the BLM has been moving forward with a population-growth suppression strategy consistent with recommendations of a National Academy of Sciences study issued in June 2013. The agencys new popu-lation growth-suppression research, representing an investment of approxi-mately $11 million in 20 research projects over five years, will focus on (1) developing longer-lasting fertility-control agents; (2) evaluating the safety, feasibility, and effectiveness of spaying and neutering on-range wild horses; and (3) implementing better methods for estimating wild horse and burro populations. To achieve those aims, the BLM is working with the

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and five universities -- the University of Kentucky, Oregon State University, Colorado State University, Ohio State University, and Louisiana State University. Detailed information about each project has been posted on the agencys Website (www.blm.

gov).

APHA NAMES TOP PAINT BARREL RACING INCENTIVE PROGRAM

PARTICIPANTS OF 2015

FORT WORTH, Texas The top Paint barrel racers turned and burned their way into the Paint Barrel Rac-ing Incentive Program (PBRIP) 2015 year-end standings. Throughout the year, competitors accumulated points at PBRIP-approved barrel races across the country in the hopes of taking home one of four prize saddles and a cash bonus. Karen Orman of Des Moines, Iowa, and Dalts Superman Design earned the High-Point PBRIP title, in addition to topping the PBRIP 2D and 3D standings. Karen and Doodle earned 77 points to clinch the titlesincluding 34 points in the 2D and 36 points in 3D events; for their efforts, they take home two Elite saddles, a trophy breast collar, Gist championship buckle and APHA year-end money. Doodle is a 2008 sorrel to-biano stallion by Designer Red (QH) and out of Ima Bit Easy; he was bred by the Ormans and trained by Karens son, Marc. Based on the 4D system, the winner in each division will take home an Elite Custom Saddle from APHAs new official performance saddle partner. First and second place in each D also earned their share of $2,500 year-end money provided by APHA. PBRIP is designed to provide barrel racers with a way to be part of APHA regardless of where they compete by adding money to special sidepots just for Paints enrolled in the program. PBRIP events can also be used to qualify for the APHA World Championship Show, where the best of the best battle it out for more than $10,000 in prize money in addition to exciting prizes and world champi-onship titles. Congratulations to the fol-lowing top-placing PBRIP Paints and


Horsebites- Cont. on pg.12

their riders for 2015:

1D1. Shez One Slick Angel, owned and ridden by Melinda Houttuin2. Magnolia Kit Kat, ridden by Jennifer Bruno, owned by Jennifer Bruno and Brock Merriman3. Winter Apache, owned and rid-den by Robin Randle4. EZ Jet Express, owned and ridden by Montie Ledford5. First Fire Frost, ridden by Kylee Scribner, owned by Kristy Scribner

2D 1. Dalts Superman Design, ridden by Karen Orman, owned by Marc Orman2. Hez Aces Maverick, owned and ridden by Abigail DePriest3. Hit The Fast Fanny, owned and ridden by Crystal Bailey4. Colonel Tatoos Socks, owned and ridden by Rejane Blackwell5. Primetime Lexus, owned and rid-den by Jean Hovan

3D1. Dalts Superman Design, ridden by Karen Orman, owned by Marc Orman2. LLP Susies Witch, owned and ridden by Belinda Wheeler3. Hesararetreasure, owned and rid-den by Eileen Wall4. Alone N Dirty, owned and ridden by Kate Howland5. Melodys Coco Rose, owned and ridden by Maty Bagley

4D1. Bo Ringo, owned and ridden by Lisa Mullinax2. Smokin Guns N Roses, ridden by Lori Buschbacher, owned by Justin and Lori Buschbacher3. TJS Flashy Spot, owned and rid-den by Jeanette Meissinger4. Timeto Go Twist, owned and rid-den by Jessica Reynolds5. Rockbottomrudeboy, owned and ridden by Billie Ruth Hankins

These outstanding competitors were honored at an awards ceremony at 1:00 p.m. on March 26 during the PBRIP All-Breed Invitational Barrel Race where APHA offered a $2,500 added PBRIP 5D sidepot. The full event ran March 25-26 at Twin Lakes Covered Arena in Fairfield, Texas. To learn more about PBRIP and to get involved, visit pbrip.com or contact program director Karen

Horsebites...Utecht at 817-222-6444.

AMATEUR RIDER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA SEEKING JUMPER DIVISION

STANDARDIZATION

Wellington, FL -- The Amateur Rider Association of America (ARAA) is working on behalf of those who com-pete in the Amateur divisions at horse shows across the country, seeking USEF recognition and standardization of the three Amateur-Owner Jumper divisions. ARAA founder and president, Ariane Stiegler, who competes in the Amateur-Owner division, hopes to in-crease safety and fairness for all riders and horses in the amateur division by setting standards for each of the three Amateur-Owner divisions. Stiegler hopes to set low Amateur-Owner jumpers at 1.20m and low jumper Classics at 1.25m. Medium A/O jumpers will be set at 1.30m, medium jumper Classics set at 1.35m and high A/O jumpers set at 1.40m with high jumper Classics set at 1.45m. Setting a division standard will help avoid confusion for rid-ers and trainers as well as for course designers who find it difficult to ride, train and build courses with no set course height. This will also lead to re-ducing the number of scratches. With a set height, horses and riders will be better prepared for what to expect and will be more likely to enter appropri-ate classes. Another topic of importance to ARAA is how divisions are split. Since juniors end at age 18, the A/O division is for riders age 19 and above. We feel that the classes should be split into two divisions - For riders age 35 and under and riders age 36 and older, Stiegler said. We feel strongly that juniors should ride in their own division and that no combined junior/amateur classes should be offered. We urge all riders who agree that these simple steps will make competitions in the amateur division safer and more fair to speak with horse show managers and ask them to follow the parameters in scheduling their classes. Ultimately, we hope that this is how the USEF will officially struc-ture this division. Once this is achieved, we hope to host end-of-year champion-ships in each of these 3 divisions for

the top riders in the U.S.A. For more information about the American Rider Association of America or to express your support, please contact Ariane Stiegler at [email protected] or visit www.amateur-rider-association-of-america.org.

