SUMMER 2008

Cowboy Travels the World on Horseback

Anna Twinney's Holistic Approach to Animal Communication


SPRING 2006

The Mighty Suffolk Punch

Carriage Driving Makes a Comeback

Lendon Gray: Local Olympian is Advocate for Kids and Ponies

Yorktown Teen Rides to Success

Inner Circle Farm:
Where Communication
is key.


From the HVHS archive—

For the Good of the Horse

Field of Dreams

When the Unexpected Happens

Know Your Horse's
Vital Signs
 
 
 
 
 


Ezra Cooley & Big Red visit Garrison, NY while on their journey around the world | Photo by Leda Blumberg 
It started out as a desire to do something unique – to be the first person to ride a horse around the world. But it quickly turned into something more – into a mission to help children with cancer. In his planned 27,000-mile journey, Ezra Cooley, a 27-year-old professional cowboy from Chico, California, hopes to make history while promoting a good cause. And surely he will have the experience of a lifetime.

Ambitious, you might say? Ezra believes in taking one day at a time, putting one foot in front of the other. His partner is Big Red, a strappingly handsome 6-year-old chestnut Paint-Quarter Horse. Ezra says that Red is his best buddy, his best friend in the world.

They have already trekked 5,000 miles across the United States, and recently spent some time in Westchester. Traveling down Route 9 from Livingston to Tarrytown, he caught the attention of many passing motorists. It’s hard to miss a cowboy geared up with ropes, supplies and saddlebags, sporting flashing lights on the back of his Western saddle.

After traveling through New York he plans to fly with Red to Spain, ride through the Mediterranean region to Africa, travel down to South Africa where he and Red will board a ship to Australia, then eventually make their way to South America and ride on home to California. Estimated date of arrival back home: 2014!

When he left his home 14 months ago, Ezra was ready for a change. He was feeling a bit “busted up” from all his rodeo years riding broncs and bulls (numerous broken bones and 24 concussions can make you feel that way). Being young and single, he knew that if he was ever going to do something as wild and crazy as riding around the world, the time was now.

The idea for the expedition materialized when he and his father were pondering how much the world has changed in the past 100 years. “I was riding on down the trail with my dad one day and we started wondering if it was possible to ride across the country on horseback in this day and age. I couldn’t stop thinking about the idea, and I decided I was going to do it. But I wanted to make it bigger and better -- to ride around the world.”

“When I left, there was about 20 feet of snow in the mountains,” he said. “I was digging out snow caves to pitch my tent in.”

Ezra has had his share of adventures, like the time he fell off a cliff, and then met up with a grizzly bear. “I was crossing over some deep snowpack while winding through the Rockies, looking for a safe way over the rocks and snow. Suddenly, the snow gave way and Red and I tumbled down about 40 feet. I landed with my face in the snow and my first thought was that Red might be dead. Shaken, but not seriously injured, Red scrambled to his feet and started making his way back up the cliff. I reached up and grabbed his tail and he pulled me to safety. Red saved my life.” Then he met up with the bear.

There have been other obstacles along the way-- rattlesnakes, sandstorms, lightning storms and flooding rains. And then there was the day when he ate a piece of beef jerky gone bad. If you care to know the details, visit his blog.

One of the most nerve-wracking days so far has been riding Red down Route 9 in Poughkeepsie. “Many motorists drive so fast that they are unaware that Red and I are sharing the road with them,” said Ezra. “It can be pretty dangerous, but fortunately, Red is as reliable as they come.”

“Horses have always been part of my life, the most wonderful thing in my life. My dad put me up on my first horse when I was barely home from the hospital, just two days old. I owe a great deal of credit to my dad. He’s probably one of the best horsemen there is, and he taught me how to take care of myself and my horse.”

Ezra started competing in rodeos at an age when most kids are starting nursery school, first competing in mutton busting (sheep riding). He eventually moved on to riding broncs and bulls and competing in wild horse races in which teams of cowboys saddle wild horses, jump on, and ride them to a finish line. He became a rodeo star, and also enjoyed participating in Western reenactments with his father and brother: dramatic renditions of 1800’s events like stagecoach robberies and bank heists.

When Ezra started on his journey in April 2006, Jahob, his 26-year-old Arabian, came along as a pack horse. Jahob had the amazing heart and endurance Arabians are known for, but the journey became too taxing on his aging body so Ezra placed him with a loving home along the way. In Nebraska, a third horse, Stryker, joined the trek. Stryker was a wild mustang that Ezra trained along the way. “He bucked half way across the state,” Ezra commented, “but eventually he became a reliable pack horse.” Stryker is staying at a farm in New York when Ezra and Red leave for Europe.

Ezra’s expedition is funded by a mix of donations and jobs that he finds along the way – shoeing horses, training horses, and working construction. He encourages people to visit his website where they can donate money to aid The National Children’s Cancer Society and to help fund his trip.

He has visited with hundreds of school children across the country and, given his optimistic outlook, kindness, and adventures on horseback, is a hero for many of them.

“I’m riding for kids with cancer, but I’m really riding for all kids,” said Ezra. “Children give me the inspiration to keep on going no matter what is in my way. I like to show kids that, one step at a time, you can achieve anything. When I’m having a bad day or am freezing cold and soaking wet, thinking about these kids keeps me going.”

Much of the time Ezra is aided by the kindness of strangers – people who meet him along the road, stop to chat and end up helping him find a place to stay, hay and water for Red, and a nice hot meal. As he says, “The people in America are my back-up crew!”

“I am having a fabulous time,” says the traveling cowboy. “Seeing the world at 4 mph gives me the opportunity to meet all kinds of people and see things I might otherwise overlook. Smiling is a universal language. And I make friends wherever I go.”

