EPICenter News

New EPIC Trail to Open

An extension of the Breezy Loop Trail is set to open later this year. Named the Little Bucklodge Branch Loop, Mark and Kim Kabbes have been very busy clearing debris and trees and smoothing out the paths. They will be marking the trails in the coming months. It is shaping up to be one of our best trails yet! Keep an eye on our website, Facebook page and future issues of this newsletter for more information on where it will be located and when it will officially open. We are working on setting dates for an EPIC trail ride to celebrate its opening, and we hope that you’ll join us!

Horses or Houses?

In the end we will conserve only what we love. We love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.–Baba Dioum, Sengalese ecologist, Speech 1968

This year the Potomac Hunt Club is celebrating it’s 100^th anniversary. On March 14, it hosted a land preservation and stewardship forum to help educate members and friends on the great treasure that is the Agricultural Reserve and what we need to do to keep things green for future generations. EPIC was present along with Montgomery Countryside Alliance (MCA), Sugarloaf Citizens Association (SCA), Maryland Environmental Trust, Trail Riders of Today (TROT), Potomac Bridle and Hiking Trails Association (PBHTA) and others. EPIC’s own chairman, Mike Rubin, spoke to the crowd of close to 100.

Created in 1981 by the County Council to preserve agriculture, the Agricultural Reserve covers 93,000 acres. There are about 12,000 acres of open land that have been preserved through private conservation easements and the sale of development rights to private land trusts, Montgomery County and the State of Maryland. Roy Hanson, chairman of the Montgomery County Planning Board and the man behind the creation of the Agricultural Reserve in 1981, discussed how the cultural heritage that this region represents is important because it says something about what we value and defines who we are as a county and is our legacy. The population in the Ag Reserve has increased 100 percent since its establishment, and our goal is to reduce the number of rooftops that are added either by buying more land or by receiving more donations of easements. For more information on land conservation go to www.epicmontgomery.org.

Your Stories Needed!

Have you tried to build an indoor arena or horse barn recently only to encounter problems with zoning laws or building codes? If so, the Maryland Horse Council wants to hear from you. EPIC attended a meeting March 18 sponsored by MHC on its new “Save the Horse Farms” initiative. While this plan is state-based, MHC is looking for county coordinators to help gather information on specific problems land owners are having in running or creating their horse farms in order to help change legislation that, in many counties, is out of date. MHC also needs help researching specific county zoning laws. Any anecdotal experiences you’ve had that indicate there is a barrier to the survival of horse farms in Montgomery County would be of great interest, as this project is designed to help horse farms thrive in Montgomery County and other counties in Maryland. Once the research is complete, MHC will issue a report along with model county laws that can be applied anywhere. County citizens can then take this information to county councils for adoption. For more information and to fill out a questionnaire, click here.

Maryland Horse Census on the Way

Though you probably  just mailed back your National Census form, there’s another on the way. The 2010 Maryland Horse Census is mailing next week to more than 21,000 Maryland equid owners. The census is a count of all horses, ponies, mules, burros and donkeys located in Maryland, regardless of ownership or use.

Maryland’s horse industry is vital, and this survey is the only reliable measure of the size and economic impact of the industry for public and private decision-making processes. This census will show how the industry has changed in the eight years since the first one was completed. The results will reveal the scope and economic importance of the Maryland equine industry, including identifying the number of horses owned for recreational, show, racing and therapeutic purposes; the amount of land used for equine-related activities; and strategies for attracting and retaining more equine and equine-related business and jobs in the state. Most importantly, the census will give horse industry leaders as well as public and private decision makers the current, accurate data they need to promote the industry and make informed decisions.

All of the major sectors of the equine industry will be included in the census. The questionnaire will ask for numbers of equids by breed, use, location and type of operation, and expenses, sales and assets associated with equine operations. The Maryland Horse Industry Board assures owners that this census is not part of any licensing, testing or other regulatory activity and that all responses are confidential.

A final report will be made available to the public in January 2011. Anyone receiving a census may request a copy of the published report on the form.

If you have not received a census by May 1, call (800) 675-0295 to request one. EPIC strongly recommends that all horse owners complete one. For more information visit www.marylandhorseindustry.org/census.shtml.

