Riding Lessons under the tree
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Thursday December 5, 2002
Make a lifelong dream come trueBy Marisa Keller
Looking a gift horse in the mouth is generally considered bad form, but nearly 40% of Americans have admitted to wanting a horse as a child, and this holiday season might be the perfect time to offer someone a piece of that dream."When I was little, before I started riding, I used to wish for a horse we could put in the basement and I used to pretend my bicycle was a horse", said Eileen Sherman, owner of Hidden View Farm in Mequon, A retirement, boarding and education facility for horses.
Children all over the world ride imaginary horses, and horse fantasies don't die young. Forty-one percent of Americans would still be happy to realize their dream as adults.
For many, including Sherman, the love of the sport, and of the horse itself, didn't truly materialize until later in life.
A holiday horse
If you're not quite ready to take the plunge into horse ownership, alternatives like riding lessons, leasing, time-sharing and horse vacations abound. As most horse enthusiasts would tell you, getting an education about the horse and the sport is definitely the way to go before jumping right in.
The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) sells gift packages that contain a gift certificate for one free riding lesson at a local participating trainer, a popular Breyer model horse, and other horse goodies. Its Web site, www.4ahorse.com, answers commonly-asked questions about riding lessons, what to expect, and even what to wear.
In the Milwaukee area, lessons for beginners generally go for about $25 to $35 for a half hour lesson. Once your riding becomes a little more advanced, there are a variety of local trainers and clinics with national and international acclaim throughout the area.
The important thing is to find a barn where both the people and horses are treated with respect and kindness. A riding instructor should be able to challenge you without going beyond your comfort zone.
Rekindled dreams
Mequon horse owner Beth Schrock rode as a youngster, but lost track of that dream when her parents sold their horses when she was 11. She began riding again at age 23 and hasn't stopped since -- one lesson a week turned into two, then leasing and finally ownership. For her, riding is much more than just a fantasy.
"It's not about competitions or winning medals and ribbons," she said. "It's about the relationship between the horse and the horse owner. The minute I walk into the barn, most, if not all of the stress that I brought in with me somehow melts away. I look forward to it all day."
Sherman also rode as a child and got back in the saddle when she turned 35. "Adult riders soon begin to realize that riding is a endeavor," she said. "Your are never really finished learning."
Sherman stressed that as adults, we are able to appreciate a team approach to the sport of riding and said, "This is a 1,200-pound personality that an adult has to be able to partner with. When this begins to happen, it's magic."
Sherman's 15-year-old daughter, Lauren, rides and takes lessons at the family's farm in Mequon. "Riding and caring for horses teaches responsibility, improves self esteem, develops sensitivity both in mind and body, and allows a child to mature and develop insights that he or she might not have if riding were not a part of his or her life," Sherman said. "Lauren loves her horses, and often says they are her best friends."
Special needs riders
Riding programs are also praised for helping those with special needs. At the Avalon Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Watertown, children and adults with special needs exercise their minds and bodies through a variety of horse-related activities. Time spent with horses improves self-confidence, self-awareness, balance, muscle strength and range of motion. Avalon's therapeutic riding services offer a unique option to clients with disabilities like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, autism, Down's syndrome, spinal cord injuries, stroke and depression, and even victims of physical, mental, or emotional abuse.
About trust
Riding is about trust. Your horse learns to trust you and you learn to trust your horse. Once you experience that bond, there are few things like it. The thought that something so powerful can be equally gentle is awe-inspiring.
On one hand are, "those huge powerful muscles at work and the thrill of going like a bat out of hell," said Schrock. And on the other is, "the power that this animal has in easing stress, easing pain, and for people who are open to listen, the power this animal has to heal," Sherman said.
Hidden Haven
Northshore Lifestyle Magazine, June 2001
Story by Julie Larrivee - Photography by Barbara SlaneWhile elderly residents at this Mequon retirement home have the same ailments as other seniors -- achy joints, medical needs, dietary restrictions -- they also have four legs and whinny when they greet you.
There are 16 retirees living in a different kind of retirement home sitting on Highland Road. Hidden View Farm which opened in June 1999, is operated as a retirement barn, with primary emphasis on providing care for older horses. Residents are cared for by Eileen Sherman, along with her family and dedicated staff.About half of Hidden View's boarders have retired from the show ring. The others are retired pleasure horses or horses that are "laying up" to recover from injuries. There are also a few "youngsters" who are around six years old, as well.
Eileen, along with husband David and daughter Lauren, moved into the 40-acre farm in April 1998 and spent the next year renovating the property."The barn was a dairy barn," Eileen explains, "that just had two horse stalls. We gutted the building and re-did it into a horse barn with nine stalls."
