Untacked january february 2015

The Chronicle of the Horse

VOL. 3, NO. 1

JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2015

JUMP FORWARD TO

2015 With Confidence

HELEN KRIEBLE: A Rebel With A Cause

TOUR THE HALLOWED HALLS of

Gladstone

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Untacked The C hronicle of the Horse

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SARAH FARNSWORTH PHOTO

Vol. 3, no. 1

80

34 Your Take-Charge Guide To 2015 52 History Echoes In Gladstone’s Walls 64 Pioneering Her Own Path: Helen E. Krieble 72 How DaVinci’s Brainchild Became The American Horse 80 From Kenya With Love 92 Polo In A Winter Wonderland 100 The Souls The Barn Builds On the cover: Kat Netzler Photo

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ELENA LUSENTI photo

LINCOLN ROGERS PHOTO

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New Ariat Monaco™ LX

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum knows that her new contoured Monaco LX boots are fit to perform.

Š 2015 Ariat Inte I rnational, Inc. I

Laura St. Clair Photo

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Departments

Photo courtesy of Micah Fink

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12

Editor’s Letter

14

Contributors

18

Around The Arena

20

Tech Spotlight

22

Test Lab

24

Editor’s Picks

26

The Clothes Horse

104 City Guide 110 Do It Yourself 114 Charity Spotlight 116 Best Of Web & Print 120 Parting Ways

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PHOTO COURTESY OF MALIA’S

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Editor’s Letter

It’s Not Just Getting There, It’s The Ride In editing this first issue of the New Year, it occurred to me that there’s a reason why everyone’s familiar with the old adage, “You’ve just got to get back on the horse.” Even in mainstream culture, equestrians have a reputation for being a pretty resolute lot.

So it’s not surprising that this issue would be full of stories of amazing resolve, from a group of 20th century Americans who refused to let Leonardo da Vinci’s plans for the largest equine sculpture in the world go unfinished (p. 72), to the life of Colorado Horse Park founder Helen Krieble, who, at an age where most of her peers are already retired, is redoubling her commitment to an almost quixotic quest: instituting immigration reform (p.

64). And of course we’ve devoted our cover story (p. 34) to this subject as well, bringing you experts’ advice on how to tackle five common New Year’s resolutions—and how to make sure 2015 is the year you actually keep them.

One thing the best horsemen and women all seem to have in common is a true passion for the process of building a relationship with their equine partners. As Buck Davidson, who’s currently standing fifth in the FEI’s World Eventing Athlete rankings, put it in our Dec. 15 issue of the Chronicle, “I love the process of it; I love going into the start box at Rolex Kentucky and remembering when the horse got eliminated at preliminary.”

The best riders care about the journey as much—if not more so—than reaching the destination. And that’s an enlightened mentality I think equestrians should apply more often to their challenges outside the barn as well.

No matter the objective, the experts we talked

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to for this month’s cover story all seem to agree: One of the best ways to set yourself up for success is to change the way you think about your goal to begin with. When we learn to love the process—to find gratification in constant improvement, however small, and to accept setbacks as inevitable and important steps in that process—accomplishment comes so much easier, and it becomes the cherry on top of an already great experience.

While some rare individuals probably do have the capacity to achieve their goals based on sheer determination, I know I certainly don’t. I’ve abandoned enough New Year’s resolutions already to know that relying on my willpower alone is the one sure-fire way to burn out or fail in no time flat.

So while I have plenty of personal goals I’d like to accomplish in 2015, this issue of Untacked has helped me focus on one special objective I hope you’ll all join me in, no matter what resolution you take on this year: learn to love the process. Because in the saddle as well as in life, it’s not just getting there, it’s the ride.

—Kat Netzler, Editor

contributors contact us:

In This Issue

subscriptions & renewals:

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

AMY DRAGOO PHOTO

LAWRENCE J. NAGY PHOTO

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

Nancy Jaffer

Laura St. Clair Kristin Carpenter

There’s nothing like living practically next door to the headquarters of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone, N.J., especially if you’re an equestrian photojournalist. Nancy Jaffer has lived most of her life just a short canter from the famed stables, and her stories and photos are seen in publications around the world. She has written several books, including Life in the Galloping Lane and Riding Through.

She rides her own horse when she has the chance between her travels to competitions.

Kristin juggles running her own company, Linder Educational Coaching, with organizing the Area II Young Rider Advancement Program out of Morningside Training Farm in The Plains, Va., and competing at the FEI levels of eventing.

She’s also one of our most popular bloggers on coth.com. Kristin grew up in Louisiana and competed at the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships and the Bromont CCI** on a green off-track Thoroughbred she bought as a teenager. She’s now bringing another OTTB, Lizzie, up the ranks.

