Helping the World, One Stride at a Time

Holistic Horse Media publishers, Karen Tappenden and Stacey Small, know how to follow through on a resolution. Early last year, they were approached by a volunteer working with underprivileged children in Mongolia about supplying riding helmets for the children who serve as jockeys during the annual summer festival of Nadaam, which includes a furious horse race employing riders as young as six or seven years old.

When Holistic Horse learned of the number of head injuries sustained annually by children in these races, most of whom ride without access to protective headgear, they put out a national appeal for outgrown, donated helmets. Their loyal community of readers, built over the last 15 years publishing one of the equine industry’s most trusted resources on natural care, responded and care packages were shipped to Mongolia in time for the August horse races.

“The helmets all look so great! I cannot express how touched I am for all of your efforts. Expect to hear from me during next year’s Naadam,” said Alex Yang, one of the liaisons in Mongolia who worked with Holistic Horse coordinating the helmet donations. “And I really enjoyed the magazines you sent. I feel like I’m learning more and more about horses ever since we started this project.”

“The mission of Holistic Horse Media,” says Tappenden, “is to make our readers fully aware of the many alternatives they have when deciding how to care for their equine partners, and care for themselves. The horse community is one world, and we were humbled to be able to participate, at some level, in ensuring the safety of young riders while preserving an ancient tradition. Bringing the old and new together is simply part of a ‘whole’ approach.”