You can learn more about Ezra’s journey on his website: www.ezrasexpedition.com.

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 Photo by Elena Dorfman

Wouldn’t you love to know what your horse is thinking? Understand why is he afraid to go in your trailer? Or why has he been so lethargic lately? Well, you can. And, Anna Twinney, a practitioner of natural horsemanship and intuitive animal communication, can show you how.

Anna is well known for her remarkable abilities with horses. Her holistic approach includes many tools: natural horsemanship, animal communication, Reiki, herbal medicine and nutrition, to name a few. A native of England, now based in Colorado, Anna travels the world sharing her knowledge and techniques through workshops, clinics and private sessions.

Anna first became involved with horses when she was ten years old. She saved up her pocket money and purchased her first pony, Ringo, when she was 12. “I had great fun with Ringo,” she reminisced. “In the summer, I would take Ringo swimming and in the winter, he would pull a sleigh. He introduced me to the joy of horses. With my second horse, Carrie, I did long-distance riding, show jumping, dressage, cross-country jumping and trail riding. It was quite nice, because Carrie was able to introduce me to a lot of different things.”

After studying finance in London, Anna changed her path and became a police officer. “I liked being a police officer because I enjoyed serving people and making a difference. My co-workers were a great group of people who were more interested in solving problems than arresting people.”

While taking a little time off from the stresses of police work, Anna went to a Monty Roberts demonstration. Monty is a world-renowned horse trainer who gained fame as a “horse whisperer,” someone who is adept at understanding and using body language to train horses in a nonviolent manner. Anna was intrigued by Monty’s methods. “I thought that Monty’s message would be useful for police officers to help improve their bedside manner and to gain better understanding into how victims behave.”

“I took Monty’s ten-week course and became one of two people who were invited to Monty’s Flag Is Up Farm in California to continue with my studies. I took a year’s sabbatical to study with Monty and he asked me to help him open a school.”

“I decided to follow my dream and chose to leave everything behind in England. I became part of a research and development team that got Monty’s school up and running. I created the courses, the exams, and the programs for students and instructors. I dedicated my life to teaching and learning, and became the head instructor at Flag is Up Farms. In my six years there I trained more than 1,500 students.”

“When I left Flag Is Up Farms, I worked more on developing my own skills with interspecies communication and energy work. I wanted to look at the language of horses in a broader way, going beyond body language.

“I started working at a mustang sanctuary gentling wild horses. I spent time observing the horses, studying the intricacies of how they communicated with each other. I paid attention to all the subtleties -- literally the whispers -- the glance of the eye, the flick of the ear, the twitch of the skin and the swish of the tail. If you learn how to listen, horses can tell you what’s really happening from their perspective.”

Anna feels that most animal behavioral problems are man-made because we have taken them out of their natural environment and put them into domestic situations. Her goal is to help people and animals understand each other better, forming better partnerships.

“As an animal communicator, I connect with animals on a deeply intuitive level. I feel their essence and oftentimes they share their personality and character with me. They may share both their past and current situations, and may also share their hopes and desires. We have a direct conversation. My goal is to reach an understanding so that problems can be resolved.”

“I honor the animals,” she said. “As a translator of their language, I don’t treat it as a party piece just for fun. If an animal comes into my confidence and shares issues with me, then the person involved needs to be willing to listen and to make changes. It is important to work on resolutions. It’s not enough just to hear what the animal has to say, you try to resolve the issues that have been raised. I’ve witnessed horses’ behavior changing overnight after communicating with them.”


Anna introducing a horse to tack | Photo by Rand Gamble

Anna is an inspiration for Brooke Baxter, a local equestrian who became interested in refining her animal communication skills when she first met Anna about six years ago. “Animal communication is a really beautiful tool,” said Brooke. “It’s wonderful to get feedback and a sense that the animal is participating with you – that you’re not doing something to them (no matter how well-meaning that thing is), but you are actually including them in the process. It’s a way of hearing more clearly what they need and want.”

Brooke has found animal communication techniques very helpful with her horses and dogs. One horse she works with tends to be very nervous when the veterinarian comes, but by communicating calming energy to him, she is able to help keep him quiet, focused and more relaxed.

Brooke’s 23-year-old mare, Lightning, became depressed and lost a great deal of weight last fall. “Everything conventional that we tried failed,” said Brooke. “ She just continued to lose weight.” After communicating with Lightning, Anna was able to understand underlying problems and she came up with a new plan. The mare’s depression lifted and she quickly put on close to 200 pounds. “My vet was amazed at how quickly Lightning gained weight, “ said Brooke. “Lightning now appears to be about ten years younger and is back to her happier self.”

So how can you communicate better with your horse? Anna has several suggestions:

  • Be consciously aware of the body language and the gestures that you give off. Most of communication is non-verbal and horses are always interpreting your posture and gestures.
  • Observe how horses interact with each other so you can learn their language. Listen to the whispers. A whisper, for example, might be a swish of a tail. (A shout would be the kick that follows if you ignored the whisper). Don’t just assume that your horse’s misbehaving is strictly bad behavior; it might be him trying to tell you something.
  • Don’t anthropomorphize. Just because you may like to be patted or kissed, doesn’t mean your horse likes it, too. Find out what motivates your horse – rest, food or affection.
  • Quiet your mind so you can be open to receiving information. You have to ignore the endless mental chatter so that unadulterated thoughts, images and ideas can come through. Letting go of your preconceived notions is one of the hardest parts of communicating with animals.

Anna has had a very busy travel schedule over the past four years and she’s looking forward to teaching a new two-week holistic horsemanship certification course in North Carolina and in her home state of Colorado. Her 2007 tour of clinics and workshops is taking her to Denmark, England, Sweden, France, and Spain as well as various locations around North America.

