NEWS &VIEWS You Can Use


Maryland EIA Case Update T e Equiery caught up with Maryland De-


partment of Agriculture’s State Veterinarian Dr. Michael Radebaugh for a status update on the farm in Montgomery County that was placed under a 60-day quarantine on July 9 when one horse was diagnosed with Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). At the time, the horse in question was euthanized to prevent possible spread of the disease and neighboring farms were notifi ed. Since then, Dr. Radebaugh reports that 217 horses have been tested for EIA by MDA across Maryland and Virginia. “We’ve been focusing our testing eff orts on fi ve farms in Maryland and two in Virginia,” he said. “All tests have come back negative, which is a good thing as it shows we have stopped the spread of EIA to other horses.” Dr. Radebaugh said that they still have not found the “host” horse that could have transferred the disease to the Montgomery County horse. September 12 is the offi cial re-test date for the Montgomery County farm. “As long as all the horses there continue to test negative for EIA, the hold order will be lifted shortly after that,” Dr. Radebaugh stated.


Rocky Ridge Woman Charged with Animal Cruelty


In early August, Lara Marie Gosbee of Rocky Ridge, Frederick County, was charged with eight counts of “animal cruelty” and eight addi- tional counts of “animal cruelty failure to pro- vide nutritious food in suffi cient quantities.“ On April 12 of this year, Frederick County Animal Control offi cials investigated Misty Dreams Farm after receiving several complaints about dead horses being on the property. At the time, Gosbee told offi cials that she had intend- ed to compost the horses but had not found the time. She later complied with offi cials and did compost the dead horses. T e farm is owned by Gosbee’s mother Valerie Pickett, who has not been charged. Gosbee surrendered the 12 living horses that


were on the farm. T ese horses were taken to Days End Farm Horse Rescue in Howard County and have been receiving rehabilita- tion care ever since arriving. According to Days End, two of the horses died shortly after arrival and an unborn foal died before birth. Two more foals were born at Days End.


Gosbee is scheduled to ap- pear at the Frederick County District Court on October 2. Each of the 16 misdemeanor counts carries a penalty of up to 90 days in jail and up to $1,000 in fi nes.


New USEA Require- ments for BN & N 3Days!


Eff ective August 1, 2018,


the qualifi cation requirements for the Beginner Novice and Novice Classic T ree Day Events have changed to in- clude the following: • completion of three horse tri- als at the same level or higher as the 3Day entered that meet the MERs (see below) • plus completion of one ad- ditional horse trial at the same level or higher with no more than 20 jump penalities • two of these horse trials must be completed as the same horse and rider pair that is en- tering the 3Day • these qualifi cations must take place within the 24 months prior to the start of the 3Day • MERs (minimum eligibility requirement) are as follows: • Dressage – no more than 50 penalty points • Cross-Country – no jumping penalties and no more than 36-time penalties • Show Jumping – no more than 16 jump penalties


T e changes have been made to ensure that competitors at these levels are properly pre- pared for the classic three-day format. In the past, at these levels, competitors only need- ed to complete four horse tri- als with any numerical score. T ere was no time limit to the requirements either and riders continued...


Rain, Rain, Go Away... As August rolled in with even more rainy days, T e Equiery


got word that yet another horse trial in Maryland had to cancel due to soggy grounds. T is brought the count of canceled or modifi ed events in Maryland aff ected by the spring and summer monsoons to four, with another event in nearby Virginia taking the list up to fi ve. T at list is just the U.S. Eventing Association’s recognized events in the area. T roughout the spring and summer, T e Equiery received no-


tices from horse shows, trail rides and other activities in Mary- land that were forced to cancel or postpone due to the weather. All of these changes to the Maryland activity calendar made us wonder… how have these spring and summer cancelations af- fected our readers’ fall competition goals.


“Rain derailed many dollars and training days. Ring and fi elds under water and money spent on events cancelled has cost thou- sands of dollars in wasted show fees.” – Angie Francart, Sleeping Fox Farm Eventing and T oroughbred Rescue, West Virginia


“As an organizer, I would run our horse trials come hell or high water, but as a landowner, I can’t. We canceled once before, about 15 years ago, because the ground was too wet. Usually, August concerns are rock hard ground!” – Ami Howard, owner Olney Farm, Joppa


“It’s frustrating and I know this is a rare phenomenon, but it’s had a real impact on the progress of my horses. As a conse- quence of the cancellations, I am unable to move the horses up [this fall].” – Katie Carr, Quantum Leap Eventing, Frederick


“I have been very lucky this year as most of the events I have covered have not been canceled. T e shows that it did rain at managed to get all the rides in before the severe afternoon thunder storms rolled in.” – Gary Coppage, owner of GRC Photography, Virginia


“It’s been a tough season. Our dressage ring is outside so prac- ticing the patterns has been tough for teens and myself start- ing a young horse. Also, a few teens are trying to get scores for end of the year awards and have limited options due to school activities.” – Sonya Hunt, Virginia


“Numerous Frederick Area Dressage Shows are held in an in- door arena and most outdoor arenas have held up in the rain. A few shows have had more than the usual numbers of scratches due to hot weather.” – Leslie Raulin, FADS organizer, Jeff erson


“We walked up the ramp into the indoor [at Celebration Farm], the rain was so loud on the roof and the lightning right upon us, but I mounted, took a lap around the ring, nodded to the judge and began our test. As we left the arena back down the ramp, water was fl owing through the barn into some of the stalls.” – Holly Linz, Keep Stables, Woodbine


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. www.equiery.com | 800-244-9580 SEPTEMBER 2018 | THE EQUIERY | 13


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  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76