first published in the December 2018 Equiery print edition
by Carrie Hull, MHC Executive Director
As our final issue of the year goes to press, we here at the Maryland Horse Council, The Equiery, and the Maryland Equine Transition Service have so much to be thankful for in 2018. The acquisition of The Equiery has only strengthened MHC’s role as one of the most influential Horse Councils in the nation. We now truly are the source for all equine information in the state of Maryland and throughout much of the Mid-Atlantic.
One of our greatest additional accomplishments in 2018 was the full launch of the Maryland Equine Transition Service (METS). METS provides us an unprecedented opportunity to pilot a state-based program that has the possibility to completely transform the unwanted horse issue in this country. The mission of METS is to provide Maryland horse owners with resources and assistance when they have horses in need of transition. In just three short months and at the hands of our very talented Director, Brittney Carow, we have assisted in transitioning eight horses, assessed 29 horses, and received over 90 calls. At this pace, we will exceed the goals set for the first 12 months of the program and help more horses than we could have expected!
As we approach year-end and many of you are considering final charitable donations for 2018, I encourage each of you to consider a gift to METS at any amount comfortable to you. The growth and success of the Maryland Equine Transition Service will depend largely on our generous supporters. Every dollar and donation small or large helps! Donations can be made online at https://mdequinetransition.org/donate/ or you may reach out to me directly at chull@mdhorsecouncil.org or 844-MDHORSE.
While 2018 has been a hallmark year for MHC, The Equiery, and METS, we have so much to look forward to in 2019! As the new Executive Director for the Maryland Horse Council, I will be working diligently with our staff to ensure that the voice of the Maryland horse owner and the Maryland horse is heard throughout the halls of Annapolis. Our motto is “One Common Bond: the Horse and One Common Voice: The Maryland Horse Council.” To be successful in this mission, we must hear from you! My door is always open. One of my primary goals for 2019 is to increase constructive communication with all of our Horse Council members. If you have not yet renewed your membership, please consider it today. During the first quarter of 2019, MHC will roll out new member benefits and much more robust sponsorship opportunities. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks. Please feel free to give me a call or send me an email at chull@mdhorsecouncil.org, should you have any suggestions to improve upon our current member and sponsorship options. We want to hear from you!
In 2019, we will also see the return of the Maryland Horse Forum. Held every five years, the Maryland Horse Forum is an opportunity for the Maryland horse community to share knowledge, experience, and concerns. Ultimately this guidance will provide the Governor, the legislature and the industry itself with a tactical plan to lead Maryland’s $1.3 billion horse industry into the future. We encourage all to attend, to share their voice, and to help us assess the progress of the industry and strategically plan for the future. Mark your calendar for August 8th, 2019!
Another wonderful event to mark on your calendar is the World of Pets Expo in Timonium between January 25, 2019, through January 27, 2019. Although the Horse World Expo is no longer held in Maryland, the Maryland Horse Industry Board, the Maryland Horse Council, and many other equine related groups, vendors, and associations will exhibit at the World of Pets Expo. Please stop by booth 925 adjacent to MHIB’s Horseland to meet me and the rest of the Maryland Horse Council staff.
And stay tuned for the date (late January or early February) and more info about our next Horse Industry Day in Annapolis. This is the day when horse people from all over the state gather to meet their legislators, learn how state laws are made, and make their voices heard and their presence felt in the marbled halls of our state capital.
Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not thank Jennifer Purcell, Interim Executive Director, the entire Board of Directors and Maryland Horse Council President Neil Agate for their support over these past two months. As we approach the holiday season, I am extremely grateful for their continued encouragement and willingness to share their immeasurable knowledge. I would also like to thank Crystal Brumme Pickett for her faith in me to quite literally hand over the reins of The Equiery. This is a publication that I grew up reading. I wholeheartedly aspire to continue to produce a magazine of such extraordinary caliber. This, however, would not be possible without our very dedicated and knowledgeable staff! There are not nearly enough positive adjectives to describe their commitment to the production of The Equiery: Katherine Rizzo, Editor & Art Director; Tracy McKenna, Advertising Account Manager & IT; Emily Nessel, Classified Ads & Customer Service; Carolyn Del Grosso, Customer Service & Bookkeeping
From all of the Maryland Horse Council, METs, and Equiery staff, I would like to wish you, yours, and your horses a very Happy Holiday season and a prosperous New Year. And finally, a very special thank you to our Equiery readers, advertisers, and sponsors. None of this would be possible without your continued support over the last 28 years. Here’s to at least another 28!
Cheers and Happy Holidays!
– Carrie Hull, Executive Director Maryland Horse Council/Maryland Equine Transition Service/The Equiery
