Untacked september october 2017

The Chronicle of the Horse

THE EQUESTRIAN LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

An Exclusive Tour At Castle Hill MCLAIN, LAUREN & LILLY WARD’S NEW HOME

14

HOT SPOTS IN HARRISBURG

SPORT HORSES IN NYC? If You Know Where To Look

SHOW JUMPING’S GLASS CEILING: Cracked But Not Yet Broken

A SUPPLEMENT TO THE CHRONICLE OF THE HORSE

All The Finest In FALL FASHION

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."3*" .&/%&-40)/ 410354 &/5&35"*/.&/5 &26&453*"/ 3&"- &45"5& 7 &OREST (ILL "OULEVARD 7ELLINGTON &, # MARIA MARIAMENDELSOHN COM © 2015 Douglas Elliman Real Estate. All material presented herein is intended for information purposes only. While, this information is believed to be correct, it is represented subject to errors, omissions, changes or withdrawal without notice. All property information, including, but not limited to square footage, room count, number of bedrooms and the school district in property listings are deemed reliable, EXW VKRXOG EH YHULÀ HG E\ \RXU RZQ DWWRUQH\ DUFKLWHFW RU ]RQLQJ H[SHUW (TXDO +RXVLQJ 2SSRUWXQLW\

Proud to be the Official Jeweler and a Top Tier Sponsor of the 2017 Rolex Central Park Horse Show.

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Lake Adger Private Lake Community: Fantastic home w/sweeping mtn views. This 4,000sf contemporary home; private marina slip; direct access to miles of shaded trails. On 12+ acres with pool. $949K

shady patch farm – turnkey facility Convenient to 3 show facilities. Cozy 2BR/2BA updated cottage on 21+ acres. Features 2 barns, 12 stalls total, grooms quarters, irrigated riding arena, multi fenced pastures, on CETA Riding Trails. $895K

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sawhorse hill farm – 74 acres Turnkey equestrian training center: 5-Stall barn with bath, arena, covered round pen w/observation room. Country home, guest quarters, mtn views. Plus 1800sf wkshp. Min to Lake Lure. $875K

holly spring farm – on ceta trails

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In Stirrup Downs equestrian community set on 16+ acres. New shed row barn, 3-board fencing. 4BR/4.5BA brick home, lower level walkout in-law apartment. Detached garage. 3 miles to TIEC. $839K

3BR/3BA home, garage, pond, 3- stall barn on 46 acres, private trail system, x-country course, fenced pastures. Additional home site with septic & power. 2 separate RV sites w/hookups. 6 miles to TIEC. $699K

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think meadow wood 4BD/3.5BA Brick plantation house set on 39 acres. Views from every room, heart pine floors, custom molding, LR w/solarium. Pasture, woods, CETA trail access & 10 minutes to town and TIEC. $1.449M

think honeyhill cove Custom 4 BR, 4.5 BA home on 54+ acres: features FPs, white oak floors, high ceilings. patios. 2-Stall barn, fenced pastures, mtn views, privacy, FETA trails. Close to shopping, interstates and TIEC. $1.650M

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Luxury living in Motlow Creek equestrian community. 4BD/3.5BA home on 9+ acres; endless custom details, enhanced by countryside & mtn views. Apt above garage. Barn, pastures, creek. 22 min to TIEC. $699K

On 10+ acre, 2 BR/2BA open floor plan home w/ FP, expansive kitchen, master suite. Inviting pool off the deck. 3 matted 12x12 stall barn and attached 1BR/1BA smartly appointed apartment. $446.5K

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think timeless elegance – 27 acres In desirable “Hunting Country” … vaulted beam ceiling LR, lavish Master suite, gourmet kitchen, paneled library, guest suite. Custom 4-stall barn: tackroom & wash stall, arena. FETA trails. $1.800M

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ESTATE IN PADDOCK PARK 2. ;OPZ SH]PZO ILKYVVT IH[O LZ[H[L I\PS[ PU MLH[\YLZ PTWHJ[ NSHZZ Ä YLWSHJLZ [OYV\NOV\[ H NV\YTL[ RP[JOLU HUK H KL[HJOLK ILKYVVT IH[O N\LZ[ JV[[HNL ( M\SS Z\TTLY RP[JOLU HUK OLH[LK WVVS HUK QHJ\aaP JHU IL MV\UK PU [OL L_WHUZP]L IHJR`HYK ;OL ZL]LU Z[HSS JLU[LY HPZSL IHYU PZ M\YUPZOLK ^P[O H [HJR YVVT ^HZO Z[HSS MLLK SH\UKY` YVVT ZHUK YPUN HUK WSLU[` VM WHKKVJRZ $3,358,990

PALM BEACH POINT EAST FARM. ( ZOVY[ OHJR H^H` MYVT 7)0,* [OPZ PUJYLKPISL HJYL MHYT PZ Ä [ MVY HU` WYVMLZZPVUHS YPKLY ;OL Z[HSS JLU[LY HPZSL Z[HISL YLJLU[S` \UKLY^LU[ H M\SS YLUV]H[PVU HUK PZ JVTWSL[L ^P[O [OL Ä ULZ[ HTLUP[PLZ ;OL WYVWLY[` MLH[\YLZ H ZWHJPV\Z V^ULY»Z SV\UNL ^P[O M\SS RP[JOLU HUK IH[OYVVTZ H SHYNL NYHUK WYP_ Ä LSK HUK H UL^ YPUN ^P[O [VW NYHKL Ä ILY MVV[PUN BUY $6,700,000 | RENT $50,000 month

AERO CLUB ESTATE. :SLLR Z[\UUPUN HUK JVTWSL[LS` YLUV]H[LK [OPZ (LYV *S\I OVTL MLH[\YLZ ILKYVVTZ HUK M\SS IH[OZ 3PNO[ HUK IYPNO[ ^P[O ]H\S[LK JLPSPUNZ ^VVK ILHTZ HUK HU HI\UKHUJL VM PTWHJ[ NSHZZ ^PUKV^Z 6[OLY MLH[\YLZ PUJS\KL NVYNLV\Z ^VVK Ã… VVYZ H IYHUK UL^ RP[JOLU ^P[O NHZ JVVRPUN HUK H SHYNL PZSHUK ,_[LYPVY YLUV]H[PVUZ PUJS\KL H UL^ YVVM UL^ WVVS HUK THYISL WH[PV HYLH HUK H JVTWSL[LS` MLUJLK ZWHJPV\Z IHJR`HYK ;OPZ S\_\YPV\Z HUK well appointed home is located just a short golf cart ride from the Wellington Horse Show Grounds. $1,695,000

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CHATEAU-INSPIRED EQUESTRIAN ESTATE. This stunning chateau-inspired estate sits on 5.44 acres and boasts a large covered WH[PV ^P[O H Z\TTLY RP[JOLU HUK HU PUÄ UP[` WVVS -VY LX\LZ[YPHUZ [OL WYVWLY[` KLSP]LYZ PU HSS YLNHYKZ ^P[O [\YUV\[ WHKKVJRZ H _ MVV[ HSS ^LH[OLY 9PZV HYLUH H ^HSRLY HUK H M\SS` LX\PWWLK Z[HSS stable with a new storage building. $7,950,000

PALM BEACH POINT ESTATE. ;OPZ ILH\[PM\S HUK JVTWSL[LS` YLKVUL LZ[H[L ZP[Z VU TL[PJ\SV\ZS` SHUKZJHWLK HJYLZ ;OL ZWSP[ ILKYVVT Ã… VVY WSHU IVHZ[Z ILKYVVTZ IH[OZ UL^ Ã… VVYZ OPNO PTWHJ[ NSHZZ ^PUKV^Z HUK NSHZZ KVVYZ 6\[ZPKL LUQV` H JV]LYLK WH[PV ^P[O Z\TTLY RP[JOLU HUK WVVS H _ MVV[ YPKPUN HYLUH WHKKVJRZ HUK HU Z[HSS center aisle barn. $5,900,000

PALM BEACH POLO CLUB BUNGALOW. >P[O IV[O 07* HUK [OL 7)0,* JSVZL I` [OPZ UL^S` YLUV]H[LK OVTL MHSSZ UV[OPUN ZOVY[ VM WOLUVTLUHS ;OL WYVWLY[` PZ JVTWSL[L ^P[O H ILKYVVT IH[O N\LZ[ JV[[HNL HUK H ILKYVVT IH[O THPU OVTL PU ^OPJO L]LY`[OPUN PZ UL^ PUJS\KPUN PTWHJ[ ^PUKV^Z HUK KVVYZ J\Z[VT I\PS[ RP[JOLU HUK JH[OLKYHS ^VVK ceilings. BUY $749,000 | RENT $10,000 month

AERO CLUB ESTATE. 0M OVWWPUN VU H QL[ PU `V\Y V^U IHJR`HYK ZV\UKZ SPRL H KYLHT JVTL [Y\L P[»Z [PTL [OH[ `V\ THRL `V\Y TV]L [V [OPZ MHI\SV\Z ILH\[PM\SS` YLUV]H[LK ILKYVVT IH[OYVVT OVTL ^P[O H IYHUK UL^ YVVM H[ >LSSPUN[VU (LYV *S\I ;OL WYVWLY[` VɈ LYZ [OL \UPX\L VWWVY[\UP[` [V I\PSK `V\Y V^U OHUNHY MVY `V\Y QL[ HUK MLH[\YLZ P[Z V^U WLYZVUHS [H_P^H` SV[ $1,450,000

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| Wilmington, Ohio Photography: Third Shutter from the Sun

Horse Competition Overseas?

Ask Your Horse Shipper About The ARK at JFK As the world’s first privately owned 24/7 animal airport terminal, USDA-approved export inspection facility and quarantine (pending approval), The ARK at JFK is a state-of-the-art resource to all horse transportation agents and their clients — you!

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COMING TO OCALA, FLORIDA IN 2018

For more information contact:

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EQUINE APPROVED

VACATIONS

FOUND HERE.

Sarasota County is home to Fox Lea Farm, a nationally recognized horse show facility located in Venice, Florida. Hosting more than 40 competitions annually, Fox Lea Farm presents horse shows from Grass Roots to Grand Prix, including our NEW Venice Equestrian Tour Winter Circuit. The world class sporting venue attracts competitors from all over the world and is just minutes from some of the best beaches in the country.

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A new head trainer.

A new era begins.

Heralding a new era at Ox Ridge, Laura O’Connor comes to the Club with outstanding credentials as one of the equestrian world’s top trainers, and a highly accomplished rider.

An impressive record. Laura has won numerous competitions including Spruce Meadows during the North American Tournament where she won both the Chrysler Derby and the Queen Elizabeth Cup on the same weekend – a feat never matched by another woman. Laura has the distinction of being named Leading Lady Rider for three consecutive years.

She won the AHSA Medal Finals and placed 6th in the Maclay finals in Madison Square Garden, and has proudly represented the US internationally.

A new training staff. Laura, joined by talented young trainer, Kara Burgess, brings experience and a fresh energy to managing the full spectrum of equestrian programs at the Club – from Lead Line to Grand Prix Jumpers.

Part of what’s new at Ox Ridge. Laura and Kara are just two of the many exciting things happening at Ox Ridge which will soon feature a significant expansion of its equestrian programs, and a newly renovated Clubhouse that includes squash, fitness, and dining.

Stop by or contact us about the “new” Ox Ridge at 203.655.2559 or visit us online at OxRidge.com

The Ride of Your Life.

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BRAVO ANRC IHSA 3 4 14 We applaud SCAD Equestrian on an unprecedented championship year.

CONSECUTIVE

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NATIONAL To u r n a m e n t o f

COLLEGIATE CUP

CHAMPIONS

SERIES TITLES

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Championships

National Championships

2015–17

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Learn more at scad.edu/equestrian

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2017

ROLEX

C E N T R A L PA R K H O R S E S H O W

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 U.S. Open Arabian Horse Show presented by Aljassimya Farm

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 Junior/Amateur 1.20m Speed Class U.S. Open $40,000 FEI Speed Class U.S. Open $50,000 Puissance (High Jump Exhibition)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 U.S. Open $10,000 CDI Grand Prix U.S. Open $25,000 Hollow Creek Farm Under 25 Grand Prix U.S. Open $216,000 Grand Prix CSI 3* presented by Rolex

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 $1,000 Pony Hunter Classic presented by The Gochman Family $2,500 Junior/Amateur and Professional Classes presented by The Gochman Family U.S. Open $50,000 Duchossois Cup presented by The Gochman Family U.S. Open $50,000 Grand Prix Freestyle CDI presented by Axel Johnson Group

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 Family Day â&#x20AC;&#x201C; FREE General Admission

s t n e t n o C

The C HRONICLE of the HORSE

Untacked VOL. 5, NO. 5

62 At Home With: McLain, Lauren And Lilly Ward

S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 017

62

76 The Horses That

Live Between The Skyscrapers

82 Normandy: Scenes Worth Seeing On Horseback

96 Ladies Of The Ring 106 A Modern-Day Doctor

CITIZEN OF THE PLANET/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

ON THE COVER: Bill Atherton Photo

76 30 SEP TEMBER /OCTOBER 2017

96 U N TAC K E D

PHOTO COURTESY USET FOUNDATION ARCHIVES

BILL ATHERTON PHOTO

Dolittle

s t n e t n o C Departments 34

Editor’s Letter

36

Contributors

42

Around The Arena

44

ell ll Editor’s Picks: GatorBootz Bell Boots

46

Tech Spotlight: Staller, Airbnb For Horses

50

Test Lab: Hoof Picks

52

The Clothes Horse: Rougey Fall Fashion

90

Seeing The World With “Life Between The Ears”

114

City Guide: Harrisburg, Pa.

120

Book Reviews

122

Charity Spotlight: Saratoga WarHorse

126

Best Of Web & Print

128

Parting Ways

PHOTO COURTESY THINLINE

44

52

SEAN PAVONE PHOTO/ISTOCK PHOTO

114

32 SEP TEMBER /OCTOBER 2017

U N TAC K E D

Aljassimya Farm invites you to the City To enjoy an evening of Arabian horse competition at the U.S. Arabian Open. Wednesday 20th September.

At the Rolex Central Park Horse Show. www.aljassimyafarm.com | info@aljassimyafarm.com

EDITOR’S LETTER

Life Lessons From Olympians Olympic riders are, it should go without saying, people too. But it’s easy to forget when you watch them accomplish seemingly superhuman feats—like jumping clear round after clear round under enormous pressure as McLain Ward did this spring when he won the Longines FEI World Cup Show Jumping Final (Neb.) with HH Azur. You forget the top competitors have interests outside of riding—families, hobbies, maybe even some passions that don’t involve horses at all.

34 SEP TEMBER /OCTOBER 2017

U N TAC K E D

interviews after a major grand prix or championship.

And I think it’s important too, especially as an example for those of us who can get wrapped up in our own worlds of riding and showing. Horses enrich our lives in so many ways, but I don’t believe horses should be our entire lives. In my own ideal scenario, there’s a balance between my horses and my family and friends, between my riding and my other hobbies and passions. The balance provides perspective.

It allows us equestrians to connect with others who don’t share our same obsession. It makes life richer and fuller.

That balance? It isn’t easy to obtain and then to maintain.

But if McLain Ward can make it work, surely I can too.

ANDREW HOCK PHOTO

It turns out that around the same time McLain was bringing the World Cup home to the United States, he was also working on a serious passion project of his own: putting the finishing touches on the new home he designed with his wife, Lauren Ward, at their Castle Hill Farm in Brewster, N.Y. The Wards painstakingly controlled every aspect of the house’s design for more than three years, working without an architect. The result? Well, you can see it yourself in our exclusive photo tour (p. 62), but it’s an extraordinary house made even more special because it’s filled with items the Wards sourced—from all over the world—for nearly a decade.

There’s a table McLain, a skilled craftsman, made himself. You can see a piece of art the Wards saw in a Paris gallery that just so happened to feature one of McLain’s top competitors, Rothchild. There’s a fire pit made from old tractor wheels found in the crawl space of the barn.

Another of the unexpected items in the house is a lovely wooden ping-pong table, which is not just a decoration. “I think we’ve had about six Olympians already play and go head-to-head on this ping-pong table,” McLain says. “Beezie Madden, by far, is the best.

She’s a sleeper. She’ll kill you!”

McLain Ward designing houses, touring art galleries and building tables? Beezie Madden being the secret pingpong champion of the equestrian world? Who knew? Not me, before we completed this story. But it’s fun to see a different side of riders than the one that comes out in

—Lisa Slade

CONTRIBUTORS

In This Issue

CONTACT US: SUBSCRIPTIONS & RENEWALS: Mail: The Chronicle of the Horse, P. O. Box 433288 Palm Coast, FL 32143-3288

PHOTO COURTESY SARAH MASLIN NIR

Phone: 800.877.5467 Email: subscriptions@coth.com RACHEL FLORMAN PHOTO

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

Kat Netzler

Megan Brincks

Sarah is a lifelong New York Citybased equestrian. In the few hours when she’s not riding, grooming or thinking about horses, she is a reporter for The New York Times, best known for her exposé of the working and health conditions affecting nail salon employees, which was nominated for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize.

After growing up eventing in the Midwest and attending journalism school at the University of Georgia, Kat spent nine years serving on The Chronicle of the Horse’s editorial staff, first in its Middleburg, Va., main office and then in Chicago. She’s now the director of communications at a youth-focused social change nonprofit in Memphis, where she lives with her husband Brett, Fitz the corgi and Burger the pit bull.

A former staff reporter for The Chronicle of the Horse, Megan now lives with her dog 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, recently focusing on eventing. In addition to spending time with and riding horses, she enjoys reading, traveling and hiking.

JAY DIEM PHOTO

PHOTO COURTESY JANICE HOLLY BOOTH

Sarah Maslin Nir

Janice Holly Booth

Tricia Conahan

Jennifer Cording

Janice spent 20-plus years as a nonprofit CEO while simultaneously taking solo adventure trips that scared the bejesus out of her.

Born in British Columbia, she moved to western New York in the mid-’80s and started an equine photography business. Under the influence of optimism, she bought a Thoroughbred stallion and ran a breeding business, which resulted in one of the loves of her life—a colt named Brazen—who at 25 is now a very expensive lawn ornament.

Janice currently lives in Gastonia, N.C., where she sweats a lot and works as a freelance writer. In 2011, National Geographic published her memoir on solo adventure travel. Her website is adventurista.us.

A former junior equitation rider, Tricia grew up on the show circuit in Canada before selling her horses and pursuing a career in New York City as a corporate marketing and sales executive.

More than 30 years later, Tricia is now joyfully back in the saddle, and she competes her two geldings Max and Clark in the adult amateur hunters.

She retired from the corporate grind and is a freelance writer and columnist for several equestrian publications.

When she is not on deadline or on a horse, Tricia can be found at home in Atlanta with her husband and two rambunctious but grateful rescue dogs.

Jennifer is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in news outlets around the country. Most recently she won the 2015 Best in Show writing award for non-daily newspapers from the Virginia Press Association. Cording also is the author of the photo-essay book Chincoteague Revisited and owns a horse farm on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, where she operates a lesson and boarding business.

36 SEP TEMBER /OCTOBER 2017

U N TAC K E D

Copyright© 2017 by The Chronicle of the Horse, LLC. Reproduction of any material (including photographs and drawings) without written permission is prohibited.

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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@ coth.com.

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The C HRONICLE of the HORSE

Untacked Volume 5 • Number 5 • September/October 2017

JOIN THE

produced and published by The Chronicle of the Horse PUBLISHER

KATHERINE BELLISSIMO PRESIDENT/EXECUTIVE EDITOR

BETH RASIN, brasin@coth.com

Editorial EDITOR

LISA SLADE, lslade@coth.com MANAGING EDITOR

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OBSESSION

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U N TAC K E D

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tidbits from across the industry

Around the Arena

LINDSAY BERRETH PHOTO

My Faves: Jenny Caras

Nine years ago, Jenny Caras attended the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** as a spectator.

“After watching Rolex, a new kind of passion [for eventing] was ignited in me. All I knew was that one day, I was going to ride there,” said Caras.

Now 21, Caras is proud to say she competed at Rolex Kentucky for the first time this year with Fernhill Fortitude. But she’s far from done in the sport.

