Horse Illustrated Magazine

Happy Friday, everyone! Here’s what’s been happening in the horse world this week.

• This is a strange story that sparked a discussion here in the office. A farm owner in rural Vermont built a big ol’ screen to block her new neighbors’ new house from view. Not from her view, mind you, but her animals’. Apparently the neighbors’ (totally normal) activities were bothering her formerly secluded menagerie. As an example, she mentions that her horse was scared when one family member was playing basketball in front of the house. While I don’t think the screen is a good solution, my sympathies lie with the farm owner, who I imagine selected remote, rural Vermont as the place to settle so that she could NOT be disturbed by other humans. Everyone else thinks she’s in the wrong. What do you guys think?
• University school horses are a hard-working lot. Big props to Averett University for honoring one of their long-serving equine teachers, a Morgan named Wilbur who has been retired after 15 years in the school horse string. Congratulations, Wilbur!
• This is a nice story that begins with a rough accident. A rider fell off her horse, Tobi, out on the trail and had to be retrieved by a rescue crew. When they carted her off on the ambulance, Tobi wanted to follow his human. Read the whole story from the Tivy-Side Advertiser.
• The rest of the horse news this week mostly revolves around American Pharoah and the Belmont Stakes.

• Here’s everything you need to know about American Pharoah.
• Here’s what AP’s track pony, Smokey, was doing before he got recruited into that job.
• Here’s what AP’s air travel arrangements are like.
• Here’s why science suggests that he won’t win the Triple Crown.
• Here’s why a win by AP would save the sport of horse racing.
• Here’s why his win absolutely wouldn’t save racing.

That’s it for this week. Have a great weekend!

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Leslie Potter is Sr. Associate Web Editor of horseillustrated.com. Follow her on Twitter: @LeslieInLex.