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Community Horse is owned and operated by Community Horse Media LLC and is an all-breed, all-discipline equestrian publication for Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
Happy spring! Sunshine, light breezes, shedding ponies — it feels so good after such a brutal winter.
In this issue, we learn about the New England Equestrian Center of Athol as it celebrates its 25th anniversary on page 10.
When equine dentist Wendy Bryant of Natural Balance Equine Dentistry visits, everyone comes to the barnyard at Pocketful of Ponies Farm in Goshen. Pequeniño snooper-vising Wendy’s work on Little Rasta Man.
Read about three farms — Factum Equine, Crimson Acres, and Yellow Horse Equine Therapeutic Riding — starting on page 22. Meet equestrians Mary Fischer, Nicole Birkholzer, and Carol Allen starting on page 38.
On page 52, Horse Logic columnist Nicole Birkholzer reminds us of the benefits of being fully present for our horses, and seeing the world through their eyes.
Trail Guide columnist Stacey Stearns writes about Mooween State Park in Connecticut, Sucker Brook Wildlife Management Area in Massachusetts, and Steere Hill Conservation Area in Rhode Island beginning on page 56.
Be sure to check out our Community Horse Youth Award winners on page 62. These riders represent the future of our horse community.
Looking for something to do with your horse? Check out the Events Calendars for each state starting on page 68.
Happy Spring!
Katie Upton
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To the Editor:
The horse farm feature is beautiful, and we are so grateful for writer Sally Feuerberg and Community Horse!
Ashley Kenney, Director of Development Healing Hoofbeats of Connecticut, Bethlehem, CT
To the Editor:
I appreciate the work, communication, and attention to detail Community Horse offered in creating my ad. I’ve enjoyed the entire process; it’s a pleasure to work with you. It’s nice to have people that do what they say they are going to, in a very timely manner. Thank you very much.
Mike Szewczynski Ski’s Landscaping, Westfield, MA
We’ll enter you to win a $75 Cheshire Horse gift card!
All letters received by August 5 will be entered in the drawing. Send your letters to: letters@communityhorse.org or CommunityHorse, 99 Bissell Rd., Williamsburg, MA 01096
New England Equestrian Center
The Horse Park Celebrates 25 Years
by Paige Cerulli
The New England Equestrian Center of Athol (NEECA) is tucked away in a wooded space; from the road, you can’t begin to guess the center’s size. But as you travel down the entryway, which is framed by forest, you’ll ultimately find yourself emerging into sprawling fields, complete with NEECA’s main arena, a warm-up arena, and more.
If you stop by on a weekend, you’re likely to see horses and riders learning from a skilled clinician. You might also see dozens of horses and riders of all ages competing in the center’s Buckle Gymkhana Series. Or, if you time it right, you might see bicyclists, runners, and equestrians teamed up to compete in NEECA’s annual triathlon.
These are just a few of the many annual events that take place at the center. It’s a lot for NEECA to have accomplished, given the organization is just 25 years old, but thanks to the tireless work of dedicated individuals, NEECA has become a valuable and treasured destination for horse lovers.
Bringing an Equestrian Park to Life
Caroline Mansfield, a member of NEECA’s Board of Directors, explains that in the late 1990s, Athol residents Elwin Bacon and his wife, Kim, as well as Jim and Tammy White spearheaded efforts to create the park that today sits on over 200 acres.
The team located a parcel of land off New Sherborn Road in Athol and worked with the town to secure a grant to purchase the property. Caroline refers to Elwin as NEECA’s founding father, and the equestrian center, a nonprofit organization, was officially incorporated in 2001. The town of Athol owns the property, and NEECA has a 99-year lease on the property.
“I remember reading about a prospective horse park being developed in Athol in our local newspaper back in the late nineties,” Caroline says. “Being a lifelong horse lover, it sounded almost too good to be true. I attended the first organizational meeting at the Athol Town Hall to learn more about it and immediately
Alessandra Corbett
committed to doing whatever I could to make this lofty vision become a reality.”
The property was undeveloped and required an enormous amount of hard work to shape it into a usable space. “In the beginning, activities at NEECA consisted primarily of work days where volunteers met at the park to clear brush and open trails,” says Caroline.
Since the property wasn’t yet ready to host equestrian events, a team of volunteers worked to hold fundraising events to raise the money needed to enhance and develop the space. One member suggested a Death by Chocolate event, which proved successful two years in a row. “All of the numerous chocolate-themed desserts were donated,” says Caroline. The volunteers, dressed as waitstaff, converted
the Athol Town Hall meeting space for the evening event, decorating tables with white tablecloths and black skirting. Attendees paid an entry fee and could sample all the chocolates.
Events like Death by Chocolate, wine tastings, and tack sales raised enough funds to start significant work on the park. The first major improvement was the installation of a new driveway that gave trucks and trailers easier access to the park. “The main arena followed soon after,” says Caroline. At that point, NEECA was able to start hosting on-site events, which also helped raise funds.
NEECA’s Physical Growth
The grounds have undergone remarkable transformation in 25 years. In addition to the main arena, the property now features four miles of well-marked trails, a round pen, a warm-up arena, a driving arena, a food booth, and trailer parking. The team has also brought electricity to the grounds and put in a well.
One particularly popular highlight was the addition of the confidence course, a fenced-in area where horses and riders can work on obstacles, either mounted or in-hand. The course includes a teeter-totter bridge, sets of pool noodles to walk through, a hanging noodle curtain, a water obstacle, a gate, and more. “It’s nothing super fancy, but it’s practical types of things,” Caroline explains.
“In 2025, we bought some beautiful jumps in the yellow and blue NEECA colors, along with having new PVC fencing installed around the warm-up arena,” says Caroline. “While the board has initiated most of these projects, feedback from the membership is always taken into account.”
Caroline estimates that the organization has invested approximately $400,000 to $500,000 into the park so far, not including the thousands of volunteer hours that have gone into the property over the years.
NEECA’s Equestrian Events and Opportunities
NEECA may have started small, but today, it offers more than 30 events a year, including a gymkhana series, driving events, a hunter pace, and an organized trail ride. The sheer versatility of events is impressive. NEECA has also offered clinics for all disciplines, poker rides, fun days, jumper shows, dressage schooling shows, and more.
“The most important part of the NEECA mission, for me, is where it states, ‘educating equestrians for the betterment of the horse now, and for the generations to follow,’” says Caroline. NEECA delivers on that promise by prioritizing educational opportunities that help members broaden their horsemanship. In the past few years,
NEECA has offered an online winter lecture series in January. The series is free for NEECA members, and professionals donate their time, sharing expertise on topics like first aid, massage therapy, lameness, nutrition, and conditioning.
NEECA has hosted clinics with many well-known equine professionals, such as Susan Harris, Luke Reinbold, Cathy Drumm, and Jerry Schurink. “We hope to continue to bring in quality professionals for our members’ benefit in the years to come,” says Caroline.
During the events, NEECA fosters an inviting and supportive environment. “All events are suitable for riders and drivers of all ages and levels, and we emphasize the opportunity to learn and give it a try over competition,” Caroline says. At some events, it’s not unusual to have two to three generations of riders from the same family participating.
NEECA’s triathlon is a unique and highly popular addition to the event lineup. Longtime board member Sue Ellen Mowcomber came up with the idea for the event, and 2026 will be the fifth year that NEECA hosts it. Each team has three participants — a runner, cyclist, and equestrian. Each leg of the race is a different route; the bicyclist begins and tags the runner and the equestrian sets off once the runner has returned. All three times are added up, and the team with the lowest collective time wins. Some families have even made their own teams, and multiple generations are able to compete together in the event.
The facility is also available for other organizations to rent to host their events, and in 2026, the Sunrise Ranch Horse Show Series, a three-event series managed and run by the Cavalry 4-H Horse Club, will come to NEECA for the first time. “That series has gotten a tremendous amount of interest already,” says Caroline.
Driving at NEECA
In 2023, NEECA added driving to its event lineup, thanks in part to board member Althea Bramhall. Initially, NEECA used the trailer parking lot as a driving space, later creating a smaller arena with more suitable footing.
“Devin Burdick, USDF silver medalist from Stonebrook Farm in Phillipston, has been our clinician for our driving days since the beginning,” says board member Pam DeGregorio. NEECA offers six driving days each year, and discounts are available for members.
The driving days begin with a skills instruction group, which focuses on safety and learning skills that are helpful while driving on the trails or at a competition. The drivers then break for lunch before walking the cones and obstacle courses to learn the patterns. “Drivers and their horses navigate through ten to fifteen pairs of cones sequentially, avoiding hitting a cone or knocking a ball sitting at the top of the cone,” Pam says. The obstacles include four gates, and drivers must follow rules about ways in which they can or cannot go through the gates.
“Cones and obstacles are a blast, and
Dawn
Laughlin, Millstone Memories
Dawn Laughlin, Millstone Memories
there’s a lot of cheering and laughing during these events,” Pam says. “The carriage drivers are a great bunch of people.”
NEECA has also hosted Drive-ReviewDrive, Coney Baloney, a Driving Marathon in the woods, and casual shows with driving tests. Information about carriagedriving events is shared on the Facebook page: NEECA Drivers.
The Nature Connection
Part of what makes NEECA so special is its picturesque setting. When on the grounds, you can’t see or hear traffic. It feels like you’ve stepped into the middle of the woods, which, essentially, you have.
NEECA board member Linda LeBlanc loves to share her passion for the center’s native plants with others, and has worked to create a nature trail. The NEECA Native Plants Trail features more than 20 native plant signs adorned with local artist Krissy Dorn’s artwork. Linda and her husband offer NEECA trail walks several times a year. Linda is also happy to bring individuals and groups out on guided trail walks.
While NEECA offers great value to equestrians, its ability to reconnect individuals with nature is also incredibly important. “We tend to hold our breath or do shallow breathing when our bodies hurt, we are tense, or we’re concentrating hard on something,” says Linda. “I can find myself doing both. But when I walk out on the NEECA trails and begin to scan the plants and trees, I will give a big exhale — a breath simply escaping my
body. There’s something about walking and looking at things on the trail that gives my brain the signal to breathe.”
NEECA welcomes visitors who would like to enjoy the park for hiking, birdwatching, and walking with leashed dogs. Visitors should be prepared to encounter horses at any time during their visit.
The Powerful Force Behind NEECA
NEECA’s growth and success is made possible by its dedicated team of volunteers. The Board of Directors manages the property and plans and organizes NEECA’s numerous events with the help of additional volunteers.
That hard work has paid off in NEECA’s tremendous growth. During NEECA’s first few years the membership averaged between 20 to 25 members. NEECA ended 2025 with 285 members. To date, 200 members have already signed up for 2026. The organization has never had this many people sign up so early in the season. “We’re well on pace to beat last year’s final total, which was the highest we’d ever been,” says Caroline.
NEECA also draws members from outside the immediate area. While Caroline estimates that most members live within an hour of the park, equestrians from Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire have traveled to NEECA for events. “We have members in about nine different states now,” Caroline says. “Some members just joined from Iowa and New Jersey.” Since NEECA offers a webinar series that’s free
Dawn Laughlin, Millstone Memories
Dawn
Laughlin, Millstone Memories
for members, people who live several hours away may sign up, even if they never make it to the park in person.
The growth, while wonderful, also poses a challenge. “We’re nearing the point where it’s becoming almost too much for an all-volunteer board to handle at the current level of operations,” says Caroline. However, NEECA isn’t quite to the point where it’s justifiable to hire someone to manage the park. “It’s a good problem to have in many ways, but it’s becoming increasingly challenging,” she says.
Community Support
NEECA has become an invaluable asset to the local community, and the community has been equally supportive of NEECA. Caroline is quick to credit the town of Athol for its support in helping to establish the unique facility, and for granting a 99-year lease on the property.
The Athol Bird and Nature Club, also a nonprofit, allows NEECA to hold meetings in their building, and provides office space to NEECA. Additionally, the local YMCA has co-sponsored numerous events at NEECA.
The community also supports NEECA’s fundraising efforts, including its annual Fall Social. The event started 18 years ago as a social gathering at the end of the season. NEECA holds an auction at the Fall Social to generate additional funds. Donated items from members and supporters raise $3,000 to $3,500 each year.
Looking Forward
For more than 25 years, NEECA has undergone expansive growth, from its beginnings as an undeveloped property into the equestrian park that it is today. In a day and age when many riding clubs don’t experience such growth, it’s an impressive feat.
Caroline attributes NEECA’s success to several factors, including the diversity of the events and the attraction of the unique facility. “Where else in this region can a horseperson have access to trails, a huge riding arena, a confidence course, a driving arena, and a round pen, all in one venue, for $30 a year?” she asks.
NEECA’s success may also be grounded in the commitment made in its earliest days, when the idea of a horse park was still a concept yet to be fully executed. “We made a commitment from the very beginning that NEECA would always offer a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment, along with reasonably priced quality events, for everyone who takes part in one of our events, no matter their riding interest or skill level,” Caroline says. “While there’s often some level of competition involved in equestrian activities, we do not prioritize that. Our goal is to provide opportunities for folks to enjoy their horses, their friends, have a little fun, and maybe learn something along the way on their journey to becoming better horsemen.”
Caroline also credits much of that success to the dedication of NEECA’s
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Franklin County 4-H Show June 27 (413) 834-1347
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Dates are subject to change! Check neeca.org or Facebook for updates.
Celebrating 25years!
England
Dawn Laughlin
Board of Directors, which has helped make Elwin Bacon’s vision a reality. Board members volunteer and give freely of their talents and time, and that commitment has helped shape NEECA into its current form. “Without the generosity and dedication of those individuals, there would not be a NEECA today,” Caroline says.
As for the future, NEECA’s Board of Directors hopes to continue improving
the park, increasing what it can offer. Offering short-term stabling for events and creating a pavilion with seating for clinics and other educational events are two potential short-term goals; building an indoor arena on the property is a long-term goal. The board also hopes to bring nationally recognized and respected clinicians and presenters to the grounds so people can continue to learn from them.
“We are proud of NEECA’s growth and development over the years and we are confident that the best is still to come,” says Caroline. “We look forward to NEECA continuing to grow into the special and unique facility and organization that we dreamed it could one day be back at that first meeting I attended at the Athol Town Hall in 1999. I am pleased to say that we are well on our way!”
To learn more about NEECA, details about upcoming events and how to become a member, visit neeca.org.
Paige Cerulli is a freelance writer specializing in equine topics. She lives in western Massachusetts, enjoys training and competing her Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred mares, and pursues equine photography in her spare time.
Dawn Laughlin, Millstone Memories
Caroline Mansfield
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East Haddam
by Sally L. Feuerberg
FFactum Equine xxxx
actum Equine is situated on the picturesque 30-acre Hidden Hill Farm in East Haddam, Connecticut. Chelsea Bourn, Factum Equine’s dedicated founder and manager, affectionately refers to it as our “Place of Peace.” Set amidst calming natural surroundings, it offers a
serene, private haven that genuinely feels like a dream home for horses. When I asked Chelsea why she chose that heartfelt description, she explained that it was inspired by Dr. Susan Fay’s book, Sacred Spaces, in which Dr. Fay describes Place of Peace as a carefully crafted space, for mutual healing. Dr. Alan Wolfelt, a renowned grief counselor and author also inspired Chelsea as he emphasizes that healing requires a sanctuary — a safe retreat from external stresses — where one can truly unwind, reflect inward, and avoid feeling hurried or judged.
CH: How do you maintain that tranquil atmosphere?
Chelsea: It feels tranquil because the humans and the horses feel tranquil. I intentionally role model that for our community because it’s what I personally need to avoid burning out. Burnout is so prevalent in the equestrian community. I’ve felt it myself in previous roles, which inspired me to make significant career changes and to start my own 501(c)(3). Horses deserve caregivers who are not burdened or inconvenienced by caring for them, and humans
Exist In the Moment with
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deserve work that ignites their divine spark and inspires curiosity. It radiates out to everyone — staff know that, even though we have a lot of work to do, it’s a higher priority to do it with intention and engagement than just to get it done. Though we are thoughtful about efficient care rou-
tines, we also thoughtfully build in fun with the horses while working. Boarders and volunteers are always happy to pitch in with work because they get something back, and because they help, we can all go slower and enjoy the horses. It’s a win-winwin situation that is helping me recover from years of feeling that productivity defined my “good-enoughness.”