“I want to be the best I can be,” she said. “I’m impatient because I’m ready for everything to happen now. Sometimes I have to step back and think that I’m only 21 and have a few more years until it’s ‘do or die’ here.”

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Caras was named a 2016 recipient of the Karen Stives Endowment Fund for High Performance Eventing Grant, which she used last summer for her first overseas trip, finishing ninth in the Bramham International CCI***-U25 (Great Britain).

But it all started with a pony named Tally Ho and foxhunting. Caras rode with Cathy Stephenson in Powder Springs, Ga., learning the basics of horsemanship and the meaning of a work ethic.

“To this day, I can say the skills I learned foxhunting help me out on the cross-country course,” said Caras. “It made me brave for sure because you learn to kick and ride up to the jumps.”

The young eventer from Marietta, Ga., got her first horse at 12. Later Julie Richards took Caras under her wing. Then after high school, she moved to Pennsylvania to work with Phillip Dutton at True Prospect Farm. “[Phillip] has been instrumental to the success I’ve had,” said Caras.

This spring she branched out and started her own business—Caras Eventing International. She rents a barn on Dutton’s property where she currently has nine horses, but she still works with Dutton often. She’s hard at work bringing along her three upper-level horses: Fernhill Fortitude, Fernhill Full Throttle and Trendy Fernhill.

“I’ve bought four horses now from Carol Gee’s Fernhill Sport Horses in Ireland, and they’ve all taken me to the upper levels. I haven’t had a bad one yet!” said Caras.

Breeches: Pikeur Footwear: Sergio Grasso show boots and Ariat paddock

boots with Tredstep half chaps at the barn Drink: Grapefruit juice mixed with sparkling water Food: Sushi. “Not the hardcore sushi, the cooked sushi!

Anything with salmon and crab in it really.”

Movie: Gone With The Wind Book: The Nazi Officer’s Wife by Edith Hahn Beer Non-horsey hobby: Yoga. “It helps with my riding. I

have a bad back, so it really helps keep my back loose and from tensing up.”

On Deck

Guilty pleasure: Strawberry rhubarb pie

Mark your calendar with these upcoming important dates.

Competition: The Cloud 11-Gavilan North LLC Carolina International at the Carolina Horse Park in Raeford, N.C. “They do a really good job of putting everything together for sponsors and owners. The event has a good feel and atmosphere with good footing and great courses; they keep improving it every year.”

X Sept. 29 If you’re near the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, Ohio, you won’t want to miss the September stop on Charlotte Dujardin’s Educational Tour! For one day, you’ll have access to the dressage Olympian and world record holder for a clinic experience—presenting horses from age 4 through Grand Prix—and dinner. A vendor village will also be set up for the day, and Dujardin will conduct an autograph session at the evening’s conclusion.

Can’t attend this one? A similar event will take place in Magnolia, Texas, on Nov. 17.

Find tickets or apply to ride at bit.ly/2vIlxFB.

Place to shop for non-horsey items:

Anthropologie and Banana Republic Quality in a person: Honesty Workout: Running. “I don’t run far, just

LISA SLADE PHOTO

Favorite yoga pose: Proud pigeon

run fast.”

Season: Fall Emoji: Smiling face with blushed cheeks Famous person: “It’s pretty

embarrassing, but I really like Ian Somerhalder.”

Riding idols: “I’ve always admired Pippa

Funnell. And of course Phillip Dutton and also Ingrid Klimke.”

Song: “How To Save A Life” by The

Fray TV show: Criminal Minds Most embarrassing horsey experience: “I’m sure I have a lot! But

one time when I was bringing ‘Forty’ [Fernhill Fortitude] back into work after his vacation in the arena I used to ride in—located in Georgia next to a busy road—and I was hacking him around and a truck came by, and he did two bucks. I ended up sitting down on the ground in front of him. He stopped and just looked at me. I’m pretty sure the arena was wet too, so I landed in a puddle! Not my best moment. And everyone was watching.”

SARAH ANDREW PHOTO

Family activity: A card game called Rook. “My whole family plays whenever we’re together; it’s all teams, points and fun.”

X Oct. 5-8 The Thoroughbred Makeover And National Symposium, bigger and better every year, returns to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. This year 578 trainers and their off-the-track Thoroughbreds will compete for ribbons and titles in 10 disciplines, including hunters, jumpers, dressage and eventing. On Saturday, the top three from their individual groups will all come together and vie for the title of America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred. See a horse you love? About half of the Thoroughbreds entered will be for sale at the event.

But it’s not just about the competition. There’s also a full day of clinic sessions on Sunday, and auditors are welcome to attend those for free. Learn more or purchase tickets at retiredracehorseproject.org.

X Oct. 30 Is there someone you know who deserves special recognition for philanthropy and volunteerism? If so, this is your deadline to nominate a recipient for the U.S. Equestrian Federation EQUUS Foundation Humanitarian award.

Any member of the equestrian community can nominate another individual to be considered for the award, which will be given during the Pegasus Dinner at the USEF’s Annual Meeting in Lexington, Ky., in January. The winner will then select an equine charity on the EQUUS Foundation’s Equine Welfare Network to receive a $5,000 grant from the EQUUS Foundation.

Nomination forms are provided for all who want one, and you must also explain why you think the person is worthy of the award in a written statement.

Find more information at equusfoundation.org/humanitarian.

C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

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43

EDITOR’S PICKS

A Better Way To Bell Boot

By LISA SLADE Photo Courtesy THINLINE

H

ave you ever had a good experience with a pair of bell boots your horse wears in turnout?

Until a few months ago, you could place me solidly in the “no” column. Like internet service providers, bell boots were sometimes useful tools for life, yes, but nothing to particularly enjoy or get excited about. I’d buy a pair; sometimes they’d stay on for a few days of turnout; more often they’d fall off. I’d find them destroyed in a mud puddle or never see them again.

They’d rub. My horse would lose a shoe, even while wearing the bell boots. That was just life, but gum bell boots cost, on average, $14, so OK. Then said horse developed debilitating hoof problems, made worse by her repeated impressions of Cinderella at midnight. My farrier looked at me one day after an especially difficult shoeing session and said, “This horse cannot lose this pair of shoes.”

Gulp. Noted. But much easier said than done when you’re the owner of an exrace horse who lives every day like it’s her last—or maybe she tries to make each day her last, I’m really not sure which it is.

So I went on a worldwide (web) quest for the toughest and most effective pair of bell boots known to humankind to give this horse the best chance possible of holding onto her shoes and keeping her sad amount of remaining hoof wall along with them.

The answer: Thinline’s new Gator-

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Bootz, which the company offers as “an entirely new take on bell boots.”

They’re made of a one-piece light-weight and high-strength polymer—a —a material designed to never retain moisture—and they feature a fancy clicking latch system instead of a Velcro closure.

But their real selling points: They’re not supposed to fall off, and they are supposed to last for at least one year. Whoa, if true.

At first use, the closure system isn’t intuitive. Thankfully, Thinline sends a little pamphlet along just for that purpose.

Within a minute, my barn friend and I were easily opening and closing them with two fingers. It’s a little more complicated on a hoof but not much, and it’s 200 times easier than dragging on a pull-on boot.

Since I’m not usually the person getting my horse ready for her paddock party, I left the instruction pamphlet attached to her stall in case anyone suffered confusion over her boots. Within a week, everyone was wise to their ways, but it’s something to remember if you have a new or temporary barn worker.

The latch is designed to release in case of emergency, like if a horse catches the boot on a fence post and needs to get her leg free—and no, I’m not sure why I put that thought into the universe. Mud can clog in the latch, which makes them difficult to remove, but a quick rinse with the hose fixes the issue. If your horse is a real Houdini with buckles, you can wrap duct tape around the latch for turnout.

The boots come with a life expectancy of nine months to two years. Though I haven’t been using them that long yet, after a few months of rough and ready turnout, they still look good as new. The company offers a year-long warranty should they give up the ghost within that timeframe.

Most importantly, they have never once come off in turnout. And, knock on wood, my horse hasn’t lost a shoe since she’s been wearing them either.

Because the boots sport a no-rub collar and sit differently on the hooves, relying less on clinching tightly around the ankle, they haven’t even chafed her delicate Thoroughbred legs.

The boots retail at $50, which is at least double what I’ve ever paid for bell boots before. But if my horse is keeping her shoes on, and I’m not having to buy new bell boots every two weeks, I’m a very happy camper at that price point.

GatorBootz are offered in two sizes, with a third to debut in 2018. Visit thinlineglobal.com for more information or to purchase.

Editor’s Note: Thinline provided the bell boots to Untacked for unbiased testing and review free of charge.

After testing, the product was donated to an equine charity.

C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

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TECH SPOTLIGHT

Have Stalls, Will Rent Staller, a new website and mobile application, aims for adding simplicity to the equine travel experience.

By M EGA N BR I NCK S Photos Courtesy S TA LLER

nyone who’s traveled with horses knows the woes of finding a place for your most precious cargo to call temporary home.

Whether it’s for a one-night layover as you’re driving across the country or for a three-month move for the winter

A

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show season, finding a barn that fits your budget, location and amenity requirements can steal focus from other aspects of the trip.

But Staller founders Pablo Jimenez Godoy and Arturo Ferrando are hoping they can solve that problem

Pablo Jimenez Godoy (left) and Arturo Ferrando are longtime friends who saw a hole in the Florida stabling market and decided to fill it with the launch of Staller, a website and mobile application that functions like an Airbnb for horses.

by providing a digital platform for matching barn owners with extra space to horse owners in need of a place to stay. Godoy and Ferrando have joked that it’s Airbnb for horses.

Staller allows barn owners with extra space to list facilities for rent, uploading photos and information on location, amenities and price. Once Staller staff verifies the listing, the post goes live on the website (stallerapp.com) and the mobile application. Then horse owners can search for listings by criteria, including

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On Staller’s website you can find temporary housing for your traveling horses, narrowing your search by number of stalls, discipline, dates and more.

discipline, and request to book a stall or barn for the dates needed. As with Airbnb, each booking must be manually accepted by the facility owner to ensure safety for both parties.

Godoy and Ferrando are originally from Venezuela, where they and their families have been friends for decades, but they also have family in Wellington, Fla. A combination of involvement in the equine industry and mutual interest in technology sparked the idea for Staller.

They’d seen the complicated process of renting a barn in Wellington for the 12-week Winter Equestrian Festival and realized there was a gaping hole in the market for a service that could easily connect empty stalls with stallneeding horses.

“The market wasn’t very efficient,” said Godoy. “If you’re looking for something, now you have a lot of options.

It enables you to rent your barns on an online platform, which on one end enables the property owners to get some visibility, and on the other hand, the clients have some options about where

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they want to keep their horses and where they want to stay.”

Godoy is also a co-founder of WeKanCode, which he describes as a “tech accelerator.” The company partners with startups to get products built, launched and marketed, so he was already well versed in the process of building a digital business when he started working on Staller. The engineers behind the scenes allow Godoy and Ferrando to focus on Staller’s operations and expansion.

The app launched in December 2016 specifically for the Wellington area. Prior to the launch, they solicited barn owners to list their properties and sent photographers to take highquality images. They will continue to offer photography services in specific cities moving forward.

“For us right now, the focus is building trust with the consumer,” said Godoy. “We know the market very well.

We built this product from the position of the client, for the client and the property owner. It’s a solution that’s going to give

transparency to the market, especially for places like Wellington. It’s going to give a benchmark to the prices in the market.”

Since the launch, the app has grown to more than 100 properties listed, which includes more than 2,000 individual stalls available for rent. The company recently expanded to include properties across Florida, including the Ocala area, focusing in clusters around popular competition destinations.

Already, the Staller team is working on the launch of a new version of the app with some improvements, and they’re looking at hosting properties across the United States and beyond, including Europe. Their next focus will be the Lexington, Ky., and Tryon, N.C., areas. In the meantime, Florida properties are available to book for the 2018 winter and spring seasons.

“We have a lot of demand from people,” said Godoy. “We started in Florida because it’s a very busy area and relatively close to us. We’ve had good response from the market, property owners and clients, so we’re very excited.”

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49

TEST LAB

New Choices For The Most-Used Tool In Your Tack Box In the old days, we walked 10 miles to the barn in the snow, without winter coats, and we picked our horses’ hooves with $1 plain metal hoof picks. But times have changed, and now hoof picks can open wine bottles, light a darkened barn aisle, and, yes, still do their main job as well. We put some more modern options to the test.

By LISA SLADE

Noble Outfitters ers Wine Down own Hoof Pick ck

Oster Hoof Pick

Whoever invented nted this tool is clearly arly a genius. How many any times have you been at a horse show or at home dealing with ha late-night colic, not been able to find a proper corkscrew, and attempted to open a bottle of wine with a pair of scissors and some nails? (Just me?)

But despite the ingenuity of this creation, I’d define it more as a “wine bottle opener that can also pick a hoof” rather than “a hoof pick that can also open a bottle of wine” because its corkscrew feature makes it a bit bottom-heavy and ungainly for its picking job. Still, it’s 100 percent worth buying one and keeping in your tack trunk. They’d also make great gifts.

Best Quality: It can open a wine bottle.

Feel In Hand: 2/5 Ability To Actually Pick A Hoof: 3/5 Cost: $20

This pick is a favorite of several friends, and I found lots to like in testing, too. The handle’s very comfortable aand grippy, one of my on favorites in fav that area. comes with a little strap It c around the end, so you can hang it on a hook in your grooming area if you want—a small detail I appreciate.

But even after many uses, the curvature of the picking mechanism made digging out rocks and hard-packed footing still feel awkward, which I assume must be a personal preference based on the number of people who cite this as their No. 1 choice.

For its price point, this is a quality product.

Best Quality: It’s a quality hoof pick at a lower price.

Feel In Hand: 5/5 Ability To Actually Pick A Hoof: 3/5 Cost: $4

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Tough 1 LED Hoof Pick The main purpose of this pick, I think, is to use the LED light to get a closer look at something in your horse’s hoof, which is great if you’re dealing with an abscess or puncture. But I also used it to peer into a leg wound and one very early morning to find the office keys when I couldn’t remember the exact location of the light switch. The light is brighter than I expected from such a small tool.

As a hoof pick it’s OK, but the thickness of the light area makes holding it awkward. The actual pick part feels a little cheap.

Best Quality: It doubles as a flashlight.

Feel In Hand: 2/5 Ability To Actually Pick A Hoof: 3/5 Cost: $8

Wahl Soft Touch Grip Hoof Pick The Wahl pick is reminiscent of the Oster one, just with a differently shaped hook.

I preferred the shape of this one and found it overall a solid hoof pick.

The handle’s very comfortable, and though it felt a little wide for my hands during regular picking duties, it did give some extra leverage when working on a wedged rock.

If you’re wanting a fancy tool but not quite ready to jump to paying $15 for one, this would be a good choice.

Best Quality: It has a very comfortable handle.

Feel In Hand: 4/5 Ability To Actually Pick A Hoof: 4/5 Cost: $7

5

TESTER’S CHOICE

The Ultimate Hoof Pick never knew I needed a fancy hoof pick until I tried this one, and now I’m spoiled and can never go back. It feels balanced in the hand. It works beautifully. The pointy end can dig out even the most stubborn rocks from the sides of shoes, and it’s set at an unusual angle that just so turns out to be perfect. It comes with a lifetime replacement guarantee.

The only thing it’s missing is a brush, but it’s otherwise good enough I’m willing to keep a separate hoof brush in my trunk. Buy one

I

Roma Pattern Hoof Pick This is the pick you choose if your barn frenemy is always taking yours by accident. They come in a variety of color options, all of which are fun and distinctive. If you say, “Wait, isn’t that my hoof pick?” the person is going to have to sheepishly answer, “Yeah, it is.”

It’s good enough at its job, and it has a built-in brush—a nice feature for those of us who need to apply hoof products to the sole.

Best Quality: It comes in fun colors, and it has a brush.

Feel In Hand: 3/5 Ability To Actually Pick A Hoof: 4/5 Cost: $4

for yourself, and then h give ive them as presents to the trainers, grooms groom b and fellow riders in your life. Collect the praises of your gratefull barn brethren.

Best Quality: It is a damn good hoof pick.

Feel In Hand: 5/5 Ability To Actually Pick A Hoof: 5/5 Cost: $15

Quality Horse Products VinylCoated Hoof Pick

Magnetic Hoof Pick

I used to purchase 10 of these hoof picks every January, and by summer they’d all have gone missing, either lost or loaned to friends at events. But that’s fine. They cost about a dollar each, so you just order more.

They function just fine at their one and only task, picking hooves, despite a total lack of frills—though after testing the fancier products, I did feel the handle was too skinny for ultimate hand comfort. Still, they’re the ones you want to keep in every tack trunk, by the ring, by the paddock, in the trailer— everywhere horses can and do go.

This hoof pick’s main selling point is the magnet on its side, which enables you to stick it on the side of your truck if you’re a farrier, or on your fridge if you want your non-horsey husband to feel confused over a new decoration.

It wasn’t my favorite pick to use; the handle’s not quite the right shape for comfortable holding, and the metal can be a little slick if your hands are sweaty. But if you’re really needing a hoof pick with a magnet on it, this is your guy.

Best Quality: It has a magnet.

Feel In Hand: 2/5

Best Quality: If you lose this hoof pick—and you will—you won’t shed a single tear.

Ability To Actually Pick A Hoof: 3/5 Cost: $8

Feel In Hand: 3/5 Ability To Actually Pick A Hoof: 3/5 Cost: $1-$2

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THE CLOTHES HORSE

RAISE A GLASS TO ROUGEY FALL FASHION Autumn’s arrival always ushers classic earth tones back into our wardrobes, but this year they’ll be punctuated with pops of cranberry and chianti.

By

KAT NETZLER

ARIAT TERRACE JACKET, WYTHBURN BOOT & SNUG CABLE BEANIE Come at it from any angle, and the Terrace jacket is just a downright cute coat. This diamond quilted shell with polyfill insulation snaps and zips in all the p rright places to cut a flattering silhouette, plus it has an adorable foxhound print p inner lining. Available this season in in malbec; XS-XXL; $109.95. Pair it with a m new set of waterproof, insulated boots n llike the Wythburn H20, which come in java (shown) or black with grey suede; sizes 5.5-11; $239.95. And the cherry on top: the Snug Cable Beanie, available in malbec (shown) or jetty grey; one size; $29.95. Ariat.com.

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HORSEWARE IRELAND ALBY SOFTSHELL, PRINTED TRACK TOP & DENIM BREECHES Thanks to bonded fleece and an embossed exterior, the stretchy Alby softshell jacket is perfect for the barn, being both windproof and hay-proof. Available in pewter or berry (shown); XXS-XXL; $65. For the occasion that calls for something more stylish, the Printed Track Top is an understated equestrian take on the athleisure trend. It features a limited-edition galaxy print with Pegasus details. XXS-XXL; $65. And Horseware’s ladies’ denim breech also comes in a limited-edition berry color this season; sizes 24-34; $140 for knee patch style, $150 for full seat. Horseware.com.

ASMAR DELTA SWEATER, RUE SHOW SHIRT & STERLING BOMBER JACKET The Delta Merino Sweater is a unique hybrid that creates a single layer silhouette with a magnetic button-down woven collar and a lightweight merino wool body with gathered cuffs and thumbholes. Available in black, charmix (shown) or twilight; XXS-XXL; $178. The Rue Quarter-Zip Show Shirt boasts 50 SPF sun protection and is available with contrast mesh in five colors: chianti, glacier, shadow, teak (shown) or white; XXS-XXL; $168. And if you’re ready for a more modern and trendy outer layer for fall, the head-turning Sterling Bomber Jacket is just the ticket. It comes in black, chianti (shown) and navy; XXS-XXL; $228. AsmarEquestrian.com.

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THE CLOTHES HORSE

LE FASH TARTAN PLAID OPEN PLACKET SHIRT In a new monochromatic plaid perfect for winter, Le Fash’s open placket show shirt features Egyptian cotton strategically placed in areas that are visible under a hunt coat, while bamboo/ spandex side panels and sleeves provide maximum comfort and mobility. The convertible collar with hidden magnetic closure opens clean so your show shirt can double as streetwear. Sizes XS-XL; $195. LeFashNY.com.