Elite Rodeo Athletes Premier Tour Makes History in Redmond, Oregon

Top Rodeo Athletes bring their A-Game to a Packed House

REDMOND, OREGON - The much-anticipated inaugural per-formance of the ERA Premier Tour kicked off in Redmond, Oregon last month. Rodeo fans packed the house to watch history in the making and Elite Rodeo Athletes (ERA) rose to the occasion with a night filled with high scores and fast times. ERA surprised fans by mov-ing the bull riding to the opening event and had eight rides land in 80-point territory. Chandler Bownds from Lubbock, Texas started the night off right with an 86.5-point ride on Sweet Regrets. The Saddle Bronc Riding showed fans what happens when you pair up the most elite animal athletes in the world with the top cowboys. The talent on display from both horse and cowboy was jaw drop-ping throughout the event. In the end, Bradley Harter, who hails from Weatherford, Texas; claimed first place with an 88.5-point ride on a horse named, Lunatic From Hell. As an encore performance, Harter had fun with the fans when he led them in a rendition of Sweet Caroline that had everyone laughing. With two hometown cowboys competing (Bobby Mote and Austin Foss), the Bareback Riding was the final and most anticipated event of the night. Oregon fans are connois-seurs of this event and the athletes and horses put on a show that met their approval. Every athlete turned in a high scoring ride, but it was an 87-point ride by The Woodlands, Texas cowboy, Richmond Champion on a horse named Raggidy Ann that stole the show and brought the Or-egon crowd to their feet. The timed event side of the arena also had its share of did you see that moments, including a spectacular Steer Wrestling run made


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Horsebites- Cont. from pg. 7

Horsebites- Cont. on pg. 20

Proud to partner with horse owners in quality horse care for seven de-cades, Farnam plans to celebrate all year long. Founded in 1946, Phoe-nix-based Farnam Companies, Inc. grew from a small mail-or-der business to become one of the largest marketers of equine products in the United States. Serving all facets of the equine industry--from hobby barns to large professional operations--Farnam is one of the most widely recognized names in the equine animal health care industry. In addition to distributors and mass merchants across the U.S., Farnam products are also sold in Canada, Puerto Rico, Central and South America, Europe, and the

Middle and Far East. As the leader in quality horse care p r o d u c t s , Farnam of-fers an ever-expanding range of equine es-

sentials, including fly control, de-wormer, grooming, hoof and leg care, wound care treatments, leather care, stable supplies and nutritional supplements. Extensive research and attention to detail go into ev-ery product that carries the familiar Farnam logo. To mark this milestone 70th anniversary, Farnam will be offering

special celebration offers through-out the year on their Facebook page, their free Life With Horses newslet-ter, and at equine events across the country. The mission of Farnam is to improve the lives of horses, from head to hoof, inside and out. To that end, the company continually strives to create innovative prod-ucts that support the horses over-all health and comfort in both the pleasure and performance horse markets. No one knows horses bet-ter than Farnam. Thats why no one offers a more complete selection of horse care products. No one. For more information on Farnam products or to sign up for the free Life With Horses newslet-ter, visit www.farnam.com

Farnam Celebrates 70th Anniversary in 2016Horsebites...

by Stockton Graves from Alva, OK. Graves threw his steer in 3.67, barely nudging out a 3.98 time turned in by Louisiana cowboy, Tyler Pearson. Not one, but three seven-second runs were turned in during the tie-down roping Friday night. Twenty-three time World Champion Cowboy, Trevor Brazile, from Decatur, Texas showed the crowd why he is called The King of the Cowboys, when he stopped the clock with a 7.61 time. Close behind him was World Cham-pion, Shane Hanchey with a time of 7.75 and six-time World Champion, Cody Ohl with a 7.77. Team Roping fan favorites, Derrick Begay and Clay OBrien Cooper, known as The Legend and the Legend in the Making wowed the crowd when they stopped the clock with a time of 4.01 seconds. This dream team from Arizona and Nevada is known for their laser-focused style of roping, where they turn in solid runs time after time. Callie Duperier, a World Champion barrel racer from Boerne, Texas and her horse Arson captivated the audience with a 14.60 barrel run. Duperier has dominated the barrel racing world lately and comments

that she loves the format of the ERA Premier Tour, which allows her horses to be well rested and spend less time on the road. Duperier received a helmet from fellow ERA barrel racer and World Champion, Fallon Tay-lor, to wear for the first time; which replaced her self described lucky hat. When asked about the switch she said, Safety first . . . I am only 23, so I have a long life ahead of me . . . Fal-lon brought it for me and it brought us luck, so I am liking it! ERAs unique format also al-lowed athletes to invite fans to come early and participate in a meet and greet with all of the athletes on the arena floor. Its really been nice to slow down and have time to meet the people who are buying the tickets its been fun, said 23-Time World Champion and ERA athlete, Trevor Brazile. The ERA Premier Tour had another performance March 26th in Redmond, Oregon before the ath-letes head to Nampa, Idaho for the tour events that take place April 1st and 2nd. Fans can watch the Elite Rodeo Championship Race to Dallas which will air on FOX Sports 2, with the Redmond event airing April 6th

at 7:00 EST and April 13th at 10:00 EST.