CH: Your background includes exten- sive training in equine therapy. Could you tell us more about your education and experience?
Chelsea: I went to Salve Regina University in Rhode Island for my undergraduate degree and studied psychology/special education, then to UConn for graduate school, where I studied human development. I loved horses and rode through undergraduate and graduate school, but for whatever reason, I felt that writing papers about equine-assisted services would be the closest I could get to working in the equine industry. After leaving graduate school, I worked full-time in the nonprofit wellness sector while teaching part-time at CT State Tunxis in the psychology depart-
Kealyn
Tara
Salamander Studios
Chelsea Bourn hugging Jack, the namesake of the farm (his Jockey Club name is I’m a Factum).
Krista Pikora, Jana Whaley, Chelsea Bourn, Erich Moylan, and the late OTTB Stormy.
ment (where I still teach one or two classes a semester).
I began including horses in wellness work by happenstance when I was working at a therapeutic boarding school. The school supported my certification as a PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) International Equine Specialist in mental health and learning, and we collaboratively created an Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy curriculum for students.
Not long after that, I was thrilled to be considered for the program director position at a large therapeutic riding program where I received mentorship from extremely skilled PATH International instructors, horsewomen, and equine advocates.
CH: Have specific individuals, horse- manship teachings and practices influenced your approach to work?
Chelsea: Yes! I’m so grateful for the mentorship and expertise of Nicole Birkholzer, an equine behavior and communication specialist. At the very beginning of my “crunchy granola” journey, Nicole helped me re-establish trust in my instincts and emboldened me to work with the horse in front of me, not the horse I thought should be there.
Dr. Susan Fay’s book, Sacred Spaces, was also a pivotal contributor. I learned about her and other progressive perspectives of horsemanship from Warwick Schiller’s Journey On Podcast. And honestly, science. I was very lucky to hear Janet Jones, author of Horse Brain, Human Brain: The Neuroscience of Horsemanship, speak several years ago, which inspired a deep dive into how a horse’s brain and body work and how they learn. Knowing more about species-specific neurological, digestive, and biomechanical needs has helped me become a better advocate and partner.
CH: Have you had any interactions with your own horses that have also influenced your program?
Chelsea: Yes, the story of my journey would be incomplete without including my horse, Jack, who is the namesake of the farm (his Jockey Club name is I’m a Factum). Jack defied conventional horsemanship so loudly that I had no choice but to grow and change.
At the beginning of our relationship, I cared about him more than I cared about myself. I was deeply motivated to become the person he deserved, not knowing at the time that I also deserved the peace I so desperately wanted for him.
It’s hard to put into words the depth of his impact on me and the ripple effect he has had on other horses and humans. Before Jack came into my life, I was doing therapeutic work with humans but had a limited understanding of how powerful that work could be — now I do. It shapes every interaction I have. And Jack knows he’s the reason.
CH: What types of equine-assisted services do you provide, and how do they help people in managing daily challenges?
Chelsea: We have private and group wellness sessions, depending on individual needs. Most sessions are monthly and typically 1.5 hours in duration. Lots of times, clients don’t have specific diagnoses, but are navigating uncharted life circumstances and seeking peace and guidance on that path. I will note that we solely serve adults, and, because most of our services are conducted outdoors on varied terrain, we are generally not the best fit for those who are unsteady on their feet or who use wheelchairs.
Our equine-assisted services are not therapy per se, but they are therapeutic. A quote by Maryam Hasnaa, an energy healer, says, “A healer does not heal you. A healer is someone who holds space for you while you awaken your inner healer, so that you may heal yourself.” As such, I would consider myself a facilitator and the horse a healer who empowers clients to heal themselves. As a police officer’s wife, I have a special place in my heart for first responders and the very difficult work they do. In honor of their service, all first responders and military service members have access to wellness sessions at no cost.
CH: Are your programs mounted or unmounted?
Chelsea: Sessions are all unmounted, mostly at liberty, always mutually beneficial meaning they should be as good for the horses as they are for the humans.
CH: How many horses are currently in the program? How do you match your clients with the right horse?
Chelsea: We have 20 horses at the farm; their contributions to programming are their choice. I go into sessions with a general idea of what to work toward, but ultimately, I trust the horses to provide the lesson humans need. Because everything is at liberty, it's clear when the horses opt in or out, and allowing that autonomy is not only empowering for the horse but also for
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the human. The horse serves as a role model for humans, showing that it’s truly okay to say no, and allows us to practice flexibility. Whenever I’m too committed to a specific plan or experience, the horses remind me that life doesn’t work that way.
CH: How can you tell if someone will be a good fit for your programs?
Chelsea: Folks can reach out via email or text message to receive the intake paperwork. Once I’ve received it I’ll ask any follow-up questions I may have and schedule an in-person meeting to introduce them to the herd and our community.
CH: You have boarders and your ther- apy horses. What do your boarders and their horses have access to?
Chelsea: My boarders are my therapy horses! All horses live out in spacious paddocks 24/7 with matted sheds, free-choice access to hay, and automatic waterers. We have a large outdoor arena, a modest indoor arena, two hacking paths on the property, and easy access to more than 300 acres of land for trail riding. For boarders and leasers, we have bimonthly Feldenkrais Method sessions (a somatic education system that uses gentle, mindful movement
and guided attention to improve how the brain and body work together, helping people move more efficiently, with less pain, and greater ease by tapping into the brain’s neuroplasticity to change old, inefficient movement habits.); ground-based, or riding lessons with Deb Murphy; positive reinforcement lessons with Jess Beckstrom; and mindset coaching with me. We regularly offer continuing education opportunities with equine professionals and often open them to the community.
CH: Diet and space for all the horses in your care are also among your main concerns. How you manage these issues and how the provisions and environment you provide support the horses in your program?
Chelsea: It’s a tremendous responsibility to care for horses — one I don’t take lightly. In domestication, we remove equine autonomy for the sake of human convenience. By providing 24/7 access to varied forage and open spaces with shelter available, we reinstate some of their choices and bring them closer to a natural existence. Usually, horses adjust to the natural style of care more easily than humans expect — people worry about horses being cold in inclement weather, hurting themselves with room to romp around, and losing weight on fullforage or anti-inflammatory diets. But in the spectrum of domestication, these changes are closer to how their bodies were designed to live.
Every horse is an individual, of course, so we adjust the hole sizes of slow feeders, grass access, and provide appropriate mineral supplements or medication to address specific health needs. In general, any approximation of change closer to natural existence is an improvement, small or large. It doesn’t have to be 110 percent or nothing; even a five percent improvement is worthwhile. I am always happy to discuss how to make species-appropriate changes within the constraints of a care environment.
CH: Why do you believe horses are so well-suited for Factum Equine’s thera- peutic programs?
Chelsea: There are a couple of factors. It’s refreshing that horses don’t lie — whatever reaction they’re having in the moment reflects how safe or unsafe they feel. In consideration of the prey/predator dynamic, their state often mirrors the human’s contribution to the situation. So, when horses are not interested in engaging with us, it tells us
a lot about what we are bringing to the table. Because they’re such special and majestic creatures, as people like to say, we are uniquely motivated to work on our inner state in order to partner with them. I also think their size demands a presence that humans rarely require of other humans. Because horses are so large, we need to be fully present to become aware of their microcommunications. That leaves less time to think about the past or worry about the future — once we learn, we can exist in the moment around the horses, and we can replicate that feeling elsewhere in our lives.
CH: You practice “10-year-old horse- manship” and the “totally unapologetic love of horses.” Are these the energies you cultivate at Factum Equine?
Chelsea: In adulthood, we sometimes lose sight of why we started with horses. We’re making significant financial investments and feel pressure to make those sacrifices worthwhile. We go to the barn with a timeline, as if it’s a requirement of being a good horseperson to check off tasks from the ever-growing to-do list. It’s great to have ambitions, but to-do lists are not why we started loving horses. Reigniting that child-
hood passion is central to avoiding burnout and developing a joyful partnership with our horses.
We must recondition ourselves to slow down and appreciate the small, spontaneous, fun occasions. At the farm, when a horse lies down for a nap we stop everything to marvel at their giant body resting. We read books in the sun in the horses’ paddocks and tie feathers into their braided manes. We love them for being in our lives and for allowing us to know them, not just when they perform for us.
The following advice from Dr. Susan Fay sums up our philosophy at Factum Equine. “I often hear horse owners or trainers tell stories of their once-in-a-lifetime horse . . . every horse has the potential to be a once-in-a-lifetime horse. What we should strive to be is our horse’s once-in-a-lifetime human. Horses gift us with their power, beauty, grace, and wisdom. Becoming better humans can be our gift to them.”
y
Sally L. Feuerberg is a freelance writer, horseback rider, and a lover of everything equine. A longtime resident of Newtown, Connecticut, her hobbies also include painting, crafting, and spending lots of time with family, friends, and her dog, Munch.
Wear Your Love for the Horse
Orange
by Diana Bezdedeanu
CFarm
Crimson Acres
rimson Acres is a family-owned equestrian facility located in Orange, Massachusetts, where horses and riders of all ages come together in a setting rooted in community, faith, and lifelong horsemanship. Home to a diverse herd and a wide range of programs including lessons, boarding, shows, and youth teams, the farm has served generations of riders with an emphasis on partnership, accessibility,
and care for both horse and human. In this interview, Sandy Whitmore, coowner of Crimson Acres, tells the story behind the farm’s name, her early connection to horses, and the philosophy that has shaped the Crimson Acres community for more than five decades.
CH: Who makes up the staff at Crimson Acres?
Sandy: Crimson Acres is owned by me and my husband, Kenneth Whitmore. I also serve as the head coach for our IEA western team. Our staff includes our son, Philip, who is our barn manager and an instructor. Jenna Archibald is an instructor and assistant coach for our western
Interscholastic Equestrian Team (IEA). Our daughter, Jenn Ames, helps oversee management and organization, and Maura Gannon is an instructor and assistant IEA coach. Together, we’re a hands-on, familycentered team.
CH: How many horses do you have on property?
Sandy: We have about 50 horses at the farm, give or take. We own roughly half of
them, and those are primarily our lesson horses or younger horses we’re bringing along to eventually replace some of our older school horses. When we own a horse and they’re happy doing their job, they stay with us for life. When they retire, they remain here until the end. They’re buried here too; this is home for them.
CH: Do you specialize in one breed?
Sandy: We raised Appaloosas for many years, so we’re partial to them. Philip owns an Appaloosa stallion and still does a small amount of breeding each year. That said, we’re not breed-specific. We also have Quarter Horses and other mixed breeds. Many of the Appaloosas
In 2023, Sandy was presented the Coach Sportsmanship Award at the IEA Western Nationals with IEA co-founders, Myron Leff and Roxane Durant.
The Crimson Acres Drill Team at Equine Affaire’s Fantasia.
Ruehle
Photographix
we’ve raised over the years either live here (retired, youngsters), board here, or are part of our lesson program.
CH: What services do you offer?
Sandy: We offer boarding, weekly riding lessons, and a wide range of programs for riders of all ages — from as young as 3 to well into adulthood including seniors. We teach both English and western disciplines and incorporate dressage fundamentals into everything we do.
Most of our boarders are also actively involved in our lesson program or teams. Riders often participate in lessons, the IEA western team, drill team, and our inhouse shows. We really strive to create a community where people take part in many aspects of the farm.
We host four shows on the property each year, which is intentional. We strive to create an affordable, welcoming way for new riders to get into showing without the expense of traveling or high show fees. We also host at least two IEA western shows annually, sometimes more. Some of
our riders do travel to compete, including ranch horse events such as the Sunrise Ranch Horse Series, and many of our boarders are members of New England Equestrian Center of Athol and compete at their events.
We don’t typically sell horses. Occasionally, if we purchase a horse and it isn’t the right fit for our program, or if a horse would benefit from a one-on-one situation, we may offer a horse for sale. At present, we have two horses available.
CH: What are some unique features of your barn and training philosophy?
Sandy: Our mission is about uniting horses and riders of all ages. We take a natural horsemanship-based approach, focusing on what the horse can already do naturally and teaching riders how to support that with correct, thoughtful aids. We emphasize not getting in the horse’s way but instead allowing them to move the way they were created to move. It’s about partnership and understanding, rather than force.
CH: Where did the name Crimson Acres come from?
Sandy: We’ve been here for 50 years, and we’re Christians. The name Crimson Acres comes from the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for us. He is our redeemer and savior. Everything we do here is meant to bring glory to God. We truly believe this farm is a ministry, and that God allows us to use these incredible animals to enrich and enhance people’s lives.
CH: What is your earliest memory with horses?
Sandy: I grew up on Cape Cod in a family of seven children. Both my parents worked, and we didn’t have much money. Down the road from us was a man who raised half-Arabian horses. I was very shy as a child, but I would go there just to look at the horses, as it brought me so much peace. I became friends with his wife and would help her with errands. She would talk to me about the horses and her daughter who used to show. I bought my first horse at 13 after
working at a riding stable. She cost $125 and was a big palomino mare. She was my show horse, and that partnership shaped how I view horses to this day.
After I was married, we showed on the Appaloosa circuit in the late 1970s and early 1980s. There was a period of about five years when we didn’t have horses at all. Then our daughter asked if we could get horses again. I agreed on the condition that we could build a business that allowed me to stay home with our kids. We started with three horses and offered trail rides; I'd ride one horse and lead two others with riders. From there, I earned my teaching license, and the rest is history.
CH: What changes have you seen in the community through the years?
Sandy: The biggest change is cost. Horses and riding have become incredibly expensive, and that’s something we work very hard to counteract here. I never had lessons as a child because my family couldn’t afford them, and if horses cost
then what they do now, I wouldn’t be here on this farm today.
Keeping riding affordable is a core part of our mission. That’s why we started a nonprofit foundation, Dare-to-Dream Educational Farm Program. Through fundraising efforts, we provide scholarships for lessons, summer camp, therapeutic riding, and our youth teams. Anyone who needs help can write us a letter; we look at each situation individually.
We also still allow students to work in exchange for lessons, something my husband and I have done for many years. Programs like the now-disbanded Youth Mustang Makeover — which my son Peter led in Massachusetts for about ten years — are so important. For a small adoption fee, kids could get a horse and develop a meaningful partnership. We need more programs like that if horses are going to remain accessible. Horses are meant to be enjoyed by everyone, not just the wealthy.
CH: What are your goals for Crimson Acres moving forward?
Sandy: We have five children, all involved in the farm in different ways. We’re in our 70s now and have already taken steps to ensure the property stays in the family. Peter and Philip both teach and train, and my daughter, Jenn, helps oversee management and organization. Our hope is that they’ll continue what we started here and carry the mission forward.
CH: Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?
Sandy: We truly consider ourselves a family, not just our immediate family, but our extended barn family as well. We believe that everyone who comes through our doors is here for a reason. We do our very best to meet people where they are, as long as it’s safe and fair for the horses. At the end of the day, this place is about care, community, and doing what we can for both horses and people.
A native of Westwood, Massachusetts, Diana Bezdedeanu is the founder and lead practitioner at Horses Offering People Education (HOPE in MA), an unmounted equine-assisted learning program. Diana is the proud owner of two retired off-the-track Thoroughbred mares, Coffee and London.
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Farm
Yellow Horse Equine Therapeutic Riding
by Geena Monahan
When Zach Uerz arrives at Yellow Horse Equine Therapeutic Riding Program in Ashaway, Rhode Island, on a frigid January afternoon for his weekly lesson, he heads straight to the main barn, bundled in warm gloves and wearing his signature earto-ear smile. Volunteers are already moving through familiar routines — grooming
horses, adjusting tack, and greeting riders. Today is Zach’s third lesson, and he’s trying something new: riding a different horse. Meg, a 21-year-old Percheron mare, stands patiently at the mounting block in the indoor arena, her calm presence steady amid the quiet hum of activity.
Zach, a Special Olympics athlete, came to Yellow Horse at his mother’s suggestion. She was looking for an activity that would help strengthen his core, build listening skills, and allow him to have fun while being around animals. As his lesson begins, Zach rides past arena walls painted with colorful messages of affirmation — artwork left behind by teenagers who once spent countless hours volunteering at the barn.
