VERMONT HORSE COUNCIL Safety Committee

Fire Safety Report ~ Click here
May 2006 ~ by Cindy Cross-Greenia

Equine Safety Hits the Road
By Susan McNeill - July 2005

On May 14th, 2005, VHC participated in the annual Equine Road Safety Parade in conjunction with the Governor's Proclamation on the State House lawn in Montpelier. We had approximately 15 riders and 2 wagons. The flag bearers did a great job and looked wonderful. The draft horses pulling the wagon were a big hit as they always are wherever they go. A special THANK YOU go out to Ted & Josie Russell and Merle & Skip Buck for driving their teams in the parade. It's one thing to load a riding horse onto the trailer and head to an event but there is so much more work involved in bringing two horses, harnesses, and a wagon to an event. Their effort was greatly appreciated. We also thank the rest of the riders and walkers for coming out so early in the season. For many horses and riders it was their first outing of the year and it took a bit of extra elbow grease to look presentable.

What a thrill to ride our horses right up to the State Capital! Along for the ride (in the wagons) were Secretary of Agriculture Steve Kerr, Steve Justis from marketing in the Department of the Agriculture, Jackie Folsom, President of the Vermont Farm Bureau, UVM Extension Equine Specialist Betsy Greene, and Molly McFaun from Senator Jeffords' office. We passed out flyers advising motorists on proper etiquette when meeting horses and riders/drivers on the roadway and hope our efforts helped to educate the general public so that we may all be safer on the roads.

VHC 2004 Safety Committee
By Lynn Beebe-Dow