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On Aftercare: School Is Out and Horsemanship Is In

vincent@graffeo.cloud (Vincent Graffeo) — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 15:57:37 GMT

Article by Diana Pikulski, Thoroughbred Daily News

This past Monday was the fifth and final week of the ACTT Naturally Teen Leadership program for selected high school students from Mechanicville High School just outside of Saratoga Springs, NY. During the five-week program, funded by Thoroughbred trainer and alumnus Chad Brown, the students learned about body language, assertive versus aggressive behavior, and the predator-prey relationship between horses and people. The goal at 'graduation' was to connect with their horses while at-liberty (no halters or leads) in the round pen.

“The goal of the at-liberty exercise is to put all of the sessions together and build the bond with the horse which signifies that the horse is seeking solace or safety with you as their leader,” said Valerie Buck, who conducts the program. “This helps teens in countless ways as the horse accepts them and chooses to be right with them up-close and nowhere else.”

These teens were chosen by their two guidance counselors because of problems in communication, socialization or depression, or because they were experiencing some difficulty at school or home. For week five, it was warm enough to be outside using the outdoor round pen where grass and other distractions make the connection exercise more challenging. Yet, the teens showed real skill in reading their horses' body language and adjusting their own accordingly.

“Over the five weeks, we do exercises to teach communicating with clarity and intention as well as how your energy affects others and how to control it,” said Buck. “In the end, when all the lessons come together and the horse attaches himself to the teen, it is very emotional.”

At first, Brandon, who has been teamed with Harlem Rocker for the full five weeks, had trouble using his energy to send his horse to the outside of the round pen. Once he figured it out, the Thoroughbred dug in and showed his graded stakes winner style as well as a few aerials.

“Trust him,” instructed Buck. “Just drop your shoulders and ask him to come in.”

Brandon softened his shoulders, asked for a hind-end yield and Harlem Rocker trotted right up to him and then followed Brandon around like a puppy.

“He was so confident and calm,” said Suzanne LeForestier, school psychologist who was in attendance at the program for most weeks. “I am so proud of him.”

“It helps that these are really cool racehorses, ” said Buck. “The students' time here is like nothing else that they ever experience. It has an impact. They learn awareness of healthy boundaries and to help them find mutual respect among their peers, parents and teachers. They learn better communication skills and how to work out conflicts and situations with a more rational approach.”

One teen said of the program: “From going to the horse farm I see a different me–like a calm, focused, determined me. I think the horses helped bring that out of me and helped me find it. This experience also teaches people like me that if you are focused, you can do anything, like build trust with an animal. I now realize the horses aren't just animals, they are kind of like people. I say this because they have feelings, they learn right from wrong. They need to build trust and helped me in the right direction, just like people do. So, going to the farm was not just a grade it was a way to find your true self and what you're capable of doing”

Brandon, when asked what part of the program he liked best, he replied: “I liked every part of it.”

Brandon hopes to volunteer at Long Shadows Farm this summer to learn more about horses and keep working on his horsemanship skills.

Original article

On Aftercare: Do The Right Thing

vincent@graffeo.cloud (Vincent Graffeo) — Wed, 23 Jan 2019 16:10:27 GMT

Article by Diana Pikulski, Thoroughbred Daily News

When in doubt, do the right thing.

For his entire life, it seems that Fuhrious Warrior (Langfuhr) was destined to bring people together. As a racehorse, he attracted a following across the U.S. inspired by his name, its meaning, and how he embodied that name in his racing style. Now, in ACTT Naturally's programs for veterans and their families, he is a shining example of Thoroughbreds excelling in equine-assisted healing programs.

“He is game as a lion no matter the surface,” said managing partner William Martin, quoting trainer Thomas Morley.

Fuhrious is one of only a select few horses raced by Martin and some close friends. Martin is a retired United States Army General and a highly sought-after business consultant who spent most of his adult life serving the United States in strategic operations at the highest levels of the military.

Martin was raised in Watervliet, N.Y. in a house where patriotism and service to your country were first and foremost. When his parents bought a camp on Saratoga Lake, Martin met people who owned and worked with racehorses. Their passion for horses left an indelible impression on him as a young man.

After graduating from La Salle Institute, Martin enrolled in the ROTC program at Siena College and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He was a Paratrooper, a Ranger and is a combat veteran.

While at the Pentagon, Martin worked within the Army Initiatives Group, a think-tank that focused on improving the Army on and off the battlefield. Martin was appointed as the Deputy to New York's Adjutant General, the de facto commander of the state's military forces, including the National Guard, the Naval Militia and state defense forces, overseeing a 24,000-member military organization with a budget in excess of 400 million dollars. During this service, Martin was selected for the prestigious Governor Alfred E. Smith Award by the American Society for Public Administration, the only military recipient in the 60-year history of the award.

