Equinista magazine

Equinista

™

Celebrating The Equestrian Lifestyle

Volume 12 Issue 3 Complimentary

www.Equinista.us www.EliteEquestrian.us

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Summer III August 24-26, 2012 A rated and 3* Jumper

ESP Labor Day August 31 - September 2, 2012 A rated and 3* Jumper ESP September September 14-16, 2012 A rated and 3* Jumper

Florida State Fall September 21-23, 2012 A rated and 3* Jumper Rita & Irish Flynn Memorial September 29-30, 2012 C rated and 2* Jumper

The Equestrian Sport Productions Series shows are all USEF, North American League, and Marshall & Sterling League approved.

ESP October- October 5-7, 2012 Fall II - October 19-21, 2012 Fall III- October 26-28, 2012

Reduced stall prices and early stall discounts available!

For prize list, tickets, information, and a complete schedule:

WWW.EQUESTRIANSPORT.COM

561.793.5867

Palm Beach International Equestrian Center 3400 Equestrian Club Road • Wellington, Florida

BOW BRICKHILL STABLES Where Horsemanship Matters

EVENTING TRAINER- TIK MAYNARD

Our head trainer, Tik Maynard, has enjoyed success in the show ring, both in Canada and internationally. He spent six years on the Canadian National Team competing in the Modern Pentathlon. During that time he received recognition as Junior National Champion (2003) and Senior National Champion (2005 and 2007).

He competed at the Pan-American Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, in 2007, at three World Championships and eleven World Cups.

He was recently long-listed to the Canadian eventing team for the London 2012 Olympics.

Tik has been a working student for David and Karen O’Connor (Eventing), Johann Hinnermann (Dressage), Ingrid Klimke (Dressage and Eventing) and Bruce Logan (Horsemanship and Cutting). Tik joins us from Market Street Inc., where he worked as an assistant trainer for five-time Olympian, Anne Kursinski (Show Jumping).

HUNTER/JUMPER TRAINER - ASHLEY PATE

Ashley heads up our hunter/jumper program. Ashley recently joined the Bow Brickhill Stables team from Palermo Show Stable where she worked as an instructor and trainer, campaigning Palermo’s horses in both the hunter and jumper rings and coaching students at shows. She was awarded the High Point Trainer Award for the Winter Circuit in 2010-2011.

Prior to joining Palermo, Ashley worked for Grand Prix professionals Ma�hais Hollberg and Thaisa Erwin out of Apex, NC and Ocala, FL for Apex Equestrian Center, showing “Albert Adler” in High Adult Jumpers and taking “Zampano II” to the championship in Low Adult Equitation at HITS in Ocala, FL. Ashley started riding at the age of 9 in North Carolina with Dressage and Hunt Seat Trainer Anne�e Saunders, and competed through high school in many local and regional championships and in the Child/Adult Jumpers on the C and A circuits in North Carolina. At college, she competed on the North Carolina University Equestrian Team for 4 years.

We also offer Colt Starting. Tik Maynard on colt starting: “How your horse is started has implications on how he will connect with you in years to come. It is of utmost importance that he be started correctly. I want him to be relaxed when you get on, and I want him to trot willingly forward when you put your leg on him. My goal is cooperation, not submission. You will achieve more if your horse is a willing participant rather than a sparring partner”.

Hunter ***Jumper ***Eventing

732-616-1856

476 Milford Mt Pleasant Road Milford, NJ 08848 www.bbhstables.com or info@BBHstables.com

Must Haves

9

Weddings & Horses

14 Public & Private Collections

16 Art To Remember

C

ontent

8

17 Susan Smolensky,

Chisholm Gallery Feature

17 9

Equinista Contest Page 13 18

Olympic Fever! Fashion Trends

21 Jane Savoie 24 Amerigo Saddle Factory 26 Charles de Kunffy,

Survival From Tyranny, A Rider’s Story

18

24

Equinista Celebrating The Equestrian Lifestyle

Volume 12, Issue 3

ULTIMATE GRANITE LARGEST SELECTION Of Marble & Granite In The Region

Editor in Chief: Noelle Vander Brink Marketing Director: Bill Vander Brink Art & Antiques Editor: Dr. Lori Home Design Editor: Vicky Moon Lifestyle Editor: L.A. Pomeroy Wine Editor: Toby Rowland-Jones Contributing Writers Karma Kitaj Marsha Schloesser Contributing Photographers Paws and Rewind Ryan Sands Photography Top 50 Ranches Elite Equestrian Photo Services

OVER 3000 SLABS TO CHOOSE FROM!

ALL COLORS AVAILABLE! Two Locations To Better Serve You! NOW IN THE VILLAGES 705 S. Main Street Wildwood, FL 34785 (352)748-1133 Fax: (352)748-0235

TAMPA 1012 S. 50th St, Tampa, FL Just Off Exit 3 on I-4 (813)247-4057

Interns Social Media: Vanessa Vander Brink Office PO Box 764, Brodheadsville PA 18322 570-646-9340 info@EquineFlair.us

Read It Online At www.Equinista.us

Equinista is a pending registered, trademarked name owned by Elite Equestrian LLC. No article, photo, or part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Management reserves the right to approve or refuse any advertiser or contribution for any reason.

Equinista does not endorse any product or advertiser and is not responsible for accuracy of information provided by advertisers or article content. Photographs are submitted by writers of each article who assume responsibility for usage approval. ©2012

6 • Equinista

www.UltimateGranite.net www.Equinista.us

JOIN US FOR THE 2012 SEASON

at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center, West Palm Beach, FL

Wellington Classic Dressage

©SusanJStickle.com

Wellington Classic Autumn Challenge Wellington Classic Holiday Challenge Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge I Wellington Classic Sunshine Challenge CDI3*+ World Dressage Masters CDI5+ Palm Beach Wellington Classic Spring Challenge CDI3*+ Wellington Classic Challenge II CDIW Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge III Wellington Classic Dressage In Tropics I & II Wellington Classic Fall Challenge I & II Wellington Classic Autumn Challenge Wellington Classic Holiday Challenge

October 23, 2011 December 10-11, 2011 January 6-8, 2012 January 26-29, 2012 January 26-29, 2012 February 9-12, 2012 March 8-11, 2012 April 21-22, 2012 July 21-22, 2012 September 15-16, 2012 October 20-21, 2012 December 8-9, 2012

+Preliminary schedule, subject to final approvals.

www.wellingtonclassicdressage.com Celebrating the equestrian lifestyle

Equinista • 7

M M U U S S T T H H A A V V E E S S

Diamond Hunt Book Pendant by Van Dell Jewelers & Designers Wellington, FL www.VanDell.com vandell@msn.com 561-753-7937 See our ad page 11

Add some bling to your wardrobe with this Otto Schumacher belt available from Dressage Deluxe. Featuring beautiful Swarovski Crystals, this patent leather belt adds a touch of bling to boring Black or Navy breeches and crosses over to party wear with ease!