Yellow Horse is located on 140 acres of open fields, accessible trails, and a main
barn connected directly to an indoor riding arena that together with the land create a setting that feels welcoming and purposeful. The nonprofit, which serves individuals of all ages and abilities, has grown steadily for 12 years into the largest PATH-certified therapeutic riding program in Rhode Island. (PATH is the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship.) While
the program has expanded, its mission remains consistent: meeting participants where they are and supporting physical, emotional, and social growth through partnerships with horses.
“Safety is always number one,” says founder and executive director Joye Dolan. “Second is fun and enjoyment, and third is progression and learning.”
CH: How did Yellow Horse begin?
Joye: I’ve been around horses my entire life. I started riding when I was five, English and western, and later trained as a jockey working with Thoroughbreds in the early ‘80s. After that, I was involved in the rodeo circuit and barrel raced across New England. Horses have always been part of who I am.
Ashaway
Courtesy of Yellow Horse
Equine Therapeutic Riding
Courtesy of Yellow Horse
Equine Therapeutic Riding
Zach Uerz riding Meg, a 21-year-old Percheron mare. Emily and Joye with Bonny (left) and Lily (right).
In 2000, I had a student who wasn’t progressing much from a riding standpoint, but she loved grooming the horse and cleaning stalls. I mentioned to her mom that she didn’t seem to be moving forward with her riding, and her mom said, “I don’t care what you do with her — this is the first thing she’s looked forward to in a long time.” That moment stayed with me. I didn’t even know adaptive riding was a formal thing back then, but I knew there was something important there.
At the time, I was working full time and raising three kids, so it wasn’t the right moment yet. About 12 years ago, when my children were grown and I had the support of my family and friends, the timing felt right. We started in our backyard with Twix, our Quarter Horse, and Billy and Penelope, our Miniature Horses. Today we serve an average of 60 students with the help of 4 staff members, 10 horses, and countless volunteers.
CH: Tell us about the farm and how the program operates today.
Joye: We lease this space at Nadarak Farm, formerly Ramrod Farm, and feel fortunate to be here. There are two barns, trails, an indoor riding arena, and an outdoor ring we use during nicer weather.
We have three certified instructors — Sarah Babcock, Erin Cardea, and me. Erin and I are PATH-certified instructors and hold Instruction of Riders with Disabilities certifications with the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA). Sarah is a CHA instructor, and Erin is also a CHA clinician and an advanced PATH riding instructor.
Our Board of Directors is always working hard behind the scenes, and my daughter, Emily Rice, is my associate director and co-founder. She’s truly the backbone of this organization — I couldn’t run it without her.
CH: How did Yellow Horse get its name?
Joye: One of the most important horses in my life was Bubba, a palomino. He was not only my best friend but also my children’s babysitter, my roping horse, and my barrel racing partner. Wherever we went, people
would say, “Here comes Joye and that yellow horse.”
We started our natural horsemanship journey together in 1985, and he taught me so much about partnership and building a relationship with the horse. We traveled many miles together and explored countless trails. Bubba helped me through some of the hardest moments in my life and shared in many of the best ones. Much of what I learned from that one horse shaped the teacher I am today, and this program is named in his memory.
CH: How do horses find their way into the program, and what does their routine look like?
Joye: We get a lot of calls from people wanting to donate horses, and Erin, Emily, and I will go out to try them. Some horses are donated, some are purchased, and a few are leased to the program. After doing this for a long time, you develop a sense of which horses will click. I need a horse that can step into the role fairly quickly and genuinely tolerate — and enjoy — the work.
Meg, a 21-year-old Percheron mare, has been with us for 9 years and is a big part of our veterans’ program. She’s a big horse with a big personality and a favorite with both riders and volunteers. Nessie, our 23-year-old Fell Pony, came to us 3 years ago after being donated. I drove to Ocala to pick her up, and she’s turned out to be an excellent fit for the program.
Our horses get at least two days off each week, and we keep them outside as much as possible with run-in sheds in the turnouts. We focus on consistency and good care, working closely with our veterinarians and farriers. Burnout is something I watch for closely. If a horse doesn’t seem happy or engaged, they get time off. If it still isn’t the right fit, we retire or rehome them carefully — I don’t let a horse go unless I know exactly where they’re going.
CH: What does adaptive riding look like at Yellow Horse?
Joye: We adapt our teaching and riding skills to the needs and abilities of each par-
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ticipant. In the spring and fall, we serve close to 80 students a week, with about 60 being our average. There’s a dip in the winter because of the cold weather, and in the summer there’s a lot of travel and vacation. We offer mostly group lessons, along with some private lessons.
Horses help put us in the moment because they live in the moment. You’re not thinking about what happened last week or what’s coming next — you’re fully present. It forces mindfulness in a very real and calming way.
Erin: My goal is always for riders to become independent, even if that independence looks different for each person. Some riders might start with a leader and side walkers, but eventually they can ride with no leader at all. It’s about allowing riders to experience independence on a horse, even if that’s something they struggle with in other parts of their lives.
CH: How does Yellow Horse stay connected to the community?
Joye: We work with a lot of community groups. One is the Chariho Transition Group, which is a transitional classroom. Students come here for an eight-week program, and it’s incredible to see what they accomplish. Many of these students do better in adaptive learning environments, and this gives them a chance to thrive.
We also work with 4-H groups and Girl Scouts earning horsemanship badges. Another important part of our outreach is our veterans’ program for active-duty and retired veterans. Veterans never pay to participate, and we’re very proud of that.
About four years ago, we started the Walk On program, which runs in the spring and fall. It’s for individuals who love horses but are unable to ride in our traditional therapeutic riding program. It focuses on education, grooming, handwalking, and teamwork. Mary Moore, a member of our board, volunteers her time to run the program.
We also offer the Alexandra Powers Scholarship, established in memory of a young rider we lost to brain cancer in
2019. Her mother and sister created the scholarship to provide free riding lessons to someone currently battling cancer or in remission. It’s available each year, and funding is currently in place as we look for the next recipient.
CH: How can people get involved if they’d like to help?
Joye: We’re always looking for volunteers, especially experienced equestrians to serve as leaders. We can always use barn and maintenance help — that need never goes away with a nonprofit.
Fundraising is essential for us. Our revenue doesn’t cover all our expenses, so we rely on community support through sponsorships and events, including our annual golf tournament, along with other local fundraisers.
CH: Looking ahead, what do you see for the future of Yellow Horse?
Joye: There’s always a need for this work. We’re looking to expand into working with hospice programs, supporting both patients and caregivers. I lost both of my parents within four months of each other, and hospice was an incredible support during that time.
I’ll be honest — I’m turning 65 next year, and I’d like to semi-retire, with my daughter taking over the reins. The program is strong, and I like the size we are, but I don’t want to get so big that we lose connection with our participants and volunteers. We’re family-oriented here, and I want to stay that way. Sometimes growth is about maintenance and enrichment, not expansion.
Geena Monahan is a lifelong equestrian and freelance writer currently residing in North Attleborough, Massachusetts. She enjoys trail riding her semiretired Quarter Horse mare and watching her two children grow up around the magic of horses.
Horseperson
by Sally L. Feuerberg
WMar y Fischer
hen I spoke with Mary Fischer, she happily shared that Bit By Bit Stables in Uncasville, Connecticut, is more than just her dream farm — it’s a celebration of her life’s passion. Her deep love for working with and caring for horses has beautifully shaped her story. As a dedicated equestrian
ing with my horse. I grew up in New Jersey, about an hour from Gladstone, the Olympic equestrian training center, which provided some wonderful opportunities to attend clinics and learn from the best.
I didn’t have a trailer, so my friend and I would ride for miles through trails, woods, and fields to get to the Pony Club grounds
instructor, Mary believes in helping her students build strong fundamentals while inviting them to explore the amazing, diverse world of horses.
CH: Everyone in the horse community has a unique start. We’d love to hear about yours. When and how did you first get involved with horses?
Mary: I was born with a desire to be near horses and started riding at age eight. Middle school was when I discovered Pony Club. What I learned in Pony Club has been invaluable. To this day, when something comes up, such as an equine injury, I can retrieve information on what to do from the back of my mind.
During my freshman year of high school, I wore my parents down until I finally got a horse. I discovered eventing through Pony Club and enjoyed compet-
for our weekly mounted lesson. Our horses became quite fit, and we had a blast. One time, a storm was brewing, and my friend and I galloped home trying to beat the storm. We didn’t beat the storm and got soaked, but what wonderful memories.
CH: Did you have any horses while growing up that played a special role in shaping you into the horse person you are today?
Mary: My first horse and my heart horse was Curious George, a Quarter Horse cross. He was five and very green when we bought him. He was also a bit of a comedian and, at first, preferred to go around fences rather than over them, sometimes stopping abruptly without warning right before a fence. We worked hard together and grew as a team. George turned into a great partner, and we did everything
Uncasville
together. He was my mount in the Pony Club Tetrathlon in 1988 (swimming, shooting, running, riding horses over fences). The fences were almost four feet high, and George had really matured and become a good jumper. We won the jumping phase and the overall New Jersey/Pennsylvania Tetrathlon, then went on to Nationals. I used George to teach riding lessons in New Jersey and later in Connecticut. I even brought him to my high school to give pony rides to the preschool children who attended the on-campus school. George showed me how meaningful it is to work with a green horse and what can happen when all the small successes add up. The victories are that much sweeter when you make them happen yourself.
CH: What are some of the great equestrian experiences you had in college, as well as the degrees you earned?
Mary: I was on the Connecticut College Equestrian team and competed in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association at
the highest levels in equitation, flat, and fences. I was co-captain of the team for two years. During college in the early ‘90s, I also competed internationally with the International Intercollegiate Equestrian Group, traveling to Belgium and Switzerland to represent the U.S. team in show jumping and dressage. It was such an honor to represent the United States.
In 1992, I earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and child development from Connecticut College. While in college, I volunteered at High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center in Old Lyme. After graduating, I worked there and became an advanced-level North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) certified instructor in cognitive, physical, and mental disabilities. I realized how much I loved teaching individuals with disabilities and went on to earn a master’s degree in special education from Southern Connecticut State University. I taught high school special education for 10 years before establishing the farm at its current location.
Samantha Clay, DVM k Andraya Cole, DVM, MPH
Alexandra Durant, DVM k Aiden McGrath, DVM
How have these experiences and education influenced your teaching style and connection with students today?
Mary: A therapeutic riding instructor and special education teacher needs to be able to figure out which methods to use to help each student learn. Breaking down concepts and ideas into smaller parts makes them easier to understand and learn. You might also need to find a different way to say the same thing. For example, there are many ways to say, "Use your right rein.” It might be better to say, “Use the rein closest to me,” or “Use the hand that you are carrying your crop in."
CH: How do these guiding principles show in your farm’s layout, environment, and horse care?
Mary: When looking for a horse property, the land was the most important to me. My husband and I purchased our current property in 2006, before it went on the market. The property, which had been a dairy farm many years ago, had 45 acres, many in beautiful pastures (and no rocks— a rare find in this part of CT). I had been operating a small lesson and boarding barn on a very small piece of property in Ledyard. I had been looking for years and felt this was the perfect spot. Horses have access to shelter and large paddocks, and they can move freely. They are also turned out into large grass fields, allowing horses to be horses.
We have a jumping ring, a dressage ring, and many fields where we ride, all with cross-country jumps sprinkled throughout. Most winters are mild enough for us to ride, and the weather helps us mix things up and not get stuck in a rut. There is a trail with good footing, so we can go for a trail ride when it's too muddy elsewhere or maybe do a vaulting or bareback lesson. Thinking outside the box gives us opportunities to enhance our skills and learn new ones.
One of the best things about having horses at home is that I can check on them anytime I want. I can look out the window and see them in some of the pastures. I can go out at 10 p.m. if it’s cold to make sure
they all have water and extra hay. And if one of them has an injury or illness, my husband or I can just walk out and tend to it as needed.
CH: Can you tell us about the different lessons that both horse and rider can explore?
Mary: We offer lessons in all styles of English riding. We believe in cross-training, which keeps things fun and fresh for horses and riders. Lessons are available in dressage, hunt-seat equitation, hunters, jumpers, cross-country, games, vaulting (gymnastics on horseback), trail riding, and bareback riding. Each activity complements the others. For example, riding bareback helps riders work on their balance, strength, and seat. Vaulting increases a rider's balance, coordination, and confidence. Dressage fine-tunes the horse and helps it carry itself better, which contributes to its longevity and makes it lighter to the rider’s aids. We have even taken our horses in Fourth of July parades and holiday light parades. We’ve also taken the horses trick-or-treating. The response from people was just wonderful.
CH: How do the Bit By Bit riding lessons work?
Mary: There have been challenges and changes over the years. We started with four horses in our first year and a few boarders. I was the only instructor at that time. At our peak a few years ago, we had up to 21 horses, about 60 lessons a week, and two instructors — Jessica Gross and me. Jess started with me when she was 13 and half-leased one of my lesson horses. She has been with me for more than 20 years, so we share very similar teaching styles and philosophies. This makes it easy for students to switch between us.
We also have a very consistent program that enables both riders and horses to improve. Most of the boarders allow their horses to be used in our program. They benefit from this arrangement as it keeps their horses fit and tuned up for when they want to ride, and our students benefit because each horse has something
to teach them. Jess and I like our students to ride multiple horses so they can get the benefit from each one.
CH: What do you consider the most rewarding part of teaching?
Mary: It is beyond exciting to help each rider reach or exceed their own riding goals. I witness so many exciting firsts — the first time someone is on a horse, the first independent trot, the first canter, the first jump, to name a few. And I get to see riders grow up. I’m there through their life changes and milestones, such as graduations from middle school, high school, and college, all the way through weddings and births. What an amazing experience it is when a former student brings their child to me so that I can introduce horses to yet another generation. Or when I get a text or note that lets me know what impact I had on them. I love being a part of their lives, and of course, they impact me and add so much to my life.
Unfortunately, due to health reasons in the past 10 years, I haven’t been able to ride much — just occasionally, a small ride here or there. Teaching and watching my students and horses develop fulfill that need for me.
CH: Do you have a personal philosophy for developing well-rounded horses and riders?
Mary: My goal is for each horse and rider to be the best they can be. My philosophy is that by improving the rider, you improve the horse’s way of going. Strong basics are necessary. Our program stresses fun, form, fitness, and fairness. I believe that everyone has good in them, and horses just help us become even better.
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Sally L. Feuerberg is a freelance writer, horseback rider, and a lover of everything equine. A longtime resident of Newtown, Connecticut, her hobbies also include painting, crafting, and spending lots of time with family, friends, and her dog, Munch.
Containerized Manure Removal
Horseperson
Nicole Birkholzer Making Mindful Connections
by Sally L. Feuerberg
When I was asked to write a feature on Nicole Birkholzer, my initial reaction was pure excitement. I’ve been captivated by her work for some time. Nicole is an animal communication specialist, workshop facilitator, webinar educator, podcast host, and author. Her advice and insights have helped me improve my relationship with horses. I have
behaviors are rarely random, but they are important information. One of the most intriguing aspects of intuitive communication with animals is how much we can learn about their perception of the world — their abilities as well as their awareness and understanding of their surroundings.
Even a question as practical as “Why won’t my horse load?” can have many lay-
learned to refocus my energy from “me to you” to “we” when I’m with horses. What I admire most about Nicole, however, is her relentless and ever evolving commitment to advocate for the horse.
CH: Your animal communication sessions are excellent opportunities for horse owners to build a genuine bond with their horses. What do these sessions usually involve?
Nicole: A session begins by giving the horse space to step forward first. Most consultations happen by phone. I connect with the horse, listen for what feels most important from their perspective, and then we explore the concern the human has brought forward, whether that’s behavior, performance, tension, health questions, or a subtle shift that feels “off.” Unexpected
ers. It might reflect a previous experience that left tension in the horse’s body. It might be tied to herd dynamics of which the owner is unaware. It might be anticipation of something the horse can sense long before we do.