During his military career, Martin worked under General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, first as a company commander, then as a strategic analyst and speechwriter, and finally as an operations officer in the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment during the first Gulf War. Watching Schwarzkopf navigate the political/strategic environment of Washington and the operational challenges of leading Operation Desert Storm, Martin developed an insight into what made Schwarzkopf an effective leader: he had a talent for helping people to see what they needed to do as well as inspiring them to believe they could do it. This model has guided Martin throughout his career.

What is it about Thoroughbreds and racing that caught the attention of someone as accomplished and focused as William Martin? Martin never forgot the energy and passion of the people in horse racing. Through his friend John Hicks, he met the two-year-old colt who would become Fuhrious Warrior, a horse that has struck a chord with everyone who has come to know him.

Fuhrious Warrior ran 33 races and hit the board 13 times. It was his heart and willingness to try to the end, even through adverse conditions and an early breathing problem, that endeared him to trainers and riders especially Laura Tilbury. “Tils” was an integral part of Fuhrious Warrior's life plan after racing.

“I care about every horse I ride but certain ones really have an impact on you,” recalled Tilbury. “Fuhrious and I really connected. I told Bill that I would always be there for him to be sure that he had a good home.”

“I loved how much Bill and the partners cared,” added Tilbury. “Bill showed up days ahead no matter where Fuhrious was racing and would spend time at the barn every day before and after the race. One time after we arrived at Laurel, Fuhrious was in his stall all day with his head in the back corner. Then, suddenly, he was at the front, head out, ears up. I called Bill and asked where he was. He said he had just gotten to the track and I laughed. Fuhrious knew he was in the area.”

Trainer Jordan Blair recalled the positive influence Fuhrious and Martin and his partners had on his stable and his life.

“It was all about the horse and the journey,” says Blair. “We struggled to find races that fit his conditions but would not put him at risk of getting claimed. But no one ever complained because they just enjoyed being a part of owning Fuhrious Warrior.”

“We made friends for life in Martin and the partners,” added Blair. “Meeting them changed my life for the better.”

It was Tils who introduced Martin to Valerie Buck of ACTT Naturally. ACTT Naturally retrains Thoroughbreds and partners them with combat veterans and others allowing them to connect with horses in a therapeutic way.

Fuhrious left the track for good in July 2018.

“The decision to retire him, in spite of results good enough to warrant more racing, wasn't hard,” said Martin. “I heard General Schwarzkopf in my head saying: When in doubt, do the right thing.”

Fuhrious is now with ACTT Naturally and lives at Long Shadows Farm in Cambridge, N.Y. Long Shadows is home to a number of retired and rescued horses and healing programs for people. Fuhrious has already begun participating in the Hearts in Harmony Program for Veterans and their families, as well as women and teens in need of equine-assisted coaching and healing.

“I first met Fuhrious Warrior at Saratoga racecourse when he was two or three years old. His exercise rider and my good friend, Tils, asked me to come and meet him,” recalled Valerie Buck, founder of ACTT Naturally. “He was beautiful and he also had the eye and confidence that touch us on a deeper level.”

“Over the years, I would get updates from Tils and she introduced me to his proud team of owners,” added Buck. “Bill Martin stayed in touch and made the call this summer that he was ready come to ACTT Naturally. The presence of Bill and Fuhrious have been a gift in many ways bringing new energy, awareness and support for our veterans' programs.”

Furious Warrior acclimated faster than most horses to the job of being calm, kind and patient while volunteers, veterans and others who have no experience with horses learn to connect and be close to them.

“Patience, love and kindness are what we live by at ACTT Naturally,” added Buck. “Fuhrious was adoringly dubbed Fuzzy Warrior as we watched his demeanor quickly go from race-ready to relaxed.”

Throughout Martin's decorated career as a team leader and teacher of leadership, he credits positive energy and connection among team members as the glue that keeps a team together fueling success and satisfaction. The energy around Fuhrious Warrior and his fans showed Martin how a horse and its energy could inspire greatness in people. That Fuhrious Warrior could retire from racing and start his journey helping veterans and people in need is the perfect road for his team to travel.

“Much credit needs to be given to all my partners and our trainers who have selflessly and generously enabled this horse to fulfill the very special place and purpose he has on this earth,” said Martin. “We always knew he was something very special and that his calling would transcend racing. We knew it was his destiny to bring out the best in people and unite them as one. So when the 'universe spoke to us', all unanimously were excited, relieved, and thankful that we would be successful in answering the higher call.”