Anna created the program “Reach Out to Horses,” with the goal of making a difference in the lives of working horses around the world. She is especially interested in helping horses and people in Third World countries. “That’s my dream -- to take my program to places that truly need it.”

Anna will be giving several clinics and workshops in the NY/CT region in July and again in September. For dates and contact information, please visit Anna’s website: www.reachouttohorses.com.

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Suffolk Punches are favored by farmers who value their great strength and willingness to work.
Photo by Mary Kornblum
 
ith unwavering effort, the stocky chestnut horse leans into his harness, digs his hooves into the earth and pulls a heavy log out of the woods. Sweat glistens on
his massive, rippling muscles.The horse is a Suffolk Punch, a relatively rare breed of horse known for its Herculean strength and agreeable temperament.

The Suffolk Punch originated in the Suffolk county region of eastern England where they were bred specifically for agricultural work. Farmers needed strong, willing horses who had the stamina to work long hours in the heavy clay soil.

The Suffolk Punch is considered the oldest breed of draft horse in Great Britain that still maintains its purity. All Suffolks have breeding lines that trace back to one stallion, Crisp’s Horse Of Ufford, who was foaled in 1768, though many consider the 1500’s as when the breed originated.

Suffolk offspring remain true to type and all have very uniform physical characteristics. Their thick necks are arched and muscular, their bodies are broad and well rounded, and their muscular legs appear short in proportion to their massive bodies. These seemingly shorter legs enable them to hunker down and get good leverage for pulling heavy loads. In England , “punched up” refers to someone or something that is short-legged and plump, thus the name Suffolk Punch.

All Suffolks are chestnut in color, though there are seven recognized variations: bright, red, golden, yellow, light, dark, and dull-dark. Some have a bit of white on their faces – a blaze, star or snip -- but the body is always chestnut.

What’s really impressive about these horses isn’t their height – they average 16 to 17 hands – it’s their width. Choose your adjective: round, broad, solid, wide, rotund, husky, stout. You get the idea.

Suffolks weigh in at 1,400 to 2,100 pounds, quite a bit more than the average riding horse which typically weighs between 1,000 and 1,200 pounds. These gentle draft horses are well-known for their immense strength, and are able to pull up to two and a half times their body weight. They excel in pulling competitions in which teams of horses compete to see who can pull the heaviest load.

People love this breed for more than their great strength and work ethic. Suffolks have engaging personalities and are friendly, willing companions. They are known for having good common sense, wonderful dispositions and good judgment.

During the advent of agricultural mechanization, the numbers of Suffolks fell dramatically. Due to an increased demand in food production after World War II, farmers bought tractors and sold off their horses. The Suffolk breed was practically wiped out. Nearing extinction in the 1950’s, breeders of the few remaining horses in this country reorganized and reformed the American Suffolk Horse Association in order to preserve their disappearing breed.

Suffolk numbers began to rebound in the 1970’s and it is estimated that there are now around 1,000 Suffolks in the United States .

The English Rare Breeds Survival Trust lists the Suffolk Punch as “critical.” This organization’s purpose is to conserve Britain ’s native livestock heritage. They protect and foster preservation of more than 70 native rare reeds in Britain (including horses, cattle, goats, pigs, sheep and poultry).

Here in America , the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, an organization devoted to conserving rare breeds, also considers their status “critical” meaning that the breed has less than 2,000 representatives worldwide.


Photo credit: Leda Blumberg
Local residents, Mary and John Kornblum, are the proud owners of a Suffolk Punch, aptly named “The Punch.” Mary first met Punch when she was riding at Ward Pound Ridge about ten years ago. “I met a woman who was riding an outstanding looking horse,” recalls Kornblum. “It turns out that he was a Suffolk Punch -- a breed I had read about but never seen before. This particular Suffolk was a family horse; the woman enjoyed hacking him on the trails, and her daughters rode him in pony club activities – a rather unusual occupation for a member of his breed. He was powerfully built and had a very cute, engaging expression. He just looked like he was having a lot of fun.”Her immediate reaction when she saw this sturdy, strapping chestnut was that he’d be the perfect horse for her husband, John.
Punch’s engaging personality makes him popular with his neighbors.  

“I fell in love with this horse on the spot. He had so much personality.”

About two years later, Kornblum heard about a Suffolk Punch that was for sale at a local barn. Knowing that the breed is quite rare, she wondered if it could be the one that she had met. “I went to see the horse, and lo and behold, it was the same wonderful horse!” So Kornblum bought Punch.

The Kornblums rode their two horses on the trails at Rockefeller State Park Preserve every weekend; Mary on her Icelandic Elska, and John on The Punch. “Punch loved exploring the trails, but what really got his attention was any horse-drawn vehicle he saw,” Kornblum recalls. “Whenever he heard a team approaching, he became fascinated, not fearful, as some horses are. He wanted to join the fun. Based on his response to horses being driven, I wondered if this was something he had done in his past, since Suffolks are typically used for pulling, not riding.”

Kornblum contacted horse trainer Stewart Thomson, an expert on driving horses, and she and Punch began taking carriage-driving lessons with him. Punch learned quickly and soon he was taking Kornblum for drives on the winding roads around their Katonah farm.

“Punch really enjoys his new vocation,” said Kornblum. “He instinctively knows how to move and how to maximize the job he’s doing. It’s very impressive to watch him work – he’s an equine athlete.”

Kornblum describes Punch’s personality: “Punch is a real people horse – and he’s a comedian. His pasture is adjacent to our backyard, and no matter what’s happening, he has to be included. He greets everyone who enters the property with a nicker or whinny. And he is Mr. Curiosity, keeping a watchful his eye on everything that’s going on. Punch likes to be the center of attention -- if he isn’t, he makes sure you know he’s there by banging on the gate with his hoof until his presence is acknowledged.”

