My father, Robert “Deacon” Doubleday, was a radio/tv personality in Syracuse, NY on the NBC affiliate WSYR. His radio voice prompted friends to recommend an occasional horse show to announce,...
I first met Rib Rab Reuben, a 14.3h Quarter Horse gelding, when he arrived at Days End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR) from Culpeper County, Virginia, as a neglect case in...
Tall, gangly, and inquisitive, Basil is one of the biggest characters I’ve ever met. Let me tell you about my weird horse friend. I met Basil in Queensland, Australia. Several...
With very heavy hearts, we said goodbye to Costa Rica Z on Thursday (1995–2021). There have been a handful of horses in my life who have really touched my soul...
In my final semester of university, I took a class that was to prepare us for the world at large. A world of opportunity and excitement, or so the professor...
When COVID-19 tore through the country last year, Erin Clemm Ochoa, CEO of Days End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR), Woodbine, MD, initially suspected that the financial impact of the virus...
Have you ever had one of those days where you felt like a shit rider because you fell off or were eliminated? Then, in an attempt to forget your shortcomings,...
In recent days, there have been many, well-deserved tributes to Jane Savoie by some of the most revered names in equestrian competition. And now there’s this one from me, a...
I spent 10 years of my eventing life in Ocala, Florida competing against and losing to some of the best riders in the world. It was quite something to ride...
If there was ever a year for #GivingTuesday, it’s 2020. Giving Tuesday is a day meant to give back to the community around you. The day can take many different...
As Jerry stepped carefully over coconuts fallen across the trail, it hit me that you honestly never know where horses are going to take you. In the past, my ability...
“9 am?” My trainer responded when I asked if I could have a Thanksgiving Day lesson. “I should be done feeding before then.” Her words were simple, but they had...
One of the benefits of being a >shudder< senior citizen in the horse world is having much more clarity to see the big picture. Or, at very least, to see...
“All sorrows can be borne if you put them into a story”—Isak Dinesen Steve Melen is a lucky man. He's a successful financial advisor and a likeable person. It’s difficult...
While many people looking to adopt a horse find themselves searching for a riding partner, the trend of adopting a horse as a companion-only is one that continues to grow...
When we adopted Ping Ping in November 2018, it was only 15 days before she would have aged out of the system in China. Orphans there must be adopted by...
Horses are inherently herd animals. When you go out West, for example, you’ll see large herds surviving on their own, but this has left many with a misconception about horses’...
I’m a deputy probation officer for Riverside County, California, and work primarily in a city called Desert Hot Springs. I check in on gang members after they’re released from prison...