The Maryland Horse Council Celebrates 35 Years of One Common Voice, continued
T e fi rst MHC board also stated the goals of increasing membership and conducting a state-wide equine census. In 1997, MHC began writ- ing formal letters to MDA requesting a census. T e fi rst ever equine census in Mary- land was conducted by the USDA/MDA in 2002. T e census was repeated in 2010. Today, MHC has over 400 members spanning all aspects of the horse community.
MHC’s Impact As stated earlier, the legisla-
tive process and having horse- men being well represented to the Maryland government was an initial goal of MHC. Its fi rst newsletter stated that the
board would
The very fi rst MHC Newsletter, dated November 1985, lists eight initial goals of MHC, all of which have been achieved during MHC’s 35 years.
lines” brochure and the following year, MHC supported TROT and the Maryland Depart- ment of Natural Resources (DNR) in their plan to map trails using GPS technology. T roughout MHC’s history, it continues to work with trail groups and DNR to promote and maintain Maryland’s trail system. Educational seminars were also listed as an
initial goal of MHC. Over the years, MHC has hosted and/or partnered with other groups to produce several educational seminars. One of the fi rst seminars MHC sponsored was the Pleasure Horse Seminar in Carroll County in 1991. Most recently, MHC is the title sponsor of the Southern Maryland Horse Summit set for March 8. Other MHC seminars have included such topics as farm liability, pre- venting barn fi res, and immigra- tion laws. Publication of a regular newslet- ter and an industry directory were both tasks of the fi rst MHC board. Newsletters were mailed to mem- bers on a fairly regular basis before the digital age had them emailed and posted to MHC’s website. Newsletters were also published in T e Equiery periodically and now appear monthly as Executive Direc- tor Carrie Hull’s “Letter from the Publisher.” MHC produced its fi rst Horse Industry Directory in 1989. 16 | THE EQUIERY | MARCH 2020
“monitor
state and local legislation af- fecting horsemen.” From the beginning, MHC took a very active
role in representing
horsemen in Annapolis. In 1992, MHC was instru- mental in defeating a bill that would have replaced the State
Sport of jousting with duck pin bowling. T e following year, MHC played a role in defeat- ing yet another bill related to the State Sport, which would have replaced jousting with la- crosse. To this day, jousting is still Maryland’s State Sport thanks to MHC! MHC held its fi rst Legislative Day on June 5, 1994 at the Maryland Horse Center (now the Potomac Horse Center) and that year, MHC
defeated legislation that would have banned the use of whips and spurs by non-racing horse people. T en in 1996, MHC played a role in MDA recognizing horses as an “alternative form of agriculture.” It was not until 1998 while Malcolm Com- mer was MHC president that MHC hired its fi rst professional legislative representative. T at was also the year that MHC spearheaded leg- islation to create the Maryland Horse Industry Board. T eir voice was heard and on October 1, 1998, MHIB was established. In 2001, MHC supported the Feed Fund Bill,
which initially failed but was eventually passed in 2002. T e Feed Fund helps fund MHIB and supports their annual grant program and the stable licensing and inspection program. MHC sponsored additional Feed Fund legislation in 2009 to increase funding for MHIB. In 2000, MHC helped pass legislation to
make some forms of intentional animal cruelty a felony rather than a misdemeanor. T is law also increased the potential penalties involved with these crimes. In 2003, MHC helped defeat a bill that
would have taxed lesson stables. Sunday Hunting is a hot topic that continues to
come up in Annapolis each year. In 2015, MHC defeated seven Sunday Hunting bills. In 2016, MHC defeated a “county courtesy” bill, which would have authorized hunting every Sunday during game mammal and game bird seasons in Caroline County. MHC has been successful in defeating hunting bills every year since. MHC adopted a formal resolution to support
the federal Safeguard American Food Exports Act in 2015 under Jane Seigler’s presidency. With this vote, MHC became the fi rst state horse council in the nation to take a formal po- sition opposing horse slaughter. “I am most proud of the in-
crease in visibility and respect the Horse Council garners in the legislature,” Seigler added. “Legislators know us by sight, often seek our input on eques- trian issues and respect the political power, constituent en- gagement and economic clout of horse people in Maryland.”
Equine Welfare
“I am most proud of the increase in visibility and respect the Horse Coun- cil garners in the legislature,” said former MHC president and current PAC chair Jane Seigler. Pictured from left: Colby Ferguson, MD Farm Bureau; Claire Lacey, My Lady’s Manor Driving Club; Christine Hajek, Gentle Gi- ants Draft Horse Rescue; Jane Seigler, MHC; and Del. Dr. Michele Guyton, at a January 2020 hearing on HB 171.
T e health, safety and care of our horses has always been a top priority of MHC and through the years the board has initiated educational seminars, provided guidelines through brochures and formed com- mittees and task forces geared towards equine welfare. In 1994, in partnership with
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