Effects of Equine Assisted Activities on PTSD Symptoms, Coping Self-Efficacy,

Emotion Regulation, and Social Engage-ment in Military Veterans

Principal Investigator: Rebecca A. Johnson, PhD, RN, FAAN, FNAP

Chagrin Falls, Ohio, University of Missouri-Columbia, College of Vet-erinary Medicine recently reported on findings from their research related to military veterans with symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The study investigated if participation in a structured, six-week therapeutic horseback riding (THR) program decreased PTSD symptoms, as well as improved self-efficacy, emo-tion regulation, and social engage-ment among veterans. The project was funded through a grant from the Horses and Humans Research Founda-tion and was led by Principal investi-gator Rebecca A. Johnson, PhD, RN, FAAN, FNAP. Thirty- eight veterans were


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You can lead a horse to water but you cant make him drink. You can also breed a horse for a specific pur-pose, but cant make him succeed. That doesnt mean a horse failing in an intend-ed discipline cant shine in an-other. Its a matter of finding the right fit for the individual animal. Of the thousands of thor-oughbreds registered with The Jockey Club each year, only a small percentage truly make money for their owners on the racetrack. A generation ago, many of these racetrack re-jects went on to stellar second careers in the hunter/jumper ring. Starting in the 1980s, Eu-ropean Warmbloods, specifi-cally bred as sporthorses, began their show ring dominance in this country, and off-the-track thor-oughbreds were seldom seen in top competitions. Fortunately, a new gen-eration is discovering the athleti-cism and heart of the Thorough-bred, and the breeds versatility is showcased through events such as the Thoroughbred Makeover, part of the Retired Racehorse Project. This year, 480 trainers from 45 states, three Canadian provinces and the United King-dom are competing former race-horses in one of 10 disciplines for a chance at a $100,000 prize. While some ex-racehors-

es are being retrained for the sports they formerly dominated, others will don Western tack and show their skills as barrel racers and working ranch horses. Last years winners of Overall Most Wanted Thoroughbred, Lindsey Partridge and Soar, excel in competitive trail and will be back to defend their title. At 26, trainer Kait Schul-tz, Tivoli, New York, grew up in a horse show world that didnt have much room for a Thoroughbred. With her Thunder Crest Perfor-mance Horses, shes trying to change that. Schultz specializes in retraining off-the-track thor-oughbreds for the show ring and eventing, shepherding 15 to 20 ex-racehorses annually into new careers. One horse, who raced under the name Angel Charge and now goes by Blue Bayou, is heading to the Grand Prix jump-ers with his new owner. Thats just one year after he came off the racetrack. Shes also had Thoroughbreds become polo ponies and even therapeutic rid-ing horses. Plenty of them make fine trail mounts. Schultz finds horses that were no good at the track

from a network of train-ers. Shes gotten horses from the now-defunct Suffolk Downs in Massa-chusetts, as well as Penn National Race Course in Pennsylvania and West Virginias Mountaineer

Racetrack. She looks for horses with good bloodlines, pointing out they got great for a reason. Schultz herself is an eventer, and says while not that many Thor-oughbreds are found in the low-est levels of the sport, theyre quite marketable at preliminary and up. Although off-the-track Thoroughbreds have always been well-represented in event-ing, in recent years Warmbloods have overshadowed them at the higher levels. Schultz sees that changing, with Thoroughbreds making a comeback. She adds that its a huge misconception that thorough-breds are always hot and hard keepers. She does warn that most Thoroughbreds are not suited for the weekend rider. They thrive on regular and dis-ciplined work. Give that to a thoroughbred, and youll have a smart and talented riding horse. While Thoroughbreds arent the first choice for running barrels, theres no reason a fast, agile ex-racehorse cant suc-ceed in the game. Jamilee Bra-vard, Willington, Connecticut, purchased her horse Guilty from Suffolk Downs Racetrack

SECONDCHANCES

BY JANE MEGGITT



in 2007. In the past eight years, the two have competed in all sorts of ventures, including dressage, working trail, gymkhana, hunter paces, calf roping, team pen-ning, mounted shooting, and bar-rel racing. While Thoroughbred may not be the typical barrel horse, I accepted the challenge to retrain an off-the-track thor-oughbred because of his ath-leticism, demeanor, and confor-mation, according to Bravard. Guilty has been an exceptional horse for me to train and try mul-tiple disciplines because he is al-ways braver than me. She adds, I have been fortunate enough to find that Guilty has a gas pedal, screeching brakes, calm disposi-tion, dressage talent, and brave armor, that prepares the two for competitions. One of the most versatile breeds, Quarter Horses bred for racing who wash out at the track often segue easily into ca-

reers as barrel horses or com-pete in rodeo events. Andrea Caudill of the American Quarter Horse Association points out that the breed succeeds in non-traditional arenas as well. Per-haps the best example is the off-the-track Quarter Horses mare Dialadream, who went from lack-luster racehorse to Olympic competitor in eventing. With her post-racing owner Kelly Plitz, a Canadian resident, the mare competed on the quarter horse circuit, earning a perfor-mance Register of Merit. When Plitz encountered the sport of eventing, she wanted to give it a try. Dialadream had speed in her bloodlines, but it didnt manifest on the racetrack. On the cross-country course, it was a differ-ent story. The mare was a running and jumping maniac, and that term also describes her often difficult personality. Nonethe-less, Dialadream and Plitz rep-