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MOUNTAIN HORSE BEVERLY VEST, POLAR BREECH & REFLECTIVE TRIPLEX GLOVE Layer up for a brisk hack with the windproof and water-repellent Beverly vest, available in foggy navy, cranberry (shown) or black; XS-XL; $130. And when the mercury really drops, Mountain Horse’s fully seam-sealed Polar breech will keep you toasty and safe thanks to its waterproof shell, ergonomic joint seams and reflective piping. Available in black; unisex sizes XS-XL; $170. Throw in a pair of reflective, water-repellent three-finger gloves with rein reinforcements, and you’re ready for winter’s worst. Black; ladies’ sizes S-XL; $38.

MountainHorseUSA.com.

CARHARTT HERITAGE DENIM COAT, CRYDER OVERALLS & AMORET VEST With a few discrete nips and tucks, the Carhartt Heritage Denim Chore Coat is looking super fresh for her 100th anniversary this year! If you’re ever going to sing Happy Birthday to a coat, this grand old dame probably deserves it. She features printed fleece lining in the body and the brand’s vintage heart patch, a throwback to the 1930s and ’40s. Available in XS-XXL; $78. The Cryder bib overalls are equipped with Thinsulate Featherless insulation for warmth without weight and Full Swing®, designed to allow for maximum range of movement through strategically placed stretch panels. Available in black; XS-XXL; $149.99. The reversible Amoret Sherpa-Lined Vest features durable water-repellent technology and a cozy lining. Available in black or navy; XS-XXL; $79.99. Carhartt.com.

HANDSON APPROACH TO QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP With an eye for design and precise attention to detail, B&D Builders builds excellence into every equine facility. From our expert engineering and choice of quality materials to our approach to planning, scheduling and management, B&D is hands-on to ensure your arena functions well and looks great for years to come. At B&D Builders, we build it right, or we don’t build it.

Request a quote or meeting with Ben or Daniel 717.687.0292 | CustomBarnBuilding.com

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DUBARRY WAXED JACKETS & MONAGHAN BOOT The Carrickfergus and Mountrath jackets for men and women, respectively, are Dubarry’s latest foray into beautiful outerwear. Both feature real leather details, a soft faux suede inner collar and under cuffs, and a sturdy front zip covered by a snap placket. Available in navy or olive (shown); European women’s sizes 34-44 and men’s S-XXXL; $349 and $399. The new women’s Chelsea ankle boot, the Monaghan, boasts all the technical features synonymous with Dubarry; it’s lined with a GORE-TEX waterproof and breathable membrane. Available in black, old rum and chestnut; European sizes 35-43; $349. Dubarry.com.

SARM HIPPIQUE MEN’S HUNTER JACKET, WOMEN’S AZALEA JACKET & EMPOLI MEN’S SHIRT Made of signature four-way stretch breathable microfiber that’s waterproof, stain resistant and machine washable, the Hunter jacket features a fourbutton placket and two-button cuff design. Available in navy, black (shown), grey, dark brown and tan; sizes 44-56; $840.

Sarm Hippique’s Azalea jacket for women is one of the brand’s best sellers, given that it can turn heads for all the right reasons at hunter, jumper or dressage competitions. It has all the same technical benefits of the Hunter, plus feminine Italian tailoring and customizable microsuede details and piping. Available in the same colors (shown in dark brown); sizes 38-50; $820. The Empoli men’s show shirt is made from luxe microfiber that looks stunning under any competition coat. Solid white; XS-XL; $200.

GalleriaMorusso.com.

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EQUILINE CAROL SHOW SHIRT, FLYER JACKET & CLODETTE JUNIOR BREECHES Sleek-chic is the name of the game for Equiline’s new fall line. Tailored with moto flair, the Carol competition top and Flyer jacket feature stretchy, technical mesh for breathability and flattering silhouettes. Shirt available in grey/black or white/black; sizes XS-XXL; $289.

Jacket available in blue or black; sizes XS-XXL; $475. The Clodette full-grip breech for girls boasts studded detailing on the front and back pockets and comes in white, blue, beige or grey; junior sizes 8/9-14/15; $249. EquilineAmerica.com.

ALESSANDRO ALBANESE PADOVA JACKET & LUGANO COAT The classy Padova jacket is the perfect outer layer for fall—a stain-, wind- and water-resistant shell packed with a touch of DuPont Sorona fill, a renewable insulation fiber. It features a full zip closure, zipped vents in back, and lock-down sport zippers on the pockets. Available in stone grey; sizes XS-XXL; $230. The Lugano long coat kicks the warmth factor up a few notches with more Sorona insulation plus faux fur lining the hood and torso. Its long back vents and twoway zipper make it functional in the saddle too. Features thumbholes and a removable hood. Available in navy or espresso (shown); XS-XXL; $300.

AlessandroAlbanese.com.

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THE CLOTHES HORSE OVATION CYCLONE BOOT & CERAMIC GLOVE LINERS With a grippy rubber sole and insulated footbed, the Cyclone All Season Tall Rider is perfect for barnwork and riding, and a full zipper makes them easy to peel off when it’s time to relax by the fireplace. Black; European ladies’ sizes 36-41; $75.

Ovation’s ceramic glove liners use your body’s kinetic energy to create infrared thermal warmth. You can also wear them alone, thanks to their touchscreen-friendly fingertips and silicone printed palms.

Black; ladies’ sizes S-XL; $14.95.

OvationRiding.com.

RÖNNER CAROSELLO DRESS & CAROUSEL PONCHO

ESSEX CONTEMPORARY SHIRT Coming in mid-September, Essex’s new contemporary collection combines the cool comfort of stretch cotton with the stylish details of their classic show shirts. Impeccably tailored with front and back darts for a slimming fit, they feature a 10-button front placket and interior contrast fabric trim detail. Available in a range of colors and prints; XS-XL; $140. EssexClassics.com.

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Holiday parties will be cramming your calendar before you know it, and Rönner’s beautiful equestrian-inspired designs are sure to get you showered with compliments. The Carosello is the perfect combination of a shirt and a dress—a comfortable and effortless piece in a timeless print you’ll wear for years. Available in burgundy, navy (shown) and taupe; sizes 2-16; $249.

Ponchos are also making a big comeback this season, so you’re sure to be on trend with the open-front and reversible Carousel, a perfect layering piece made of blended cotton and baby alpaca wool.

Available in pink/grey (shown), orange/grey, dark grey/grey, navy/grey and black/white; one size; $249. RonnerDesign.com.

SMARTPAK PIPER BREECHES This fall’s new colors for SmartPak’s wildly popular Piper breeches are anything but expected, from the punchy lapis blue/orange spice combo (shown in mid-rise) to the subtle dove grey/indigo (shown in original fit). Also available in taupe/rouge red (knee patch only) and charcoal/sage green (full seat only). Similar schemes will also be available for the modified rise, silicone grip, classic, plaid (shown in lapis blue/ black houndstooth) and junior Pipers this fall, too. Ladies’ sizes 22-46; $79.95 and up. SmartPakEquine.com.

ROMFH ISABELLA BREECH Romfh’s popular “curve fit” full seat breech will be available in three beautiful new autumnal hues this season: coffee, deep sage and pewter (shown).

Ladies’ sizes 24-36R and 26-30L; $189.95. Romfh.com.

ZUCCOLOTTO MEN’S ZIP SHOW COAT For the rider who’s ready to push the fashion envelope, the zip show coat by Zuccolotto Designs offers comfort, durability and modern flair. It features all the breathability, wicking properties and stretch you’ve come to expect in a technical jacket, and it also boasts a two-way zipper with a clever locking component to keep it secure while you’re on course. And yes, the pocket square is real! Available in September in onyx/maize yellow, onyx/ turquoise and Prussian blue/ ruby red; sizes 44-60; $1,200.

ZuccolottoDesigns.com.

ONE K DEFENDER JUNIOR HELMET One K now offers the same protection, comfort and quality of their previous collection, sized down specifically for young riders, with smaller internal diameters and shorter chinstraps.

Available in extra-small (sizes 5 to 6) and small (6 to 6 ); $229.95 for black suede (shown) and $189.95 for matte black. OneKHelmets.com.

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Grand Prix Village - There¶s a 16-stall barn that includes a halfbathroom, two tack rooms, two feed rooms, and wash stations. A one -bedroom grooms¶ apartment is on the second floor of the building, and includes a full bathroom and kitchen. Connected to the barn is a full owners¶ home with vaulted ceilings and a gourmet kitchen.

Offered at $10,750,000

Grand Prix Village - Newly constructed 20-stall equestrian facility with spacious 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom owner¶s quarters upstairs and amazing kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances. Downstairs viewing room opens to the riding arena. Full bathroom and office with plenty of storage, 4 wash stalls, laundry, tack and feed rooms.

Offered at $10,900,000

Grand Prix Village - Situated on 4-acres of lush land, is an amazing 20-stall barn with 4 wash stalls, 2 tack rooms, a laundry room, and a feed room. The owners¶ lounge has a beautiful fireplace as the focal point, as well as a kitchen with great room for entertaining and a wonderful view of the ¶ x ¶ competition ring with superior custom footing. Offered at $10,500,000

Southfields - Amazing opportunity to own 11 acres in the prestigious Southfields neighborhood. Property includes 2 barns with a total of 16 stalls, office, tack room, plenty of storage, groom¶s quarters and an 8-bedroom house perfect for managers/staff.

Equestrian amenities include an all-weather ring, a grass Grand Prix field and a Derby field. Offered at $9,750,000

Carol A. Sollak, P.A. Phone +1 561-818-9476 Fax +1 561-791-2221 www.carolsollak.evusa.com Wellington, Florida Carol.Sollak@evusa.com

©2017 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

Grand Prix Village - With 20-stalls, 4 wash/grooming stalls, two tack rooms, two feed rooms, large storage rooms, and two powder rooms. The private owners¶ lounge is just up the elevator and includes a gorgeous custom kitchen and bath. The property also has a covered all-weather arena and 10 paddocks.

Offered at $16,500,000

Grand Prix Village - Situated on 5.8 acres of land this property is well-planned and enjoys mature landscaping and a peaceful lake.

There are 41 stalls in total, between two barns. The main, centeraisle barn includes 18-stalls, two wash stalls, two grooming stalls, laundry, feed and miscellaneous storage, and a half-bathroom.

Offered at $14,000,000

Saddle Trail Park - Private equestrian estate is located on 4+ acres with direct access to the Bridle path and across from WEF. Beautifully designed and built, this magnificent barn, with rubber pavers and mats throughout, includes 15 European stalls with running water, an air conditioned office with galley kitchen.

Offered at $8,500,000

Palm Beach Point East - . Situated on five well-maintained acres, this property is within hacking distance to the WEF show grounds.

The 12-stall center aisle barn includes a one bedroom, one bathroom groom¶s apartment and a comfortable tack room with ample storage and laundry. A gazebo just outside of the barn overlooks the ring and makes for a perfect spot to hang out and watch the action.

Offered at $3,950,000

Carol A. Sollak, P.A. Phone +1 561-818-9476 Fax +1 561-791-2221 www.carolsollak.evusa.com Wellington, Florida Carol.Sollak@evusa.com

©2017 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

COVER FEATURE

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AT HOME WITH:

McLain, Lauren & Lilly

WARD Castle Hill Farm in Brewster, N.Y., has been Olympic show jumper McLain Ward’s home since he was a boy, and the recent completion of the house he designed with wife Lauren continues a tradition of celebrating history and family.

By JENNIFER B. CALDER Photos By BILL ATHERTON

G McLain and Lauren Ward spent years designing their new house at Castle Hill Farm, and they’ve now made it a home with 2-year-old daughter Lilly.

leaming on the front hall table of McLain and Lauren Ward’s newly finished home, nestled among the framed family snapshots and albums containing articles and photographs detailing the history of Castle Hill Farm, sits McLain’s silver plate from his long-desired win at this year’s Longines FEI World Cup Show Jumping Final (Neb.). This unassuming tableau—and even the table on which it sits, repurposed from an old workbench found in the barn—reflects the overarching philosophy of the former dairy farm and its inhabitants: respect for and celebration of the past and a marriage to present and future endeavors.

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COVER FEATURE This objective has been warmly captured in the Ward’s spectacular new home, which was more than three years in the making.

“It was really something that was emotional,” says McLain about the house they designed with no assistance from architects. “It wasn’t all drawn on a piece of paper one day and finished. As we tinkered along and thought, ‘How can we use different parts of the farm?’—and actually found different things around the farm—we followed that concept the whole way through. We had the idea of having a building that looked like it was something original to the property and going from there.

“It’s been a labor of love,” he adds.

FAMILY FIRST At Castle Hill Farm in Brewster, N.Y., the atmosphere is all about family, and family isn’t defined by blood for the Wards. It encompasses all those who came for employment but ended up finding a home.

McLain’s parents, Barney and Kris Ward, bought the 350-acre former dairy farm in 1979, with Barney converting it into an equestrian facility and doing most of the renovations himself.

Barney sold off much of the land but kept nearly 60 acres for his facility.

“It started years ago with my parents and my father in particular who basically started with nothing. Nothing. No indoor plumbing in his original house, his first house,” says McLain. “He was totally self made, and I think he always was guided and had a soft spot for young people who came from similar backgrounds.

“So early on, a lot of our staff and our grooms were people who were interested in horses, and this became their family; this became their home,” he continues. “And we’ve had employees really stay a long time and employees who have become part of the family and have come back years later— even after they’ve gone on to have families of their own or do different things in life—so that is the environment we strive to keep here. We try to have

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The dining room table by artist Hugo França was a wedding gift from McLain’s partners in Belgium and sat in their garage for years, waiting for the house to be built. It comes from a single piece of wood from fallen trees in the rainforest of Brazil and is such a heavy, solid slab the floors below had to be reinforced to bear the weight.

The Wards’ new house is a masterful blend of old and new.

“We always had this idea, Lauren and I, that it would look like there was something originally here, and that we converted,” says McLain. “We liked this loft style, this barn style, but with some industrial feel and a little bit more contemporary. We’ve been lucky enough to go all over the world and see so many things, and we have a great builder, Chris Munch.”

The library/trophy room shares a ďŹ replace with the main living space and is built with rocks from a dismantled stone fence on the farm. McLain discovered the large framed theater poster over the mantle, left behind in the ballroom by the Dreyfus family.

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COVER FEATURE

Both the step treads of the staircase and the wall paneling come from two massive black walnut trees that were cut down from where the house now stands.

“Black walnut is quite protected here, but they were on their way out, so we were able to use them,” says McLain.

“This was our one artistic splurge,” McLain says of the three light fixtures hanging over the staircase. “These are actually original gaslights from just outside the Eiffel Tower in Paris. I saw a picture online. There was a circle in front of the Eiffel Tower where cars used to be able to pull up before the current state of things, and they were the gas streetlights.”

The artwork in the background was discovered during a walk through a gallery in Paris last year, where, upon closer look, McLain recognized himself and Rothchild.

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A table in the main living space, which was built from an old workbench found in the barn, greets you as you enter the Wards’ home. On it, the past and present mingle with albums documenting the history of the farm, family snapshots and McLain’s trophy from the 2017 Longines FEI World Cup Show Jumping Final.

Framed photos on either side of the French doors depict the farm’s previous owners and two of their prized Percherons, while steel supports are disguised beneath recycled wood beams.

“At the end of the day, we wanted it to be a working house,” says McLain. “This is how we live, and we wanted it to feel like a place where who you are is who you are.”

that core feeling.”

To that end the staff, which ranges from eight to 12 people at any given time, are required to live on the premises, and they gather for breakfast and lunch every day in the cozy dining room/office in the main barn.

“I think it’s important that people stop and eat together,” McLain says. “There are some days when we can’t, but it’s not a 9 to 5 job. It’s not a situation where you clock in and clock out, and there are some days that are 24 hours long, and there are some days when we get done at 1 p.m. and go to the lake and rent a pontoon boat. We try to break it up because the circuit is so long, and the schedule is quite difficult, and when you get home people need a rest. So our business model allows us to be able to do that. You are trying to attract people who work in your stable that this is a labor of love. It’s not about hours and a paycheck—that’s obviously a necessity in life—but that’s not what the key draw is.”

THE HISTORY OF CASTLE HILL FARM

How does an Olympian relax? In a bath, of course, watching a flat screen television.

“I like to take a bath,” says McLain. “We built this, and so we have this bathtub with a view and the shower. You never have a great idea of space while looking at drawings, and one day we came up, and Lauren was like, ‘This is like a throne to a bath, and I get this little shower in the corner.’ But the shower came out bigger.”

McLain believes the environment on the farm fundamentally contributes to the success he’s found in the ring, including the aforementioned World Cup victory with HH Azur, two Olympic team gold medals, an individual Pan American Games gold and dozens of major grand prix wins.

“It’s something we are really proud of—the atmosphere here. That doesn’t mean that it’s always perfect,” he adds with a laugh. “We have to work at it sometimes, but I think it’s a pretty special place, and it has a lot of history. I think now, with Lauren and I building our home, we tried to tie a lot of that in and connect the two.”

Castle Hill Farm was built in 1910. It includes expansive barns (one has a ballroom with a bowling alley, basketball court and an indoor trampoline) surrounding a courtyard, cottages, homes for staff, jump rings, turnout paddocks, a pond, a full gym over the garage, a swimming pool and an indoor ring.

Daniel Drew, a 19th century financier and

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COVER FEATURE the founder of Drew University in New Jersey, originally built the farm. In the early 1900s, the property was owned by P.J. Ryan, a New York contractor who helped to build the Manhattan Bridge and bred cattle.

In 1909, a fire destroyed the original barns, and Ryan rebuilt the stone and wood complex still in use today, now filled mostly with equine celebrities. But there are also two cows, Rosie and Daisy, given as a wedding present from Erica and Lee McKeever. The McKeevers have been working with the Wards since McLain was young, and their two children are like siblings to 2-year-old Lilly Ward.

“I like cows,” McLain says. “I would like to have a herd, but I don’t have enough land, so I have two miniature ones.”

Unlike the dairy cattle previously on the farm, these two “ just stand there,” he confesses with a laugh.

In 1930, the farm was sold to Max and Victoria Dreyfus. Max worked on Broadway producing musicals alongside Rodgers and Hammerstein, George Gershwin and Cole Porter, and the Dreyfus family used the place as a summer home.

McLain points to two black-and-white photographs framed in the main room of their home. In one, a woman stands holding the lead of a horse, and in the other, a man does the same.

“Mrs. Dreyfus had Percherons here. This is her mare. This is in the apple field here, in 1934,” he says pointing out of the window.

“And this is her son,” he says, pointing to the other photograph. “Lauren found it for Christmas for me one year. This is in our front field looking up at the barn, and there is the corner of that small bank barn.”

The Dreyfuses primarily had cattle and kept a few Percherons as a hobby. While cleaning out the 100-year old hayloft, McLain found one of many treasures: a small metal sign detailing the auction of one such Percheron. A bit of research revealed the horse had been sold to a dairy farm in Carmel, Ind.

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Castle Hill Farm is home not only to the Ward family but also to all their staff members, and many of them have been there for decades.

In addition to doing much of the maintenance on the farm and designing his new home, McLain is also a skilled craftsman, making several tables at the house. In this one on the back patio, the top is made from recycled fence posts from the farm.

The steel and wood staircase is a work of art in and of itself.

After daydreaming about this stunning ping-pong table for six years, McLain celebrated a grand prix win by buying it.

“I think we’ve had about six Olympians already play and go head-tohead on this ping-pong table,” says McLain. “Beezie Madden, by far, is the best. She’s a sleeper. She’ll kill you!”

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COVER FEATURE

The Wards underestimated the amount of stuff that comes along with having a 2-year-old, so a media/theater room was quickly re-envisioned as Lilly’s playroom.

“This is the only playroom you’re ever going to see with surround sound— surround sound and soundproof walls. It has Art Deco soffit ceilings, and the firehose boxes are from a hotel, and I bought them and refinished them myself.

We were going to put movie posters in them, but now it’s Lilly’s artwork. Life changed!” McLain says with a chuckle.

Lilly is growing up on the same land her father did and has already been bitten by the horse gene, spending many hours leading and riding her pony, Daisy, on the grounds.

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“The farm it was sold to was two doors down from my mother’s grandparents’ dairy farm!” he says. “And that is the one sign we found. That is a little spooky!”

