Fashion-Forward Fillies: Three Equestrian Designers Taking Country To Town

8:44 pm

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Fashion-Forward Fillies: Top Equestrian Designers

It’s that time of year again! I’m talking about boot season, when every department store heaps their shoe displays with odd (to our eyes) takes on riding boots.

This year Macy’s looks like it has been devoted to bring back the hunt top as a show-ring statement — except that none of us would dare put one of those fashion-only boots in a stirrup.

As equestrians, we’re always looking for something beautiful and authentic to display our traditional sensibilities, in and out of the saddle […]

American Towns Built Around Horses

8:34 pm

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Misc.

Horsetown USA: Three American Cities With Horses in Their DNA

No matter what your discipline is, chances are you can strike up a conversation with any horseman. We might have different saddles and ideas about the length of a horse’s mane, but we’ve got similar passions when you come right down to it, and similar needs, too, like green-space preservation, or access to a variety of feed and farm suppliers.

In some spots, the benefits of horsemen sharing their needs has resulted in some pretty special places. They’ve got beaches and mountains, corrals and […]

Horse Camping Basics

7:37 pm

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Misc.

Ah, fresh air! The breeze in the pine trees!

A trail winding through the hills, to the perfect campsite, a place to pitch your tent beside a babbling stream. You’ll go fishing, and in a cast-iron skillet over a Boy Scout quality campfire, cook your fresh-caught dinner with simple satisfaction. After you make up your horse’s pen, of course.

What, you’d go camping and not take your horse? That’s just mean. Your horse wants to go visit new and wild locations, too. He’s not the only one who could use a […]

TEA-CHER, T.E.A.C.H.E.R., TEA-CHER

3:37 pm

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Guest Author Farmgirl, Misc.

“No one can teach riding as well as a horse.” CS Lewis

It’s time to tell Treasure’s story. If you read my blog entitled Analogies and the Wizard of Oz, (https://equinefacilitydesign.com/blog/post/Analogies-and-The-Wizard-of-Oz.aspx), I allude to Helen Keller when describing Treasure:

Treasure, what can I say about Treasure? The horse of every little girls dream – golden palomino, flaxen mane and tail, the color of straw. Yep, Treasure was my Scarecrow, a gorgeous animal and the smallest horse in the barn with the biggest […]

Summer Isn’t Over Yet: Four Horse Biographies to Read Right Now

4:08 am

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Misc.

The Eighty-Dollar Champion By Elizabeth Letts

Yes, summer is almost over. Kids are going back to school, the locusts are singing their good-bye song, and shop windows are full of scarves and sweaters.

But don’t give up the end of your summer! There are still a few more weeks before Labor Day. You still have time for a little summer reading.

Get you to the beach or the lake, and pack your beach-bag with horsey reads. Here are four horse biographies to help you savor the last days of summer […]

An Equestrian in Saratoga: Three Things to See and Do in America’s Oldest Horse Racing Town

2:40 am

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Misc.

2013 marks the 150th anniversary of Thoroughbred horse racing at Saratoga Springs, New York.

Equestrians think of Saratoga for its high-bred horses, and it is truly one of those special towns where the horse is celebrated in every way. If you’re visiting Saratoga Springs as an equestrian tourist – what better way to travel, right? – here are three fantastic must-sees in Saratoga.

Big Red Spring

This beautiful town became a part of the upper-class for its springs – a series of unique, naturally carbonated mineral springs, each with its own purported health benefits. There […]

Magazine Review: Equestrian Quarterly – Celebrating Country Life

2:04 am

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Facility Planning & Design, Guest Author Farmgirl, Misc.

Magazine Review: Equestrian Quarterly

Do you ever find yourself thinking you signed up for the “Town and Country” life, but ended up with Green Acres (and speaking for myself, with a little Minnie Pearl vibe) instead? Do you imagine yourself with shiny, perfectly groomed, well bred steeds in the fanciest of stables but when you walk out to the barn you find sweaty, dirty and frankly backyard bred (albeit beloved) mutts living in what could hardly be referred to as a ‘stable‘? And like me, do you think of yourself as leading a Ralph […]

Selecting Hay for your Horse

7:31 pm

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Equine Care, Misc.

Choosing the Right Hay for Your Horse

In summertime, a farmer’s thoughts turn to thoughts of hay-cutting, and horse owners are eager to get their hands on the season’s best forage for their horses.

What are some things you should look out for when buying hay? Whether you wander a warehouse and order a truckload or go to the feedstore once a week with your pick-up truck, there are certain qualities to good hay that you should always watch for. It’s time to roll up your sleeves and make sure your […]