Punch is a hit with the neighbors who often come out and greet him as they drive by. “Punch has his fan club,” remarked Kornblum. “His friends visit often, which, of course, Punch loves. I think he ate most of the carrots our next-door neighbors grew in their garden last year.”

Kornblum likes Suffolks because they have draft horse characteristics without being overbearing in size. “They are more nimble and easier to handle than some of the larger draft breeds,” she said. “ And the breed has a well-deserved reputation for being extremely smart, gentle and personable.”

Although some Suffolks are used as pleasure horses, most are used for farm work. According to Kornblum, “There is a resurgence in working with horses as small farms are making a comeback. A lot of people choose Suffolks because of their versatility and their work ethic.”

The Kornblums attended the annual gathering of the American Suffolk Horse Association, which was held in Cornish, New Hampshire last fall. Suffolk owners and enthusiasts from around North America congregated to watch demonstrations, share ideas, work their horses, and to compete in pulling, harrowing and tilling events.

Punch is often seen driving on local roads with owner Mary Kornblum and trainer Stewart Thomson.
Photo credit: Leda Blumberg

“Many of the folks who own Suffolks don’t work the land full-time. They’re involved in professions other than farming.” Kornblum explains. “To relax and unwind, they enjoy hitching their horses and perfecting their skills as teamsters. The coordination and cooperation between these horses and teamsters is impressive.”

So one of these days, if you’re traversing the back roads of Yorktown, Somers, or Katonah, you may be lucky enough to meet up with Punch taking Kornblum for a spin in their Meadowbrook cart. Be sure to slow down, smile and wave. Punch loves to say hello.

The above article originally appeared in North County News.
 

 
   
Photo by Leda Blumberg
  
If you live in this region and your horse pulls a carriage, you know Stewart Thomson. He is “the man” to teach the fine art of carriage driving to horses and riders.  
Gale Epstein driving
Parader and Glory with
trainer, StewartThomson.
 


In his 30 years of training horses, Stewart Thomson has taught more than 600 horses to drive -- pull carts, carriages, and sleighs. That’s a lot of horses! “Any horse, young or old, can be taught to drive,” says Stew. “Driving gives a horse a terrific foundation regardless of what career they’re headed for. It makes them fitter and more balanced and it’s easier on their joints than riding.”

Hunters, jumpers, dressage horses, trail horses – in fact all horses -- can benefit from learning to drive. “Any breed can drive,” says Stew. “Conformation and work ethic are more important than breed.”

Horses are built to drive. And throughout much of history, that’s what they did. Up until the rise of the automobile in the early 1900’s, horses and carriages were the main mode of transportation. People were dependent on horses to move freight, deliver goods, plow fields, build roads, and gallop to emergencies pulling fire equipment or ambulances. They were essential to everyday life.

Today, pleasure driving is making a comeback as more and more horse people discover how enjoyable this sport can be. Local drivers say:

“It’s my therapy.”

“My weekly drive is the most peaceful hour of my week.”

“It is a wonderful respite from the stresses of everyday life.”

“One of the nicest complements I get from clients,” says Stew, “is that my carriage training makes their horses much better riding horses. Horses are supposed to be a pleasure and I try and make it that way.”

In addition to teaching horses to drive, Stew owns Horse & Carriage Supply in New Milford, Connecticut, where he sells and repairs harnesses, carts, carriages and sleighs. He stocks over 40 harnesses and about 20 horse-drawn vehicles, which can accommodate everything from miniature horses to huge draft animals.

“At my shop, I cover every gamut of carriages – repairs, restorations, sales, everything that has to do with driving. I also offer a search service and have contacts all over the country to help customers find the special carriage or sleigh they want.”

Stew spends up to 60 hours a week training horses to drive and typically has between 20 and 30 horses in training at one time. Clearly, there is a big demand for his training as people discover the old-fashioned pleasure of carriage driving.

Gale Epstein, one of Stew’s clients, loves to drive her pair of Morgans, Glory and Parader. These two Morgan geldings, ages 28 and 29, are half-brothers. During the week, Gale works in the city designing clothing for her company, Hanky Panky, but the weekends are reserved for her horses. “I ride them on Saturdays and drive them on Sundays,” she says.

Gale bought Glory and Parader for riding, but was prompted to try driving after a call from her dad. “My father called from St. Louis to say that he saw an ad in an antiques magazine for a horse-drawn carriage with a 914 area code – my region.” Although her horses were already in their twenties, Gale thought driving would be a good idea. “They are a perfectly matched pair and Morgans are hardy animals. You can drive much longer than you can ride a horse.”

Gale’s horses started training with Stew in 1995 when he taught them how to drive singly. Then in 1996, he hitched them together and started driving them as a pair. The two horses really enjoy being side by side and their lovely liver chestnut coats match perfectly.

Glory and Parader are trained to drive on either side (left or right), but because Parader is slightly taller, he usually drives on the right. This compensates for the crown which is built into roads for drainage.

Stew has put together about 70 pairs of driving horses. “Horses prefer to drive in pairs,” says Stew. “Horses are herd animals by nature and they are more relaxed when next to another horse.”

Gale’s carriage is a restored antique Studebaker Estate Wagon. This kind of carriage was once used to go shopping, to pick up guests from the railroad station and to take friends out for pleasure drives. Today this carriage takes Gale and friends along Garrison’s dirt roads and through local parks, like Rockefeller State Park Preserve and Mohonk Preserve.