Available in sizes 75cm and 85cm with clear crystals. RRP: £234.00 www.dressagedeluxe.co.uk Dressage Deluxe Free Phone: 0800 321 3001

The second collectible silk scarf in the Zen Horse series designed by Linda Luster - Zen Horse Koi - is now available. The rich colors of Zen Horse Koi complements most outfits and is also a stunning piece of art when framed.

Whether you enjoy it as wearable or decorative art, it’s sure to the center of attention!

24” x 72” 100% Silk $175.00 The purchase of a Zen scarf directly affects the lives of equestrians and horse enthusiasts financially assisted by the EAF. A portion of the purchase price ($95) is tax deductible under federal laws. www.EquestrianAidFoundation.org

When it comes to style, which is furlongs ahead of the competition, British designer label Timothy Foxx has racing style all sewn up. The Timothy Foxx Grace Jacket In Amber (RRP: £315.00) is a single breasted jacket that features a Sky Blue check with Navy corduroy lapels, kick pleat inserts and lengthened cuffs which can either be worn long with military inspired buttons on show or buttoned up to reveal Navy Corduroy. A two-tone Baby Blue lining completes this jackets’ appeal and teamed with their matching Hazel tweed pencil skirt, you can be sure that you’re backing an outright winner in the style stakes!

www.Equinista.us

www.timothyfoxx.co.uk 01296 423 399

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By L.A. Pomeroy

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����������������������� ����������������������� �������������������� �������������������� he was referring to Thoroughbred racing’s Run for the Roses. But it could just as well apply to another great romantic risk: ge�ing married.

For some couples, ge�ing hitched isn’t simply synonymous with their vows; horses play an integral role as they share their commitment to one another in front of family and friends.

Incorporating horses into your wedding can be as simple as an intimate ceremony on your farm, as grand as tro�ing off in a vis-à-vis drawn by a high-stepping matched pair, or as deeply embedded in ancestral roots as India’s lavish baraat.

What all equestrian-themed weddings share is a role in making the happiest day in two peoples’ lives an unforge�able one and – thanks to a li�le ‘horse sense’ shared by experienced event planners and still-happily married couples -- keeping those notorious America’s Funniest Videos bridal bloopers safely to a minimum.

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“Our favorite ‘horse moment’ was during the ceremony. When asked if anyone objected, a li�le chestnut gelding came tro�ing down the hill whinnying,” recall Hilary and Darren Hunt of East Chatham, NY, who were married August 28, 2010.

Although the two did not meet through horses, both grew up riding. “Involving horses in our wedding was a given,” said Hilary. “We asked our farrier to marry us. He got ordained just for the occasion and married us over his anvil.

According to him, that used to be tradition.”

Celebrating the equestrian lifestyle

Equinista • 9

They held their wedding on their farm, in a field adjacent to their outdoor arena and overlooking its pastures. “The men wore black cowboy hats and boots, the girls carried bouquets of sunflowers, and the tablecloths were held down with horse shoes. We had a short ceremony under an old apple tree, with a fiddler as our wedding band.”

For American Quarter Horse breeders and trainers Angie and Robert Ferrell, saddling up a mouse led the pair down a bridal trail. The Lexington, TN, couple were married September 9, 2011, a�er discovering how much they shared in common while meeting through a equestrian website.

“Horses are a huge part of our lives. Everything we needed was on our farm. My dog, Montana, wore a pink silk ribbon and carried our wedding rings, and sat beside me during the ceremony,” Angie said. The bride and her mare, Dark Pine Wheels (aka Dixie) also wore pink, while the groom rode the farm’s stallion, Dual Stitch.

“We were on them the whole time, including exchanging rings and the final kiss,” she said, describing the ceremony they shared with a small circle of family, followed by a quiet Mexican dinner in lieu of a reception.

The Ferrells also postponed their honeymoon: “We had always wanted to go to the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity, so we saved our money and waited to take our honeymoon in November, for the fi�ieth anniversary of the Futurity. It was a first for both of us and we had the best time ever!”

Diane and Bradley Miller, married March 19, 2005, in Southampton, MA, seemed destined for an equestrian theme, a�er Brad proposed during a spring hunter pace.

“I almost ruined the moment,” Diane said. “We were riding along on a beautiful May morning with the sun out and the birds chirping and not a soul in sight for miles. I sighed and said, ‘Oh Brad, if you pulled out a diamond ring and proposed to me right now, this would be perfect!’ He stopped his horse, reached into his pocket and handed me a beautiful ring, and said, ‘Well, here ya go then.’

Which made me realize I’d completely ruined his romantic plan!

“Apparently he’d been carrying the ring for weeks with this in mind. He had it custom made and filigreed to look like the embossed leather of a western saddle. The diamond was way down in the se�ing, because he’d watched my sisters-inlaw lose theirs. One, while pu�ing liniment on a horse’s leg, and the other lost hers somewhere in the barn. I think this diamond could survive a terrorist a�ack and still be safe in its se�ing!”

Diane, who grew up amid Heritage Farm’s busy training and sales program, saw li�le novelty to a horse-themed wedding, but also wanted to pay homage to the role horses had – and would continue to have – in their lives. “So we le� it at the invitations. I searched online for unique wedding invitations and Marie Versaille’s images showed up. Her art, The Equestrian Newlyweds, was just so, so perfect, down to the groom’s mustache, that we had to get them. Brad added the idea of a wedding portrait to match the invitation.” (above, right)

10 • Equinista

����������������������������� The ceremonial mystique of horses is not exclusive to those comfortable with the equestrian lifestyle. Professional carriage whip, Kimberly Ann Fishman, who started her Hackney Horse & Carriage in 2000 in Novato, CA, estimates no more than 20 percent of her clients are horse people.

“The allure is in the carriage, it’s so fairytalelike,” she said. Equally alluring are her horses: rare and perfectly matched black Hackneys descended from the Koopman breeding line perpetuated by University of California-Fresno. (photo above) “I started my business with three Hackneys that served Santa Anita Race Track, which is a prestigious occupation. Hackneys reached the ‘critical’ breeds list this year, mainly because carriage transportation is no longer as common.

