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Horseytalk.net Special Interview
Sally Russo

www.thedailymail.net

Sally RussoShe works seven days a week from 7 in the morning to 7 in the evening, caring for her four horses, tending up to six boarders, teaching lessons, mucking stalls, feeding, grooming and fussing over her precious charges.

But don't tell Sally Russo she works hard.

Mulberry Equestrian owner Sally Russo with two of her horses, Grey Lady (right) and Zee Cat. Photo by Hilary Hawke >>

It's a labor of love, one she and her husband, Jeff, decided on twelve years ago when they bought Mulberry Farm with its house and 65 acres in West Coxsackie, New York State.

"I feel privileged to live in America," Russo, who is originally from England, said. "My husband and I feel fortunate to live in such a wonderful community on such a lovely road with such great neighbors."

For Sally, an ex-marketing executive, her work truly is her passion and every day she feels the thrill of touching the lives of special people.

Mulberry Equestrian, a ten-stall facility with paddocks, pastures, training area and tack shop, concentrates on training, instruction, sales, boarding, coaching and conditioning horses and riders.

Russo's goal is to operate at the highest level, bringing out the best in her students and instructing people at the AA level.

Among her clients is one of Great Britain's top international show jumpers, Gemma Paternoster, who boards her six competition Grand Prix horses at Russo's stables when she's in the area.

Russo also trains Rebecca Militello and her horse, Gamma Rembrandt, as well as Lexie Detweiler, who is switching from hunting to jumping.

On the day of the visit student Claudia Waldvogel was training in the indoor ring on The Dubliner, a magnificent 21-year-old quarter horse.

Russo asked Waldvogel to execute an event sequence transitioning to a cantor and then to a trot, and when she performed both perfectly Russo said she's almost ready for her first test.

Russo believes students can learn important life lessons from horses, everything from responsibility to honesty.

In fact, horses are great judges of honesty, Russo said. And each has a distinctly different personality.

The Dubliner has been with Russo for 14 years and still looks like a teenager.

"See how he loves to show off?" she said when he strode past with Waldvogel. "See how he puffs himself up when he knows he's being watched?"

Russo's student Claudia Waldvogel training on The Dubliner. Photo by Hilary HawkeRusso said he loves being groomed and loves to compete. "He's a trooper," she said.

Out in one of several picturesque pastures, Grey Lady, a gorgeous hot-blooded gray-speckled thoroughbred, whinnies in frustration as late-afternoon flies swarm around her

<< Russo's student Claudia Waldvogel training on The Dubliner. Photo by Hilary Hawke

Zee Cat, a beautiful bay, takes up the cry and a pretty dark mule, a recent boarder, stands sullenly by, looking for relief. "They want to come in," Russo says, ever attentive to her charges. "They want to get away from the flies."

She grabs three halters, invokes the assistance of the mule's owner, strides to the pasture and within seconds has each animal haltered up and ready to return to the stable.

Once inside her stall Grey Lady kicks irritably, waiting for dinner.

As Russo carries pails full of feed for each of her charges a chuckling ripples through the stable and soon all that can be heard is a soft contented crunching.

Mulberry Equestrian boasts four paddocks, two 15-acre pastures and an indoor training area. Russo and her husband built all the stalls and put up all the fencing. Besides training and conditioning horses and riders, Russo is also training the resident mule to haul logs.

Horses need to spend 85 percent of their time roaming and grazing, Russo said.

Watching the horses interact with one another she discovers all their little games. The stallions might play "I'm going to steal all the girls" or "Protect the herd" by chasing away geese.

The mares spend a lot of time coyly preening one another.

Russo said her objective at Mulberry Equestrian Center is simple. "I want horses and their people to be the best they can be," she said.

A rider from the age of three, Russo has numerous British Horse Society certifications and has competed in hunting, show-jumping, dressage and other equestrian competitions.

To learn more, email salrus5@aol.com.

Interview by Hilary Hawke

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