MILLBROOK — Kelly Lattin is a veteran who served in the U.S. Army. When she left the service, she found herself in need of therapy. Having been born and raised in this area of Dutchess County, she was familiar with many animals, but she had a special love for horses. Because of that, she chose equine therapy to aid in her recovery, in turn using it for a number of people in need of help.
Lattin also seems to attract other animals. She is currently housing cats, dogs, guinea pigs and quite often, two miniature horses names Bug and Baku, all in her house, along with her two grown children. She noted that the house needed to be “toddler-proofed” for the horses, as they, like any youngsters, can get into lots of mischief.
The other part of the family is housed in a barn and consists of four large horses, all rescued by Lattin. There are several other horses housed there, but Lattin’s are all close to each other, and seemed to be — on one rainy, very cold day — enjoying themselves with hay, snickering and snorts, and a lot of love from Lattin.
Jurney, acquired at the age of 4, is now 10, the first of the equine rescues, and Lattin credits Jurney with teaching her to “be in the now, to be in the present.” At first, Jurney wouldn’t go anywhere near Latin because she felt her high anxiety. But as Lattin calmed down, they were able to begin building a relationship. Jurney also happens to be very fond of dogs.
Next came Felix, a handsome male Tennessee Walking Horse, who had some serious problems. He could barely walk and needed some work on his feet. Within three days, when a rescue group was coming to take him back, Lattin offered to take him on.
The third of Lattin’s much-beloved horses is Kivi. A quarter horse, “Kivi is a lover,” said Lattin. “Kivi loves cows, people and everything else.” Yet when she got him, it was from someone who had found him at auction.
He was emaciated, sick and depressed. She didn’t have any information on his background, but he was very sweet.
Kivi, 18, works well with the residents at The Fountains in Millbrook, an assisted living facility where the horses visit every month.
All three of her horses were flat racing horses.
Esperance is also 18, and another Tennessee Walker. Lattin got her sight unseen, a rescue who had been neglected. Lattin saw a picture and decided she needed to rescue her, and Esperance was delivered from New Jersey.
Why use horses for therapy? Lattin explained that horses read people better than humans do. They can recognize unhealthy anxiety. Horses are animals of prey; they aren’t predators, so they can quickly assess situations and, if not threatened, return to a calm state almost immediately.
Lattin believes that horses can teach people how to be alert, how to assess and how to return to a baseline calm. They can pick up heart rate and breathing patterns as well, and horses have a lower resting heart rate than humans.
One person Lattin and her horses have worked with was a teenage boy with anger issues. He learned to release the anger, and how to focus and be grounded.
Another advantage of horse therapy is lifespan. Horses can live for 30 years or more.
Miniature horses and their very large counterparts have some things in common, but while Lattin brings the smaller boys, Baku and Bug, to the farm, they don’t graze in the fields with the big horses. Kivi loves the minis but Felix can’t figure out what to do with them. They can’t eat much grass because it has too much sugar. They could also get hurt if the running or frolicking gets too animated.
Horses can migrate because they can graze, but miniatures need to be cared for and fed. One major difference is that large horses can be ridden and miniatures can’t be. Lattin also finds that the Bug and Baku are calmer than the full-sized horses as a rule. But even the little horses have different personalities. “Baku is brilliant,” stated Lattin. “Bug just doesn’t care.” Baku is in training to go into service, so caring is a good thing.
Horses are more expensive to maintain than many other “pets.” They eat a lot of hay, and all of the horses receive vitamin supplements. They also take up a lot of room, needing stables and pastures for grazing.
So far, Lattin has been able to manage the finances, and she doesn’t charge for her horses’ services, but she gratefully accepts donations. Currently she is working on obtaining a 501(c)(3) to be able to get funding and could hire a trainer or other help. Lattin spends much of her time cleaning stalls and grooming the horses.
Lattin and her horses, both big and small, enjoy going to The Fountains every month, and the residents love having their company.
In the warmer weather, Jurney, Felix and Kivi are the big draws because they can all be outdoors and enjoy the weather as well as the company. In the winter months, Baku and Bug are the frequent guests because they visit indoors.
For more information about equine therapy with Lattin and her horses, email myjurney05@gmail.com.
AMENIA — The first day of school on Thursday, Sept. 4, at Webutuck Elementary School went smoothly, with teachers enthusiastically greeting the eager young students disembarking from buses. Excitement was measurable, with only a few tears from parents, but school began anyway.