My understanding is that there are less than a thousand le� in North America, and less than five thousand worldwide, with grey purebred Hackneys having gone extinct several years ago.”

The benefit to working with an equestrian professional to ensure that things go off without a hitch is horses that are well trained and familiar with wedding bells, or more.

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Whether one’s wedding is traditional or uniquely unorthodox, when horses are involved, it helps to rely on the experience of not only professional planners, but fellow equestrians.

“Hire a company that is experienced and insured,” said Fishman. “Remember that you get what you pay for – just because a company offers a be�er price than another doesn’t mean that you will get the same quality of horse and carriage.

You may get only one horse as opposed to a pair.

A well-established carriage business, that has probably already worked in the city or venue where your wedding is taking place, will have established parking protocol and can offer seamless service with horses that can withstand the additional stimulus of traffic and noise.”

www.Equinista.us

As a bride and riding instructor, Pharr echoed the importance of working with companies who have horse sense: “If your wedding party is not horse-savvy, hire a company to provide the horses and take of that aspect of the wedding. Because everyone in our wedding party was a horse person, except my sister, there was no problem having the horses there or taking care of them a�erwards. Also, the owners of the venue and the officiant had done horse weddings before, so they had good advice to share.”

Rarely mentioned, but surprisingly important to the equestrian success of a wedding, is a couple’s choice in clothing.

“Consider the bride’s dress,” advised Pharr.

“But, if the groom is going to ride also, make sure he will also be comfortable and confident. I gave riding lessons to a couple prior to their wedding. They rented horses from a stable where I was working, to ride down to the beach for their ceremony. They actually got quite good in their lessons, and we talked a fair bit about the bride’s dress. But they did not mention that the groom would be wearing a kilt. He had a bit of trouble ge�ing comfortable in the saddle!”

“All I can say,” said Miller, “ is to match it to your style. My brother had a big, formal wedding with the Rolls Royce and fancy New Jersey Arts Center reception, with not a hint of the horses that brought them together, until you saw the wedding cake topper: a cowgirl with a rope around her cowboy! Our cake topper was a bride dragging her husband by the collar of his tux! Sometimes, it’s the li�le details that make an impact, while the over-the-top themes can run the risk of almost being a caricature.

Hand-made

“My original choice for my horse was one of the old, steady, reliable school horses that anybody could ride and was the ‘first canter horse’ for riders of all sizes through the years. However, he was having nothing to do with me, and my big white dress, coming near him at the mounting block! His eyes got big, the snorting started and he backed out of there quick as can be. Who knew how he would react to that dress being on top of him so, rather than risk my body or, more importantly, my dress, we stuck him back in his stall to let his heart stop racing and grabbed an old pro, a Morgan show horse of my niece’s, who performed perfectly. He didn’t look the part, but at least my dress and I survived the photo shoot!”

IN OUR SHOP

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The bo�om line, if horses are part of your wedding party, acknowledge they are every bit as individual as your guests.

“I couldn’t imagine not involving horses in our wedding,” said Hunt. “But they are still animals with minds of their own. Make sure you have horses that are used to noise and activity.”

And, as with any wedding, expect the unexpected. Fishman recalls one memorable occasion: “We did a wedding in San Jose for a very horse-loving family. As we transported the bride from her home to the church, a dozen stallions escorted us. We had not been advised that this would occur, and thanked our lucky stars that we had brought geldings!”

If you and your beloved are dreaming of an equestrian theme to your wedding, as the Ferrells would advise, “Do it, and don’t let anyone talk you out of it.”

����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 13860 Wellington Trace, Unit #20 Publix Courtyard ������������������������������������� vandell@msn.com

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For Your Equine Insurance Solutions Call Or Click And Connect www.BlueBridle.com (800)526-1711 (908)735-6362

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Richard And Deborah Does were married this spring at the Forks Ucc Church in Stockertown, PA.A�er the ceremony, they went to Locust Valley Farm, in Northampton County, PA where Deb’s horse Dakota is boarded for photos.Their wedding reception was held in the church social hall. Photos by Cindy Gilbert Photography.

Mortality • Major Medical • Surgical Air Transit • Farm Owners • Equine Liability Care, Custody or Control

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Celebrating the equestrian lifestyle

Equinista • 11

Above photos by Paws and Rewind, Karlie Lorenz

Sean and Jennifer Stevenson were married in the spring of 2012 at Tranquility Farm in Chester, NJ. Jennifer is riding her 17.2 hand Irish Sport Horse, Azrael. The Stevenson’s chose Tranquility Farm for the site of their wedding because they wanted an outdoor wedding, and the farm provided a number of scenic choices. The ceremony was held in front of an historic farmhouse on the grounds. The cocktail hour was hosted in the stunning entrance foyer and viewing room of the barn/indoor arena. The reception was held in the indoor arena, which was transformed into an elegant se�ing with carpet and flooring. Holly and evergreen trees sparkling with white Christmas lights surrounded the festivity.Catering was provided by The Brownstone of Paterson, NJ.

Eq 12 • Equinista

www.Equinista.us

Calling All

Equinistas!

This is celebrating the equestrian lifestyle. It’s all about the dedicated equestrian, those who live for their horses and it shows in every decision made- their farm, home decor, art, vacations, time and finances, and of course their own personal style. Elite Equestrian provides inspiration for the equestrian lifestyle with features in every issue that include fashion, jewelry, home decor, travel, art, lifestyle spotlights of equestrians, and more.

If you’re an Equinista, show us your style!

Send us a photo of yourself in equine clothingstreet, riding (show or everyday), with or without your horse. Also send some info about yourselfwhat makes you an equinista!

For contest entry form, email info@EliteEquestrian.us or call 570-646-9340 Entry deadline for December issue is November 1, 2012

You’ll win a slew of prizes and be featured in the December issue of Elite Equestrian magazine!

Equinista Celebrating The Equestrian Lifestyle

www.EliteEquestrian.us �������������������������������������

Designs by Loriece www.loriece.com The Chisholm Gallery www.chisholmgallery.com The Carousel Workshop www.CarouselWorkshop.com Celebrating the equestrian lifestyle

Equinista • 13

Public and Private Collections feature the Art of the Horse Art & Antiques by Dr. Lori Dating back centuries, monuments featuring horses have earned their place in the history of art and in art museums. At some of the world class museums, equines and their place in history have been highlighted in exceptional works of art.

