Untacked november december 2015

The CHRONICLE of the HORSE

VOL . 3, NO. 6 • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

RITA MAE BROWN THE REBEL WITH MANY CAUSES

THE COMPTON JR. POSSE

Getting Kids Off The Street, Onto Horses And Into College

REMEMBERING THE WAR HORSE

Equine Soldiers That Helped Change The World

A CLOSE SHAVE

Putting Clippers To The Test

A SUPPLEMENT TO THE CHRONICLE OF THE HORSE

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

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Untacked The C HRONICLE of the HORSE

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 015

50 50 Rita Mae Brown: The Rabble-Rouser Of Feminism And Foxhunting

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PHOTOS COURTESY ROBIN HUTTON/SGT. RECKLESS: AMERICA’S WAR HORSE

MARY MOTLEY KALERGIS PHOTO

VOL. 3, NO. 6

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62 Urban Legends: Compton Jr. Posse 74 The Peaceful Warrior: Ashley Collins 86 Q&A: Sporting Photographer Sarah Farnsworth

96 Through Hell And Back: The Horse

ON THE COVER: © Jurgen Frank/Corbis Photo

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PHOTO COURTESY CJP

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KNOW WHERE YOU STAND.

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44

Departments 32

Editor’s Letter

34

Contributors

36

Around The Arena

38

Test Lab: Take A Short Cut To The Show Ring

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The Clothes Horse: Blaze Of Glory

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The Clothes Horse: Say Hello To The Holidays

104

Film Review: Palio Is A Feast For The Senses

106

Feed Room: Mash It Up

108

Charity Spotlight

110

Best Of Web & Print

112

Parting Ways

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KNOW WHERE YOU STAND.

EDITOR’S LETTER

What Do You Bring To The Table?

As we wind down and head into the (slightly) slower season of the year for horse sports, it’s the perfect time to highlight the less competitive, more artistic aspects of our equestrian culture.

In this issue of Untacked you’ll find features on four especially inspiring equestrians who also just happen to be a writer, an artist, a photographer and a community organizer.

You probably know our cover story subject, author Rita Mae Brown (p. 50), for her popular line of foxhunting mystery novels, but she also has a fascinating history of political and social activism, a passion for tackling the impossible and a general reputation as a proud hellraiser. Staff writer Jennifer Calder sat down with Brown at her Virginia farm to take stock of the rich tapestry of life she’s woven together over seven decades and the insights she’s gleaned on horses, hounds and human nature.

You also won’t want to miss our profile of painter Ashley Collins (p. 74), who, despite growing up in a non-equestrian, inartistic family and spending her 20s grappling with poverty, homelessness and the ramifications of a sexual assault, has built a thriving career as an artist who prioritizes philanthropy first.

We’re also telling the story of how one woman, Mayisha Akbar, started an after-school riding program in Compton, Calif.—once known as “America’s Murder Capital”—that’s been changing the lives of kids in her community for more than 25 years (p. 62). And you’ll be awed by the work of prodigy sporting photographer Sarah Farnsworth (p. 86), who at 29 is just beginning her career but is already putting professionals twice her age to shame.

What all these inspiring women have in common is a willingness to apply their unique gifts in service to the greater good. For Brown, that’s meant getting kicked out of college for participating 32

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in a civil rights protest, helping lead the charge for lesbian equality within the women’s liberation movement and establishing outreach programs to bridge a path into foxhunting for members of the millennial generation. Collins has used her art and her relationships with celebrity collectors as a springboard to support countless charities around the world, while Akbar has devoted her entire life to getting underprivileged kids off the streets, onto horses and into college. Even Farnsworth approaches her role as a foxhunting photographer as more than just her dream job—she’s passionate about what she sees as her responsibility to educate England’s increasingly urbanized population about the realities of country life.

The rapidly approaching holiday season is rooted in themes of thankfulness, sharing and giving, and the four women you’ll find highlighted in this issue of Untacked remind us of how much good equestrians can do when they bring their talents to the table. I hope their stories help you reflect on your own role in your community and inspire you to bloom even bigger, wherever you’re planted.

—Kat Netzler, Editor

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The C HRONICLE of the HORSE

CONTRIBUTORS

In This Issue

Untacked Volume 3 • Number 6 • November/December 2015

produced and published by The Chronicle of the Horse PUBLISHER

KATHERINE BELLISSIMO PRESIDENT/EXECUTIVE EDITOR

BETH RASIN, bethr@chronofhorse.com

Editorial EDITOR

KAT NETZLER, kat@chronofhorse.com MANAGING EDITOR

SARA LIESER , slieser@chronofhorse.com TEO SANCHEZ PHOTO

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

MOLLY SORGE, molly@chronofhorse.com EDITORIAL STAFF

Kelly Sanchez A frequent contributor to The Chronicle of the Horse and Dressage Today, Kelly Sanchez has also written about architecture and design for Architectural Digest, Coastal Living and Dwell, where she is a contributing editor. She lives outside Los Angeles with her husband and two sons and rides whenever she can, which is never enough.

Megan Brincks A former staff reporter for The Chronicle of the Horse, Megan now lives with her dog and cat in Midland, Texas, where she works for a local community college. With time spent in almost every kind of saddle over the years, she rides whenever she gets the chance and recently started dipping a toe into the waters of eventing. In addition to spending time with and riding horses, she enjoys reading, traveling and hiking.

Mail: The Chronicle of the Horse, P. O. Box 433288 Palm Coast, FL 32143-3288 Phone: 800.877.5467 Email: subscriptions@chronofhorse.com

Manuscripts and photographs, accompanied by return postage, will be handled with care. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material.

Copyright© 2015 by The Chronicle of the Horse, LLC. Reproduction of any material (including photographs and drawings) without written permission is prohibited. All rights reserved.

The Chronicle of the Horse® and the distinctive masthead that appear on the cover of the magazine are all registered trademarks of The Chronicle of the Horse, LLC and may not be used in any manner without prior written permission.

THE CHRONICLE OF THE HORSE (ISSN 0009-5990) is published weekly except for January 5, February 2, March 2, March 23, April 27, June 1, June 22, July 20, September 7, October

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EDITORIAL INTERNS

JASMINE WALLACE, intern@chronofhorse.com EDITORIAL PRODUCTION MANAGER

LAUREN FOLEY, lauren@chronofhorse.com

Design & Production ART DIRECTOR

JOSH WALKER, josh@chronofhorse.com

CONTACT US: SUBSCRIPTIONS & RENEWALS:

SHARON ROSE, sharon@chronofhorse.com MOLLIE BAILEY, mbailey@chronofhorse.com LISA SLADE, lisa@chronofhorse.com LINDSAY BERRETH, lindsay@chronofhorse.com JENNIFER CALDER, jbcalder@chronofhorse.com KIMBERLY LOUSHIN, kimberly@chronofhorse.com

SENIOR DESIGNERS

5, December 7 and December 28 by The Chronicle of the Horse, LLC 108 The Plains Road, Middleburg, Virginia. Periodicals postage paid at Middleburg, VA and additional mailing offices.

THE CHRONICLE OF THE HORSE UNTACKED is published bimonthly.

It is part of your subscription to The Chronicle of the Horse. To order single copies, call 800-877-5467 or e-mail subscriptions@chronofhorse.com.

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U N TAC K E D

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108 The Plains Road, Middleburg, Virginia 20117 Telephone: 540.687.6341 FOLLOW US ON :

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The Premium Collection Fall Winter 2015-16

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tidbits from across the industry

Aroundthe Arena A Tiny George Morris Makes A Big Difference

F

irst there was Barbie, then came G.I. Joe. Now the ultimate riding hero, George Morris, is available to collect as a talking action figure.

This limited-edition gift

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plays 20 of Morris’ classic quotes, such as, “Practice, my dears, doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect,” and “My dear, if I have an aneurysm, it’s your fault,” in his own voice.

Morris’ words of wisdom might

inspire you to sit up straighter and keep your heels down, but you can also feel good that 100 percent of the net proceeds will go to the new Chronicle Support Network’s Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund.

The Chronicle of the Horse and its owners, Mark and Katherine Bellissimo, have launched the Chronicle Support Network initiative to provide a national directory of equestrian-related 501c3 charities and honor the organizations that embrace horses and horsemanship to effect change in the community.

“There are so many great charities and individuals who incorporate horses either directly or indirectly to serve those in need, those organizations dedicated to protecting these great animals, or any other organizations who promote affordable access to horses and horsemanship,” said Mark Bellissimo. “Katherine and I thought it was critical for us to ‘chronicle’ these efforts in a central place that will allow for these organizations and individuals to tell their stories as well as create a network for collaboration and fundraising. Our goal is to raise and

On Deck Mark your calendar with these upcoming important dates. u Oct. 30 Do you know a special equestrian who’s gone above and beyond to help horses? If so, you have just a few days left to submit their nomination for the EQUUS Foundation Humanitarian Award. The U.S. Equestrian Federation and the EQUUS Foundation co-sponsor this honor to recognize an individual or group that’s selflessly dedicated to making the equine quality of life paramount, either on a regional or national scale. Visit EquusFoundation.org/humanitarianaward.php to submit a nomination application. u Nov. 10-13 A U.S. rider has won one of the five coveted overall FEI Awards for three years running. Can we make it four? We’ll find out when they’re announced during the FEI General Assembly in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

u Nov. 14 Hunter and jumper riders, make your voices heard! Be sure to read up on the proposed rule changes for your sport and submit your feedback via the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association website before the comment window closes at midnight on Nov. 14. Visit ushja.org and click on the handy guide in the main page slider to view proposals and submit ideas. u Dec. 5 Horse lovers of the Mid-Atlantic region will be flocking to Northern Virginia for Christmas In Middleburg, the annual holiday celebration in the Chronicle’s hometown. The Middleburg Hunt will follow its hounds down Main Street, the parade will feature animals of all kinds, including the adorable Corgi Corps, and there’ll be shopping and a wine and spirits crawl to put a smile on almost any Scrooge’s face. Visit ChristmasInMiddleburg.org for more information.

Show Us Your Holiday Pets

Does your pet enjoying spreading holiday cheer each year? Then you should send his or her photo to the Chronicle for our annual Holiday Pet Gallery in the Dec. 21 Holiday Issue.

“Pet” means just about any animal— yes, we’d prefer horses, but dogs, cats, cows, sheep, pigs, goats, lizards, llamas, snakes, birds and even the occasional prairie dog have been featured in the past and are most welcome.

The deadline is Nov. 29. Send prints via mail to: The Chronicle of the Horse, P.O. Box 46, Middleburg, VA 20118.

For courier service, use: 108 The Plains Road, Middleburg, VA 20117. You can email high-resolution (at least 300 dpi) digital images to Sharon@chronofhorse.com.

Please include a note telling us the

PHOTO COURTESY PORTER FAMILY

distribute millions in this effort.”

The Bellissimo family is seeding the fund with $50,000, and grants will be distributed at major events such as the Rolex Central Park Horse Show (N.Y.), where the initiative debuted in September. In addition, at least one organization will be selected monthly to be featured in the “Charity Spotlight” and will receive at least $1,000 from the fund. The Chronicle will also donate promotions of the selected charity to raise awareness via its website, free advertisements in the weekly Chronicle and Untacked, and on its social media pages.

The talking action figure was created in association with Morris and Stephanie Macejko of Breyer Horses as a means to raise additional funds for the CSN’s Charitable Gift Fund, and it debuted at the Rolex Central Park Horse Show in September. Breyer, maker of the world’s finest model horses, created the action figure, which comes packaged in a collector’s box with a general overview of Morris’ brilliant career.

The George Morris Talking Action Figure can be purchased online now for $100, with 100 percent of net proceeds going to the CSN. Visit cphs.coth.com/ page/george-morris-action-figure to get your own personal George Morris before they’re gone.

names of the animals and people in the photo, the location or anything else important or interesting.

If a professional photographer has taken the photograph, be sure his or her name and address is included. Prints will be returned if you include your name and address on the back.

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TEST LAB

Take A Short Cut To The Show Ring

With all the clipper options out there today, how do you know which works best for touching up legs, ears and whiskers to get your horse competitionready? We asked Kiira Lizza, who rides and manages horses for hunter professional Amanda Steege at Ashmeadow Farm in Califon, N.J., to put them to the test and find out.

By K IIR A LIZZA

G

rooming with a healthy helping of elbow grease to ensure the horses look and feel their best is a large part of the Ashmeadow program, and we spend lots of time currying to loosen up hair and bring out natural oils, shine and dapples the old-fashioned way. But there’s one regular task for which every horse person wants the newest, fastest, most technologically advanced gadget: clipping.

Most of our horses at Ashmeadow only need a full body clip once a year—after we ship down to Ocala, Fla., in midNovember for the winter show circuit—but we clip legs, ears and noses every three to four weeks, or before horse shows.

The Ashmeadow team’s go-to tool for these touch-ups has been the Andis AGC Super 2-Speed clippers, but groom Toro Diaz and I were very excited to put the top models from three competing brands through their paces.

Here’s what we found:

Oster Turbo A5 Pros: Oster makes good products with very long-lasting machinery. These clippers felt very heavy duty, and they’re sturdy enough for long-term use.

Cons: They were too noisy, which means they’re not great for clipping the ears, especially on our more sensitive horses. They’re also bigger and weighed significantly more than all the other trimmers, making them harder to hold.

Weight: 2.25 lbs. Length: 10.5". Retails for about $200 for two-speed model with size 10 Oster blade, $185 for singlespeed version. OsterPro.com.

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R

TESTERS’ CHOICE

Wahl Bravura For touch-ups and trimming, our overall recommendation is the Wahl Bravura, an adaptable clipper with a 90-minute cordless trimming capability. They were the easiest for us humans to handle, and because they’re quiet, even our ear-shy horses tolerated them. We enjoyed using them so much that even after our testing cycle was up, the guys took them to Kentucky for the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship [where Steege finished 15th overall with Loxley].

Pros: These clippers were both the smallest and lightest models we tried, so they’re easy to hold and great for smaller hands. They also come with a “5-in-1” blade that we loved. The Bravura model is also very quiet, noiseand motion-wise, and they charge pretty quickly. Plus they come with attachment combs to clip the barn dogs!

Cons: The instructions on how to adjust the blades were unclear, and we did find that hair gets stuck in the clippers easily.

Weight: .55 lbs. Length: 7". Retails for about $160 with a 5-in-1 blade, comb attachments and charging stand. MyWahlAnimal.com.

Lister Libretto Max Pros: Lister, a subsidiary of Wahl, is a top maker of sheep shearing tools in the United Kingdom, and the blade on these clippers is likewise heavy duty. The unit seems very durable, and these clippers also come with a belt battery pack for outdoor use.

Cons: It was really hard to push into the hair to get a good clip, and the coiled cord is annoying to work with—we would prefer a longer, non-coiled cord.

I could see these clippers being used for low-maintenance clip jobs, but not for routine use in a large program with lots of horses.

Weight: .99 lbs. Length: 7.7".

Retails for about $200 for the “popular pack,” which includes portable battery, belt, charger and Wahl Competition size 10 blade.

MyWahlAnimal.com.

Andis AGC Super 2-Speed Pros: The model we tested was an updated version of our go-to clippers here at Ashmeadow Farm—we keep about four or five pairs in the barn. They’re quiet, clip very smoothly and last for years. We like the shatterproof housing and the detachable blade, and we also appreciate the fun blaze color!

Cons: It felt hard for the blade to run through the hair, and they were a little noisy, but we didn’t find much to fault with these clippers, given our preference for the original Andis 2-Speed model.

Kiira Lizza, 24, grew up in Millington, N.J., and spent her junior years as a working student for various professional riders. She graduated from Skidmore College (N.Y.), where she also rode for the school’s IHSA team, in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in management and business.

Lizza went on to work with top professionals like Anne Kursinski and Nona Garson before joining Amanda Steege’s team at Ashmeadow Farm in 2014.

Weight: 1.1 lbs. Length: 7.13". Retails for about $299 with UltraEdge size 10 blade, $320 with UltraEdge T-84 blade. Andis.com.

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THE CLOTHES HORSE

BLAZE OF GLORY As hunting season approaches, anyone hacking out wants— and needs—to be visible, and there are plenty of stylish safety accessories available for horses and humans alike.

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HORZE CRESCENDO ASPEN TENDON AND FETLOCK BOOTS Quality protection with a lot of personality, these boots feature a hard, supportive shell with a neoprene lining. A double-Velcro® closure ensures these boots aren’t going anywhere. Available in cob and horse size. Tendon boots $45.95; fetlock boots $37.95. Horze.com.

LEILUNA EQUESTRIAN COMPETITION SHIRT This adaptable show shirt is classy and fun with its traditional features and burnt orange hue. Made of nylon-spandex blend, it boasts a wrap neck with a white collar and cuffs, and underarm mesh to keep you cool on warmer fall days. Sizes XS-L, $99.

