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Editor's note: The following monthly perspective was written by National Horseman's publisher, Allison Lambert, appearing in the June Extra 2015 issue. This editorial was written as the second part to last month's, "Perfect Storm" perspective.

Be the Change.

By Allison Lambert

        They say the first step in solving a problem is recognizing that there is one. However, there are certain problems so vast and convoluted with variables that it’s hard to know just where to begin. Those are the kinds of problems that stop most people from even trying because the complexity makes solving them seem impossible. But according to the fundamental principles of mathematics, sometimes dissecting a problem and solving the equivalent variables independently is the easiest way to solve the larger problem at hand. This is called a “Divide-and-Conquer” algorithm.

        We are all aware of the issues affecting our industry, but unfortunately, with so many contributing factors that differ from region to region, there isn’t one cut-and-dry solution that fixes them all. This is because our roles in the industry influence our definitions of the problems and solutions—one person's solution is another person's definition of the problem, and so on and so on. This exact cycle makes it easy to stay stagnant, because with no right or wrong solution, our different definitions can make it impossible to find solidarity. However, just like a difficult math problem, by addressing each variable independently and concentrating on the one where your passion lies, together we might be able to solve the bigger issue.

        Trainers Mary Orr, Barbe Smith, Kathi Hummel, Matt Shiflet, Melissa Moore, and ASHAV President Carol Reedy and Rock Creek Riding Club President David Mount are just a few of the many individuals who are doing their part to solve the bigger problem. Driven by their passion and love of the sport, they don’t question whether their actions will be enough to make a difference; they worry that inaction will be enough not to. Although their solutions may each slightly differ, their efforts are united in solving the same problem: supporting the growth of our industry.

          It’s no big secret that lesson programs are the foundation of our sport and in fact provided a starting point for many of our industry’s biggest supporters. Can you imagine the saddle horse industry without WGC CH Our Charming Lady? Or the North Carolina circuit without the Bosworth family? Thanks to people like Mary and Evan Orr, who devote their time to fostering these incredible programs, we don’t have to. The Orrs’ ambition coupled with their progressive way of thinking has singlehandedly made an impact on our entire sport. From hosting birthday parties and fundraisers to donating pony rides at school carnivals, if there is an opportunity to promote our breed to the public, Mary and Evan will be there handing out free lesson vouchers. “If we get the call, we are there for all kinds of parties and school carnivals,” explains Mary. “Lately we have had a few kids who have had parties at their house and asked if we can bring a horse. If the date is open, we do it. It is so much fun to see the faces of the kids when a horse pulls up.” Allie Poovey, Libby Bowen, McGee Bosworth and Ellie Kangur are just a few of the top High Caliber riders who began riding thanks to Mary’s birthday parties. “Some of our brightest stars have come from these parties,” Mary notes. “It’s a time where the parents get to see what we are about with their children. The kids take their free lesson voucher and come back to ride again, but they really chose to stay.” Another product of the Orrs’ lesson program is a woman whose contributions to the sport go much deeper than simply owning horses. Since the days of her very first lesson, where Mary taught her to post, Donna Finch has owned and bred more than 20 horses in our industry. “If I hadn’t taught that one fateful lesson, there would be no Our Charming Lady,” says Mary. “Watching her babies go around the ring makes it all worth it. I always think none of it would have happened had I not taught that one lesson.”  

         The truth is, Mary and Evan don’t need new clients—they do it to market our industry to those who would otherwise know nothing about it. “We are the barn that truly tries to do it all, from breeding to Academy to showing at the World’s Championship Horse Show. We believe in it, and yes, it makes the days long. I get mad when trainers say they can't do this stuff,” Mary says. “We have 44 horses in training, and we do it. It can be done, but you have to be willing to put the time in!”

        After cultivating relationships and building a lesson program, the next step is moving riders up the ranks into performance. This tends to be the most difficult transition for most families. The leap from Academy to performance is one that comes not only with a big commitment, but a frightening financial obligation as well. For the past 30 years, Barbe Smith of Cascade Stables has been bridging the gap of that giant leap by leasing show horses to those clients who are able to step up from Academy, but are not quite ready to make the commitment of owning a five-figure show horse. “I think it’s a starting point,” says Barbe. “By leasing a horse and paying for boarding and training, it gives the riders and parents the experience of having their first show horse without the long-term commitment and the added cost of the purchase price.” Still, the parents can at first be a little surprised by just the cost of board and training. “Getting them to step up to that number is the first bridge,” says Barbe. With most of the horses in their leasing program suitable for the Pleasure Equitation/Saddle Seat/Country Pleasure type classes, these horses kind of fill that gap, so that when the year is up, they may be ready to advance to something a little more challenging.

