Recreation & Lifestyle
Welcome to Recreation & Lifestyle, which includes leisure riding and other aspects of the equestrian lifestyle for you and your horse loving friends and family.
Looking for the perfect present? See the Gifts & Jewelry section. Redecorating? Find a Painting, Photograph or Sculpture in the Artwork section. Need to check out a movie or crawl up with a good book or magazine? See our Entertainment section where you will find and Books, Movies, Games, and Magazines. And don't forget about Fine Art in some specialty Museums that might surprise you.
Looking for love or a trail buddy? Riding Partners is the spot to seek other riders who share your passion. Find a place to ride with that special person in our Trail Riding section and if you need more time away, take a look at Vacations. Want to know about the next horse show or special event? Don’t miss it! Dates and locations are included in the Calendar of Events for Recreation & Lifestyle.
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Equestrian Organizations in the 2017 Presidential Inauguration Parade
On January 20th, the transfer of power in Washington, DC officially begins with the traditional Inaugural Parade. Over 3,000 organizations applied to march in the parade, with only 40 being selected. Of those 40, nine of them are equine organizations.
“We are pleased to see the equine community being well represented during the Inaugural Parade,” said American Horse Council President Julie Broadway. “Equines were an integral part of the foundation of the United States, and Presidents throughout history have appreciated and admired the grandeur of the horse.”
The most recognized equines in the parade will be the Caisson Platoon from Fort Myer, VA. In addition to their well-known, solemn duty of military funerals, the Caisson Platoon also participates in numerous historic processions performed by the Old Guard, as well as the notable honor of being included in Presidential Inaugural Parades.
November 17-20, 2016
by Patricia N. Saffran
This year’s Equus Film Festival opened November 17th with a celebratory party at the Equus Pop-Up Gallery in the Ukrainian National Home. Created by Lisa Diersen four years ago in St. Charles, Illinois, the festival relocated and is now in its third year in New York City. Filmmakers, actors, authors, and artists flew in from all over the world to attend. The catering was provided by sponsor Lucas Oil Estate/Protect the Harvest with Executive Chef, Todd Shidler presiding.
Panel discussions on a variety of topics took place at the same venue the following two days while screenings of the 149 films were held at the nearby historic Village East Cinema. The panel discussion of International Filmmakers showcased a variety of equine subjects. The travel effort by the producers was appreciated by attendees who viewed this diverse group of films. Panelists included:
- Stefan Morel, from Canada, described his film, HERD, “It’s about eight individuals who went on a retreat with horses as their healers.” The film was shot in the gorgeous mountains in British Columbia with interviews of the participants. HERD won Equus Equestrian Director Full Length.
- Florian Figge from Germany told the audience about his entries: an ad for German Racing, and Maxios, a short about continuing the bloodlines of the best German Thoroughbred who died, and also Lomitas, His Story, about Monty Roberts’ amazing rehabilitation of the racehorse. He said, “Lomitas had us all in tears.” This film won Equus Equestrian International Documentary.
- Sam Fleet, director from the UK, described his company’s films, “For some films we used a specially designed jockey cam for more exciting action to interest the public in racing, as in Many Clouds”- about the Grand National winner trying at win a second time. Fleet’s Horsepower for the UK Jockey Club was another of his films being shown. His The Island Project won Equus Equestrian Director International.
- Ralf Schauwacker, director from Germany, told the audience about his movie, FREI [Free], “Working on FREI gave me a sense of peacefulness and changed the way I look at riding.” The film showcases liberty training, as well as riding and jumping with no bridle. FREI won Equus Best of Festival International.
- Luiza Jacobsen from Brazil, characterized her eight short ads for the Rio Olympics using a horse, Billy to Rio, “It was a social media campaign with a big following to get the public’s attention for the horse events and other competitions.” Billy to Rio won the Equus Commercial On Line Judging.
An Australian entry, The Four Horsemen, directed by Peter Davies, is the fascinating true story of the four brave Ashton polo playing brothers who in the 1930s traveled to England and became a surprising success. Wal Ashton, who commissioned the movie explained, “I’m the son of the captain, Jim Ashton, the oldest of the brothers. I decided to do the film because if I didn’t do it the information would be lost.” This movie won the Equus Equestrian International Full Documentary award.
Read more: Fantastic Films Emerge Amidst Controversy at the Equus Film Festival in NYC
by Patricia N. Saffran
The third annual Rolex Central Park Horse Show was held at the Wollman Rink from September 21st to 25th under the aegis of founder Mark Bellissimo, and CEO of the International Equestrian Group. Once again the functional rink was utterly transformed into a magical place. Attending the show for the first time, Barry Lewis, architectural historian and co-host of the PBS A Walk Through Central Park, was impressed by the transformation. He said, “The use of artificial ivy covering the structure of the bleachers transforms the space into a bower.” There were classes for the duration of the show for various age groups in different disciplines. The following are some highlights:
On September 21, the exquisite Arabian horses, presented by the Arabian Horse Association and Aljassimya Farms, competed in a variety of classes, including Arabian Western Pleasure, Arabian Country English Pleasure and halter classes. Some of the classes featured a professional and amateur riding the same horse.
Read more: A Must See for Every Horse Lover, The Rolex Central Park Horse Show!
by Lisa Thomas
I have lots of clients who own, run or want to own horse boarding facilities in the wine country. They are a unique breed and what fascinates me is how very different they all are. Each operation is quite different, they all have their own market positioning and way they do business. It's a little like real estate... lots of agents, with lots of different ways of doing business, each potentially successful in their own way. So what is the attraction of owning a horse business? And the secret to success? Here's my view, based on seeing how a lot of these operations are run...