I once worked with a horse who had always loaded beautifully, until one day he refused. The trainer insisted, and eventually the horse stepped into the trailer. At the show, the wind picked up, the sky darkened, the atmosphere grew charged. Horses were unsettled. In the ring, this horse spooked hard, nearly unseating his rider.
The owner called me afterward to understand the spook. Her horse’s response was fascinating yet simple. The horse had already sensed the change in the weather before they ever left home. The air felt unstable, and the herd energy was off. By the time they arrived at the show-
Kristen
Vallejo
grounds, the atmosphere had intensified. The horse didn’t hesitate because of the trailer; he hesitated because he perceived what was coming. When I suggested to the owner that when her horse showed unexpected behavior she pause to assess what he was noticing, and consider that it might not be the right day to compete, she replied, “I would, but my trainer would think I’m babying my horse.” That moment says a lot.
Over the past 25-plus years, I’ve observed that nearly every challenge traces back to one of five areas that shape a horse’s experience: people, purpose, environment, herd, or health. When something in one of those areas drifts out of balance, stress builds in the body. That stress shows up as
resistance, shutdown, reactivity, or subtle tension. Horses always do things for a reason. Our job is to understand that reason. When the horse has been heard, and the human begins to understand what the horse has been carrying — the pressure, the confusion, the mismatch — something softens. Oftentimes the horse’s behavior resolves when the nervous system returns to a state of ease, not necessarily because the situation was corrected, but because the horse was understood.
My role is to give voice to the horse’s experience and to help the human see the world through their horse’s eyes — sometimes for the first time. One of my primary goals is to strengthen my clients’ ability to sense, notice, and trust what they may already perceiving. Humans communicate through body, mind, and intuition. Often, my work simply brings awareness back to the innate knowing people already carry.
The work is collaborative, bringing relief to both horse and human.
CH: Can you recall your first turningpoint experience with animal communication?
Nicole: Yes, it was in the early 2000s, and I was the director at a therapeutic riding center. We were short on volunteers one afternoon, so I led one of our therapy horses, Buddy, during the last lesson of the day. At one point, Buddy nudged my hand with his nose. Instead of correcting him with the lead rope (the traditional response), I casually said, the way I might to a person, “What’s up, Buddy?” His response was immediate and clear: “I’m done.” I looked at my watch and replied out loud, “We have 10 more minutes. Tomorrow is your day off. Let’s finish this together.” Buddy took a deep breath, blew out through his nose, and walked on.
As we continued, something in me paused. Had I just had a conversation with Buddy? I hadn’t prepared. I hadn’t tried. I had simply asked — naturally. And Buddy had answered, not because something mystical had happened, but because something entirely ordinary had. I had engaged with Buddy as a partner instead of directing him as a subordinate. And Buddy responded as a collaborator. That moment changed the trajectory of my life.
The second breakthrough came about 20 years ago after my beloved horse, Okie, had passed. I was driving down a country road, missing him deeply, and reflecting on all the trainers I’d hired over the years to help me fix my animals and do things correctly. Suddenly, Okie’s image appeared in my mind with a clear message, “Don’t ask how I can come to you. Ask how you can come to me.” With that came the realization that the animals were not the problem. I was approaching them from the wrong place. I pulled the truck over and wrote the words down. From that day on, my question has remained the same: How can we meet the horse where the horse lives — in the now? That question still guides my work today.
CH: You’ve become an advocate for horses through your ability to communicate and be present with them. How did horses come into your life and how did you build such a deep bond with horses?
Kristen Vallejo
Nicole: Like many horse people, I fell in love at an early age. I begged my parents for riding lessons and began at age 6, starting with vaulting — learning rhythm and balance on the back of a moving horse. Growing up in Germany, I felt from a young age that I belonged in the United States. At 23, a surprise job opportunity brought me to New York City. At the time, I spoke about 50 words of English and carried vocabulary cards in my purse to navigate the city. I remember steel, smoke, speed, and intensity. I loved the energy — but I missed the horses. A few years later, while working at an advertising agency, I began volunteering at a therapeutic riding center on the Upper West Side. Being around horses again felt like coming home. Eventually, I left advertising to become a therapeutic riding instructor, and later the director of a riding center in eastern Massachusetts. During my tenure, I helped raise funds to build a state-of-the-art equine facility and witnessed firsthand the profound impact horses can have on human lives. Over time, something became clear: The therapy horses were deeply generous, but too often not seen as individuals. They were praised for outcomes yet rarely asked how the work felt for them. That realization shifted everything. I switched “teams” and became an advocate for the horses. For more than two decades, my path has evolved alongside them — moving from program leadership to education, consultation, and helping people refine how they relate to the animals in their care.
I’m grateful to see the larger equestrian community evolving as well. More people are questioning dominance-based models and exploring collaboration. I see my role as contributing to that cultural shift, helping humans remember that partnership is not a modern invention or a trend. It is the original contract between horse and human, written long before arenas and ribbons, when horses tilled our fields, carried our burdens, and stood with us in war.
CH: As children, many of us enjoyed openly connecting with our animals, feeling a special bond that seemed effortless. Why have so many of us lost that wonderful ability as we became adults?
Nicole: We haven’t lost the bond; we’ve replaced it with plans. As children, we went to the barn with a single focus: our horse. When we turned the corner and saw them in the pasture, our hearts expanded. We didn’t arrive with a check-
list. We arrived with presence. As adults, we often show up with an agenda. We have an hour. We have a goal. We have a plan for what the ride should accomplish. And when something interferes — mud, weather, a distracted horse — frustration creeps in. The shift isn’t that we’ve lost intuition. It’s that we’ve moved from heart-led connection to head-led management. Horses feel that immediately. When we resist what is, the horses become resistant as well. When we meet them in the now — just as we did when we were younger — our nervous system softens. The plan may change, but the partnership strengthens. The bond isn’t gone, it’s simply waiting for us to slow down enough to step back into it.
CH: As adults, how can we recapture that joy and rekindle those wonderful experiences with horses?
Nicole: Joy returns when we stop trying to improve the relationship and start participating in it. Many of us believe we need more knowledge, better techniques, and stronger leadership. I certainly did. I studied widely and refined my skills, yet something still felt inconsistent. What changed wasn’t what I knew — it was how I showed up. Instead of asking, “How do I get this right?” I began asking, “What is this horse experiencing right now?” Instead of filling the space with instruction or well-intended but needless energy, I learned to pause. A single breath can redefine the entire exchange.
Kristen
Vallejo
When we soften our energy, allow silence, and become curious rather than corrective, the horse has room to respond. The conversation shifts from “me to you” to “we.” That’s when dialogue becomes possible. When we combine our knowledge with the horse’s reality, partnership becomes reciprocal. We are no longer performing for an outcome — we’re engaging in an exchange. Joy returns when the horse feels included. Willingness replaces resistance. Curiosity replaces pressure. And the connection we were chasing quietly reappears.
CH: What have you learned from your horses?
Nicole: While much of my work focuses on helping others refine their relationships with horses, my deepest teachers have been my own.
Monarch came into my life from the prairie, a horse who had never worn a halter and had no interest in being domesticated. When we met, I made a quiet agreement with him: I would not turn him into something he was not. I would not domesticate him for my comfort. I wanted to learn what
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it means to be a horse in the truest sense — unhandled, self-governing, sovereign.
He did not need me. He did not perform for me. Being with him required me to release any agenda entirely and meet him as an equal presence. From him, I learned that partnership cannot be trained into a horse. It must be freely offered by the horse.
My mare, Shana, has walked a different path beside me. I have known her since she was barely a year old, and for more than two decades we have refined our communication together. Much of what we do now happens at liberty — from walking the land to bodywork to hoof care. Not as display, not as proof, but because our connection has deepened to the point where restraint is unnecessary.
One horse taught me about sovereignty; the other taught me about continuity — about the quiet devotion required to build trust over time.
Both horses remind me daily that this work is not a method. It is a way of being.
CH: You speak about mindful horse handling. How does it differ from traditional training approaches?
Nicole: Mindful horse handling isn’t a training method. It’s a perceptual shift. Many of the horses I work with are well trained. They know their job. They perform their tasks. Mindful horse handling is about bringing the horse back into the conversation, not doing something to the horse, but with the horse. It focuses on the everyday moments: how we approach, how we halter, how we groom, how we tack up, how we conclude a session. These small interactions can regulate or dysregulate the nervous system — and over time, determine whether the horse learns to brace or to trust.
When a horse feels included, clarity replaces tension. When a handler is regulated and consistent, the horse doesn’t need to brace. This work is especially important in therapeutic and service settings, where horses give generously day after day. Instead of asking, “How do we get more from the horse?” the question becomes, “How do we ensure the horse remains engaged, willing, and well?”
Later this year, I’ll be releasing a spiralbound guide designed to live in the barn. It’s meant to be used during grooming, ground-
work, and daily handling. The guide is practical, applicable, and rooted in decades of hands-on experience with therapy horses. For those new to this perspective, there will also be a virtual introductory series. A deeper case-study series will also be available for professionals and committed horse owners who want to apply the material in individual situations.
We are at a turning point in horsemanship. More people are recognizing that collaboration is not just softness — it is also sophistication. It requires our awareness, responsibility, and clarity. Mindful horse handling is part of that evolution.
CH: What are some ways a horse and their human can benefit from a communication session?
Clarity. Relief. Reconnection. A communication session often shifts perspective first, and behavior follows. When a horse feels heard, tension softens. When a human feels supported rather than judged, defensiveness eases and curiosity returns. The nervous system for both beings begins to settle. From there, collaboration becomes natural rather than forced. The benefit isn’t simply solving a problem. It’s restoring ease in the partnership so that decisions about training, management, workload, and environment arise from awareness instead of pressure. And when decisions come from awareness and a deeper understanding, both horse and human can move forward with more confidence.
CH: You’ve written two books and have a podcast, Let’s Have a Chat! The Secret to Communicating with Animals Successfully. Tell us more about these.
Nicole: My first book, Pet Logic, looks at the everyday misunderstandings between people and their animals, and how small shifts in perception can change behavior and deepen trust.
Horse Logic carries that lens into the equine world. It speaks to the moment many horsepeople recognize: when the original magic begins to feel strained by the practicalities of ownership, training, and expectation. The book invites readers to see the world through their horse’s eyes, refine their intuition, and rediscover the partnership that drew them to horses in the first place.
continued on page 87 . . .
by Geena Monahan
OHorseperson
Carol Allen
n a quiet stretch of land along the Moosup River, Tamarack Farm sits gently tucked into the western Rhode Island landscape. Carol Allen’s home, built in the 1790s, anchors the property, while a newer barn — designed to mirror the historic architecture — stands nearby. Five acres stretch around the buildings, with paddocks on both sides of the road, and fruit trees across the way. Horses move freely between turnouts and run-in sheds, Rocky the barn cat patrols the barn,
and a narrow path winds along a pond’s edge, leading to the back fields. There are rows of vegetable garden beds in the midst of a winter nap, beehives tended by Carol and her husband, Ron, and an unmistakable sense that time slows here.
This is the home of HorsePowerment, located in an area of Greene known colloquially as Vaughn Hollow, where Carol blends decades of experience as an educator with more than 40 years of horsemanship. Through equine-assisted learning, she works with students ranging from teens and young adults to small groups of wheelchair yoga participants, helping build communication skills, confidence, and self-awareness — guided not by riding but by the quiet, honest feedback that comes from being with horses on the ground.
Carol’s two equine partners, Arie and Rollin, are central to the work. Arie, an 18year-old Arabian/Paint cross whose name means “majestic” in Greek, is expressive,
sensitive, and known for his playful interactions. Rollin, a 19-year-old Morgan, is steady and contemplative, his presence shaped by age and experience — and by health challenges that have shifted his role from a carriage driving horse to a teacher.
CH: What first drew you to horses?
Carol: Horses were part of my life very early on because of my grandfather. My grandfather loved horses, and when I was little, he would take me to area horse
farms where I grew up in Pennsylvania. He taught me how to touch their noses, how to give them sugar cubes, and how to approach them with respect.
My mom always said that by the time I was five years old, I was already asking for a horse. I started riding lessons when I was about 10. In my teenage years I drifted away from horses for a while, but they were always there in the background.
I got my first horse when I was 38 — his name was Sky Feather. He was a handful, but he was the kind of horse you could take anywhere. When I moved to the farm, I had him along with an older Morgan, King, and that’s when I learned carriage driving. I belonged to a carriage driving club in Connecticut and competed a little, mostly just for fun. I also played polo and dabbled in jumping in my twenties. Horses have woven their way into and out of my life, and I’ve been deeply back in it for more than 40 years.
Greene
Sarah Farkas
Sarah
Farkas
CH: Your professional background is in education. How did that lead you to equine-assisted learning?
Carol: I spent 20 years as a business and special education teacher, working primarily with students in grades 9 – 12 and later with adult transition students ages 18 – 21. I designed and ran a vocational transition program at Toll Gate High School that focused on off-site jobs and adaptive daily living skills. My passion has always been helping people learn how to function independently and confidently in the world. As I started thinking about retirement, I read an article about equine experiential education, run through a company called E3A, It talked about how horses could be used as part of an educational model. I remember thinking, “This is something I want to do.”
That summer, E3A happened to be offering a certification in upstate New York — only about three hours away. I completed the 40-hour intensive in 2018, right before retiring from teaching in 2019. I rented an Airbnb and stayed for the week, where we spent time both in the classroom and in the arena to practice what we were learning with the horses. It felt like it was meant to be.
CH: What did that certification change for you as a horseperson?
Carol: I already understood training and body language, but the E3A program helped me home in on the details — what it means when a horse turns an ear, shifts weight, or moves away when you position your body a certain way. Those subtleties matter.
Now I can teach students to walk horses at liberty, without halters or lead ropes, simply through awareness of their own body language. Horses respond to authenticity. Liberty work is a process that teaches patience, because it takes time to develop those skills. It also makes people more sensitive — to themselves, to others, and to the world around them.
CH: HorsePowerment looks different from traditional riding or therapeu- tic programs. How would you describe the purpose of your work?
Carol: Everything here is educational. I keep the work grounded in learning and personal development, not therapy. Because of my background in special education, teaching comes naturally to me, and
every session is different because every person arrives with a different story.
This is my classroom. We start by talking — determining goals, understanding where someone is emotionally and socially. I work with people who are nonverbal, highly anxious, struggling socially, dealing with bullying, identity questions — you name it. You must really understand their story first.
Then we move to the paddocks. We might walk horses through poles, do movement exercises, or simply observe behavior. Sometimes goals are physical, sometimes they are about developing trust, confidence, and self-determination. I’ve had students whose only stated goal was, “I want to sit on a horse.” That took months of preparation — strengthening, balancing, learning how to climb a mounting block. When it finally happened, the sense of accomplishment was enormous. Something that seems simple can be monumental for someone’s self-worth.
CH: Your horses are described as “co-facilitators.” What roles do Arie and Rollin play?
Carol: Arie and Rollin are very different. Arie is sensitive and expressive. He can be playful, reactive, and engaging — he’s wonderful with wheelchair users and often interacts with their hair or clothing. Rollin, on the other hand, is calm and steady. If you rub his head, he’ll stand there forever. I help the students choose which horse they want to work with. The first session is a meet and greet, where they learn what a halter is, talk to each of the horses, and share a little about themselves.
We’ll then come back to the classroom and talk about what they noticed — three characteristics about Arie, three about Rollin. Then I ask, “If you had to choose a partner to work with on a project or a job, who would you pick?” There’s no wrong answer. That process helps people understand their own preferences and decision-making style.
CH: How has HorsePowerment evolved since you started?
Carol: When I first started, I thought I’d focus on corporate retreats and professional development. I was reaching for everything and realized I needed to find my niche. What happened instead was that former special education connections started call-
ing — parents of adult children who needed help with communication, social skills, and independence. Special education is in my heart and since about 2021, that’s where my focus has been.
I’ve also started working with state agencies that support disabled adults who live in group homes. These individuals are required to spend time in the community, and HorsePowerment offers a place where they can be around animals in a safe, calm, welcoming environment. The wheelchair yoga program is kept simple yet engaging — sometimes that means giving Arie a cookie, doing light stretching using pool noodles and hula hoops, or playing instruments and singing songs.