resented Canada at the 1984 Olympics held in Los Angeles. They finished 25th out of 80 horses, earning them the top spot for the Canadian team. In 2009, Dialadream, who died in 2001, was the first horse induct-ed into Canadas Eventing Hall of Fame. Another unsuccess-ful Quarter Horses racer who made it to the top of an uncon-ventional sport is Mischiefs Last Roll, a daughter of Roll the Cash. She earned all of $410 in her racing days, but found her niche and used her speed as a top polo pony. She was in the string of Argentinean Adolpho Dolphi Cambiaso, a 10-goal player ranked number one in the world. Standardbreds are bred for harness racing. Naked Wil-low, better known as Fiddle, is a registered Standardbred, designed for the pacing track in Canada, but she was not a

Blue Bayou, formerly Angel Charge



good race horse. She ended up with Aarene Storms, Arlington, Washington, in 2006 via the Ca-nadian Standardbred adoption agency Greener Pastures. The two compete in en-durance, and Fiddle was the High Mileage Standardbred for the USA/Canada in 2015, with 515 miles in competition. That doesnt include training or trail work--she is also my buddy for building and repairing trails, which means she carries me and a bunch of tools up the moun-tain and then stands tied to a tree for an hour or two while the team does stuff with shovels and rakes and axes and rocks and chainsaws to make a trail, ac-cording to Storms. In endurance, Storms said her horse is faster than some horses, not as fast as others. In 50 mile rides, we of-ten finish in the top third of the pack. The pack is dominated by Arabians, but also includes mus-tangs, Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Paso Finos, Foxtrotters, grade horses bought cheaply at auction, and other Standard-breds, she says. When asked if a lot of off-the-track Standardbreds com-pete in endurance, Storms re-plies, There are always some of us competing--sometimes there are lots, and sometimes not so many. Often, other riders dont necessarily know what those brown sensible horses are....un-less the riders fly the Standard-bred flag proudly, as I do. Storms notes that Stan-dardbreds are not bred to please the judges eye with some extreme conformation trait, fab-ulous hair, or exotic color. They are, generally speaking, brown horses with honest faces. The breeds unofficial motto should be whatever it is, lets do it. Standardbreds are intended to be functional horses, and the

primary function of a Standard-bred is to trot (or pace) in har-ness. However, the secondary function of Standardbreds is sensibility. A successful Stan-dardbred can tolerate chaotic crowds, strange noises, unusual vehicles, inscrutable human be-havior and weird circumstances, and continue to do the assigned job no matter what else is hap-pening, with careers that often last many years, she says. The Saddlebred stallion Periaptor was the number one three-gaited sire in the country.

When Brenda Helt, Allentown, New Jersey, bred her mare Heir Space to Periaptor, she hoped the resulting foal would become a top show horse. Peaches, as the chestnut mare with the flax-en mane and tail is known, is on her way in the show ring but not in Saddlebred shows. Peaches didnt have the high-headed look prized in her breed, but she did love to jump. Helt gave the mare to her granddaughter, Jordan Ferrier, 13, for her birthday last year, and they are now compet-

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ing in the lower level jumpers on the New Jersey circuit and cleaning up. In the late 19th century, the Hackney horse was the ulti-mate driving machine in England and the U.S. The breeds high-stepping action and ability to trot for miles made these horses vi-sually appealing and practical for transportation. The advent of the automobile spelled the end of the Hackney horse for all but show enthusiasts. While some horse shows do offer classes for Hackney horses not to be confused with their smaller rela-tives, the Hackney pony they are few in number. So is the Hackney horse, which is con-sidered a critically endangered breed. In the U.S, annual regis-trations of Hackney horses re-main in the teens, although they are higher in England and Eu-rope. Marcie Quist, Southern Pines, North Carolina, a top com-bined driving competitor, was in-troduced to the breed when her trainer, Craig Kellogg, boarded several of them at her farm. She fell in love with the breed she refers to as the border collies of the horse world because of their intelligence, trainability and work ethic. Although they were not bred for combined driving the sport wasnt in existence dur-ing the Hackneys heyday they do well in it, but Quist says they are also suitable for dressage and jumping. Her former horse, Halsteds Shale, went foxhunting with the Moore County Hounds.

Saddlebred Peaches

Hackney Foxhunting


(Continued from Page 16)


Editors Note:

Many horses are lucky to get that second chance in life. One of the most famous of them would be a big grey - eighty dollar plow horse rescued from the kill pen named Snowman.

In 1956 a Holland immigrant named Harry de Leyer arrived late to the New Holland Pennsyl-vania auction looking for a riding horse for the Knox Girls School on Long Island where he worked as a riding instructor, as well as maintaining a small stable and training business of his own on the side.

Among the horses loaded on the truck destined for the kill pen was a plow horse that appeared beaten-up, open wounds on both knees, cracked hooves, and plow marks across his chest.

But Harry saw past the grays physical appear-ance and saw something deep in his eyes-calm, trusting, with a sturdy constitu-tion. Harry paid the eighty dollars, and the rest is his-tory.