A side barn contains three more stalls, allowing care for 12 "indoor" horses. Pasture space with protective roof area and heated water source provides for the "outdoor" horses.
"We have the outdoor space because some horses have never lived in a stall," she adds. "Also, for some older horses with certain medical conditions, it is better to have them outdoors where they can move around and it will be comfortable."The Shermans also added an indoor arena to the complex, where horses can be exercised when the weather is severe. "It was a godsend during this past winter," Eileen exclaims.
What sparked the idea of providing a place for older horses to live out their golden years?
"We started the barn with one of our own horses, RB - Risky Business. We retired him from the show ring and brought him here. RB just loved the trails," says Eileen with nostalgia in her voice.There are very few facilities in the country that cater to older horses. Eileen saw an need and it became her mission to create a farm that would help fill the void. She says that every skill she has learned over the years -- critical care RN, master's degree in business, PH.D. in organizational behavior -- has come in handy.
With very little advertising, just basically "word of mouth", the farm opened with a waiting list. They have since been able to accommodate all of those horses.
"We published a eulogy for RB just after he passed away in September, along with the Hidden View Farm ad in a national equine journal, 'Chronicle of the Horse', and got about a half a dozen calls from that," Eileen says. "Two people came out -- one from Michigan and one from Massachusetts-- to visit. People are starting to think about a place to retire their horses a year or so in advance of the actual retirement."Hidden View currently has retirees from Ohio, Colorado, Illinois, and Wisconsin. It seems that Hidden View has indeed filled a need. "I want to retire to Eileen's when it's time," laughs Judy Tice, whose husband Tom boards Mountodo at Hidden View. "She provides wonderful care for the horses and there is no doubt that they feel that. It is by far the finest nursing facility around."
The Shermans are already looking at expansion possibilities for the farm. "We would love to add six or eight more stalls," Eileen says.Most of the animal's care is health maintenance and prevention. She says that colic is a very common cause of death in older horses. "We make sure that they have good dental care and immunizations," Eileen explains. "We also keep a close eye on their diet. Nutrition needs change dramatically from horse to horse. There is a whole different life cycle for an older horse. By the time they reach their mid-20s, they're probably facing several health issues.
"We've got great grass in our paddocks and that is especially important for the older horses," she notes. "They get all the nutrition they need in their food, but they also need to be able to graze."Unfortunately for Eileen and her family, their horse RB was the first resident to die. He was a true "schoolmaster" who had taught Eileen, Lauren and David to ride. "Now that we've gone through that death and grieving process, we can really empathize with the owners and their horses," she adds.
The farm owner says her staff has been extremely valuable in getting the barn up and running and in helping to create the "family" atmosphere at Hidden View.
"We all do the same work. We're cross-trained" Eileen explains. "Everyone participates with all the work-- from mucking stalls to grooming to cleaning pasture areas to fixing fences."
That includes Eileen's husband and daughter. David assists Eileen with all of the late evening hay and grain feedings after he returns home from his job as a radiologist oncologist. (He is the director of radiation oncology services for the Covenant System.)"David has a great rapport and bond with the horses," Eileen says. "He also does much of the barn maintenance. He's much more active in the farm than he ever thought he'd be!"
Lauren helps in the barn, as well. The horses' owners appreciate her gentle touch with the animals. What is a typical day on the retirement farm?
"Our day starts about 6:30 in the morning, which is considerably later than the training barns. But, hey! They are in retirement and they're entitled to sleep a little later!" Eileen laughs.
After their morning feeding of hay and grain, the indoor horses "put on their clothes -- coats and boots if it's cold and muddy" and go out to join the outside boarders. "They are turned out with one or two buddies," Eileen explains, "because horses develop friendships just like people do." The horses are exercised either by the staff or their owners and returned to the barn later in the afternoon for their second feeding.
The horses are settled in the barn around 5 p.m. Eileen and David go out for another feeding and final check around 9. "If everyone is happy and healthy, then it's lights out at 9:30," she says. "However, if one of the horses is sick or has a problem, we will stay out there with him for as long as needed."Hidden View maintains constant communication with their resident's owners. Eileen calls each of them once or twice a week to check in and report on their horse's condition. In the case of illness or other problems, she will check in as needed-- sometimes every 15 minutes.
She also mails a quarterly newsletter to fill people in on things that may not have been covered in the phone calls and to alert them of the annual social events where the horse owners can get to know each other.
"If anything, I like to communicate," she chuckles. "By and large, I think our horses are very happy here and that makes their owners happy."