“Fuhrious Warrior was a fierce competitor, who never quit regardless of situation, circumstance, or adversity. My hope is that this same doggedness, diligence, and determination will somehow be transferred to veterans and others as they come together with him and develop relationships, bonds, and trust.”

Original article

Homecoming for a 'Rock Star'

vincent@graffeo.cloud (Vincent Graffeo) — Thu, 03 Dec 2015 16:37:43 GMT

Article by Tom Law

Valerie Buck was taking a litter of kittens to the veterinarian this fall when she got the call she didn't think would come, the one she convinced herself not to expect and the one that ultimately reunited her with a favorite horse from a previous life.

The call came from Mike Rogers, president of the racing division for The Stronach Group and a close and trusted advisor to Frank and Freda Stronach, in response to Buck's letter to the Stronachs about Canadian classic winner Harlem Rocker.

Buck, who spend nearly three decades as an exercise rider before giving it up to use her horsemanship to help people, heard that Harlem Rocker was living as a pensioner in Kentucky and hoped she could provide a home to the 10-year-old son of Macho Uno. She'd ridden Harlem Rocker when she worked for trainer Todd Pletcher and his saddlecloth from the 2008 Travers Stakes proudly hangs in her home in Cambridge, New York.

"One of my very most favorite horses I rode in my 28 years as an exercise rider was Harlem Rocker," Buck wrote. "He came to Saratoga in his 2-year-old year and I fell in love with him right away. I was lucky enough to stay with him through most of his career. I sat with him when he was sick in Florida, I damned the stewards when they took him down in the Cigar Mile - still a bad call. ... I missed visiting him when he was a stallion in Saratoga.

"I've done a bit of research and found that Harlem Rocker is living in retirement in Kentucky. This may be a bold request, but I would love to give him a forever home here at our farm in upstate New York."

The voice on the other end of Buck's cellphone that day brought her to tears.

Rogers told the excited Buck that the Stronachs agreed to let Harlem Rocker, who won the 2008 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie and Grade 3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct for them, return to upstate New York to continue his retirement. Harlem Rocker stood his only season in 2011 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds before being taken out of service due to a neurological issue that required spinal cord surgery.

"Mike Rogers called me and said, 'do you know he can't be ridden?' I said, 'that's fine we don't need to ride him,'" Buck said as she greeted Harlem Rocker with carrots in his spacious stall Tuesday morning at Long Shadows Farm. "He had wobbler syndrome and they put a titanium plate in his neck, but he's fine. Totally fine."

"The only time they said they ever saw him have trouble was when he would lay down and try to get up, he would take a couple tries to get up. Here the other day I watched him get down and get up and he didn't have any problems."

Harlem Rocker isn't turned out with the rest of the equine residents at Long Shadows Farm, which include 2003 Albany Stakes winner Traffic Chief and the 11-year-old Hennessy gelding Three Lions, a $270,000 yearling known around the farm as "Budder." Harlem Rocker was gelded before he left Adena Springs in Paris, Kentucky, for the trip back to New York.

Buck hitched up her horse trailer to her pickup, collected a few of the foster dogs she's taking care of for the trip and made the more than 800-mile and 14-hour drive herself to pick up Harlem Rocker last month.

"There aren't any vans going up and down here this time of year," Buck said. "So I said, 'the heck with it, I'll just jump in the truck and go down there.' "

Harlem Rocker is settling into life on another farm quite well. He spent most of the early part of his turnout in his paddock complete with a large run-in shed checking things out, marking his territory a bit and devouring any of the carrots Buck offered.

"I have to be careful since he was gelded when I hug him that he doesn't hug me back," Buck joked as she got Harlem Rocker ready for the short walk from the barn to his paddock. "Isn't he beautiful? He's so good, too. I took the leather halter and the stud chain off him immediately and put a rope halter on him and he's been very good.

"Everybody at Adena Springs was absolutely wonderful; Mike Rogers, Michelle Abbott, Eoin Ryan, the guys at the farm. They're just wonderful people and that reflects on the Stronachs. I don't know them at all, never been around them, but can't thank them enough. I just wrote another letter, a nice thank you note, to them."

Buck plans to show Harlem Rocker off a bit more during an open house event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13 to promote her ACTT Naturally programs. Admission to the event is free with donations appreciated and demonstrations of natural horsemanship and equine assisted learning, along with light refreshments, are part of the day's events.

Original article