2022 Fall Symposium program

REPRINTED FROM NEDA’S TIP OF THE HAT MAGAZINE
We are pleased that
W. F.Young
is our Title Sponsor:
Here is their story!
Most equestrians grew up
with Absorbine products in
their tack trunks, but many
do not know the history of
this amazing company, so we would like to
share it with you.
This year, W.F. Young, the parent company
of the Absorbine brand of products is celebrating
its 130th anniversary. A love for animals
has always been at the heart of
everything the company does. In 1892, it
was a love of horses—and a belief that
there was a better way to care for them—
that led Mary Ida and Wilbur Young to create
their very first product: Absorbine®
Veterinary Liniment.
Like many significant achievements,
Absorbine® grew out of humble beginnings—and
through the tenacity of someone
willing to question the status quo. In
this case, it was a young woman in late
19th-century Massachusetts: Mary Ida
Young. Her husband, Wilbur Fenelon
Young, was an enterprising piano deliveryman
who relied on the couple’s team of
horses to make deliveries throughout the
Northeast. In those days, if a horse developed
lameness, a common treatment was
“blistering” the affected leg using one or
more caustic agents. The blistered skin
caused increased blood flow to the treated
area, speeding recovery of the injury.
Mary Ida knew there had to be a better,
more humane way. In addition to caring for
their horses, Mary Ida was an avid gardener
and herbologist. Through her knowledge
of healing herbs, she formulated a
special blend of herbs and essential oils
into a tincture designed to increase blood
flow and speed healing—without painful
burning or blistering.
Wilbur and Mary Ida started using her
creation on their horses daily. They were so
impressed with the results that they named it
Absorbine® Veterinary Liniment, and Wilbur
started carrying some on his deliveries. On
one such trip to Syracuse, New York, he sold
a whole case to trainers at a local race track.
In a letter to Mary Ida mailed on his way
home, he wrote: “I have had $42.80 worth of
‘Absorbine’ orders this month. Let the good
work go on. Some day we will make this
boom … Lovingly Yours, Wilbur.”
Wilbur was right. Everyone loved this
humane yet effective way to relieve sore
joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles.
Mary Ida had indeed invented a new treatment.
They named their fledgling company
W. F. Young — but it has always simply
been called “Absorbine." The exact formula
remains a family secret, but the results
have been trusted by riders and trainers for
more than a century.
Inspired by Mary Ida and Wilbur’s vision,
Absorbine® has continued to add innovative
products throughout the years — products
used every day by horse and pet owners to
help their animals live happier and healthier
lives. Today, W.F. Young has grown into a
global leader in equine and pet care but has
not forgotten its roots. The company remains
family owned and operated and committed
to enhancing the health and well-being of animals
around the world.
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4 n Carl Hester