NEWS&VIEWS continued... Art of Racing Accepting Entries
T e 2025 Art of Racing contest is in full swing and is accepting entries through March 14. T e competition, which is in its fourth year, is open to two-dimensional artists from across the nation. T e top 10 fi nalists are selected by public voting with the winner receiving a $4,000 prize, Preak-
ness tickets, and will have their artwork featured on exclusive Preakness merchandise. Proceeds from merchandise sales benefi t Parks Heights Renaissance, an organization dedicated to revi- talizing the neighborhood surrounding the Pim- lico Race Course. For more information and con- test rules, visit
Preakness.com/the-art-of-racing.
TRAILERING TRAINING TIP FROM JOY GALLUPE In the world of horses, overcoming even every day obstacles can require patience, understand-
ing, and a strategic approach. Whenever you face a challenge, whether it's trailer loading, dealing with a spooky horse, teaching them to maneuver a gate, or any other task, it's essential to break down the process into manageable steps. Slow down and realize what is causing the problem and fi gure out ways to make it mentally easier for your horse to accept each small step before asking them to try to tackle a big one. Many horse enthusiasts may not realize how complex certain tasks can be for a horse. It's cru- cial to view each challenge as a series of smaller objectives rather than a single goal. For instance, crossing a bridge might seem straightforward, but for a horse, it involves numerous steps and overcoming fears. Joy Gallupe specializes in Liberty Work, Bridleless Riding, and Fine Tuned Horsemanship.
She teaches horsemen and horsewomen how to use focus and intention to become a much more eff ective and understanding partner for their horse. Gallupe believes that "you are the key to your horse’s success." Here are her tips for teaching horses to load on trailers.
tinued...
Trailer Loading: A Step-by-Step Approach Trailer loading is a common challenge that horse owners encounter. Here’s a breakdown of
how to approach it: • Familiarization: Introduce the horse to the trailer as a friendly, non-threatening space. En- courage them to walk up to it without any pressure. • Front Feet Placement: If a horse is really not comfortable putting a foot on the trailer, I will do some pre-work and get the horse comfortable with placing their feet on platforms and/or bridges to simulate the step up and on a trailer, fi rst. T en, normally, I will go inside the trailer and encourage them to walk on and join me, and then I will reward them for the slightest prog- ress. And I don’t stare them down. I will talk to them, breathe with them and get them to relax. You could also pull out your phone and take all focus off of them and just make it a comfortable non-threatening place, as much as possible. If it took a lot to get to this point - leave and come back either later in the day or another day. Don’t push too much. • Full Entry: Once they’re comfortable with the front feet, encourage them to step in with all four feet and again I reward with each improvement. I never hold them or pull them with any amount of pressure. In time they will get better and it will build their confi dence. T is happens while working in a series of no more than 20 -30 minute sessions. • Securing: Gradually get them used to being tied in their spot and reward. T en slowly get them used to the door if needed and close them in, but talk to them and reward them and let them right back out. Build this tolerance up over time. • Riding in the Trailer: Allow the horse to experience the sensation of the trailer moving. Make it short drives and come right back. Build the length of travel over time. • Unloading: Teach them to back out calmly and safely, ensuring they’re comfortable with the descent. Again, you can practice this fi rst by using platforms and bridges that they have to step down off of.
Additional Considerations • Drive smoothly to ensure a comfortable ride for your horse. OR they won’t want to get in the trailer. • Give horses the same time to adjust to new trailers, as size diff erences can impact a horse's mental comfort. • Address any physical discomforts with the trailer’s design, such as high steps You may need to park somewhere that the step up is very small, so they don’t rub their legs causing discomfort.
You spoke and we listened! Based on feedback from the 2024 Maryland Horse Forum requesting more content geared towards training tips for various equestrian sports Maryland has to off er, we bring to you T e Equiery's newest column "Training Tips."
10 | MARCH 2025 | THE EQUIERY YOUR MARYLAND HORSE COUNCIL PUBLICATION
Tuckahoe EC Scholarship Tuckahoe Equestrian Center (TEC) is now
accepting applications for its fourth annual scholarship program. T ree $1,500 awards will be made to college students and graduating high school seniors who are studying equine, veterinarian, vet tech, or agricultural studies. Applicatants must also be a member of TEC. For more information and application form, visit
tuckahoeequestriancenter.com or call Stacy Frank at 516-901-4979, or email
TEC.stacyfrank@ya-
hoo.com. Applications are due by June 1.
MHIB Grant Winners On January 27, the Maryland Horse Indus-
try Board announced the newest recipients of its grant program. T is year, MHIB awarded $31,200 in grants to 37 organizations and equestrian operations that represent a variety of equine groups and disciplines across Mary- land. To date, MHIB has awarded $700,000 in grants to more than 450 projects. “T ese grants are vital to the Maryland horse industry and agricultural sector,” said Mary- land Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. “Reaching a cross section of many horse organizations representing diff er- ent disciplines and geographic areas of the state is important to keeping this industry thriving.” Several Maryland Horse Council members
won grants this year including Carroll County Equestrian Council, Frederick County 4-H, Rachel Neff , TROT, Tuckahoe Equestrian Center, and UME Harford County 4-H. Ad- ditional MHC Industry Professional members who won grants are listed in this month’s IP column. For a full list of grant recipients, visit
Mda.maryland.gov/horseboard/Pages/grants.
MAEF Academic & Seibel Scholarships T e Maryland Agricultural Education Foun-
dation (MAEF) is accepting applications for its 2025 scholarships now through March 25. MAEF Academic Scholarship winners receive $1,500 to support their academic achievements and pursuit of careers in agriculture or Extension education. T ese scholarships are open to rising juniors or seniors in undergraduate programs or graduate students enrolled in majors related to agricultural education or Extension education. T e Seibel Scholarship is open to students
enrolled in two-year or four-year degree majors at qualifying institutions that lead to careers in agriculture or agriculture education. T e Uni- versity of Maryland Institute of Applied Ag- riculture is on the list of qualifi ed institutions. T is scholarship was established by Dr. Ronald J. Seibel, a former educator and longtime director of the UMD Institute of Applied Agriculture. Both award announcements will be made by
May 1. More information and the online appli- cation can be found at:
http://maefonline.com/ home/student-center/scholarships/
800-244-9580 |
www.equiery.com
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