For Gale, driving horses is pure pleasure. “After a busy week in the city, coming to the country to ride and drive my horses is very relaxing and enjoyable. With horses, you have to stay focused, and it is a wonderful break from work.”

Gale speaks highly of Stew. “Stew is the best. He has so much knowledge about horses, their handling, and training. Stew does things right. He’s very thorough.”

Stew attributes his success to a Morgan horse he bought in the early 1970’s, Sungamo Bayberry (aka Berry). “Berry was an awesome, awesome horse,” says Stew. “He was so smart he was almost human.” Berry was a champion barrel racer who also turned out to be a champion driving horse -- not a usual combination.
 


Stewart and Sara Thomson driving their outstanding Morgan, Sungamo Berry.

  

Stew and Berry were extremely successful in driving shows and this launched Stew’s career. Together they won the state championships in pleasure driving three years in a row and were national champions for two of those years.

Stew credits Berry with “giving him his hands,” an essential skill for a horse trainer where “feel” is so important.

In the 1980’s, Berry showed up in more wedding albums than probably any other horse. Pulling an 1890 Park Phaeton carriage, he took brides and grooms from ceremonies to receptions more than 200 times!

Currently, Stew owns two Friesian geldings and he shows another Friesian, Sasha, for owners Diane and Trevor Davis of Cogi Farm in Pawling, New York. “Sasha is an exceptional horse with an awesome way of going,” says Stew. “He’s very animated and when he goes he has such cadence and rhythm it’s unbelievable.”

Friesians are magnificent Dutch horses easily recognized by their gorgeous black coats with long flowing manes and tails, and their elegant self-carriage. These high-stepping horses have superb natural movement. Still a relatively rare breed, with only about 1,200 in North America, they are gaining in popularity. It’s hard not to fall in love with the breed once you experience their noble beauty and sweet temperaments.

One of Stew’s clients, Katonah resident, Mary Kornblum, drives her nineteen-year-old Suffolk Punch on the back roads around her Winter Dreams Farm. Her strapping chestnut, aptly named The Punch, is a powerfully built horse with a huge personality. His breed is one of the oldest draft breeds in existence, and due to its rarity, is now on the domesticated animal endangered species list. These grand animals are wide-bodied and extremely strong.


Photo by Leda Blumberg

 


A true representative of the rare Suffolk draft breed, Punch is often seen driving on local lanes with Stew and owner Mary Kornblum.

Mary, creative director of CMYK Design and publisher of Hudson Valley HorseSource, originally bought Punch as a riding horse for her husband, John, but it was clear that Punch wanted to drive. Every time Mary and John took their horses to Rockefeller Preserve to ride, Punch would listen for carts. “Anytime a cart or carriage was coming by, Punch would get very interested. It’s as if he was saying ‘that’s what I want to do,’” says Mary. “Punch wanted to trot along with them.”

So she called Stew and started driving Punch about a year and a half ago.

“Stew is so supportive and intuitive in what is going on with horse and driver,” says Mary. “His first priority is safety and his main concern is the happiness and well-being of both the horse and the people involved. “He’s very attuned to horses’ needs and temperaments and knows exactly how to proceed with the horse. He’s incredibly patient and never loses his temper with a horse.”

Mary looks forward to her weekly driving lessons with Stew. She considers him an inspiration. “Stew absolutely loves what he does and that is a wonderful gift: to incorporate what you love to do -- your life's calling -- into your profession.”

The above article originally appeared in North County News.
 
     
 
     
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Photo by Sally Frank
  

For many equestrians, riding in the Olympics is the ultimate goal, but for two-time Olympian Lendon Gray, riding in the Olympics was the launching point for her life’s most meaningful work as an advocate for young riders, smal lhorses and ponies.

Gray firmly believes that dressage is beneficial for every

 
Natalia Pera from Argentina, Isabelle Leibler of Greenwich, CT, Alexandra Frank of North Salem, NY and Katherine Norkus of Pleasantville, NY were a winning team at Lendon's Youth Dressage Festival.
 

horse. Whether a hunter, jumper or Western reining horse,dressage training will improve a horse’s athleticism.

At Sunnyfield Farm in Bedford, New York, Gray operates Gleneden Dressage where she works with close to 50 horses and about 60 students. Being a well-known Olympian, she could choose to train only the finest horses and riders, but Gray loves working with kids and amateurs as well as the more experienced equestrians.

In fact, Gray is probably the most vocal and most active advocate for young riders with an interest in dressage. She created the organization, Dressage4Kids, to give more youngsters opportunities to become involved with dressage. Dressage4Kids’ mission is “To encourage riders under 21 to become true horsemen with correct position, competitive skills, and knowledge of all aspects of riding and horse care; to offer scholarships to enable competitors to further their education; to have fun and develop good sportsmanship throughout.”

Gray, a native of Maine who has made her home in Bedford, New York for the past 13 years, is a driving force in the dressage world. Her seemingly endless energy takes her all over the country coaching students at competitions, teaching clinics and promoting dressage for kids and ponies.

Gray represented the United States in two Olympics – in 1980 on Beppo and in 1988 riding Later On. And she has won 26 national dressage championships – an unprecedented amount!

But she wasn’t ready to rest on her laurels. “A couple of things were bothering me over a period of years,” explained Gray. “When I grew up, many of us kept our horses in our backyards and through taking care of our own horses we learned a lot about horsemanship and care. Nowadays, many people board their horses at public stables. They come, they ride, and that’s about as far as it goes. Today many riders know absolutely nothing about horse care. To me, that’s a little scary.”

“Another thing that was happening is that as youth equestrian sports grew, a lot of people were buying very lovely horses, which is wonderful, but for those that can’t afford to do that, they get left behind a little bit and feel that there is nothing for them.”
The third thing that Gray found bothersome was the fact that she saw that many riders who were competing at the higher levels weren’t riding correctly, yet they were still able to win due to the highly-trained horses they were sitting on.

