NEWS &VIEWS You Can Use


Federal Funding for Equine Therapy? T is summer, the U.S. House of Represen-


tatives approved an amendment to the “Make America Secure Appropriations Act” (H.R. 3219) off ered by Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), a bill that will increase equine therapy funding for veterans by $5 million during FY2018. Howev- er, before the equine therapy provision becomes law, House and Senate lawmakers must con- vene a “conference” to negotiate fi nal legislation for a vote in both chambers, and present the bill to the President for his signature.


Your Help Needed To Keep Guest Worker Program


T e American Horse Council is urging horse people to advocate for legislative solutions to the federal government’s beleaguered tempo- rary worker visa program. In mid-January, the government hit the 33,000 visa cap for the fi rst half of the year. In March, the agency met its 33,000 visa allocation for the second half of 2017, leaving many small businesses who rely on seasonal labor without workers for the sum- mer months. Although DHS issued an addi- tional 15,000 visas on July 17, the agency issued those visas on an ad hoc, discretionary basis, undermining common sense business plan-


Getting social with The Equiery!


Facebook (www.Facebook.com/T eEquiery) Facebook reminded us this month what a valuable tool it can be in


getting the word out, during times of immediate need for our equestrian community! Our top post in September, garnering a following of 23,300 Facebook


users, was the list we posted on 9/6 of stabling and transportation op- tions available to Florida horsemen evacuating Irma. Many Maryland- based facilities, haulers, and just plain good neighbors off ered their as- sistance, and all of you helped share that list far and wide. Facebook also helps us pay tribute to the fallen on 9/11, when we


shared a moving story about the once-aired Budweiser commercial, and the clever story about how its making during a very diffi cult time in New York City; and to Equiery staff member, Anne Moe, who died on 9/3. T ese two posts were 2nd and 3rd in our list of tops. With Facebook, T e Equiery can also help you “be” places you can’t al-


ways physically be. Our on-location videos from the many equine events at the Maryland State Fair, including as Jessie Flores’ run in the Mount- ed Cowboy Shooting competition and Kaitlyn Nicely-Harvey’s winning trip OTTB “Truckee Gold” at the T oroughbred Show, both made the Top Ten with followings in the 4,000-5,000 range! We know that you still love the excitement of seeing the newest Equi-


ery on news stands each month, picking it up, and fi nding some quiet to time read it from cover to cover. We also love what Facebook and our


other social media platforms are able to help us do to keep you informed, educated, and entertained in the 29 days between issues!


Twitter (@equiery) T e Maryland Horse Council BBQ on September 9 dominated


our Twitter feed last month with tweets of the polo matches, trophies, MHIB Touch of Class winners, the wonderful band and more. Missed the BBQ? Check out @equiery on Twitter to see plenty of photos!


Instagram (@equiery) Summertime, and the living was busy on Instagram! September


started off with the posts from the Maryland State Fair, where we cov- ered English, Western, Games, Racing, Tent Pegging, Mounted Cow- boy Action Shooting, Vaulting, and Horses Healing Maryland’s Military and the Mounted Police Riding Showcase. All that only took us through Labor Day! Once the Fair was over, we covered dressage, eventing, our open house, the Maryland Horse Council BBQ, a hunter pace, and we even found the time to visit some great Maryland racing history at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Along the way we also shared some photos you sent us, and reposted


a few photos of interest. Our most popular post overall was a video of Sgt. Adam MacLeod from the Maryland National Capital Park Police competing in the Mounted Police Riding Showcase at the State Fair.


IF YOU HAVE NEWS, VIEWS OR UPDATES TO CONTRIBUTE, PLEASE SEND THEM TO Editor at The Equiery, P.O. Box 610, Lisbon, MD 21765 • FAX: 410-489-7828 • email editor@equiery.com.


Be sure to include your full name, phone number and address. All submissions become the property of The Equiery. 8 | THE EQUIERY | OCTOBER 2017 800-244-9580 | www.equiery.com


ning. T e July decision will also create limited benefi ts for small businesses relying on sum- mertime help. AHC requests that you tell lawmakers to


support the Senate Bill 792 Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2017 (S. 792), a bipartisan bill which would establish clear guidelines for employers hiring H-2B workers, assuring that U.S. citizens are not displaced in the job market, provide cap relief by establish- ing a common sense exemption for well-vetted workers who have already held a visa during the previous three years, and require increased coordi- nation between the Departments of Labor (DOL) and Homeland Security (DHS) to reduce red tape and delays. T e similar


House Bill is 2004: Strengthen Employment and Seasonal Oppor- tunities Now Act


of 2017, which would expand exemptions for workers who have previously been vetted by immigration offi cials, thereby increasing cap relief, establish expedited processing of applica- tions to meet labor demands during peak sea- sons, and exempt temporary visa holders from tax credits otherwise available to full-time U.S. residents, thereby reducing costs to taxpayers.


Touch of Class for Polo Players T e Maryland Horse Industry Board honored


two interscholastic teams from Maryland who


The winning national women’s interscholastic polo team and coach re- ceiving their Touch of Class Awards at the MHC BBQ at Congressional Polo Club


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