Press Release: August 18, 2004

Equestrian Motor Plan Expands Benefits

USRider continues to expand its Equestrian Motor Plan. The latest partner to join the initiative is the American Farrier's Association (AFA), North America's premier organization for men and women who make their living as professional farriers.

With the addition of the AFA to its roster of partners, USRider can now offer its members a farrier referral service in the event that a horse needs hoofcare while traveling. This service is available at no additional cost to USRider members.

The partnership between USRider and the AFA will greatly benefit the members of both organizations. USRider members will simply contact a USRider Member Care Specialist for the names and phone numbers of farriers in any area in which they may be traveling. In addition, this effort will generate business and goodwill for the American Farrier’s Association and its members.

"We are happy to join the Equestrian Motor Plan," said AFA Executive Director Bryan Quinsey. "The AFA is dedicated to providing quality programs to horse owners, members and the general public, and the USRider Equestrian Motor Plan is very worthwhile program."

USRider also maintains a database of qualified equine practitioners from the United States and Canada. If a member's horse needs medical attention while traveling, they can easily get a referral to a qualified large-animal veterinarian by speaking to a USRider Member Care Specialist.

With an annual fee comparable to that of other roadside assistance programs, USRider offers many services geared toward horse owners through its Equestrian Motor Plan. In addition to the typical flat-tire repair, battery assistance and lock-out services, the Equestrian Motor Plan offers services designed with horse owners in mind, including towing and roadside assistance for a loaded horse trailer. It will also arrange emergency stabling for horses, if necessary, while a vehicle is being repaired.

The USRider Motor Plan includes insurance components such as personal excess equine liability and accidental death & disablement while traveling, at no extra cost.

"The addition of a benefit allowing our members to obtain emergency farrier referrals is a great compliment to our existing emergency stabling and veterinarian referral benefits", said Mark Cole, managing member for USRider. "The AFA membership consists of farriers who are genuinely concerned with proper hoofcare and we are truly pleased to work with the AFA to provide this great added-value service for our members while they are traveling with their horses."

Since 1971 the American Farrier's Association has been promoting the art and science of the profession and serving as a representative of farriery interests within the international horse world. The association encourages standards of proper hoofcare through the education of farriers, horse owners and other horse enthusiasts. They act as an advocate for both the horse and farrier in relations with veterinarians, trainers, horse owners, breed and sport associations, and state and federal government agencies.

One of the most effective methods of promoting the educational aspects of the profession is through the AFA's ongoing self-help Certification program. Annually, more and more farriers are voluntarily raising their levels of competence, receiving continuing education, and upgrading their knowledge of horse footcare and farriery to meet the challenges of certification. The AFA currently offers two levels of certification – Certified Farrier (CF) and Certified Journeyman Farrier (CJF). They encourage horse owners to seek out these credentials when selecting a farrier.

For more information about the USRider Equestrian Motor Plan, visit www.usrider.org online or call toll-free 1-800-844-1409. For more information about the American Farrier’s Association, visit www.NoFootNoHorse.com or call (859) 233-7411.

Accompanying photo available:

http://www.lexingtongraphics.com/usrider/afa/

Caption for photo: From left, Bryan Quinsey, executive director of American Farrier's Association; Mark Cole, managing member of USRider; and Dave Farley, CF, a farrier and member of the American Farrier's Association. Dave is holding the leg of “Charmer”, a bay gelding owned by Lochmoor Stables of Loveland, Ohio.

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