Lendon’s Youth Dressage Festival

“All of these things bothered me a bunch and I decided to do something about it,” said Gray. This was the impetus for Lendon’s Youth Dressage Festival (originally called the Northeast Junior/Young Rider Dressage Championships when it was founded in 1999), which is a three-part competition that takes the emphasis off who has the fanciest horse. The first part of the competition is a traditional dressage test; then there is an equitation class which is judged on the rider’s position and use of aids; the third part is a written test with questions on riding theory and stable management.

“Our emphasis is on good horsemanship and sportsmanship,” explains Gray. “My goal was to try to make the dressage festival as big a deal as I could, not necessarily for the kids that have everything going for them, but for the one’s who don’t -- to make this their big year-end championship.”

Gray enlists well-known dressage professionals to judge this competition so the kids can get feedback from the famous dressage professionals that they read about. These judges can become role models for the young riders as they become more involved with the sport.

Lendon’s Youth Dressage Festival, which was held in Saugerties, New York last summer, attracted 250 competitors age 7 through 21. Past competitions have included young riders from Germany, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, the Czech Republic,

 


Lendon Gray on her remarkable dressage pony Seldom Seen.
Austria and Canada. Gray and her team of volunteers find mounts for these foreign riders to use while at the competition. The youngest competitor this year was seven and in fact, the overall winner -- the rider with the highest score, Isabelle Leibler of Greenwich, Connecticut – is nine years old.

According to Sally Frank, spokesperson for Dressage4Kids, “The Festival Show Committee that manages and operates all aspects of the event is an all-volunteer group of Westchester and Fairfield County residents who are interested in the advancement of the sport of dressage for young people. Sponsors of the 2004 Festival include The Horse Connection in Bedford, Hearst Publications, Hermès, Trafalgar Square Publishing, Equine Journal, Prestige, and Thornhill. Competitors won saddles, equipment, training opportunities in the United States and Europe, and a trip to be a spectator at the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany.”

In an effort to level the playing field, the competition supplies “roving trainers” who are available to help anyone who wants help. This unique competition gives young riders a noteworthy goal and an opportunity to show and share their horsemanship skills with kids from all over the United States and some foreign countries, too.

“The Pony Person”

Gray didn’t plan to be a pioneer, breaking new ground in the dressage world, but that’s just what she’s done. With the remarkable 14.2 hand Thoroughbred/Connemara pony, Seldom Seen, she showed the dressage world that ponies can excel at dressage.
Seldom Seen belonged to Peg Whitehurst, who Gray worked for. Whitehurst got the flu just before a horse trial and asked Gray if she’d ride Seldom Seen for her. She did and she won. Gray continued to event Seldom Seen successfully, then eventually switched to just dressage.

Many professionals advised Gray against riding a pony in major dressage competitions, but every year Seldom Seen got better and better. Even when Gray trained Seldom Seen to Grand Prix, other trainers were telling her that she was going to ruin her reputation by riding a pony. She became known as “The Pony Person.”

“At first I felt a little insecure competing a pony at the upper levels,” said Gray. “But the more people told me I shouldn’t do it, the more I said ‘oh yes I can.’ It became something that I was very proud of.” Aboard Seldom Seen, Gray won national dressage championships at every level from second level through Grand Prix. They rode to success both here and abroad and proved that, indeed, size doesn’t matter.

Last Scene, Lendon’s second highly successful dressage pony, also won at Grand Prix. He is related to Seldom Seen. Though he’s the younger of the two, Last Scene is Seldon Seen’s uncle (trust me, it’s complicated). Last Scene, now 25 years old, lives at Sunnyfield Farm, and is currently ridden by one of Gray’s students.

Gray believes that ponies and small horses can be better choices for many riders. Big isn’t always better, and in fact, it can be hard for children and smaller adults to ride some of the big-bodied Warmbloods that are ridden by so many dressage professionals.

“Though there are still some judges who don’t like small horses, more judges are willing to look at the horse for how its trained and performs,” said Gray. Without a doubt, Gray proved that you can be successful in dressage with a small horse.

In an effort to create more opportunities for young riders, Gray started the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Dressage Seat Medal Finals for equitation. (Equitation classes are judged solely on the rider’s skills). “Every other discipline – saddle seat, stock seat, hunt seat, reining – has a big equitation championship. Dressage was the only one that didn’t. It took me years and years to get it going, but it’s now going full blast,” explained Gray. Kids come from every part of the country for these finals, which were recently held in Kentucky.

It is clear that Gray believes in giving back to the sport that she loves so much. Through promoting dressage for young riders, aiding riders who can’t afford expensive horses, and working hard to bring more ponies and small horses into the dressage arena, Gray has helped the sport progress in much needed ways.

“Most people with Olympic experience go into big-time things,” remarked Gray. “My main interest has been in kids and ponies. My success as a competitor has helped because people pay attention to me. I feel like I’ve filled a void.” She has. And she continues to do great work opening up dressage to a broader community of people and horses.

For more information on Dressage4Kids, visit http://www.dressage4kids.com
The above article originally appeared in North County News

 

 
     
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Photo by James Leslie Parker
    
         
      Even before she could walk, Dominique Mungin was up on a horse’s back. As a little girl, she’d accompany her mom to the barn where she loved to brush the horses and feed them carrots. At age four, she started taking riding lessons and instantly developed a great affection for the horses and ponies in her life. Now, at age 15, Dominique is one of our country’s finest young riders.  
Imperial City and Dominique's winning form at Florida's Winter
Equestrian Festival this past March.
   
