October 2025 Issue

EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN October 2025 32 570.726.3103 dreambuildingsllc.com   CALL FOR A QUOTE! EQUESTRIAN POST-FRAME STRUCTURES SERVING THE EASTERN HALF OF THE U.S. Custom design and construction services for any equestrian building. Call us today for a free quote—we can help turn your dream into reality! Offices in Buckingham, VA & Beech Creek, PA Go ahead... Ask da Mare Dear Mal…I’m embarrassed to even ask your opinion about this, but it has become an issue at the barn where I board my horse. I hope you might have some insight that will clear away the misinformation and confusion. The vet who takes care of most of the horses at our barn was in last week, and he posted a note that he would be doing routine vaccinations later this month. Normally, this is not a prob- lem. But one of the new boarders at the farm put up a poster on the bulletin board, right next to the vet’s note. The poster alleges that vac- cines are unnecessary, dangerous and linked to numerous negative outcomes. She maintains that the vet is trying tomakemoney bymaking us think we’re doing something good for our horses. The belligerent tone of her poster was off-putting, and her insistence that the vet we have worked with and trusted has been duping us and taking our money is—to be honest— insulting. But the result is that there is a lot of turmoil and the easy atmosphere of joking and sharing stories about our horses has been overtaken by angry arguments. Do you have any advice? Exasperated Dear Exasperated…what an unfortunate situation! Let’s start with the science of vac- cines, shall we? To begin, there is no such thing as a vaccine that works 100 per cent of the time. Sad. But, the overwhelming ev- idence—particularly in equine practices—is that vaccines protect horses from several dis- eases. Vaccines, in one form or another, have been part of medical care since the 18th Centu- ry and veterinary science has made them bet- ter andmore effective since then. Veterinarians make vaccine recommendations based in part onwhere the horse lives. Generally, it’s recom- mended that horses receive vaccines that pro- tect against botulism, strangles, tetanus, West Nile Virus, rabies, Western Equine Encepha- litis (WEE) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). Your veterinarian might recommend additional protection, depending on conditions in your area. Mosquito-borne diseases are be- coming more prominent as the climate chang- es and the insect populations change. So, what are we tomake of the new board- er who opposes vaccines? As you may have already noticed there are large groups of hu- mans who are refusing vaccinations for them- selves and their families, citing the issues on the poster in your barn. While it is difficult to engage in a discussion with people who seem “belligerent,” the alternative is to let bad feel- ings fester, and ruin the pleasure you have in being with your horse. Maybe you and your fellow boarders could sit down together for a discussion—over coffee or a beer—and talk about the issue. People generally want to be- long, and to feel as if their ideas and opinions matter. When people slam the door to candid discussions of difficult issues, perhaps they’re acting out of fear. Misinformation is as com- mon as hay at a barn. But it can be defeated with facts. You might invite your veterinarian to be part of the discussion, and remind ev- eryone that the reason you’re all in the same place is that you love horses, and you want to be their best advocates. I refuse to succumb to the notion that people who are misinformed are incapable of recognizing facts. Be kind and listen to the arguments. And, regardless of the outcome of your discussions, don’t ever stop being the stalwart advocate for your horse. Dear Mal…I’m a new horse owner and can’t believe all the stuff I didn’t know that I need to know. Confused? That’s me. I thought I did a lot of research before buying my horse, and am boarding him at the place where I’ve been taking riding lessons for several years. Two weeks ago my horse lost a shoe while he was turned out. I called the farrier who works on the horses owned by the barn manager but he said he didn’t have time to get there for a week or so—he was going on vacation. He suggested that I put duct tape around my horse’s naked hoof. The barn manager called another farrier, whom she said was occasion- ally a little “odd.” She waited with me for the “odd” farrier, and then left when he arrived. He proceeded to ask me why I kept my horse at that barn, and then to lecture me about how the footing in the pasture was bad. He also said that the women who kept their horses at this farm dressed provocatively and I should be careful not to become like them. Is this nor- mal? The guy creeped me out, and it seemed to take forever for him to get one shoe on my horse. Now I’m feeling very uncomfortable and worried about how to make sure I’m tak- ing the best care of my horse. What do you think? Confused &Worried Dear C&W…Your experience with this farrier was truly odd, not to mention totally inappropriate. Both you and your horse de- serve to be treated with respect—especially by someone whom you’re paying for a service. Let’s consider what this farrier was actually telling you. He thinks the footing in the pas- ture is substandard. Did anyone ask him to assess this? On what basis did he make that statement?Why is he so concerned about how women at the barn are dressed, and why does he think he has a right to tell you not to “be- come like them”?And, why did the barn man- ager leave when he arrived? You are already taking good care of your horse, but you need to ensure that you can be more proactive when it comes to emergencies like a lost shoe. You did a lot of research before you got your horse, and I think that’s great. But emergencies are inevi- table and you should have the confidence and information you need to take charge of your horse’s care.You can add valuable information to your research by identifying potential far- riers. You can call, ask them whether they’re accepting new clients, and arrange for them to meet you and your horse. Talk to the other boarders about the veterinarians they use, and how responsive they are when emergencies arise. Set up an appointment for your horse with a veterinarian the other boarders use, and talk to him or her about immunizations, rou- tine care, etc. Knowledge is power, and you can use that power to avoid people like that odd farrier. He probably can use some pro- fessional help himself, but that’s beyond your responsibility. The best you can do for him is hope he gets the help he needs. FREE CLASSIFIEDS for East Coast Equestrian print subscribers! See page 43 for details.