When Max passed away, the farm was donated to Cornell University. It sat vacant for nearly 30 years until McLain’s parents bought it in 1979.

TRADITION MARRIED TO INNOVATION

McLain sits at the family’s fire pit, which is fashioned from two old tractor wheels found in the crawl space of the barn.

McLain and Lauren, who married in 2007, continue the hands-on tradition of renovations started by Barney. The couple designed every detail inside and outside of their new home, which sits on the site where Barney had his house prior to his death in 2012—although they’re quick to state it was a collaboration with builder Chris Munch, who helped turn their vision into reality.

The inspiration behind the house was fueled not only by the surrounding farm but also from their travels.

“The whole time we’ve been together, we’ve been building our house in our minds and taking pieces and parts of things that we’ve seen while traveling,” says Lauren. “Things we like, things we didn’t like, and you also learn how you live.”

Prior to building their new home they lived in a cottage next to the main barn, which is now being rented to a friend.

While this is the first house Lauren and McLain have built from scratch, they’ve renovated other homes on the farm, in addition to eight houses in 10 years in their winter base of Wellington, Fla. “We had quite a nice business,” says McLain.

“We would buy not big houses—three- or fourbedroom [houses]. We would buy, renovate, live in for one season and sell. Then when Lilly was born, we stopped because it was work, but it was a nice distraction. We enjoyed it.”

Lauren adds that they’re very excited about this house.

“And not in a gloating sort of way!” she quickly clarifies. “It’s just something we really were passionate about. McLain ordered the couches in the living room six years ago from people in California.

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COVER FEATURE I mean, he is really, honestly, the vision behind it, I have to say. He’s very talented.”

Their new home looks as though it could have started as one of the original buildings on the property with its roofline and interior a lofty open space mimicking the main barns.

Set on a hill, the four-bedroom home looks over the farm below. Whenever possible, and it was possible often, materials used in the construction were recycled from the property or given to the couple by friends. Two massive black walnut trees were cut down after an arborist determined they were at the end of their life cycles, the wood then milled and used as paneling on the walls of the first floor and for the step treads of the steel stairway, which was executed by Chris Hall of Stronghold Industries.

The fireplace in the main room, which can be enjoyed from either the living room or the trophy room, is constructed from stone walls that fenced in the property, so abundant that they were also used for the exterior steps.

Posts on the outside porches were made from wood given to them by veterinarian Bill Bradley, and a table on the back patio was made by McLain.

The fire pit is fashioned from two old tractor wheels found in the crawl space of the barn, and the brick surrounding it was left over from a friend’s project and offered to them.

“It’s been nice to reuse so many things and incorporate the history of the place into our new home,” McLain says.

McLain doesn’t just limit his efforts to design; he can often be found puttering around the grounds and is very hands-on with the farm’s upkeep. One of his most prized possessions is his new tractor, which he coveted for more than a year before finally buying it after the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

“We do all the maintenance other than the house, myself and a couple other guys,” he says. “I like to mow. It’s very peaceful. I love it. It’s my therapy.

“After traveling a bit or getting a bit stressed,

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McLain coveted a World Cup Final win his entire career and finally made it happen this year in Omaha.

McLain has brought home almost too many accolades to count over his illustrious career, including two Olympic team gold medals.

McLain bought the two couches in the main living space about six years ago off eBay from a woman in California and stored them until he could realize their dream house.

The cowhide rug is a nod to the farm’s original purpose and was in their Florida home prior to selling that house to fellow show jumper Nick Skelton. The two chairs on the right belonged to McLain’s mother, who passed away in 2005.

McLain’s World Cup trophy sits on a table from a repurposed workbench found in the barn and is displayed alongside albums detailing the history of the farm and family snapshots.

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The Ward family’s new home sits on the site where McLain’s father, Barney Ward, had a house prior to his death.

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Posts on the exterior porches were made from wood given to the Wards by veterinarian Dr. Bill Bradley.

Lauren will say to me, ‘You need to go home and mow a little,’ ” he adds with a laugh.

As he continues the tour of his farm, I notice the best bays in his garage are not reserved for his cars but his two lawnmowers.

When asked what his dad would make of their continued effort to improve the farm he also loved so much—he is buried on the property, per his wishes—McLain laughs.

“My father would think this is absolutely ridiculous!” he says. “He would have been furious with me for spending so much money. But in the end, he would have very quietly told his friends what a phenomenal job we did, which is about how it was. He would have asked why we needed so many bathrooms, so many bedrooms and all this stuff and then would have come up and …”

“Lived here?” I fill in.

“Yes! Or at least tried to,” he says, laughing harder.

When the tour is over and I’m gathering my things, I once again notice the silver World Cup trophy, which isn’t tucked away with the others in the trophy room but proudly displayed on the entry table, and I ask McLain what it meant to him to win that contest.

“I think it means a great deal to us,” he says, switching my question from the singular to plural. “It’s something that a lot of people around me have worked hard and long for. It certainly has been a life goal and a career goal. You know, it’s my nature to enjoy it for a short amount of time, and then onto the next.”

The show season never stops, and the Wards spend plenty of time on the road. But their existence is far from rootless.

“I was always taught that you show respect for the opportunities and things you’ve been given by continuing on that legacy and that idea of building something and bettering something,” McLain says. “I think that’s how you show the appreciation and respect for the opportunities provided to you, whether they be philosophical or financial.”

With their new home at Castle Hill Farm, the Wards are doing just that.

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FEATURE

The Horses That Live Between The Skyscrapers

A lifelong New Yorker reflects on the many ways horses have wound themselves into her life, despite the most unlikely of backdrops.

By SAR AH MASLIN NIR

J

umbo shrimp. Adult children. To the list of oxymorons, you might as well

add another: urban equestrian, two terms so contradictory as to seem impossible such a thing could exist.

Horses are still located all over New York City, from police mounts in Times Square and Central Park to riding horses stabled at small barns in boroughs.

But as I cantered in lazy circles on a bay mare one afternoon a few years ago, practicing serpentines on an island in the middle of New York Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s East

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FEATURE Horses were once more common than cars in the streets of New York City.

SCIENCE HISTORY IMAGES/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

River, the towering skyline of Manhattan on one side and the industrial waterfront of Queens on the other, I realized I’ve spent a lifetime searching for horses between the skyscrapers. And to my continual surprise, I’ve found them time and time again.

New York City was forged by horses. Tethered to steel plows, they dug the furrows for its grid plan in 1811, through the wilds and wilderness, setting at right angles the farmsteads of the Upper East Side and Harlem.

The city’s 19th century streets still echo equines; they were built to accommodate not cars but hansom cabs, pulled by the approximately 100,000 to 200,000 horses that lived in the city limits at that time.

In the Bronx, a stone monument in Van Cortlandt Park tapers into a bowl at its base: a horse drinking fountain left over from another era. Look up on the cobbled lanes of the trendy Meatpacking District, and a luxury apartment building on Great Jones Street reveals its past: The word “Stables” is still written on the eaves.

Parking Garage Life But horses aren’t just the city’s past, I’ve discovered, through a lifetime of love for them, as a city girl born with a cowgirl’s heart—despite having a family who prefers animals when they’re served medium rare.

There are several stables in the city’s limits, and I grew up riding at almost

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all of them. I took my first trail rides through Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, past rocky outcroppings splattered with graffiti on semi-feral mounts from what was then Pelham Bit Stables.

When a family friend gifted me a chestnut Quarter Horse with a debilitating fear of plastic carrot bags, he lived for a time in the Bronx at the Riverdale Equestrian Center, then managed by a couple who are both urban equestrians: Ashley Holzer, who represented Canada in dressage at the Olympic Games, and Rusty Holzer, a show jumper who competed in the Olympics for the U.S. Virgin Islands.

But the oddest city barn—perhaps in the world—was Claremont Riding Academy, housed in a parking garage.

The horses lived upstairs and climbed down the flights via a series of ramps to get to lessons or hacks down the streets

to nearby Central Park. Claremont had a 115-year run on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, but it closed in 2007.

Watching the horses slip-slide down the ramps was a breathtaking thing; it was scary, but the horses, most of whom lived their whole lives there on the second and third floors, seemed utterly unfazed, jaded New Yorkers like the rest of us.

They came alive in Central Park, on the dirt bridle paths that still trace though the greenery, jigging across the pavement to get to illicit mouthfuls of grass.

The riding ring in the parking garage-cum-equestrian center was a terror.

It was filled with columns that supported the roof, and a riding lesson consisted of yelling out your track (inside the columns or around them) as other riders whizzed by, at least 65 times.

But that experience made for bombproof horses and riders, so much so

that my friend, Chris Peregrin, thought nothing of being asked to ride in Egyptian garb on a horse across the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in the opera Aida when he was an instructor there.

The horse after all, had done it in the last production and every season before that; the equine probably had more stage time at Lincoln Center than any diva.

One afternoon during my senior year of high school, I found myself back in that cramped, colonnaded riding ring at Claremont, my heart racing as a uniformed officer with the New York City Parks Department Mounted Patrol barked test questions at me. I was atop an 18-hand Belgian named Sampson.

He lived upstairs next to his best friend and colleague, King, a 20-hand Belgian, and would not, no matter what I asked him, how hard I pleaded, or how sharply I kicked, do anything but stand

stock-still. Second semester seniors at my high school were allowed to do a service project instead of taking some classes, and here I was, trying out to be an auxiliary member of the Parks Department’s Mounted Unit and failing miserably.

“You passed!” yelled the sergeant when I dismounted. I was shocked. It was supposed to be a riding skills test, and Sampson never budged. “He doesn’t listen unless he’s outside on patrol,” she said. “With most people in the ring, he flies backwards. Good job keeping him at a halt.”

Parks patrols go in pairs, typically made up of one officer and one member of a volunteer auxiliary corps, for which anyone can try out. So began a school semester upstairs in the barn each morning feeding the Belgian boys grain and mucking their stalls. On special days I’d go on patrol on Sampson, donning a brown park uniform, strapping on a leather holster

LEN HOLSBORG/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

CITIZEN OF THE PLANET/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

The Claremont Riding Academy operated on Manhattan’s Upper West Side for more than a century, finally closing its doors in 2007.

Remnants of New York City’s more horsey past exist all over the boroughs today, including at this Van Cortlandt Park drinking trough in the Bronx, built as a memorial to Algernon Sydney Sullivan in 1906.

with a walkie-talkie, and a green saddle pad hung with a baton. The weapon was sewn on to the pad, but parkgoers didn’t know that, and it looked fearsome.

Our job was benign: We gave directions and told people to put their dogs back on the leash. But one afternoon, my officer teammate smelled smoke, and we galloped after a group of truant teenagers—at one point through a fountain— just long enough, we hoped, to scare them all the way back to school.

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FEATURE

An Appaloosa Unicorn

PHOTOS COURTESY SARAH MASLIN NIR

In college at Columbia University, I became captain of our equestrian team, rising early in the morning to grab a bus from Morningside Heights in Manhattan, across the Hudson River to a barn just beyond the George Washington Bridge. I instituted a volunteering requirement for every team member and spent my weekends in yet another parking garage that houses horses—and still does—a carriage horse barn near Times Square.

There, at Chateau Stables, on their days off, the heavy horses who trot tourists through Central Park served as mounts for severely disabled children.

There was no better morning than those spent walking inside the garage as one of four stabilizers assigned to every childhorse pair. We’d hold on to their tiny legs as support and look on as a child, perhaps barely able to sit up in a wheelchair, rode proud. (Chateau no longer operates the program, but GallopNYC, a nonprofit organization for disabled riders, offers students with disabilities riding in Brooklyn and Queens.)

More than a decade later, this year, I was back in that same Midtown barn: This time it was near midnight, and I was decked in a party hat, dancing with a leopard Appaloosa named Falabella who was wearing a sparkling unicorn horn.

Chateau Stables now throws pony parties, and while more typical guests are children, they were game to host my 34th birthday party, complete with miniature horses dressed as unicorns and pony rides. My guests being grown-ups, however, they brought out a gray Perche-

Chateau Stables in Manhattan hosts birthday parties for children—and some lucky adults, including the author (top)—in addition to leading riders through Central Park.

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Today Sarah Maslin Nir keeps her two hunters, Golden Standard (left) and Trendsetter, in New Jersey, but she has years of experience with horses and stables inside the limits of New York City.

PHOTO COURTESY SARAH MASLIN NIR

I became their instructor and exercise rider that summer, galloping around the island paddocks under the city skyline as the river rushed by, disbelieving my luck with every hoof beat.

Today I keep my two warmbloods just 40 minutes’ drive from Manhattan’s West Village where I live, at Ithilien Stables in Whitehouse, N.J., a hunter/jumper barn filled with New Yorkers.

It’s eminently more pastoral than the parking garages, graffiti-covered trails and skyline-backed paddocks of my youth.

But sometimes, when I’m cantering by, I can almost glimpse skyscrapers through the trees.

PHOTO COURTESY SARAH MASLIN NIR

ron carriage horse and popped a unicorn horn on her too to tootle my non-horsey friends around in tiny circles in the barn.

Outside on 48th Street, as we headed out to leave, in place of an Uber was a hitched hay wagon waiting in the dark.

My friends piled in, and we trotted in a loop through New York City’s night, down the West Side Highway, plastic Solo cups of Champagne in hand, making sure to feed our steed a bite of birthday cake as thanks.

It was a wild urban equestrian night, but still nothing compares to the day during summer break from college, when, on a whim, I walked across a pedestrian bridge over the East River from the Upper East Side onto a small island in the river, hunting for horses. I was there to explore what, as I drove by frequently on Harlem River Drive, looked to me like a little red barn on the same island that houses the notorious Rikers Island prison complex.

It was postcard perfect, incongruent as the sound of traffic rushed by. Outside it, a couple sat at a picnic bench. They introduced themselves as Dr. George E. Blair and Mrs. Anne Blair, the founders of the Black World Championship Rodeo. It is a now defunct street festival of horses that used to pop up every year in Harlem, celebrating the overlooked legacy of African American cowboys who tamed the West.

Getting on in years, the couple still taught horsemanship to inner city kids who came in busloads to the island, on their two ponies and a horse they brought each summer to live in what was, yes, a little red barn in the middle of the East River.

“Could I ride?” they asked. Within minutes I was on their bay mare in my shorts and sneakers, walk-trotcantering to Mrs. Blair’s specifications.

“Outside on 48th Street, as we headed out to leave, in place of an Uber was a hitched hay wagon waiting in the dark. My friends piled in, and we trotted in a loop through New York City’s night, down the West Side Highway, plastic Solo cups of Champagne in hand, making sure to feed our steed a bite of birthday cake as thanks,” writes Sarah Maslin Nir (center) of her 34th birthday party at Chateau Stables.

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Normandy For a ride through Normandy, France, Janice Holly Booth was paired with Camargue Suzuki, and TJ Solomon spent most of his rides on Appaloosa Moopy.

A riding trip through northern France’s natural wonders and historical sites, including Omaha Beach and MontSaint-Michel Bay, converts even a novice horseman into an equine enthusiast.

By JANICE HOLLY BOOTH

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JANICE HOLLY BOOTH PHOTO

TJ SOLOMON PHOTO

SCENES WORTH SEEING ON HORSEBACK

verything is better with a horse attached to it, and five days exploring the D-Day beaches of Normandy, France, is no exception.

Unless you don’t ride, that is.

My partner, TJ Solomon, was up for a two-legged exploration of the battlegrounds where friends and family had fought in World War II, but the four-legged option didn’t appeal to him. At all.

TJ SOLOMON PHOTOS

Despite not spending much time in the saddle before the trip, TJ Solomon became fast friends with Moopy during their tour of Normandy.

The ride through Normandy included hacks down city streets as well as plenty of time spent in the French countryside.

Now, taking a non-rider along on a fast-paced trip is always a bad idea, but the allure of galloping on the sands of Omaha Beach made me want to take the risk. We watched WWII movies in preparation for a visit to Normandy, and at the end of each one I’d ask TJ, “Can you imagine galloping on Omaha Beach? Galloping!” I knew I’d finally gotten to him when, after countless retorts of “No,” he finally– reluctantly—said “Yes.”

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Ah, Paris. There’s a reason it’s considered one of the greatest cities in the world. History, architecture, beauty, food, wine, style—everywhere you turn there’s a jewel to behold or delicacy to consume.

That’s not to say it’s all fairy dust and rainbows, though. We had our issues with the subway, some rude waiters and my reliably bad sense of direction. But the city is made for walking, and walk we did—more than 20,000 steps a day!

From our tiny but stylish penthouse in the Marais (the historical Jewish quarter), we took a bike tour of Paris, a guided excursion of the Eiffel Tower, a riverboat cruise on the Seine, and paid a visit to the dark bowels of the Catacombs—where the bones of six million people rest in shadowy repose.

Our final night in Paris coincided with TJ’s birthday, which we celebrated on the rooftop at Georges, the Parisian restaurant featured in the movie The Hundred-Foot Journey. I chose Georges

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The Main Event

A train took us straight to Bayeux, the starting point for our ride. Bayeux is rich A highlight of the trip for all the riders was a gallop down Omaha Beach, site of the World War II D-Day invasion in 1944. in history, especially for its famous tapestry depicting the Battle of Hastings in 1066, with horses galore! It’s 230' long, 20' high, and it’s displayed in one continuous strip. Nine hundred years old, it has survived time, fires and Nazi occupation. It’s also been designated as a “Memory of the World” by UNESCO. A visit to the tapestry was on our agenda for the first day, according to Anne-France (yes, that’s her real name!) Launay, our super fit riding guide. Dark haired with aquiline features, she corralled our small but noisy Janice Holly Booth and TJ Solomon group of five to tell us about our horses (right) were guided through Normandy by Jeanand what we could expect in the comMichel Audige (pictured) and Anne-France Launay of Cheval et Châteaux. ing days: After leaving Bayeux, we’d ride through fields, forests and towns to important WWII and French historical locations: Creully, ArromanThe equine partners that would carry ches, Omaha Beach, Saint-Lô, and us over hill and dale were French then wrap up our adventure with a citizens—some smallish white ride in Mont-Saint-Michel Bay. Camargue horses from the marshy Geographically, it was an enormous waters of southern France and one amount of ground to cover. My butt fancy buckskin Norman Cob, two started to hurt just thinking about it. breeds for which France is well known.

PHOTO COURTESY JANICE HOLLY BOOTH

The Prologue

for a reason: For five minutes every evening hour, the Eiffel Tower turns into a veritable disco ball of shooting lights and swirling beams—the biggest birthday candle ever.

We were sad to be leaving Paris the next day, but we agreed that our three days there had felt like seven.

TJ SOLOMON PHOTO

Part of the carrot I dangled in front of him was agreeing to add non-equine-related bookends to the trip—we’d begin in Paris, ride for a week in Normandy, and end with visits to Étretat and Fécamp—with the chance to retrace the path of a family friend who’d been captured by the Germans at Sainte-Mère-Église.

I promised to do all the planning; all he had to do was show up. And ride a little bit beforehand.

When departure day arrived, neither of us was ready. I’d barely ridden, and TJ had two short lessons on my senior citizen horse, Brazen. It was too late to do anything about it. We stocked up on ibuprofen and euros and made our way across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Horses

TJ SOLOMON PHOTO

JANICE HOLLY BOOTH PHOTO

“Apparently, despite the deadly quicksand traps, the bay is a favored place to exercise these two kinds of racing horses, and the day we were there, the beach was full of them,” says Janice Holly Booth of watching French Trotters and Thoroughbreds work in Mont-Saint-Michel Bay.

Riders trekked in front of Saint-Lô’s Notre Dame, which was leveled to the ground during the bombings of World War II.

TJ’s horse, Moopy, was an interloper, a sturdy Appaloosa-draft cross mare.

Our mounts belonged to our secondary guide, Jean-Michel Audige, who wore fringed leather chaps, an Indiana Jones style hat over salt-and-pepper hair, and who spoke almost no English. He could sing, though, and he often regaled us with tunes on long rides. My Camargue, Suzuki, was a bit nervous on the ground but a rockstar on the trail. They all were. Well, except for Anne-France’s and Jean-Michel’s mounts—beautiful chestnut Arabians who obviously hadn’t yet learned that spooking and overreacting were just a waste of energy.