Indianapolis, IN At the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis, IN, western art is highlighted in one of the most impressive western and Native American collections.

Coal magnate, Harrison Eiteljorg was a private collector who acquired his collection starting in the 1920s. He made numerous trips throughout the American west to view and purchase art and related objects. Out of love and respect for nature and for the culture of the American west and the Native Americans, Eiteljorg captured the feeling of settling the west in the museum that bears his name. The image of the horse and its riders was highlighted in masterful works of art produced by masters of the Taos, New Mexico school of artists as well as the American realist painters and sculptors like Charles M. Russell and Frederic S. Remington. Similar museum quality Remington sculptures—not reproductions--command values reaching to the $250,000 range. Eiteljorg established his world class museum in 1989 and the museum now displays a litany of objects and special exhibitions.

Denver CO Contemporary artists have viewed the horse in modernist terms. As America moved from an agrarian society to an industrial one, the horse was a well-documented symbol of power and stamina. Like many artists, Deborah Butterfield made the horse her muse and concentrated on the figure on the animal to highlight her work in found-object sculpture in the 1980s. The work Orion, from the collection of the Denver Art Museum in Denver, CO, is a characteristic piece of constructed metal sculpture. Butterfield, the artist, looks for materials to use in crafting her art from junk yards and other sites. For instance, the muzzle of Orion is a car fender and the selection of materials serves to capture the personality and the portrait elements of the horse. This life size sculpture is a unification of animal and machine. It is a graceful work of modern art.

Equestrian Home Decor & Gifts At Casa Paloma 31313 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 100 Scottsdale, AZ 85262

Telephone: 480-656-0635 Cellular: 602-377-7885

Bring the love of horses into your home

www.Facebook.com/horseandhomedesigns

www.CasaPaloma.net 14 • Equinista

www.Equinista.us

Omaha NE In the center of downtown Omaha, visitors walk alongside symbols of history. When stumbling upon this group of bronze sculptures in the midst of busy Omaha, people immediately recall the way the west was settled in the 19th Century with pioneers, horses, and covered wagons. Public sculpture speaks to the origins of a place like Omaha.

In major museums, private collections, and public parks, the horse continues to have a central role in art and American history.

Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and award-winning TV personality, Dr. Lori presents antique appraisal events nationwide. Dr. Lori is the expert appraiser on Discovery channel’s Auction Kings.

Visit www.DrLoriV.com, www.

Facebook.com/DoctorLori or call (888) 431-1010.

Eq

Celebrating the equestrian lifestyle

Equinista • 15

Art to Remember W �������������������������������������������������������������

By Marsha Schloesser, Carousel Workshop

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During the recent months, several friends have lost their favorite friend. Many have lost so much, including their horses, in recent disasters across our country. The fires in the southwest to the floods in the north. Our loss is still the same, the hole in your heart hurts.

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Photos and photo collages, with photos of varying sizes and staggered arrangements always work. You might even add a piece of personally used tack, favorite bridle or saddle mounted on a beautiful wood or iron base. Especially if you love the smell of leather.

Many of us want to remember our friend in a younger time, or maybe with a few less flaws (like us). This is where your hunt for an artist starts. Find what turns you on...if you are going to live with art and look at your favorite horse every day, find what you love! ������������������������ ������������������������

If you know someone who lost their home or a special friend, take a moment to find some photos of your own to copy for them.

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...go to art shows, horse shows, horse magazines (Equinesta), the internet, do a google search under images, go to a museum, go to the old fashioned library, or a friend’s house.

All art is personal. You are going to live with it, find what you love! Do you like paintings? ...What style..very realistic, more flowing and soft, oils or watercolors, with or without backgrounds? Do you like something more dimentional- a sculpture or an almost 3-D wall hanging?

As they say, think outside the bun- who says you can’t have “Flicka” in your living room to sit on again...in the form of a rocking horse or a full size Carousel horse? (of course we paint these!) Even an old fashioned Coin Operated Kiddie Ride Horse may be fun and add a special touch of whimsy.

Sculptures take many forms: wood, bronze, clay, resin, cast, fiberglass. Sizes can range from a three or four inch cabinet piece to a life size Bronze or Fiberglass head, even a life-size full body horse for indoors or out. Sculptures reproduced in resin can be custom painted to match your favorite horse. We paint many of the life-size fiberglass. You can even incorporate more than one horse in a piece, don’t be afraid to ask.

Before you go too crazy, get an idea of prices and set yourself a budget! (at least try).

Remember, artists make their living by painting or sculpting. The price is reflected by how experienced and well known the artist is. Size of the painting or sculpture is also part of the equation.

We would be glad to help direct you to some artists, or send you in the right direction.

We’d love to help you remember the horse of your dreams.

Marsha Schloesser, Carousel Workshop ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Eq �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Visit our Saddlery and General Store

215-646-4222 715-351-0960 or 0961

which offers, for your consideration: ADT, Big D, Cashel, Drumlin Saddles, ERS, Horse Fare, Gun Tot ‘N MaMa Handbags, Jacks, Mountain Horse, Outback Trading, Ovation, Smith Worthington and many more lines. No order is too small. We are also extremely proud to announce the return of Staghorn Archery Co. and Recurve Bows.

A Full Service Tack Shop Offering Clothing & Apparel for both Horse & Rider

shop.gwyneddtrailrider.com

Holly Mc Mullen

hollymcmullen@yahoo.com

N 6528 County Road H, Irma, Wisconsin 54442

16 • Equinista

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The Chisholm Gallery established 1978

www.chisholmgallery.com • info@chisholmgallery.com • 845-505-1147 • PO Box 1383 • Millbrook, NY 12545

Susan Smolensky Steeplechast Series

Coming in for a Landing 4 / Oil on stretched canvas / 12 x 24 / $1950

A Vagary of Happenstance/Oil on canvas panel/18◊24 /$3000

An Observable Reality/Oil on linen panel/24◊18 /$3000

Chaos Theory/Oil on canvas panel/18◊24 /$3000

T. Randolph Catanese Attorney at Law

Catanese & Wells A LawCorporation

31255 Cedar Valley Drive Suite 213 Westlake Village,California 91326 email: Randy@cataneselaw.com

Telephone (818)-707-0407 Facsimile (818)707-1161 www.cataneselaw.com Celebrating the equestrian lifestyle

Equinista • 17

OLYMPIC FEVER!