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PACIFIC RIM INTERNATIONAL QUILTED SQUARE PAD AND POLOS This combination from Pacific Rim International is customizable, with a variety of embroidery designs available, including monograms. Want to represent your barn? You can also submit custom logos. Piping options include black or matching orange. Polos come in a set of four, measuring 5” by 10’. Pad $34; polos $15.99. PRIEquine.com.

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DON’T SHOOT ME HIGH VISIBILITY FLY VEIL From the company that’s made high visibility their highest calling, this blaze orange bonnet is both practical and whimsical. One size fits all. $17.95.

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TUFFRIDER LADIES CLASSIC CABLE-KNIT SWEATER As the temperature drops, you’ll be reaching for this sweater for every afternoon trail ride. It’s bright enough to be seen even amongst the most colorful fall foliage, but its crewneck design means you’ll still look sophisticated enough to head straight to dinner out. Available in sizes S-XL, $49.95. Breeches.com.

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THE CLOTHES HORSE Rolltack Saddle Trolley

“Ever wanted something that just didn’t exist? Well that’s the position I found myself in when I wanted a saddle/tack trolley that doubled as a car saddle rack,” says Northern Irish horsewoman Clare Medland, creator of the Rolltack. It functions as a lightweight portable saddle rack, tack trunk, mounting block and lawn chair all in one, and it includes clever features like bungee billet keepers to prevent your leather from dragging on the ground. All of which leaves us scratching our heads and saying, “Why didn’t we think of that?” Available in carbon black, sunshine yellow, cool grey, king green, Olympic blue, posh pink, purely purple, tangy orange, top turquoise and winner’s red. $249. Head to Rolltack.co.uk to learn more, or visit U.S. retailer Saddle Lockers at SaddleLockers.com.

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout

If you know what’s good for you, you won’t forget to thank the farriers, veterinarians and horse-sitters in your life this holiday season. A four-pack of Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout won’t be enough, but it’ll at least make your plate of mediocre dried-out cookies go down more smoothly. $13.99. KentuckyAle.com.

Novelty Mailbox

Admit it, this Thelwellian hot mess reminds you of someone you know.

Treat them to a smile when they head to check the post every day with this custom-designed, USPS-approved mailbox from Etsy artisan CrossKnots. $145. Etsy.com/shop/CrossKnots.

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Squishables

It’s a rather bizarre phenomenon, we grant you, but these twee plushies are still going strong this year, and they’re multiplying in different sizes. You can get everything from a tiny Squishable fox for your hound puppy to cuddle to a beanbag-sized Squishable corgi for your own corgi to sleep on (they come as Cardigan corgis too!). If nothing else, grant yourself a 5-minute break to visit the Squishable website and check out the hilarious gallery of corgis with their doppelgangers. Oh, and yeah, kids love them too. $19-$142. Squishable. com.

Eskadron Climatex Training Bandages

Riders rave about these high-tech polos from Eskadron, which utilize Climatex technology to keep your horse’s legs markedly cooler and supported better than normal wraps. Available in black, Bordeaux, bronze, chocolate, cognac, green, grey, navy, off white and white. $69.95 per pair.

Visit Eskadron.org.uk for U.S. retailers.

The Perfect Gift

510.847.4691 Saddle Monogram Plate

The Chronicle’s director of advertising, Alison Thayer, is hoping Santa brings her one of these chic circular monogram plates from Swanky Saddle Co. There are plenty of other designs as well, in addition to bridle, tack box and belt monograms to match. Be sure to order soon to allow for 4-6 weeks production time! Available in polished or brushed aluminum. $30. SwankySaddle.com.

PO Box 321167 Los Gatos, CA 95032 w w w.lisadahlendesigns. c om

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THE CLOTHES HORSE Equestrian Bedding

These adorable sheets and pillow shams from Land of Nod are clearly meant for children, but we see they also come in adult bed sizes, so we’re deeming it perfectly acceptable for grown-ups to embrace the cuteness as well. Snaffle bit detail sheet set comes in sizes twin ($49.97), full ($69.97) and queen ($79.97), and matching duvet covers are also available. Blue ribbon shams measure 26” by 20”; $24.97 apiece.

LandOfNod.com.

Barbour Dog Bed

Is your patient barn dog at top of Santa’s Nice List this year? Pamper that pooch with a beautiful Barbour plaid dog bed. (All right, we know he’s just as happy to curl up in the corner on your stinky pile of turnout rugs, but these beautiful beds will make you feel classier!) Available in sizes S-XL, with quilted or waxed cotton canvas exterior. $59-$169. Visit Barbour.com/us for retailers.

Haters Socks

The holidays are supposed to be all about love, peace and gratitude, but that doesn’t mean there’s no room for a little attitude as well. Blue Q specializes in snarky socks, and we’ve all had days when we can connect with their “I Hate Everyone Too” design, featuring a young girl and her best equine friend.

They’re the perfect stocking stuffer for the overworked introvert in your life. $9.99.

BlueQ.com.

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Jump Bench

We can never get enough of the adorable designs at Pony Beds, but staff writer Jen Calder recently fell in love with their new jump bench, which makes the perfect addition to your barn aisle, tack room, garden or home. And of course it’s completely customizable with the colors of your choice. $350.

PonyBeds.com.

SAVE THE DATE Adequan® Global Dressage Festival January 14 - April 3, 2016

The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center 13500 South Shore Blvd. | Wellington, FL 33414 | www.globaldressagefestival.com | 561.793.5867 All photos ©Elena Lusenti

RITA MAE

COVER STORY

BROWN THE RABBLE-ROUSER OF FEMINISM AND FOXHUNTING

As a pioneer of the women’s movement, a political activist, an Emmy-nominated screenwriter, a New York Times bestselling author and the master and huntsman of the Oak Ridge Hunt, there isn’t much this larger-than-life icon hasn’t experienced in her seven decades. And she’s just getting started.

By JENNIFER B. CALDER

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M

ore than a dozen American foxhounds roll in the lush Virginia grass, luxuriating in the summer sun following an off-season tune-up walk. After being at attention for the past half hour, they relax and seemingly ignore us.

Until Rita Mae Brown moves.

In response to my question of how swiftly this master and huntsman of the Oak Ridge Hunt in Afton, Va., can recapture her hounds’ attention, she silently takes one step backward from where we stand chatting.

It’s magic. Instantly the scattered pack leap to their feet, stop their wriggling play and stare at her, waiting for instruction.

‘C’mon children! Come along!” hollers the charismatic 70-year-old with the throaty laugh and the Popeye arms, her command chased by two toots on the horn. “Kennel up!”

And just like that, the hounds joyously scramble into their trailer, ready to be transported to their kennel up the hill from where we stand on Brown’s 580-acre Tea Time Farm, some 25 miles west of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.

When Rita Mae Brown talks, animals and people take note—from her pack of 75 hounds to the 100 members of the hunt she established in 1993, and from those she inspired as one of the earliest and most vocal advocates for lesbian and women’s rights to the readers she’s entertained with more than 50 bestselling books, including the popular “Sister” Jane foxhunting mystery series.

As she enters her seventh decade, Brown still lives a bold life unswayed by convention.

“I am a person that needs to do. I need to do big things—I don’t know how else to describe it,” she

MARY MOTLEY KALERGIS PHOTO

From her first foxhunt in her mother’s womb to following her own pack of hounds today, Rita Mae Brown’s life has been a courageous, colorful, eclectic chase.

says with a modest shrug and a chuckle. “I figure if I’m not sweating a little, I’m not doing something right.”

TO THE STABLE BORN

Brown is a study of balance, or at least of dichotomies.

Whatever you choose to call it, she defies categorization.

Raised straddling the Mason-Dixon line (though in her personal identity war between the states, the South won), she has known both wealth and poverty (“As a writer, it’s chicken one day, feathers the next,” she explains), enjoyed relationships unencumbered by gender roles, and been a progressive beacon in foxhunting, that most traditional and conservative of sports.

Her life has been novelistic from the first page.

“I don’t know that much about it,” she says of being born illegitimate to a young woman from a wealthy equestrian family, Juliann “Jule” Young.

“My natural mother was a gifted horsewoman and hunted with Green Spring (Md.) and Rose Tree (Pa.),” she says, “and my grandfather, Jack W. Young, was making millions training [Standardbred race] horses.” In addition, one of Brown’s great-uncles served as kennelman for the Green Spring Valley Hunt in the 1930s and ’40s.

Jule passed on the Young equestrian genes to her daughter, but shortly after giving birth, the young mother fled in the middle of the night and left Brown at a Pennsylvania orphanage; it took family members two weeks to track the baby down. “[So] I was put in an orphanage and adopted back out into the family—the poor side of the family!”

Brown explains with a chuckle.

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COVER STORY

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Rita Mae Brown started her Oak Ridge Hunt pack in 1990 in “the non-chic part of Virginia,” she jokes, with six couple of hounds. Twenty-five years later, she now hunts 75 and leads a unique group of 100 members.

The woman who would raise her, Julia “Juts” Brown, was Jule’s half-cousin (their mothers were half-sisters) and 22 years Jule’s senior. Juts had already stepped in to raise Jule after Jule’s mother, Sadie Young, had passed away, while Sadie herself had raised Juts.

Confused yet?

“We’re all mixed up; we’re all totally mixed up! It’s a real southern thing,” Rita Mae concludes with a laugh.

One thing, however, was always perfectly clear: Rita Mae’s predilection for horses and hounds.

“I hunted in her womb,” she says of Jule, with whom she had intermittent interaction throughout her life.

“Juts could see that I had this affinity for horses and wanted to do it, but she wouldn’t let me ride,” Rita Mae says. “I could ride our plow horses bareback. I could ride with a halter, but I wasn’t going to [formally] learn to ride. “…[Juts] was worried that someday I’d love Jule more than I loved her,” she further explained in her autobiography, Rita Will: Memoir Of A Literary RabbleRouser. “The fact that I displayed a proclivity identical to Juliann’s scared her.”

Rita Mae would be 33 before she bought her own horse. And nothing if not loyal, she wouldn’t take her first riding lesson with Muffin Barnes until she was 34, after Juts’ death.

She went on to hone her riding skills hunting alongside the legendary Ellie Wood Baxter with the Farmington Hunt in Charlottesville, Va., and the lessons she gleaned in the hunt field fortified truisms she held about the world at large.

“I think that is one of the wonderful things about being around horses and hounds: life is immediate, and you enjoy what you have at that moment. Foxhunting reinforced a love of nature, but what it taught me about people is that if you’re clear and consistent, people understand,” she says. “If you are inconsistent, it just creates chaos. If you play favorites, it creates chaos. If you are the master, you have to be even-handed, constantly building bridges with different kinds of people.”

ELIZABETH SULLIVAN PHOTO

CHANGING CONSCIOUSNESS

Rita Mae is well known for this ability to build bridges outside the foxhunting milieu as well, perhaps most famously between the early feminist and lesbian movements. But it was a decidedly rickety bridge when first constructed.

In 1963, Rita Mae was expelled from the recently C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

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COVER STORY “IF YOU ARE THE MASTER, YOU HAVE TO BE EVEN-HANDED, CONSTANTLY BUILDING BRIDGES WITH DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE.” MARY MOTLEY KALERGIS PHOTO

—RITA MAE BROWN

desegregated University of Florida, where she’d been attending on a scholarship, for publicly protesting ongoing racial injustices there. She then made her way to New York City, living for a time out of an abandoned car in Greenwich Village. After securing another scholarship at New York University, she graduated with a BA in English and Classics (and later got a Ph.D. at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C.).

During her senior year at NYU, Rita Mae became involved with the first gay student group in the country at nearby Columbia University. She was the only female. She was also an accidental witness to the Stonewall Riots, which erupted as she walked by Sheridan Square on a warm summer evening in 1969.

This early political involvement, both purposeful and inadvertent, would propel Rita Mae into the fledgling women’s movement.

In the late 1960s, as the youngest member of the newly formed National Organization for Women, she would ruffle the feathers of feminist stalwart and contributing founder Betty Friedan by illuminating NOW’s lack of lesbian inclusion. Friedan, believing 54

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the feminist goals of the organization would be undermined by a lesbian contingent, kicked her out.

“I knew I was right,” Rita Mae wrote in her autobiography. “If straight women treated gay women the way men treated women, why should we work with them?”

A year later, following a peaceful protest known as the Lavender Menace co-organized by Rita Mae at the Second Congress to Unite Women in May 1970, NOW would reverse its stance.

“I met Rita Mae in the ’70s,” says longtime friend and fellow feminist Gloria Steinem, “and greatly admired the strength and humor with which she took on the then ‘conservative’—what would now be called homophobic—politics of the early NOW. She was never vindictive, but always brave. At a time when some feminists felt fearful of being labeled as lesbians, though they were not, Rita Mae was authentic and proud, though she was both. As both an activist and a writer, she gave the women’s movement a big push in the direction of being as inclusive as it should be.

“I wonder if people looking at society now can

© JURGEN FRANK/CORBIS

understand how brave and ‘out there’ Rita Mae was—how sanity-saving [she was] for women in general, and for lesbians in particular, and also for people held down by the false ideas of class,” Steinem continues. “At a time when some still defined lesbians as pathological haters of men or class as a predictor of intelligence, Rita Mae proved them all wrong just by being her authentic self—and did it with humor and style. It’s Rita Mae’s humor, honesty and brashness that make her unique.”

The legendary columnist Liz Smith also traces her friendship with Rita Mae back to that tumultuous but inspiring time in American women’s history.

“She was the first gay person who wasn’t aggravating with her behavior, and she was sort of admirable and interesting. And they forget

how much she broke down barriers without intending to,” says Smith, who began publicly discussing her own bisexuality later in life. “She was not [controversial women’s liberation activist] Germaine Greer or somebody living to make a point. That’s why Rubyfruit Jungle was so appealing—people couldn’t resist Rita Mae!” Written in 1971 and published in 1973, Rita Mae’s novel Rubyfruit Jungle is a coming of age story

Rita Mae Brown in master mode (left), and (above) clowning around with some puppies during a promotional shoot for her book series.

“AT A TIME WHEN SOME STILL DEFINED LESBIANS AS PATHOLOGICAL HATERS OF MEN OR CLASS AS A PREDICTOR OF INTELLIGENCE, RITA MAE PROVED THEM ALL WRONG JUST BY BEING HER AUTHENTIC SELF—AND DID IT WITH HUMOR AND STYLE.” —GLORIA STEINEM C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

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COVER STORY about a young lesbian. The reverberations of that innovative work still ripple into the present, and this past June, Rita Mae earned the Lambda Literary Foundation’s Pioneer Award for her contribution to the LGBT literary community.

“Rubyfruit Jungle probably saved not only the lives of many lesbian women, but the consciousness of many heterosexual women,” says Steinem.

“MY LIFE, MY MIND”

MARY MOTLEY KALERGIS PHOTO

“People don’t pay attention to the wisdom of other species,” says Rita Mae Brown. “You pay attention, and boy! You can learn a lot.”

Today, however, when I ask Rita Mae her thoughts on gender and sexual attraction, the topic seems to bore her.

“Gender means nothing to me, but it certainly seems to mean a lot to everyone else,” she says, sounding tired of the question.

Point made.

“I’m not the relationship type,” she adds. “Every now and then, when I was young, I made a couple stabs at it, but whatever it is somebody needs in a

relationship, I can’t provide it. I mean, I can be loyal, I can pay your bills, I can do all that stuff, but they need something I don’t have. I think it’s constant attention!

“I had a lot of affairs, though. I thought it was my duty to my biographers,” she adds with a chuckle.

Some of these were high profile, like with Fried Green Tomatoes author Fannie Flagg and tennis star Martina Navratilova. But there were quieter ones, too, and many with men.

But it was Rita Mae’s professional, not personal, life that eventually took her to Los Angeles. There she worked with Norman Lear, penning several Emmy-nominated television screenplays until the writers strike of 1988 put an end to most of that.

That’s when she turned her attention to creating a series of mysteries inspired by a new partner—her cat and co-author, Sneaky Pie. (For real; the cat even signs their book contracts, his paw dipped in ink and pressed to the paper below her signature.)

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Fostering The Future There were standalone novels as well, with her family thinly veiled as the main characters, along with the “Sister” Jane series. Eventually she made her way back east, to Virginia.

“I’ve organized my life so I can do exactly what I want,” she tells me as we sit sipping Cokes (her one addiction) outside her tidy barn overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains.

“I always knew that my life was my mind,” she says. “Other people want families; I don’t want that. I wanted to be able to go like a jet engine, and particularly if you’re female, it was horrible to want to do that.”

But Rita Mae’s independent example proved anything but horrible.

“You know, the greatest thing she said was that she didn’t want to just live to be a lesbian inspiration to all the people who needed comfort and leadership; she wanted to live like Thomas Jefferson,” Smith says.