Camargue horses have an up-anddown pony-type gait, which took some getting used to, and while I yearned for a more forward, fluid stride, I became rather attached to little Suzuki, appreciating his trustworthiness and good nature in the face of blaring traffic, quicksand and staircases.

I was sorry to leave him behind when on the last day we switched

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TRAVEL

Riding on the beach in front of Mont-Saint-Michel Bay was saved for the last day, and it proved memorable for Janice Holly Booth and TJ Solomon.

vendors at Mont-Saint-Michel and “graduated” from our ponies to great big Selle Français and French Trotters.

Most of the horses had huge, forward gaits but were also possessed of bad manners, so although they were real lookers, I secretly wished we were back on our previous mounts.

The Digs Anne-France’s riding company is called Cheval et Châteaux (Horses and Castles) for a reason. We spent all but one night at historic estates. Château de Martragny, in Bayeux, was a farmhouse-style chateau from the 18th century. Now a hotel/restaurant and RV campsite, it hosts family camping and has a pool, gardens, trails, and the most ebullient hosts I’ve ever met.

Hotel Château de Bellefontaine, on Day 2, was a statelier 18th century chateau surrounded by a 200-year-old park complete with a river running through it and a parade of white and black swans, piebald ducks and the most beautiful blue-backed diving ducks.

Château de la Roque, on Day 3, was an elegant 16th century castle that for-

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merly housed the Office of the Public Prosecutor. It featured a long, cypresslined driveway that was straight off a movie set. That all of these places allowed us to bring our horses (and their poop), tack up and set out from their grounds says a lot about the difference in attitudes between the United States and European countries. Horses are a welcome sight in France; almost no place is off limits.

In Arromanches, we ditched the castles for a seaside stay in Hôtel de la Marine, with pure, unobstructed views of the beach and the remnants of the famous Mulberry Harbour, one of the engineering feats that heralded a turning point in the war. Both sunset and sunrise painted the white-walled room with gold. Magnificent.

But perhaps the most jaw-dropping chateau was the Manoir de Brion in Mont-Saint-Michel, a former Benedictine priory of the abbey of MSM. Founded in 1137, it’s been visited by kings and explorers, was ravaged during the French Revolution, then turned into a hospital to shelter wounded soldiers during WWII. The British writer Vincent Cronin lived at the Manoir until his

death in 2011, and his wife, Chantal, still lives there. A charming, genteel woman, she’s in her 90s and still navigates the circular stairways every day.

The Food French food, while it can be rich (all that butter!), is fresh, non-processed and largely free of GMOs. There’s little factory farming in France, so even the “bad” stuff—like red meat and heavy cream—is healthy. To wit: For three weeks I ate and drank everything in sight and still lost 4 pounds.

In Paris, I’d been mesmerized by the artistry of the pastries displayed in shop windows. But on our ride, gourmet dinners held center stage. Seafood cassoulet, French onion soup (the real McCoy!), guinea hens, fresh sole, melt-in-yourmouth beef, cage-free chicken and an unusual appetizer—“gray shrimp,” each about the size of a small paperclip—that we ate intact (head, antennae, eyeballs) like peanuts out of a bowl. To say I was initially grossed out was an understatement, but I gave them a try and was soon eating them by the fistful.

Our most memorable meal was also

TJ SOLOMON PHOTOS

Some of the seafood delicacies the riders sampled in France included gray shrimp (right) and mussels from Mont-Saint-Michel Bay.

our simplest: mussels straight out of Mont-Saint-Michel Bay. Anne-France pronounced them “Gorgeous!” and while that’s not really a term Americans use to describe the taste of food, I can’t think of a better one. MSM mussels are small and plump with a briny taste that is neither overwhelming nor fishy. AnneFrance showed us how to eat them like the French do, by taking the empty shell of one mussel and using it like pincers to pull the flesh out of another.

Wine was plentiful at evening meals, and I was delighted to discover that French Chardonnay is entirely different than the oaky, buttery abominations from California. French Chardonnay is bright, crisp and light. Anne-France ensured we sampled a selection of wines from various regions of France, and there wasn’t a one we wouldn’t have ordered a case of on our own.

The Riding—And The Memories Every day offered something new: One day we’d ride through fields and forests, and the next we’d clop along narrow city streets, navigating manholes, cars and tour buses.

One day, on our way to Saint-Lô and the famous National Stud Farm there, we rode along the Vire River on a wide, unpaved greenway. On our left flowed the river, full of birds, herons and grass snakes. On our right, emerald pastures where herds of cows watched us with wide eyes, or groups of curious horses galloped to the fence, nickering greetings to our enslaved mounts. There was a cinematic quality to it, as if we had stumbled onto a movie set. Getting to Saint-Lô itself required leaving the peaceful greenway and navigating blaring traffic, including a heavily-trafficked bridge over the river which, I’ll be honest, made me just close my eyes and trust in Suzuki’s courage.

Obviously this was not his first rodeo, nor the others, so without incident we crossed the bridge, then clopped up a steep ramp to the top of the town, past Notre-Dame, which had been completely bombed in WWII. The National Stud Farm in SaintLô is much the same as it was in 1806 when Napoleon ordered it built to produce horses for his various wars. On this day, purple and pink hydrangea

bushes were in full flower; red-tinged ivy covered the walls of the striped brick buildings. A vast center grass court was meticulously manicured.

The National Stud Farm produces some of France’s specialty breeds, including the Selle Français, Percheron and Norman Cob. In its heyday, the farm boasted more than 400 stallions; today, there are about 40. After meeting some of these sleek-coated, well-bred and enormous equine superstars, we walked back outside where I paused for a moment to take it all in. Napoleon was here, I thought. Napoleon!

The day we rode to Omaha Beach was all blue skies and brightness. On the way there, Jean-Michel led us on a fun canter up a hill through a bright yellow hay field, which led us directly to Omaha Beach Golf Club, where we were to eat lunch. As a teenager in Canada, I would ride my rogue pony on golf courses just for the thrill of being chased off, but here in France we were welcomed! Horses on a golf course is something you’ll never see in the United States or Canada.

At lunch, Jean-Michel warned us that once we got to Omaha Beach itself

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ANNE-FRANCE LAUNAY PHOTO

thought about how this, right here, had Clipper, was beautiful but ill-mannered, been the site of unspeakable chaos and so I spent more time being aggravated bloodshed. High above us on an escarp- than I did being wowed. ment to our right was the American But there were some indelible cemetery, which we would be visiting moments: Thoroughbreds being galloped within the hour. Out of the oddest col- in the shallow surf, and French Trotters lision of thoughts—joy for the beauty of the place; sadness at the 9,400 soldiers laying in rest on the hill above; thanks for the honest, dutiful horse that carried me, with the love of my life riding close behind—came these words: I am grateful.

A foray into MontSaint-Michel Bay was the culmination of the ride, meant to be the cherry on top of our riding sundae. My horse, a big and regally bred Selle Français named Riders posed in front of Château de Creully in Creully, France.

JANICE HOLLY BOOTH PHOTO

we might not be able to gallop if there were too many people milling about.

And when we arrived there, after a long ride through city streets and greenway trails, my heart sank—the place was as mobbed as a street in Manhattan. The very thing I’d used to lure TJ on this ride was about to be a non-starter. He was going to kill me!

But the beach is 5 miles long, and Jean-Michel patiently guided us to a more remote stretch of sand, circled his hand in the air—our signal to canter—and we were off! With a dazzling sun above, this was one of those rare situations where reality is better than the fantasy.

The horses were sure-footed and focused, so even when a dog darted out of nowhere and started chasing us as if we were a line of uncatchable cars, our mounts never wavered. There was a rivulet running across the beach in front of us, deep enough that the horses might try to jump. I readied myself, but instead Suzuki barreled right through, sending up a huge swath of spray. And that’s when time stopped for me. Every single drop of water—and there were hundreds of them—was like a diamond, suspended in the air, glittering fiercely. I felt suspended too, in a freeze-frame moment, thinking, “How can this be real?”

We cantered to a place where the beach was fully deserted, then turned to make our way back on a trail through the sand dunes. I looked at the hoof prints we’d just left on the tranquil beach and

“I felt both happy and relieved: He’d cantered on two famous beaches in France and lived to tell about it, and we’d made it a week on horseback without him hating my guts,” says Janice Holly Booth of her trip to Normandy with partner TJ Solomon (pictured).

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Of Fire, and I half expected the famous soundtrack to start blaring overhead.

On one long canter, TJ—who had been struggling at the faster paces— finally got his rhythm. While my horse pitched and bucked, TJ’s cantered calmly along, and I saw the moment when it all clicked for him. If TJ could have spread his arms like Rose on the bow of the Titanic, he would have. I didn’t need to see his face to know he was having the time of his life on that long expanse of gray sand, a cloud-studded sky above, the sun glistening on the water. “That was awesome!” he declared when it was all over.

I felt both happy and relieved: He’d cantered on two famous Bunkers remaining from World War II served as a reminder that the war didn’t end so very long ago. beaches in France and lived to tell about it, and we’d made it a week on horseback without him hating my guts.

TJ SOLOMON PHOTO

TJ SOLOMON PHOTO

pulling their sulkies in wide arcing circles.

Apparently, despite the deadly quicksand traps, the bay is a favored place to exercise these two kinds of racing horses, and the day we were there, the beach was full of them. It was like an equine Chariots

The End After bidding farewell to Anne-France and our riding companions, we spent four incredible days making our way back to Paris via more D-Day beaches and Étretat and Fécamp, beach towns that were

Anne-France Launay, owner of Cheval et Châteaux, guided the riders on their journey through Normandy.

part of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall. Gun turrets, bunkers and block houses were still intact and in remarkably good shape, a reminder that the conflict that wiped out millions of lives ended only 72 years ago.

High atop a hill overlooking Étretat, we stood where Rommel had, where he and his men would have gazed out across the sea, not knowing that their enemy would soon attack. It gave us both chills.

Next, a two-night stay in Rouen— site of Joan of Arc’s death by fire— delighted us as much as Paris had. A completely unexpected delight was the free evening light show at Notre-Dame where 3D projections and holograms turned the façade of the church into a living storybook. One scene showed hundreds of Vikings scaling the church walls and then falling to their deaths.

It was a spectacular production, and I felt like a little kid again, all agog.

And finally, we wrapped everything up at Monet’s house and gardens in Giverny, where we marveled at the wildness of his gardens, a clash of colors and textures, butterflies and bees, and still the same as when he graced the grounds with his brushes and paints a hundred years ago.

We’d seen so much, and in the end, I was surprised that TJ named the riding as the most unique and memorable part of our trip. It was more than I’d hoped for—all I wanted was for him to still be talking to me when it was all over. “Millions of people visit Normandy every year, but how many get to gallop a horse on Omaha Beach?” he mused.

TJ confessed he’d gone into the ride a little worried about his abilities, but that the two beach gallops were his best memories of our journey. “It felt like flying,” he said.

Yes, it truly did.

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LIFE BETWEEN THE EARS SEEING THE WORLD WITH

“Life Between The Ears”

RUSTY STEEL/@WAIT_A_LITTLE_HORSE_SAFARI PHOTO

Contributors to the “Life Between The Ears” social media accounts transport us to the world’s most interesting and beautiful places—all viewed from the saddle. Each issue, we share a few of their images.

HOEDSPRUIT, SOUTH AFRICA Seeing giraffes while out on a ride might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most, but for Rusty Steel, it’s all in a day’s work.

Steel is a guide for the Wait A Little Big Five Horse Safari company in South Africa.

“Having grown up on a farm in Zimbabwe where my mother had a keen interest in horses, I have experience in in-hand showing of Anglo-Arabs to cattle hustling horses to general horses to hack out on,” Steel said. “I don’t remember not knowing how to ride, but over 30 years my type of riding went from get on and go to the deep seat, sit back polocrosse player to heels down, light seat, straight back English style riding that I try to perfect while riding with clients through the South African bush on safari. I have never competed in the arena, as my patience and need to head out into the bush is far too great of a distraction.”

Wait A Little, founded and run by Gerti and Philip Kusseler, runs guided horseback safaris in the Karongwe Private Game Reserve, which encompasses about 86,000 acres of wilderness.

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Steel has been working for Wait A Little for six years. “I had no idea what I was expecting,” he said of the career. “I cannot see myself doing anything else. My bosses have amazing horsemanship skills and have built up this incredible company from scratch for almost 20 years. With over 40 horses in the yard, it’s a full-time job for everyone working there.”

The ears in this photo belong to Samuel Smith, one of Wait A Little’s string for safari rides. He’s a 14-year-old Friesian-Selle Français cross who was bred in South Africa.

He’s been part of Wait A Little’s string for nine years. “His amazing personality and bulletproof behavior sent him to the front as lead horse within a few months of being here,” said Steel.

“I have had the privilege of riding him now for almost five years,” Steel continued.

“I cannot express how much faith I have in this horse. He has gotten me out of many dangerous situations from close encounters with the wildlife. And he’s never questioned going forward into danger. His laidback behavior allows us to get amazingly close to the wildlife and gives off a relaxed vibe for the other horses that follow.”

JESSA KARLBERG/@CINCH920 PHOTOS

SUMNER, NEBRASKA Jessa Karlberg was a city girl when she met her husband.

“Kurt and I met at college, after I had left the big city of Omaha to try my hand in cowboy country at Chadron State [Neb.],” she said. “God crossed my path with this cute Wrangler-wearing cowboy, and now I’m navigating gravel roads and picking sweet corn as well as making sure the cows come home.”

The ears in the photos belong to Coozie, an 11-year-old buckskin Quarter Horse mare. She and Jessa are working cattle on the ranch.

“My dad and sister broke her as a 3-year-old, and I’ve been putting the miles on her ever since.

She is very independent yet very cowy and has quite the attitude,” Jessa said. “While pushing cows down the road, she will pin her ears and nip the calves on the tush if they walk too slow. She is also a tad on the short side. At just 14 hands, she holds her ground just fine.”

Jessa and Kurt live on a ranch in central Nebraska at the base of the Nebraska Sandhills.

Kurt and his father David run a commercial Angus-Hereford cross cattle business. Jessa works as a teacher’s aide during the school year, but she devotes her summer months and spare time to helping work cows, doctoring calves and tending her flock of chickens.

“Being from the big city, ranching was a new subject for me, but I have caught on quickly and love every minute of it—well, almost,” she said.

“I went through some shopping withdrawals, learned how to hurry and feed hungry farmhands, and then trying to keep the food warm when plans change, and finding out the actual reason why the front porch is really called the ‘mud room.’

“My husband and I live here on the ranch, where he is in charge of the feeding and day-today operations,” she added. “We try to keep it traditional, using mainly horses when it comes to bringing in and rounding up the cattle, including roping and doctoring any sick cows. Along with the ranching, we grow just enough corn to feed the cattle and make silage, as well as some soybeans, cane and alfalfa.”

SPIAGGIA DI PORTU TRAMATZU, ITALY Lorenza Dessi is a 21-year-old college student living on Sardinia, the second largest of Italy’s islands. She started riding at age 5 and had horses in her backyard as a kid but then took some time out of the saddle.

“Last year while I was coming home from the beach I saw horses beside the road, and suddenly I felt the desire to get back in the saddle,” Dessi said. “I’m not a professional horseperson, but I have a strong passion for horses, and I have a special relationship with the mare in the photo; her name is Sigismonda.”

Sigismonda is a 6-year-old Sella Italiano who was bred and raised in Teulada, a small town on the southwestern tip of Sardinia. “During the last year we developed a special bond,” said Dessi. “We love working together though she’s lazy—you can have her attention only when you ask her to jump. That is the only moment in which you can see her happy because she’s doing what she’s born to do.”

Dessi doesn’t compete now but hopes to eventually enter “Sigisbella” in some shows.

“For now I just enjoy taking long rides in the countryside and on the beaches in good company of other horse lovers, training Sigisbella and having fun,” she said.

The beach in the photo is in Portu Tramatzu in southern Sardinia, near the stables where Dessi keeps Sigisbella. Dessi and her friends ride on the beach frequently, letting their horses wade in the water.

“To get there we ride in the countryside near the sea and the beaches, so from every angle you can spot the sea and feel the breeze,” she said. “This place unifies two of the things that I love the most: sea and horses. So I love to go there and just rest with the stunning view I have and thank Mother Nature for the paradise she gave us.

“Sardinia is a magic place, a land full of history and gorgeous nature. They know us for being one of the blue zones on earth, where people live a long and healthy life,” Dessi added.

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LORENZA DESSI/@LORENZA_D PHOTO

LIFE BETWEEN THE EARS

JURA CRAVEN/@JURA.PHOTOS PHOTO PAIGE NERRIE/@POLOPONIES PHOTO

SIWA OASIS, EGYPT Jura Craven is a world traveler currently living in Ecuador. She grew up in Maryland and competed in hunter/jumper shows as a teenager, but as the wife of a diplomat, she’s lived in Sudan, Vietnam and the United Kingdom before settling in Ecuador for the present.

“I studied as an anthropologist and environment/development specialist, but while abroad I have been a teacher, and now I have a small business, Tala Beads, making and selling ecologically friendly and sustainable palm seed (tagua, pambil and acai) necklaces,” said Craven. “I now ride when I can and also take my toddler when I can, and he is also starting lessons.

“At the moment I mostly just do the odd several-hour hacks in the mountains from haciendas or with Ecuadorian friends, as we live in the city,” Craven added. “When I have a chance I also stick and ball or play the odd polo chukka. In Sudan I used to own three Sudanese horses (Arabian/local horses) and played polo regularly with them. Marhab, Kamun and Freyfaxi—they were all 7 years old and were originally cattle ponies that were ridden thousands of miles to Khartoum from Darfur.”

This photo was taken in the Sahara Desert in the far west of Egypt near the Siwa Oasis. The Siwa Oasis is a deep depression in the earth that reaches below sea level. It’s one of Egypt’s most isolated communities, located 30 miles east of the Libyan border.

Craven was staying at the eco-lodge Adrère Amellal, known as one of the world’s most unusual hotels. There’s no electricity or phone service, and guests stay in traditional dwellings made of kershef, a mixture of earth, stone and saltwater. The food all comes from the lodge’s organic garden.

When Craven was visiting, the lodge’s owner loaned her group some of his out-of-season polo ponies. “We went for some incredible gallops in the desert—also known as the Great Sand Sea,” she said.

“Riding in the desert has to be my absolute favorite in terms of pure freedom. We also rode in the desert in Sudan and near Cairo.”

CHANDLER, ARIZONA Paige Nerrie is a freelance graphic designer and amateur dressage rider from Rhode Island who takes lessons on a leased HanoverianThoroughbred cross, Mac. “Mac has ongoing medical issues, so most of my time with him is devoted to love, the unique medical care he needs multiple times per week, and making him more comfortable,” she said. “Mac and I do not compete. What I love most about riding Mac is the pride he has and the pep in his step after we have a good ride. I love for him to be happy.”

Nerrie also volunteers for a local therapeutic riding center and on a polo farm. “I am extremely passionate about polo, especially Newport International Polo [R.I.],” she said.

While on vacation in Arizona, Nerrie went on a private, guided morning desert trail ride on the Gila River Indian Reservation in the Sonoran Desert near Phoenix. Nerrie told her Native American guide she hoped to see the local herd of wild horses.

“I learned that the herd continuously moves and is not fenced in, but there is an area where they tend to be in the mornings,” she said. “When we arrived in the area of the desert shown in the photo, there they were. Luckily, the band of six included two foals. They were all grazing, as we watched from about 50 feet. They continued grazing for five minutes or so, even though they were aware of us being there. We remained still and quiet. All of a sudden they bolted. It appeared to me that the mares ran first with the stallions in the rear, after the foals. One little foal was the last to leave since his attention was on the grass.

He got the message that it was time to go. I loved how the foals are protected in the middle! The dust formed a cloud as they disappeared into the horizon. What a dream bucket list day!”

Nerrie was riding Stormy, a 12-year-old Quarter Horse from the Koli Equestrian Center. “Stormy was very sweet, game for a morning ride, and most happy to have a carrot party with the guide horse and me after the ride,” Nerrie said.

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LIFE BETWEEN THE EARS

CLÉMENTINE CHINOUILH/@CLEM_CHICHI PHOTO

RICK DAHMS PHOTO

Sharing Life Between The Ears

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA Clémentine Chinouilh grew up in Vosges, a region in the east of France, and dreamed of becoming a professional rider, but her parents didn’t think it was a sensible path for her life. She rode as a young girl but then hung up her tack to become an optometrist. She would still ride on the weekends though.