Laura is a writer, adult amateur dressage rider, and the fresh voice behind the equestrian style blog SHADBELLY. Raised on her family’s farm near Nashville, Laura still holds dear her Middle Tennessee Pony Club pin. She recently returned to her love of all things equestrian after a notable career in commercial real estate.

Laura, her husband George, and their two Hanoverians now reside in Litchfield, Conn., and Naples, Fla. Away from the barn, Laura serves as assistant taster for George’s Napa-based winery, and she’s finishing edits to her first feature screenplay, Jubilation.

Copyright© 2015 by The Chronicle of the Horse, LLC. Reproduction of any material (including photographs and drawings) without written permission is prohibited. All rights reserved. The Chronicle of the Horse® and the distinctive masthead that appear on the cover of the magazine are all registered trademarks of The Chronicle of the Horse, LLC and may not be used in any manner without prior written permission.

THE CHRONICLE OF THE HORSE (ISSN 0009-5990) is published weekly except for January 6, February 3, March 3, March 24, April 28, June 2, June 30, July 21, September 8, October 6, December 8 and December 29 by The Chronicle of the Horse, Inc., 108 The Plains Road, Middleburg, Virginia. Periodicals postage paid at Middleburg, VA and additional mailing offices.

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

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Postmaster submit address changes to P.O. Box 433288, Palm Coast, Florida 32143-3288

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Tania Evans

A freelance writer and editor for 40 years, Tania Evans is also a lifelong art lover and rider. She has evented through the advanced level, was a rated polo player at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic, has foxhunted in several countries and followed the hounds of the Waterloo Hunt, near her home in Ann Arbor, Mich., for years.

Tania also serves as a senior appraiser with American Society of Equine Appraisers and enjoys biking, kayaking and golf in her spare time.

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SABINE SCHARNBERG PHOTO

Publications Mail Agreement #40612608 Canada Returns to be sent to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C6B2

Megan Brincks

Elena Lusenti

Originally from Milan, Italy, Elena is a photographer of horses and riders around the world. She brings her insightful eye to an equestrian culture she knows well, having competed with great success in high amateur-owner show jumping. Her travels around the globe always bring her back to her equestrian roots in Wellington, Fla., where she currently resides.

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A former staff reporter for The Chronicle of the Horse, Megan now lives with her dog and cat in Fort Worth, Texas, where she works for the American Paint Horse Association. With time spent in almost every kind of saddle over the years, she rides whenever she gets the chance and recently started dipping her toes into the waters of eventing. When she isn’t writing about, photographing or riding horses, she enjoys reading, traveling and hiking.

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The C hronicle of the Horse

Untacked

E

Volume 3 • Number 1 • January/February 2015

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Molly Sorge, molly@chronofhorse.com editorial staff

sharon rose, sharon@chronofhorse.com Mollie Bailey, mbailey@chronofhorse.com Lisa Slade, lisa@chronofhorse.com Lindsay Berreth, lindsay@chronofhorse.com Jennifer Calder, jbcalder@chronofhorse.com taylor joyce, taylor@chronofhorse.com haley burton, haley@chronofhorse.com KIMBERLY LOUSHIN, kimberly@chronofhorse.com editorial production manager

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tidbits from across the industry

Aroundthe Arena rthy My Faves: Willie McCa Born and raised in County Cork, Ireland, the 31-yearold McCarthy now calls Fair Hill, Md., home. He became a local legend by winning the bareback puissance competition at the 2013 Plantation Field International CIC (Pa.), but 2014 was McCarthy’s breakout year in his full-time profession of race riding.

“Willie Mac” got his biggest win of the year in the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes (Tenn.) aboard

William Pape’s Divine Fortune, and he put a lock on the National Steeplechase Association’s leading jockey titles—by both races won (23) and money won ($738,400)—long before the season concluded.

Herewith, a few of the garrulous Irishman’s favorite things: ➜ Breeches: Ornella Prosperi Race Breeches ➜ Riding boot: Ornella Prosperi Lightweight Race Boot

➜ Street footwear: Tiger sneakers

that a good friend helped me pick out.

➜ Comfort food: I love a good Indian meal occasionally (usually when I’m trying to reduce weight… hot hot hot!).

➜ Guilty pleasure: I’m a sucker for Royal Farms Fried Chicken.

➜ App: WhatsApp ➜ Band: U2

➜ Book: The National Steeplechase

Association’s most current Condition Book, to figure out my upcoming race rides.

➜ Vehicle: A Golf Cart

➜ Vacation destination: Las Vegas TOD MARKS PHOTO

➜ City: Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

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➜ Place to shop: Superdry. They

have some pretty random but cool

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stuff there, and I’ve been getting my friends on to it too.