“There is no person I admire more than Rita Mae, and it has nothing to do with her romantic controversial sex life. She’s just a great person and a true intellectual.”

ENTERTAINING TO EDUCATE

Ask Rita Mae the accomplishment of which she’s most proud, and she won’t mention her Lambda Pioneer Award or the inroads she secured for lesbian rights, nor her induction as a Library Lion by the New York Public Library in 1986 (as the youngest inductee in their history at the time). Nor is it achieving New York Times Bestseller status, nor starting the first all-female polo club, Blue Ridge Polo Club.

“It’s hunting my hounds,” she answers without hesitation. “It is the most emotionally satisfying. I mean, I love to write; I love the English language.

But being outside, seeing how fabulous this world is and how everything fits together? You use all of your senses if you are any kind of a huntsman. Most people don’t use any sense other than their eyes and are fairly denuded of information.

“People don’t pay attention to the wisdom of other species. You pay attention, and boy!” she exclaims, slapping her knee, “You can learn a lot. I hunt watching birds because they can tell me where my foxes are. You go by a tree and see part of the bark ripped off, and depending on the color of the bark, you know when the bears were there.”

Rita Mae’s ability to combine two of her

W

hile Rita Mae Brown has chosen a life path that doesn’t include children of her own, she places a major emphasis on making horse sports inviting for future generations.

The annual children’s hunt at her Oak Ridge Hunt in Afton, Va., is always a highly anticipated event.

“The kids have to take staff positions, so if they’re good riders, they have to ride out with me,” Brown explains. “And grown-ups can be there, but the kids get to tell them what to do, and the kids love that.”

Every two years, Oak Ridge also sponsors a hunting weekend for equine studies students from William Woods University (Mo.).

Approximately 14 students and two instructors are invited, with horses being loaned by the hunt.

During the 2014 student hunt weekend, the group took a day trip to the famous Horse Country tack shop and boutique in Warrenton, Va., for a bit of shopping. It happened to be the day of the International Gold Cup steeplechase races in nearby The Plains, Va., and a woman they crossed paths with in the store gave the students tickets to the historic (and expensive) race meet.

“She was a complete stranger,” says Brown.

Except she wasn’t. Turns out Brown had hosted their benefactor years ago on an Oak Ridge hunt.

“She told me, ‘You were so good to me and made it such fun— let me help.’ That was really pretty amazing,” says Brown. “You never know how what you do is going to affect someone else and how they will keep that going. You never know what those kids will do in turn for someone else.”

It’s Brown’s hope that as these students go on to their own equestrian careers in various disciplines (William Woods offers programs in everything from western to saddle seat), they’ll remember their time following the hounds.

“Wherever they go, they will have seen foxhunting,” she says, “and they will hopefully have a lasting interest in the sport.”

passions in her aforementioned “Sister” Jane foxhunting mystery series established her as one of the sport’s biggest advocates.

“The point is to entertain people, not preach to them, and they learn,” she says. “If you say, ‘I’m going to teach you this, and we’re going to do it this way,’ it doesn’t work. In the ’60s you could write about foxhunting. The covers of The New Yorker would always have a foxhunter in the fall. No more.

People don’t understand.

“Some glamorize it, some demonize it, so I started writing these books,” she continues. “I thought, ‘I don’t have big bucks. I can’t hire a PR firm, which is what the Masters of Foxhounds Association and Foundation needs, so I’ll just try to entertain a few people.’ ” Those efforts have been much appreciated.

“Rita Mae has done more to educate people with little or no knowledge of the sport than anyone I know,” C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

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ELIZABETH SULLIVAN PHOTO

COVER STORY

“ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOVE ABOUT FOXHUNTERS IS YOU REALLY CAN TALK. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE TO THE LEFT OF PLUTO, AND THERE ARE OTHERS TO THE RIGHT OF GENGHIS KHAN. MOST OF US FALL IN THE MIDDLE.” —RITA MAE BROWN says Dennis Foster, executive director of the MFHA. “She writes a great mystery while at the same time educating her readers on the intricacies of foxhunting.

As a huntsman and master, her technical knowledge is always very correct—not easy to do. She’s a great ambassador to foxhunting, and we’re lucky to have her.”

On the surface, this highly traditional sport may seem at odds with the progressive reputation of Rita Mae. But she has never felt that to be the case.

“We all talk about things,” she says. “One of the things that I love about foxhunters is you really can talk. There are some people who are to the left of Pluto, and there are others to the right of Genghis Khan. Most of us fall in the middle.

We’re conservative about some things because we’re country people. You know, ‘If you can’t feed it, don’t have it.’ We’re pretty damn basic. But about other things, there are some real divisions; often on military spending there will be a big gap. Some of the older guys finally had to accept women, and they did, but it was difficult for them. But most of that is done.

“Sure, there are a couple Out of all her adventures in life, Rita of assholes, but you’ll find Mae Brown, pictured those everywhere,” she adds. aboard her mare Kali, says without hesitation “In the main, it’s a very good that her greatest joy is community.” hunting her hounds.

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The ties between politics and foxhunting run deep.

“It’s interesting because the skills to be in parliament are the same skills it takes to be a master,” Rita Mae says.

“When a man wanted to run for parliament in the shires [in England], he always tried to be a master [first].”

She’s had a long and abiding love affair with history and politics, the former because she wants to “understand the world,” and the latter impressed on her by her family.

“My mother and grandmother, aunts and uncles— all the men in our family—all marched for the vote,” Rita Mae says. “They started marching for the women’s vote in the 1870s, and it took three generations.

“When I was old enough to vote, my mother got me a little booklet, which you can still get from the League of Women Voters, that has the Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence,” she continues. “I have one in my car. It’s never far from me. My mother said, ‘You will vote. You will vote if it’s for dogcatcher. You will vote.’ And I do. And I love it.”

Asked where she falls on the political spectrum, Rita Mae identifies as an independent.

“I mean, I didn’t leave these parties; they left me,” she says. “I think the difference between the Republican and the Democratic parties is the difference between syphilis and gonorrhea. The party structure is the problem, because they put so much pressure on these candidates.

“I read history constantly, and there are a couple of things history has taught me as well as my own life.

You can’t change human nature. If you deny human nature, you get in far more trouble than if you work with what you’ve got. People are people! You need to give them a little wiggle room. Anybody who’s too rigid, whether it’s about politics or religion or gender, is clearly terrified. I mean, if you’ve got to make that big a show, something’s wrong.”

JEFFERSONIAN VISION

“We’re the non-chic part of Virginia,” Rita Mae says with a laugh as we take a driving tour around her seemingly endless, breathtaking farmland.

“I figure if it was good enough for Jefferson…,” she trails off. “I used to live in [nearby] Albemarle County, and I just couldn’t take it anymore. It’s like Aspen East! I don’t belong there. I mean, it’s fine, but I have no desire to be chic, display money, let everybody

MARY MOTLEY KALERGIS PHOTO

A LITTLE WIGGLE ROOM

know how important I am.

“I find that so offensive,” she adds with a chuckle.

Rita Mae bought a large parcel of this rolling land, with its streams and woods and mountains, in 1988, and she’s been adding piecemeal to it over the years, although in the beginning the bank was unconvinced of her vision, and securing a mortgage took a bit of patience (and a larger down payment).

“One of the most sad things about life is how few people have imagination,” she says. “They may be bright, but that’s it. It’s all analytical; it’s not synthesis.

So you can see what they can’t.

“It’s the same in hunting,” she continues. “You try to start a pack and, ‘It won’t work! It won’t work!’ Everybody says that. But the people who love hunting are going to help you.”

And they did.

Rita Mae began the process of reviving the nearby defunct Oak Ridge Hunt in 1990. Longtime friend Lynn Lloyd, master of the Red Rock Hounds in Reno, Nev., was one of her earliest encouragers.

“She just brings so much more to the table than most people,” Lloyd says of Rita Mae. “In a roundabout way, her involvement with women’s rights in the ’60s and ’70s did so much for foxhunting, because it brought in more women. I think women felt a bit C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

Rita Mae Brown has inspired others by aspiring “to live like Thomas Jefferson,” says the renowned columnist Liz Smith.

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“I love to write; I love the English language.

But being outside, seeing how fabulous this world is and how everything fits together?

You use all of your senses if you are any kind of a huntsman,” says Rita Mae Brown.

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COVER STORY

stronger about coming in and being part of a hunt, and she is so passionate about the sport.”

Starting a hunt is not for the fainthearted, especially in Virginia, where the sport has deep roots and several well-established hunts, meaning finite available territory. But Rita Mae has never been fainthearted.

“The country Rita Mae hunts is some of the toughest, most difficult in the sport,” Foster describes.

“She’ll hunt where no hunt has hunted before—or even wants to! Usually mountains and heavy woods.”

The late Ginnie Moss, a founder of the Moore County Hounds (N.C.), functioned as a mentor, and Rita Mae spent years at her knee asking questions and learning the ropes.

“I didn’t have any hounds or anything, but I kept going down to Mrs. Moss and getting my tutorials,” she says. “Ginnie put her shoulder to the wheel and really helped me.”

Rita Mae started her pack with six couple of Bywaters hounds drafted to her by Farmington Hunt master Jill Summers. Their blood still comprises the majority of her pack.

“Hunting hounds is like finding a husband: You’ve got to find what’s right for you,” Rita Mae says. “I need the old Bywaters hound. That’s what I click in to and can work with very easily.”

For the first two years, she had a makeshift kennel near a river on her property; she would pull water from the river because there was no plumbing, and the care and the cleaning were entirely her responsibility.

But before long, Rita Mae’s new hunt had enough members to build a permanent kennel, with additional assistance from other local huntsmen like Jack Eicher and Fred Duncan.

“When you start, you can only do so much,” she recalls of those early days. “We’d have six hunts going

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at once! It was humiliation in such lavish proportions.

I don’t know how I stood it, but I did, and now we’ve got a pretty good pack.”

It’s not only a good pack but also a good group of people who share Rita Mae’s inclusive worldview.

“We have a gay man in our club who is very, very….” she pauses.

“Gay,” she concludes with a laugh. “He’ll jokingly rub the straight men’s backs, and they are so great about it, just going along, in on the joke—it’s our acid test. If any man comes around and can’t handle him, we know they don’t belong here, because they don’t have a sense of humor or are unsure of themselves. We have gay women in our club, but I don’t really know who is who. I don’t think we have any transgender people, but that will come.

“Our club is very embracing,” she continues.

“People know they’re safe and they’re welcome, and they can really be and say whatever they want. And they come. We’re here to foxhunt! We have fun!”

At this point in our conversation, Rita Mae recalls an old adage she was taught as a child: “A fish stinks from the head first.”

“If you have bad leadership, it’s going to show up pretty quickly,” she tells me. “I’ve hunted with a lot of different hunts, and some are wonderful, and others are just as snotty as hell. They may be great hunts, but my feeling is, ‘It’s February. You get up in the dark, and it’s 16 degrees out. You’re cold as hell. You should be treated with respect!’ ” Rita Mae’s wickedly delightful, smart sense of humor is perhaps her most oft acknowledged asset, but it’s that sense of respect for others that truly defines her.

When Rita Mae Brown speaks, people and animals take note. But she also listens, and foxhunting is all the better for it.

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FEATURE

KELLY SANCHEZ PHOTO

Now in its 27th year, the Compton Jr. Posse has served more than 1,500 children and teens, offering not only the chance to ride but also to master fundamental life skills.

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URBAN

Legends

After more than a quarter century and through some of the deadliest years in Los Angeles history, the Compton Jr. Posse continues to change lives and defy expectations for inner-city youth.

KELLY SANCHEZ PHOTO

By KELLY SANCHEZ

W

ith the hint of a swagger, Micah Westbrooks strides down the driveway off Caldwell Street, his jeans tucked into a pair of borrowed cowboy boots. He fixes his eyes on the pipe corrals on the far side of the arena. Catching sight of the horses, the 7-year-old breaks into a grin.

He’ll point out his favorites—“Chocolate because he goes slow and he’s chill, Bugsy because he’s super fast, and Brewsky because he’s a show-off and bucks”—and he’ll tell you the thing he liked most about summer camp: “cleaning up horse poop!”

His mother, Tiffany Westbrooks, shakes her head and laughs.

“Micah hardly likes to get up, but this morning he was up and ready to go by 6:30,” she says. “He’s so excited to come here.”

Soon he’s joined by others, like 11-year-old Kevin Casarez and 10-year-old Zoie Brogdon. Watching as they jostle to give the horses carrots and engage in a halter-tying contest, Mayisha Akbar just smiles. Kids discovering a love for horses is a scenario she’s seen play out countless times before over a full generation.

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FEATURE The CJP summer camp is a haven for kids like precocious 7-year-old Micah Westbrooks.

This could be a small farm anywhere in the country. But this is Compton, Calif., and the Jr. Posse Youth Equestrian Organization, which Akbar created, is an inner-city haven if ever there was one.

Now in its 27th year, the program has served more than 1,500 children and teens, offering not merely the chance to ride but also to master fundamental life skills, from writing and public speaking to understanding their connection to nature and how to give back to their communities.

Along the way something more profound takes place: Kids who come in angry, lost and frightened develop self-esteem, discipline, confidence and a sense of belonging.

KELLY SANCHEZ PHOTO

WHERE GANGSTA RAP MEETS GARDENING

PHOTO COURTESY CJP

Mayisha Akbar has been the guiding force behind the Compton Jr. Posse since 1988.

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It all started in 1988, the same year N.W.A’s famous gangsta rap album “Straight Outta Compton” was released.

Akbar, who was then working as a realtor, discovered a corner of Compton called Richland Farms, which had been deeded for agricultural activities as far back as the late 1880s.

That’s when pioneer settler and Methodist minister Griffith D. Compton donated his land to establish the city, stipulating that the Richland portion be zoned agriculturally.

Akbar had no grand vision for transforming the lives of the area’s youth when she moved there. Recently divorced, she just wanted to give her own children, Khafra, Nailah and Rashid, a taste of the comparatively rural life. She’d grown up in a public housing project not far away and had always loved animals, horses especially.

Located on Los Angeles’ south side, Compton usually brings to mind images of gang violence, rampant drug use and poverty— certainly not horses. It’s surrounded by four major freeways. But “The Farms” are a 10-block urban oasis of modest homes, a place where you’ll see cowboys riding down the street and hear the crowing of roosters. Most houses sit on a half-acre of land or more—enough to keep horses, cows, pigs, goats and chickens.

After they moved in, Mayisha’s children, then in elementary school, started bringing home other kids. Soon enough, she’d have 15 to 20 kids in her house on any given weekend. They’d gravitate to the back yard, where Akbar kept several horses.

When they asked if they could ride, Mayisha told them they could feed the horses and clean stalls. And when they came back for more, she set down the rules: Stay in school, and you can ride.

Anthony Harris was one of those kids. He first visited with Mayisha’s son Khafra when he was 8.

KELLY SANCHEZ PHOTO PHOTO COURTESY CJP

KELLY SANCHEZ PHOTO

Anthony Harris first joined the CJP when he was 8, and he’s still involved with the program 25 years later, serving as ranch manager.

The CJP offers something for children of all ages, starting with basic horsemanship lessons for the youngest kids and building up to intermediate and advanced riding for teens. Here CJP member Justin Parron competes over fences at a local show.

“The vision is to help a generation of kids by embracing them with horses. None of us can be as impactful [alone] as we can if we come together,” founder Mayisha Akbar says of the Compton Jr. Posse.

“What do I got to do to ride a horse?” he asked. When Mayisha told him to clean stalls, “No problem,” was his answer.

Harris was hooked. Every day after school he came to muck out and ride. Soon he was a member of what had come to be known as “the Compton Jr. Posse,” a group of 5- to 18-year-olds who rode on the trails, in parades and on the rodeo circuit. Then as now, members were expected to keep up their grades and stay in school.

Now 33, Harris works as the property’s ranch manager, and five days a week he rides his bike to start work at 5 a.m.

The horses he cares for are a far cry from the program’s early mounts, like Shorty, a pony with a penchant for bucking and running his riders into a tree.

“He was a freebie,” Mayisha recalls with a laugh.

She bought Lookatime, who became the group’s Western

champion, for a few hundred dollars at auction. Others looked less promising, but Mayisha, never one to pass on someone in need, took them anyway.

“We’d see the horses left at auction and buy them for 20 bucks,” she says. “I couldn’t just leave them there.”

As kids flocked to the program, which ran after school and on weekends, her stable expanded.

“They all came with issues,” Mayisha recalls. “Mostly we had boys here, and they were really good at rehabbing the horses, and the horses were really good with the boys. It was just amazing to watch.”

People started to look to the Jr. Posse for well-trained, friendly horses for their kids. But Mayisha reached out to the youth of her community in other ways, through informal tutoring, guiding them how to speak in public and write in journals.

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FEATURE THE WAR YEARS

“They’d go after them,” says Mayisha, “but our kids weren’t retaliating, so they’d just get picked on.”

