Downeast Medal Finals
November 2021
Downeast Medal Finals
September 15-18, 2022
Visit our website for more information about Downeast. We welcome all feedback and suggestions: please email Ginger at ginger@downeastmedalfinals.com


When Red Maple Leaves Pose a Threat
The onset, severity and duration of red maple toxicosis depend on how many wilted leaves the horse ingests, but once signs of poisoning develop, odds for survival are poor.

Toxins in wilted and dried red maple (Acer rubrum) damage the hemoglobin in the horse’s red blood cells, leaving them unable to carry oxygen. The damaged blood cells may rupture, overwhelming the kidneys with waste products. If the horse loses red cells faster than they can be replaced, its tissues will be starved of oxygen, causing vital organs to fail. The onset, severity and duration of red maple toxicosis depend on how many wilted leaves the horse ingests, but once signs of poisoning develop, odds for survival are poor. Red maple poisoning is fatal in 60 to 70 percent of cases.

Most cases of this type of poisoning occur when horses eat dried green leaves from fallen red maple branches. After a limb or branch is blown down during a summer storm, for instance, its dried green leaves remain toxic for several weeks. Research has shown that horses ingesting dried red maple leaves at the rate of 3.0 grams/kg of their body weight---roughly one to two pounds for the average horse---will develop hemolysis and death.

Likewise, leaves that naturally fall from red maple trees during the autumn can also be very toxic to horses and, therefore, must be removed from the pasture---or the horses moved to another area free of maples. And although red maple (Acer rubrum) is most commonly associated with poisoning in horses, the wilted leaves of silver maple (Acer saccharinum) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum) are also potentially toxic to horses, so should be treated similarly. Incidentally, in a research setting, horses fed fresh green leaves from red maple trees did not become ill.

Anthony Knight, BVSc, MS, DACVIM

Rider Spotlight - Carol-Ann Carpenter
The 2021 Downeast Mini Medal Final was won by Carol-Ann Carpenter. Let's learn about Carol-Ann!

Carol-Ann is from Lawrence, MA. She rides with Bethany Jones at Autumn Sky Farm out of Newbury, MA. She has been riding for close to 10 years. This was actually her first year riding at DMF and what a wonderful experience it was! Our family has a long history in the state of Maine and being able to make this part of it was amazing. Carol-Ann currently attends Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School as an 8th grade student. This school is an online only school and allows us the flexibility to spend as much time at the barn or doing other activities as we wish. We currently lease a horse for Carol-Ann at our barn; Sriracha Mama aka Maeve. Maeve loves to snack on apples and mangos. She also enjoys her German/minty muffins. The bond that Carol-Ann and Maeve have created is one that is so beautiful. They have learned and grown so much with and from each other over time. It is hard to pinpoint any specific thing that Carol-Ann loves about riding. Being at the barn, around her horse and with her friends and barn family is something she looks forward to. It is a space where she feels free and she can escape from everything else. Riding Maeve can make a bad day feel better. Carol-Ann has goals of making it into bigger hunter/eq rings. She also would like to play around in the jumpers.
Attention to all Medal Finals winners, Derby winners, Hunter Futurity winner, Team Challenge winners, Pro/Am winners, and Horsemanship winners: We would like to feature you in the upcoming newsletters!

Please submit a bio including where you are from, where you ride, trainer, years at DMF, where you go to school/grade, favorite things about riding, your horse, future goals in riding and life, your horse’s favorite treats, anything about you and your horse!

Please submit to ginger@downeastmedalfinals.com. We look forward to learning about you!
Upcoming Shows with 2022 DMF Qualifying Classes
Nov. 14 CornerstoneHaverhill, MA
Nov. 28 EvenstrideByfield, MA


Want to see your show listed here? Fill out our Downeast Classes Form to host our classes!
Become a Downeast Medal Finals Sponsor:
All levels accepted and appreciated! 
Visit www.downeastmedalfinals.com for more information.
For more information or to become a sponsor, please email Ginger at ginger@downeastmedalfinals.com.

Thank you to Spotted Vision Photography and Riitta Fortier for providing us with many wonderful photographs from the Downeast Medal Finals.
Bernard Klingenstein/Euclide Albert Memorial
The Cash Family
The Family of Charles K. Thayer
Lucky Clover Stables
Maggie Mae Memorial
My Horse Heroes Memorial
Peter N. Thompson Memorial
SeaHorse Stables
Seery Hill
Diamond Hill
The Family of Betsy Milliken Giustra
Betsy Bee Farm