➜ Stress reliever: A hard workout at the boxing gym. ➜ Non-horsey hobby: I’m a golf fanatic. If I hadn’t

become a jockey, I wish I could have been a pro golfer on the PGA Tour.

➜ Type of workout: Boot Camp

➜ Non-equestrian sport to watch: Boxing. I have a huge love of and passion for the sport.

➜ Pet: I don’t own a pet yet, but I’m very fond of many of my friends’ dogs and an odd cat, and it wouldn’t be fair to single anyone out. I love them all, I guess. ➜ Competition venue: The Far Hills Steeplechase in

New Jersey, where our version of the Breeders’ Cup is run.

It’s the cream of our season—the best races, trainers, horses and jockeys. It’s been lucky place for me, and I dream of winning the $250,000 Grand National there one day.

➜ Type of horse: I would have to say the Thoroughbred.

They are my life!

The ChroniC

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of the horse

spri Ng 2014

1 Vol. 2, No.

rId Ing rootEd In

EvEntErs Jimmie and dominic Schramm

NavigatiNg

Romance Outside The Ring

7Easy

s solution ving FoR PReseR s YouR Ribbon

a sporting life lega

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InsIde d ’s HuntlanrIc HIsto Wa lls a supplemen

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On Deck

Mark your calendar with these upcoming important dates. u Dec. 29-Jan. 3 If you’re already in Florida for the winter, you won’t want to miss the ninth annual George H. Morris Horsemastership Clinic in Wellington. A dozen of the country’s most talented young riders will be learning under the legend at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, and auditors are welcome to attend the mounted sessions free of charge. Can’t make it to Florida? No problem!

Chronicle staffer Haley Burton have daily coverage of the clinic on coth.com. u Jan. 3-7 Move over, hunter/jumper kids, it’s time for the future dressage riders of America to take Wellington’s center stage. The fourth annual

Robert Dover Horsemastership Clinic, held at the Van Kampen arena at the Global Dressage Festival grounds, will also be open to auditors, and our staffer Lisa Slade will be on hand to provide coverage at coth.com. u Jan. 14-17 Now that sport association meetings have come and gone, will that controversial rule change get the go-ahead or the ax? Find out at the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s Annual Meeting in Lexington, Ky. u Feb. 12 Attention all students: Don’t miss the deadline for the Intercollegiate Equestrian Foundation Scholarships.

These grants are available to both Intercollegiate Horse Show Association members and non-members. Visit ihsainc.com/scholarship/iefscholarship for more details and an application.

sprIng FasHIon pr ev IeW Horse

Untacked Earns Two FOLIO: Magazine Honors The Chronicle of the Horse Untacked was named as a finalist for two national awards at the 2014 FOLIO: Eddie and Ozzie Awards in New York City on Dec. 11.

In the Eddies, which recognize editorial excellence, Untacked earned an honorable mention in the consumer magazine recreation/sports/outdoor category with its Spring 2014 issue. Anglers Journal won top honors, while Power &

Motoryacht and SAIL magazines were also named honorable mentions.

Untacked picked up a second honorable mention in the new consumer magazine category of the Ozzies, which honor excellence in design. Allrecipes won first place, and POLITICO Magazine and The Golf Sport also took honorable mention awards.

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TECH spotlight

This Is Your Brain, On Horses

By lisa slade

Jane Karol tests an EEG designed by Electrical Geodesics Inc., one of Anna Jaffe’s methods of measuring brain activity while riding.

Anna Jaffe is what you’d call an overachiever. In 2006, while still in school at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she co-founded the Vehicle Design Summit, a global team dedicated to developing hyper-efficient vehicles, and in 2013 she founded her own technological startup, Mobi. And this fall, Jaffe rode Jane Karol’s Moonshine to the fourth level adult amateur freestyle championship at the U.S. Dressage Finals in Lexington, Ky. Yet Jaffe, 29, does occasionally somehow find free time, and in it she looks for ways to apply her technological training to her equestrian hobby. Karol and Moonshine, a 13-year-old Westphalian gelding, have stepped right up to help at Karol’s Bear Spot Farm and Foundation in Concord, Mass.

“We’re just starting research to watch peoples’ brains while they’re riding,” Jaffe said. “[Electroencephalography] machines are usually used for testing while people are sleeping or sitting in front of a computer, and they tell you things like, ‘Don’t blink!’

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA JAFFE

One amateur dressage rider is setting out to measure the neurological impact riding has on humans, but she’s also learning what impact we have on our horses’ brains as well.

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“We want to put it on people when they ride, so the helmet has to be able to jostle the EEG, and the people are going to blink,” Jaffe continued. “It took us a long time to make a prototype that sort of worked. In that process, we were trying all sorts of things.”

One of those was the sticky electrodes most commonly used for electrocardiograms.