CH: How do you measure success in your students?
Carol: Success doesn’t come from quick fixes. This is a process. Sometimes progress is very small — following a two-step direction, making a decision, staying present. My goal is that a student always leaves on a good note, feeling successful so they can build confidence. If the student is struggling, we take a step back. That’s how I work with horses, and that’s how I work with people. Most of my participants come weekly or biweekly, and some have been here for five years. Progress doesn’t happen if sessions are too far apart — horses and humans need consistency to build trust.
CH: What’s next for you and HorsePowerment?
Carol: I’m retired, and what I have now feels right. I don’t advertise anymore — people find me. I do barn tours first to make sure it’s a good fit. Right now, 6 – 8 sessions a week feels sustainable.
When I’m not working, I recharge by being in nature — hiking, cross-country skiing, traveling with my husband, and trying to live off the land as much as possible. Riding Arie is my reset, and I call the barn my woman cave. If I’ve had a stressful day, I can get on my horse, and it melts away. I’ve had students tell me the exact same thing, and that makes me incredibly grateful they get to experience it too.
Geena Monahan is a lifelong equestrian and freelance writer currently residing in North Attleborough, Massachusetts. She enjoys trail-riding her semiretired Quarter Horse mare and watching her two children grow up around the magic of horses. y
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Horse Logic
Are You Helping or Interrupting?
by Nicole Birkholzer
Iwonder if you can relate to the following. There’s a moment that happens sometimes when my mare, Shana, is having her hooves trimmed. She doesn’t fidget. She doesn’t brace. She doesn’t check out. Instead, she gets very quiet. Her eyes soften. Her lower lip loosens. Her weight settles in a way that makes time feel a little less relevant. It’s as if she slips into a deeper state of relaxation — one a horse enters only when they feel safe enough to let go.
In those moments, I notice changes in myself as well. An instinct to lower my voice. To still my body. To not interrupt whatever experience she’s having simply because I’m at the other end of her lead rope.
I’ve observed this state in horses at various times over the years. During a massage. During acupuncture. During energy work. During bodywork of all kinds. And yes, during something as seemingly regular as hoof trimming.
Horses often know exactly when they are ready to “sink in,” to completely embrace their experience.
What I’ve also seen, just as often, is how quickly our behavior can pull them back out of that deep relaxation. We may enter into a chit-chat with someone walking through the barn aisle, or ask the practitioner about their day, their clients, and their drive to the barn. We may be distracted at a time when an inner connection with our horse could be reached — often without realizing that something meaningful is happening before our eyes.
Sometimes this happens out of habit. Or sometimes, because we don’t want to be rude to the practitioner by staying “engaged” with our horse. But engagement, to a horse, doesn’t always look like interaction. It can mean something much quieter. It can mean our willingness to let them stay with an internal experience without pulling them back out of it. It can mean our choice to quiet ourselves — our voices, our movement, our social habits — so the horse’s nervous system doesn’t have to orient outward when it’s doing important inner work.
Permission, in this context, isn’t something we grant to the horse. It’s something we practice within ourselves. It’s an active decision to not interrupt, not redirect, not ask the horse to orient to us simply because we’re there.
For many horses, that human restraint — the absence of demand — is what allows the horse’s body to settle, reorganize, and respond fully to the care they’re receiving.
I once watched my horse Star fall into a deep, Zen-like state during an acupuncture session. The needles were placed, and within moments, his entire system reorganized. His breathing slowed. His muscles softened. His awareness seemed attuned to an internal experience. It was one of those moments where you realize the horse isn’t simply accepting the experience. He’s participating — actively allowing his body to respond in its own way and in its own time. Participation doesn’t always require
movement or response. Sometimes it requires stillness and space. This is where horse logic diverges from how we’re often trained to think about horses. We’re taught to watch for resistance. To manage behavior. To interpret compliance as success. But when we allow ourselves to see the world more through our horse’s eyes, we realize horses aren’t simply passive recipients of care. They can be active partners in their own regulation and healing — when we step back and let them be.
Sometimes horses will also communicate their needs. Recently, I observed a horse receiving a massage. The practitioner was working along the horse’s shoulder, following a clear and thoughtful plan. The horse, however, kept stepping slightly forward, trying to reposition herself so that the practitioner could move farther back along her body. The practitioner continued to follow the mare forward. The horse stepped forward again. And again. On the third attempt, the horse stopped and looked directly at me. It wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t exaggerated. But
it was unmistakable. The look said, very plainly, “Are you seeing this?”
Her owner was standing nearby and noticed it too. The horse was communicating her needs to the practitioner in the only way she could — through movement, positioning, and timing. Until her eyes met mine.
Things can get delicate in this type of situation. To someone less familiar with horses, it might have looked like restlessness. But the consistency, timing, and direction of the mare’s movement was telling a different story.
As someone who understands body language and subtle communication, I’m deeply aware of the fine line between offering insight and overstepping another professional’s expertise. There are times when a practitioner absolutely needs to stay within a specific area of the body to allow a release to happen, which then affects everything else. And there are times when the horse is asking for something different first.
This is where an old piece of horse wisdom comes in — often attributed to the
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late horseman Tom Dorrance, who was known for answering questions with a simple phrase: It depends.
Tom’s response wasn’t evasive. It reflected a deep respect for the individuality of each horse, each body, and each moment. There is no single rule that applies to every situation. Horse logic lives in that space.
There is no single rule that applies to every body, every day, every session. When a horse shows us where something feels stuck, sensitive, or unresolved, it’s not a challenge to our plan — it’s an invitation to stay curious.
Sometimes a horse needs attention in the right hind leg before they can lift the left. Sometimes they need release behind before they can soften in front. Sometimes they need us to pause entirely. And sometimes they need us to trust that their body knows something we don’t yet.
In this session, I gently shared with the practitioner what both the owner and I had observed — that the horse seemed to be indicating an area farther back that wanted
attention. The practitioner adjusted. The horse immediately softened, affirming the improved conversation between her body and the practitioner’s hands.
No hierarchy was threatened. No expertise was dismissed. The horse was simply included. This, too, requires presence, not the kind that fills space, but the kind that listens into the space.
Which brings me back to Shana’s hoof trimming. During one of her trims, something rare and beautiful happened. The hoof trimmer, Shana, and I all fell quiet. No small talk. No commentary. No narration of the process. Just three nervous systems settling into the same rhythm. Shana stayed in her inward place. The trimmer worked with quiet precision. And I stood there, breathing, witnessing. The lead rope was looped over Shana’s neck, leaving her experience completely uninterrupted. The moment was enjoyable for all three of us, not because anything special was added, but because nothing unnecessary was taken.
Horses remind us that depth doesn’t
need managing. It needs honoring. When we allow horses to go as deep as they want to go — whether inward into stillness or outward into communication — we learn something profound about their intelligence, their sensitivity, and their trust. We also learn something about ourselves too. How comfortable are we with quiet? How willing are we to pause? How often do we mistakenly choose doing something over being present?
Horses don’t ask us to get it right every time. They simply ask us to stay available.
Nicole Birkholzer specializes in equine behavior and communication. She’s available for phone consultations and barn calls in New England. To connect with Nicole and to listen to her podcast Let’s Have a Chat, visit mindful-connections.com.
LET’S HAVE A CHAT! with Nicole Birkholzer
DO YOU WONDER when your companion shows a quirky or unexpected behavior? There’s a reason for it. Tune in to the Podcast “Let's Have A Chat!” as Nicole Birkholzer, animal communication specialist, author, and inspirational speaker explains the world through our animals’ eyes. Listen in and discover the secret to communicating with your animals. mindful-connections.com
by Stacey Stearns
LTrail Guide
Mooween State Park
ebanon, Connecticut, in New London County, is a rural town with 18,000 acres in farm and forestland. The Lebanon Green has historic significance and is a great place for recreation, but I was unaware of any state parks or forests being in the area. While exploring horse trails on Connecticut Trail Finder (cttrailfinder.com) I discovered Mooween State Park. As one of the 20 largest con-
tiguous parks in the state, at 592 acres, with 15.7 miles of trails, Mooween offers plenty to explore. The park is steeped in history. From 1921 to 1960 it was a summer camp, originally for boys only but later included girls as well. The camp spread out along the shoreline of Red Cedar Lake with dorms, a big hall for activities and meals, a boathouse, and other recreational areas. The word Mooween means brown bear in Algonquin and the logo featured its namesake.
Through the years, many attended the camp, including Edwin Land, who developed Polaroid cameras, and Julius Silver, who helped start Brandeis University. Some time after it closed, the camp became Red Cedar Lake State Park, managed by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. But those who attended the camp had fond memories of
it and wanted to keep its history alive. They successfully had the name changed to Mooween State Park in 2000.
Red Cedar Lake is 13 acres and remains a central part of the park. It’s popular for fishing and other recreational activities throughout the seasons. Mountain biking is prominent in Mooween and many of the mountain bikers also volunteer at the park to build and maintain the vast trail network.
A Leg Up
The trail map is available on both cttrailfinder.com and ctparks.com. If you use AllTrails, you can access the mountain biking routes as well. I spoke with Brian Kendall, a mountain biker from Lebanon, who recommended that I use the parking area at 299 Scott Hill Road in Lebanon. There’s a state park sign, and enough room to get your trailer in and turn around easily. Brian regularly sees trailers parked here. Parking is tight on Camp Mooween Road at the Red Cedar Lake South Trailhead, the boat launch. If few others are parked there, you can pull around the telephone pole, and park on the grass, pointing out. There is also quite a bit of private property in the area, so don’t park on the dirt roads and be aware of any posted signs.
Hunting is allowed in Mooween, so be
Lebanon
Stacey Stearns
sure to wear blaze orange during the fall and early winter. On the day of our ride we accessed the lake to water the horses in two spots near the boat launch and out at the point near Scott Hill Road, but I suggest packing water and having it at your trailer. I also recommend hoof protection; the trails are like many in New England — strewn with rocks and roots.
Maintaining good relationships with other trail users is important. We all need to share the trails. Since mountain bikers frequently use Mooween, be sure to acclimate your horse to bikes before heading here, say hello to bikers and hikers when out riding, and clean up around your trailer before leaving.
Out Riding It
In 2016, the mountain biking community added single-track trails to Mooween, and if you are up for a bit of a technical trail challenge, these can be fun to explore with your horse. You can ride these in either direction, although the mountain bikers recommend traveling clockwise.
I rode with my sister-in-law Arielle Stearns and her Paint gelding. “The trails were beautiful and I loved coming across the old foundations and fireplaces,” Arielle says. “I was quite taken aback with how many there were. The views of the lake were beautiful on the trail along the water, with some nice spots to get down to the water for the horses to drink. The trails were nicely marked, and I would love to go back during peak foliage as I’m sure it’s even more stunning.”
From the parking lot we headed left on the Black dot trail, over toward the lake. Crossing over the Green trail, we picked up the Orange trail. We took a left to ride the loop clockwise, looping where we could instead of riding out to where the trail dead-ends. This loop comes back to the Green trail, where we headed left, riding alongside the lake, exploring the old chimneys and building foundations. There are at least four chimneys, and the lodge foundation is massive. There was one large, square hole on the side of the trail in this area, perhaps an old well, so it’s best to stay on the trail. We also saw an old metal chair overlooking the lake, and someone had placed a portable — and
usable — basketball hoop on the old playing court. There is also an old cellar hole in the woods, along the outer edge of the camp, near the old carriage road. A little online research suggested it could be the remains of Granny Austin’s Tavern, once a staple of the community in the 1800s for those passing through, and perhaps those that lived in Lebanon too.
We rode the unblazed trail along the lake and over to the boat launch before retracing our steps. There was a Great Blue Heron in the water, but that was the only “fishing” we saw, although it’s a popular fishing location year-round. From the boat launch, we picked up the Green trail again and headed north, following it up into the forest to the junction with the White and Red trails. We went right on the White trail, zigzagged through the forest to the Yellow trail, where a left leads north, winding through the forest. The White, Red, and Yellow trails are mountain bike trails that twist and turn through the woods. It’s narrow between the trees in several places. Invasive plants, including Oriental bittersweet, are taking over in some areas too, choking many of the trees.
Our horses got a bit frustrated by the mountain biking trails, so about halfway in on the Yellow trail, we went left into the woods because we could see the next section of trail. We went left again and back onto Yellow, heading south and back toward the Green trail. We rejoined Green, still heading south, and at the V intersection, went right and stayed on the Green trail.
At the next V intersection, we went left again, staying on the Green trail, and then another left, back down toward the intersection with the White trail. This time, we stayed on the Green trail, and rode it lakeside again, back toward Scott Hill Road. The Black Dot trail on the left led us back to the parking lot and our horse trailer.
Mooween State Park is beautiful in any season, especially with all the trees and water. It’s a hidden gem beloved by the mountain biking community and sure to become a favorite for equestrians too.
Happy trails!
Stacey Stearns, a lifelong equestrian living in Connecticut, enjoys trail riding and endurance with her Morgan horses. y
Trail Guide
Sucker Brook Wildlife Management Area
by Stacey Stearns
For 24 years, Larry and Jean Underwood hosted the Eastern Regional Pleasure Trail Ride (ERPTR) at the North Brookfield Sportsmen’s Club (NBSC), just down the road from their Underwood
Morgan Horse Farm. The ride regularly drew over 100 riders for either the short course (8 miles) or long course (17 miles). The ride covered both public and private land, traveled the dirt roads of North Brookfield, the Sucker Brook Wildlife Management Area, and included a judged portion with obstacles at various stations. At the end, everyone gathered inside the club for a banquet. Attending “Larry’s Ride,” as so many of us affectionately called it, was a staple on our calendars.
Organizing a ride of this magnitude is challenging, and for various reasons, Larry didn’t host it in 2025. It left a hole on the calendar for many equestrians, who missed the fun and camaraderie. Larry’s cadre of friends and volunteers helped regroup, and in 2026, the beloved trail ride, now renamed the Larry Underwood Classic, will be held on November 1, organized by the Bay State Trail Riders Association (BSTRA). BSTRA
is also holding a National Trails’ Day ride at NBSC on June 7.
Stacy Hayes of North Brookfield met Larry when she and her husband joined the NBSC. “I was very excited to hear that
there was a trail ride at the club,” Stacy says. “I was fascinated to learn how many people talked about this ride. After becoming an active member I came to understand how important this sanctioned ride was for area equestrians.”
Stacy’s involvement grew over the years. In 2024, she helped organize the ride, including developing the course and clearing and marking trails with another volunteer. “I was honored that Larry asked me to help him put together this ride,” she says. “When the day finally came, I rode it while also making sure everything was running smoothly. Larry worked his magic making sure that everyone was enjoying their day.”
A Leg Up
Parking for the organized ride is at the Sportsmen’s Club, but that’s the only time the location is open to horse trailers. How-
North Brookfield
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ever, you can ride the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) land on your own, parking at the Sucker Brook Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and riding the woods and fields. Sucker Brook WMA is 103 acres, situated on the northern border of town, with some acreage in New Braintree. Sucker Brook, the management area’s namesake, runs through the property, and there’s also a wetlands portion. Park in the small lot on Murphy Road or pull off on the side of the road; it’s dirt with a grassy shoulder on both sides. Another option is to come in from King Road, go past the wetlands on the right and private property on the left, to the area where the Sucker Brook WMA is on both sides.
For either location, be sure to pack hay and water. Sucker Brook WMA is a popular location for hunting and fishing; wear blaze orange during hunting season. If you ride out on your own, respect all private property and posted signs. Trails consist of fields, woods, and dirt roads. I recommend hoof protection; these are sturdy trails with rocks and roots. The trails are technical in places.
Out Riding It
One of the things I always enjoyed about Larry’s Ride is how many equestrians I would meet there for the first time. It’s anecdotal evidence, but I’m always excited when I show up and see so many people I don’t know. To me, it’s a sign that equestrian sports are thriving.
The organized ride went through private property in several spots and included many of the dirt roads in the area to make a loop before arriving at the Sucker Brook WMA. Downey, Boynton, and King Roads are all dirt roads. Riding on your own, you’ll start off at Murphy Road. Murphy Road is where the trails leading from Larry’s ride and the trails you’ll travel when you ride on your own converge. During the ERPTR, after leaving Larry and Jean’s farm, we rode the edges of hayfields, including preserved agricultural fields. One of these fields would lead those on the organized ride into Sucker Brook WMA.