“I was 26 years old, and I had everything to be happy—diplomas, my first car and my apartment. I had steady work, a boyfriend, my own van, and the dream of all my life—my own horse!” she said. She competed in endurance rides with Gamal, a Hungarian-bred Shagya Arabian who inspired her love of the breed.

But in 2015, “life separated me from my boyfriend, and this is when my perfect world collapsed,” she said. A friend called her with news of a job opening in Saudi Arabia, and Chinouilh decided to make a life change.

Now she works as the manager of the riding department of Prince Khaled Bin Sultan Bin Abdul-Aziz al Saud’s Al Khalediah farm. “I’m manager, rider and coach for the princess,” Chinouilh said. “Al Khalediah is a famous stud, one of the farms where the most beautiful pureblood Arabian show and race horses are gathered. Often I trail ride my horses in the paths of palm trees on the farm. I am the proof that it is always necessary to believe in your dreams and take chances!”

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Since 2008, Life Between The Ears founder Kristine Dahms has posted stunning photos shot by riders in all corners of the world with one hand on the reins and the other on the shutter. Dahms mines photos with the hashtag #lifebetweentheears, contacts the original poster of the image, then features the photo, complete with educational details about the place that’s portrayed.

Life Between The Ears photos appear on a LBTE Facebook page, an Instagram feed, a dedicated website (lifebetweentheears.com), a Twitter feed and a Pinterest page (all under lifebetweentheears account names).

Dahms—who lives in Vashon, Wash., with her Welsh Cob, mini horse, pygmy goats, two dogs and two cats—rides dressage and takes quite a few photos herself on the picturesque Vashon-Maury Island.

Dahms has taken some of the Life Between The Ears images from cyberspace to print, creating three lines of greeting cards with selected photos from her social media pages. A portion of the proceeds from the card sales goes to the Equine Land Conservation Resource (elcr.org). Cards are available at lifebetweentheears.com/retail.

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HISTORY

PENNINGTON PHOTO

Ladies Of

In 1986, Canada’s Gail Greenough became the first female winner of the Show Jumping World Championships on Mr. T. “After I won, one of the requests was that they wanted to photograph me in a bikini by the swimming pool,” she says. “I thought that was pretty funny.”

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The Ring Women have changed the world of show jumping, but at the highest levels men still dominate the rankings and medal placings. Is it a coincidence or a trend?

By TR ICIA CONAHAN

t was a fairy-tale moment.

In 1986, Gail Greenough was riding for the Canadian Equestrian Team at the Show Jumping World Championships in Aachen, Germany. Over the prior five days of competition, she and her Hanoverian gelding Mr. T had laid down several great trips. Despite being relatively inexperienced on the international stage, the 26-year-old equestrienne was headed to the Final Four, where she would ride three of the next four rounds using her competitors’ horses.

Competing against veterans like Conrad Homfeld and Nick Skelton, Greenough was considered the underdog.

But she rode four faultless rounds, snagging the title and the $23,000 purse. She became the first woman, the first North American and the youngest person ever to win the World Championship.

It was all going so well—until they asked about the bikini.

“I am a tough competitor. I get on a horse, I am ‘in my office,’ and I am focused,” Greenough says. “But what

I

caught everybody off guard is that at night I would go to a party, and I would wear a cute dress and makeup.

“People didn’t know how to take me.

I was this strange creature. They weren’t used to it,” she adds. “It was new to the reporters. After I won, one of the requests was that they wanted to photograph me in a bikini by the swimming pool. I thought that was pretty funny. That was the only way that reporter could handle me. But that was 1986.”

The next day, Greenough did a twohour TV interview with German reporters who were both incredulous and irritated that she had won. “Those three German men were firing questions at me: Why did I win? What was different? For two hours, I was pelted by questions. Oh my God, it was hilarious,” she says.

A lot has changed since the 1960s, when women first became a force in international show jumping. The sport has exploded into a global phenomenon, with massive purses, expansive media coverage and an ever-growing roster of grand prix competitions. The courses have become

more difficult and more technical, the horses have evolved, and the sport has become increasingly more expensive.

Throughout this evolution, a roster of famous female show jumpers, including Kathy Kusner, Mary Chapot, Katie Monahan Prudent, Melanie Smith Taylor, Leslie Burr Howard, Anne Kursinski, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, Beezie Madden and so many others, have broken barriers and proven repeatedly that women can compete as equals with men.

Yet despite that progress, men still dominate the sport. Women represent, on average, less than one in five of the riders participating in Olympic show jumping.

And no woman has yet won an individual Olympic gold medal, although five of them have won Olympic team gold medals—the most recent being France’s Pénélope Leprevost in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

And while the Longines Rankings compiled by the F«d«ration Equestre Internationale can be somewhat cyclical, women currently represent about 14 percent of the riders in the top 50 and 20 percent of the riders in the top 100.

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HISTORY Laura Kraut’s been a top rider for decades, and she was part of the gold medal-winning team at the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong with Cedric.

Mary Mairs Chapot grew up in California, a long way from the East Coast show jumping circuit. As a 16-year-old, she traveled east to win both the 1960 AHSA Medal and the ASPCA Maclay Championship at the National Horse Show in New York.

“I saw these guys jumping around in Madison Square Garden and said, ‘Wow, I want to do that,’ ” says Chapot.

She went on to become the youngest female rider on a U.S. Equestrian Team. In 1961, she and Kusner—who was 21 when she joined the team—went to Europe to train and compete. They found the sport very welcoming to women.

“We were all just best friends,” Chapot says.

At the time, there was a minimum weight requirement of 165 pounds in show jumping and eventing. According to an FEI spokesperson, this weight minimum harkened back to the historical average weight of a cavalry soldier and his kit.

But the weight rule affected more of the female riders, because they tended to be smaller and lighter.

“The weight rule affected maybe one guy, certainly not many; it was sort of for the girls,” says Chapot. “For the girls, [165 pounds] was a lot. We used heavy saddles.

You would put that weight with stiff lead bars under the saddle. You’re trying to get close to your horse, and you had this big lump. It was like riding on a piece of soap.

It was slippery and uncomfortable.”

Chapot and Kusner experimented

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MOLLY SORGE PHOTO

Lead Pads And Mercury

with ways to minimize the impact of the additional weight. Chapot sewed pockets into an old-fashioned three-fold girth to hold the weights, then used an overgirth over the top of her saddle to stabilize it.

Kusner weighed only 103 pounds at

the time, so she was forced to be more creative; she had saddle pads made to hold the lead so that the additional bulk wouldn’t be underneath her leg.

She also had saddles custom made with mercury in them.

JAN GYLLENSTEN PHOTO

Meredith MichaelsBeerbaum grew up riding in the United States before moving to Germany, marrying Markus Beerbaum, and swapping her citizenship to ride for her new country. She’s since won three FEI World Cup Show Jumping Finals and held the FEI’s top ranking for 11 months straight.

The FEI eventually abolished the weight requirement for show jumping in 1983. (It was removed from eventing in 1998.)

“It was the greatest revelation when they took that weight rule out,” Chapot says. “That was the most handicapped [ruling] for the girls.”

Breaking Olympic Barriers For the first half of the 20th century, women weren’t permitted to compete in equestrian sports at Olympic Games.

But in 1952, the International Olympic Committee started allowing women

in dressage; four women competed at the Games in Helsinki, Finland, including Lis Hartel, who won individual silver. In 1956, women were allowed to participate in Olympic show jumping. In 1964, the doors opened to women in Olympic eventing. That year in Tokyo, there were 103 men and 13 women in the equestrian sports, including Kusner and Chapot.

“We were the first girls on the [U.S. show jumping] team, Kath and I,” Chapot says. “And we always had a good time.”

Bert de Némethy, the U.S. chef d’equipe, kept a short rein on his young equestriennes.

“Bert was very new to having women on the team, so he kind of kept an eye on us,” Chapot says. “He would say, ‘You will be on time. You will be dressed properly.

You will not be seen in local bars, closing them up.’ That sort of thing.”

De Némethy kept the men and women on the team too busy to get into much trouble. He required team members to attend social events on a regular basis. In the fall of 1962, Chapot and Kusner competed at the Washington International (D.C.).

“After we rode we didn’t just go back and have a glass of wine and discuss how good or bad we were that day,” Chapot says. “You would go and compete in evening classes and then put on black tie and be expected at somebody’s embassy. That was not so much about the boys and the girls. It was Bert’s way to keep the team together.”

In 1963 at the Pan American Games in São Paulo, Brazil, Chapot was the first U.S. rider, male or female, to win an individual show jumping gold medal. In 1964, she and Kusner were the first women to represent the United States in Olympic show jumping in Tokyo.

In 1965, Mary married her teammate, Frank Chapot. They rode together in the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. Mary, who went on to ride on 22 Nations Cup teams, says she always felt welcomed by the men and supported by her teammates.

“Everybody was good friends. It wasn’t an issue because we were all in the same class. We weren’t one against the other; as a team we were rooting for each other,” Mary says. “And between husband and wife, Frank and myself, we felt we had two chances instead of one.”

Equity At The Track Kusner also felt show jumping was “always open and welcoming” to women, particularly compared to sports like racing.

“Most of the racetrack world wouldn’t accept a girl,” says Kusner.

“There were women show jumpers all along. But not at the races.”

In addition to riding for the USET in the 1964 and 1968 Olympics, Kusner won a team silver medal at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, becoming the first U.S.

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HISTORY

PHOTO COURTESY USET FOUNDATION ARCHIVES

woman to win an Olympic medal in that event.

She also won countless grand prix classes and international jumping competitions.

Kusner’s first love was show jumping, but she often spent her mornings riding race horses and her afternoons training her show jumpers.

Since women weren’t yet allowed to have a jockey’s license, she was barred from riding in recognized races.

For this 1964 international show jumping tour, women were represented on the U.S. Equestrian Team (from left to right: Kusner decided to Carol Hofmann, Bill Robertson, Mary Mairs Chapot, Bill Steinkraus, Frank Chapot, Kathy Kusner and coach Bert de Némethy) in challenge the regulation almost equal numbers as the men. and partnered with lawyer Audrey Melbourne, walked backwards, and we made a cirwho took on the landmark case on a cle of the office. And finally he just had pro bono basis. They sued the MaryBy the 1960s, women in multiple to touch it.” land Racing Commission, and Kusner sports began lobbying the International The commission held three hearmet with Fred Caldwell, the head of Olympic Committee to compete in the ings of the request. “One hearing was a that organization.

Olympics. At the time, the committee discussion that I was not a good enough “Audrey had the press and the telerequired female athletes to walk nude rider, although I had already ridden in vision there. I walked in and tried to in front of physicians to verify that they the Olympic Games,” Kusner says. hand [Caldwell] my application for my were, indeed, women.

After a year of crusading, her license jock’s license,” she says. “He got up and Today, women participate in all was granted in 1968, making her summer Olympic sports, though there the first American woman to hold are still fewer women’s and mixed events a jockey’s license. Kusner went on than men’s events within those sports. to ride in many flat and steepleThe advent of Title IX in 1972 has chase races in multiple countries leveled the playing field for the develand was the first woman to ride opment of female athletes in college. in the Maryland Hunt Cup, the Dramatic improvements in nutrition, toughest timber race in the world. training practices and conditioning rouHorse racing was a business tines have also helped to diminish the that was steeped in tradition, she athletic gender differences.

–Laura Kraut explains. “The rule was that you But the reality is that men and just had to be a guy.” women are built differently, and on

The Equine Equalizer

horse “isThe the great equalizer.”

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PHELPS IMAGES/COLLECTION POUDRET PHOTO

For much of her show jumping career, the diminutive Kathy Kusner had to compete with lead weights in front of her saddle to meet the minimum requirement.

average men have the advantage when it comes to strength.

So how does this translate to piloting a 1,200-pound animal around a grand prix course?

“I think that we are totally different, and what enables us to compete against each other is the difference in horses,” says German rider Meredith MichaelsBeerbaum. “In older days, there was one type of horse: a stronger heavier type of horse, harder for females to maneuver around. Now that the breeding is to more agile, Thoroughbred-type horses, they suit female riders who have feeling as opposed to strength.”

Once in the ring, men and women are “totally equal because we can choose our horses,” she adds.

At the 1986 World Championships, Greenough was forced to be strategic in

how she approached riding her male competitors’ horses. “I had to maneuver my way around by being smarter,” she says.

“I wasn’t going to get on Nick Skelton’s horse Apollo and be able to manhandle him around,” she continues.

“Somebody said to me, ‘Pick up a gallop and see if you can stop him’ in the two minutes we had to prepare. I said there is no way because then he will know I can’t stop him, and the game is over.”

Greenough’s mount, Mr. T, was sensitive. “If signals got crossed he would easily get confused,” she says. “They [the other Final Four competitors] got on and tried to just stay out of his way. [They thought] that I would be lighter and softer. When in fact, Mr. T needed security, good contact in the hand without getting tough with him, a constant feel.

“Preconceived notions can be danger-

ous in the Final Four,” she adds.

It all comes down to the partnership between the horse and rider, says Laura Kraut, who has represented the United States in Olympics, World Cup Finals and Nations Cups teams for almost two decades.

Kraut was a member of the silver medal team at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games (Germany) and on the 2008 Olympic gold medal team in Hong Kong. She is currently ranked 17th on the FEI Longines Rankings.

“In every part of our sport, so much is about the partnership between the horse and rider,” Kraut says. “I know big strong men who can ride hot little horses and ride them very well. And I know tiny little women who ride big, slow horses really well. There really is not a set blueprint.

“One of the reasons we can stay at the sport head to head, actually, is that in reality the horse evens it out,” she adds. “The horse is the great equalizer.”

Cracking The German Glass Ceiling Of all the names associated with women in show jumping, Michaels-Beerbaum’s stands out. She grew up riding ponies in Los Angeles and was a winning junior rider. While studying political science at Princeton (N.J.), she was sponsored to go to Germany in 1991 for the summer, a trip that changed her life and changed the trajectory of women in the sport.

“I felt welcome in the sport; I loved it there,” she says. “I was competing as an American girl and had a sponsor who was providing me with horses to ride. There

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HISTORY

DOUGLAS LEES PHOTO

Otherwise women at were barely any the top of the sport Americans at the will choose not to shows, so they were have a family.” delighted to have an Michaels-BeerAmerican. baum convinced “I fell in love the FEI in 2010 to with the sport in freeze the world Germany,” she adds. rankings for show She decided to stay jumpers on materin Europe. nity leave. Under She also fell in the new system, love with legendfemale riders would ary German show lose only 50 percent jumper Markus Beerof their points durbaum. After marrying their absence ing Markus in 1998, addition to her success in the show jumping ring, Kathy Kusner became the first woman to from competition.

Michaels-Beerbaum In compete in the Maryland Hunt Cup, finishing sixth on Whackerjack in 1971.

The FEI retroacchanged her citizentively applied the ship, which allowed rule change to Michaels-Beerbaum’s “To this date, I am very, very proud of her to compete for Germany. The next rankings, moving her from 31st back that,” she says. “Because it meant you were year, she became the first woman to ride up to 20th on the global scoreboard. consistent over time, in many events and on a German championship show jumpShe says that all her female with many horses.” ing team, winning team gold at the 1999 colleagues were delighted with the But Michaels-Beerbaum changed the FEI European Championships in Hickruling, and most of the male riders game in another way too. In mid-2009, stead (England). supported the FEI’s decision. she became pregnant with her first child, By 2005 Michaels-Beerbaum was “There were some who did not, which Brianne. She realized that the pressures dominating the sport. On her phenomwas normal in that type of circumstance,” to stay at the top of the sport—continuenal Hanoverian gelding Shutterfly, she she says. “It was a correct and generous ing to compete, maintaining global rankwon the FEI World Cup Final three offer from the FEI.” ings and sponsors—would be even more times, in 2005, 2008 and 2009. Since the difficult while pregnant. The world rankFEI World Cup championship started in ings—which help determine a rider’s invi1978, only five equestriennes have won the tations to top shows—operate on a rolling title: Michaels-Beerbaum, Melanie Smith monthly expiration of year-old points. So, Taylor, Leslie Burr Howard, Katharine Yet even as show jumping has grown over she decided to ask for a change.

Burdsall and Beezie Madden. the decades, statistically more men are par“I was taking a leave of absence from In 2008, Michaels-Beerbaum broke ticipating—and winning—than women. our sport for a reason that is not only another barrier by becoming the first At the Olympic level, the imbalimportant in life in general but also shows woman to be ranked No. 1 on the FEI ance is curious given an additional offset a different commitment that a woman Rolex Rankings (now the Longines across the three equestrian sports. Bill has to make as opposed to a man, and we Rankings). She held that ranking for 11 Mallon, an Olympic historian, has been compete in the sport equally,” she says. consecutive months, a feat that has never crunching data on Olympic participation “I brought up the fact [to the FEI] that been matched by any other rider, male or for years. He noted that while the IOC is I compete with men equally, but I have a female. She considers it one of the greatest focused on gender equality, show jumpdifferent calling that should be recognized. achievements of her career. ing is still an outlier.

The Numbers Game

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the only two sports that currently have women and men competing head-tohead. In other Olympic sports, men and women compete on teams or as a pair, for example mixed doubles tennis and mixed doubles table tennis, but not as individuals against each other.

“The trend between 1956 and 2017 is not a perfectly linear curve,” Mallon says.

“Over 51 years [in the Olympics] there are some ups and downs, but it is still a logical progression of growth in female participation in show jumping.”

He noted a big drop in female participation in the 1980 Moscow Games, when many of the Western countries boycotted.

Female show jumpers have participated on gold-medal teams in only four

Olympics. Of the five women who have Olympic gold medals for team show jumping, four of them have been U.S. riders: Leslie Burr Howard (1984), Melanie Smith Taylor (1984), Beezie Madden (2004, 2008) and Laura Kraut (2008).

Women first took part in the Olympic Games in Paris in 1900, and their participation across all Olympic sports has increased steadily. Today there is almost gender equity—the same number of female and male athletes.

“In a few women’s events, there are fewer competitors than in men’s, and the reason for that is national mores,” Mallon says. “Women in a lot of Asian countries or Arabic countries aren’t allowed to compete in these sports.”

MOLLY SORGE PHOTO

At the 2016 Olympics in Rio, women represented 17 percent of the participation in the individual show jumping events and 18 percent on teams. Yet in eventing, female participation was 35 percent in individual events and 39 percent on the teams. And the numbers change dramatically when looking at Rio’s dressage, where female Olympians represented 65 percent of the riders in individual events and 57 percent on dressage teams.

“At Rio, the numbers were basically the same as London in 2012,” Mallon explains. “I can’t figure out why there are more women in eventing than in show jumping. It surprised the hell out of me.”

Equestrian sports and sailing are

Three women advanced to the Final Four of the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games in Germany, with Beezie Madden (left) earning individual silver, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (second right) taking individual bronze and Edwina Tops-Alexander finishing fourth. Jos Lansink won gold.

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MOLLIE BAILEY PHOTO

HISTORY the Spruce Meadows $3 Million CN International Grand Prix (Alberta) last September. Brash was followed on the 2016 money ranking

by McLain Ward and Christian Ahlmann. No female show jumper made the top 10.

Why is this happening?

“I think it is a numbers game,” Greenough says.

“The percentage Today Beezie Madden is consistently in the top 25 on the FEI of the men in the Longines Ranking List. She won the 2013 Rolex FEI World Cup Show Jumping Final (Sweden), and she’s one of only five women who’ve been on sport overall is Olympic gold medal teams. higher; that is one reason. The other has to be ownership and sponsorship; [owners] decide to go with the top riders. I don’t think When it comes to show jumping, most the men are outriding the women. They riders say that securing sponsorships and are out-owning and out-sponsoring the owners is one of the biggest challenges— women. They have the better backers. particularly given the phenomenal costs to The money is with the men.” be competitive today.

It’s the classic chicken and egg cycle: For 2016, men dominated the list of Unless a rider is self-funded, he or she top money winners for show jumping. needs supportive owners, talented horses Scott Brash topped the ranking when he and lucrative sponsorships. But sponsors snagged the sport’s largest payout ever and owners tend to support the athletes with a $1 million prize for the Rolex Grand already at the top of the rankings.

