54/ APRIL 2023 THE RIDER


Days End Farm Horse Rescue Commits To Extending Vision of Late Founder Kathy Schwartz-Howe


Days End Farm Horse Res- cue (DEFHR) staff, volun- teers, and its Board of Directors were saddened to learn of the passing of Kathy Schwartz-Howe, the organization’s co-founder and executive director for 24 years. Schwartz-Howe, 71, of Woodbine, Maryland, passed on March 6, 2023, following a battle with Alzheimer’s. By many


accounts,


Schwartz-Howe was a pio- neer in the world of equine rescue, but it was pure hap- penstance that led Schwartz- Howe to founding an equine rescue organization.


In


1989, Schwartz-Howe and her


then-husband Allan


Schwartz discovered, ac- quired, and rehabilitated a malnourished


gelding


named Toby. The process — from acquisition through re- habilitation — demonstrated to Schwartz-Howe that the State of Maryland did not have facilities to assist law enforcement in caring for horses in Toby’s predica- ment, or to provide re- sources for owners in need, and it ignited a passion in the Schwartzes that led them to buy a small farm and offer intervention and reha- bilitation services to horses. Challenging the statis-


tic that 70% of horse rescues fail within the first three years, what began as a labor of love grew into a tiny non- profit organization that is now, 34 years later, a suc- cessful 501(c)3 equine wel- fare facility that shelters up to 150 horses every year and has saved more than 3,000 horses to date. While Toby’s success story set the stage for a lifelong mission of equine rescue and community education, Schwartz-Howe had boot- strapped her way through much of Toby’s rehabilita- tion and Maryland’s legal system. Consequently, she relied on local experts, wel- fare professionals, and vet- erinarians to lend critical knowledge about caring for horses recovering from neg- lect as well as the ins and outs of the legal system re- lated to intervention. One such animal wel-


fare expert was Carolyn “Nicky” Ratliff, a current member of DEFHR’s Advi- sory Council. Ratliff met Schwartz-Howe in 1991 when DEFHR was still in its infancy. At the time, Ratliff was the Executive Director of the Humane Society of Carroll County Inc. and the President of PAWS, Inc., the state association of animal control agencies and hu-


Kathy Schwartz-Howe was an equine welfare pioneer who received numerous


accolades for her contributions throughout her life. Upon her retirement in 2013, she was honored with a Secretary’s Citation from the Maryland Department of


Agriculture. Presenting are (from left) Maryland Horse Industry Board’s former Chair Jim Steele, former Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, and former Maryland Agriculture Deputy Secretary Mary Ellen Setting. Photo courtesy of Days End Farm Horse Rescue


mane organizations. Recog- nizing Schwartz-Howe’s passion and sensibility, Ratliff suggested DEFHR join PAWS, Inc. in an effort to assist Maryland’s animal control officers. As a result, the State of Maryland would


cleared to be adopted by new owners.


Becoming a Trailblazer The


Schwartzes


agreed to join PAWS, Inc., and it became a key inflec- tion point in the evolution of


only organization in Mary- land working with animal control officers to support equine investigations. “Kathy [Schwartz-


Howe] did an unbelievable job of educating herself on horses, horse health, and how to run a non-profit or- ganization,” said Ratliff. “She became an absolute expert and, essentially, an encyclopedia. “Prior to Kathy, most


animal control officers didn’t know the front end from the back end of a horse,” continued Ratliff. Well before the advent


of the internet, Schwartz- Howe had become a wealth of knowledge in a time when very little information about equine cruelty and abuse was readily available. Recognizing the gap in knowledge, she developed a comprehensive booklet to assist people interested in starting an equine rescue. While this booklet


was valuable for locals in- terested in the equine wel- fare


space,


Kathy Schwartz-Howe and her then-husband Allan Schwartz began DEFHR in 1989. Photo courtesy of Days End Farm Horse Rescue


handle the intervention and seizure of horses as well as manage the legal process re- lated to neglect and abuse cases, while Schwartz- Howe and her husband would rehabilitate and keep the horses at DEFHR until their legal cases were re- solved and they were


DEFHR’s mission.