Although the trails aren’t marked, Sucker Brook WMA has more trails than most wildlife management areas because of the local people who frequent this area. In the 1700s, Sucker Brook was home to mills and a thriving community once projected to be the center of the town’s activity. Today, all but a few remnants of its history are gone. The origin of its name is also unclear, but it’s likely for the white sucker fish. Another possible origin is an adaptation of the word succor, because the brook provided support for the community.
Sucker Brook is a tributary to Lake Wickaboag in West Brookfield, and the wetlands here and further west are a flood control area for the DCR, while also providing wildlife habitat.
Sucker Brook itself is wide and usually knee height on the horses where we cross. It’s easy to see why it was once home to mills. Riding the Sucker Brook WMA during a dry time of the year offers more options, as you can follow along the brook and ride around the wetlands — it’s great for wildlife viewing and exploring both sides of the road. I use the Ride with GPS app when I’m on an unmarked trail to help navigate. Unmarked trails are also a great opportunity to go a little slower, explore nature, and practice letting my horse pick the best path.
Sucker Brook WMA can be ridden as a giant loop using the wildlife trails. I also enjoy a good trot on Murphy Road, with its forgiving dirt surface and infrequent traffic, and a ride up and down King Road looking out over the agricultural fields.
The Sucker Brook WMA is adjacent to Hales Hill, at 984-foot elevation, and its hayfields were a favorite canter location during Larry’s ride. Coming from Murphy Road, you’ll follow the unmarked trail and cross Sucker Brook at a wide, shallow section with a short hill on either side to it. Next, it loops through the woods and climbs up to the hayfields on Hales Hill. This is private property, so when riding on your own, you can retrace your steps or follow the lesser trails in the Sucker Brook WMA back over to the wetlands.
“Although Larry is not as involved as he used to be, his name is a staple in this riding event and for the hundreds of riders continued on page 87 . . .
by Stacey Stearns
LTrail Guide
Steere Hill Conservation Area
and trusts contribute significantly to preservation, and in turn, trail access. The Glocester Land Trust formed in 1987 through the Rhode Island Legislature, and since then has conserved 2,429 acres. Steere Hill Conservation Area and Phillips Farm is one of its properties. It’s located along Putnam Pike, or Route 44, in the Harmony village section of Glocester, Rhode Island.
The Steere Hill Conservation Area is comprised of four adjacent properties that the Land Trust purchased separately. Altogether, there are 448 acres. The 68-acre Phillips Farm was the first property the Land Trust purchased. In earlier times, Phillips Farm was also known as Cutler Farm and Cutler’s Tavern. The brook that traverses the property is still called Cutler Brook. In the 1800s, The Cutler Inn was also home to one of the Chepachet Turnpike’s tollbooths. Steere Hill Nature Preserve is 208 acres and situated to the west of Phillips Farm. Continuing in a westward direction, Heritage Park is the next parcel, and spans 115 acres. LePlat Woodland is the final parcel, at 57 acres, and is south of Heritage Park. Trails connect all four parcels of the Steere Hill Conservation Area. The Glocester Land Trust welcomes equestri-
ans. In addition to a dedicated equestrian parking area, the Land Trust worked with the Moswansicut Riding and Driving Club (MRDC) and Bay State Trail Riders Association in the fall of 2025 to rework some of the bridges to make them safer for horses. They covered it with base fabric and put stone material on top of that to reduce slipping. Volunteers worked to install the new footing. A group of volunteers was
brushhogging the fields at Steere Hill the day of my ride. Glocester Land Trust is a good steward, and the thousands of hours the trust members and their volunteers spend on their properties allows all of us to enjoy them.
“We love Steere Hill,” says Irene Watson of Providence, an equestrian and MRDC member. “Our club members ride there often. If you weave around the trails, it’s possible to ride eight miles. The best thing, besides the beauty of these trails, is the horsefriendly Land Trust trustees.”
A Leg Up
You’ll find trail maps are available at glocesterlandtrust.org. Most trails are marked, and there are signposts at major intersections. The sounds of Putnam Pike can also help guide you back to the trailheads. Use 288 Putnam Pike in Chepachet
Glocester
Stacey
Stearns
for the equestrian parking at Steere Hill and Phillips Farm. This parking area is a field so you can pull in and turn around. If it’s wet, you may need four-wheel drive. The main parking area is at 391 Putnam Pike in Chepachet, across from the Harmony Post Office. The trailhead with the dedication stone is at this parking area. The 391 parking area is dirt but it’s right alongside the road; you’ll want a very quiet horse if you choose to park there.
Pack your own water, bug spray, and anything else you’ll need. There are swampy areas, making bug spray even more important during warmer weather. Be sure to clean up around your horse trailer at the end of your ride. It’s southern New England, so there are plenty or rocks and roots on the trails; I recommend hoof protection.
Out Riding It
I rode out from the main parking lot at 391 and started out on Steere Hill Trail. It’s like a road, wide and winding through the woods. There are some huge rocks along the side of Steere Hill Trail, and in a few other places too, probably remnants of glaciers. It’s a gravel trail and there is pea stone in some areas. I rode up toward Steere Hill, but since the volunteers were working up there, I didn’t go all the way to the top or near the gazebo. Instead, I headed back down and went left on the Heritage-Steere Trail and over toward Chestnut Hill. At Chestnut Hill, I started by going left on the Outer Loop Trail and rode that all the way around and back down to the Heritage-Steere Trail.
“I board close by, and Steere Hill Conservation Area has everything — bridge crossings, great trails, no motorized vehicles and a great canter spot up to and through the gazebo area,” says Karen Hopkins, an equestrian from Scituate. Even with skipping Steere Hill, I enjoyed the mix of forests and fields. I saw a hawk and blue jay while I was out riding.
The trail markings are blazes on the trees; they use different colors and shapes, explained in the key on the Steere Hill trail map. Even with all the trees that have gone down over the years, the trails are very well
marked. Benches are at a couple of spots along the trails too, providing people a place to take a break or just enjoy the woods. The signposts at intersections helped with orienting myself with the map.
When I got back to the Steere Hill Trail I headed left on the Beech Trail and then right on the Ridge Trail, toward Cart Path Trail, partly because I loved the name. At Cart Path Trail, I went right and looped around, catching glimpses of the Melody Hills Golf Course and the people out playing.
When I came to Field Trail, I took a right and looped around the backside of Phillips Farm. I went down the Cutler Trail for a little bit, then turned around to finish my Field Trail Loop. Field Trail brought me back out on Steere Hill Trail. I went left, away from the parking lot, and then another left and back onto Cart Path Trail. When I came back to Steere Hill Trail this time, I went right, and rode back down to the Stone Dam Trail, and took a left on that, riding up to the Stone Dam to see it. This connects to the Ridge Trail or loops back to Steere Hill Trail. I looped around to Steere Hill and then left and back down to the parking area.
I crossed the stream a couple of times, including on one of the now equestrianfriendly bridges. Not all the bridges are horse-friendly yet, but you can cross the streams. The stream alongside Steere Hill Trail provided easy access to water my horse in a couple of places. I was riding during the fall, however, and would pack water in the summer. The trails were hillier than I expected in places; there is about 500 feet of elevation gain.
Land trusts are often hidden in plain sight, unless you live nearby or know of people in the area. It’s worth seeking out these properties because many are open to equestrians. Although I only recently became aware of Steere Hill Conservation Area, I know I’ll be returning to ride again in the future.
Happy trails.
Stacey Stearns, a lifelong equestrian living in Connecticut, enjoys trail riding and endurance with her Morgan horses.
Youth Awards
The Community Horse Youth Award is given to the junior exhibitor who has shown the best horsemanship and sportsmanship at an equestrian competition. This is the youth who is working hard with a great attitude. This junior is taking good care of their horse, cheering on their friends, and helping others.
To request a free Community Horse Youth Award for your upcoming equestrian competition in Connecticut, Massachusetts, or Rhode Island, visit communityhorse.org/youth-awards.
y Riley Sapp, 12, of Pomfret Center, Connecticut, won the Community Horse Youth Award at the Southern New England Carriage Driving Association’s Pleasure Show in September. Riley is driving Gypsy cross mare Holly Mist Lady Dara. Congratulations, Riley!
y The Community Horse Youth Award winner at the Cavalier Farm September Show was Katherine Brower, 14, of Wilton, Connecticut, riding Cavalia Windsor Z. Congratulations, Katherine!
y Arden Wall, 13, of Williamstown, Massachusetts, won the Community Horse Youth Award at the Western New England Professional Horsemen’s Association’s Finals in October riding Welsh pony Dolcemonte. Arden rides at Bonnie Lea Farm in Williamstown. Congratulations, Arden!
y ALix Lindsey won the Community Horse Youth Award at the New England Equestrian Center of Athol’s Year End Banquet. Alix was nominated by many for the award and we were told, “Alix gives care and compassion to her teammates, barn mates, and competitors. It’s a true pleasure having Alix as part of our horse community.” Congratulations, Alix!
Tina Dixson
y Jayde Medina, 10, of North Haven, Connecticut, won the Community Horse Youth Award at a SNEHA Show in Glastonbury riding Forest. Congratulations, Jayde!
Special thank you to J.R. Liggett’s, jrliggett.com, for sponsoring the Youth Awards!
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UConn Equine Program Offers Diverse Options to UConn Students and the Connecticut Equestrian Community Horses have been a staple at UConn since its early days as an agricultural college. The Equine Program, housed in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) Department of Animal Science, has grown dramatically, continuously innovating in its offerings for students and the community.
UConn maintains a herd of 70 horses that includes mainly Morgans, Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, and Warmbloods. The Equine Program emphasizes hands-on learning, covering everything from breeding and management to training and riding, allowing students to apply what they learn in other classes to practical decision-making.
Students can learn about horse training, riding instruction, equine sports rehabilitation, therapeutic horsemanship, horse science, exercise physiology, and best management practices. Courses are designed to prepare students for a variety of careers or further education ranging from equine veterinarian to geneticist to nutritionist, and stable owner.
Independent studies include topics in stallion training, the breeding process, equine program management, equine extension work, equine health management, and trail management.
UConn is saddling up to meet a growing demand with the launch of a new Bachelor of Science in Equine Science and Management, set to welcome its first cohort of students in fall 2026. Offered exclusively at the Storrs campus through the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, this new major will provide students with a unique blend of scientific rigor and hands-on experience that positions UConn as a leader in equine education across the Northeast.
The UConn Equine Program also offers members of the student and local community the opportunity to participate in beginner, intermediate, and advanced riding lessons in dressage, hunt seat, trail, polo, and western. Students on the four competitive teams (dressage, men’s and women’s polo, and equestrian) also participate in the riding program.
Lessons are offered year-round with the option to purchase individual lessons or lesson packages. Individual or group lessons are scheduled around the availability of participants, instructors, and horses.
UConn’s Equine Program makes contributions to research and the community.
Sarah Reed, associate professor of animal science, studies horse physiology and maternal nutrition. Jenifer Nadeau, associate professor of animal science and UConn Extension equine educator, studies how the fecal microbiome of horses impacts their susceptibility to parasitic infections.
UConn Extension offers educational online modules and in-person learning clinics. The UConn Equine Program supports youth outreach organizations like 4-H and Future Farmers of America.
“We have it all,” Sarah says. “When you come and participate fully in the equine program, you have the ability to do all the things that are the basis of the equine industry.”
To learn more, visit animalscience. cahnr.uconn.edu/equine-program. yJessica McBride
Equine Affaire
Save the dates for Equine Affaire! You’re invited to attend North America’s premier
courtesy of UConn
UConn student long lining.
equine exposition and equestrian gathering at the Eastern States Exposition November 12 to 15. Spend a long weekend in horse heaven learning, networking, shopping, celebrating, and enjoying everything equine — including our signature musical celebration of the horse, Fantasia! Fantasia returns for a limited run of three performances, November 12, 13, and 14.
Equine Affaire offers an extensive educational program filled with hundreds of clinics, seminars, and demonstrations presented by dozens of the country’s topmost equestrian experts, including America’s Most Trusted Horseman, John Lyons. Attendees will also enjoy shopping their way through the largest horse-related trade show in the East; competing in and watching two premier competitions, the Versatile Horse & Rider Competition and the Breed Bonanza; touring equestrian exhibits, including the Breed Pavilion, Horse & Farm Exhibits, and the Adoption Affaire; shopping in the Marketplace Consignment Shop; and much more. Tickets will go on sale in July at equineaffaire.com.
H.O.R.S.E. of Connecticut’s Spring Open House and Summer Horse Parade
The Humane Organization Representing Suffering Equines (H.O.R.S.E. of Connecticut), now celebrating its 45th year, will hold its annual Spring Open House on Saturday, May 16, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a rain date of Sunday, May 17. This is an event you won’t want to miss!
The fun starts from the minute we open the gates at 10 a.m. with hourly tours to meet our many horses. Our popular bake sale will offer tables filled with a variety of home-baked goods, from cupcakes to cookies, many beautifully wrapped and ready to be given as gifts. Other great gift options such as OMI Jewelry from the talented Lise, bracelets and necklaces by Amy, and tie-dye T-shirts and bags will also be available. Remember, all the proceeds from your purchases go directly toward helping to care for our many horses.
The tack shop is packed for our spring tack sale, so be sure to stop in and check it out during the open house. We have a huge variety of western and English saddles, bridles, blankets, boots, helmets, grooming equipment, and new and used horse clothing.
Looking for a gift for the person who has everything? We have several horses available for sponsorship, a program that includes four visits a month during which
you can groom, spend time with, and hand-walk the horse for only $50. In addition to horses for sponsor, we have several available for lease and adoption as well. Visit horseofct.org for more information about these programs, and plan to meet the horses during your tour.
On August 1, the Summer Horse Parade will run from noon to 2 p.m. The Summer Horse Parade is an opportunity for folks interested in adopting, leasing, sponsoring, or volunteering. Meet our many fabulous horses, with several available for the advanced beginner to experienced rider. Our leasing program is for adults who ride regularly and want to find out what’s involved in caring for a horse, while adoption is for the experienced horse owner looking for a lifetime companion. Sponsoring is an introductory option for those who would simply like to groom and hand-walk a horse.
Here are a few of the featured horses for the Summer Horse Parade:
• Justice is an 18-year-old, 15.1 hand, Connemara Quarter Horse gelding that loves working the trails and will go for miles. He is traffic safe; happy to lead, follow, or go solo; and loves attention. Justice is available for sponsor or adoption and requires an intermediate rider and 24/7 turnout.
• Buzz is a 24-year-old, 15.3 hand, Arabian Saddlebred gelding that rides English, for an experienced rider. He’s a very handsome, personable boy that loves to go on the trails or in the ring. Buzz will be shown under saddle and is available for sponsor and lease.
• Half-Pint is a 25-years-young, 14.3 hand Arabian Appaloosa gelding that still loves the trails. Half-Pint rides English or western, will ride solo, is traffic safe, and loves the water. He would love a petite rider that would give him all the love and attention he deserves.
In addition to the horses, you’ll meet several of our dedicated volunteers and learn the many ways you can help. From grooming and cleaning stalls to helping at fundraisers, many of our volunteers have learned so much from their four-legged friends. Interested in a career in the equine field? You can gain valuable handson experience working with our many rescues, and the personal rewards are immeasurable.
H.O.R.S.E. of Connecticut is a 501(c)(3) rescue organization located at
43 Wilbur Road, Washington. For more information about our event, or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit horseofct.org. We hope to see you here!
yKathy Diemer
Bay State Equine Rescue
Bay State Equine Rescue (BSER), in Oakham, Massachusetts, has a few horses available for adoption.
• Autumn is a 15-year-old, 15.2-hand, bay Morgan/Standardbred mare. She was an Amish work horse left at an auction with lameness in her hind end. Her rehabilitation is coming along wonderfully. Autumn romps and plays with her pasture mate and is showing remarkable improvement. We are starting to work on her training and are sure she will make an excellent partner for light, recreational riding in a loving home.