Or worse. As much as the Jr. Posse functioned as a haven for kids, it couldn’t provide full immunity; its tally of members killed in gang violence mounted throughout the 1990s.

“We stopped counting at 40,” Mayisha says.

The war came agonizingly close to home when her son Khafra was shot twice while riding his bicycle in 1996. Just 14, he’d made the mistake of taking a shortcut through a gas station parking lot claimed by a gang. He survived, but he required multiple surgeries to save his left leg.

Others weren’t so lucky. One night Mayisha’s nephew Randall opened his front door to find a friend bleeding from a gunshot wound. And at his 18th birthday party, an assailant fired into the crowd, killing his best friend.

JEFFREY DAVIDSON PHOTO

Inspired by her example, Mayisha’s brother Louis Hook—a Harvard Business School graduate and a single father to twin boys—soon joined her in Compton, moving in just two houses down the street. When their mother moved into the house between them, they joined the three properties to create a ranch that’s now home to some 15 horses, three goats, chickens and a llama.

The farmette became not just a popular gathering place, but a refuge from a community plagued by violence, which earned Compton the dubious distinction of America’s “murder capital” in the 1990s.

“We called it ‘The War,’ ” says Mayisha of that era.

Though Richland Farms is considered neutral territory, gangs were out recruiting in force, targeting kids in middle school. They gave the moniker “Farm Dogs” to the kids who lived in the area.

Mayisha Akbar with CJP riders (rear, from left) Shola Oyefoso and Dimea Polk and (in front) Morgan Craig at the Longines Masters of Los Angeles show jumping event in October.

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After starting his riding career with the CJP at age 14, Nathan Williams-Bonner became a member of their first Interscholastic Equestrian League team. “The other horses were big, hundred-thousand-dollar horses. But we learned it wasn’t about how much you paid for your horse; it was the bond you had created,” says Williams-Bonner, who now serves on staff at the ranch.

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Mayisha and her family considered pulling up stakes and leaving Compton for good.

Instead, they did what Randall, now 24, calls “the heart thing.” They stayed.

“I asked myself what would happen to everybody if we left,” Mayisha says. “This place was the hub. So we hunkered down.”

Their work with the Jr. Posse took on new urgency. Akbar watched as children and youth came in loud and aggressive and learned what she calls “the power of being quiet.”

“It’s really hard for these kids to concentrate when they’re experiencing emotional trauma,” she says. “They’re wondering, ‘Am I going to make it home today?’ Or they’re thinking about who they saw get shot and killed. A large part of what we do is give these kids a safe haven and help them evolve socially and emotionally.”

Though Compton’s murder rate remains more than twice the U.S. average, it’s fallen by about three quarters over the past 25 years. The community is safer today, thanks in part to improved policing by the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department, which took over when Compton’s police department was disbanded in 2000.

“I can sit outside my house now,” says Randall. “Kids walk to school.”

Still, it takes both faith and courage to navigate a city that, according to some estimates, is home to more than 50 gangs.

“It’s better now,” says ranch manager Harris. “But people still ask you where you’re from. You’ve got to watch your surroundings. Me, I just come to work and go home to my kids.”

“Even though Richland Farms is a little different, we live on the frontline,” acknowledges Mayisha’s brother, Louis

“It’s not for the faint of heart. This battle is about no jobs and kids who have nothing to do and who feel that society doesn’t care about them.”

—Louis Hook

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FEATURE As it’s grown, the Compton Jr. Posse’s unique role in its community has attracted the attention of movers and shakers in the equestrian world and Hollywood alike. Founder Mayisha Akbar posed with (from left) anchor sponsor Jami von Heidegger of Monarch International and actress and producer Alfre Woodard at the 2014 Longines Masters of Los Angeles.

PHOTO COURTESY CJP

THE BRAVENESS FACTOR

Hook. “It’s not for the faint of heart. This battle is also about no jobs and kids who have nothing to do and who feel that society doesn’t care about them.”

He stops to listen to raised voices on the street, his hearing sharpened by years of practice. Satisfied there’s no threat, he continues.

“We’re trying to give these kids options and help them understand how to do the right thing and be upstanding citizens. Our message is, ‘If you follow the rules and do the right thing, you have a safe place where you can have fun,’ ” Louis says. “But we make them carry their weight.”

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Show jumper Will Simpson met Mayisha thanks to an introduction by Olympic dressage rider Charlotte BredahlBaker in 2008, the same year Simpson won team gold at the Olympic Games in Hong Kong. The Jr. Posse kids impressed him from the start, and he’s been an avid supporter ever since, giving clinics and serving on the board.

“They have an eagerness to learn, with no hang-ups about what kind of boots they have, who’s watching or how they look,” Simpson says. “They just want to ride. They’re thirsty for knowledge and will do anything for the experience, like stay in school and get good grades. It’s crystal clear to them that’s what it’s all about.”

Then there’s what he calls the “braveness factor.” He recalls working with a boy named Caleb, who was riding a 1.0-meter course in a training session, and being astonished to find out he’d only begun riding a month before.

“He didn’t say anything,” Simpson says. “He was just ready to go. That’s pretty brave.”

Simpson, who spent several of his formative years living on Chicago’s hardscrabble south side while his father attended medical school, understands more than many top riders about tough beginnings. But the realities of keeping kids in the program hit home one day when he asked Mayisha about a missing rider.

She told him he’d dropped out of school and couldn’t participate.

“I said, ‘We’ve got to talk to him!’ And Mayisha said, ‘We’ve done what we can do. We can’t save them all. We’ve got to focus our attention on the ones who are here,’ ” Simpson recalls.

In 2009, just three years after they introduced English riding to the program, the Jr. Posse established the first inner-city equestrian team to compete in the Interscholastic Equestrian League. And in 2013, Xavier Allison became the first Jr. Posse rider to compete in the College Preparatory Invitational in Palm Beach, Fla. Membership in the Jr. Posse soon became a badge of honor on the national stage, and its riders were often the only competitors of color at shows.

“At first, people were standoffish,” remembers Nathan Williams-

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PHOTO COURTESY CJP

Olympic show jumping gold medalist Will Simpson has served on the CJP advisory board and gives regular clinics for riders of all skill levels.

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PHOTO COURTESY CJP

In 2013, Xavier Allison became the first Jr. Posse rider to compete in the College Preparatory Invitational in Palm Beach, Fla. Now 19 and a sophomore at Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn., he’s working toward a business degree and says he’d love to start a program like the CJP one day or even take over as the organization’s executive director.

“Mayisha opened my eyes that I could do anything I wanted,” he says.

PHOTO COURTESY CJP

KELLY SANCHEZ PHOTO

The CJP is “not just about competition, the horses or physical activity,” says Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. “The program teaches youth about structure, discipline and respect. I’ve seen many extremely composed, articulate and impressive youth transformed by their participation in the program.”

Many of CJP’s advanced riders become leaders in their own right after graduating from the program.

Tyrene Joseph (left) and Xavier Allison are shown here celebrating their respective championship and reserve wins at a local hunter show in Malibu, Calif., in 2013, before heading off to college.

“Their activities encourage you to not just be your best self, but also to pull your sister and your brother up along with you.”

—Angela Herbs-Allison

Bonner, who’s now on staff at the ranch. “But they watched as our reputation grew, and they started to look for us at shows.”

Still, it stung when he overheard someone say, “They must have bullet holes in their barn.”

Allison, who began riding with the Jr. Posse at 14 and later participated in the IEL, found those early competitions eye-opening.

“The other horses were big, hundred-thousand-dollar horses,” he said. “But we learned it wasn’t about how much you paid for your horse; it was the bond you had created.”

MOVING THE NEEDLE

For Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Compton’s Jr. Posse is “not just about competition, the horses or physical activity,” he says. “The program teaches youth about structure, discipline and respect. I’ve seen many extremely composed, articulate and impressive youth transformed by their participation in the program. The Jr. Posse is a model for civic engagement, youth development and recreational programs for South Los Angeles and the region.”

For parents, what Mayisha and her family have created is nothing short of a miracle.

“I wanted my son to be part of something that developed him as an individual who had some relationship to society,” explains Allison’s mother, Angela Herbs-Allison. “A lot of their activities encourage you to not just be your best self, but also to pull your sister and your brother up along with you.”

She also appreciates the emphasis on hard work.

“When Xavier went to shows, he had to be at the ranch at 4:30 or 5:00 in the morning,” she recalls. “We didn’t have the luxury of people to do that preparation for us. Being involved in the whole process taught the kids about commitment and setting goals and being part of a team. Being around Mayisha showed my son how somebody with a dream can create it if they’re willing to put in the work.”

Now 19 and a sophomore at Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn., Xavier is a business major, with a concentration in management and a minor in computers. He says he’d love to start a program like the Jr. Posse one day or even take over as the organization’s executive director.

“Mayisha opened my eyes that I could do anything I wanted,” he says.

“The Jr. Posse is a godsend,” agrees Tiffany Westbrooks, the mother of 7-year-old Micah. She’s lived in Compton for eight years and knows the dangers facing young people with too much time on their hands.

“I grew up in an area where it was very easy to fall into things you had no business falling into if you didn’t have parents who were on you,” Tiffany says. “Compton is not what outsiders think it is, but there are still real concerns here. My goal for Micah is to give him an idea that there’s more to do than just hanging out.”

She’s already seeing changes in her energetic son, just after attending the Jr. Posse’s summer camp. “His teacher called me and said, ‘What did you do with him over the summer? He’s doing so well!’ ”

CHANGING UNDERSTANDING

With summer camp over, Mayisha, her staff—many of them Jr. Posse alumni—and her dedicated volunteers have welcomed their newest crop of youngsters this fall.

“We can take 36 kids,” she says, “but that’s really pushing it.”

In Saturday sessions, they offer equine science lessons, ranching and riding activities. And the Posse’s high school juniors and seniors participate in a junior ranger naturalist explorers program created in collaboration with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority.

“We’ve had several kids go on to change their careers to environmental advocacy, or they want to be attorneys,” Mayisha says proudly. “Another is going into nonprofits. They see the value of giving back. Their understanding of humans in community changes when they come here.”

As they look to the future, Mayisha, Louis and their supporters are actively transforming the Jr. Posse into a sustainable entity. For the first 10 years, the CJP ran solely based on the help of volunteers, in-kind services and their family’s personal financial contributions. But gaining nonprofit status in 2004 was a major step forward.

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“We’d always been volunteer-based,” Mayisha explains, “but [for many years we] provided the kids with their clothes and boots, entry fees, food.”

Once the CJP started applying for and receiving grants, “This made it a lot easier,” she says. “Today the majority of our funding comes from wonderful and passionate individuals who believe in the importance of keeping kids on horses and off the streets.”

Mayisha would like to retire in 2018. But before that can happen, there’s much to do: recruiting a new board and putting a staff into place, for one. She’s also looking to collaborate with other equestrian organizations to create similar programs around the region and beyond.

“The vision is to help a generation of kids by embracing them with horses. None of us can be as impactful [alone] as we can if we come together,” she says. “Then we become powerful and can go to politicians and funders to share this experience.

“So many kids don’t have anybody to give them hope, give them responsibility and discipline or give them an outlook on life other than drug dealing and death,” Mayisha adds. “We’ve got to give them a different perspective. Once they have hope, they can experience love in their hearts.”

LEARN MORE To find out more about the Compton Jr. Posse, formally known as the Jr. Posse Youth Equestrian Organization, visit comptonjrposse.org.

JEFFREY DAVIDSON PHOTO

The 2015 Jr. Posse members at the Longines Masters of Los Angeles.

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FEATURE

Zoie Brogdon, 10, visits one of her favorite mounts during a summer camp session.

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PROFILE

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TH E PE AC E F U L

WARRIOR A The equine subjects of Ashley Collins’ paintings are just the beginning of the artist’s story.

By JENNIFER B. CALDER Photos courtesy Douglas Crowell

Equine imagery has always represented themes like hope, peace and freedom for artist Ashley Collins, and it’s these messages that she tries to share with the world with her large-scale mixed media work.

shley Collins pauses in front of the seven-

foot canvas, her diminutive frame further

dwarfed by its ambitious scale. A bucket

of paint clutched in her hand, she tilts her head, and after a heartbeat or two she decisively steps forward.

••• Ignoring the brush nestled in the pail, she dips her hand in the pigment and masterfully smears a whitish swath over the historic texts layered on the canvas. And another.

She is quietly explosive, if there is such a thing.

A ghostly form emerges from her repeated strokes, one simultaneously ethereal and powerful.

Each individual mark matters. Small actions can have momentous impact, a truth Collins demonstrates through her art and her life. One mark or action can alter all that follows—a shift in perception, emotion or, more tangibly, in the lives of others.

From this energetic layering of imagery and paint, a narrative is born. Ashley Collins is a storyteller, and the tales she articulates speak to history and universal, totemic truths. They are visual renderings of perseverance and magic. But mostly they are love stories triumphing beauty and hope over despair and pain, all told through gestural pigment rather than words.

These stories very well may have had different endings had Collins allowed a dark and thorny childhood followed by a torturous early professional life—one dominated by extreme financial hardship and violence—to quell her spirit. Instead, the self-described “peaceful C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

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PROFILE warrior” steadfastly rewrote a more enlightened future.

Collins’ legacy is bifurcated: She enhances the world with both her massive, stunning mixed media paintings and through her actions. Beginning with her first sale in 1994 at the age of 27, Collins, despite living in poverty, gave back to those in need, and she’s continued to make significant contributions in bettering the lives of women and children around the world ever since.

The Horse As Metaphor

While Collins’ art incorporates equine imagery, it’s wrongly reductive to label her an equine artist. She seeks to communicate infinitely more expansive and metaphoric themes.

“What people find most odd,” Collins says, “is that I don’t paint horses.

I never have, and I don’t think people who try succeed very well.”

Hearing how those words sound, she immediately jumps to clarify.

“In life, we’re all thrown under the bus many times. We all have our challenges, but we also have wonderful angels that

Ashley Collins creates her pieces in layers, beginning with old documents pasted together as a base to create a rich patina.

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appear out of nowhere if we’re open to them. It may be a stranger at the airport who stops to ask if you’re OK or the kindness of a friend who shows up when no one would. In my case, the angel came in the form and shape of a horse,” she says, “so I painted that soul, even in my abstract works. There is always hope, and the smallest bit of hope turns into a tsunami of power if we nurture it.”

At the age of 10, Collins met her greatest mentor: “Chief, an old wise teacher that came to me in the form of a horse,” she says.

“He became my mother and father. He taught me unconditional love. We would ride for hours. He would throw me off.

He would tell me to get back up,” she says.

“He taught me the most important life lessons. He taught me I could be a victim or a warrior. If I fell off, I could stay on the ground and cry or stand on my own two feet and fight. He taught me the universal language of love. That God is not found within books nor seers nor gurus, but within your own heart. He taught me acceptance and to embrace who I was and am.”

Collins seeks to paint these feelings

“In a sense, we are all born artists or creators in some form or another, the medium is simply different,” says Ashley Collins. “For example, a hairdresser’s canvas is the human head; a neurosurgeon, the human brain; a geologist, the minerals and so forth. I am more of a storyteller than artist in my own mind but definitely knew why I was here as early as age 2 or 3.”

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PROFILE “As an adult, I have deep compassion for my parents. They were born dirt poor. My father grew up in a one-room house with one spigot outside. They were simply unable to grasp what to do with someone that came in the form of an artist.

Understandable, really.”

—ASHLEY COLLINS that Chief inspired in her.

“It is his love that shines though each painting to this day,” she says. “No, I am not an equine artist, and 90 percent of [my] paintings in the collections around the world don’t relate to equines, rather they relate to love and emotion.”

A Magic Key

This lesson of unconditional love was one a young Collins desperately craved. Her parents were devout Christians, “but not the warm and fuzzy kind,” she says, “more the fire and brimstone kind. As a child, [their religion] seemed far more fearbased than love-based, which was not the ideal environment for a child who sees the world as a magical place filled with creatures who can speak in languages without words, with unbounded love and good. You can see how the two world views would not find harmony.”

Nature offered Collins solace.

“I believed in the magic and mystery and wonder of the world around me—and I still do—but my family thought there was something wrong with me,” she says.

“I would talk to the birds; they would take me to the church psychiatrist. I would talk to the trees; they would take me to the church psychiatrist. You get the idea.”

The middle of three daughters, Collins wasn’t close with her siblings, especially her older sister, who subjected her to ongoing physical abuse culminating in an incident 78

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that rendered her deaf in her right ear.

During this chaotic and confusing childhood Collins would first hear about the forlorn horse on a hill, Chief.

Diagnosed with a hoof disease, Chief could no longer carry the weight of an adult but was perfect for the tiny 10-yearold Collins (who even today, at the age of 48, is barely 100 pounds and 5'3"). She wrote the owners, whom she’d never met, a letter “promising them the world” if they’d let her ride him.