EPIC Barn Spotlight: Chasin Dreams Farm

By Traci Bryant Donatelli

In 2004, Denise Chasin was massaging horses for a living when she mentioned to her long-time friend Marianne Alexander that she might like to volunteer in Marianne’s Personal Ponies, Ltd., an international 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides small UK Shetland ponies to children with disabilities or illnesses. A few days later, Marianne called Denise about a Shetland who was weeks away from giving birth. The owner was leaving the country, and the mare needed a home right away. With no breeding/birthing experience and against her husband’s better judgment, Denise soon found herself in West Virginia loading a small, gray, very-pregnant Shetland named Neatherly onto her trailer.

Six years and a much bigger barn later, Denise has built a successful Personal Ponies breeding program at her Barnesville farm, in the heart of Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve. Neatherly currently keeps company with a 3-year-old stallion named Lord Braiden Bressay (Braiden for short) who is first generation off the Shetland Islands (an archipelago in Scotland, off the northeast coast) and three other mares. In January, Denise became National Director of Personal Ponies, Ltd., which now has volunteers in every state with over 1,800 ponies placed around the country, including Hawaii. The program is based on the belief that a pony can magically change the life of a child.

Shetlands have temperaments uniquely suited to fill this role. These tiny ponies (generally 28–38 inches tall) were originally bred to haul peat and do farm work. In the late 19th century they were used extensively in the coal mines of Scotland and Wales and in the mines of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Their patient, quiet and kind ways were ideal for pulling coal cars through narrow mine shafts. With their thick manes and furry coats, they are not as flashy as the American Shetland ponies (who have Hackney in their lineage), but what they lack in pizzazz, they make up for in heart. Most of these ponies are too small to ride, but many are taught to drive.

Personal Ponies doesn’t have any eligibility rules, and, Denise says, “You don’t have to convince us that you are worthy or that your special child is sick enough or disabled enough to qualify. If you have a child who is ‘differently able’ and you believe that a very special new best friend might make a difference in your child’s life, then we want to help.”

Ponies are provided on loan to families for long-term or lifetime use on the condition that they be cared for and loved, and once they’re outgrown, they go on to touch another child’s life. The ponies dedicate their lives to this mission, and they are placed in pairs to ensure they have constant companionship. Families and facilities are carefully screened, new owners are educated on pony care and those who cannot provide a suitable home or care for the ponies can visit the ponies at Chasin Dreams.

The breeding ponies at Chasin Dreams serve as equine ambassadors for all types of visitors—from 4-H and Girl Scout troops to children with autism, cancer or other ailments. After years of studying various types of education, Denise believes that children learn best when they’re given the freedom to pursue their own curiosity at their own pace. Therefore, there is no agenda, no lesson plan and no forced interaction. Denise lets each child decide how he or she would like to interact with the ponies. In fact, three years ago she founded an alternative school in Dickerson called FreedomHill Cooperative based on these principles. She’s witnessed children who have never spoken carry on long conversations with her ponies, and she fondly remembers a 6-year-old girl who told her that one of the ponies was her first friend; her mother confirmed that he truly was.

This somewhat radical approach, however, makes it difficult to obtain program funding along the more traditional routes. There are no quantitative results – no rubrics, no outcomes. The change that occurs inside the heart and mind of a small child is not always measurable with such methods. But after watching these kids open up and blossom with these ponies, one can’t deny its transformative powers and effectiveness.

Like all other Personal Ponies volunteers, Denise receives no compensation for her time, and she raises the ponies largely at her own expense. She takes her ponies to community outreach events throughout the year and almost every weekend during the summer. Personal Ponies has visited nursing homes, nursery schools, camps, cancer centers, special-needs programs and even joined Circle of Hope Therapeutic Riding Center, based in Barnesville, in welcoming groups from Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Hospitals. If there are children who could benefit from Personal Ponies and they can’t come to her, Denise will bring the ponies to them.

To find out more about Personal Ponies and how you can help as a volunteer or donor, visit the Chasin Dreams website at www.chasindreamsfarm.com or call Denise at (301) 349-2161.

Want to find out how to become an EPIC Barn Member? Visit our Membership page.

President’s Message

I don’t know about you, but now that this crazy winter is behind us, I can’t wait to hit the trails aboard my mare Sequin, seeking new paths I have yet to explore. EPIC is blazing trails of its own, and I am excited to fill you in on some of the new things happening with our organization.

Breezy Loop (trail head at the Pony Club field on Bucklodge Road) will soon gain an additional two-mile loop to be named Little Bucklodge Branch Loop. Bookmark our website www.epicmontgomery.org or join us on Facebook for trail-opening announcements, news, events and much more.

