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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 13, 2015)
4C THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 PARTING SHOTS A weekly snapshot from The Daily Astorian and Chinook Observer photographers JL Gillikin and Heather Hryciw perform a tango outside of The Festival of the Dark Arts at Fort George Brewery Feb. 14. JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian The Barn: Nearly 90 percent of U.S. horse owners are female Continued from Page 1C The demands Keeping horses is messy, labor-intensive, expensive and emotionally demanding. Horses have immense physical strength and powerful wills, so the relationship between animal and owner is different than with other pets. A deep bond isn’t in- cidental; it’s fundamental. That level of involvement might seem overwhelming, even to professed animal lov- ers. But for some people, the challenges of horse ownership provide a sense of purpose and a source of joy. “I always knew it would be a lifestyle. I’m very passionate about it,” owner Amy McHale said in mid-February. While growing up in the 1970s, two of McHale’s three sisters were “very, very horse crazy.” They convinced their parents to get one horse for the family, and then another. “It progressed from there,” McHale recalled. They became a family of die-hard equestri- ans. In 1977, her father built the cavernous barn, which includes a huge sheltered arena, nu- merous stalls, and a loft where spectators can watch events. “He wanted to build an in- door facility that his family could ride in year-round, be- cause it rains a little bit around here,” McHale said. He planned to rent stalls to other area horse owners, but formed a backup plan in case the girls lost interest. “With all of us girls, he would always say, ‘If you all can’t get along and this doesn’t work out, it will be a truck ga- rage.’ That is why he built it tall with big doors — just in case.” But he never needed the backup plan. Until the mid- 1980s, the family spent near- ly every weekend riding and competing, and the customers your time to enjoy — your time with your animal.’” On a Tuesday night in mid-February, Wylie tied her horse Dude up just inside the barn doors. After spraying and brushing him, she braided his tail. Caring for horses is such an integral part of Wylie’s routine that she scarcely seems to no- tice the amount of work it in- volves. “After school, I usually take about a 15-minute break,” Wy- lie said. Then, she heads to the barn to help with chores and take care of her horses, wrap- ping up around dinnertime. Some local horse owners are serious competitors, while oth- ers just keep them as pets. Some prefer Western-style trail riding, while others use the more gen- teel English-style. Outside of the barn they might have different backgrounds and world views, but they do tend to share some common values, McHale said. Inside the barn, retired Submitted photo grandmas, working moth- National Barrel Horse Association awards series winners at Red Barn Arena included, front row from left, Cody Huff, Rachael ers, young single women and Glasson, Abby Doan, Olivia McKinsstry-Kemmer, Sophia Bittner. Middle row: Dominique Bittner, Allison Bonney, Wylie McHale, teenagers take a collaborative Sarah Markham, Laura Byrne, Brooke Morgan, Erika Glenn, Rachael Bartlett, Arriana Wiegardt. Back row: Katie Glasson, Chris- approach to raising the next ty Carruthers, Cheri Bolden, Hannah Pilon, Reece Pierson, Tracy Yates, Mckenzie Dalton. generation of equestrians. As little ones in helmets and bright kept coming. Later Amy began women (and a handful of men) jackets learn to groom, ride and competing in rodeos, and in ¿W LQ KRUVH FDUH DURXQG ZRUN compete, there is always some- 2009, took over the barn. She and school. Starting around 6 one there to give a boost, hold estimates that there have prob- in the morning, owners stop in a baby, calm a restless mount ably only been two years in her to lead their horses out to pas- or offer a bit of wisdom. The life when she didn’t compete. ture. They return in the evening youngest riders aren’t coddled; Her 13-year-old daughter Wy- to bring them in. For two or they’re coached, gently pushed lie began riding when she was three hours, the barn functions toward greater independence, 2 and now does Junior Rodeo. like a happy hour for people UHVSRQVLELOLW\FRQ¿GHQFH “In general, horse people are Wylie’s cousins also ride and who don’t mind getting muddy. compete. Owners muck out stalls, feed really good people. They are horses, drape them with blan- very family oriented,” McHale Women prevail kets. Some saddle up and take UHÀHFWHGWKLQNLQJEDFNRQKHU The people who board hors- a few turns around the arena. own upbringing. es at the barn are overwhelm- “On the weekend we hung Others unwind by grooming A horse waits to compete during a day of barrel-racing their horses or visiting with out with people, and a lot of ingly women. times we really didn’t know “That is fairly true across the events at the Red Barn. McHale hosts semi-regular shows each other. country,” said Ashley Furst, a and competitions. Some are for serious competitors, oth- “Everyone has busy lives, what they did in their daily spokesperson for the American ers are just-for-fun social events. hectic lives, lots of responsibili- lives, in their jobs. But you had Horse Council. One 2010 study ty,” McHale said. “I say, ‘When that horse bond. Here in our found that nearly 90 percent of More than half are working or small towns or rural areas. you come here, leave your barn we have a great group of U.S. horse owners are female. middle class, and most live in At The Red Barn, these problems at the door. This is people.” GE T Y O U R CO PY TOD AY ! D iscoverO urCoa st.com