Equine Feature Supplement February 27th, 2020

EQUINE

FEBRUARY 27, 2020 | THE WELLINGTON ADVERTISER | 17

Scarlet, Brydges and Travis Hall Equestrian Centre coach Cindy Johnson. RIGHT: Madison Brydges of Arthur said her mare, Scarlett, is a calming influence while pursuing her acting career. Photos by Jaime Myslik

A girl and her horse: a calming influence BY JAIME MYSLIK

CENTRE WELLINGTON - A local actress says her horse provides a calming influence while she pursues her acting career. Fifteen-year-old Madison Brydges of Arthur has numerous acting accomplishments to her name, including Flatliners, Big Top Academy and the new Grand Army. In 2017 and 2018 she even moved to Montreal to film Big Top Academy, which aired

on TVO Kids. However, the move meant the teen had to put her horseback riding on pause. Not long before her move, she purchased Scarlett, a mare she boards at Travis Hall Equestrian Centre in southern Centre Wellington. The pair was at a point where they were jumping fences before Brydges left for Montreal, and the actress has not quite got fully back into the sport.

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“It definitely has taken a lot of time for me to get back

years because of Montreal plus school, plus dance and I

When I met her (it was) literally love at first site - MADISON BRYDGES

on,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve been back on a horse in so long, maybe around two

can’t really get injured.” Brydges was originally riding Scarlett’s mom but her

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coach, Cindy Johnson, suggested she purchase Scarlett. “When I met her (it was) literally love at first site,” Brydges said. “Like she was so fluffy, she was so energetic and I literally fell in love with her and now she’s mine.” Even when the teen couldn’t ride while doing Big Top Academy, she went out to the barn to see her horse when she was home in Arthur. “If there was one way I

could stay, I’d say ‘I want to go to the barn’ ... and I’d bring her in, brush her, feed her,” Brydges said. “It would just be something so calming to let everything go before I went back to Montreal. “Because even though I missed everything in Montreal, I still missed this place so much more.” Since the conclusion of Big Top Academy and her return to Ontario, Brydges has been CONTINUED PAGE>18

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