“They didn’t really work on the people, but then I stuck them on Moonshine’s head, and they worked perfectly,” said Jaffe. “He was our first research horse to try an EEG, and we’re just starting that project now.”

On her first day of work with the gelding, Jaffe performed 15 “tiny tests.” These included measuring his brain function while standing in a stall, resting, and then standing in the crossties.

“Then I’d peek around the corner and see if his brain patterns changed when I walked past him versus when someone else, a stranger, did,” Jaffe said. “There’s a

pretty distinct difference.

“There are all kinds of things we want to play with,” she continued. “I think the primary goal is trying to find the neurological signature for pain in horses. A lot of times you can’t find a clear unsoundness, but you can say the horse doesn’t feel right.

We don’t know how much detail we’ll be able to find—if you can find the difference between soft tissue and hard tissue pain, or the difference between chronic and acute pain.”

Jaffe is planning to use the EEG machine on riders to measure the differences riding creates in the brain. Karol is also a psychologist who combines traditional therapy with equine-assisted therapy at Bear Spot.

“I’m interested in lasting changes in the brain,” she said. “We want to see if we can find the neurological signature for change. I think it’d be kind of cool to quantify what’s going on, so that’s probably the long-term goal with that project.”

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test lab

We tested four different kinds of non-traditional stall bedding to see if they lived up to their claims.

LINDSAY BERRETH PHOTO

By Lindsay Berreth

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LINDSAY BERRETH PHOTO

Alternative Bedding: Cost Effective Or A Headache? >> Green Shavings If your stalls tend to get damp or you have a horse prone to thrush, Green Shavings are for you, as they aim to keep your stall drier and inhibit the growth of fungi and mold.

This soft, absorbent pine bedding is treated with an organic fungal inhibitor mixed with a colorant, used to verify that the shavings have been properly treated.

(Yes, they are actually green, but no, the dye will not transfer to your beautiful white horse! The colorant doesn’t run, even when wet.)

The active ingredient, potassium sorbate, is primarily used as a food preservative, meaning your horse won’t be in danger if he ingests some, and when used to treat wood, it inhibits germination and growth of a wide variety of mold and fungi.

Green Shavings come bagged, just like regular pine shavings, in 26-lb. bales. Three bales in my 12' x 12' stalls was plenty to begin with, and my horses immediately dropped to roll the first time I put them in their stalls. Horse approved!

The shavings themselves are cut quite large, but they were less dusty than other brands. They have a pleasant pine smell that’s not overpowering.

Unfortunately, with larger pieces comes more difficulty picking the stall.

It’s very easy to waste these shavings and I needed to add a half bag or more about every other day, depending on how messy each horse was.

For one horse who only poops in the corner of his stall, they weren’t as much of a hassle, but for my recently off-thetrack 4-year-old Thoroughbred who paces his stall, I was practically stripping the stall each day. I ended up using a few bags in my trailer where waste isn’t such an issue.

Prices range from $7-$10 per bag depending on your area. Visit GreenShavings.com for more info.

>> Guardian Pine Pellets

Made of 100 percent wood fiber, Guardian pellets are meant to be highly absorbent and cost effective, because you waste less when picking.

Guardian’s pellets come in 40-lb. bags. I used four to five bags per stall for initial bedding and wetted them down until the pellets broke up into finely textured, pleasant smelling bedding.

My horses liked the bedding because of how soft it was and I really liked how easy it was to pick. It falls right through the prongs of my pitchfork, leaving only manure. And because the bedding is so absorbent and clumps together, urine spots were easy to find and remove.

Guardian suggests adding one new bag of pellets per week, but I didn’t have to add anything for about two weeks—a definite plus!

The company estimates that one 40-lb. bag of pellets is equivalent to upwards of two bags of regular shavings, which means it is cost effective and takes up less space in your barn.

Unfortunately, although Guardian says they utilize a special “waste screening” process to reduce dust, I found the dust factor to be a major issue.

I tried the pellets during an average late fall/ early winter in Virginia—not too dry or too wet— and they were annoyingly dusty a couple of days after putting in the initial bedding. By the end of the week, the edges of my stalls and anything hanging on them, like blankets and sprays, were covered in a thin coat of dust.

And while my horses loved rolling and sleeping in the bedding, the dust was especially noticeable on my black Thoroughbred, which made grooming tedious.

Thankfully none of my horses suffer from allergies, but if yours does, think twice about Guardian Pine Pellets. It’s also important to take into account the water source at your barn. On very cold days when the hose froze, I had to fill buckets of water from the tack room and dump them on the pellets so they would puff up, which worked, but wasn’t easy to spread evenly.

Guardian Pine Pellets retail for about $6.50 per 40-lb. bag. Find your nearest retailer at GuardianHorseBedding.com.