• Mexico is a friendly 12-year-old, 13.2hand, chestnut, gelding Mexican pony. His breed is known to be very hardy and intelligent. He rides — walk, trot, canter. Some good food, care, and rehab should find him in good health and happiness soon. Mexico will make a fine trail horse and someone’s best friend.
To learn more about BSER and its horses, visit baystateequinerescue.org.
BSER’s Annual Spring Save on Shavings Sale will be Tuesday, April 28, at Camp Marshall in Spencer. This is a fundraiser for BSER. Pick-up time will be 8:30 to 11:00 a.m. You will need to have your own people to load the shavings into your truck or trailer. There’s a minimum order of 10 bags. The cost per bag is $6.25 for up to 149 bags, $6 for quantities of 150 or more bags. Bags are plastic-wrapped, 3.25 cubic feet compressed and 7.5 cubic feet when loose. To place an order and learn more, reach out to Sharon Haley at (508) 221-8474 or sah@baystaterescue.org.
yKarin Orsi
Pomfret Horse and Trail Association at Celebrating Agriculture
Celebrating Agriculture has been an annual event each fall in northeastern Connecticut since 2001. This area, known as the state’s Quiet Corner, has a rich agricultural history. Horses have been an integral part of this history, going back to when the horse was the only means of transportation.
Pomfret Horse and Trail Association (PHTA) is committed to preserving the area’s rural heritage. Three years ago, PHTA
created a strategic plan to set goals for the future that would strengthen the organization and help to fulfill its mission. Among the goals were outreach to the community and educating the public about horses. A small group of members brainstormed how to introduce PHTA to the community, provide information about horses, and create interactive activities for children.
PHTA chose to participate in the 2025 Celebrating Agriculture event held at the Brooklyn Fairgrounds on September 20. “This was the first time we have been involved with a large public event,” says Margie Huoppi, a Pomfret resident and PHTA’s treasurer. “The idea for attending Celebrating Agriculture came from Jenn Reilly, our vice president, who had attended in the past and felt this was a great opportunity to do outreach and public education.”
“We had a large area next to the riding ring where we set up the exhibits and activities,” says member Lisette Rimer. “Two of our members’ horses were there, as well as a variety of saddles, bridles, and other tack. We had educational handouts as well. There were saddles to sit on, “cow” roping, a horse-trivia wheel, and pages of horses to color. A fluffy toy horse was raffled off, and children were given little horse figures and finger puppets.”
According to Jenn, the response was fabulous. “So many people stopped by to meet the horses, Chance and Cody, ask questions about PHTA, and where they could take riding lessons,” she says. “The kids had lots of fun trying to rope the dummy cow head and answer the trivia questions.”
Margie noted that people of all ages stopped by to chat. “Many of the older folks told me they had grown up with horses, and I could sense a nostalgia in their voices,” she says. “I believe that horses will continue to be an important part of the agricultural fabric that plays such an important role in our community here in the Quiet Corner.”
yMargie Huoppi
Fundraisers for City to Saddle
City to Saddle will hold a Farm Trot 5K Field Run at Mesa Farm in Rutland, Massachusetts on Saturday, June 27. Run or stroll through the rolling hayfields and pastures next to woodland, stone walls, and the lightly traveled Muschopauge Road. Wear your sneakers (or farm boots), see the horses, pet a lamb, enjoy a family-friendly
experience, and raise funds for underserved youth to participate in horsemanship activities through the City to Saddle nonprofit organization.
The Fifth Annual Farm to Table Dinner will also be held at Mesa Farm on Sunday, September 27. The menu will be catered by Off the Hook Eatery with ingredients sourced from area farms. Silent and live auctions will provide attendees the opportunity to bid. The evening will include live music and promises to be a night out to remember.
City to Saddle is a nonprofit, charitable organization committed to providing a diverse population of inner-city and other underserved children access to horsemanship programs. More than 100 children will participate in City to Saddle programs this year. To learn more, visit citytosaddle.org.
Colonial Corrals Manufacturing in Massachusetts
Colonial Corrals began operating in Wrentham, Massachusetts, in 2024. “All our products are custom fabricated in-house,” says owner Kenneth Brown. “We’re handcrafting round pens, patented Dexter Haysavers (hay feeders), run-in shelters, gated corrals, and so much more. Delivery and installation are available from Maine to Pennsylvania.”
Since 2008, Colonial Corrals has been building lasting relationships through honest communication and unwavering integrity. “We approach every custom fabrication and welding project with full transparency, ensuring our clients are informed throughout the process,” says Kenneth. “By prioritizing customer experience and satisfaction, we make sure clients feel confident in choosing us for the manufacturing, installation, and repair of round pens, pasture shelters, corrals, hay feeders, and other livestock equipment.
“Composed of highly trained professionals with years of experience, every staff member at Colonial Corrals is passionate about their work and committed to exceeding customer expectations. What sets us apart is the technical expertise of our team and their genuine desire to provide solutions that make a difference.”
A portion of every sale will go to local therapeutic riding centers. To learn more, visit colonialcorrals.com.
A conversation about presence, energy, and partnership with our equine teachers.
July 18 • 9:30 A.M.
Factum Equine • East Haddam, CT
Discover how the energy we carry shapes our interactions with horses. Through conversation and herd observation, explore a more mindful and connected way of being with our equine partners.
Visit factumequine.org for more events including:
Becoming Our Best Self to Benefit Our Horses Equine Behavior & Positive Reinforcement Training
Divisions: Lead Line, Beginner Walk Trot, Walk Trot 11 and Under Open Walk Trot 12-17 Open, Walk Trot Adult Open, Walk Trot Beginning Canter Open Open GreenHorse Walk Trot Open, Short Stirrup, Medium Stirrup Open Hunter, Modified Hunter, and Driving Horse Show Banquet December 5
Spring Trail Ride
May 9
Fall Trail Ride Weekend
October 10 & 11
Trail rides offer 6.6, 10, 13, and 16 mile routes. Gravel roads, rail beds, woodland trails, and a small amount of pavement. NEHT affiliated
Barre Riding and Driving Club is a nonprofit 501(c)3 club. Most of our events are held at Felton Field in Barre, Massachusetts, a beautiful facility located on Old Coldbrook Road. Felton Field features two show rings, a food booth, secretary's booth, bathrooms, running water, and plenty of space for parking for cars and trailers.
JOIN US!
The Western New England chapter of the Professional Horsemen’s Association of
May 3 . White Horse Hill, Richmond
May 17 . Over the Moon Farm, Canaan, NY
May 31 . White Horse Hill, Richmond
June 7 . Harmony Hill Farm, G. Barrington
June 14 . Grindstone Mountain, Southampton
June 21 . Bonnie Lea Farm, Williamstown
June 28 . Over the Moon Farm, Canaan, NY
July 12 . Muddy Brook Farm, Amherst
July 19 . Harmony Hill Farm, G. Barrington
July 26 . Over the Moon Farm, Canaan, NY
Aug. 2 . Grindstone Mountain, Southampton
Aug. 16 . White Horse Hill, Richmond
Aug. 23 . Over the Moon Farm, Canaan, NY
Sept. 6 . Three County Fair Horse Show
Sept. 7 . Three County Fair Jumper Show
Sept. 13 . White Horse Hill, Richmond
Sept. 20 . Over the Moon Farm, Canaan, NY
27 Harmony Hill Farm, G. Barrington
1 – 3 MQHA Open All Breed Spring Show, West Springfield. massqha.com.
2 Dare to Dream Vendor Day, Orange. crimsonacres.org.
2 BSTRA Nancy Maenzo Memorial Ride, Douglas. bstra.org.
2 Mark Lyon Green Horse and Horsemanship Clinic, Mountain Brook Farm, Granville. (860) 966-7456.
25 Acres . 100' x 200' Ring . 100' x 225' Ring Restrooms . Food booth . Pavilion . Announcer’s Booth Sound System . Large Meeting Room . Water Faucets Lots of Parking . Located near a trail system made up of wooded trails, cart roads, and railbeds.
For more information, contact Frank at (978) 833-2634 and freeway3289@gmail.com or Jane at janel.hfcx@gmail.com.
Coldbrook Road, Barre MA
Saturday • June 13
& 2'9"
Outside Course Warm-ups 6:30 to 8 A .M., Trailer Parking Starts at 6 A .M.
Open Show with Ring and Hunt Course Affiliated with NEHC, MHC & SSHC . SSHC Medal Classes Show Manager: Johanna Dougherty (781) 826-3191 Program may be downloaded at briggsstable.com. Visit briggsstable.com fortheweekly class list!
Briggs Stable Mini Shows
Wednesday evenings in July and August starting at 6 P.M.
(No show July 1)
All members of the Hanover Hunt & Riding Club are eligible for year-end awards.
Lead Line . Therapeutic . Walk Trot . Games . Jumping . Equitation . Pleasure
Great food and drinks available at the Hanover Hunt & Riding Club food booth. Class lists may be downloaded at www.briggsstable.com.
623 Hanover St., Route 139, Hanover Centre, MA (781) 826-3191 . briggstackshop@gmail.com
23 – 24 NEECA Luke Reinbold Clinic, Athol. neeca.org.
23 – 25 BSTRA Campout, Carver. bstra.org.
24 Merrimack Valley Dressage Show, Haverhill. bradfordequestriancenter.wordpress.com.
24 SSHC Show Series, Buzzards Bay. sshconline.org.
29 NEDA Spring Dressage Show I, Halifax. neda.org.
Hunter Shows
May 3 . June 28 . July 19 August 2 . September 20 . October 25
Jumper Shows
April 19 . May 6 . May 20 . June 3 . June 24 July 8 . July 22 . Aug. 5 . Aug. 19 September 2 . September 23
All Hunter Shows at Grazing Fields Farm in Buzzards Bay, Mass. Classes for Lead Line through 2'6" Hunters and Equitation. Ideal shows for novice exhibitors and riders on school horses.
Celebrating Our13th Season!
Annual Banquet . High Point Awards! All Jumper Shows at Valinor Farm in Plymouth, Mass. Wednesday evenings under the lights. Find us on Facebook at *South Coast Series Horse Shows* More information at southcoastseries.com or email mel@grazingfields.com
20 – 25 New England Morgan Horse Show, Northampton. nemha.com.
22 – 26 Head of the Bay Classic, Fieldstone Show Park, Halifax. fieldstoneshowpark.com.
23 NEECA Jerry Schurink Lessons, Athol. neeca.org.
24 Games Night, Orange. crimsonacres.org.
25 CCEA Gymkhana Series, Yarmouth or Barnstable, TBD. facebook.com/groups/1455217178110477.
25 – 26 Lynne Kimball Davis Clinic, Millis. appleknoll.com.
26 NSHA Pleasure Show, Amesbury. nshorsemens.org.
May 24 - Christina Keim “L” June 21 - Leslie De Grandmaison “R” August 9 - Susan Buchanan “S” Sept. 20 - Lainey Johnson “L” Intro to 4th and Above High Score Awards Pony Club Discount Offering USEA event tests & western dressage tests!
Dressage Training & Instruction
Presents the 31st annual
Equine Expo & Tack Sale
Saturday, April 25, 2026 . 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Large vendor marketplace selling new and used items!
Plus services for the horse, rider, and driver.
Demonstrations All Day
$5 Admission . children under 10 free Vendor Spaces Available . Free Parking
Held Indoors . Arena Building at the Topsfield Fairgrounds
For more info and/or to reserve a space: 978-768-6275 or kljoreo@aol.com
26 Middlesex County 4-H & Open Show Series, Westford. 4hmiddlesexhac.org.
who have been involved for many years,” Stacy says. “I want to honor his legacy and ensure this ride continues, now in his name as the Larry Underwood Classic, so that future generations of trail riders can enjoy these beautiful trails, the amazing dinner made by the North Brookfield Sportsmen’s Club, and the many friends and new faces to meet.”
The North Brookfield trails are special for many reasons. The town is still largely an agricultural community and consists of quiet neighborhoods and sweeping views of the hayfields. This quieter setting is a perfect home for many wildlife species that are crucial for our ecosystem. Riding a place like Sucker Brook WMA allows you to see how interconnected our natural systems are. If you choose to ride the organized rides held here, the people who make it happen, including Larry, Stacy, and all the other volunteers will make sure your ride is even more special.
There are some beautiful places that we can only ride by participating in an event, but riding in North Brookfield can be explored on your own or with others at the Sucker Brook WMA. I’ve ridden here on many occasions and know I will again. Happy trails!
Stacey Stearns, a lifelong equestrian living in Connecticut, enjoys trail riding and endurance with her Morgan horses. y
something they already felt but couldn’t quite name.
My podcast is available on major podcast platforms, and it truly feels like a conversation. Each episode invites listeners to slow down and see the world through their animal’s eyes. We explore what we often label as “problem behavior” and gently turn it into information, followed by insight. That reframing alone can change everything. More than 100 podcast episodes are available. This podcast has become a space where people can deepen their awareness at their own pace. Whether they live with horses, dogs, cats, or other animals, listeners’ awareness increases. They learn to pause more, to trust more. It’s less about learning something new and more about remembering what has always been there.
CH: As you look at the future of humans and horses, what do you hope to see evolve?
Nicole: I believe we are at a turning point. For generations, horsemanship has emphasized technique, performance, and control. Those skills have value, but they are not the whole story. My work is dedicated to helping humans see the world through the horse’s eyes. When we integrate science, intuition, and mindfulness, something shifts. Horses are no longer managed. They are met where they live — in the now. The future of the horse–human relationship depends on how well we remember to do that.
. . . Nicole Birkholzer continued from page 47 y
Both books are grounded in lived experience rather than theory. Each chapter is a true story that stands alone. Together these stories paint the picture of the philosophy that animals are guides by our side. Readers often tell me the books put into writing
Sally L. Feuerberg is a freelance writer, horseback rider, and a lover of everything equine. A longtime resident of Newtown, Connecticut, her hobbies also include painting, crafting, and spending lots of time with family, friends, and her dog, Munch.
Local Associations
Looking for a way to get more involved in your equestrian community? Listed here are nonprofit clubs and associations in your neighborhood. Each listing’s heading is color coded by state.
yConnecticut y Massachusetts yRhode Island
y Arabian Horse Club of Connecticut ahcofct.org
y Barre Riding and Driving Club barreridingdrivingclub.com
y Bay State Trail Riders Association bstra.org
y Cape Community Equine Assoc. facebook.com/groups/1455217178110477
y Charles River Dressage Assoc. crdressage.org
y Colonial Carriage Driving Society colonialcarriage.org
y Connecticut Color Breed Assoc. connecticut-color-breed-association. mailchimpsites.com
y Connecticut Dressage & Combined Training Assoc. cdctaonline.com
y Connecticut Dressage Assoc. ctdressage.org
y Connecticut Gymkhana Assoc. facebook.com/connecticutgymkhana
y Connecticut Horse Council cthorsecouncil.org
y Connecticut Horse Shows Assoc. chsaonline.com
y Connecticut Hunter Jumper Assoc. chja.net
y Connecticut Morgan Horse Assoc. ctmorgans.org
y Connecticut Quarter Horse Assoc. cqha.com
y Connecticut Renegades ctrenegades.com
y Connecticut Trail Rides Assoc. cttrailridesassoc.org
y Connecticut Valley Driving Club cvdrivingclub.com
y Fairfield Bridle Trails Assoc. fairfieldbridletrails.com
y Fairfield Westchester Professional horsemen’s Assoc. fwpha.com
y Granby Horse Council granbyhorsecouncilct.com
y Granby Regional Horse Council facebook.com/groups/117940158277663/
y Greenwich Riding and Trails Assoc. thegrta.org
y Hampshire County Riding Club hampshirecountyridingclub.org
y Hanover Hunt and Riding Club briggsstable.com
y Hanson Riding Club hansonridingclub.org
y Heritage Dressage Association heritage-dressage.org
y Litchfield Hills Driving Club litchfieldhillsdrivingclub.org
y Lower Connecticut River Valley Horse Club lcrvhc.org
y Lyme Trail Association lymetrailassociation.org
y Massachusetts Horsemen’s Council mahorsecouncil.com
y Massachusetts Morgan Horse Assoc. massmorgan.com
y Massachusetts Quarter Horse Assoc. massqha.com
y Massachusetts Rough Riders facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553662944088
y Middlebury Bridle Land Assoc. middleburybridle.org
y Moswansicut Riding & Driving Club moswansicut.weebly.com
y Myopia Driving Club myopiadriving.com
y Myopia Hunt Club myopiahunt.org
y Nashoba Valley Hunt nashobavalleyhunt.org
y New England Equestrian Center of Athol neeca.org
y Newtown Bridle Lands Assoc. nblact.org
y Norfolk Hunt Club norfolkhunt.com
y North Shore Horsemen’s Assoc. nshorsemens.org
y Old North Bridge Hounds oldnorthbridgehounds.org
y Pomfret Horse and Trail Assoc. pomfrethorseandtrail.com
y Reddington Rock Riding Club reddingtonrockridingclub.org
y Rhode Island Arabian Horse Assoc. riarabianhorseassociation.com
y Rhode Island Federation of Riding Clubs rifederation.wixsite.com/rifrc
y Rhode Island Horseman’s Assoc. rihorseman.com
y Rowley Riding & Driving Club facebook.com/profile.php?id= 100058047595298
y South Shore Horsemen’s Council sshconline.org
y Southern New England Horsemen’s Assoc. snehassociation.com
y Tanheath Hunt Club tanheathhunt.org
y Tri-State Horsemen’s Association tristatehorsemen.com
y West Greenwich Horsemen’s Assoc. wghaweb3.wixsite.com/wgha
y West Newbury Riding & Driving Club wnrdc.com
y Western New England Professional Horsemen’s Assoc. wnepha.com
y Westfield Riding Club westfieldridingclub.org
l Connecticut l Massachusetts
l Rhode Island l Region
Directory Listings
ANIMAL-ASSISTED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Moonlight Ranch
Tyngsboro, MA; (978) 328-7346; moonlightranch.org
Hosting licensed therapists that provide mental health services to individuals, groups, and families. Each provider brings with them their own unique experience and training. All animals are provided a safe environment where liberty is respected when provided the opportunity to participate in therapeutic work.