With the Olympics upon us, the focus for equestrianism is clearly on UK shores for 2012, so we spoke to Alison Nye-Warden,(right) dressage rider, MD and owner of leading UK on-line retailer Dressage Deluxe to find out what she thinks the British team will be wearing on the world stage this August….

Whether you ride for your local club or ride for your country, dressage is about creating an elegant picture and what you and your horse choose to wear in front of the judges (Or the world’s media) as is the case for our Olympic riders can set a trend or cause much debate!

Here in the UK, we are currently selling lots of Swarovski crystal embellished rider and horse wear: from designer bandages with crystal crowns for the warm-up, through to ‘bling’ brow-bands featuring pearl detailing and jackets with crystal buttons. This trend is bound to translate through into some of the riders’ attire, as many of the British team already favour this look out competing.

The trend for individualism is continuing to shine through with top riders in the UK looking to add that individual touch to their competition wardrobe. Whether it’s a bespoke tailcoat with different coloured waistcoat tips and unusual buttons or the trend towards safety hats and the opportunity for designer bespoke headwear, it seems top riders want to set trends, not follow them!

The days of traditional tailoring in the dressage arena are certainly changing. Over the past 12 months, we have seen a real shift in both design and colour. To service this growing market, we created our own ‘Dressage Deluxe Competition Jacket Collection’, which marries contemporary design with classic tailoring. Our jackets are made exclusively for us by Mears. New colours coming through for our other brands include Graphite Grey (Thanks to dressage rider Anky Van Grunsven competing in this colour) and Soft Browns.

Riders are also changing their attitudes towards their shirts and whilst we still offer plain White competition shirts, we have also searched extensively to offer something more unusual. Many riders love our collection of striped shirts or those with crystal buttons, because as temperatures rise, you want to look as good on the horse as you would walking around the show ground.

The ‘Patriotic Story’ is bound to carry through in the build up to the games and I particularly love the Cavallo Nations Browband (right) featuring the Nations flags in genuine Swarovski Crystals. They are stunning and whilst I might not be riding for my country at the Olympics, I will be wearing my Union Jack inspired one as Patriotic fever hits our shores!!

Riders are also really embracing the new safety hat rule here in the UK even at the top level, choosing to wear the new style safety helmets even at PSG, although I am not sure if we will see this across the board at the Olympics. Samshield are a real ‘must have’ helmet brand and with Samshield’s clever ‘configurator’ option (which we offer through our website) this gives dressage riders the opportunity to design their own hat. I have one with a Crystal Fabric top and 255 crystals in the trim – maybe a big bling for some, but we are finding that customers are mostly opting for sparkle on their hats! Samshield have also introduced a new leather top embossed with a pretty floral imprint, which I think will be big for summer” Where the horses’ tack is concerned we are noticing a real trend for part-patent leather bridles this year. Last year where tack was concerned-the biggest story was full patent bridles, but this year, ‘part patent’ is all the rage, which is where the leather features patent in-lay, which gives a classic elegant look. We have also seen a huge trend towards riders also combining ‘part patent’ with bling brow bands, bringing together the best of both worlds!

Patent leather is also still a huge story when it comes to riding boots and we are delighted to now stock Petrie Boots alongside Konigs boots. Some styles of the Petrie boots are narrower at the ankle, making them ideal for those who find dressage boots uncomfortable, where the leather creases. Something unique to Petrie is that offer a complete patent finish, from toe through to shaft, which really does add a glamorous finish to the riders’ attire.

Saddlecloths have also been given a makeover with many featuring sparkle or detail, as well as those boasting your horses’ breeding via a bold embroidered brand. The later is proving very popular amongst UK riders. The move towards more flashy turnout is also turning dressage horses into ‘Ms World’ contestants with much attention to detail on ‘hair and make-up’ from bespoke quarter markers through to designer plait styles! We stock quarter marker templates and these again are selling really well for those riders wanting to go the extra mile on presentation and turnout.

18 • Equinista

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Maria Taylor, Realtor Equestrian Property Specialist Providing quality real estate services to buyers and sellers

6319 Lower York Road New Hope, Pa 18938

“Let me put my real estate and equestrian experience to work for you!”

215-862-3385 x 7674 Cell: 215-317-3062 Visit my website for more property info, photos and Virtual Tours!

www.HomesByMariaTaylor.com

No detail has been spared to make this a first-class, turnkey horse facility. The main barn has an 80’x180’ indoor riding arena, eight 12’x12’ stalls, grooming & wash stalls, hayloft, feed room, shavings storage, private office, tack room with viewing windows and laundry and powder rooms. A second barn has 4 stalls, also with water, electric and hayloft and an oversized garage bay for equipment/trailer storage. Six grass turnouts (3 with new, matted run-in sheds), 2 additional dry lot paddocks, 100’x 240’ outdoor riding ring complete the first-class horse amenities. 3 bed, 2-1/2 updated baths, double sided brick floor-to-ceiling FP in the living/dining rooms. Remodeled gourmet kit w/ cherry cabinets, granite counters, SS app & enormous island. $1,100,000▲

Springfield Twp, PA ▲Dreams can come true! 68+ acres of prime rolling hills are available to build your custom dream home/training facility using our builder or yours. Protected land on and surrounding this beautiful site that is ideal for a Gentleman’s estate, farming, livestock, horse or animal breeding, equestrian facility and many other possibilities. It doesn’t get any better than this. Easy access to I-78, Northeast Extension, PA Turnpike, Route 309. Beautiful, tranquil surroundings to live in and proximity to everything else. Call for more info.

▲Pipersville, Pa - Bring your horses home! Custom home w/granite kitchen, luxurious master bath, 5 bedrms, 3 baths and In-law Suite w/ sep entrance. 3-stall barn with room for expansion and fenced pasture.

Great location with a country feel, but close to town & Central Bucks schools. $700,000

▲ Plumstead Twp, Pa - Unique opportunity to own one of the prettiest properties in Plumstead. Over 41 acres (two lots) set back more than 1200 ft from the road. Too many opportunities to mention. Farmhouse style home with first floor master (separate entrance), carriage house w/2 BR, LR, DR, 3rd building used as prof. office w/att. garage. Barn w/6 stalls, water, electric. Second storage barn could be fitout for more stalls.