Snowman, (named by Harrys chil-dren), went on to become the com-mon mans cham-pion by the sum-mer of 1958 winning a series of east coast shows leading up to the Triple Crown of show jump-ing; the American Hose Shows Association Horse of the Year; the Professional Horsemans Association Championship, and

Harry & Snowmanthe National Horse Show Diamond Jubilee.

Give a horse a second chance. All it takes is finding the right job for the horse others would throw away.


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Horsebites- Cont. from pg. 12Horsebites...randomly assigned to participate in the six-week THR program, either without a wait control period or assigned to a six-week wait control period prior to the six weeks of riding. As predicted, no significant changes were found for any outcome measure during the wait con-trol period, indicating that changes in outcome measures were due to the THR rather than other extraneous factors. Results of this study provide clear evidence that the THR program contributed to a decrease in PTSD symptoms. Veterans participating in THR had statistically significant decreases in their PTSD symptoms throughout the study period; and the benefit increased the longer an in-dividual was in the riding program. Veterans also expressed great enjoyment when interacting with the horses and learning to ride. They also enjoyed the camaraderie with other veterans and the research and riding center staff. These positive interactions were an enormous advantage in engaging the veterans - especially as compared to frequent resistance found with clinical counsel-ing sessions. It is also worth noting that several of the participants from this study have continued on with THR and others are now doing volunteer work as side walkers or leaders at the center where the study was conducted. There are more than 6000 instructors, therapists and facilita-tors providing equine- assisted activi-ties across the USA. The majority of these programs are not scientifically evaluated. Without scientific evidence demonstrating the impact of equine as-sisted activities and without established evidenced based practices, progress and support is often constrained. Strong research findings, like this University of Missouri project, significantly impact the future of equine-assisted programs and their ability to grow to serve more people. Dr Johnson said that Further investigation is needed to learn more about the changes we saw in self-efficacy and emotional regulation. We continue to analyze the extensive and very rich array of qualitative data from the partic-ipants weekly riding diaries, which we think may help shed light on the trends we found in these outcome variables.


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When you find yourself in the market to buy a horse, there is much to consider. Your first decision is defin-ing what your goals are with a horse. Will you be showing and what discipline(s), trail riding, working livestock or do you just want to play and have fun? How much time do you realistically have to ride and work with your horse? Do you have the financial stability to buy and care for your horse as well as purchase all the necessary tack and equipment? What do you need in terms of age and experience in a horse? Do you have the knowledge and know how to keep yourself and your horse safe after the purchase? How do you find that perfect horse? We will be addressing each of these questions in the article. In thinking about what type of riding you want to do and what disci-plines you will be pursuing, think about what type of riding you want to enjoy and research what type of horse will help you fulfill that goal. This may not always be a simple task. For example, you may start out thinking you only want to trail ride, but end up wanting to participate in some type of competition. Once you know what type of riding you want to do,

you need to search for a horse with that type of experience. Dont buy a cow horse and try to make a jumper out of him or vice versa. Horses are like children and are time consuming. If your time is limited to a few days per week, be sure that you know how you will be able to provide your horse care and exercise or turn out on the other days. Boarding has advan-tages for horse owners with limited time. Board can run anywhere from $200 to more than $800 (or more) depending on location and amenities. Horses, again like children, are money consuming as well. At todays pric-es, it costs about $1800 to $2000 per year to properly care for a horse at your own barn. And beyond high quality feed and hay or forage, your other costs include skilled farrier and vet services (dont forget the annual dental needs, a good worm-ing program and potentially chiropractic care). The above costs assume that no ma-jor health issues occur. We all know that a horse can find a way to hurt themselves in a padded cell. Add in all the tack and accessories needed and the costs mount faster than our national debt! What type and age of horse do you need? Young is not better unless you are a horse trainer or plan on investing a lot of money in training the horse and yourself. The dumbest thing a person can do is buy a green horse when they are a green rider. Green on green makes black and blue. Because you owned a horse when you were a kid does not mean you retained those skills 20 years later. I tell people to buy a horse with more skills

and experience than they have, then in-vest the time and money in professional lessons to improve your skills to reach the horses level. Otherwise the horse will come down to your skill level. (If you cant afford to pay for that experience, do you have good health insurance?) Be sure to buy from a reputable person and look at the horse several times. If you arent quali-fied to make the purchase decision, seek advice. Dont skip the vet check and be sure that the vet does flexion tests to look for potential lameness. Then be willing to walk away if there are concerns. Never buy a horse because you feel sorry for it, as you may end up feeling sorry for yourself. Dont be afraid to buy an older horse as long as they are sound and healthy. As with most things, you can never have enough knowledge when buy-ing or owning a horse. Seek out profes-sional advice and support. While it may be expensive, it is a good investment in your own skills and your horses wellbe-ing. When it comes to horses and riding, you can never know enough. There is al-ways more to learn. Lastly, there is no perfect horse. All have strengths and flaws, just like people. Never buy a horse based on color. Understand what skills are your priorities for your new horse and what skills and traits you are willing to compromise. Be color blind when horse shopping. A good horse never had a bad color and a bad horse never had a good color. If you are or will be in the market for a horse, I hope this article has given you some things to think about. Buy experi-ence, skills and soundness. If that means

Things to Considerwhen Buying a Horse


saving your pennies for a while, you will be happier in the end. If you cant afford the type of horse you want, my advice is to take lessons or consider leasing a horse. This will enable you to continue to de-velop your knowledge and skills, while saving to find your next equine partner. Also, talk to other horse owners to un-derstand the local talent and expertise in your area. Know where to go and who to turn to for instruction, guidance and advice

Questions about this or any of our articles can be emailed to us at

[email protected].