They agreed, with one stipulation.

“This was back in the day when people didn’t sue one another so much, so there was no penalty for kindness,” she explains.

“The one condition was that each time I went out with Chief, I would turn the brick—an old red brick that was in their yard—so they would know I was riding.

About five years ago, they sent me that original brick, which is in my house.”

“It is a magic key, after all,” she adds, a smile behind her words.

More recently Collins learned that Chief ’s registered name was Shaman, or teacher.

Truth, as we all know, is stranger than fiction.

The Beat Of A Different Drum

Despite a childhood she’d “never wish on another,” Collins says she harbors no bitterness toward her parents.

“As an adult, I have deep compassion

for them. They were born dirt poor. My father grew up in a one-room house with one spigot outside. They were simply unable to grasp what to do with someone that came in the form of an artist.

Understandable, really,” she says. “My parents went on to become very successful business people, and it’s from them that I no doubt get my drive, so like all of life, it is both good and bad.”

Collins was born in Northern California and moved often, living in Texas and Oregon. During her younger years,

“Today in the world economy there are no ‘safe’ or ‘secure’ jobs, and your only safety or security is doing that which you love,” says artist Ashley Collins.

she displayed a proclivity for the violin and piano, but it would fall by the wayside.

“My teachers wanted me to play classical music, and I wanted to play Ragtime—the forbidden black music—oh my!” she says with a laugh.

Out of frustration or kindness— Collins still isn’t sure which—her mother would bring home huge rolls of butcher paper and leave them in her room. Collins would keep to herself and draw on them for hours on end.

“I think this was simply a way to

keep me quiet and occupied, but that world of alchemy was real to me, is still real to me,” she adds.

Collins left home at 17 to attend Westmont College near Santa Barbara, Calif., on a Cal Grant to major in English (studying art didn’t meet her parents’ approval). But during her senior year she earned enough credits to study abroad, and her worldview—and resolve to be an artist—exploded. “[I spent] all my time in art museums and finding cultural differences—the

beauty of so many differing lives, beliefs and paths,” she says. “When I received my diploma at 21, I presented it to my father and said, ‘Here is what you wanted for me.

Now I have to do what I was meant to do: to paint and fill the world with beauty.’ ” Her declaration was not well received; she recalls his response as being along the lines of assurances that his middle daughter would “go to hell and wind up in the gutter penniless and homeless.”

Later, once she had found some success with her calling, her parents’ opinion evolved a bit.

“They came to appreciate my drive, my determination, my success, but not really the passion that has nothing to do with income. I think I have become the daughter you want to talk about to your friends but you don’t want to introduce to your friends. A bitter irony,” she concludes.

But again, with age has come empathy.

“What I failed to understand at the time was how deeply ingrained my father and mother’s history altered their views and heightened their fears,” she says. “The irony of the situation is that today in the world economy there are no ‘safe’ or ‘secure’ jobs, and your only safety or security is doing that which you love.”

No Matter The Cost

Collins’ convictions would be repeatedly tested during her early career. There were years of extreme privation but also examples of extreme benevolence.

Lacking the financial resources to move to New York City, Collins made her way to the other contemporary art hub, Los

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Collins assesses a work entitled A Thousand Kings, A Thousand Kingdoms.

Angeles. She had no contacts, nor any understanding of art world mechanizations.

During these early years, Collins was financially and emotionally on her own.

“I would truly take any job offered to me. I slept on concrete floors, ate food leftover from others in restaurants or peas and ketchup—which oddly enough has become a comfort food to me!” she says.

Collins worked waitressing jobs at night, painted in the early morning hours and then slept all day, sometimes on friends’ couches, other times in her car or on abandoned boats.

“My worst sleeping experience was either on an abandoned engineless 1955 Higgins boat in Marina del Rey, which I had to bail out every morning— everything was wet—or the couch of a crazy lady who did every drug known to man,” she reminiscences.

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for both an apartment and a wall to paint on, “so I always went for the wall,” she says. “I often purchased junk from East Los Angeles because you could buy it by the pound; I painted on sheets of metal because you could buy it for 50 cents.”

But even more challenging than just getting by was navigating interactions with art world insiders. It was still the pre-Internet era, and Collins invested countless hours making transparencies and promotional packets to mail off to galleries, hoping one would take a chance and represent her.

“They would usually simply send a form letter: ‘No.’ ” she says.

And those were the polite responses.

“I was told my art was horrible, banal, was bad. You name it, I’ve heard it all,” Collins adds.

Occasionally she’d get a positive response, only to have it dissipate when

they realized she was a woman. (Ashley was a less common female name in L.A. at the time.) Other times, her gender would result in much worse scenarios.

“A few male gallerists I met with were simply jerks after sex. If I had a dollar for every gallery owner who pushed me against a wall or tried to force himself on me,” she says. “What today would be assault, back then was just ‘male assertiveness.’ ” This would culminate in one especially heinous incident in February of 1993, when a wealthy co-owner of an L.A. restaurant chain invited Collins to his home to discuss a mural he was considering commissioning her to paint for a new dining space. Once there, he locked the door, beat and raped her.

Despite repeated death threats from him and his family, Collins successfully prosecuted her attacker, and he spent seven years in prison.

“It was horrifying,” she confesses. “I was trying to bring beauty into the world, and what kept coming back at me was the ugliest side of life. Perhaps this was the biggest mental challenge. How do you preserve beauty, love and spirit when what is coming at you from all sides is bias, hate and abuse? All the worst in human emotion. That was so confusing.”

Following the rape, Collins went back to school to get her MFA, but the experience wasn’t what she’d expected.

“I was hoping to catch my breath and lift myself up, but it turned out since I had exhibited and was exhibiting, all the professors just wanted to learn how to ‘make it’ in the art world. It was very, very disappointing,” she explains.

Collins needed to find her own way to process her experiences and move forward.

“I don’t support the women = victims mentality,” she says. “So while it would

Something From Nothing

have been easy to paint my hair blue and paint RAPE or HATE or some other base thing, it simply was not in me. To me, it further promotes the division and the weak stereotype.

“My method was to forge on to achieve my own success and, in becoming successful, perhaps open the way for other women,” she continues. “I’m far more interested in action that helps other women and children. Taking action changes lives, especially your own.”

Despite pushing on, Collins made some concessions. When making new acquaintances, she has a noticeable British accent, despite living on the West Coast her entire life. She acknowledges that she wields it as a sort of emotional armor, a manner of self-protection not unlike the singer Sia’s face-shielding wigs.

“It is my way of coping,” she explains.

“I give everything of me to the paintings.

I’ve learned to be more careful in giving that degree of me to people. People all have purity and truth in them, but if they haven’t nurtured these traits, the purity and truth can be drowned out by positioning, posturing—adult techniques that do little to advance us.”

By our second conversation, Collins’ accent has mostly disappeared, and it feels like a compliment.

For all the trials during her early career, there are bright, shining moments as well, and Collins prefers to focus on these memories. She notes as an example that Oscar-nominated actress Debra Winger and her writer/actor/director husband Arliss Howard were early collectors.

“Arliss let me stay at his place in Santa Monica when he was out of town, and neither he nor Debra wanted anything in return. That is true kindness!” she says. “I think I saved up enough money to have his

A

shley Collins’ creative process begins by covering the canvas with historical documents. These can be dictionaries, magazines or any old texts that have passed through many hands over a long period of time and show the patina of age. She says this layering of pages speaks to the information with which we’re bombarded every day.

Atop these, Collins adds more layers of images that reference love and kindness, the gestalt being one of balance.

“One of the themes that runs through my work is the images of [pioneering motion-picture photographer] Eadweard Muybridge,” she says. “I’ve always been fascinated by motion. There are layers upon layers within each work, just like in our lives. And history—the journeys before us that guide us even if we don’t know it.

Stories upon stories, cyclical and unique.”

Collins then applies sweeping layers of pigment and encaustic on top of the documents. The result is mixed media pieces that feel more sculptural than twodimensional. Each has a weighty presence humming with vitality.

“One of the reasons so many horse paintings look so wrong or unnatural is that the painter tries to recreate the horse with exaction and fails. You cannot convey something so magical by exactness, only by feel,” Collins says. “Think about how odd the shape of a horse is, the huge tonnage of weight on such small legs, the strength of the neck, the size of the head. Yet when they run, they float. Amazing.”

The epic scale of Collins’ art communicates this sense of wonder and the sublime.

“Whenever I walk among [my paintings], I’m reminded of walking amongst the giant sequoias or the mass of the ocean. I love scale,” she says. “Whenever I hunted for a studio, I would measure the diagonal of the doorway—that told me how tall a canvas I could get inside. Even in the small studios, I would do works up to 20 feet in length. I’d just make them in multiple panels and drag the panels outside one at a time for a quick look.

“Not very efficient, but hey, I had a studio! How bad could life be?” she adds with a laugh.

Actress Wendie Malick has known Collins for more than a dozen years, having first been introduced to the artist’s work at a charity auction.

“I saw this beautiful, chiaroscuro painting of a horse, and something about it just so grabbed me,” recalls Malick, who was outbid but later tracked Collins down for a studio visit.

“I felt like [her work] was speaking directly to me,” Malick says. “I didn’t start riding until I was 40; we moved to the country, and I was just getting into horses, and her work just brought horses alive. The essential soul of the horse came through in her paintings.

“Ashley is an old soul, and she’s been through a lot in her life,” Malick adds. “Some pretty dark places. But she is one of those examples of the healing power of nature and animals—particularly horses, because it’s such a silent relationship we have with our horses.

They are so keyed into our emotional behavior. You can’t jolly them up, the way you can dogs. They are just an entirely different species, and I’ve learned so much from being around horses, and I think Ashley embodies that empathic non-verbal understanding.”

When people view her work, Collins hopes they feel “a reflection of their own genius, abundant love and overwhelming sense of their own divine history,” she says.

“I hope people feel moved. It doesn’t matter if they love or hate the work; I want it to stir some passion inside them—some long forgotten sweet memory or some collective warmth that is subconscious within us,” she explains. “I always hope the feelings are positive, but crying is sometimes positive. Pain is sometimes positive. There’s beauty in the struggle, and it is in the gray where we live our most interesting moments. Not the black or white.”

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The artist enjoys a chat with a horse at the Swiftsure Ranch in Idaho, a therapeutic riding program for children with disabilities that she supports.

piano tuned as a thank you, since I could in no way afford a rental payment.”

Likewise, the late eminent artist and friend Robert Rauschenberg (whose work likewise shattered notions of what was “appropriate” subject matter in contemporary art) encouraged her, reinforcing her determination not to let others dictate whether figurative horse imagery qualified as valuable artistic expression.

Even when Collins finally began to make a small amount of money from her paintings, the tiny studio she could afford was in then-gang-riddled Venice, in an industrial area behind barbed wire gates.

She would fall sleep nightly to the sounds of helicopters overhead, waking in the morning to find the fences surrounding her freshly tagged as new territory in gang wars.

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Never, Never, Never Give Up

Despite the obstacles and hardships, Collins never entertained other career options. There simply was no other choice for her.

“I had to paint. If I don’t paint for any length of time, I’m like a fish out of water. It helps me breathe. [I had] a deep knowledge—ancient, in fact—that this is my path. I wanted to make the world beautiful. I could not believe that darkness could drown out the light I was trying to shine,” she says.

She believed and executed one mantra: “Never, never, never give up.”

In her late 20s, Collins opened a small gallery, the space doubling as her studio (she would move all the inventory at the end of the day in order to paint in the space), and she mounted a small show and decided to include two of her own works in the exhibit.

She hid the fact, however, that she was the creator, saying instead they had

been painted by a male British recluse and that she was his representative. When a collector asked the price on the two works, a shocked Collins blurted out, “$2,500.”

Sold.

When asked how it felt to sell her first painting at the age of 27 under the guise of being a male artist, Collins’ reaction is a bit unexpected. There is no acrimony, no resentment.

“Joy! Unimaginable joy!” she exclaims. “To me, it seemed like a million dollars. I was rich! Well, not rich, but for me that meant food, that meant paint, that meant a tad of safety. That meant I was a professional painter. The first sale—true sale—you make after years of pounding the pavement and struggle…

That first sale says, ‘You are worthy. You

are not crazy. You are beautiful!’ Little did that buyer know all the wondrous things that went through my mind when she handed me the check!

“At the end of the day, whether I was me or an elderly man did not matter,” she continues. “The paintings are created, each with love. They go out into others’ lives and give this love, and love heals.

That’s what matters.”

Collins followed up on her emotions with action. She vowed never to wait tables again.

Then, despite her struggles, she promptly gave away half her windfall.

“I think you can always choose to be either a giver or a taker in life.

Taking is kind of like junk food. It feels great going down, but it doesn’t sit well

afterwards,” she says.

Collins immediately wrote out a check to the AIDS Project LA for half the amount of her her first paycheck.

“I knew no matter how hard I had it, others had far worse problems to tackle,” she explains. “How wonderful is it if you’re in a position where you can help someone?

There is no way I can turn my back on those I can help in some form.”

Paying It Forward

Now married to Douglas Crowell (the pair briefly met a decade prior to their re-meeting 12 years ago in a story that convinces you of fate—they’ve been married 11 years, their nuptials held on the Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel), the pair travel extensively in connection with

Thanks to her work as an artist, Ashley Collins, pictured here on her way to visit a school in Marrakech, Morocco, has been able to travel the world on philanthropic missions.

her art, sometimes for exhibits, other times just for inspiration.

A decade ago the duo were in Cambodia eating at a small cafe when a girl about 5 years old came up to their table selling bracelets for a dollar.

“She was beautiful, with a smile that would light up the world. Also a bit mischievous, which was even better!” she recalls.

Collins bought every bracelet and asked the girl to come back the next day with more. Haunted by her, the couple began to notice more children selling in the area.

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“Ashley has one of the biggest hearts I know,” says gallery owner L’anne Gilman of the artist, photographed here volunteering at an orphanage in Indonesia

Curious if anyone was assisting them, they began to ask questions, and the answers pointed them to a nearby orphanage.

“We were told about Sunrise Children’s Village, an orphanage run by a ‘crazy’ Australian woman [named Geraldine Cox],” Collins says. “When she started this orphanage at the end of the Khmer Rouge devastation, there was still civil war and murder throughout the region.

“They came for her with guns, but then they saw her red hair, and they believed she was a witch,” she continues. “That saved her life and the lives of all the children she saved—they were afraid if they killed her, she would cast a spell on them! She definitely is a good witch!”

Collins and Crowell visited Cox’s 84

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orphanage and were immediately compelled to help.

The good witch had a single building with limited resources, but the children were healthy and cared for. Now, 10 years later, with the support of Collins and Crowell, many of those children are off to college.

“How magical is that?” asks Collins.

“All from a young girl selling bracelets.”

Today the artist always looks to incorporate a charitable component in her shows.

L’anne Gilman of Gilman Contemporary Art in Sun Valley, Idaho, began hosting exhibitions of Collins’ work in 2009, and the two women tapped two local non-profits—Camp Rainbow Gold, a summer camp for

children with cancer, and Swiftsure Ranch, a therapeutic program for kids with disabilities—as beneficiaries.

“We’ve held two exhibitions for Ashley where sales directly funded these organizations. With Camp Rainbow Gold, however, she actually spent time at the camp with the kids while she was in town,” Gilman says. “She made an incredible connection with one of the campers who was really struggling to connect with other kids, and that interaction and friendship made a huge impact on this camper. Ashley and Douglas have continued to financially support these organizations each year and always take time to check in on the work they are doing.

“Ashley has one of the biggest hearts I know,” she continues. “She’s

“Would I want to go through the homelessness, the rape, the violence, the poverty again? No. Never. But our foundations are built upon the stones thrown at us, turned into strength, and each foundation is unique.”

—ASHLEY COLLINS

passionate, kind, loving and cares deeply about those around her, and she’s especially caring and generous to those less fortunate than herself. It’s this part of her that comes out in her work. She’s focused and dedicated, and each piece truly carries a piece of her soul—without sounding too corny—to that collector.”

In addition to her commitments from Cambodia to Idaho, Collins donates time and money to several other charities, including (but not limited to) the International Medical Corps, MD Anderson Cancer Center for Children (Texas) and the Hamlin Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia. But Collins is quick to note that her charitable efforts are fueled by a wonderfully empathetic patron base.

“Their passion makes our art and charitable efforts possible. I am very fortunate that my work tends to attract more introspective and wonderfully kind people who are often the most successful in the world at what they do but are very down to earth in terms of appreciating the ups and downs of life,” she says.

“This, in turn, has led them to charity and caring about others.”

One such collector is philanthropist Christy Walton, an art world titan and the billionaire heiress to the Walmart fortune.

“The first time I saw the work of Ashley Collins, I peered through the windows of the closed gallery, and I found them intriguing,” Walton says. “They

didn’t leave my mind. Over the following days, I would walk back by the gallery and look at them, never entering.

