Hi, everyone! My name is Aly Murphy and I work at the SmartPak store in Natick, MA. I’m a senior in high school and have been riding for ten years with my trainer at August Farm. Three years ago, Team August Farm was established. We compete in interscholastic competitions with other middle school and high school teams in Zone 1. The Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) is run very similar to its college counterpart, the Intercollegiate Horseshow Association (IHSA). There are four divisions, Novice, Intermediate and Open and a Beginner on the Flat class. Each division has a flat class and an over fences class. Each rider randomly selects the horse they will be competing. We are allowed to watch the horses warm-up and are given a brief description of each horse. IEA riders are also given the opportunity to school two fences before we course our horse, unlike the IHSA riders who are not given a warm-up at all.

In order to qualify for Regionals, each rider must accumulate 15 points in each class throughout the season. We have five horseshows to do so. Each team must accumulate 12 points to qualify for Regionals. If you make it through Regionals successfully, you compete at Zones, and then hopefully move on to Nationals! We were the only farm to have both our Middle School and High School Teams qualify for Nationals which was very exciting! After our High School Team won Zone Finals, competing at Nationals became a reality. After congratulations, our coaches were quick to tell us that we would seldom see our stirrups in the next couple of weeks. Awesome. And so, on our way back from Zones, our Mothers began to scramble and make plans. Plane tickets were booked, crisp white show shirts were monogrammed and Tailoreds were dry-cleaned. Finally, on Wednesday, April 29, Team August Farm arrived in Painesville, Ohio at Lake Erie College, nervous, excited and in anticipation of the days ahead.

The facility was beautiful, complete with chandeliers, classrooms and a spacious stadium-style indoor arena. We reported to the barn at 5 AM on Friday to watch the horses warm-up over fences. I was in the second class, and picked a chestnut horse named Sporty. He was adorable and had a big stride so I was able to make the lines that a lot of horses were chipping. I didn’t hold him to the base of my trot fence, however, which definitely hurt my score. All in all, I was proud of my course, despite not finishing in the ribbons. Our other point rider ended up placing third, so by the end of the day we were in a top eight position, which was exciting! After my course, the written Horsemanship Test was given. Although optional, about two hundred riders completed the test, which took material from Pony Club Manuals B and C. Later that night we went to the banquet that was given for all of the teams. We were decked out in our purple and black apparel (our farm colors), glow sticks and Mardi Gras beads. All the teams were fighting for the Team Spirit Award which would be given at the end of the horseshow. The dance floor was a mixture of members from different teams dressed in everything from neon spandex to prom dresses.

The next day, the Huntseat classes didn’t compete until after the Western Individual Finals, which were amazing to watch. None of us really knew what we were looking for, but were mesmerized by how responsive the horses were to their riders. After the Western finals came the Parade of Teams. Each team was called out by their Zone and lined up around the arena for an awards ceremony and the National Anthem. I ended up placing 4th in the Horsemanship test for the high school, and two of our middle schoolers placed also. This was a relief, because I think my trainer would have killed me if I didn’t place well- not to mention, Jen, back at the store!

The next class I competed in was the team flat class. There were a total of nineteen riders riding for their teams, and the class was split into two sections. The top eight riders would be called back to ride the next day. My horse was an awesome, big, dark bay packer, lucky me! I was so nervous before my class because I wanted to do well for my team. I got called back, along with four other of our flat riders in the other divisions! That night at our team dinner, we were all anxious for our classes on Sunday.

We arrived at the barn bright and early for the last day of the horseshow. Instead of riding first, as I normally do, they saved my class for last, for suspense. All of our riders placed in the top three in their classes! I walked in the ring, nervous as ever, on another big, dark bay cutie. As we were asked to walk, trot and canter to the left, I was surprised at how easy the judges were being on us…well, I thought too soon. The next fifteen minutes of the class we were to drop our stirrups and show the extended canter, sitting trot, posting trot and extended trot. My horse was awesome, but definitely loved the extended canter portion of the class, which I had a hard time getting him back from. The top two girls were tested, and the rest of us were excused. They were given a tricky test involving the counter canter and two changes of lead, which they both performed extremely well on their unfamiliar horses. I ended up getting sixth, which meant one point for the team. The August Farm High School IEA Team won fourth at the IEA Nationals. It was an amazing experience, and I loved every minute. Our team grew much closer that weekend, I’m sad it’s my last year! Good luck next year, August Farm, and congratulations to all the IEA riders and teams that competed at Nationals!

by Lauren, Web Designer

Dogs on vacation? Sure, images of basset hounds basking in the ocean sun and poodles primping themselves in salons come to mind – but vacationing with pets is an increasingly popular reality with today’s animal enthused families. According to a 2002 Travel Industry of America survey, 14% of all US adults have travelled with a pet on a trip of 50 miles or more, and the numbers are only increasing. What does that mean for Fido? Pack your bag poochie, we’re hitting the trail!