Schwartz-Howe had been immersing herself in re- search and information about horses and, in turn, the Schwartzes began to ed- ucate state authorities and animal control officers about equines in need. At the time, DEFHR was the


Schwartz-Howe’s expertise also had a broader positive impact. Most notably, she was instrumental in devel- oping the current Minimum Standards of Care for Equines for Maryland state law. While not a law in and of itself, the Minimum Stan- dards of Care are horse care guidelines that help educate law enforcement officers, juries, and horse owners — many of whom aren’t famil- iar with horse keeping best practices — interpret and/or apply animal cruelty statutes and the eventual prosecution of individuals who mistreat


their horses. The prosecu- tion of these individuals is critical to the mission of putting an end to equine neglect and cruelty. In addi- tion to giving horses in a specific case a second chance at life, it also height- ens the public’s awareness about what mistreatment looks like and how to get as- sistance if they witness a horse in a dire situation. “Kathy’s role in creat-


ing the Minimum Standards of Care was inspiring for DEFHR staff, volunteers, and even animal control of- ficers,” recalled Ratliff. “It gave them purpose.” Ratliff witnessed the


evolution of DEFHR for more than 30 years and notes that Schwartz-Howe’s resolve to innovate the way equine welfare is ap- proached is what laid the foundation for DEFHR’s current priorities. “Kathy was the origi-


nator and the north star [for shaping DEFHR into the or- ganization it is today],” she said.


A Reimagined Future for Equine Welfare Though Schwartz-


Howe handed over the lead- ership reins to Erin Clemm Ochoa in 2013, her mission comes to life every day through DEFHR’s unparal- leled ability to provide the community and law en- forcement with access to horses and hands-on educa- tional programs. “Kathy made it her


mission to make horses ac- cessible to the community,” stated Ochoa, Chief Execu- tive Officer, DEFHR. “Her goals extended beyond DEFHR. She wanted to make the equine industry a place where anyone could learn and get hands-on ex- perience with horses. Each and every day, DEFHR strives to honor the comple- tion of that vision and to ex- pand upon her legacy by continuing to reimagine the future of equine welfare.” Today,


thanks to


Schwartz-Howe’s endless dedication to an ambitious vision, DEFHR is a full- scale rescue and rehabilita- tion organization that has


Kathy Schwartz-Howe, pictured aboard DEFHR equine ambassador Isaac, led the organization for 24 years before handing over the reins to current CEO Erin Clemm Ochoa in 2013, also pictured.


Photo courtesy of Days End Farm Horse Rescue


become a national leader in equine rehabilitation prac- tices and equine cruelty ed- ucation. Recently


youth camps, daily farm tours, and more. Schwartz-Howe has


in


February 2022, DEFHR doubled down on its prom- ise to expand Schwartz- Howe’s legacy through its absorption of Maryland Equine Transition Service (METS), a Maryland-based equine safety-net initiative for horses in need of transi- tion, from the Maryland Horse Council


(MHC)


Foundation. Schwar tz-Howe’s


mission comes to fruition on a daily basis at DEFHR. The organization remains com- mitted to creating a culture of humane care and com- passion for all equines in an effort to end the vicious cycle of neglect and abuse. The facility welcomes horse lovers of all ages to be part of the solution by helping them become equine advo- cates through extensive hands-on educational pro- grams including volunteer opportunities, internships,


left a lasting impact on equine welfare. Her legacy will live on through the community of like-minded horse advocates and among every horse that gets a sec- ond chance at life and a brighter future.


About Days End Farm Horse Rescue For more than three


decades, Days End Farm Horse Rescue has been renowned for working to not only prevent equine abuse and neglect, but also to edu- cate the public about equine welfare and help their staff, volunteers, and members of the public become better horsemen and women. Learn more about DEFHR‘s adoptable horses as well as their numerous education and volunteer opportunities. Visit www.defhr.org or fol- low them on Facebook, In- stagram, YouTube, and TikTok.


Send us all of your news for the next issue of


The Rider. The April 2023 Issue Deadline is March 20th! Call (905) 387-1900 or email barry@therider.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56