>> Best Cob

If you’d like to “green” up your barn, Best Cob pellets offer a 100 percent natural option that composts in as little as six months.

Made of corncobs, this bedding works similarly to wood pellets, like Guardian Pine Pellets, but it can be used dry or wet. They’re manufactured using only steam and water as binding agents, so no harsh chemicals.

After spreading four bags of initial bedding in each of my stalls, I decided to try them dry first. Best Cob’s pellets are a bit softer than wood pellets and break down naturally as a horse walks on them over a few days, but the process can be accelerated by wetting them.

Within seconds of walking on the dry pellets, one of my horses started eating them, so I scrapped that idea and wet them down until they turned into a fine bedding. After that, he seemed to leave it alone. The pellets had a musty or stale smell compared to the Guardian Pine Pellets, but it was clearly appetizing to my horses!

The bedding was very easy to pick and fell right through my pitchfork, and wet spots clumped well.

But this bedding was also extremely dusty, to the extent that it even sometimes covered up the manure in the stall if the horse walked around. It was so dusty that when picking, there was often a cloud of dust as I sifted, and it was even worse when I flung the pitchfork contents into the wheelbarrow. Again, the edges of my stalls and everything hanging in the aisle were covered in dust.

But Best Cob pellets are cost effective, since you only have to add about a bag a week, and the 40-lb. bags take up less space in the barn than a pile of shavings. You can find them at Tractor Supply for $7.99 per 40-lb. bag or find your nearest retailer at BestCob.com.

LINDSAY BERRETH PHOTO

LINDSAY BERRETH PHOTO

PHOTO COURTESY OF BEST COB

r

Tester’s Choice

>> Dry Stall/Cedar Dry

Kitty litter helps keep your cat’s litter box dry and fresh, so why wouldn’t you try it for your horse’s stall? Kat Company’s Dry Stall works just like it, and it can actually be used for felines as well.

I tried both Dry Stall and the same company’s Cedar Dry, a bedding made of cedar with Dry Stall mixed in.

The former is made of a naturally occurring, lightweight volcanic aggregate. Because it’s porous, it’s very absorbent and can also be used for gardening and soil conditioning. Kat Company recommends using it underneath regular bedding, in outdoor run-in sheds and in muddy spots. They also claim it never needs to be removed.

My horses’ stalls have mats, and I bed with finely milled wood shavings, so I put a bag of Dry Stall on top of the mat in an area where one of my horse’s always urinates and covered it up with shavings.

Because the shavings mixed with the Dry Stall as he walked on it overnight, I did end up needing to remove some of it, and it was quite heavy. But I did seem to take out less bedding than usual, and the ammonia smell from the urine was considerably less than with just wood shavings.

I threw a bag over a muddy spot in his paddock and thought it did a good job absorbing urine and rain. There was no dust factor and no smell, and it doesn’t compact and get hard like stone dust can.

When it came to the Cedar Dry bedding, five bags per stall was enough to get me started.

It had a pleasant smell that’s said to reduce fly populations and was very fine, almost like dirt from the floor of a forest, combined with Dry Stall.

Cedar Dry is pretty fine, making it extremely easy to pick, like the Guardian Pine Pellets and Best Cob, but with no dust. Victory!

But unlike those products, I did end up taking some of it out with each stall cleaning when I removed the urine spots, which meant adding about half a bag a day.

Of course, great products come at a higher price. Dry Stall retails for about $11-$17 per 40-lb. bag, and Cedar Dry between $10 and $15 per bag. For more information and dealers, visit DryStall.com.

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Editor’s PICKS

Equi In Style Heated Shirt Every winter I throw fashion out the window in an effort to keep from freezing at the barn and beyond, so when I saw Equi In Style’s classy new Warm Shirt and read the claims of it “boosting skin’s thermal warmth” by 5 degrees, I had to test it to believe it.

Sure, I have a drawer full of long underwear and slim-fitting wicking shirts, but none of them is quite right. The long underwear’s often toasty for the weight but skin-tight and hard to get out of when the temperature changes. I also have several performance fabric shirts from non-equestrian sports brands, but for the most part they don’t tuck into my breeches, and if they do, they give me the dreaded muffin top thanks to the snug cut.

But EIS has earned a serious following for its popular Cool Shirts, and now the Warm Shirt is living up to that reputation.

It’s long enough to tuck into low-rise breeches, and it manages to be fitted without being skin tight—no easy feat during holiday party season!

It looks nice untucked as well, and unlike any other base layer I’ve worn, it’s perfectly appropriate when I swap breeches for jeans and head straight to dinner from the barn.

The sensible half-zip design means it’s easy on/off over a helmet in case of a quick change between morning schools and the first class of the day. And though the inside is textured, it’s not a woven design, so it looks like a “regular” shirt.