“Finally, I couldn’t stand it. I went in and stood before them, and they spoke to me as though I was listening to my heart, listening to the wind,” she continues.

“They were full of voices. I love what they have to say, and I think the words are very personal to each of us.”

Through the sale of her art, Collins has now donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to various charities.

Building Upon Thrown Stones

Despite the trials she’s experienced, Collins radiates a charming innocence and a joyful, optimistic energy that’s contagious.

When asked to reflect over her past, she responds thoughtfully, “Mistakes are opportunities, and something is ‘difficult’ if that is your attitude. Perception is key.

Also knowing deeply that nobody but you has the power to make you happy or unhappy, filled or unfulfilled, victim or warrior. The choice is yours alone.

“Would I want to go through the homelessness, the rape, the violence, the poverty again? No. Never,” she adds. “But our foundations are built upon the stones thrown at us, turned into strength, and each foundation is unique.”

Today, Collins’ story continues to unfurl happily. It’s one that sees her painting for 10 hours a day in her studio on

the ranch outside of L.A. that she shares with her husband, two horses (a rescued Andalusian and Tennessee Walker), three dogs and a one-winged duck.

“I wake up in Narnia—our ranch— and walk to my studio past the water lilies and pond, talk to the 300-year-old oak trees that know far more of life than I ever will,” she says. “The house and gardens are my Walden. This life and family is indeed a long way from being without a dime on the streets of Venice, listening to the hover of helicopters. The nestled bliss of our ranch is one that I am grateful for every day.

“Every day is new adventure,” she concludes.

Small actions matter, and Ashley Collins is making her mark.

Insights Of A Female Artist

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shley Collins doesn’t self-identify as a feminist, rather, “I would say simply, ‘I am human,’ ” she declares.

“I don’t understand the men vs. women thing—never did and still don’t.

But as a young painter trying to break through the existing walls of the art world, it was horrifying,” she admits.

“What astounds me today is that there is still such a disparity. Many museums pay lip service to female artists; some hold exhibitions for the female artist of the moment.”

But if you look at most museum collections, less than 20 percent are the work of women, Collins says.

“It’s just such a sad waste of so much talent,” she laments. “My experiences [as a woman in the art world] have been different [than those of men, but] that has forced me to be stronger, has furthered my resolve, has brought out the best in me—both for myself and for the others that I now help.”

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OLD SPORT,

YOUNG BLOOD In the centuries old tradition of foxhunting, Sarah Farnsworth still finds room to specialize in unique perspectives.

By K AT NETZLER Photos courtesy Sarah Farnsworth

t just 29, British sporting photographer Sarah Farnsworth has already built a stunning portfolio of work that would make many a lifelong documentarian green with envy. Her breathtaking, painterly images belie her mere year of formal training, and they’ve appeared in publications like Horse & Hound, Fieldsports and Tatler, not to mention the Chronicle and Untacked.

Sarah Farnsworth didn’t grow up foxhunting on horseback, but her keen eye and passion for the sport have helped her build a thriving career as an international sporting photographer.

Farnsworth has already hunted with more than 200 packs around the world, including in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, New Zealand and the United States, and she sat down during a recent assignment to Tennessee to talk about how young artists can still find fresh takes on the most traditional of equestrian sports.

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Cartridges ejecting from a double-barrel shotgun during a driven pheasant shoot in the Cotswolds.

Tell me about your training: How does one develop such an impressive photographic talent at such a young age?

I grew up in the middle of nowhere, to be perfectly honest, in Moreton-in–Marsh, which is just a small town in North Gloucestershire. But my parents [Val and Steve Farnsworth] were always very keen amateur photographers, and they run an antique and picture gallery [Grimes House Antiques & Fine Art], so I grew up around images—very traditional, very pastoral English countryside, mainly.

So when I was at secondary school, it was a natural progression for me to paint and then take photographs. [After graduating], I did a foundation fine art in photography degree, which is only a single year and nowhere as near as grand as it sounds. But it was free! And instead 88

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of going on to do a three-year degree after that (the only option was to do a documentary photography degree, which was taught in places that I really didn’t want to go), my dad said, “Well, have you considered just setting up a business?”

I had already started to sell photos to people out in the hunting field, and so it kind of escalated from there.

As someone who wasn’t a foxhunter yourself, how did you get a foothold in the sporting community just as the ban on live hunting came down in England?

I was lucky enough to get into it very young, before the ban happened. I used to get so bored on a Saturday and annoyed my parents, who had the gallery to run and stuff, and one day when I was about 10, my granddad popped in and said, “I’m

going [foot-following] with the Warwickshire Hunt; do you want to come?”

Every Saturday after that, that was it. I was hooked.

I grew up riding other people’s horses.

We were never able to afford having my own or hunting on horseback, which is why I went down the route of photography, because I was foot-following.

One day I missed [an opportunity of] an image of a fox, and I was really gutted, so my mum said, “Next time we go out, borrow my camera,” and from then on I was just sort of “that young girl there with the camera.”

Eventually I started trying to visit as many packs of hounds as possible, and [preeminent foxhunting photographer] Jim Meads was pretty instrumental in that.

He was a mentor, and I felt very privileged

Georgina JellicoePreston takes a flying leap at a sidesaddle meet of the Bicester Hunt with Whaddon Chase (England).

that he called me his protégé. He’s the legend of hunting photography, so to have Jim Meads as a backer was great.

When it came time to choose my final major project for my degree course, that’s about when the ban was taking effect.

So I chose hunting, and [my teachers] didn’t like that much, as it was all getting quite political and controversial. But I thought, “No, I’m going to make a stand.”

I wanted to show the real working life of a hunt kennels.

So I got to visit various kennels and photograph, even to the extent of flesh rounds, when farmers bring in their fallen stock, and the hunt can use American Libby Gilbert, formerly the master huntsman for the Royal Agricultural College Beagles, with her pack at Cirencester (England).

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Q&A that to feed flesh to the hounds—we provide a service for the farmers, and it feeds the hounds, and everyone sort of helps one another.

So I was photographing the nittygritty aspects of working life, and you kind of just get accepted into it, really. I’ve found that generally country people, we’ve all got a common interest. They trust my presence there, and they know that they can talk freely about country life.

And I ended up getting a distinction for that project!

What do you identify as your role in a sport that’s still so controversial in the United Kingdom? Where do you fall on the spectrum of photojournalist to artist?

It isn’t until your sport’s in jeopardy that you really realize the passion you have for hunting—what you’ll do to try to protect it. I want to promote hunting to Joe Public, who’s probably only ever seen a slim view of something portrayed horrifically on the news, and that’s automatically his presumption about hunting. I want to try to dispel that by having beautiful images of the real visuals of hunting in the U.K. A lot of [anti-hunt activists] are still trying to really well and truly sabotage hunting. Just this spring some antis beat up a huntsman, and he had to have a few teeth replaced. I’m generalizing here, but these are not saboteurs who have any interest in protecting animal rights. They’re thugs who have jumped on a bandwagon.

They’re keyboard warriors.

But most of them really do try to get as much of a reaction from you as they can.

They know full well what buttons to push, and they make it a lot more difficult for us, but it’s just a matter of fighting the good fight and ignoring them and not letting them get under your skin and not retaliating.

I want more than anything to educate the antis. I’ve been approached by many 90

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newspapers for hunting images when there’s been something in the media about the sport, but it’s never been portrayed well, so I’ve always steered clear because I don’t want to do hunting a disservice.

What’s your favorite thing to document or your favorite kind of image to make?

As much as I love the equestrian side of it, my main passion is watching hounds work—being able to watch a fox come out of covert (obviously

this is talking about pre-ban, and in America you’re still able to enjoy this), and waiting for that first hound to lock on and absolutely scream the way on it. When the full pack joins in—photographing that moment of their roar with mouths open, that’s my passion.

That makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.

It’s never the easy shot to get, and it’s a real rarity, so that makes it even more of a challenge.

“In addition to an artist’s eye and skill, Sarah also brings to [her work] a passion and respect for what’s going on,” said Hillsboro Hounds (Tenn.) member H.C. Bright, who recently commissioned Farnsworth to document several packs in the American South. “Without that, the art can’t really happen.

If you don’t love and respect the thing you’re making an art of, it’s just not as good.” Farnsworth captured this sunrise image of the South and West Wilts Hunt staff and hounds on the Wiltshire Downs (England).

A future foxhunter makes a new friend in a Heythrop Hunt (England) hound.

So many of your photos are immediately striking because of the light you capture.

Is that the first thing you look for when you look through the lens? What are you hunting for with your camera?

Definitely light has a huge part to play with my images. Even when it’s a really dark, dismal day, if you can throw those settings up as high as you dare to, without it being a ridiculously grainy, noisy image, you can pull light out of some really dark situations. Life isn’t always bright and clear, and you want to be able to portray that sometimes it’s a bit gritty and difficult.

Young hound puppies at play at the Dumfriesshire & Stewartry Foxhounds kennels in Scotland.

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Q&A Farnsworth says this image of rider Grace Gostelow elegantly whizzing over a massive hedge at the South Notts Hunt Opening Meet in Derbyshire (England) is the most popular photograph she’s made thus far in her career.

What equipment do you shoot with?

A Nikon D3S is my main camera body, with various lenses. My main one for hunting is 70-200 mm 2.8 lens, and I also like shooting really ultra-wide angle, so I have one of those for the quirky stuff.

Tell me about your worst day in the field.

I did have a day with my local pack last November. It was pouring with rain, which in a photographer’s mind is not conducive to good photography; it can lend some atmosphere, with steam rising from horses, which is great, but keeping your kit dry and mud-free is a massive issue. And I’d just had my cameras back from Nikon after being repaired.

I was on foot that day, so after I photographed the meet I walked to a place where the field master had tipped me off they were going to be jumping a particularly gnarly hedge. It was like a cavalry charge, and we all knew it was going to be carnage.

So several other foot-followers came with me to see this spectacle, and the hounds were doing their thing, and finally we get a phone call saying, “They’re not coming.” So we start to walk back. Then we get another phone call saying, “They’re coming back!” So we run back to that hedge, get there, and wait and wait and wait. Then they finally come.

I lift the camera to my eye, press the shutter, and the whole camera fails. It switches itself off. I’m there pressing and pressing and pressing, and there’s 50-odd horses coming over this hedge, and there are fallers going every-which angle, and it was the most spectacular disaster, because a lot of people just carried on covered in mud. It was one of those moments that can just never be replicated. And 92

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A stunning red stag roars during the rut season at a deer park in the Cotswolds.

The Lamerton Foxhounds (England) wait for the lorry at the end of the day.

The sun rises as a rider out with the Old Surrey Burstow & West Kent Hunt (England) listens to hounds shortly after a 6 a.m. meet.

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Q&A I just stood there with this sinking feeling in my heart, knowing all the emails I was going to get from people saying, “Did you get a photo of me over that hedge?!” and “Did you get me falling off?!” And I couldn’t provide any of it.

I was just so depressed, because I knew I’d missed the shot of the day.

There were clouds in the sky, and it was very cloudy in my brain.

What have your learned about yourself and about the rapidly changing photography business in your first decade of work?

I feel very honored to get a lot of emails from young teenagers who want to use me as a project or as a reference point for their inspiration for something; it’s very humbling. But I’m like, “No, go and Sidesaddle ladies at the opening meet of the Quorn Hunt in Leicestershire (England).

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choose someone who’s been doing it for more than 10 years, God! Go choose Jim Meads for crying out loud, or anyone who has more experience.”

[The business] has become so diluted already; hopefully it’s not going to implode for some of us. People say, “Oh, I’m trying to copy you,” and I say, “No, that’s the worst thing you can do. You want to develop your own style. If you’re at a meet, and there are five other photographers all shooting the same thing, don’t go and stand with them because you think it’s the done thing, and it will sell the most images. Go the opposite way. Do whatever you think is going to be the most unique.”

And that’s becoming more and more hard. I’m very conscious of other photographers doing the same thing, and I’ve always got to try to stay one step ahead of the curve.

Do you ever struggle to stay inspired by shooting the same sorts of scenes on a regular basis?

That’s why I’m glad hunting has a season— as a general rule, September to March.

Because by the time March rolls around, I feel like artistically, I can go no further with an image that I want to achieve.

That’s when the bloodstock sales and the hound shows and the weddings all come into play, and other commissions as well. I’m able to switch off from hunting. It gives me time to analyze what I’ve taken over the past season and really think, “OK, how can I do this differently next season?”

Or sometimes I’ll go hunting without a camera just to give my brain and eyes a break. I’m still looking at the hunting, but I’m not looking at it through the lens of the camera. You sometimes get quite blinkered, and you don’t even pay attention to

what you’re hearing about you.

You need to step back for a bit, and then when you go back with the camera the following week, you go, “OK, a new image popped into my head because last week when I went without the camera I saw something new.”

You always have to be unique and different; that’s why people choose a photographer. I think they choose me because they like my slightly quirky eye for images. They know that I’ll possibly be on the floor getting a shot of hooves or whatever, and they’ll look at me going, “What the hell are you doing?”

but by the time they see the finished product, they understand.

Is this a career you’d like to have forever?

Do you want to be your generation’s Jim Meads?

I’m probably not very good at anything else, to be perfectly honest. I’d maybe like to be able to get into actually video filming days hunting, as opposed to just stills, but I’m not technical enough to do that. When you’ve got [a big video camera] on a tripod, you can’t just pick up and run, and I’m quite impatient.

The bloodstock sales I work have

a videographer team who do filming there, and I’m in constant awe of them and how they produce these stunning films of the sales—it boggles my mind as a photographer.

I would also love to do a book one day, and I have a couple of people who I know would write something, but I just don’t think I’ve got enough in my catalog of images to do it yet. I’ve been thinking for the past three years for a working title for one, and I don’t even have that yet!

I see myself more as an artist than a businesswoman, so I just want to document as much as I can.

Farnsworth’s photos often showcase her sixth sense for finding moments of whimsy, even on dreary days afield. Here she’s captured Tiverton Foxhounds (England) huntsman John Hazeltine leaping across a flooded ditch and into the open arms of a foot follower near Devon.

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HISTORY

Through Hell And Back: The Horse On The Battlefield

As Veterans Day approaches, we remember equine heroes from three major wars that were more than just vehicles for their officers and platoons—they were best friends to their comrades in arms.

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He was given an unassuming name—Traveller— but of the many monikers he held throughout his life, that one best described his spirit. The sturdy gray served as a favorite mount for the Confederate general Robert E. Lee throughout the Civil War, and he was well known for his indomitable spirit.

“Unlike Lee’s other mounts, Traveller was capable of enduring severe hardships while retaining his energy and vigor,” wrote W. Donald Rhinesmith in his 1983 Virginia Cavalcade scholarly article, “Traveller: ‘Just The Horse For General Lee’.”

In August of 1863, Lee was called to Orange, Va., to review the Third Army Corps, under the command of Gen. A.P. Hill. Twenty thousand soldiers assembled to stretch nearly nine miles, and Lee was tasked to ride around the three divisions as part of the inspection. Various division commanders accompanied Lee, but Traveller was the only mount who continued without pause for the duration of the inspection through the steamy summer heat.

Sired by Grey Eagle and believed to be an American Saddlebred, Traveller was foaled in 1857 in Greenbrier County, now part of West Virginia.

Owner Andrew Johnston first gave him the name Jeff Davis, a nod to Jefferson Davis, who would coincidentally go on to become the president of the Confederacy five years later, in 1862.

After winning top prizes at local fairs in 1859 and 1860, the colt was gifted as a 4-year-old to Johnston’s son, James W. Johnston, who rode the horse during the West Virginia campaign in the early days of the Civil War. At the same time, Maj. Thomas L. Broun had authorized his brother, Capt. Joseph M. Broun, to search for a serviceable war mount, and for $175 Thomas purchased Jeff Davis in the fall of 1861, renaming him Greenbrier.

“He needed neither whip nor spurs and would walk his five or six miles an hour over the rough mountain of Western Virginia with his rider sitting firmly in the saddle and holding him in check by a tight rein, such vim and eagerness did he manifest to go right ahead as soon as he was mounted,”

COURTESY STRATFORD HALL

TRAVELLER: LEE’S PERPETUAL MOTION MACHINE

wrote Thomas in a communication published in the Richmond Dispatch on August 10, 1886.

But the gray was destined for one more name change and an even loftier partnership. Lee, not yet a famous general, had taken command of the Wise legion and the Floyd brigade, encamped near Big Swell Mountain in what was then Western Virginia. Upon seeing Greenbrier there, he became enamored with the horse.

Lee began calling the horse “my colt” and always had something pleasant to say about the animal, and he didn’t forget him even after being transferred to South Carolina. In February 1862, Lee inquired about purchasing the horse himself when he crossed paths with Joseph in the Palmetto State.