Early this month, my boyfriend and I decided that our two dogs deserved a little R&R as well, so we gathered everyone up for our first pet-friendly vacation in the Poconos Mountains in Pennsylvania. No stranger to seeing me pack, my Springer Spaniel, Eliot, immediately started his usual routine of pouting around the house as soon as he saw my suitcase fill with clothes. However, those small cries soon turned to yelps of joy when he saw me grab his tote bag and fill it with PortionPaks for him and BT. It was official – Eliot and BT were going on vacation.

Finding a dog friendly hotel is relatively easy. Some Google searches for “Poconos dog friendly” brought us a myriad of choices for the area, and other sites like Pettravel.com and Petfriendlytravel.com listed smaller bed & breakfast type as well as larger chain hotels by area. We settled on a lodge-type small hotel in Starlight, Pennsylvania and had no trouble getting the dogs settled into their new home. After they had food & water, a few of their favorite toys, and crates in the room the dogs figured we had just moved to a tiny new apartment.

Eliot was ready to leave all our possessions behind and move to Starlight Lake, because – well, it had a lake! Every time I took him outside, he pulled and leapt towards the large body of water right outside our hotel room. Neither geese, gnats, nor families with small children trying to enjoy their paddleboats could deter him from his number 1 mission in life – to bring me the orange buoy from the water. BT, who has no real interest in needless fetching or any other real physical exercise, thought the hotel was pretty okay all in all - lots of pillows for her to fluff just right for naps, but an absolutely ridiculous “no dogs allowed” policy in the dining room. Apparently, she’s been yearning for French Toast for years.

When vacationing somewhere with a lot of open space and natural beauty, keeping the dogs active enough to be tired when the people wanted to go do something wasn’t hard. One day we took them to a nearby state park complete with hiking & waterfalls, so the dogs could immerse themselves in what they have entitled “The Nature”.

Eliot thinks “The Nature” is the most amazing place in the whole world. There’s a river running through it with pools for swimming, rocks for leaping, and waterfalls for showers. There are sticks to chew, dead things to smell, and mud everywhere. The dog was so thrilled with the entire outing, that all he could do was just run in big loopy circles around us panting and wagging his little nubby tail as fast as he could.


BT’s verdict on “The Nature”? The nature is hot. The nature is long and tiring. The nature has no fluffy pillows. She didn’t mind the water so much, and would willingly wade into the calmer parts of the river, but swimming was not acceptable (which is fine, because we’re not entirely sure she wouldn’t sink). We walk BT in a comfort harness, which turned out to be a big asset in “The Nature” since sometimes she just wouldn’t move and had to be hoisted up and carried for a few minutes. While Eliot could leap around the woods for about 12 hours, the BT says the nature is acceptable when casually strolling down a shady path.

The long car ride home was no problem for either of my two dogs, because after a little vacation with their parents they were more than ready for some slumber to recover from their adventures with “The Nature”. I experienced a lovely stress-free weekend, not having to wonder how my dogs were getting along at the kennel, and got to enjoy some quality outdoor time with my favorite two and four legged people.

Having trekked 750 miles from my home state of North Carolina, to “America’s Hometown” in Plymouth, MA – one could say that my living situation has changed. For one, there are considerably more pilgrims here than I have previously experienced in life. Another change has been the weather. I have seen approximately 24” of snow in my entire lifetime – spread out over 24 years and never more than 12” at a time. My two dogs however, have seen considerably less. Snow in North Carolina usually means an inch or so to dust the ground, close down schools, and render grocery stores empty of bread and milk. Eliot, my English Springer Spaniel, never took much notice of Carolina snow and Claudette (affectionately nick-named “BT”), our recently rescued Boston Terrier, thought a crisp fall rain was weather too miserable to venture outdoors.

That being said, my two lovely dogs have handled the snow a bit differently from each other. We thought that something deep down in BT’s heritage would buck up when she returned to her native homeland of Boston, drumming strings of “You’re from Boston and you love cold weather! You’re from Boston and you’re used to snow!” deep in her core… but so far – nothing.

Eliot says toys are much more fun in the snow! You can dump them and shake them and get them full of the fluffy white stuff. Then, when the toy comes inside it creates magical puddles to roll in and track through the house, providing for more hours of entertainment. BT looks longingly at the back door, and isn’t willing to stick her face into the snow for anything – let alone a cold, wet toy.

Eliot rejoices in a fresh foot of snow, because it gives him an excuse to spring enthusiastically throughout the yard (he is a Springer Spaniel, after all). BT despairs in a fresh foot of snow, because it’s almost over her head and she’s forced to spring throughout the yard to make it back inside.

Eliot believes in a sub-culture of invisible snow bunnies that live under the layers of snow and ice. Capturing these bunnies involve a sneak attack, the method which includes (although he’s still mastering techniques) dive bombing, digging, and barking at the snow until the bunnies come out in submission. Efforts to produce the invisible snow bunnies have so far been futile, but Eliot the Secret Agent Spaniel remains hopeful. BT believes she should be given the courtesy of relieving herself inside where it’s warm, but if forced to take care of business outside… the only acceptable place is under the front bushes where snow contact is minimal. Furthermore, Eliot is a moron.