Most importantly, the shirt lives up to its warm and moisture management promises. Equi In Style’s packaging explains their technology, which utilizes nano particles attached to fabric fibers, not a fabric finish (which some other products use and which washes out over time). It uses self-heating technology to turn the sweat it wicks into heat. The Warm Shirt also “amplifies the sun’s ultraviolet rays into readily available heat.”

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I admit, I’m not clear on all the science behind it, but I can attest that the Warm Shirt was just that.

While it starts out feeling like a regular garment, as soon as you start moving around, the magical heating properties noticeably kick in. On a mid-40s morning I wore it under a fleece and midweight jacket to the barn, and 30 seconds into currying, I was ready to shed a layer. After breaking a bit of a sweat on my ride, I came back comfortable and dry.

This U.S.-made garment is a polyester/spandex blend calling for cool wash and air dry, and it looks just as good after a few washes as when I first put it on. So far it’s only available in women’s and youth sizes, and only in black, but it’s a brand new product, so keep your eye out for more options in the future.

The women’s model retails for $96, and youth sizes for $78.

Check it out yourself at equiinstyle.com.

—Mollie Bailey, Editorial Staff

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THE clothes horse

Trot Out Some New Treasures Looking for something to kick your tired wardrobe up a notch? These equestrian-inspired artisans can help.

By l au r a s t. cl a ir

<< Vincent Peach

<<

Equus Couture

Boutique artisan Tiffany Donnelly captures the eye with her powerful use of symbolism and cultivated blend of vintage and new. The leather Gryphon Bracelet, with its emblem of divine power set amongst your choice of stone or gem elements, is magical. $50. Check out more of Donnelly’s designs, including spur straps, stock-tie pins, belts and browbands, at Equus-Couture.com.

<<

<<

Kingsland

Who says equestrian-inspired jewelry has to be all about snaffle bits and foxes? Nashville jeweler Vincent Peach combines the warmth and beauty of top-quality leather with Tahitian pearls to create jewelry that fits right in with the equestrian lifestyle. You can find his entire Equestrian Collection— including some pieces that do include snaffle bits—at VincentPeach.com.

Prices range from $400-$9,500.

Whenever a new Kingsland catalog is released, we tend to lose ourselves for hours in the dreamy elegance of their images. But the Kingsland wonderland isn’t comprised of just breeches and jackets—with their select jewelry offerings this season, the company reminds us that accessories can play a big role in a rider’s overall presentation. The bold but classical look of the Metz brooch complements their competition gear so elegantly, while their Montage earrings are the perfect punctuation to your next halt at X. Brooch, $49.95; earrings, $25.95. KingslandDressage.com.

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<< Sumner Smith

The words “timeless and modern” have probably never been used to describe horsehair jewelry, but eventer Sumner Smith’s luminous resin custom creations mesmerize us with their beauty and simplicity. We love how they pick up and magnify the colors and light around them in a playful and interesting way. And there’s a bonus: Engraving is available, so you can include your horse’s name, special dates, or any meaningful message you’d like to carry close. Custom bracelets start at $49. Etsy.com/shop/SpottedDogAsheville.

Annie Salter >>

For the ultimate in custom equestrian jewelry, check out Annie Salter’s studio. Using authentic ancient materials and techniques, Salter creates statement pieces like this one, which includes a 4,000-yearold Philip of Macedon coin held by a 22k gold horse bezel pendant— absolute proof that the most modern ideas start with the classics.

Looking for a simpler, more contemporary design? Salter’s stirrup iron bangle, made with 14k gold and .925 sterling silver, exudes understated elegance. Prices range from $175 for a pair of sterling earrings to $7,500 for gemstone, ancient coin and custom work. AnnieSalter.com.

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THE clothes horse

<<

Leslie Janson

<<

Jewelry artist Leslie Janson uses vintage materials to create some of the most whimsical equestrian accessories you’ll find. We love how she combines materials from grain sacks, horse show ribbons, and touches of suede and velvet with equestrian pins and baubles. Wear the preppy horse bangles with jeans, or take it up a notch with one of Leslie’s edgy, wide velvet cuffs. Designs start at $25. Etsy.com/shop/LeslieJanson.

Rebecca Ray

Sometimes it’s all about color! Rebecca Ray Designs hits the on-trend palette with their Two-Tone Bit Bracelets inspired by jockeys’ racing silks.

Company founder Rebecca Yuhasz Smith, an accomplished rider herself, brilliantly combines her love of sporting art, vintage fabrics, jewelry and paper ephemera to create one of our favorite lines of accessories. And we love that the leatherwork is handcrafted by a skilled harness maker right here in the United States. $78. RebeccaRayDesigns.com.