Terry Myers is a national clinician and cham-pion horse trainer with a depth of knowledge developed from over 45 years in the horse in-dustry. Myers has been a popular clinician at multiple expos in the U.S. and Canada. To learn more about Myers Ride-In-Sync meth-ods as well as clinic and training product/ser-vices available, visit Myers at www.tmtrain-ingcenter.com and on Facebook.

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Simplifying the Hunter ArenaBy Cathy StrobelWe had such a good round. Why didnt we place? It seems

like the same horse always wins. These are words Ive heard so many times. The complexities of judging the hunter arena can overwhelm novices and even seasoned competitors. Just because a horse has a good round doesnt guarantee anything. First of all, what qualifies a good round? Was it a good round compared with how that horse normally performs? Or was it a good round by judging standards? Lets take a minute to step into the judges shoes and pick the round apart. First of all, remember that this is a comparison game. The judge is compar-ing your round to everyone elses. The initial consideration is major errors. If the horse goes off course, a horse or rider falls, 3 refusals are incurred or the course is not completed, the horse will be elimi-nated from the class. Trotting or canter-ing through the in-gate will also cause

elimination. One or two refusals will keep you in the competition but weigh heavily. Other major disobediences such as buck-ing or rearing will also be heavily penal-ized. Next are mistakes such as break-ing to a trot on course or knocking down a fence. Excessive speed is dangerous and should be penalized. Distances are important too. This means that the horse arrives at the jump to take off and land at an even distance on each side so that the peak of the arc is centered over the jump. Chipping in close to the jump or launch-ing from too far away is penalized for safety reasons. Consistency on course is critical. The spaces between jumps on a straight line are always measured and the distances are publicized on the course diagrams for

riders to consider. Typically, horses should travel with 12 foot strides in an average size jumping arena. If a line of jumps is set with 60 feet between them, the horse will take 12 feet to land after the first jump and take off for the second one. Then, there will be four 12 foot strides taken between the jumps. If the horse adds a stride due to taking small strides or leaves out a stride by traveling on too long of a stride, he will be penalized for the inconsistency. Riders should know if their horses can make the twelve foot strides easily or not so they can adjust their horses to make the correct distances or consistently add a stride if its needed. In dealing with distances, we also have to consider pace, impulsion and rhythm. Pace is the speed that the horse travels around the course. While

English...


there is no specific speed that is correct for all horses and all levels of competi-tion, it should be fast enough that the horse clearly has plenty of energy without rushing. Impulsion is thrust or pushing power. The horse should travel with a push that comes from the back end and is achieved through correct balance. Pace and impulsion will result in rhythm. As a horse travels around a course, you should be able to hear a steady rhythm that never changes. When the horse jumps, the rhythm stays the same as the canter and is not interrupted. If you steadily counted 1,2,3,1,2,3,1,2,3 continuously around the course, you shouldnt detect any change in the rhythm when the horse jumps, turns a corner or travels down a straight line, other than a slightly longer beat when the horse takes a fence.Leads are another important factor. In order to have good balance, horses should always canter so that they are leading with the leg they are turning toward. When the horse begins to canter on course, he should be on the correct lead. As he takes each jump, the lead should be held or changed according to the direction that he will travel after the jump. If he doesnt change his lead over

the jump before a change of direction, its okay for him to do a flying change in the first corner he comes to. Missed leads or cross canters (when the front and back leads dont match) are heavily penalized.Everything above is about the more sig-nificant and obvious errors that can occur. If the round is free of mistakes, the judge can move on to the more subtle nuances that make a fabulous hunter. The frame of the horse can make or break his balance. Hunters should travel in a rounded, long and low frame. That means that his topline, consisting of his back and neck, should have a rounded appearance. When the nose drops and the hind end moves up underneath him as he travels, his back will rise up slightly and the neck will appear somewhat arched, but in a relaxed fashion. Think long neck and low head. A horse that travels around with his head up in the air will hollow out his back and the jumping will lack a smooth appearance. As the horse travels around the course, his body should straighten or bend from head to tail according to the path he is on. When he takes a straight line of jumps, he should travel right down the middle of the jumps with no drifting to

Cathy Strobel has over 30 years of experience as a trainer, judge and clinician and can be reached at Southern Breeze Equestrian Cen-ter at (281) 431-4868 or www.sbreeze.com

either side. His feet should travel close to the ground without stumbling while using minimal effort. His jumping style should be very tidy with knees lifted up to the height of his elbows, creating a horizon-tal forearm. His ankles should fold up tightly. The appearance of the horse and rider should be clean, polished and well groomed. The bottom line is the hunter should simulate the hunt field where people gather with their finest horses, dressed in their best attire to follow the hounds as they chase the fox. Their horse should be able to keep up with the hunt without passing the Master of the Hunt. The mount should be safe, reliable and fit. Hunters are about style and finesse combined with athleticism. Its as much of an art form as it is a sport. When watching hunter classes, keep these things in mind and dont forget that the judge is a knowledgeable horse professional who is paid to score the rounds and compare them to tell us all who did the best job.