Slam of Show Jumping, after winning

Show Me The Money

For major sponsors, success in the show ring is important in evaluating a potential athlete to sponsor. But character and authenticity is just as big a factor, according to Susan Alcala, the vice president of partnership marketing at Ariat International.

“If someone is No. 1 and kind of a jerk, that is not someone we sponsor,” she says. “We want character, someone wellrespected by their peers. Shared values with Ariat: hard work and integrity.”

Ariat was founded by two women, is led by a female CEO, and sponsors more women than men. “I don’t know how deliberate that is, per se. It is more about who genuinely wears the product—we have more products for women,” Alcala says.

The company has long-term sponsorships with Madden and Michaels-Beerbaum, as well as many other European and American riders.

Hanging Up Their Jodhpurs For many endemic sponsors like Ariat, their target market is much more female because girls dominate the hunter/jumper sports through their junior years.

So then what happens?

Kraut says she grew up competing in a world of girls. “I don’t think we ever felt being a female was in any way a det-

You were meant to ride for your “ life sometimes, and of course you just did it.”

–Anne Kursinski

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MOLLIE BAILEY PHOTO

of course you just did it.” riment,” she says. “In fact, there Kursinski says the ratio of men were very few boys, particularly to women in the sport is a little bit when we were growing up in cyclical, but some young women hunters and equitation. The ratio just might be deterred by the was probably nine girls to one boy. demands of a show jumping career.

In a sense, they were the lesser “I think part of it is that this sex. It probably wasn’t until I got is a tough sport. I love it. It’s very, to international show jumping very physical, and I think women that you saw the table turn a bit. can do it—and we’ve proved that,” And if you went to Europe you she says. “Showing day in and day saw the exact opposite.” out, going show to show, running In show jumping, women must a business, riding, teaching, showcommit to longer careers than ing, it is quite an exertion.” other sports, and this may have an impact on their decisions to stay in the sport, Kraut says.

“I think you find that there are a lot of women when they are 18, 19, 20, 21 years old. Then their At the end of the day, the ranklives take a turn,” she explains. ings and statistics don’t reflect the “Women end up getting married, reality of many riders participat“There were very few boys, particularly when we were growing having babies, starting a family.” ing in this sport, who believe the up in hunters and equitation,” says Laura Kraut. “The ratio was probably nine girls to one boy. In a sense, they were the lesser sex. It Kraut notes that in many other sport represents a level playing probably wasn’t until I got to international show jumping that you saw sports an athlete’s career is ending field for women. the table turn a bit.” by the time she’s 30 or 35. “Their “I feel that most of the men the sport because they have a deeper concareers are finished, and they are still of in our country feel the same way I feel,” nection to the horses. age to have families and children,” Kraut Kraut says. “There is a healthy respect “I do think there is a special conexplains. “Whereas in show jumping, [for the female riders].” nection between women and horses and Beezie [Madden] and I are in our 50s, and When she’s competing, she doesn’t what they do for us,” she says. “The real we are still at the top level of the sport. consider herself a female athlete; she just connection with the animal, when they You continue to improve. The beauty of considers herself a competitor. At the help you or you help them, that helps this sport is you can do it as long as your 2008 Olympics, when Kraut was on the with self-esteem. For young girls, being body can tolerate it.” podium as part of the gold medal U.S. able to control the horse and have a Kraut, who had her son Bobby team, “the thought [that I was a woman] little bit of power and working through when she was 33, says this makes the never entered my mind,” she says. things—whether the horse is stopping choice to be a mother and a top show Who stands on the podium or takes or running away—all that stuff is great jumper much more daunting. home the prize money isn’t defined by for a girl’s confidence.”

“It is difficult to do both, particuX or Y chromosomes, Kraut says. UltiKursinski competed on the world stage larly when your children are in school,” mately, it’s driven by skill and the horsethrough the 1980s and 1990s. “The sport she says. “You have to travel each week and-rider combination. then, the jumps were big; it was a differin this sport to stay in the top 30. It’s “I don’t think of Kent Farrington ent sport. The cups were deep. You didn’t time consuming.” beating me because he is a male,” she says. have breakaway cups,” she says. “You were Kursinski, a five-time Olympian, says “I think of Kent Farrington beating me meant to ride for your life sometimes, and more young girls than boys are drawn to because he was better that day.”

It’s All About The Ride

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PROFILE JAY DIEM PHOTO

A MODERN-DAY

Doctor Dolittle Rural veterinarian, eventer and notoriously nice guy Daryl Layfield-Insley thrives on a high-speed lifestyle.

By JENNIFER COR DING

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he judge ordered the horse auctioned on the courthouse steps in Princess Anne, Md. It’s a rural and historic town, but it’s been a few years since most folks owned a horse there.

Dr. Daryl Layfield-Insley told the court it could auction the horse; he had custody after it was confiscated from a neglectful home. But he wouldn’t bring the 5-year-old Quarter Horse stallion downtown from his clinic a few miles into the countryside.

Not that Layfield-Insley couldn’t handle the horse. It’s what he does daily as a rural veterinarian and lifelong rider. At 6'4" and with a sturdy build, the red-haired veterinarian hasn’t met much in the way of horses—or cattle, goats, dogs or donkeys— he couldn’t handle.

“My size does help some with the job,” says Layfield-Insley, 53.

Yet despite his brawn, Layfield-Insley prefers to use his head. Court order or not, it just isn’t a good idea to unload a young stallion on a courthouse lawn.

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PROFILE

In his spare time, Daryl Layfield-Insley competes Aristocort at events like the Maryland Horse Trials.

“You just have to improvise,” LayfieldInsley says.

Whether it’s coaxing a mule or sedating a feral mustang, Layfield-Insley enjoys a challenge. It’s why he trains his own horses for eventing over obstacles he built on his farm. He competes in Tough Mudders, a type of running race held over 10 to 12 miles in which people cross obstacles that include giant water pits, some of which are filled with electrical wires.

He also rides in dressage competitions, trains up-and-coming riders and retrains problem horses. He breeds horses and ponies. He rebuilt his house and repairs his farm equipment. Recently he bought a motorcycle “to relax.” He’d only driven it up to 90 mph that morning, he says.

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Layfield Veterinary Services and teases his coworkers. His exploits and talents, his stature and dedication, and his courage and personality make him susceptible to a bit of good-natured ribbing in return.

“Make sure you tell the truth about him. He’s mean,” says fellow veterinarian Erin Giza, who’s practiced there for several years.

Layfield-Insley laughs when she says it.

Ashley Whitelock, longtime veterinary assistant, has a similar camaraderie with him. They’ve covered so many miles and farm calls, they needle each other like actors in a sitcom, trading syringes and sarcasm seamlessly. But it’s all in fun, and even the most particular horse people are pleased with their professionalism.

“We rely on Dr. Insley’s knowledge of senior horses and their particular needs,” says Alicia Connelly who, with husband Leo, manages Ridge Farm, a retirement facility for show horses in Painter, Va. “Because of his experience as a three-

day eventer, he has a good idea of what’s going on with our retired performance horses,” says Connelly as Layfield-Insley leaps a puddle to reach one pasture. Connelly apologizes for the mud at the gate after weeks of rain.

It’s a small obstacle for Layfield-Insley.

“I can sprint and soar over mud,” he jokes.

Later, Whitelock remarks on LayfieldInsley’s fast-and-furious lifestyle.

“He’s running a million miles a minute,” she says. “It’s unpredictable. You’ve worked a 16-hour day, and then you have an emergency, and it means so much to that one owner to see him show up. It’s a balance I think few people understand.”

YOU JUST RODE There are still a few cows on LayfieldInsley’s cross-country course in rural Somerset County. A rider galloping on the course circles away from an obstacle so the cows can pass. They’re the last of a herd started in 1940 by Layfield-Insley’s grandparents, the late Morris “Sunshine” and Helen “Heidi” Layfield.

Along with raising dairy cattle and using draft horses and mules to work fields and haul timber, Sunshine ran a livery of sorts, renting horses to people who wanted to ride.

“Back then you rode 15 to 20 miles with your friends,” Daryl says. “You just rode.”

When Daryl was 7, he told his grandfather he wanted to ride too.

“He gave me a halter and two pieces of hay string,” remembers Daryl. Watching his grandson handle the pony, “He said, ‘Uh oh, he’s going to ride.’ ” So, Daryl followed in the footsteps of his mother, Rebecca Insley, and grew up training and showing hunters and jumpers. By the time he was at Virginia Tech, he was showing the veterinary school dean’s horse, along with his own. He paid his way

Daryl Layfield-Insley jumps his event horse Aristocort, or “Daniel,” over one of the cross-country fences he has set up at Layfield Farms, his training facility in Princess Anne, Md.

JAY DIEM PHOTO

through college, working three jobs.

“That’s just what I thought you did,” he says. After graduating in 1991, he worked as an associate at a small animal practice near his hometown.

In Daryl’s style, he also started his own horse practice on the side, using a “Montgomery Ward 24-month interest-free payment plan on a computer outside line at the house,” he says, rattling off the phrase like the name of an old friend.

That telephone line and Daryl’s porch were the beginning of Layfield Veterinary Services, along with the help of Kathy Beauchamp, his bookkeeper and office manager from the beginning.

Soon pet owners were bringing small animals to him—no advertisement necessary.

“People were driving up in the driveway, asking me if I could spay a cat,” he says. “I had a kitchen table, that’s it. [I said], ‘You want me to do what?’

“It’s still that way,” he adds, noting he later formed a second solely equine business. Today the practice totals four veterinarians and a satellite office.

Over the years there have been more than a few memorable farm calls.

Once a client called Daryl to castrate a mature mustang stallion adopted from the Bureau of Land Management. Two trainers and another veterinarian had tried to sedate it, but the horse was fearful and attacked anyone who approached.

“No one could get near him,” Daryl

JAY DIEM PHOTO

When he’s not working 16-hour days as a veterinarian, Daryl Layfield-Insley schools his own horses and helps other riders.

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PROFILE

“You just have to improvise,” Daryl Layfield-Insley says of the many challenges he faces as a veterinarian in rural Maryland.

recalls. “It was a wild, feral animal. He’d kill you.”

When Daryl arrived, he looked at the rafters and asked for two lengths of PVC pipe of different diameters. He taped the sedative syringe to the smaller pipe and inserted it in the larger pipe—in effect, creating an oversized hypodermic needle.

Then he climbed into the rafters. After desensitizing the mustang by repeatedly pricking it with the needle, Daryl finally injected the horse, sedating it enough to enter the stall and finish the procedure.

He admits he thrives on challenge.

“I have to be thinking all the time,” he says.

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A FAMILY HISTORY OF TENACITY Daniel is a bit of a brat, Daryl says.

In reality, Daniel is not a brat at all, which Daryl knows. The horse, with the show name Aristocort, is actually a quiet and handsome 6-year-old Thoroughbred.

He doesn’t say it, but it seems Daryl is proud of the 17.1-hand gelding who doesn’t even need to be tied in the wash rack.

On the cross-country course, he boldly approaches new obstacles.

Daryl is at home nearly anywhere, but there’s nowhere he’s more jubilant than in

the saddle. After Daniel sails over several new fences, Daryl is like a boy again.

“I can’t miss,” he exclaims with a laugh.

Then, he reminds himself: “Leave it alone.”

He knows, as any good horseman does, to end on a good note.

Daniel is good, he admits, but he’s performing exceptionally this gorgeous day.

Daryl stops the big horse on a hill and looks over the expanse of his cross-country course. She’s tiny at this distance, but a local woman is schooling her horse over his obstacles. Daryl coaches two young girls on how to get their ponies over a ditch. Clearly, he’s in his element.

“This is my vision since I was a teenager,” he says. “I love to see people using [the course] and learning.”

Daryl also owns a small property near Aiken, S.C. He travels there as often as he can to train with the likes of Olympian Boyd Martin and four-star rider Tim Bourke, while competing at the one-star level.

Daryl might hobnob with elite riders of today, but he also doesn’t forget he comes from the riders and farmers of yesterday.

His grandfather “Sunshine” is gone, but his grandmother lives in her farmhouse next to Daryl’s. Each morning, it’s the first thing he does: He checks on “Hiders,” his nickname for his beloved 97-year-old grandmother. She still lives alone, though he hires caretakers for her. Sometimes, he tells her he’s going to a horse show, and she’s coming too.

Sure enough, he says, Heidi agrees with enthusiasm, and off she goes on a 10-hour day with her grandson. This is a woman who milked 80 cows each day by herself for 40 years, Daryl says, as he helps her into the golf cart he bought so she could get around the farm.

It’s not hard to see where Daryl’s tenacity originates.

“Without my grandparents, I wouldn’t have gotten where I am,” he says.

UNCLE DARYL

Though Daryl LayfieldInsley admits he can have a bit of a temper, he’s known as a kind and knowledgeable veterinarian to his clients.

JAY DIEM PHOTO

His day started at 5 a.m.

“I should’ve started at 4,” he says, not really joking. His next farm call takes him from Thoroughbreds and warmbloods to miniature horses and goats, a couple of old Standardbreds and two Labrador retriever mixes that wandered up to the client’s farm.

The dogs are shy, and they whine and struggle a bit as Whitelock draws blood for a Lyme disease test.

A bit of sweet talk from Daryl distracts them. “Let’s talk,” he says to the dogs.

“Now, why are you going to do all that?”

The procedure is done almost before he finishes the sentence.

The mule named Newly is not as easily convinced about his vaccinations, but soon he capitulates too.

“Daryl’s the only person who’s ever been able to give this mule shots without sedation,” says owner Louise Johnson, of Greenbush, Va. Connelly’s Belgian Sport Horse filly is much the same. She doesn’t always behave, says Connelly, but she stands like a statue for her procedure.

“It’s because Uncle Daryl is here,” he says, kissing the filly on the nose.

Daryl understands animals, and he understands people as well—both the good and the bad.

Some people rack up bills too high to pay at once, he says. As long as they’re trying, he’ll give them a chance. One elderly lady would mail $5 each week from her home on a remote island near the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

“I would never charge her interest— never—because she’s someone’s grandmother, and she tries,” he says.

Another older client was reclusive, he recalls, but she came to trust Daryl, and he drove her the few places she wanted to go. She died recently, and among her last words to her

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PROFILE At 97, Daryl LayfieldInsley’s grandmother Heidi Layfield still lives on his farm and attends a few events a year with him.

JAY DIEM PHOTO

sister: “You make sure Dr. Insley is paid.”

Sure enough, a check came in the mail for the balance on her account.

“I cried so hard,” Daryl says. “I cried and cried.”

It’s one of the lesser known parts of his character. Though Daryl will say up front he has a quick temper, he won’t say he has an unusually soft heart.

But watching him with his grandmother as he introduces her to strangers and helps her carefully into her golf cart, or with a tiny stray kitten—its eyes as blue and its hair as red as Daryl’s— it’s clear his heart is as close to the surface as his temper.

It’s also clear he’s tired. Sitting in a chair isn’t something he does often, and a look of fatigue passes over his face after our interview. He’ll admit he stays ultra-busy for a reason: There’s no time to think past the moment, and persistent melancholy is held at bay.

An overachiever from the get-go, he’s been in high gear his entire life. When he’s not pushing himself, physically and mentally, he’s bored. Boredom breeds the melancholy, he says.

Never married and not a father, “I fill my time [with activity] like most people would fill their time with families,” he says.

“I miss the family. I miss the kids. Is [a family] for me? Probably not, but who knows?”

He is trying to learn to relax, however.

He’s religious and starts each day by reading a devotional.

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“Without my grandparents, I wouldn’t have gotten where I am.”

-Daryl Layfield-Insley His seven-acre property in Aiken is his escape from “busyness.” There, his neighbors look out for him, he says, checking on the house while he’s away. One neighbor even mows his grass and pulls the dust covers off his furniture when she knows Daryl is driving down.

“They immediately took to me,” says Daryl. It’s a real community there, he says.

Maybe a bit like an extended family.

He’s renovating the Aiken place too, but at a slower pace.

In the meantime, in Maryland, he’s at full-throttle. He’ll operate on a dog or school his horse. He’ll hit the gym or jump

into some situation that needs fixing.

The judge never did auction the horse, by the way, Daryl says. The court turned over custody to a rescue group, and then Daryl gelded it and found a home for the animal. The last he heard, the horse was in Charlottesville, Va. “I’ll never completely retire. I’ll shift my focus onto the farm and the future horse show and eventing facility,” says Daryl. “My grandfather was overseeing the farm operation virtually up until he died.”

A few more hours of sleep would be nice, however. “I pray for six,” says Daryl before he strides away.

The Florida Horse Park

Educate - Inspire - Excel

The 500-acre Florida Horse Park in Ocala-Marion County provides a beautiful, world-class setting for equestrian events throughout the year. With a 79,500-square-foot all-weather arena, seven regulation dressage arenas, over 100 obstacles and stabling, the park is quickly becoming a hub for the state’s equine activities. From beginners to Olympians, the Florida Horse Park has something for everyone. Its expanding array of educational programs provides clinics for horse owners and caretakers and inspires new generations of horse enthusiasts. Experience the Florida Horse Park during your next visit to the Sunshine State.

11008 South Highway 475

•

Ocala, Florida 34480

•

www.FLHorsePark.com

•

(352) 307-6699

CITY GUIDE

PENNSYLVANIA PRIDE IS ON DISPLAY IN HARRISBURG

SEAN PAVONE PHOTO/ISTOCK PHOTO

By MOLLIE BAILEY

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F

PHOTO COURTESY THE APPALACIAN BREWING COMPANY

or the last 71 years, the nation’s top hunter, jumper and equitation riders have headed to the capital of Pennsylvania every October to duke it out for national championships at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show.

While this Rust Belt town of around 50,000 doesn’t have the flash of Philadelphia 100 miles to its east, there’s lots of love for the city and its surrounding farmland everywhere you go.

When you’re not at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center, head a few miles away to downtown and check out the many farm-to-table restaurants, the booming brewery scene, historic architecture and urban gems.

APPALACHIAN BREWING COMPANY BREWPUB Chronicle reporter Kimberly Loushin and The Plaid Horse publisher Piper Klemm always make time for at least one trip to the flagship location of the Appalachian Brewing Company Brewpub every year.

The two-story pub and restaurant is a local favorite and just up the street from the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center.

They brew a dozen or so beers and craft sodas and have a great kitchen with homestyle favorites. Director of operations Artie Tafoya, who served as the original brewmaster, recommends the Hoppy Trails IPA with the fish and chips. If you need a break from watching 300 juniors ride their medal course, there are 1 p.m. Saturday brewery tours, and if you want to celebrate after a great day, they host live regional and national acts on Saturday nights.

50 North Cameron Street Harrisburg, PA 17101 ABCbrew.com (717) 221-1080

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CITY GUIDE AL’S OF HAMPDEN Short on time and looking for great pizza and beer? Head over to Al’s Of Hampden about 10 minutes from the showgrounds, where you’ll probably find a Chronicle staffer or two trying to choose a brew from the menu of 99 craft beers on tap. The family-friendly casual establishment has a full menu of salads, wings and subs, but the pizzas are the top specialty. Just need to grab a brew to take back to the hotel? They have more than 300 beers available for carry-out in singles, four, six and 12 packs.

PHOTO COURTESY FIREHOUSE RESTAURANT

2240 Millennium Way Enola, PA 17025 alsofhampden.com (717) 728-3840

FIREHOUSE RESTAURANT PHOTO COURTESY THE VEGETABLE HUNTER

Up for a great dinner in unexpected surroundings? Head to downtown Harrisburg and visit the Firehouse Restaurant, located in a restored firehouse first built in 1814. The bar and restaurant, which counts Chronicle senior editor Molly Sorge among its big fans, has a hip vibe, with a dimly lit interior and a new American menu with favorites like prime rib cheesesteak and duck cakes. Hit them up during the week, as they’re closed Sundays.

606 North Second Street Harrisburg, PA 17101 firehouserestaurant.com (717) 234-6064

THE VEGETABLE HUNTER Attention, vegetarians and health nuts: Don’t miss this downtown brewery and café. Best sellers like the superfood protein bowl and roasted smoky red beet hummus will help keep you healthy and charged for those very early mornings.

