By Karen Lato-Jensen

If you have ever loved horses from afar, you don’t have to look hard in Newtown for the warm, welcoming encouragement to come join this horse community. If you ride, own a horse or are part of Newtown’s horse industry in any capacity, even the most hard-core have a soft spot for at least one horse that has reached beyond normal emotions and wrapped its personality around that human’s heart.

Logically, owning a horse can be considered an insane proposition. The countless hours that are spent in a barn, with a trainer, at a horse show or just cleaning everything, can be exhausting! Add the financial demands and sacrifices made to provide for these animals and you wonder why you haven’t been committed for psychiatric evaluation.

However, ride on a crisp autumn day in the serenity of Newtown’s many bridle lanes, attend a Show-And-Go with all your NBLA pals, get it right in the show ring and even win a ribbon, or go to the barn when the stresses of life have you at the end of your rope, pour all of your problems out to your four-legged friend, and not only does it make sense why you do this, but you can’t understand how anyone cannot do it.

Jill Stilson identifies with these experiences. Newtown citizen, professional fitness trainer, wife and active horse woman says she has enjoyed horse ownership “all my life.” Eight years ago, she bought a young Appaloosa filly as a project horse. A project horse would take true commitment to spend the many months required for feed, housing, training, veterinarian service as well as the patience to bring the young horse to adulthood (unlike race horses, riding horses are usually started between the ages of two or three years old; the theory is the longer a young horse has to grow and develop structurally, the healthier he/she will stay to avoid the many leg issues which plague horses).

Although the young Appy filly was a grade (a horse without pedigree or certification papers from a breed association) and not in top condition, with the encouragement and support of her husband, John, who thought she was “beautiful,” the young mare was purchased and named Kachina.

 As a parent will go to great lengths to ensure that their child becomes educated, secures credentials and becomes a productive member of society, Jill pursued ways to give Kachina lifelong advantages. She spent extra time and monies to contact Kachina’s breeder, make the necessary applications and pay the fees involved with registering an Appaloosa with the American Appaloosa Association.

While working with a modest budget, Jill secured some professional training for Kachina. Over time, the young mare was transformed from scruffy grade to pedigreed Appaloosa with skills as a riding horse. The time and monies spent came back to rewarded the team enabling the pair to win Hunter and Hunter Under Saddle classes at horse shows, sometimes gaining championships and awards such as their recent accolades from the Connecticut Appaloosa Association in Hunter Over Fences and Hunter Under Saddle. When not performing in the show arena, Jill and Kachina enjoyed social events such as hunter paces and casual times together on many bridle trails.

Then one day, life took an unexpected turn. Last year, at a region show, Kachina was injured and unable to compete. Luckily, with a few days rest, Jill and Kachina were able to compete the next weekend, winning a reserve championship.

Although it seemed Kachina had suffered a minor, momentary set back, she appeared to have recovered completely. However, as spring turned to summer, something seemed to be wrong. Kachina’s front and hind legs began to swell. Initially she was diagnosed and treated for Lyme. Although Kachina had continued to swell after the Lyme treatments, according to Jill, she did not show lameness. Upon further investigation by Jill’s vets, they discovered severe Synovitis.

Synovitis, according to Wayne McIlwraith, BVSc, PhD Dipl. ACVS of Colorado State University in an article entitled “Equine Joint Disease: Causes and Type of Joint Disease in Horses,” wrote that Synovitis and capsulitis cause the release of (enzymes) metalloproteinases and aggrecanase, prostaglandins, free radicals, and interleukin-1. The resulting tissue inflammation creates pain, effusion, and reduced range of motion.

The only remedy the veterinarians could recommend to Jill was surgery. An aggressive medical treatment, such as surgery, can be an emotional and financial proposition for any family; to contemplate surgery, especially for an animal who is a beloved family member, who does not have insurance, can be frightening. Kachina as well would be put under the stresses of the operating table and recuperative stall rest.

Many have followed the recent traumatic year of race horse Barbaro who suffered from his own, unexpected leg injury incurred at the Preakness Stakes. His owners and veterinarians valiantly tried to give the stallion some quality of life, but he was ultimately euthanized.

Jill faced a difficult decision. She had other options. None, however, was considered an easy remedy either. The surgery might restore the mare to some degree or completely to her former well being. This was the only positive solution and it was a gamble. In addition, Jill and her husband would not only have to make financial and emotional commitments for the aggressive treatment, they would also need to commit, post surgery, to all associated costs, time and emotions to a horse that may or may not be able to provide much more service than a light trail horse if she came out of the surgery sturdy enough to support a rider or if no improvement, as a brood mare.

Due to Jill’s undying commitment to Kachina, she says she would never consider the other options that exist. These other options are less costly and release the owner from the burden of the situation. A horse that travels unsound, possibly to the point of being unserviceable, could have a very different fate. Kachina could have been given away as companion horse if a home could be found, she could have been sent to auction as many are, to an unknown fate or sent to a processing plant (recent legislation in early 2007 have closed the last few processing plants in the United States but foreign processing still exists) or she could have been euthanized by the vet.

Although these options seem unthinkable, they are the reality of our world.

Kachina had the surgery in December 2006. As of today, she is showing promise. The mare was on stall rest during the winter and has now been introduced to slow and steady exercise. Jill’s expertise as a personal fitness trainer assists her with creating Kachina’s therapy routine. Although Kachina and Jill’s riding future is still unclear, even as it moves in a positive direction, their time together is certain as they remain a team.

“Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace.” — Albert Schweitzer, French Nobel Peace Prize-winning mission doctor and theologian (1875-1965)

If you live, play or work in Newtown and have a special horse that has touched your life, if you are in a business that supports the horse industry in Newtown or if you know someone who is connected with Newtown and horses or the horse community, would you please email me at karen2171@charter.net. I would love to share your or their story.