Rolling pastures, treelined fields complete this quintessential location. Low Taxes! $1,250,000

▲Chalfont, Pa - Custom-built stone cape on 4 acres. Updated kitchen and new baths; full, finished basement w/fireplace, 2-car detached garage. Bluestone walkways, abundant perennial beds and specimen shrubs. Four-stall barn w/water, electric, tack/feed room and hay storage. Each stall has Dutch door opening to exterior run. Full-size dressage arena, 2 large pastures w/electric, 2 dry lots and a round pen complete this equestrian property. $500,000

▲Perkasie, Pa -- 3-bedroom ranch home on 10+ acres w/2-bedroom in-law/guest apartment w/separate entrance. In-ground pool w/spa and pool house. 5-stall barn(2008) has wash stall, tack and feed rooms and 2nd floor storage. Second barn w/2-stalls, tack room and Dutch doors to 2 pastures. Pole barn for hay and equipment. 4 additional pastures w/no-climb fencing, fenced arena and grass jumping field. Country setting w/perennials, vegetable garden, hayfield and vineyard! New roof just installed. Too many details to mention! $750,000

▲Hunterdon County, NJ - – Charming, restored colonial with updated utilities, stainless appliances and new tile baths. Hardie plank siding and all new windows. Many original features including random width oak and pine flooring, antique doors and built-in cabinets. Newer septic. Barn, fenced pastures and an all-weather riding ring w/excellent drainage. Addt’l outbuildings include large chicken coop and an original, exposed stone building. Conveniently located close to Flemington and Frenchtown. $380,000.

Perkasie, Pa - $899,900 ▲Arbor Farm...a quintessential Gentleman’s Farm set on 7 bucolic acres...exudes privacy and old-world charm. For the Equestrian, a 3-story stone & frame Bank Barn with 6 stalls, fenced paddock, huge open loft, storage.. endless possibilities. Your new private retreat doesn’t get more Bucks County than this! Classic stone farmhouse with modern amenities including luxurious master bath, state-ofthe-art audio/video system & security alarm. and central air. Original wide plank floors, deep set windows and two stone fireplaces are among the many charming features. Enjoy evenings on the covered porch overlooking this incredibly tranquil setting with manicured perennial & herb gardens, specimen plantings, beautiful Sylvan pool, grape arbor, stream and farmland beyond. A gardeners paradise!

New Listings Become Available All The Time! Call Maria ForEquinista Details!!

• 19 Celebrating the equestrian lifestyle

With a British dressage team made up of both men and women, we are also finding more men are becoming regular customers and we pride ourselves on offering a really good collection of men’s attire from breeches for everyday through to competition wear. I think that with so many top male riders in the style spotlight, that brands are really up-ing their game, when it comes to producing stylish men’s riding wear which ensures that men look good in and out of the saddle! It has always been our mission statement to source and stock quality men’s clothing and accessories; in fact, top professional rider Damian Hallam (Now our sponsored rider) was a customer for many years, for that very reason.

Men like the easy shopping service we offer and they also like the excellence and range that we have.

For women, we have gorgeous delicate pearl and crystal bun nets, crystal embellished belts, stunning semi-precious stone stock-pins and limited edition vintage stocks, all of which can really add those special finishing touches to an outfit.

I personally cannot wait to see the world’s finest dressage riders competing this August and it won’t be just the breathtaking dressage that I will be watching, at Dressage Deluxe we are always on the look out for trends and the Olympics will be no exception!!

www.dressagedeluxe.co.uk

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20 • Equinista

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Jane Savoie, Renaissance Woman of the Equestrian World

By Karma Kitaj

But, she declares that she had no business riding for the U.S. Equestrian Dressage Team, nor publishing books, nor lecturing. She believes that she has no special talent to have done so. Nor did she have an exceptional horse when she tried out for the Olympic Team. And she was overweight and smoked 3 packs of cigarettes per day. It was not a winning combination. How did she get to the top echelons of her field? She got to where she wanted to go by “iron-jawed determination,” she told me.

Let’s look at her story. Her family owned a dry-cleaning business and knew nothing about horses. Nor did they have a lot of money to spend on lessons for their horse-crazy daughter. So, she did what many girls did. She mucked out stalls in exchange for lessons at the local Cherry Ocha Stable in Massachusetts. But, she met up with a great riding teacher, Inger Svalling, called “Marianne.” From her, Jane learned to play with horses and to push herself to take risks. She remembers sitting sideways on the saddle and doing backwards somersaults, daring her friends to do it better, faster, tricks she would never teach her students to do now.

Jane got her first horse, Tiny Trooper, when the stable was sold. He had been abused, so the

middle of his tongue was injured when a previous owner put baling wire in his mouth to break him.

Jane learned how to have soft hands from riding Tiny Trooper.

Jane Savoie, Renaissance woman of the equestrian world, has participated in countless aspects of dressage horsemanship.

She’s competed, coached Olympic teams, taught clinics, written books, created an online coaching websites called DressageMentor.com and the Happy Horse Home Study Course. She’s also a savvy business woman, being a distributor for EquiSense Systems, a simulator for training riders and she is CEO of Eqtrained, sensored tack to help riders diagnose position issues and create new muscle memory. Her first book, That Winning Feeling, translated into 6 languages, has inspired athletes in many disciples, not only horsemanship.

pursuing the range of things she’s done.

Her riding instructor in college, Linda JaskielBrown, introduced her to dressage as part of Combined Training, but she considered it boring, compared to the excitement of jumping. It didn’t Her father was a constant source of encouragestay that way. She eventually embraced dressage ment and delight. She gloried in the moments when she could hang out with him and card sweat- and recognized how essential it is to a horse’s fitness for any discipline. ers after school, a job he did for his dry cleaning business. He was her dearest friend. He gave her the notion that she could do anything she put her Jane met her husband, of 40 years, Rhett Savoie, mind to. And she was good at putting her mind to in college, and they settled after graduation in his native state of Vermont. There she remembers things and succeeding, despite obstacles. a mantra she created and said over and over to herself: “I’m the most sought after riding instructor In the beginning of her freshman year at college, in Vermont.” That happened. As did many other Jane’s beloved dad died of a heart attack at age visualizations she did for herself and taught others 53, leaving no life insurance and little savings. how to implement.

She no longer had money for school, so, did she abandon hope for finishing college? No! She made Never one to accept the status quo, she always an appointment with the registrar and convinced them to give her a full scholarship. Organized and pushed herself on to the next challenge – physically, mentally, and emotionally. She imagined logical, she also helped her grief-stricken mother herself going to the Olympics. And she did. It took to dismantle the dry-cleaning business.

