Monday, August 5, 2019

Milliron Monday: Trail Ride 8 5 19

Abbott "Pete" Smith, D.V.M.

June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010

It's a lot like nuts and bolts. If the rider's nuts, the horse bolts.
Nicholas Evans


Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Pete Smith, D.V.M., and  Milliron: Abbott “Pete” Smith, D.V.M. The Biography (Monday Creek Publishing 2017). A graduate of Colorado State University and a well-known veterinarian in southeast Ohio, Dr. Smith continues to motivate and inspire. 


The Milliron Clinic trail ride began as a yearly event for Dr. Smith’s clients. Dr. Smith was a well-known equine surgeon and veterinarian. A lot of his clients at that time were horse owners, and he embraced everyone – from the quirky beautiful mule to the stunning thoroughbred. All were included.

The trail began from the Milliron Clinic parking lot; horse trailers, stock trailers, riders here, riders there. Everyone was getting excited for the ride from the clinic to the cabin in the woods where the BBQ feast was being prepared. If you didn’t have a horse, that was okay – you could ride in Dr. Smith’s sturdy wagon. Accommodations were made for everyone, even those who may not have received an invitation, but showed up to experience the famous annual ride.

Dr. Smith’s family – Jody, Jessica, and Pat – were in charge of preparing the trails, packing food, packing people, creating the map, hoisting the lines that marked the trails, and more. It was a lot of hard work and required many weeks of preparation.

The event grew through the years that as many came who were not Dr. Smith’s clients. That created a conundrum for Dr. Smith and his family – what to do with all the riders, horses, and in-betweens; too many horses, too many people.

Last Friday, Jessica stopped over to my barn and shared photos of the trail ride. I have created a facebook album Trail Ride where I will post photos of the event. If you have photos of the ride to share, please do! I will share stories of the trail ride next week.

This is Athens County Fair week. Get out and enjoy the Fair. We (Monday Creek Publishing) are proud sponsors of the 4-H equestrian program. See you at the Fair!

Through captivating, powerful, and emotional anecdotes, we celebrate the life of Dr. Abbott P. Smith. His biography takes the reader from smiles to laughter to empathy and tears. Dr. Smith gave us compelling lessons learned from animals; the role animals play in the human condition, the joy of loving an animal, and the awe of their spirituality. A tender and profound look into the life of a skilled veterinarian.

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