         
      Dominique rides as often as possible and competes in horse shows on most weekends. During the school week, this Yorktown High School sophomore rides two to three horses every afternoon; on weekends she may ride as many as six horses in a day. And even with all this riding, Dominique excels in her schoolwork and finds time to hang out with her friends.

Watching Dominique ride, you are struck by her elegance. When she jumps a course, there’s a smoothness and softness to her style. She creates a unique bond with the horses she rides, and the show judges can’t help but notice. They’ve rewarded her with many important wins over the years, including championships at major horse shows such as Old Salem Farm, Vermont Summer Festival, Lake Placid, HITS Catskills and the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida.

In 2001, she was in the top ten at the National USA Equestrian Pony Finals with the pony, Peachy Keen. This was an especially sweet victory for Dominique because she helped train Peachy Keen. “I was the first one to ever jump him,” says Dominique. “It was great to work with him and see him progress.”

Unlike many folks who show horses, Dominique doesn’t own her own horse. But because she is such a skilled rider, other horse owners are thrilled to have her show their horses. Two horses that she shows frequently, Added Value and Imperial City, are owned by Francesca Forrestal, a college student at U. C. Davis. Added Value, affectionately known around the barn as William, has been extremely successful in the children’s and junior hunter divisions with Dominique. They have taken top honors at many shows, including winning the 2002 Children’s Hunter Finals for Zone 2 (NY, NJ and PA). That same year, she was Reserve Champion at the State Line Tack National Children’s Medal Finals, which confirmed her standing as one of our country’s top young riders.

Her love for Added Value is clear when she talks about him: “He’s really great. He has so much character. He’s a little pushy, but he’s really sweet and has a lot of personality. He’s really cute and he likes to follow me around his stall.”

Imperial City, aka Cricket, has excelled in the children’s jumper division with Dominique aboard. This athletic bay gelding can be a bit quirky at home, but when he goes in the show ring, he’s all business. He knows his job, and he does it well.

The Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Florida is considered the world’s largest horse show series in which more than 5,000 riders from around the world compete over the course of ten weeks. Dominique rode Imperial City in four of the WEF shows and was Reserve Champion in the children’s jumper division at three of them!

Initially, Dominique wasn’t planning to spend much time at the Florida shows, but winning the ASPCA Maclay class at Littlewood qualified her to compete in the Ronnie Mutch Equitation Classic. “This is a big deal,” says her trainer Molly Flaherty, “a very big deal.” This championship class is only open to winners of the major equitation classes held during the Winter Equestrian Festival.

The Ronnie Mutch Equitation Classic is unique because students may not receive any guidance from their trainers while warming up for the competition. In addition to being judged on their riding skills, the participants receive a score from a judge who watches them prepare their horses in the schooling area. The riders must think for themselves and come up with their own individual plans for how they will ride their jumping rounds. Dominique felt honored to participate in this prestigious class. “It was a really amazing experience to ride in the Ronnie Mutch Equitation Classic this past winter. It was really fun because I got to meet a bunch of new kids. Everyone was really nice.”

Eddie Horowitz, a professional horseman based in Long Island, was pleased to lend his horse San Andres for Dominique to ride in this important competition. Although she had ridden San Andrea for the first time only one day before the show, she rode him to an impressive eighth place finish.

Since she was four years old, Dominique has trained with Molly Flaherty. Molly and Patricia Peckham, Dominique’s mom, have been business partners since 1986. They have a beautiful stable, Arcadia Farm, in Yorktown, where they train some of our nation’s finest riders and show horses.

Molly speaks very highly of Dominique. “She’s very hard-working and has a great work ethic. Dominique always has a great attitude no matter what. Anytime we have any kind of riding challenge for her, she’s always right there She is very concerned about the horses as individuals and likes to spend time with any horse she rides, even if it’s a horse she’ll only ride once or twice. She treats every horse like it’s her own.”

“Dominique is interested in the horsemanship beyond being a great rider,” says Molly. “She’s interested in how the barn runs and how each individual horse is taken care of, how it’s prepared for a horse show and taken care of after. She likes the whole thing from beginning to end, not just being in the ring. She really bonds with the horses and understands that it’s a team sport.”

  


Photography byO'Neill's

Pictured here at age 12, Dominique won many championships with the pony Peachy Keen.

Clearly, Dominique admires Molly, too. “Molly is an amazing teacher,” she says “I’ve learned so much from her. She emphasizes not only being good with your riding skills, but being good around the barn, too.”Dominique’s mom is also a top-notch riding instructor, but she’s happy to have Molly be Dominique’s trainer. “My mom is really supportive about everything” says Dominique. “She’s always there to give me insight or tips. She’ll help me if I ask her, but she’s also good about staying in the background when Molly is teaching me.”

Dominique has a busy summer of horse shows planned. “After school ends, I’m going to Lake Placid (horse show) for two weeks, then we take a week off from showing, then go to the Vermont Summer Festival for two weeks. We’ll also show at the Hampton Classic and at HITS Catskills.” She is also hoping to volunteer for a therapeutic riding program so she can share her love of horses with children and adults who have disabilities.

Her riding goals for this year are to qualify for all the big equitation finals: the ASPCA Maclay (NY), USEF Medal (Harrisburg, PA), and the USET Junior Riders Class (held at the United States Equestrian Team headquarters in Gladstone, NJ). Doing well in any of these three finals is a crowning achievement in a young rider’s show career.

In addition to riding, Dominique works very hard in school. “My goal is to stay on the high honor roll every quarter,” she says. “I am also very interested in veterinary medicine, and I’m really interested in learning more about law and politics.” She’s not sure about her long-term goals, but knows she will always be involved with animals. “I love horses and I can’t really see myself without them.”