I was asked to give my personal thoughts on getting a horse for a new life and purpose. Many of us want to adopt a horse from a rescue or to save it from the meat packer, but I sug-gest extreme caution. While this is a noble and good deed, you must think it through for the purpose you will have for this horses con-tinued life with you. Some years ago when we were returning from a trail ride, a lady approached me to ask if I would be interested in buying her horse. She had also just ridden the same trail and told me how horrible the horse was. It stumbled along and seemed overly nervous. It was lathered up and jumpy. I knew this lady as a good person that rode English (nothing wrong with that) - but her career with horses was the show arena and a hunter-jumper world. That is all her horse knew. Now she and the horse were enter-ing the trail ride world. I suggested we go back out for a short ride. My

suggestion to her was to simply drop the reins and ride behind me. Although the she was sure that would not work, she did the ride and was delighted with the horse and her ride. The problem for both was the simple fact that the horse was not use to a nice walk to enjoy the world around. He was waiting for the next direct leg or hand signal to do this or that. She, too, was micro managing the ride, giving the horse directions (with a tight rein). Neither was think-ing or enjoying the trail. After the ride, she was beyond happy as she and the horse began a new career of just relaxing and enjoying each others company. Most of us fall into getting a horse to do what we want but sometimes we overlook the horses nature or history. To buy or adopt a new horse, serious thought of that history is critical to your fu-ture happiness and maybe your health as well. My wifes horse loves be-

ing in the field with cattle. When she is out with the other horses and cattle, we often see her herd-ing cattle on her own. She loves it. Simple observation shows this horse would do well in that sport of team penning. The horse I loved so much and rode from the Atlantic to the Pacific, loved people and trail rid-ing. On one occasion someone left a gate open and midway through a trail ride, we were surprised to see him gallop up past all the riders without hater or bridle and drop in front to lead the ride. He loved it. Despite these examples, we have to look at the background of adopted horses. I have mixed feel-ings about wild mustangs. A horse that is born in the wild, lived in the wild with predators has had to be able to flee in a moments notice of any danger. When you adopt a mustang, this is a serious concern. My late friend Mike Phillips, ad-opted a mustang that he loved very

Thoughts on

changing a horses

future use.by Tom Seay,

Host of Best of America by Horseback

Trail Riding...


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much but often said, he just started bucking and running for no reason or warning. It was something that triggered a thought of danger. A retired race horse was bred to race, trained all its life to run and when it did not win, it was re-tired or put out for adoption. While there is nothing wrong with this, it also might not be the choice of horses for your grandchild to ride anywhere near a bell.... Good sources for retired horses may be a mounted police horse which is used to anything and an easy retirement with your children or a nervous spouse might be perfect. The purpose of this article is to simple suggest that you give background thought about trying to re-program a horse or changing its life entirely before you buy or adopt. For me, I do not sell horses. Part is marital in-tervention and mostly, to enjoy a collection of retired horses that have served us well and their retirement is to simply enjoy the pastures and give us an added feature to watching sunsets. As always, you can contact me directly if I can help you at [email protected]. If you would like to join Tom and the Best of America by Horseback crew on an upcoming ride or event, visit our website, www.bestofamericabyhorse-back.com, and click on the Rides & Events tab.


I have never enjoyed hunting animals for sport, but I do love hunting in the spring. I love to find shed antlers. Whitetail sheds are neat to find, but I really love to find a nice axis shed. The whitetails have pretty much shed their ant-lers by now so its a challenge to find them before field mice and other critters eat them for the calcium contained in them. Every time Im horseback or just walk-ing the dog, Im always on the lookout for antler sheds. I use the sheds for decoration, buttons, scarf slides, fasteners for all kinds of bags, and even slickers for smoothing leath-er edges. One of the things you have to be care-ful of anywhere within the reach of Horse-back Magazine, is those shaky tailed snakes. I came back from a walk and saw the horses grazing in the yard on some of that fresh spring grass. When I got up to the house, the horses came out the gate, and my dog went over to investigate where they had been grazing. He came back out by me and I heard

Tack Care...

Spring Hunting

Horseback Magazines Saddle & Tack Editor

that distinctive buzz. I went in and retrieved my .357 with shot shells, came back out just as Mr. Snake was going under the house. I got him before he got away. Pretty good sized; five and a half feet, with nine rattles and a button. I skinned him and stretched the hide. I have been putting my solution of snake tan on the hide for a few days now. The hide will make several nice leather items when it has fully cured. I make my snake tanning solution very simply. One part glycerin, one part 90% rubbing alcohol. There is usually some fat along the belly, and if you want to preserve the entire hide, you probably need to scrape the slimy tissue off of the hide after you stretch it. I usually let the flies eat that off for a day before I start applying the tanning solution. Seems to work fine. A customer brought me a fresh killed coral snake, and I used the same tanning so-

lution. I made a hatband for the customer and it came out beautiful. Another custom-er brought me a frozen coral snake. I thawed him out, skinned him, and the colors were really faded. That has been my only experi-ence with coral snake skins, but from that, I would suggest skinning them while they are fresh, rather than frozen. Another suggestion about drying and tanning the hides, is keep them away from fire ants. Those little boogers will destroy your hide in less than a day. I had one board leaning against a building to catch the sun, and when I came home, there were huge holes all over the hide making it totally un-usable. Since this was the eighth rattler Ive killed here on the ranch, I figured I better keep some kind of defense close at hand, es-pecially when out walking in the rocky hills. The easiest way to do that is with a .38 or


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.357 with shot shells. These are very effec-tive and you dont have to aim too precisely. Point and shoot. I made a simple holster that is very secure and very easy to use. The pattern was given to me by a for-mer FBI agent who said it was what he car-ried for twenty five years. I used to make these up when I had Bunkhouse Leather, and two sizes will fit almost any hand gun, from a stub nose revolver to a 1911 semi-automatic. If the anti-gun people ever get their way, I wonder what their solution to preda-tor control will be. I hope we never find out. Besides the joy of walking my dog and enjoying the beauty of the Texas Hill Coun-try, I have to remember to be always on the lookout for antlers, rattlers, and of course, the elusive chupacobras. Be safe and enjoy your spring trail rides.


