Anyone who has been around horses very long has met a “Ben”—a former racing champion who fell on hard times before being rescued and nurtured back to health. Now Ben is a living reminder to the members of the Stetson University Equestrian Hunt Seat Team that hard work and willingness can pay off in life, and that story is what won the team and Ben first place in the IHSA (Intercollegiate Horse Show Association) Rescue Horses Contest sponsored by WeatherBeeta and A Home For Every Horse.
Students and horses working together
The story of Ben, a former racing champion who fell on hard times before being rescued and nurtured back to health by the members of the Stetson University Equestrian Hunt Seat Team won first place in the IHSA Rescue Horses Contest sponsored by WeatherBeeta and A Home For Every Horse.
Representatives from colleges and universities from around the country with IHSA programs entered short essays and photos of their favorite rescue-horses-turned-school-horses for the contest. As the first-place winner for an essay written by student Carly Batts, who detailed Ben’s dependable work ethic and trusting nature, Ben and the Stetson University Equestrian Hunt Seat Team was awarded a WeatherBeeta Fleece Cooler.
The runner-up is from The Ohio State University Hunt Seat Team. Emma Bronder submitted the story of Mr. B, an older bay Holsteiner gelding who is one of the team’s beloved school horses. Mr. B is known as a dream draw due to his wonderful disposition as well as his great movement under saddle, a holdover from his dressage days.
The attention and care from the team has transformed Mr. B into the beloved horse he is today. In recognition, WeatherBeeta awarded The Ohio State University Hunt Seat Team a WeatherBeeta Scrim Sheet.
Both horses and teams were honored earlier this month during a ceremony at the IHSA National Horse Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where their awards were presented by Suzanne Reimer, Director of Marketing for WeatherBeeta, and Dave Andrick, Group Publisher from AIM Equine Network.
“We are appreciative of all the horses who regularly participate in intercollegiate lesson and competition programs,” said Reimer. “As a sponsor of A Home for Every Horse, we thought it was particularly fitting to honor those IHSA horses who have been given a second chance through adoption or rescue.”
WeatherBeeta wishes to thank all the teams who submitted entries to the contest this year, and they forward to reading more heartwarming stories next year. For information on the A Home for Every Horse program, visit ahomeforeveryhorse.com (www.ahomeforeveryhorse.com).
A Home for Every Horse is a joint effort with The American Horse Council’s Unwanted Horse Coalition to place, foster and sponsor America’s homeless horses. A Home for Every Horse partners include Tractor Supply Company, Purina Animal Nutrition, WeatherBeeta, Cavallo, Horse & Rider Inc., and Bureau of Land Management.
Nonprofit equine rescue organizations can post free listings on Equine.com, the industry’s largest website for buying and selling horses, trailers and farms. The Equine Network is using its connection with more than 1.5 million horse owners each month to promote the program.
To learn more about A Home for Every Horse and view horses available for adoption, please go to www.ahomeforeveryhorse.com. For instructions on joining A Home for Every Horse, 501(c)(3) rescue shelters should visit A-Home-For-Every-Horse-Guide.pdf.
To learn about sponsoring A Home for Every Horse on Equine.com, contact Dave Andrick at 717-303-3790 ext. 1002, or emaildave.andrick@equinetwork.com.
IHSA promotes competition for riders of all skill levels, who compete individually and as teams at regional and national levels, based on the principle that any college student should be able to participate in horse shows regardless of his or her financial status or riding level.
The IHSA National Horse Show, May 1-4, 2014, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, presented 34 title classes and hosts over 450 riders that have progressed through Regional and Zone qualifiers to earn the privilege of riding for their school.
This project helps find homes for America’s 170,000 to 200,000 horses in need of care and shelter. Here’s how it works: Begin the search for your next equine partner at AHomeForEveryHorse.com. You can search horses waiting for homes at nonprofit shelters across the country. Browse by rescue horse, or find rescue organizations in your area.