As we (hopefully) turn the last corner of winter and deal with a few more remaining snow storms, my dogs and I continue to deal (or not) with all this newfound winter glory. Locals here tell me that spring will come again, followed by a lovely summer… but I have yet to see any evidence of such. Until then, we’re just trying to stay warm – and BT is picking out her new winter wardrobe.

by Carey, Web Marketing - Project Manager

I have had dogs all my life, so when I moved to Plymouth into an apartment and couldn’t have a dog right away, things felt a little strange. I immediately went out and adopted my first cat ever, Simba. He is everything I could want in a cat; very lovable and usually quite sociable! I still wanted a dog, and even though I couldn’t get one at the time, I spent countless hours on Petfinder just looking for one I would fall in love with.

I gave up my puppy search for quite some time, until about 2 months ago - I had been in contact with one of our customers, Jennifer P., regarding SmartPak. Jennifer had a link to a Petfinder page of an animal shelter near her home where she volunteered, and my curiosity got the best of me. I found the cutest little litter of 5 week old Shepherd puppies! Apparently they had just been surrendered to the Ouachita Parish Animal Shelter in West Monroe, LA. I didn’t know how feasible it would be to even get a dog from Louisiana, but I called my landlord, and luckily she agreed to a dog! Yay – now I could get the ball rolling with seeing if this was even a possibility. I immediately got back in touch with Jen and she said we could certainly figure something out if I was interested in one of the puppies. That following Friday, she went to the shelter and took some pictures of the litter and I absolutely fell in love with them all. How was I supposed to pick!? I ended up going with the little female I first had a gut reaction towards. I loved the way her little paws crossed in the picture I was sent. She just looked like she was something extra special.

I called Jen Saturday morning and let her know I picked out a puppy and would love to adopt her if we could make it work. She agreed the one I picked, who was soon to be named Nala, was also her favorite. Jen adopted Nala that afternoon, and took her home to foster her at her house until I could find transportation to get her up here. Nala got a nice warm bath and got all cleaned up. She no longer looked like a pound puppy and apparently she smelled really good too! Nala’s foster mom had lots for Nala to explore with - 4 cats, 4 dogs, 4 horses, and lots of fenced in property. I was afraid she wouldn’t want to come home to MA! It was such a great experience for her, though, to be able to see so much.

I became more and more anxious to get Nala home, even though I knew she was in such a great place where she was being taken such good care of. I even began looking at driving down to pick her up or flying her up here, but it just wasn’t financially feasible. Luckily, there are some really good-hearted people who make trips from the south every week and pick up rescue dogs along the way to get them to their forever home up north. A very generous woman offered to take Nala up if she could get a ride to South Louisiana and she would take her on her trip the weekend of the 9/13. Unfortunately Hurricane Ike hit, and her ride was delayed a week. I couldn’t handle waiting another week. I wanted her so bad! Luckily I found another transportation service, called Rescue Road Trips, which had room for her.

Her foster mom generously agreed to leave her house at 4 AM on Thursday 9/11, to get her to the drop-off in time. Nala traveled for about 2 days and on the morning of 9/13 I drove to CT to pick her up. I practically started crying when the trailer drove up, but as soon as they got her out for me and handed her to me, I was so excited! She just squirmed around and licked my face, like saying “HI MOM! I’m finally home!”

I have had Nala for 10 weeks now and she is such a ball of laughter and energy. She and Simba are still figuring each other out - she can’t figure out why Simba doesn’t enjoy her jumping on his head, and Simba can’t figure out where she gets all of her energy from. But, I have a feeling they will eventually become good friends…once she calms down a little bit! Plus they share something very special, and that is getting a second chance through adoption.

Nala loves to run and play, and go to the beach, and for lots of walks. You would think all of that tires her out, but it certainly doesn’t! But don’t bother her when she’s sleeping, that’s for sure. She’ll get up, toss her head, and plop herself down somewhere else. I wish I could do that when I was sleeping and she wants to play!

I think it is fate that Nala came into my life when she did and how I came about finding her. It is so sad to think that someone would just surrender their pet to a high kill shelter, especially a whole litter at such a young age - such a good dog could have gone unknown and unloved. Unfortunately, it happens more often than not, and most shelters can’t keep up with the inflow of dogs and cats. Don’t forget to spay and neuter your pets, and if you’re looking for a new dog or cat, don’t forget to consider adoption! You can find a very special friend who thanks you for saving him/her and giving a 2nd chance at life. I would like to thank Nala’s foster mom, Jen, for making this all happen and taking such good care of little Nala for the first 5 weeks of her life after the animal shelter, as well as PAWS of Northeast Louisiana, the Ouachita Parish Animal Shelter, and Rescue Road Trips for getting her home safely.