         As families transition from Academy, the cost of buying a horse is just the tip of the financial iceberg, as they are quickly made aware of the bevy of other costs that coincide with it. From transportation to entry fees, shoeing bills to suits, the onset of accumulating charges rains down like a tsunami. Kathi Hummel is another inspiring trainer who is well acquainted with the fact that financial burden prohibits many of her excelling Academy riders from moving up to the next level. Aware of the problem, Kathi was moved to do something about it, starting with petitioning sponsors to donate used suits and lending her own lesson horses in order to provide riders with the experience of showing at bigger shows. “At Gold Cup, we asked for sponsors to donate a used suit for this particular child,” Kathi explains. “She is the daughter of a hardworking single mom with two children who works long hours. The child keeps her grades up and has wonderful manners. She has a passion for horses, in particular Morgans and Saddlebreds, and now LOVES saddle seat. She has excelled in Academy, and while her peers moved on to regular shows, she couldn’t cost-wise. So I just decided to make it work.” Kathi has a few other riders in similar situations, and she has made it her mission to find a way to put these deserving kids in the ring. “I think we, as a community, need to expand and evolve, or evaporate!” Kathi says. “Teaching riding is a passion of mine after 40 years of doing so, and I know the value of a good horse to expand a rider. Typical lesson horses are worth gold, but a rider who pursues riding as art and at the higher levels needs better horses to know what that’s like. It just requires an open mind and an open heart; the reward of seeing a child get to do this is payment enough and is a good lesson for the other riders with more means.” Like the Orrs, Kathi searches out ways to get new people of all backgrounds into the industry, giving free lessons to school kids in the winter, going onto school websites and inviting them over. She adds, “I think everyone needs to give back in this way. I don’t have much money, but I like to think I will be remembered kindly for helping other kids realize their horse dreams and know anything is possible with hard work and a ‘never quit’ attitude.”

        As exhibitors progress into the performance arena, jumping right into deep waters filled with reigning World’s Champions can be a little intimidating. This is a realization not lost to people like Matt and Whitney Shiflet, who remember attending the fun, casual, county fair type horse shows as kids, which conditioned them to become the Saddlebred enthusiasts they are today. For years they watched as many of the local events that played such an integral part of their childhood slowly disappeared, eliminating the entry-level horse shows that promote the growth of our industry. “I felt like there was a need to fill the gap between Academy and the elite show horse,” said Matt Shiflet. “When I started, the small show circuit was huge and was where you learned to ride. Now, when people come out of the Academy program, they are expected to buy a Louisville-quality horse, and that’s not realistic for a number of reasons.” This ideology fueled the foundation of the Carolina Summer Circuit. The Carolina Summer Circuit, as well as the Bluegrass Select series in Kentucky, and ASHAV’s Virginia/West Virginia Summer Circuit, aims to create a middle ground for riders with special classes offered at area shows. Riders who compete in a certain number of qualifying classes in each circuit become eligible for that circuit’s Championship at the end of the season. “It’s like their Final,” says Melissa Moore, who is the driving force behind the Bluegrass Select Series. She explains, “Matt Shiflet’s [Carolina Summer Circuit] was well received, and I couldn’t believe, being in the heart of horse country, we didn’t have a similar platform for the non-Louisville aspiring entry.” She describes how her program creates a more even playing field because it allows them to compete at exciting horse shows like Kentucky Spring Premier and Rock Creek, in classes that are geared towards entries of their same likeness. This same methodology inspired David Mount to create the Rock Creek Novice Show, which provides equal opportunity for entry-level riders and horses.

        Whether or not you agree with these solutions, what these inspiring individuals show us is that by dissecting the problem and taking action on the variable you’re most passionate about, together we can make a positive change. It’s easy to sit on the sidelines complaining about the game, but those with enough courage to strap on a helmet and get on the field are the ones who actually change the game. Can you imagine the impact if we each rolled up our sleeves and started solving the independent variables? If we redirected our energy to being part of the solution and not the problem? The innovative ideas of those mentioned above may just be a starting point, but at least it’s that. What is the variable that you’re most passionate about changing? Is it horse shows? Class size? Growing the middle market? Rally around others who share your same passion, and do something about it. Because whether we take a giant leap or just tiptoe, we won’t get anywhere without first taking a step.

       We’re an industry full of different personalities, with different goals and different vested interests; whether you’re a breeder, a trainer, a show manager, or an AOT, the truth is, we will never all agree on the solutions, or even the problems. But what we can do is something. And for those of us who want to see a positive progression, we will each need to hold ourselves independently accountable. Because in order to make a change, you must first be the change you wish to see.