January 3, 2001
Ward shows her horse sense
15-year-old raises filly as part of year-long 4H program
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Caring for the equivalent of a giant two-year-old, 24/7, might be daunting to fainter-hearted teens.
But Erin Ward, 15, just sees raising her Standard Bred filly, KayDee, as a natural step in her dream of being an equine vet, a stable owner or a horse trainer.
She relishes every aspect of participating in year-long Standard Bred 4H program, one of only 11 teens in the state doing so. Since October, when KayDee came to live with her family on their seven-acre Garfield Township farm, Ward has been the one to feed, groom and clean up after her. Morning and night, she is out in the barn working with and caring for the filly, guiding and loving her much like a parent would a young child.
For Ward, who previously mucked horse stalls at other stables for hours just to be around horses and have a chance to ride, raising KayDee is a slice of heaven.
"I love everything about horses, their curiosity, feeling and seeing what they are thinking," said Ward, a member of the Solon Wavy Acres 4H group. "You learn a lot more from a horse than from a dog. Dogs lay down and horses are always on their feet and are very affectionate."
Ward keeps meticulous records of KayDee's care and progress and carefully chooses her feed to ensure proper nutrition. A local mentor is assisting her during the year, a requirement of the 4H program.
Lou Schussler of Blair Township lends his 30 years of experience as a harness horse owner, breeder, trainer and driver to Ward's project. Raising a Standard Bred horse just seven months old is a lot of responsibility, Schussler noted.
The horse needs to get use to people, other horses, horse trailers and how it is supposed to act around humans. They also need to learn to stand still on crossties, wear a halter and allow people to handle their feet and ears.
And when Ward takes KayDee to auction next October, the final phase of the 4H program, how well the horse sells will depend on her actions during the previous 12 months.
"It is a lot of responsibility there in her hands until next October," said Schussler, who visits the Ward family farm once a month to keep an eye on the horse training. "She is a super kid and she's taking it real serious. She thinks a lot of the horse."
Although the brunt of responsibility and day-to-day care falls on Ward, raising KayDee is a project for the whole family. Her parents, Garth and Pam, have been supportive of this idea since she first learned of it last summer.
They have also fully supported her horse avocation for years, moving to the farm from an in-town residence two years ago so the family would have room for horses. In fact, KayDee has other horses in the barn to keep her company, two owned by the family and one a border.
This sort of hands-on learning is fundamental to the Ward family philosophy.
"Our thing with animals is you don't just pet them, you have to learn all about them," said Garth Ward, a local building contractor. "And with this program, not only does Erin have to want to raise KayDee, we have to want her to do it."
To pursue her love of horses and dream of a career in the industry, Ward trades her time on an area farm for training lessons to improve her own horsemanship. She works regularly with Rhoda Ritter, owner of The River Outpost in Union Township, on many aspects of riding, training and daily care.
Ritter sees a spark in Ward, a natural affinity for animals and horses, which will support her future career goals. Ritter recalled going along with the Ward family when they acquired their first horse a few years ago. Now a docile, loving horse, at the time Jessie was a wild biter who had been mistreated and was no longer wanted by her current owner.
"Erin was warned to be careful to be near her, that she would bite," Ritter recalled. "Erin is just spitfire enough to say, 'No, I am the boss.' There's timing in there that you're born with and she has that."