It has been said that the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man. No truer statement could be told when talking about SIRE Therapeutic Horsemanship, and Mary Elizabeth and Nils Hugo Sand. Both SIRE and the couple fully understand the impact and the immense benefits horses can impose to the lives of those who have the chance to be around them. That cause is what brought the Sands family and SIRE together. After years of volunteering, do-nating and helping in many ways, the Sands continue to bring assistance to SIRE as co-chairs of the SIRE Thera-peutic Horsemanships annul gala. The gala is something special because it raises funds for the organization to continue allowing horses to influence lives in the greater Houston area.

SIRE is a therapeutic riding or-ganization with three locations across the greater Houston area. Cindy Lindh, the founder of SIRE brought the charitable organization to Texas in 1983. With the help and support of the community, the base location for SIRE opened in Hock-ley, Texas, in 1995. Two additional lo-cations followed, one in Spring, Texas, started in 2000, and the one in Rich-mond, Texas opened its gates in 2012. The organization has been working with people with special needs and disabilities to offer a better quality of life through therapeutic horseman-ship. Not only has SIRE been helping in improving the lives of special needs or

disabled individuals, it has also had an impact on the volunteers that have dedi-cated over 30,000 volun-teer hours in the past year. Mary Elizabeth Sand start-ed out as one of those vol-

unteers impacted by SIRE more than ten years ago and has continued to be a part of the organization through the years. She started her involvement with SIRE Therapeutic Horsemanship volunteering with the program, helping in the arena with the riders. The riders can range from three years old on up. Sand arrived at SIRE with an exemplary riding career, a degree in Special Educa-tion and a passion for the horses and the people they help. Sand has experience in the hunter jumper arena with a National Champions title and earning a ranking of second in the country. That is not all; she has also competed with the Ameri-can Quarter Horse Association, bringing home two AQHA World Show Champi-onships and ranking number one in the state of Texas and third across the coun-try during her showing career. Sand has taken her love for horses and shared it with the riders, families and caregivers at SIRE. Helping to show the positive ef-fect horses can have on everyone. Sand was elected a board mem-ber for a time and now she and her hus-band, Norwegian National, Nils Hugo Sand are co-chairs of the charitable or-ganizations annual gala and continue to volunteer when they can. Because they share an interest in horseback riding (as well as many other activities like golf and tennis)-it was only natural for them to help SIRE together. The couple have donated their time to assist in the arena with the rid-ers as well as being monetary donors and

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Mary Elizabeth and

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equine donors with SIRE by providing the riding facility with four well-man-nered and good-tempered horses to use for therapeutic horsemanship. Natalie DeJong, development coordinator for SIRE, explained that the SIRE therapeutic horses need to have a certain type of temperament, be sound at all gaits and of course they need to like the work. All of those qualities make for an ideal horse for any rider, thus proving hard for therapeutic facilities to find just the right equines. The Sands understood what type of special horse it takes to be at a facility like SIRE and they had four per-fect matches. Three of the four horses donated by the Sands are a unique breed called Norwegian Fjords. This is not a common breed found in Texas; they are typically found farther north or in Nor-way and generally used for carriage driv-ing. However, this breed of horse also worked splendidly in the SIREs pro-gram. Accompanying the short and stout appearance of these horses is a doc-ile temperament and calm disposition. These are all ideal traits for a therapy horse. The shortness helps the side walk-ers that assist many of the special needs

riders, while the stoutness can help with developing the riders balance. The fourth horse that was do-nated by the Sands was a grey registered American Paint Horse mare, named Hadley. The mare was bought for Sands two daughters to learn to ride once they were old enough. Until that time the couple was going to let the organization borrow the horse-but once they saw the impact that Hadley had on the riders they donated the mare to SIRE. Finding those four horses that fit the program all from the same per-son, that is just like a miracle I think, exclaimed DeJong. SIRE currently has 34 horses in their program and more than 300 students enrolled. At this time they of-fer therapeutic horseback riding, a mili-tary program and a program with a lo-cal foster care system. In the works are therapeutic carriage driving and vault-ing. They are thriving to help keep the community members healthy, working with students with everything from vari-ous handicaps, veterans with PTSD -to students with anxiety and Alzheimers. Its not just about the riders. Its also about the families, their teach-ers, the people they work with everyday

and the caretakers. The skills learned on horseback translate in to everyday living skills, such as learning how to grip the reinsto learning how to grip a blanket and pull it up, explains DeJong. The impact horses can have on the lives of both special needs and able-bodied individuals is immeasurable. In knowing this, the Sands have become key community members in spread-ing the awareness of SIRE. Even Mary Elizabeths parents and two sisters have become financial supporters of SIRE. SIRE Therapeutic Horseman-ship appreciates Mary Elizabeth and her entire family for what they have contrib-uted to the program to help make the community a better place for people with special needs. SIRE Therapeutic Horsemanship The 2016 SIRE Outer Limits Gala will be held on Friday, April 22, at the River Oaks Country Club in Houston. This years title sponsor is Beck & Masten Buick GMC.

To find out more about the SIRE Thera-peutic Horsemanship programs, donating

or becoming a volunteer visit Sire-htec.org.


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