Jane twenty years to achieve her goal of going to the Olympics: in 1992 she made it through the Although she thought of becoming a vet, she selection process and was Reserve Rider for the was counseled out of this idea, as women were US dressage team. By then, she was 42. routinely discriminated against in applying to veterinary school at the time. But, she feels now that ������������ vet school would have limited her flexibility in Celebrating the equestrian lifestyle

Equinista • 21

Place a button ad for your website on our home page this mon

PLEASE

PROOFREAD your ad

CAREFULLY Check all type, art and layout that exist on this proof. Please check information below and sign. Your signature/ initial indicates you are accepting FULL RESPONSIBILITY for the accuracy of all content. If nothing is received back, it is our policy to run the ad as is. All corrections must bethereceived writing by But, she went through a long process of preparing for being on USET, theinmost strenuous email by the date competition in the equestrian world. She worked as a waitressfax as aoryoung married woman indicated. and saved her tips to be able to travel to clinics with well-known trainers. Cindy Sydnor was Send corrections one of her first trainers after college. Later she trained with 6-time Olympian Robert via Dover. email, fax or Always an avid reader, when she couldn’t afford lessons, she devoured books,phone such astothe your ad rep.School. Her habit classic book by Alois Podhajsky, esteemed trainer from the Spanish Riding 610-793-3119 was to pore over these books and then go out to the barn andfax: practice methodically what she just read. ph: 610-793-1425 Experiencing “raging insecurity,” especially when competing at high levels, sheleft wasonapt to Changes bombard herself with negative self-talk: “You’re not in the same voicemail league with the no willothers, not be way!” she told herself. Eventually, she learned how to combat this self-imposed negativity accepted. and self-destructive behavior in the way she took on everything else. She read, studied, and learned what the great coaches were teaching their athletes about peak performance and Send new proof about changing behavior.

One of the books that changed Jane’s life was Psychocyberneticsafter

by Maxwell Maltz. This revisions awkward word refers to the use of visualization as a way of accessing unconscious Moremind, 3 proofs.

Limitour where our blocks reside. By practicing this and positive self-talk than diligently, sheincur learned to 3 will addichange her automatic negative statements and replace them with self-affirming ones. You tional $15 make-up fee. act “as if” when you are competing, as if you are superbly well-prepared and capable of winning.

Ad OK as“You is act like Her long-time trainer and mentor, Robert Dover, believed wholeheartedly in this: a champion before you are a champion,” he would tell her.

OK towhich printuses She taught herself healing methods, including Emotional FreedomAd Technique, aftera revisions tapping, a mind-body approach to healing that uses acupressure points, program accepted indicated, nopractice, re-proof by many psychotherapists. She incorporated these methods into her personal wrote needed. about them, and taught them in her clinics. When she was able to amass enough money, she treated herself to a training with some of the greatest change practitioners, including Tony X Robbins.

What does Jane think she does best of all the things she is talented at doing? She’d love Signature/Date to be have been an Olympic competitor, yes. But, teaching and coaching are where she excels. That’s where she uses her best self. Serendipitously, when a horse she was taking to an Olympic trial fell ill and she was left without a horse to compete, she was asked by the Canadian 3-Day event team to coach them in dressage. This launched career as a YOUher MUST top-flight coach, a part of her work that she feels most adept at doing. She has been coach of SIGN & DATE the dressage teams at 3 Olympic Games – Atlanta (1996), Sydney (2000), and Athens (2004).

She teaches clinics, does demos, and lectures widely.

“The purpose of my life,” says Jane now, “is to be an inspired and inspiring teacher.”

Although she rejected that for a while, now she embraces it wholeheartedly.

Her journey of being an inspired teacher has taken her into many different paths – writing books, creating training videos, and lecturing widely about peak performance and about overcoming internal demons in the competition arena.

Not content to merely do things to advance her own career and enjoy a better life, she came to a stage where “giving back” held more appeal to her. This she says she gleaned from Tony Robbins’ motivational seminars. There are 6 human needs, she learned from him – for variety, consistency, connection, sense of significance, growth, and contribution. You can live with just the first 4, he said, but if you also have the last 2 – growth and contribution – then you are a fulfilled individual. Jane is constantly working toward this fulfillment, by continuing to grow and contribute.

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IMPORTANT:

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22 • Equinista

Arundel Hill • Amanda Hansen, EqDt 112 Arundel Lane Elkton, MD 21921 (302) 561-4666 • www.arundelhill.com

Training Board Available Beautiful training and competition facility offering top quality boarding for riders and their horses looking to improve their skills.

Competition Horses available for sale and lease.

Hope For Hooves Training Program Our goal is to train horses so they will have a successful second career with their new owners.

Please visit our website www.hope4hooves.org for horses available for sponsorship, adoption or sale.

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Celebrating the equestrian lifestyle

Equinista • 23

Old World Craftsmanship Thrives at High Tech State-Of-The-Art Italian Factory Producing Amerigo and Vega Saddles for World Equestrian Brands

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pure fit and function

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����������������������������� Equinista • 25

Charles de Kunffy’s

Life Story

“These historical aberrations could happen also in America if lessons of the past are not learned.”

What compelled you to write A Rider’s Survival from Tyranny and why now?

For decades I have been incubating stories about my life. My life was not really unfolding according to what my privileged beginning forecast. Instead, it became terribly interesting and triumphant because I survived it. I felt guilty and angry with myself for having worked so much that I did not stay home long enough to write a large, meaningful account of what I witnessed in a book. I merely collected short anecdotes to remind myself of episodes later.

Why this book and why now? It has to be now because I am running out of time. Horses, as important as they were all my life, they do not represent more than maybe ten percent of what I have lived nor the range of my interests and my emotional complexities.

The irony is that I had to put my foot into the autobiographical door by writing something awakening the memories of my four years of academic training in the equestrian arts. I still feel the urgency to write about my crowded memories of an extraordinarily eventful life history unleashed on us. Now that I have retired from the grinding demands of a life lived away from my home, in hotel rooms, and in airports, I finally gave myself the tranquility to think about my love of writing.

Every time I told anything of my life during a dinner conversation or when a stranger addressed me with the usual, “I detect a charming little accent. Where are you from?” some anecdotes were squeezed out of me.

I always thought that my accent was neither charming nor little and rather a calamity, but I could not improve on it. However, after all of my story telling, the listeners’ reactions were identical: “Please write this down. This is the most important story I have heard.” I have seen people in tears or laughing when listening to my accounts of the experiences that were lived naturally as commonplace by me.

Therefore, I still hope that more of my other writings, though not equestrian, will see print

26 • Equinista

or maybe will be electronically published. My story is not droopy and sad, merely at times tragic because ultimately we survived with our intellectual and spiritual integrity. And as much as we were targeted to be tormented, punished and given a nasty time, we did not succumb.