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Though General Robert E. Lee had a number of different mounts during the Civil War, Traveller was his favorite—and most famous—by far. He remained fiercely devoted to the gray after the war ended and rarely spent a day away from him.

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The captain offered Greenbrier as a gift, but Lee declined, stating he could not take such a valuable horse. However, he remarked, “If you will willingly sell me the horse, I will gladly use it for a week or so to learn its qualities,” according to Thomas’ letter.

Shortly thereafter, the Brouns agreed to sell Greenbrier for the price they’d paid, but they received $200 to account for the depreciation of Confederate currency.

That’s when Traveller was given his final name, spelled in the British fashion, after his boundless energy.

From 1862 to the end of the war in April 1865, the gray-coated Lee directed eight major campaigns atop his matching mount. They took part in some of the most infamous battles of the war—the Seven Days Battles near Richmond (Va.), the Second Battle of Manassas (Va.), Fredericksburg (Va.), Chancellorsville (Va.), Gettysburg (Pa.), Petersburg (Va.), Antietam (Md.) and Wilderness-Spotsylvania (Va.).

Though Traveller’s reputation as the most reliable war horse in history is the stuff of legend, he was, after all, a horse, and no horse is literally bombproof. During a battle in the Second Manassas campaign, Traveller spooked and bolted, and Lee injured both hands attempting to grab the horse’s bridle.

Since Lee was unable to ride for a period of time, he asked his son, Lee Jr., to ride Traveller from Orange Court House to Fredericksburg, where they were establishing a new headquarters.

While the son appreciated the horse’s vigor on that journey, he quickly realized his father’s horse didn’t suit his preferences.

“My misgivings were fully realized, for Traveller would not walk a step,” Lee Jr. later wrote. “He took a short, high trot…and kept it up to Fredericksburg for some 30 miles. Though young, strong, and tough, I was glad when the journey ended….I think I am safe to say that I could have walked the distance with much less discomfort and fatigue.”

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PHOTO COURTESY LEE CHAPEL AND MUSEUM

HISTORY

horse’s daily care, taking him to the farrier himself to be shod. Lee rode Traveller daily, and when he was elected president of Washington College, now Washington and Lee University (Va.), Lee elected to make the journey aboard Traveller.

On Sept. 14, 1865, Lee’s wife, Mary Custis Lee, wrote a friend, “He starts tomorrow en cheval for Lexington. He prefers that way, and, besides, does not like to part even for a time from his beloved steed, the companion of many a hard fought battle.”

Visitors to Traveller’s grave outside the Lee Chapel and Museum at Washington and Lee University often leave apples and pennies in remembrance.

“[He] does not like to part even for a time from his beloved steed, the companion of many a hard fought battle.”

—Mary Custis Lee

Once Lee took up residence in Lexington, Va., few exceptions stopped him from saddling Traveller at 4 p.m. each day to take a long ride.

“The understanding between Lee and Traveller was so great that the general could summon the horse from a distance with a low whistle and the horse responded just as armies had responded to his master’s commands,” Rhinesmith wrote.

WARRIOR: “THE HORSE THE GERMANS COULD NOT KILL”

By March 1918, the British troops’ strength was waning in what was then known simply as “The Great War.” The Germans had turned all their resources to the Western Front and quickly damaged the British line—advancing 40 miles and taking 100,000 prisoners with them at Moreuil Wood near Amiens, France.

“It seemed to me quite clear that unless we recaptured the Moreuil Ridge, it was all over with Amiens, and probably with it the Allied cause,” wrote British general Jack Seely, who later became Lord Mottistone.

Warrior, bred and owned by British General Jack Seely (later granted the title Lord Mottistone), became one of England’s most famed war horses for his courageous cavalry charges against German forces during World War I.

COURTESY WARRIOR: A REAL WAR HORSE

Though few pictures exist of Traveller, one of the most iconic depictions of him is not a painting or a photograph, but words from Lee himself. In 1866, Lee wrote his wife’s cousin, Martha “Markie” Williams, in response to her request for a description of the horse for a portrait she wished to paint.

“If I were an artist like you, I would draw a true picture of Traveller; representing his fine proportions, muscular figure, deep chest, short back, strong haunches, flat legs, small head, broad forehead, delicate ears, quick eye, small feet & black mane & tail,” Lee replied. “Such a picture would inspire a poet, whose genius could then depict his worth, & describe his endurance of toil, hunger, thirst, heat & cold; & the dangers & suffering through which he has passed. He could dilate upon his sagacity & affection, & his invariable response to every wish of his rider.

He might even imagine his thoughts through the long night-marches & day of battle through which he passed. But I am no artist Markie, & can therefore only say he is a Confederate grey.”

Lee died on Oct. 12, 1870, and when his remains were removed from the president’s house to lie in state at the college chapel, Traveller walked in the procession directly behind the hearse with his saddle and bridle draped in crepe.

Only eight months later, Traveller contracted tetanus after stepping on a nail and, according to Rhinesmith, was not shot as most horses were in that day, but rather put down respectfully with small doses of chloroform. The horse was buried at the college, but his body was later disinterred, and his bones were mounted in 1907.

Traveller’s skeleton then went on display in the Brooks Museum, part of the old Washington College buildings. Though they were exhibited in open air at first, a glass case was installed after students began trying to steal or carve their names into the bones, under the superstition that doing so would prevent them from flunking.

In the early 1960s, Washington and Lee University undertook major renovations, during which Traveller’s skeleton was disassembled. When the project was complete, officials determined the bones were too deteriorated for public view, and they were reburied on the front campus, just outside the building named for Traveller’s devoted rider, the Lee Chapel.

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HISTORY Few believed their dwindling numbers could match the German infantry, but as he sat atop his unflappable horse Warrior, Seely disagreed, and together the pair led 13 other men on horseback in one of the last great cavalry charges in history.

“I turned in my saddle and told my comrades that the faster we galloped, the more certain we were of success,” Seely recalled. “That I would tell the infantry to redouble their fire as we passed through them, and that the day was ours. But I could hardly finish my sentence before Warrior again took charge.

“He was determined to go forward, and with a great leap started off. All sensation of fear had vanished from him as he galloped on at racing speed,” he wrote. “There was of course a hail of bullets from the enemy as we mounted the hill, but Warrior cared for nothing. His one idea was to get at the enemy. He almost buried his head in the brushwood when we reached the point of the wood. We were greeted by 20 or 30 Germans, who fired a few shots before running, doubtless thinking there were thousands of us following. It was a wonderful day.”

“Nearly all Warrior’s comrades were killed, and nearly all of mine, but we both survived—largely because of him.”

—Gen. Jack Seely

By the time a blanket of darkness had spread over the wood, the British had regained control of the ridge. According to Seely, the triumph was “not due to me, but to my horse Warrior. It was he who did not hesitate, did not flinch, though well he knew the danger from those swift bullets.”

Foaled in 1908 on Britain’s Isle of Wight, Warrior was bred by Seely. Standing just 15.2 hands, the Thoroughbred was out of Seely’s mare Cinderella.

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the Canadian Cavalry in February of 1915.

Earning the title “the horse the Germans could not kill,” Warrior endured a number of close calls throughout his military career.

His stable was once struck by six shells, but he emerged unscathed. During the Battle of the Somme (1916), German aircraft flew low over the horses floundering in mud, firing at them with machine guns, but again the bay Thoroughbred survived untouched.

In 1917 at Passchendaele (Belgium), a shell struck the ground near Warrior and almost buried him completely, but after troops dug him out they discovered he’d only suffered a lame foreleg.

“His escapes were quite wonderful,” Seely wrote.

“Again and again he survived when death seemed certain and indeed, befell all his neighbours.”

But, “It was not all hazard; sometimes it was due to his intelligence,” he added. “I have seen him, even when a shell has burst within a few feet, stand still without a tremor—just turn his head and, unconcerned, look at the smoke of the burst.”

Warrior was beloved by the troops, and as a result, so was his rider. The Thoroughbred followed Seely around like a dog, and the officer often joked that Warrior was “his passport,” for wherever they went together, they were met with a friendly greeting.

“Nearly all Warrior’s comrades were killed, and nearly all of mine, but we both survived— largely because of him,” Seely wrote. “One of the finest things about that indomitable creature, the soldier of the frontline, was his invariable kindness and gentleness of all times to the horses.

Again and again I have seen a man risk his life and indeed, lose it, for the sake of his horse.”

Warrior was not the only mount Seely rode during the war; if the horse was ever injured, Seely turned to others, but often they perished in battle.

Following the charge at Moreuil Ridge, Warrior stepped on a piece of flint and came up lame, so Seely took another horse to the next battle; that mount was killed, and Seely was gassed. While the officer shipped back to Britain for treatment, Warrior stayed in France.

But Seely and Warrior were reunited following the war back on the Isle of Wight, and in a much

RECKLESS: BRAVE BEYOND BELIEF

COURTESY WARRIOR: A REAL WAR HORSE

Warrior proved remarkably canny, narrowly escaping death many times during the war. When he finally died of old age in his 30s, newspapers like the London Evening Standard carried his obituary.

happier campaign, the gelding went on to win the island’s point-to-point race four years to the day after he led the charge on Moreuil Ridge.

In 1934, Seely published a book, illustrated

by Sir Alfred Munnings, the official war artist for the Canadian Cavalry, called My Horse Warrior. It was then republished in 2011 as Warrior: The Amazing Story Of A Real War Horse with an introduction by Seely’s grandson, writer Brough Scott.

Warrior lived to 33 years old, and following his death on Easter Day in April 1941, The London Evening Standard and The Times published his obituary. In September of 2014, 100 years after the start of World War I, Warrior was awarded the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross, the honorary PDSA Dickin Medal.

Warrior’s tale is not only significant because of his accomplishments, but also because they came at a turning point in the horse’s modern warfare role. While horses remained part of armies as pack animals in major wars to come, the dawning era of tanks and machine guns meant this was the final major war reliant on the courage of cavalry divisions.

The date was March 26, 1953. In the midst of the Korean War, Chinese troops attacked the Second U.S. Army Division and Marine lines stationed at Outpost Vegas. By midnight, Vegas and Outpost Reno as well were lost to the enemy. Two hours later, Col. Lewis W. Walt withdrew his troops to reorganize and plan a counterattack to retake what had been lost during daylight.

In the resulting four-day battle, a 13.1-hand chestnut mare by the name of Reckless earned the respect of not only her platoon but also the entire First Marine Division. Though she typically carried six rounds of ammunition for the 75mm recoilless rifle gun per trip, conditions during the battle for Outpost Vegas called for Reckless to bear eight rounds, and the mare bravely made 51 treacherous solo trips from the ammunition supply point to the firing sites.

It’s estimated that in the first day of fighting, the 900-pound mare carried 386 rounds, which equaled 9,000 pounds, and traveled more than 35 miles. Sometimes Reckless made the rounds with Platoon Sgt. Joseph Latham or another soldier, but after she’d been taught not to come in behind the guns, but to the flanks, she often took the route alone.

Though horses have played significant roles in the outcome of many wars, few are recognized by name, and only one has been given a title: Sergeant Reckless. One of the most famed war horses in history, she became a hero after an article about her ran in the Saturday Evening Post in 1954. Robin Hutton wrote a New York Times bestseller about her called Sgt. Reckless: America’s War Horse, and she has been immortalized as a Breyer model.

Reckless earned her battlefield promotion from corporal to sergeant in a formal ceremony on April 10, 1954, several months after the war ended. And in 1959 the mare was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant by the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, Gen. Randolph McCall Pate.

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my experience have I seen one which won the hearts of so many as did Reckless,” Pate wrote prior to her promotion.

Lt. Eric Pederson, the commanding officer of the Recoilless Rifle Platoon, Antitank Company, Fifth Marine Regiment, initially purchased Reckless in October 1952 from a young Korean boy named Kim Huk Moon at the Seoul racetrack. Pedersen paid $250 of his own money for the mare, which the boy used to buy an artificial leg for his older sister, who’d lost her limb in a landmine accident.

Reckless’ Korean name was Ah-Chim-Hai, which translates to Flame of the Morning; the Marines quickly redubbed her after the nickname they’d given the weapon they used.

Pfc. Monroe Coleman became Reckless’ caretaker and companion, and Latham trained her.

Initially Reckless was kept tied in her bunker, but the soldiers soon allowed her free rein of the camp, and with her puppy dog personality she quickly became part of the platoon.

Reckless often spent the night beside her Marines—when she arrived, they’d shift their sleeping bags to one side to make room for her.

On colder nights, Latham let her sleep in his tent by the stove.

When she wasn’t carrying ammunition, Reckless was transported by a Jeep trailer, so Latham taught her to jump in and out and to lay diagonally in the trailer. She learned to take cover on the front lines when tapped on the front leg, and if a soldier yelled, “Incoming, incoming,” the clever mare knew to head toward the bunker.

While Reckless’ primary job was hauling ammunition behind the lines, the Marines also relied on her to help string communications wire.

With the wire fastened to her back, she could spread more telephone wire than 12 of her human counterparts. She also carried grenades, small-arms

PHOTOS COURTESY ROBIN HUTTON/SGT. RECKLESS: AMERICA’S WAR HORSE

HISTORY

ammunition, rations, sleeping bags, barbed wire and, of course, her wounded human counterparts.

With Reckless in the camp, the Marines quickly learned not to leave food unattended.

Like a nosy canine, she’d eat anything offered— or not. She enjoyed scrambled eggs and pancakes with her morning coffee. Her sweet tooth meant that cake, Hershey bars, candy and Coca-Cola were also closely guarded.

She was first introduced to Coke after her packsaddle training, when Latham offered her a drink out of his helmet. And her reward after her first mission? Drinking a beer with the guys.

“I first saw this little lady…when the [First Marine] Division was in reserve for a brief period,” wrote Pate. “I was surprised at her beauty and intelligence, and believe it or not, her esprit de corps. Like any other Marine, she was enjoying a bottle of beer with her comrades. She

“Like any other Marine, she was enjoying a bottle of beer with her comrades. She was constantly the center of attraction and was fully aware of her importance.”

—Gen. Randolph McCall Pate

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Platoon Sergeant Joseph Latham, seen here with Reckless, was tasked with training the diminutive chestnut mare to work the Korean War front. Latham taught her to take cover when under fire and to carry heavy ammunitions to the front line solo.

was constantly the center of attraction and was fully aware of her importance. If she failed to receive the attention she felt her due, she would deliberately walk into a group of Marines and, in effect, enter the conversation. It was obvious the Marines loved her.”

Reckless insisted that she be the center of attention, otherwise items such as poker chips, blankets and hats might disappear. One evening during a game of poker, Reckless was feeling a bit unloved, so she attempted to steal some cigarettes, and after being thwarted, she got her revenge by snagging $30 worth of poker plastic from Latham.

In addition to her rank (her sergeant’s stripes were sewn to a scarlet and gold blanket after the war), Reckless was well decorated for her bravery.

She earned two Purple Hearts, a Good Conduct Medal, a Presidential Unit Citation with star, a National Defense Service Medal, a Korean Service Medal, a United Nations Service Medal, a Navy Unit Commendation and a Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.

Many Marines expected Reckless to return Stateside following the war, and Lt. Col. Andrew C. Geer wrote a letter to the USMC headquarters requesting it, but government funds couldn’t be

used to transport her, since she wasn’t technically government property. That’s when Stan Coppel, the executive vice president of Pacific Transport Lines, offered to let her ride for free from Yokohama to San Francisco on one of their ships. She made landfall on U.S. soil on Nov. 10, 1954.

Once in the States, Reckless officially became the property of the First Marine Division Association and made guest appearances with the Fifth Marine. She also foaled three healthy babies: Fearless (1957), Dauntless (1959) and Chesty (1964), who was named after Lt. Gen. Lewis B. Puller, one of the few Marines who ever rode her in Korea.

Reckless retired on Nov. 10, 1960, with full military honors. An article in The San Diego Union noted that, on the order of Marine Commandant Gen. David M. Shoup, “Staff Sergeant Reckless will be provided quarters and messing at the Camp Pendleton Stables in lieu of retired pay.”

The little mare was euthanized following an injury on May 13, 1968, and a memorial in her honor was erected at the entrance to the stables at Camp Pendleton in 1971. And in 2013, 60 years after the fateful series of battles Reckless helped win, sculptor Jocelyn Russell unveiled a 10-foot bronze of the equine heroine at the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, Va. C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

(Above) Sergeant Reckless became one of the guys within her platoon, learning to eat scrambled eggs and pancakes with her morning coffee. She’d drink CocaCola out of helmets, and her reward after her first mission was a beer with her fellow troops.

(Left) Sergeant Reckless became the only horse to ever receive an official military rank after she served with the First Marine Division during the Korean War.

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FILM REVIEW

Palio Is A Feast For The Senses “It is a game, not a race.”

By JENNIFER B. CALDER Photos courtesy of GUILLAUME BONN

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P

alio, Cosima Spender’s electrifying new documentary, affords viewers a peek into the hidden mechanisms and secret maneuvering of the world’s oldest horse race.