<<

Judy Crouse

Love layering the arm candy? Try adding one, or two, or even three of Judy Crouse Jewelry’s Vintage Equestrian Button Bracelets to your mix. Each unique bangle includes handcrafted leather and beads to make a bracelet that’s as chic as it is understated. $48$55. More designs, including the Single Wrap Horseshoe Clasp Bracelet ($48), are available at JudyCrouse.com.

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We are where our clients are.

In the best locations.

From a small boutique shop in Europe to more than 550 shops in the best locations around the world, we’ve delivered quality service and personal attention to the clients who’ve welcomed us. Wherever you find beautiful properties, premium service, and extraordinary living, you will find Engel & Völkers, the world leader in luxury real estate.

If you’re thinking of selling your home, find out how we can help connect you with the right buyer.

150 Worth Avenue, Ste 236 Palm Beach, FL 33480 www.palmbeach.evusa.com palmbeach@evusa.com Phone +1 561-659-3872

13501 South Shore Blvd, Ste 103 Wellington, FL 33414 www.wellington.evusa.com wellington@evusa.com Phone +1 561-791-2220

©2015 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.

Old World European Style Barn Estate

Planned with the horse in mind at every turn, this magnificent equestrian facility was constructed with the highest quality of materials and built like a fortress. Absolutely no detail was overlooked throughout the entire property. The 20-stall barn, jump arena, grass Grand Prix field, four paddocks, hot walker and industrial generator are a few of the top amenities to be found on-site. And with an own-

er’s apartment, manager’s apartment, and a studio apartment, there is plenty of room for everyone. The facility also includes a state-of-theart security system that allows you to monitor the property through a live video feed anywhere in the world. Located in Grand Prix Village, the facility sits on the bridle path that is connected to the Winter Equestrian Festival’s show grounds. Offered at $11,900,000

Amy Carr • Phone +1 561-662-0728 • Fax +1 561-791-2221 www.amycarr.evusa.com • Wellington, Florida • Amy.Carr@evusa.com

©2015 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.

Southfields: The pr oper ty has 2.8 acr es of land that holds a main house, a guest cottage, a 7-stall barn, large paddocks, a sand ring, and a backyard paradise. The main house is 2Br and 3Ba, with a tranquil backyard that has a pool, outdoor fireplace, and plenty of room for entertaining. The guest cottage has a spacious living area with kitchenette, 1Br, and 1Ba. Offered at $3,900,000

Palm Beach Polo • Eagles Landing: With high ceilings, a lar ge great room for the family and entertaining, and an eat-in kitchen, this home is family ready. The master suite includes a large walk-in closet, an oversized shower, and a roman tub. The exterior of the property includes a 2.5-car garage, an in-ground heated pool, and a covered patio. Offered at $645,000

Palm Beach Polo: This fully renovated 3Br, 3Ba plus office corner unit is a rare find. The fenced courtyard offers a lovely and private space to relax and enjoy the sunshine. The rear of the home has a large screened in patio that is ideal for entertaining, and offers a spectacular lake view. Offered at $640,000

Palm Beach Polo • Polo Island: Vaulted ceilings and natur al light cascade throughout this home to create an open and inviting feeling. The expansive living room and airy kitchen are ideal for entertaining family and friends. The views of the sunsets are absolutely stunning. This home overlooks the Global Dressage Festival show grounds. Offered at $620,000

Amy Carr • Phone +1 561-662-0728 • Fax +1 561-791-2221 www.amycarr.evusa.com • Wellington, Florida • Amy.Carr@evusa.com

©2015 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.

Gorgeous Equestrian Property • Hack to WEF

Extraordinary barn offered for sale and conveniently located in Grand Prix Village South, just a short hack away from the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center show grounds. This newly constructed equestrian facility has a beautiful and spacious owners lounge with a large kitchen and covered patio, and also includes a four bedroom, two bathroom grooms quarter with storage. The property has thirty-two stalls total between two barns, and four large

grass paddocks. Each barn consists of sixteen stalls, two wash stalls, a feed room, tack room, and laundry room. Each designed with wide aisles and high ceilings. There is plenty of storage room for hay, shavings, jumps, etc. The outdoor ring is top-of-the-line with state-of -the-art footing. The property is beautifully designed, landscaped and maintained. This is an amazing barn - a must see! Offered at $14,950,000

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

©2015 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.

Amazing Brand New Barn in Grand Prix Village

Remarkable new construction, within hacking distance to Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. This amazing 20 stall barn has been constructed with every detail possible. Includes 4 wash/ grooming stalls, a private office, 2 large tack rooms, laundry room, feed room, 2.5 baths and storage room. There’s a 200’ x 100’ ring

with all-weather footing (the same as used at WEF) and four paddocks. Stunning owners’ lounge has full kitchen, family room and a private bath overlooking the ring and custom fireplace with outdoor kitchen for entertaining. 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom grooms’ quarters with garage in a separate building. Offered at $10,750,000

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

©2015 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.

