June 2019 Issue

OUR TH YEAR 3 - PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT 280 LANC., PA 17604 Vol. 26 No. 6 (Continued on page 30) June 2019 Pilchard Sentenced; Appy Fest Showcases the Horses She Starved By Amy Worden When Maryland horse train- er Elizabeth Schneider brought the appaloosa pony Marquis to her Prince Frederick farm in February, he was angry and wild. His distrust of humans ran so deep that he reacted violently to the slightest touch, trying to kick or strike out at anyone who tried to handle him. Marquis was among the more than 100 horses, most of them appaloosas, removed from a Wicomico County, Md., farm in March 2018. The horses were all suffering from lack of veterinary care and living in deplorable conditions amid the skeletal remains and decaying carcasses of dozens of their former pasture mates. Four horses were so emaciated and suffering from other related mal- adies they had to be euthanized. And without any human interac- tion, most all were feral. It was the second largest seizure of horses in Maryland in recent memory for which owner Barbara Pilchard was sentenced last month to five years of pro- bation, infuriating many of those who have shouldered the burden of the horses since then. Rescue groups and individu- als have spent hundreds of thou- sands of dollars in vet care and feed for the so-called “Quantico horses,” and logged thousands of hours of training. Stallions have been gelded, pregnant mares have given birth to foals and some of the horses have found adoptive homes. But there is still a long road ahead for many of the equine victims. Last month 14 members of the “spotted brigade” were put through their paces during “Appy Fest” at the bucolic Eldorado Farm in Mechanicsville, Md., which is owned by Last Chance Animal Rescue. They paraded on lead lines. They circled the ring under saddle at a walk, trot and canter. They navigated tarps and plywood boards and pool noodles in the obstacle class. One even pulled a buggy. It was all part of an effort to demonstrate the distance the horses have come and their achievements since their rescue. Marquis, who under Schnei- der’s patient training had slowly come to realize that he no longer had to fear humans, was among those in the ribbons. “He won all trail classes; it was such a source of pride,” said Schneider. “He went from a horse that didn’t want to be near me, to a horse that would follow me through fire.” Last Chance Animal Rescue originally took in 29 horses in- cluding 13 stallions and pregnant mares, but saw their numbers bal- loon to 44 with foals and rescue turnovers. The event in May was the second Appy Fest designed to show off the horses’ progress to potential adopters with trainers coming from as far as Kentucky. “A lot of old friends greet- ing each other,” said Cindy Sharpley, Last Chance Animal Rescue’s founder and director, as a chorus of whinnies broke out across the property. “It’s an opportunity for trainers to meet and adoptive families see the horses up close.” Pilchard Sentenced Just a week after the show, Barbara Pilchard, 74, received her sentence from a Wicomico County judge after being convict- ed on 39 of 56 counts of cruelty. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison with all time suspend- ed, and fined $13,000 for the 13 horses which were the subject of cruelty charges. Pilchard was also ordered not to possess any animals during her five year probationary period, during which time mental health counseling is required, and will be subject to random inspections. She could be sent to jail if viola- tions occur, prosecutors said. Pilchard is appealing the case. When word of the sentence reached the Quantico horses Facebook page, it prompted a flurry of angry posts. “Disgraceful no justice for cruelty and animals that died and were starved to death without medical care. Horrible,” wrote one. “Shameful! She should have to pay back all the Rescue’s that Beecher wins two in a monsoon at Willowdale Steeplechase … pg. 44 Ralph Lauren makes Work to Ride the face of spring global campaign … pg. 6 Boyd Martin is USEF National Eventing Champion – again … pg. 8 … and much more! News you need! Our Pastures & Fencing feature...pgs. 11-20 Inside... Marquis went from “a horse who didn’t want to be near me to a horse that would follow me through fire,” rescuer and trainer Elizabeth Schneider said. Marquis was rescued in March 2018 with 100 of his pasture mates lucky enough to survive years of starvation and neglect, and competed in Appy Fest on May 11. Photo credit: Amy Worden