Held twice every summer in the historic town of Siena, Italy, (and I mean in—it’s run through the claustrophobic city square, the Piazza del Campo, where the cobblestone streets are covered with red dirt for the event) the contest is much more than just a horse race.

As they have for centuries, the residents of 10 neighboring districts, each with its own church, flag, pottery, silks and charming names like Goose, Unicorn and Wave, compete against each other for prestige and wealth. Rivalries

Director Cosima Spender juxtaposes the chaos of Piazza del Campo with the quiet of training in rural Tuscany in her new documentary Palio.

stretch back generations. The real story, however, takes place off the track, where favors are bought, alliances between jockeys are common, and bribes are whispered among the key players.

This often-brutal film, co-produced by James Gay-Rees of Senna and Amy fame, underscores how seriously the public views the contest. Interspersed footage of previous races shows losing jockeys dragged off their horses and pummeled by spectators. And riders are more apt to use their whips to strike fellow jockeys than their own horses as they tear around the tight turns of the square.

Riding bareback at breakneck speeds before screaming crowds numbering over 70,000, accidents are frequent and gasp-inducing. Think more Pamplona and the running of the bulls than the Kentucky Derby.

Horses that fail to navigate the tough turns crash into the walls, leaving their jockeys splayed on the red dirt. But losing one’s jockey doesn’t necessarily mean losing— the horse that crosses the finish line first, regardless of whether he still has his rider, is crowned the victor.

But as Spender proves with this English-subtitled documentary, which follows two jockeys over the course of one summer, navigating the complicated socio-political underpinnings of the race is even more challenging than the course.

The first rider, Gigi Bruschelli, is a 46-year-old seasoned mentor who’s won 13 of the last 16 races and is attempting to break the record of 14 victories. But the champion jockey (who’s also trained some of the best Palio horses as well) is pitted against his young protégé, Giovanni Atze-

ni. Now 29, this up-and-coming rider has already spent a full decade learning under Bruschelli’s watchful eye and is poised to play the spoiler.

Palio jockeys train all year for two 90-second races. But as Atzeni describes, that minute and a half can seem an eternity when you’re in the lead, hoping to cross the finish first, or it can feel even more fleeting when you’re behind trying to make up ground.

Spender does a masterful job of capturing the suspense as Bruschelli and Atzeni prepare for the races, culminating in an edge-of-your-seat final match-up, as well as the behind-the-scenes negotiations among city leaders. I vacillated back and forth between who to root for—the older, charming jockey trying to make history or the young, quiet underdog, looking to prove himself. But no spoilers here. You’ll have to see for yourself who won.

Aesthetically, Palio captures the brilliant pageantry of the race, with its vibrant colors and elegant, pawing horses set against the backdrop of swelling, raucous crowds and a medieval city. But Spender also juxtaposes the chaos of the Palio against the quieter training tracks located outside the city in the rolling Tuscan hills. Far from the harsh spotlight of the Piazza del Campo, we see jockeys transform from ruthless gladiators back into boys, galloping bareback along a road.

My only complaint was the musical score, which at times seemed overly dramatic and distracting, but it’s a small quibble. Overall, Palio is a fascinating look at an event that’s much more complex and significant than a simple horse race.

Palio premiered at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival in April (where it also won the award for Best Editing), but it will hit theaters on Nov. 6. Visit us.thepalio.com to view a trailer for the film and learn more about screenings and ticket sales.

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FEED ROOM

Mash It Up Whether you’re looking for a way to keep a picky drinker hydrated in colder weather or just want to pamper your pony with a special treat around the holidays, many members of our Chronicle Forums community still swear by a good oldfashioned bran mash. Herewith, some of their tips and tricks.

Photos by IS TO CK .COM

YZ

Make It Easy “I use an old crockpot (COTH hint) and just set up half the evening ration of whole oats (for my two horses) with enough water to make it soupy, then let it go on low all day,” advises poster 2DogsFarm.

A Weekly Indulgence “I used to feed 11 horses bran mashes once a week,” says Forums member Over the Hill. “Boiled crimped oats, equal measures of bran and sweet feed, three pounds of cut-up carrots, three pounds of cut-up apples, half a jar of dark molasses...

My vet told me that he’d like to come back as one of my horses when he dies. I fed at least once a week and any time we had extreme weather changes. Served up a little on the wet side. Listening to the horses slurping it up was heaven.”

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CHRISTMAS CONCOCTION “I give my horse bran mashes on special occasions or holidays,” says Forums member OTV. “I definitely don’t give him a ton of bran when I do feed mashes, though. More like little mini-mashes with under a quart of bran in them.

His Christmas bran mash will look like this: ■ 1/2 to 3/4 quart of bran ■ Handful of his complete feed ■ Crushed candy cane Top with close-to-boiling water, stir and steam. Then with water still hot, I add: ■ Sliced apples ■ Carrots ■ Drizzle of molasses ■ Broken pieces of candy cane And that’s that! Once it’s cooled down, I stir it again to eliminate any hot pockets, and it’s all his.”

SOUP’S UP “I make bran mashes all the time and just fill the bucket up with lots of warm water.

They love the bran mash so much that they suck down mash-flavored water on top. I can usually get them to drink at least half a bucket that way,” says user morganpony86.

“I add in electrolytes too.”

AN AFTER-SCHOOL SNACK “Here’s my recipe for keeping a colon hydrated and colic at bay,” says Petstorejunkie. “Every horse in my program gets this as their post-ride snack. In addition, you can wet normal rations of food, as well as soak their hay.”

A BREW OR TWO Forums member OMalley Cat recommends this beer bran mash recipe: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

8 cups of bran 8 cups of oats Pinch of salt Hot water 1 can of beer

Add enough hot water to moisten ingredients, add a pinch of salt, mix, and let steep for 30 minutes or until cool enough to feed. Add a can of beer moments before feeding.

1 quart dried shredded beet pulp with no molasses ■ 1 quart alfalfa cubes ■ 1/2 cup aloe vera juice ■ 1 scoop Apple-A-Day electrolytes ■ 1 gallon hot water ■ 1/2 cup vegetable oil Let it soak for 30 minutes, then serve.

■

CINNAMON SWEETNESS User jumpedfree likes to use: ■ ■ ■ ■

1 cup of barley 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce 1 tbsp. of ground cinnamon 4 cups of boiling water

Boil barley in water for 10 minutes. Mix in applesauce and cinnamon after barley is finished soaking. Let cool for about 7 minutes until moderately warm.

“When I feed I add cold water to cool it down, molasses and cut-up apples or carrots. Love hearing my boys shlurp it up.”

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CHARITY SPOTLIGHT A CLOSER LOOK AT:

Horses Healing Hearts

This Florida-based organization uses horses to connect children affected by family members’ alcoholism and addiction.

BY MEGAN BRINCKS

Photo courtesy of SUSAN LERNER/ HHH

An estimated 11 million American children under the age of 18 are affected by a parent’s substance addiction, and Horses Healing Hearts is devoted to providing a stable support system for kids who need it most.

L

izabeth Olszewski knows firsthand the unwritten rules of being a child of a substance abuser: Don’t talk, don’t trust, don’t feel.

And as a teenager growing up in an alcoholic home, Olszewski learned to follow those rules closely—until her perspective changed after meeting her aunt’s formerly abused mustang.

“I’ll never forget seeing this horse,” she said. “He had all of these scars from his former abuse, and I remember thinking,

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‘His scars are on the outside; mine are on the inside. He’s been rescued; I want to be rescued. He did great things when someone helped him, and I think I can do great things if someone helps me.’ ” With her aunt’s help, Olszewski continued to ride as a teenager, and she credits the community around horses for offering guidance and comfort while she navigated life in an alcoholic family.

Olszewski went on to the business world, eventually owning a chain of

beauty retail stores that grossed millions in profits and managing a staff of more than 150 employees.

But, “I still had this huge hole in my heart,” Olszewski said. “We made a lot of money and lost a lot of money, and I realized it’s not about the money.”

So in the late 2000s, Olszewski decided she wanted to help other children of alcoholics and addicts in the Palm Beach area get some of the same help she received.

Olszewski researched her new endeavor heavily beforehand and learned that a high percentage of equine nonprofits fail due to the high cost of caring for the animals. Undeterred, she searched for, and found, a different operating model: working with host barns in the area to offer riding lessons to children at discounted rates. Horses Healing Hearts could then focus on working with the families and coordinating their services instead of spending time and money caring for horses.

“I had the idea, and I had the model,” Olszewski said. “I went out and started meeting with sponsor facilities, but I think I literally had $70 in the account, so I didn’t have much to offer them.”

Horses Healing Hearts was officially established in 2009, and in the beginning, sponsor barns donated lessons. The group now pays for the lessons at a discounted rate.

“You have to find a really creative, resourceful way to do work with no money or very little money,” Olszewski said. “That was very much a challenge.”

But it’s a challenge worth tackling on behalf of HHH’s participants.

“Our kids, being children of alcoholics, they learn the unspoken rules: don’t talk, don’t trust, don’t feel,” Olszewski said. “Horses are so key with this work because they’re so authentic, and they want people to be authentic. If someone’s showing an emotion on their face that they aren’t feeling inside, they know it instantly.”

In addition to the emotional growth facilitated by building trust with horses, the children in Horses Healing Hearts learn another important lesson: They are not alone. The program helps them not only connect with peers who share their experiences, but also with adult HHH ambassadors from the equestrian world

who’ve also been affected by addiction. “[Victims] don’t want to talk about it,” Olszewski said. “We don’t want to face this quiet thing that gets pushed under the rug. But eventually it comes to the surface, and it’s never pretty, but it has to be dealt with.”

Unlike many other youth outreach programs, HHH sets no mandatory graduation dates for their students. The group currently has 52 members, and Olszewski said that although they could reach a much larger number of students if they implemented a firm age cutoff or participation limit, the board of directors puts the focus on quality above quantity.

“With addiction, so many things change so quickly,” Olszewski explained.

“We can have a child that’s been with us a year and is fine, but then three weeks before they leave, their mom falls off the wagon, and now they need us more than the past 11 months.”

The National Association for Children of Alcoholics estimates there are 11 million children under the age of 18 in the United States affected by parental addiction. And Olszewski hopes she’ll be able to help even more of them in the future by expanding Horses Healing Hearts to other areas of the country. Although no firm plans are set, Olszewski has interest from facilities in Ohio, Washington and Virginia.

In a unique fundraising collaboration, HHH and the Quinton Aaron Foundation are pairing up for a Nov. 14 event in Wellington, Fla., dubbed Cowboy Up For A Cause.

Aaron, who portrayed protagonist Michael Oher in the Oscar-nominated 2009 film The Blind Side, started his eponymous foundation to provide encouragement and resources for children facing bullying.

The Cowboy Up For A Cause event

>> WHAT IT IS: Horses Healing Hearts connects children of substance abusers with peers in similar situations through therapeutic riding and horsemanship lessons in Palm Beach County, Fla. The 501(c)3 organization has been teaching confidence and responsibility through the horse-human connection since 2009. >> LEARN MORE: Visit the Horses Healing Hearts website at horseshealingheartsusa.com. >> GET IN TOUCH: Contact Liz Olszewski at liz@hhhusa.org or (561) 713- 6133. >> GET INVOLVED: If you can’t attend the Cowboy Up For A Cause fundraiser on Nov. 14 at the Van Kampen Arena in Wellington, Fla., HHH always welcomes monetary donations, and they need a variety of volunteers to keep the organization running smoothly, both in and out of the barns. will feature a rodeo-themed day of family activities including mechanical bull riding, a dunk tank, roping games, Disney characters, exotic animals and riding exhibitions including reining, dressage, barrel racing and more.

Tickets for the event and for a meetand-greet with Aaron on Nov. 13 are available on Eventbrite.com.

“Bullying is really interesting with children of alcoholics. Often they’re a target,” Olszewski explained. “There’s been so much trauma at home, they might be socially awkward, or sometimes they just don’t have clothes as nice [as other kids’]. The flip side is they can’t act out at home because of fear of repercussions, but at school, there’s structure. They take out that anger in a not-so-healthy way, and they become the bully.

“They don’t know there’s a healthy way to fight,” Olszewski continued.

“We’re going to teach you life skills to lead a better life. Your parent’s addiction is not your fault, and you’re not alone.”

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BEST OF WEB & PRINT

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CAMILLA MORTENSEN PHOTO

u Gallop After attending two difficult funerals in less than a week, eventer Kristin Carpenter reflects on the important things in life in her latest, and especially poignant, blog post at coth. com/article/gallop.

“Last week I saw an article about a non-profit that grants dying patients a final wish,” she writes.

“And unlike the wishes made by terminal children through Make A Wish, the dying adults don’t ask for trips to Disneyland, or to meet a celebrity, or any of those things. Those featured in the article asked: to see her favorite Rembrandt painting, to see the ocean, to go to the zoo and see the giraffe he cared for, and (my personal favorite by a 101 year old woman) to ride a horse one last time.

“And in this mess of a few weeks staring down mortality, I have to say that if given one last wish, I would gallop. I wouldn’t go for a steady canter, either. If all I got was one last moment in this world, then I would go for broke and get into a field of hundreds of acres and gallop.”

u Short Reins Win Gold Medals With the competition season winding down soon, it’s time to refocus on training. Some lucky dressage riders in Oregon recently got the chance to school with British superstar Charlotte Dujardin, and reporter Camilla Mortensen was on hand at DevonWood Equestrian Centre with her camera and notebook to share the wisdom with Chronicle readers: “She also threw in tidbits such as, ‘Round does not mean slow,’ ‘Changes should be bigger than the canter,’ and my personal favorite, ‘Short reins win gold medals.’ ” Read coverage of Day 1 at coth.com/article/kick-says-charlottedujardin and Day 2 at coth.com/article/its-allabout-training-says-charlotte.

u Watch Why They Won It’s Big Eq season, and that means a lot of blood, sweat and tears are culminating in both heartbreak and glory in indoor arenas up and down the East Coast. Out of 280 riders starting the Pessoa/USEF Medal Final at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, four teens rose to the top after three intense rounds of competition: Hunter Holloway, Mckayla Langmeier, Tori Colvin and eventual winner Kelli Cruciotti. See how they did it with videos of all their rounds at coth.com/article/ why-they-won-see-top-rides-pessoausef-medal-finals.

KIMBERLY LOUSHIN PHOTO

KAT NETZLER PHOTO

What’s Hot On The Web

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Don’t Miss In The Magazine

LIBBY LAW PHOTO

u The Cult Of Calm There are more questions than answers when it comes to the legality, effectiveness and safety of over-thecounter tranquilizing products in the show ring—and staff writer Lisa Slade solicited opinions from a range of stakeholders in the Chronicle’s Horse Care Issue, Sept. 14. Don’t miss the article that everyone’s talking about on our forums, across social media, and in tack rooms everywhere.

u International Chops For the first time, the U.S. show jumping team jumped into the second round of the Furusiyya Nations Cup Final to finish fourth overall in Barcelona, Spain (see our Oct. 12 issue), and on the heels of that success, the U.S. eventing team scored a silver medal at the Boekelo CCIO*** in the Netherlands (Oct. 19). Find out what U.S. show jumping Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland and U.S. eventing Chef d’Equipe David O’Connor think of the placings and how the teams are starting to turn around.

u A Personal Look At Your

MOLLIE BAILEY PHOTO

Favorite Riders

Our Free Rein series brings you closer to the riders you see every week in the results. Did you know that hunter derby phenom John French (Aug. 31) has jumped out of an airplane?

Or that he loves to shop for clothes? Did you know that show jumping’s hottest new star Conor Swail (Oct. 12) is also a golf aficionado? With everything from silly pet peeves to salient insights on the culture of competition, Free Rein peels back the layers on the top names in today’s sport.

u Contemplative Columnists Whatever your sport, we’ve got a columnist who speaks to the things that you grapple with on a regular basis, whether it’s Denny Emerson considering how riders handle nerves on competition day (Oct. 12); Larry Langer offering ways to turn frustration at horse show management and judges into action (Aug. 17); Carl Weeden questioning where the next generation of horsemen will come from (Aug. 31); or Jeremy Steinberg striving to maintain dressage as an expression of art (Oct. 19).

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PARTING WAYS

It Happens To The Best Of Us Photo by JACOB MELISSEN

Joe Fargis’ career with Touch Of Class in the 1980s was nothing short of legendary, as they won double gold together at the ’84 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, among countless other accolades, and went on to join the Show Jumping Hall of Fame. But as this photo of the pair from our Dec. 18, 1987, issue of the Chronicle reminds us, even the best in the world hit some bumps on the road to greatness.

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Sti ll sundress season here.

Must be the sunsh i ne.

Great rides, fabulous views and perfect Florida weather will let you feel like it’s summer, even when it’s not.