Owner Kristin Messner-Baker is always brewing a new flavor of Kombucha, and the restaurant’s new boutique brewery uses unique ingredients. (Think dandelion flowers, hibiscus and roasted butternut squash). It’s open for lunch Monday and Tuesday and lunch and dinner Wednesday through Saturday. Like many downtown restaurants in Harrisburg, it’s closed on Sunday.

614 North Second Street Harrisburg, PA 17101 thevegetablehunter.com (717) 695-6229

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KNOCK Looking for a tasty cocktail and a hip night out? Strap on your dancing shoes and head downtown to Knock.

You can’t get into this speakeasy in downtown Harrisburg without the password, which is updated weekly on its social media channels.

Eventing Nation editor and Mechanicsburg, Pa., resident Jenni Autry counts Knock as a favorite, and it’s easy to see why.

Patrons have to track down the hidden side door and head up to a salon, and only after relaying the password will a bookshelf open to allow you into the bar. Knock has a 1920s-inspired cocktail menu and bottle service (if that’s your game) and plenty of music.

Open Friday and Saturday.

129 Pine Street Harrisburg, PA 17113 knockspeakeasy.com (717) 681-8012

The oldest continuously operated market house in the United States (founded in 1860) is located in the heart of Midtown and filled with local artisan shops and restaurants. Grab some locally grown produce, browse through the shops, then stress over which of the amazing cuisines (Memphis barbeque! Greek!

Gourmet donuts! Jamaican!) you’d like to sample.

The market is open starting at 7 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.

1233 North 3rd Street Harrisburg, PA, 17102 broadstreetmarket.org (717) 236-7923

JASON DICKERT PHOTO

PHOTO COURTESY THE BROAD CITY MARKET

BROAD STREET MARKET

HERSHEYPARK Are there non-horsey siblings coming to the Pennsylvania National who don’t want to hang out at the show all day? Hop in the car for 25 minutes, and you’ll get to the chocolate-themed amusement park in Hershey, Pa. The park has 13 roller coasters, chocolate factory tours, chocolate sampling and plenty of other activities.

In the fall the park is open Friday to Sunday.

100 Hersheypark Drive Hershey, PA 17033 hersheypark.com (717) 534-3900

PHOTO COURTESY THE NATIONAL CIVIL WAR MUSEUM

NATIONAL CIVIL WAR MUSEUM This Smithsonian affiliate is the only museum in the United States that portrays the entire story of the American Civil War. Equally balanced presentations focus on the human side of the conflict without bias to Union or Confederate causes. The collection includes more than 24,000 items relating to common soldiers, prominent personalities, men and women on the home front and the experiences of African Americans. Check the website for frequent special events and presentations.

1 Lincoln Circle Harrisburg, PA 17103 nationalcivilwarmuseum.org (717) 260-1861

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PHOTO COURTESY HOME 231

PHOTO COURTESY ALLENBERRY RESORT

CITY GUIDE

ALLENBERRY RESORT Looking for a relaxing place to stay during the competition just outside the city? Check out the Allenberry Resort on the Yellow Breeches Creek, where, legend has it, Davy Crockett first settled.

Just half an hour from downtown Harrisburg, the 57-acre resort in Boiling Springs has plenty of hiking trails and great fly fishing, plus restaurants, a full-service day spa and a playhouse.

Make sure you check out Breeches Café, where you can get one of their famous sticky buns.

1559 Boiling Springs Road Boiling Springs, PA 17007 allenberry.com (717) 258-3211

HOME 231 This trendy farm-to-table restaurant takes advantage of the local agricultural community to bring delicious and seasonal American food to downtown Harrisburg. It serves local craft beers and creative cocktails (lavender martini, anyone?), but the food is the true star.

The vegetarian-friendly establishment has a nice variety of choices, and be sure to get the signature house-made donuts for dessert. The Sunday brunch in particular is quite popular, so take the time to make a reservation.

231 North Street Harrisburg, PA 17101 home231.com (717) 232-4663

BRICCO

PHOTO COURTESY BRICCO

If you’re looking to celebrate a great go at the show, head over to Bricco, an upscale downtown establishment featuring tasty Mediterranean fare. Many consider the restaurant the best in town, and with plenty of gluten-free and vegetarian options and a 15-page wine list, there’s something here for everyone.

The short ribs and gnocchi earn special praise, and the restaurant has an extensive cocktail menu as well. Don’t go overboard; there’s also an onsite bakery offering don’t-miss desserts like salted burnt honey gelato and chocolate banana phyllo purses. Call ahead for a table.

31 South Third Street Harrisburg, PA 17101 Briccopa.com (717) 745-1531 118 SEP TEMBER /OCTOBER 2017

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STATE CAPITOL

JASON BURMEISTER PHOTO

Don’t miss the chance to see the place Teddy Roosevelt declared the handsomest building he’d ever seen. Pennsylvania’s Capitol building is a national historic landmark, designed in the American Renaissance Style and completed in 1906, and it forms the centerpiece of the Pennsylvania Capitol complex, which also features a state museum and several monuments to honor veterans.

Call ahead to book a free 30-minute guided tour to see the renowned art and architecture, or check the website for timing then stop in to watch legislature sessions live.

There are loads of great restaurants within walking distance, and if you’re on a fitness kick, lace up your running shoes and take a jog around the 45-acre complex.

DAVID KERN PHOTO

PHOTO COURTESY MILLWORKS

501 North Third Street Harrisburg, PA 17120 pacapitol.com (800) 868-7672

MILLWORKS This brewery-gallery-restaurant combo that opened in 2015 quickly became the place to be in Midtown Harrisburg. The floorplan includes an open main dining room—all the better to appreciate the local touches like bar tops made of reclaimed local lumber and the side of a historic Pennsylvania railroad car—as well as a brewery, a gallery where artists regularly host workshops, courtyard and rooftop biergarten.

The new American menu changes regularly to reflect seasonal choices with some homestyle favorites. This hip venue may be new, but it’s not undiscovered; call ahead to guarantee a dinner reservation.

340 Verbeke Street Harrisburg, PA 17120 millworksharrisburg.com (717) 695-4888

MIDTOWN SCHOLAR BOOKSTORE Bibliophiles should make sure to visit to Midtown Scholar, owned by mayor Eric Papenfuse and his wife, Catherine Lawrence. At the gorgeous bookstore/café you can check out the huge selection of new, used and rare books—declared by one article the largest used book collection between New York City and Chicago.

The shop is located in a series of interconnected buildings and hosts authors like Salman Rushdie, Zinzi Clemmons and Kate Fagan, as well as weekly poetry readings and regular community events.

Check online for the full calendar.

1302 North Third Street Harrisburg, PA 17102 midtownscholar.com (717) 236-1680 C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

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BOOK REVIEWS Riding With George: Sportsmanship & Chivalry In The Making Of America’s First President

By PHILIP G. SMUCKER

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hilip G. Smucker’s Riding With George: Sportsmanship & Chivalry In The Making Of America’s First President chronicles George Washington’s life with an emphasis on the role of sport and society in his development.

Smucker follows Washington from his childhood home in the wilds of Virginia to the height of his political career before closing on his death bed.

Smucker is a consummate researcher, and he spent years studying Washington’s life, character and the environments that shaped him. His dedication is evident in the wealth of detail he provides throughout this work. Smucker includes anecdotes from his research journey such

as his own first foxhunting experience, his time spent shadowing a group of historical reenactors as they played out battles long-since decided, and an afternoon lawn bowling with a professional George Washington character interpreter.

Smucker’s personal asides sometimes offer perspective on a particular element of Washington’s life, but a reader hoping to be completely immersed in Washington’s story may tire of the author’s intrusions.

Smucker is a fifth great-grandnephew of Washington, and his odyssey to discover Washington’s sporting life was also an investigation of his own distant history, so one should be willing to accept this book as the story of both.

Mr. Darley’s Arabian

By CHRISTOPHER MCGRATH

A

ward-winning British racing correspondent Christopher McGrath brings his keen sense of discernment and occasional distorted humor to his latest work, Mr. Darley’s Arabian, which details the lineage of the Thoroughbred and the people who influenced the careers of the great horses.

In 1704, Thomas Darley, a British merchant, purchased an Arabian colt from a nomadic tribe in Syria and transported the horse back home to England. Although this colt never started in a race, he began the Thoroughbred bloodline. Mr. Darley’s 120 SEP TEMBER /OCTOBER 2017

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Arabian—with the subtitle High Life, Low Life, Sporting Life: A History Of Racing In 25 Horses—also speaks to a lively social history, as McGrath includes tales of the many walks of life that make up the world of racing.

McGrath writes with understanding and knowledge as he details the lineage of this Arabian and his relationship to the famous horses of the racing world. He

The prose is simple but well constructed. Smucker has also written My Brother, My Enemy and Al Qaeda’s Great Escape, and his experience as a war reporter is reflected in his ability to explain complex battles and the political labyrinth of a budding nation. This might not be the most compelling choice for a casual reader, but niche historians and Washington enthusiasts should enjoy this unusual angle on America’s first president.

—Kieran Paulsen

methodically leads the reader through three centuries and 25 generations of stallions to the 21st century’s Frankel, called by some the world’s best race horse. A helpful timeline, paintings and photos add to the work that takes the reader around the globe and through time.

Shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year, Mr. Darley’s Arabian presents exceptionally detailed and engrossing facts and should be added to the shelf of every horse lover’s library.

—Becca Elgin

Aljassimya Farm invites you to the Country to see our breeding program au naturel after seeing some of them here in Vegas. top left: SWEIRA ALJASSIMYA by SMA Magic One top right: MASET ALJASSIMYA by Om El Bellissimo bottom left: MISSEDA ALJASSIMYA by Brandon Bey JCA bottom right: ARWA ALJASSIMYA by Besson Carol www.aljassimyafarm.com | info@aljassimyafarm.com

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CHARITY SPOTLIGHT

A Closer Look At: Saratoga WarHorse The New York-based nonprofit is an equine experiment in saving veterans’ lives.

By ELIZ ABETH PU TFARK

hen a veteran walks into the 50-foot round pen at one of Saratoga WarHorse’s weekend experiences, his goal isn’t that different from what a normal

W

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trainer’s might be. A recently let-down Thoroughbred race horse runs in and dodges him distrustfully for the first few minutes, shying from contact and looking for an escape. Then, through a

series of nonverbal cues, a conversation begins between horse and human. The horse’s movements are slow, the handler’s fear subsides, and the horse approaches the center with nose outstretched to smell and touch.

At Saratoga WarHorse, the moment of connection means as much to the veteran standing on two legs as it does to the animal standing on four.

Saratoga WarHorse founder Bob Nevins designed the 501(c)(3) nonprofit with that one powerful interaction in mind. A former medevac pilot who served in the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam, Nevins watched veteran

SHARON CASTRO PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO

“We didn’t realize how powerful this technique was going to be, but now we’ve done the exact same thing for every veteran no matter the trauma,” said Bob Nevins, pictured with a Saratoga WarHorse participant.

suicide rates climb during the first decade of the Iraq War as he himself prepared for civilian retirement. Like many veterans, he felt skeptical about the power of traditional talk-therapy to reach every veteran in distress. Many, he believed, required a more dramatic intervention, or what he describes as a “circuit breaker reset.”

“A lot of veterans, they’re dealing with therapy burnout, which has not helped them, or medication burnout, which has not helped them,” Nevins said. “What they’re dealing with is not so much a mental health issue but a physiological issue where the body has shut down to

protect itself. And really, that’s what it was supposed to do—it shuts those systems down to keep you alive at the time. But when that circuit breaker doesn’t reset, you’re left in a perpetual state of nightmares, and you’re shut down completely emotionally, which talking is never going to fix.”

A Saratoga Springs, N.Y., resident of 33 years, Nevins didn’t have to look far to see horses as a potential catalyst for bringing veterans’ offline emotions to the surface. He sought out local natural horsemanship trainer Melody Squier, and with their combined expertise, Nevins and Squier divined a three-day equine experience centered on that moment of connection in the round pen, which they hoped would be powerful enough to bring a veteran back from the brink of suicide.

They got their first test almost immediately with the program’s third recruit, Navy veteran Troy Huggard.

After nearly 12 years of service, during which time he sustained a traumatic brain injury, Huggard found himself alienated in the civilian world. He couldn’t find sustainable work, his family wasn’t there to support him, and as time went by more and more of his fellow veterans committed suicide.

“It got to a point in my life where I said, ‘I’m sick and tired of losing friends,’ ” Huggard said. “I thought, ‘I’m 30-something years old, and I’ve been to more funerals for people my age that did all the same things that I do. My friends are gone. I live alone. My wife hates my guts. What’s left to live for?’ ” Huggard heard about WarHorse in

the waiting area at a barber shop where he went one morning intending to get his final high-and-tight cut. Instead, he found himself listening in on a conversation between the barber and another veteran about Nevins, who had come to the local Department of Veterans Affairs to talk about the program.

Huggard skipped the trim and went home to read about the program online.

He called the number on the site, and Nevins answered.

“I talked to Bob, and Bob was like, ‘Listen, from one veteran to another, promise me you won’t do nothing stupid, and I’ll have you here within a week or two. I’ll call you back in an hour with the flight information,’ ” Huggard said. “Well, less than an hour later he called me back, gave me all the information, and told me just to hang in there. So I hung in.”

The program hasn’t changed much since Huggard entered it in 2011. Nevins met him at the airport and brought him to a hotel near Cricket Hill Farm, an Ancramdale, N.Y., riding academy that hosts the nonprofit. The next morning, a veteran volunteer from the program drove him to the stables where he received a few hours of classroom instruction in natural horsemanship. No one asked about Huggard’s trauma, and none of the other veterans in attendance were asked to share theirs.

After an on-site lunch, Huggard walked into a round pen with his assigned OTTB. By the time he walked out, he felt like everything had changed.

“I heard it explained best like this,” Huggard said. “When you join the military, the military remolds you and puts you in this suit of armor. Then when you come to WarHorse, when you’re in the ring with your horse, and the horse is going around, and you’re communicating with this horse nonverbally, for the first

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CHARITY SPOTLIGHT

time since you left the military you feel like you’re actually connecting with somebody. And they’re listening, and they’re talking back.

While you’re having this conversation, that armor, those pieces are just dropping off. And when that horse comes in and accepts you, for me, for the first time in 14 years I just broke down.”

Huggard spent one more night in Saratoga Springs before flying home to Miami, where he got a job almost immediately despite years of unsuccessful searching prior to the program. Eventually he made his way back to New York, where he now works for two restaurants, one of which caters WarHorse events.

Success stories like Huggard’s quickly spread around the local community. Nevins started out covering all of veterans’ expenses himself, committed from the onset to making the experience available free of charge.

Since then, he’s found financial support from a variety of supporters, some of the strongest of whom have come from the Thoroughbred industry.

“Kind of like veterans, [a race horse’s] training is very, very structured, so we’re helping these horses transition too,” Nevins said. “When they go through our program and have that experience, it starts changing the way they react to humans, and then 124 SEP TEMBER /OCTOBER 2017

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SHELLY SCHMIDT PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO

At nonprofit Saratoga WarHorse, veterans attend a three-day program free of charge, with the most crucial experience being connection with a former race horse.

they become more eligible to be adopted as a jumping horse or a dressage horse.”

Thoroughbreds come to WarHorse via the program’s two rescue affiliates: Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue in Saratoga Springs, which trailers horses to the program’s rented facility for events, and Aiken Thoroughbred Rescue in Aiken, S.C., which became a satellite host for the nonprofit in 2014. Most horses participate for less than a year before finding adoptive homes.

Nevins hopes that one day WarHorse will have its own facility, mostly to make it easier to ensure confidentiality, which is promised to every veteran who participates. Regardless of where they are, Nevins said the program will continue facilitating what they sometimes call “the procedure,” which has proven far more impactful than even

he, its designer, ever imagined.

“We didn’t realize how powerful this technique was going to be, but now we’ve done the exact same thing for every veteran no matter the trauma. And every one of them will tell you, ‘That horse saved my life,’ ” Nevins said. “But you just can’t put the words horses and veterans together and think that’s somehow how it happens. We’re very specific about how we do it, why we do it.

“With 700 graduates from all over the country,” he added, “I think we’re on the right track here.”

>> LEARN MORE: Visit saratogawarhorse.com. >> GET IN TOUCH: Email Bob Nevins at bob@ saratogawarhorse.com or call 518-744-3600.

>> GET INVOLVED: WarHorse accepts donations via mail to Saratoga WarHorse, P.O. Box 461, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, and on its website.

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BEST OF WEB & PRINT

What’s Hot On The Web X Discussion Around Katie Prudent’s Podcast About The

ESTHER HAHN PHOTO

Veteran U.S. show jumper Katie Prudent made waves in July with a WiSP Sports podcast in which she expressed blunt opinions about the future of U.S. show jumping. We published a transcript of excerpts from her discussion with WiSP host Chris Stafford, and it started a healthy debate online about her views.

COTH published responses from two amateurs and from grand prix rider McLain Ward; there was quite a bit of conversation on the Chronicle’s forums as well.

Check out the debate: coth.com/keyword/katie-prudent-podcast-discussion

X Go Behind The Stall Door With Famous

X Get To Know Some Of The Amateurs Just

Horses

Like You

It’s one of the most popular features each week on the COTH website. We go back to the barns and find out the foibles and quirks of some of the sport’s top horses, using photos from behind the scenes.

Recent visits have included Kastel’s Nintendo, Nereo, Cornet 39, Tripple X III, Empire, Goerklintgaards Dublet, Fibonacci 17, Big Star and Catch Me. They’re published Tuesdays on coth.com.

Read them all: coth.com/category/behind-the-stall-door-2

They’re the amateur horsemen and women all over the country, doing a flat school by the glow of headlights, cramming a trot set into a lunch break, picking up the reins again after 20 years out of the saddle. Amateur riders have challenges of time, finances and family to juggle with their riding.

Each Wednesday we feature voices from Amateurs Like Us on coth.com in the form of profiles and blogs. If you’re an amateur rider, you’ll discover you are definitely not alone!

Read them all: coth.com/category/amateurs-like-us-2

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MOLLY SORGE PHOTO

State Of Show Jumping

Don’t Miss In The Magazine X The Michael Page

Phenomenon His parents didn’t know a thing about out horses, but they helped propel his is career. He didn’t love competing, but ut he ended up with Olympic medals. In n our annual Eventing Issue (July 10 & 17, p. 36), follow the unlikely story off how horses created opportunities and d motivations for Michael Page, and how he in turn influenced the sport all over the world, from the French Cavalry School at Saumur to the Olympic Games in Rome and Mexico City, Pan American Games in Brazil and Winnipeg, peg, back to the hills of Connecticut, where he lives today.

“Horses were something special in my life,” he said. “It came from nowhere, and that was just who I was, right?”

X Farnley Dolphin, Fondly

Remembered The Chronicle’s Laura Lemon and Madeline Skrak look back at the many riders influenced by this small Welsh-Dartmoor gelding in the July 3 Junior & Pony Issue (p. 32). Over the course of 20 years, he taught, challenged and loved the children who were his charges, and 13 of them recall how he taught persistence, patience and appreciation for a great partner.

“I do credit him for instilling this passion in me for this sport and these animals,” said Lindsay Maxwell, who rode him in 1998.

“Not only passion for the competition but just passion for the horses themselves and the kind of bond you can have with them.”

X All Your Faves You picked it: Our inaugural Readers’ Choice issue is full of favorites, from fly sprays to horse trailers, riding boots to turnout blankets. We also honed in on where you like to show, what your favorite prizes are, your favorite websites and apps, and, of course, your favorite horsemen. Check out how your opinions stack up against others—and pick up some reader-submitted tips for around the barn— in the July 24 & 31 issue.

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PARTING WAYS

One Of Them Went Through The Flags Photo by LINDSAY BERRETH U.S. eventer Boyd Martin made a valiant effort to stay clear with Tsetserleg at this skinny wedge on the Red Hills International CIC*** (Fla.) course in March. Though Martin fell on the other side, both horse and rider walked away from the incident.

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Horse country, Florida style.

Must be the sunshine.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so much about Florida that relaxes the mind, body and soul. With more than 825 miles of beaches, thousands of spas, and endless ways to bask in natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beauty, the Sunshine State is your perfect escape. Plan yours at