ANIMAL COMMUNICATION
Mindful Connections® with Animals
Nicole Birkholzer; nbirkmc@gmail.com
Phone consultations; barn calls serving MA, CT, and RI Is your horse suddenly shying at the mounting block? Not getting along with a pasture mate? There’s a reason for it. Ad on page 55.
ART AND GIFTS
Lisa’s Art & Horses
Lisa Guarino; (401) 475-2749; lisa@lisasart.com; lisasart.com
Looking for a special gift? Lisa’s Art & Horses offers a variety of artistic gift items. Equine paintings, T-shirts, portraits. Find that perfect gift!
CAT SPAY/NEUTER CLINIC
TEAM Mobile Feline Spay/Neuter Clinic
Throughout Connecticut; (888) FOR-TEAM; everyanimalmatters.org TEAM brings affordable spay/neuter and vaccination services for cats to more than 25 communities statewide. Any Connecticut cat — domestic, barn cat, stray, or feral — is welcomed aboard. Call now to book your appointment.
Find your dream equestrian property or sell your farm. Amanda is passionate about helping her clients realize their dreams as an equestrian specialist with William Raveis. Ad on page 27.
Equine Homes Real Estate
Sally Mann; (800) 859-2745; equinehomes.com
Featuring equestrian and country properties in New England and Florida. Our team of Realtors understands and appreciates the unique nature of these properties and looks forward to matching you to the property that is right for you. Ad on page 8.
Expert witness testimony, I.R.S. audits, settlements, pre-sale or purchasing, donation and proper placement, dispute resolution, business and strategic planning, educational workshops, and conference speaker. Since 1980. Free consultation. Ad on page 36.
EQUINE-ASSISTED SERVICES
Blue Rider Stables, Inc.
South Egremont, MA; (413) 528-5299; bluerider.org
Where happy horses help make happy humans. A holistic educational environment in which people and animals can safely interact, and through their mutual therapeutic experiences, broaden the scope of their lives. Programs for all ages, with and without disabilities.
New Canaan Mounted Troop
New Canaan, CT; (203) 966-0634; newcanaanmountedtroop.org
We are a 501(c)(3) youth development and therapeutic equestrian center. We operate a comprehensive horsemanship program for youth ages 7 to 17 and a therapeutic program.
EQUINE DENTISTRY
Nashaway Equine Veterinary Wellness
Laura Parisio-Wood BVetMed MRCVS CVMMP
Serving MA, CT, and NH; (978)732-9502; nashawayequine.com
Offering routine dentistry including oral exams, dental floating, and minor tooth extractions. Diagnostic imaging including radiology and oral endoscopy; veterinary certified chiropractic therapy for horses of all breeds, disciplines, and life stages. Ad on page 37.
Northeast Equine Veterinary Dental Service
Leah Limone, DVM, DAVDC/Eq; Kim Allshouse, DVM; Kate Frazier, DVM
Topsfield, MA; (978) 500-9293; nevds.com
Board-certified equine dental specialty practice veterinarians licensed to practice in MA, NH, ME, RI, and CT. Comprehensive oral/dental exams, routine maintenance, advanced diagnostics with digital radiography and oral endoscopy, basic and advanced extractions.
EQUINE LAUNDRY
The Mane Thread
Equine Laundry and Repair; (978) 495-1765; themanethread.com
Water repellent services. Individually bagged items. Pick-up and drop-off at your barn door. Open year round. Call, text, or email for pick-up schedule. Is your barn on our regular pick-up schedule?
Drop off locations in Acton, Townsend, Lunenburg, and Gardner. Ad on page 30.
Naughty Pony Blanket Laundering & Boutique
Serving MA, CT, and RI; (401)255-0395; naughtypony@aol.com
We pride ourselves on our large group/farm courtesy pick-ups and large facility capabilities. Our equine laundry services include wash, waterproof, repairs. We air dry and individually package. We have five convenient drop-off locations: Tiverton, Ledyard, Hope Valley, East Taunton, and Greenhawk in Natick. We are a Nikwax dealer. Trusted by Smartpak and Greenhawk.
EQUINE ConnecticutRESCUESDraft Horse Rescue
East Hampton, CT; (860) 467-6587; ctdraftrescue.org
CDHR rescues, rehabilitates, retrains, and rehomes at-risk draft horses in the Northeast. We host gelding clinics, educate horse owners about responsible care, and help struggling horse owners.
Rescue, rehabilitate, retrain, and rehome at-risk horses. Adoptions, sponsorships, and volunteer opportunities. Lessons, summer programs, fun, and education. Free programs for veterans. We give horses a second chance at life.
EQUINE RETIREMENT BOARDING FACILITY
Oak View Farm
Washington Depot, CT; (203) 733-8358; joegitterman@me.com
Staff and owners live on this small farm with their own horses. Large paddocks and fields with water on demand. 24/7/365 turnout. Daily hands-on checks, grooming, supplements. Same love and attention we give our own steeds. Training for your horse is available. References available.
EXPOSITIONS & SALES
Equine Expo & Tack Sale
Topsfield, MA; Kay at (978) 768-6275; kljoreo@aol.com
April 25, 2026 in the Arena Building at the Topsfield Fairgrounds. Large vendor marketplace selling new and used items, services for the horse, rider, and driver. Vendor space available. Ad on page 84.
FEED & FARM SUPPLIES
A.W. Brown’s
144 Shaker Rd., East Longmeadow, MA; (413) 525-2115; awbrown.com
Employee-owned A.W. Brown's has all your equine needs covered! We’ve got high-quality feed and grain from brands including Tribute, Poulin, and Sentinel, to hay, straw, bedding, and more. Come to East Longmeadow now to get only the best for your horse. Ad on page 18.
Blue Seal
Find a dealer near you at blueseal.com. Ad on pages 32 and 33.
Low Places Ranch Feed & Supply Store
281 Leominster-Shirley Rd., Lunenburg, MA (978) 660-6244; lowplacesranch.com
Poulin Grain, shavings, straw, supplies, and many different varieties of hay accommodating any and all equines. Specializing in tested, safe, low NSC options of forage.
Poulin Grain
Find a dealer near you at poulingrain.com.
Premium feeds and personalized service since 1932. Formulated to meet the unique demands of the Northeast. Latest cutting-edge technology and industry-leading research in every bite — so you can always be sure they’re getting the best. Ad on page 63.
FINANCING & LOANS
Country Living Loans from Farm Credit East
240 South Rd., Enfield, CT; (800) 762-3276; countrylivingloans.com
Loans for building a country life. Financing for farms, home construction, land, and equestrian facilities. Our lending experts specialize in financing rural properties. Ad on page 15.
INSURANCE
A & B Insurance Group
Licensed in MA, NH, VT, ME, CT & RI (978) 399-0025; abinsgroup.com
Insurance for all your equine needs. Farm and equine, equine mortality, horse owner’s liability. Our agents have been serving the equestrian community for a combined 50 plus years. Ad on page 13.
Farm Family Insurance
Find an agent at (877) 544-0301 or farmfamilyl.com. Ad on pages 20 and 21.
JUMP EQUIPMENT & TACK BOXES
Salty Dawg Equine Services
Serving MA, CT, and RI; (508) 259-6924; saltydawgequine.com
Custom-made jumps, tack trunks, bit boxes, and more. Great for year-end awards. View photos at saltydawgequine.com and on Facebook. Ad on page 4.
MANURE REMOVAL
Associated Refuse Hauler
Newtown, CT; (203) 426-8870; associatedrefuse.com
Containerized manure removal for one to 100 horses; containers from 4- to 30-cubic yards. Serving Fairfield, New Haven, and Litchfield Counties in CT. Ad on page 41.
Mitrano Removal
Shirley, MA; (978) 425-6181; mitranoremoval.com
We provide large and small horse farms with a manure removal program that suits the farm’s needs. Retain a 10- to 30-yard container and we provide removal service. Choose to stockpile your manure and we provide removal service. Ad on page 51.
Practical, durable, and safe round pens, pasture shelters, corrals, hayfeeders, dog kennels, livestock pens, and custom fabrication available. Made in Massachusetts. Five-year workmanship warranty. Complete line of farm and ranch fence and installation services. See ad on page 3.
SADDLES & SADDLE FITTING
New England Saddle Fit
Lise Krieger; Serving New England; 1 Short St., Northampton, MA Wed. & Sat. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by appointment (203) 685-2308; newenglandsaddlefit.com
Certified saddle fitter for English and western saddles. Saddle assessments, fitting evaluations, flocking, repairs, consignments, and sales. Ad on page 36.
TACK & EQUIPMENT
Briggs Tack Shop & Trailer Sales
Hanover, MA; (781) 826-3191; briggstackshop.com
Full-service tack shop with everything for the horse and rider. Authorized dealer of Kingston Trailers. Ad on page 49.
Cheshire Horse
Swanzey, NH; (877) 358-3001; cheshirehorse.com.
English and western tack, apparel and footwear, horse clothing, pet food and supplies, feed and supplements, stable supplies and fencing, horse/utility trailers, chicken coops, and gifts. Ads on pages 2 and 9.
Equestrians Anonymous
A Jeffrey’s Horse and Hounds Company Carver, MA; (508) 465-0272; equestriansanonymous.com
Equestrians Anonymous offers new and consignment tack, blending quality and value. Find saddles, bridles, and riding gear for every budget — perfect for riders of all levels. Ad on page 47.
Triple Crown Tack Shop
West Boylston, MA; (508) 835-2773 triplecrowntack.com; info@triplecrowntack.com
In the community for decades and our owners and staff are riders, here to serve all riders of all levels. We carry hunter/jumper casual and show apparel, as well as items for eventing, dressage, trail riding and foxhunting including boots, helmets, tack, cleaning supplies, supplements, blankets, horse treats, collectibles, and gifts. Ad on page31.
TACK REPAIRS & LEATHER WORK
Awl for the Horse
Fran Hornick; (203) 371-5635; awl4thehorse@gmail.com
Repair work for English, western, harness, and more. Refinishing, conditioning, custom work, leather carving. By appointment only.
TRAILERS & TRAILER REPAIRS
Briggs Tack Shop & Trailer Sales
Hanover, MA; (781) 826-3191; briggstackshop.com
Authorized dealer of Kingston Trailers for more than 50 years! Fullservice tack shop with everything for the horse and rider, plus we’re a Stübben Custom Authorized Dealer and Fitter. Ad on page 49.
We come to you for complete trailer service! New and used trailers for sale, trailer consignments, pre-purchase inspections, gooseneck and hitch sales and installation, truck modifications, brake controllers and repairs, and wheel/tire replacement. Ad on page 45.
TRAINING, LESSONS & BOARD
Apple Knoll Farm
Millis, MA; (508) 376-2564; appleknoll.com
Our mission is to provide a safe and well-equipped facility for riders to develop the skills and confidence required for the sport of eventing. Facility rentals. USEA horse trials, jumper show series, clinics, and more. Ad on page 75.
Back Bay Farm
Ipswich, MA; (978) 356-0730; backbayfarm.com
A premier hunter equitation training and boarding stable. Riding lessons, showing, training, full board, sales, and leasing. Horse shows on farm; beach and country rides off farm. Travel to USEF local shows. New riders welcome! Ad on page 78.
Bradford Equestrian Center
Keith & Lynda Angstadt; Haverhill, MA (978) 374-0008; leangst@comcast.net
Dressage training and instruction, full-care facility, individualized programs, excellent footing, indoor and outdoor arenas, ample turnout, reasonable rates, dressage competitions and clinics. Ad on page 83.
Carrier’s Farm
Nancy Carrier; Southampton, MA; (413) 527-0333
Indoor arena, outdoor riding ring, round pen, fields, obstacles, trails, individual or group turnout, friendly adult atmosphere. All disciplines welcome, owner lives on premises.
Cathy Drumm Kindful Training
Teaching throughout the Northeast (413) 441-5278; cathydrumm.com
Clinician, trainer, and coach of western dressage, working equitation, and mountain trail. Kindful training for horse and rider. Happy, relaxed horses and riders are my objective.
Lessons, training, clinics, drill team, horse shows, game nights, boarding, and summer camps. We provide a safe educational environment. Dare to Dream Educational Farm Program. Ad on page 31.
Fox Ledge Farm
Ann Guptill; East Haddam, CT; (860) 873-8108; foxledgefarm.net
USET Pan Am Dressage Team Silver, USDF Certified Instructor and Examiner, USPC Graduate A, and USDF “L” Judge Graduate. Training, lessons, board, clinics. All levels welcome. Wooded trails and open, rolling fields. Ad on page 72.
Boarding, training, lessons, shows, and clinics. Beginner, show, and eventing summer camps. Cross-country course open for schooling. Dressage show April 26; Combined Tests May 17 and August 16; Friday Night Jumpers May 22, June 19, and August 14; Horse Trials June 7; and Schooling Shows July 12 and September 13.
Intimate boarding environment and quality care. Matted stalls, indoor arena, jumping field, outdoor arena, trails, turnout, indoor wash stall. Because it’s not just your horse, it’s your family.
Horse Power Farm
Ann Bowie, BHSII(T); Canterbury, CT (860) 334-1772; horsepowerfarm.info
Eventing farm specializing in lessons, boarding, clinics, and test and tune. Cross-country derbies, perfect for the green eventer and the professional with a young horse. Dressage, stadium jumping, and cross-country training. Ad on page 70.
Horses With A Heart
Shana Holland; Chester, MA; (413) 354-7744
Infants through advanced riders. Problems, restarts, mounted and unmounted, horse therapy. Horses connect and communicate through body language, energy, and space. Body riding is safer, more harmonious, and healthier for horses. Licensed. Will travel.
Independence Stable
Dottie Foreman; Belchertown, MA (413) 284-0371; independencestablellc.com
Dressage schooling shows with traditional and western dressage tests. Riding and carriage driving instruction. Board and training with personalized attention for each horse and rider. Ad on page 76.
Specializing in starting young horses for riding and driving. Boarding, lessons, training, and coaching. Dressage and carriage driving focus. Devin is a USDF bronze medalist. Ad on page 54.
Farm calls and trailer-in appointments. Preventative care, medical diagnostics, dentistry, sports medicine, ophthamology, surgery, alternative medicine, vaccinations, reproduction, and emergency services.