I’d like to welcome two enthusiastic people who are behind many of EPIC’s changes: Traci Bryant Donatelli joins us as a part-time employee. Since coming on board, she has been working hard coordinating everything at EPIC. Stacey Nedrow-Wigmore works on a contract basis to maintain the EPIC Web site, establish social networking pages and publish our now-quarterly newsletter. With Traci and Stacey’s assistance, this year promises to be great for riding EPIC trails, bringing our members together and expanding our advocacy work on behalf of the equestrian community.

While we’re on the subject of membership, if you haven’t yet become a member of EPIC, please consider joining. We have a number of membership levels for individuals, barns and businesses, each offering valuable benefits, including the upkeep, protection and expansion of the EPIC trail system you use.

We hope to see you at one or more of our upcoming EPIC trail rides where you can meet new people while becoming acquainted with the beauty and excellent riding opportunities in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve. See our calendar for specific dates.

Finally, do let us know of any problems you encounter on the EPIC trail system by noting the number on the closest trail marker and e-mailing us at info@epicmontgomery.org.

Happy trails!

David Tobin
President, EPIC

Trail Emergency! A Nail in His Hoof

By Javier Donatelli, DVM

You’re out for a trail ride with friends on a beautiful, sunny spring day. One minute everything is fine, suddenly your horse comes up very lame, not wanting to put any weight on his hind foot, except occasionally resting his toe. Your riding partners don’t see anything obvious, so you hop off to investigate further. When you pick up your horse’s affected hoof, you are horrified to find a rusty nail sticking out of his sole.

While a hoof puncture can happen in the pasture or barn just as easily as on a trail, being away from the barn complicates the situation because it’s harder for your vet to reach your horse. Even if she can get to you, her ability to X-ray the hoof to see the track of the nail before it’s removed—the preferred diagnostic method—is compromised due to lack of electricity.

To handle this potential emergency, follow these steps:

1. First and most importantly, DON’T pull out the nail. Note exactly where it’s located, what angle it entered the sole and how deep it penetrated. If you have access to a camera (standard on most cell phones), take a photo of the bottom of his hoof showing the exact location of the embedded nail.
2. Call your veterinarian. Ideally, you want to wait for your vet to reach you so she can remove the nail herself, allowing her to discern whether or not it has damaged any critical structures, such as the navicular bone, a tendon or joint.
3. If your vet cannot reach you on the trail, you will need to pull out the nail before you can walk your horse home. Most nails can be easily pulled out by hand. As you remove it, again carefully note the angle of entry and how deep it penetrated the sole.
4. After removing the nail, but before putting your horse’s hoof on the ground, use the camera to take another photo while you hold the nail parallel to
   

   If you must remove a nail from your horse's hoof, use a camera to note where it was located.

   your horse’s sole with the tip pointing toward the location of penetration and indicating the depth with your fingers (see photo right).

5. If you have access to a wrap, such as a polo bandage, wrap it around your horse’s hoof and sole to keep the nail hole as clean as possible.
6. Lead your horse back to the barn on foot. Do not ride.

Once your vet arrives, here’s what to expect:

1. She will use a sharp hoof knife to dig around the nail hole to expose the track to the air. This helps decrease the chance your horse contracts tetanus, a neurological infection caused by deadly Clostridium tetani, anaerobic bacteria that live in the soil and may have contaminated the nail.
2. If your vet determines that the puncture is uncomplicated, that is, it did not puncture any critical structures, she will treat the injury like she would an abscess: She may soak the affected hoof in hot water and Epsom salts, apply an ointment, such as ichthammol, to draw out any infection and then wrap the hoof to keep it clean.
3. Finally, she will administer a wide-spectrum antibiotic to stave off infection as well as an anti-inflammatory to decrease pain and inflammation. She will also give your horse a tetanus booster.

Complications from a nail puncture can range from something as simple as abscess or as severe as a career-ending injury if it has pierced one of the sensitive structures in the hoof. If your vet determines that one of these structures has been affected, she will refer your horse to a veterinary hospital for immediate and aggressive treatment.

Javier Donatelli, DVM, of Poolesville, Maryland, runs a private equine veterinary practice, Javier Donatelli Equine Veterinarian LLC. He specializes in lameness, dentistry and general medicine. He has done extensive work for many local horse rescues, and he is an EPIC Business Member. Dr. Donatelli can be reached at javdonatelli@hotmail.com or by phone at (301) 330-5035 (office) or (240) 676-1990 (cell).