It's a Service Business - make no mistake. Providing horse care and the facilities for people to ride or enjoy their horses is a service. That means that making the client feel happy is the secret to keeping them as clients. Good service is something people pay for. Making something cheap is almost always going to mean that you don't do much for them.
The nice thing about boarding businesses is that there is a market for everything from the basic DIY boarding... i.e. Do It Yourself... to the full service DUP 'Drive up Darling, your horse is saddled & waiting' and everything in between. At the lower end you provide a safely fenced pasture and water and the owners provide the care. At the upper end, you are the all inclusive resort vacation site with full service, 3-4 times daily feeding, supplements, spraying, rugging up, holding for farriers, medicating, tack cleaning... take this as far as you'd like to go service. Find your market and be clear about your service offering. This is the secret to making a profit, not just income.
Movie review by Patricia N. Saffran
Dark Horse won the World Cinema Documentary category at the Sundance Film Festival 2015. The film is currently being screened in theaters around the US and a non-US format is offered on Amazon. It is beautifully made and is a joy to watch.
Read more: "Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance" Film Review
"What if horses were given a choice? Would they let us ride them?”
The touching story of horse trainer Elsa Sinclair is told in her movie "Taming Wild" where she traveled to find an untouched Mustang, a mare which was totally wild, and patiently created a bond with her. Elsa used no saddles, no bridles, no whips, and no food for bribes to see if a wild horse would choose to be ridden. Elsa speaks with Equine Info Exchange and shares her remarkable journey of respect, patience and love with her Mustang mare named Myrnah.
Written by: Susan Stafford. Excerpted from Volume 1 of the "Horse Tales for the Soul" series.
Many years ago - about 4 B.C. (Before Children), to be exact - my husband and I had a Big Adventure. After years of city living, we had just purchased our first home in the country, a run-down cottage in the middle of a swamp on a dead-end road. The basement was constantly under water (we cheerfully called it our indoor swimming pool), the septic system was always backing up and the mosquitoes were so ravenous that we could have benefited from regular blood transfusions. We were often without power, got snowed in every winter, and the roof leaked. But the place was ours, and it was heaven. To satisfy a lifelong dream, we bought a couple of horses to complete the picture. Now, knowing very little about horses at the time, we just scooped up the first likely prospects that came along. Luckily, my little black gelding, Buck, was trustworthy and quiet most of the time. His only major flaw was that he was an escape artist. There was not a stall latch designed that could keep him in.
There was, of course, the unfortunate incident when Buck let himself and his barn mates out one night, then proceeded to the neighbor’s stable to release all their horses as well. The police informed us in the morning that the small herd of hoodlums had been terrorizing the surrounding farms and frightening motorists all night long. They implied that “the black one” appeared to be the ringleader. It was all very embarrassing - much like the authorities showing up at your door to tell you that your teenage son had been caught joyriding in a stolen car.
by Marion E. Altieri, for Equine Info Exchange, Oct 2015
If the name Buddy Ebsen brings to mind only two of his characters—Jed Clampett and Barnaby Jones—then you don’t know Ebsen, at all. Or one important part of the legacy the gentleman left behind, in the hearts and actions of three of his beloved equestrian daughters.
Hollywood legend, Buddy Ebsen, got his start in show biz, dancing and singing with his sister in New York City. Soon he found himself tearing up the dance floor and singing for none other than Flo Ziegfield, himself—and from there, to a fat contract with MGM and the great musicals which brightened the otherwise-dreary 1930s.
So you didn’t know that Mr. Ebsen had serious acting, singing and dancing chops—you probably didn’t know that he loved riding horses; owned a ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains; had six daughters—and passed on his love for horses to at least three of his girls.
Read more: Three Ebsen Sisters + Horses = A Legacy for the Ages
Saratoga Springs NY artist Nick Martinez, a native of Trinidad, Colo., was introduced to horses at a young age by his grandfather. He started his jockey career in 1976 at Centennial Race track in Colorado. In 1983, Martinez' career came to a halt when he shattered several bones in his leg in a riding accident. Nick endured a year and a half of physical therapy and in his spare time took drawing classes at a local art college in Phoenix, Ariz. After his leg was fully rehabilitated, he returned to riding for another six years. When he officially retired from race riding in 1991, Martinez continued work as an exercise rider while pursuing his art career on the side.
Martinez came to Saratoga, NY where he had his first art show. Due to his success at the upstate New York track, Martinez decided to make regular visits there to sell his equine art, and eventually decided to make Saratoga Springs, NY his permanent home. Martinez has been working as a full-time artist since 1991. In addition to portraits of various horsemen, jockeys, and horses, he also paints landscapes and other animals and was commissioned to travel to Africa and paint wildlife last winter (courtesy of www.nickmartinezart.com.)
Welcome to the World Stage: Arabian Horses Take NYC by Storm at Rolex Central Park Horse Show this Week
by Lindsey Brock
For Immediate Release September 21, 2015 New York, NY – The world stage is set. The path has been laid out. The weather, with clear skies and enjoyable temperatures, is predicted to be perfect. The historical unveiling of the Arabian horse at New York City’s Rolex Central Park Horse Show is just days away, aligning with the arrival of Pope Francis to the ‘Big Apple’. The transformation of the famous Central Park in Manhattan is in full swing as New York City prepares for a historic week. Arabian horses arrive in Central Park for the U.S. Open Arabians the opening night of the Rolex Central Park Horse Show on Wednesday, September 23. Beginning at 6 p.m., this unprecedented event will showcase the Arabian breed to the world.