Ready for her first day of school on Thursday, Sept. 4, at Webutuck Elementary School, Liliana Cawley, 7, would soon join her second grade class, but first she posed for a photo to mark the occasion.Photo by Leila Hawken
AMENIA — While the courage and perseverance of Revolutionary era patriots is well understood and celebrated, the stories of the fate of British loyalists in New York are not as clear.
Seen as the initial event in observance of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Amenia Historical Society will present a talk titled, “The Plight of a Loyalist in Revolutionary New York,” examining the journal of Cadwallader Colden, Jr., spanning the period of 1777-1779. The speaker will be noted author, genealogist and historian Jay Campbell.
The talk is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m. at the Smithfield Presbyterian Church in Amenia. The handicapped-accessible church is located at 656 Smithfield Valley Road. Refreshments will be served.
Colden was the son of a New York Lieutenant Governor. He was a surveyor, farmer and mercantilist, serving as a judge in Ulster County. His fortunes changed dramatically with the dawn of the Revolutionary War when he remained loyal to the British Crown. His arrest came in 1776, just before the start of his journal.
Campbell is a historian specializing in Hudson Valley history, and the regional stories of Revolutionary era families.
Erin Rollins of Millbrook in the Fashion Feed booth, open year round, at the Millbrook Antiques Mall. All proceeds from Fashion Feeds go to the Food of Life Pantry. As an interior designer by trade, Rollins designed this booth to evoke a high-end department store to align with the designer brands she carries.
MILLERTON — The Townscape 50/50 raffle drawing has collected a pot of more than $7,000.
That raffle drawing will take place this Saturday at 2 p.m. in Veteran’s Park. The moment is not just about picking a winner, but also about reflecting on how far Townscape has come since its humble beginnings in 1998, when founder Catherine Fenn — alongside Renee Vollen and Jan Gilmor — first set out to beautify her beloved village.
Fenn’s connection to Millerton runs deep. “I moved here from the Bronx when I was eight years old and fell in love with the place, even as a child,” she recalled, remembering camping trips at Rudd Pond and enjoying the quiet pace of life.
At 15, her family relocated to southern Connecticut. “My dad didn’t think there was much here for us, so we moved. I left kicking and screaming, literally, and I said, ‘Someday I’m coming back.’”
Years later, after marrying, divorcing, and raising children, Fenn kept that promise. She returned to Millerton and married a childhood friend who was very involved in the fire department. After his passing, Fenn threw herself into her own way of giving back.
“I care about this village deeply. Townscape is my way of helping Millerton be the best it can be,” she said.
What began as an informal effort to gather volunteers and plant flowers eventually blossomed into something larger. “We started with flowers up and down Main Street — barrels of them everywhere. Then it grew into benches, tables, trees and even events. It was such a fun world, a really wonderful organization with so many people involved.”
Fenn’s service to the community extends beyond beautification. She spent roughly two decades on the Planning Board, served as Town Supervisor and worked with the county housing authority. Still, her passion for flowers, trees and landscapes has left the most visible mark on Millerton — shaping not only how the village looks, but how it feels.
In 2006, Townscape became a nonprofit organization. But beautification, Fenn admits, isn’t always the easiest cause to fund. “We’re just putting flowers out — and I shouldn’t say ‘just,’ because to me it’s really important. The trees, the benches, all of it matters. But it’s not high on most people’s list when they think about charitable donations. Still, people have been wonderfully generous over the years.”
This Saturday’s raffle drawing is one way neighbors can show their support. The winner does not have to be present to claim the prize, but those who stop by can enjoy cookies, lemonade and artwork by local creators on display in the park.
MILLBROOK — Local crows should prepare to become highly spooked as planners of Millbrook Community Day, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 20, have announced that a Scarecrow Contest will be part of the festivities.
Residents are invited to get creative and devise their own renditions of a scarecrow from traditional to whatever imagination might come up with.
Judging criteria will include creativity, including originality, new ideas, or perhaps whether the scarecrow tells a story. Design criteria include the creator’s technique, materials — recycled materials are emphatically a plus — and durability.
Rules include that scarecrows be free-standing, able to stand on their own or with minimal support. No scarecrow can be store-bought. Entries must be able to fit within a 6 x 6 foot space once assembled. A stand is available upon request. Scarecrows must be non-political, family friendly, and in a good-natured spirit.
Entrants are responsible for set-up, scheduled from 9 to 10 a.m. on Sept. 20, location to be assigned the week before. Judging will begin at 1 p.m. Winners will be announced at 2 p.m.
For more information and to register to participate, email mba@millbrooknewyork.com or go to www.millbrooknewyork.com/community-day-2025