The description of your life culturally speaks to a time in history that many have not learned and fewer still understand. What do you hope readers understand about this time in your history?

I wish everyone would understand this time in history because these were very instructive times that are still relevant to day-to-day decisions in our lives now. The omission of historical events of the near past in school curricula is scandalous. Great historical dramas and their consequences are silenced, covered up, hidden and falsified by lying about them.

The United States is a home in a garden suburb of a slummy world.

Yet, they are existentially important to understand by a public with liberties and voting rights. I collect books about these sad happenings in Europe and in the world and give them to others to read. Those who receive these books from me have never even heard of them. Yet, recent history and the experiences of those of us still living who witnessed it should be a compulsory reading assignment in every high school. Why did I never see these books displayed in a bookstore? I had to order them from Amazon. These historical aberrations could happen also in America if lessons of the past are not learned.

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I hand over certain books to friends as a gift and can assure them that on every page twenty-five thousand people die! You open these books and what they describe is a calamity. You may open any chapter, put your finger on any paragraph, start reading it and you may go into emotional shock. Why is it that I live in a free society where these things are totally unknown?

Your book opens with a chilling scene about a child being murdered by a Soviet soldier. How do you live with such a tragedy and others that you have witnessed?

I have friends in Prague, in Budapest, in Vienna who are survivors, of similar events but our generation is dying. We are crying on each other’s shoulders sensing that we are in a new universe all alone. We all had bullets flying at us and were in sightings of sharp shooters that stared at the napes of our necks. We witnessed everything that is antithetical to civilization. The list is long and all-inclusive. When you live that kind of life, you are changed. I might board an aircraft with three hundred other passengers and not a one knows and understands what we have gone through in twentieth century Europe. We are becoming the aliens now. It seems that we landed from another galaxy!

I live in a magical, basically painless society.

The United States is a home in a garden suburb of a slummy world. One of the few places where people are not victims of the Greek notion of “Inexorable Fate.” Here life’s “tragedies, tribulations and trials” are formulated by a numbing entertainment industry where the biggest tragedy in a film maybe that the boy didn’t kiss a girl during the first ten minutes.

Tragedy is trivialized. No tragedy really happens if your choices are smart and you

Continued...

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Equinista • 27

conduct yourself as a mature adult with improved character. Often the “tragedies” or the “dramas” of American entertainment are stories of character faults, poor choices, and an unwillingness to deal with realities. These do not seem like tragedies to us who lived under the punitive hand on “Inexorable Fate.”

Real tragedies abound of course. You may have seen pictures of Sudan or Somalia where the vultures are literally watching the dying.

They are six feet away from the small child who is going to die and they are watching him because he is within an hour of his death.

These vultures are sitting in wake over this child. That is tragedy. In Somalia there are no food stamps except for the vultures.

I am a subscriber to the Classic Turner Movies, and I see the American love stories and socalled tragedies and dramas on old films. This experience is like a pleasant joke compared to real tragedies we witnessed. A “film noir” is like a musical comedy or an operetta compared to what we lived and witnessed.

What is it about horses over anything else that helped you survive the fear and tragedy of war?

In times of war and when living under tyranny, there is no certainty. There is no security, no personal rights and liberties. Basically one lives at the mercy of arbitrary rules enforced by armed thugs. People in America cannot imagine that all your properties can be confiscated. That is of course a euphemism for armed robbery by those who hijacked the state. The unbridled authorities or circumstances they create always torment you. It is a life lived in man-made, manufactured tragedies. There is no part of the day when you can think that you are safe. Therefore, there was not a moment when I thought I would survive because of riding horses either. However, on a personal level horses helped the survival of the spirit. They demand absolute attention. When

28 • Equinista

one rides them correctly and not just sit on them like on a chair, they get your full attention by their behavior and by their responses to and by their communications with their rider. A horse arranges and facilitates a complete focus on the task at hand, and thereby it anesthetizes you to the rest of the horrors around you. When I was riding, I wasn’t aware of anything else except music. While riding, I could never have an excursion with my thoughts, my emotions, and his behavior in partnership with me. It is the magic about horses that helps lift you out of the realities around you. Music is the closest experience to riding rendering this immense relief.

Why did your father have faith that the dictatorship would collapse and why didn’t you?

I became an enigma. I had a great zest for living, which included foolish optimism, which lead to enthusiasm. But I saw the future darkly.

I argued that tyrants now had the technology at their disposal that could ensure their dictatorship forever. There is nowhere to go and hide. I talked with survivors of the clashes when their rulers were alternately German Nazis or Soviet Communists. Both of those regimes were diligent in enslaving or murdering them. They never committed any misdeeds or crimes. Yet, my father argued, “You have no idea how quickly these things end. The coin is flipped and these tormentors of humanity are the ones hanging from the trees while everyone else is liberated.”

Stunningly, this change of power my father predicted actually happened for a mere ten days in Hungary. After which, my pessimistic view prevailed. The Soviets returned with their airplanes and tanks. They continued their terror with superior force for another thirty years until President Reagan, the Polish Pope, and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher pushed them over.

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Great tragedies continue in Syria and in Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, and other places where thugs are holding power and no one steps forward to push them over.

Were you able to stay in contact with your family somehow?

Ever since the communist takeover it was very dangerous to get letters from outside the Iron Curtain. We were forced to lose contact and had to ask relatives in the West not to communicate anymore. After 1956, contact was more tolerated but still dangerous. We would write to my parents and no one else. I could have jeopardized anybody’s job by writing from the United States. You protected people by not writing.

We all wanted to get out of the Communist prison states. But if someone defected or got out, their parents and members of family were punished by torture, forced labor, or imprisonment. Jobs, careers, homes, furnishings were all lost as punishment. The victims of the regime died mostly of hard labor and lack of medication. The Communists never wasted a bullet. Bullets were expensive. They worked you to death. Yet, parents told their children, “ Don’t talk about it, but if you have a chance that you can defect, be gone and we die for you.”

Do you feel safe in America?

I feel safe, but I don’t feel certain. We live in a media manipulated and confused world where people are deprived of their own sanity. People no longer differentiate truth from lies. Reality is confused with feelings. Reason is replaced by feeling good as a guide to behavior.

Charles de Kunffy’s wonderful interview was too lengthy to include in this issue. Visit our web site to read it in it’s entirety. ��������������� Eq

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