The monster-sized garbage truck was headed straight for the horse I was riding down busy Columbus Avenue, at the height of evening rush hour on New York City’s Upper West Side. Gears grinding loudly, the vehicle kept chugging toward us as I maneuvered my horse as close as possible to the parked cars along the curb in an attempt to avoid a truck-horse-human collision.
The perpetually rearing wooden horse still stares out the enormous picture window oblivious to the constant bustle of New York City, just as he’s done since 1912. All around him, the world has changed. The once plentiful shops offering equestrian accouterments to clients with names like Rockefeller and Kennedy have disappeared, leaving Manhattan Saddlery as the sole surviving tack shop in the borough.
It was 8:45 p.m. on a Thursday evening. It was dark, wet and cold outside. I had 24 hours until the chili cook-off fundraiser I’d been planning for the Area II Young Riders, and the anxiety was setting in, as it always does before any function I plan.
I was doing my best to balance my time between my full-time job at Sinead Halpin Eventing, my part-time job at Prestige Saddles, my commitment to Young Riders, my part-time job teaching at River Edge Farm, and my personal commitment to fitness.
Gourmet cooking may not be the first thing that springs to mind when you think about top equestrians such as Chester Weber or Jan Byyny, but everyone has to eat, and a few of the top horse people in the United States have a particular talent for cooking.
Be creative and thoughtful when giving gifts to your “barn family.”
Odds are, Santa’s not the only one making a list and checking it twice. The holidays are a time for recognizing the people who are important in your life—and those who are important in your horse’s life, too.
Gift giving isn’t just for family members; many riders include their trainers, barn managers, farriers, veterinarians and stable staff on their gift list. Such gifting, whether you consider it “tipping” or merely sharing holiday cheer, is purely an individual decision. Some do, some don’t.
When Susan Sexton’s “sisters” of the Vision 18 Collective learned her leukemia was incurable, they responded as only photographers could and created a project to keep “Ess Ess” laughing into her final days.
Terri Miller searched for an icon that every member of the group could easily carry throughout her travels and decided on the adorable stuffed “Wee Horse.”
Most tack and feeds stores carry an overwhelming variety of horse treats in every shape, color and size these days. But, if you're looking for a fun way to share a little holiday spirit with your horse, making treats at home is simple and affordable.
Creating your own horse treats is as easy as whipping up a batch of cookies. You don’t have to be skilled in the kitchen—horses don’t mind if your treats are oddly shaped or a little overcooked!
Trick riding served as form of warfare in the 15th and 16th centuries for Russian military tribes called Cossacks. Many Cossacks fled Russia for the United States when the Bolsheviks began a systematic elimination of the tribes in 1919. The Cossacks began performing their riding stunts for American audiences and several years later the sport became a full-fledged rodeo event. The hardest tricks earned the most points, and therefore the most prize money, which eventually caused the downfall of trick riding.
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