Many thanks to Hal Jones, Murph and Hanover Shoe Farms

I am hopeful this little story is uplifting to your readers for after last week’s posts, I was a little dismayed by the negativity (full story here). However, the post by Steve Jones struck me and jolted my memory. Not that I have any insight to the topic of his post, I don’t, but to the fact that it was written by Steve.

You see, many decades ago I met his dad, Hall of Famer Hal Jones. He was sitting behind a large desk at Hanover Shoe Farms. I was young and looking to get into veterinary school. At the time, veterinary schools required experience with large animals and being from the city, I had none. So I ended up at Hanover, green, and looking for work. Standing in front of Mr. Jones I gave him my story, embellishing it a bit. He was polite, realizing how nervous I was. He also knew that no matter what I said, I had no experience at all with horses. He then got up, escorted me down to a barn and introduced me to a gentleman named Murph.

“You are to work with him,” he told me, and left.

In that barn was Albatross, Tar Heel, Hickory Smoke, Ayers, and Columbia George. I soon realized where I was and what I was dealing with. Murphy was an extraordinary stallioneer from whom I learned horsemanship but also about the greatness of the horses and the farm and the people that worked there. With that on my resume, veterinary school was realized and my association with the harness industry began and continues.

Hal Jones could have sent me packing, but like so many of the individuals in this business, he chose to reach out. I have since been grateful for and humbled by his actions. That’s a story I know can be told a hundred times by a hundred different people in this industry, just wanted to share mine and lighten things up a bit.
Peace.

— P.V. Marino / Boston, MA