What’s really impressive about Dominique is more than the fact that she is a highly successful rider: it’s her genuine love of horses. This lovely young woman is dedicated to the happiness and well-being of all the horses she works with, and her equestrian skills help bring out the best in her mounts. These horses are very fortunate to have Dominque Mungin in their lives.

The above article originally appeared in North County News.

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Local horsewoman, Laura Parker, always aspired to have her own barn where she could care for horses with meticulous attention to detail and train them with a high level of communication. Several years ago, with the purchase of 54 acres in Patterson, New York, her dream came true. Her beautiful facility, Inner Circle Farm, has become a haven for horses and the people who ride there. “Inner Circle Farm came from wanting a quiet, sanctuary type environment where competition was not the foremost goal, but it was part of the learning and training process,” said Parker.

Parker has been in the horse business for the past 35 years. First as a groom and stable manager; later as an instructor and trainer. At one time she managed the stable for Pace University while on faculty as an instructor for their riding program. She has worked with several top dressage trainers, including Gary Rockwell, a successful international competitor who is a former member of the United States Equestrian Team; Cathy McWilliams, a dressage professional whom Parker worked as an assistant for for seven years; Franz Rochawansky, former chief rider for the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria; and Eike von Veltheim, a superb German trainer.
 
The facilities include an indoor arena that’s blessed with natural light due to translucent sides, an outdoor arena with a beautiful view, and a dressage ring which is currently under construction. Grass-filled paddocks enable the horses to spend time outside grazing seven days a week and the farm’s wooded riding trails give horses and riders the opportunity to relax after their training sessions.

Parker takes pride in providing individualized care for each horse. “We have a wonderful network of professionals to provide optimal care for our horses,” says Parker. Among them are Dr. Allen Schoen,a veterinarian who specializes in integrative therapies like chiropractic and acupuncture;

 

Laura Parker riding the
magnificent horse, Micaro.

Denis Girard, a farrier who Parker credits with doing very high-quality shoeing; farm coordinator Leslie Laredo, who according to Parker, “is invaluable in keeping upwith the individual needs of our clients and always has a watchful eye on the horses;” and Natalie Deeb, a massage therapist and animal communicator who makes sure the horses are understood.

Deeb keeps her horse, Destiny, at Inner Circle and has worked with Parker for the past six years. “Inner Circle is an extremely special place,” said Deeb. “All the horses are heard. People really listen to them. We recognize that they are much more than just these incredible animals that can do these amazing movements. We understand that they have their own emotional states and we do our best to respect their moods.”

Parker integrates open-minded training and communication techniques, such as Sally Swift’s Centered Riding, John Lyon’s training methods and The Tellington TTouch Equine Awareness Method into her classical dressage training.

“Dressage means training and training is about communicating,” says Parker. “ I enjoy helping all horses and riders improve their communication, whether the horse is a dressage horse, a hunter or a jumper.”

Parker is a firm believer in the importance of varying a horse’s work. She believes that no horse should do just dressage and likes all of her horses to do some jumping and to go out on the trails regularly.

One method that Parker has had a lot of success with is clicker training. Clicker training is “surprisingly powerful,” says Parker. “I was first introduced to clicker training through a dog trainer. I’ve found that it enables training breakthroughs with many different training issues both on the ground and under saddle.”

Clicker training breaks down training into simple tasks to make sure that horses understand exactly what they are being asked to do. A clicker is used to reinforce positive behavior. When the horse does the desired behavior, the trainer presses the clicker (or makes a clicking noise) and immediately rewards the horse. Food is the initial reward, but eventually the clicker sound alone allows the horse to know that they’ve done the right thing.

Parker studied the Alexander Technique for nine years, which has helped her as a teacher and a rider. Several of Parker’s students also study the Alexander Technique in order to compliment and improve their riding. So much of good riding is about balance, feel and flexibility and any body awareness method that improves these characteristics will improve one’s riding.

Although she has had a successful show career in the dressage arena, Parker’s personal goal is to train a horse to Grand Prix. She imported her favorite horse, Karachi, a twenty-one year old Danish Warmblood, from Europe ten years ago. “Karachi is the most amazing horse I’ve ever had,” said Parker. “He is nicknamed ‘the professor’ because he has infinite patience with any level rider and can show riders how correct movements should feel.” Although Parker intends to train Karachi all the way to Grand Prix, respiratory issues may prevent him from competing at this very demanding level of dressage.

Micaro, a Dutch Warmblood owned by Gail Sanger, is the horse that Parker is currently competing in dressage shows. Parker has had great success with Micaro since she started showing him last year. She has high hopes that this magnificent horse will eventually become a Grand Prix competitor.

“My deepest conviction is that there is a way to train, perhaps more slowly than other people, but where the horse always maintains an attitude of happiness, joy, comfort and sensitivity,” said Parker. A firm believer in ongoing education, she currently studies with Ron Postled, a German classical trainer. Says Parker, “ I always believe in more education for myself. I enjoy taking clinics with wonderful American trainers as well.”

In addition to a busy riding and teaching schedule, Parker helps riders find horses to buy using her many contacts in the United States and Europe. Through her long-term association with the hunter/jumper professional, DeeDee Cooke, she is able to offer a few really high-quality hunters and dressage horses for sale.

For Parker and her fellow riders at Inner Circle Farm, communication is key. Parker believes, “Classical dressage as the foundation, coupled with hands-on work, clicker training, and any other methods that improves communication gives you a more complete learning process.” This holistic approach to training certainly works well for the horses at Inner Circle Farm.

You can learn more about Inner Circle Farm at their website: www.innercirclefarm.com
The above article originally appeared in North County News

 
 
     
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