Marielle Andersson Gueye PHOTO

COVER STORY

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e g r ha C e ak T r You o T e d i u G

2015

By Lisa Slade, Kr istin Carpenter & K at Netzler

If you’re tired of making New Year’s resolutions only to have them fly out the window before the end of January, you’re not alone. But everyone has goals for the coming year, and chances are, sheer determination and willpower won’t get you there alone.

That’s why we’ve taken five of the most common rider resolutions, from getting fit to conquering fear, and asked the experts for their advice on how to stick with it and kick on for a happy, healthy and horsey new year.

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COVER STORY

d n A p u e v mo Kick butt

No matter your sport, the decision to move up a level is as much a mental game as it is physical.

They’re the most natural goals for any competitive rider at the start of the new year. But all too often, one step forward can equal two steps back. How exactly do you know when the time is right, and how do you ensure your best chance at success once you make the leap?

Before he took over as head coach of the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team in late 2012, David O’Connor already had a proven track record of implementing progressive structure. An individual Olympic gold medalist himself, he also coached the Canadian eventers to a surprise team silver at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and united a bitterly divided equestrian community as the first president of the U.S. Equestrian Federation, serving from 2004-2012.

Throughout his career, O’Connor has earned praise for his holistic, methodical approach to training both horses and riders and his ability to turn theoretical concepts into concrete objectives. And he can help you do the same.

First, A Quiz

Think you’re ready to move up? First, O’Connor says, you need to complete this mental checklist. Better yet, schedule a sit-down with your trainer and discuss it as you would a performance review at work. It’s a great opportunity for a SWOT analysis, pinpointing your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

When you can answer yes—honestly and confidently—to these questions, you’ve got the green light. ☐ Am I consistent in competition?

It sounds simple, but this first, basic step is one many riders ignore or fudge.

Being consistent doesn’t mean you have to hold yourself back to the point of boredom, nor that you have to be winning every competition you enter. But your comfort level should be rock-solid, and your results record should reflect that.

“You need to feel like the level you’re doing is very easy,” 36

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KAT NETZLER PHOTO

Higher, faster, stronger, better.

says O’Connor. “You need to be jumping clear and easily doing the speed. When you start a new level, it doesn’t mean that you have to beat the speed, but certainly you have to be very comfortable at the speed.” ☐ Am I always schooling the level above?

The “teach to the test” syndrome is rampant in America, but a true horseman aims to be over-prepared. In fact, these first two boxes are a bit of a chicken and an egg, because it’s almost impossible to achieve one without the other.

“Everybody should always be training at a higher level than what they’re competing at,” says O’Connor. “If you want to move up from training to preliminary, there’s no question— you should be jumping 1.10-1.15 meters [about 3'6"-3'8"] all the time.”

So bear in mind that if you’re considering stepping up in

In The Transition

If you’ve confidently checked off all three boxes, you’ll be well equipped for a step up. But sometimes things don’t go to plan, accidents happen, or you realize that despite your best efforts, you just made the wrong call.

Everybody makes mistakes, so when your time comes, you need to be mentally equipped.

O’Connor tells his students to approach setbacks in two phases: first assessment, then development.

“The assessment part is the hardest part of the equation,” O’Connor says. “Once you identify an issue, then you’ve got ways to work through it. But a lot of people, and this includes professionals all the way down the levels, have trouble assessing the true problem.”

These questions can help:

Was it a training issue?

competition, you ought to be confident in your ability to take your schooling at home up to the level above that as well. ☐ Have I set clear expectations?

“Deciding what you want before you start the competition is an important habit to develop,” O’Connor advises.

Hoping to “do your best” every time you enter the ring is a given. But it’s much more constructive to set quantitative, defined objectives, and you can’t do that in the heat of the moment or retroactively.

“Let’s say I expect that I am going to get a dressage score of 70 percent,” O’Connor says. “I expect that on a good day I will be within 20 seconds of the time on cross-country.

“But you have to decide that before you get into the start box, and not after,” he continues. “That gives you the ability to accurately judge your performance.”

“If you have the horse capable of jumping the fences, any failures that happen are usually a level of communication or a lack of understanding the question,” O’Connor explains. “If you can recognize that moment, you can set that process up or a similar exercise at home.

“For example, if you have a horse that continually jumps from left to right or isn’t straight on the flatwork, at some point you’re going to end up being given a situation [in competition] where you’ve got a table turning left to a right-handed corner. [The hole in your training] will show up at that moment.”

“So the rider must recognize what the mistake was, and you might need someone to help you with that,” O’Connor advises. “It’s really important.”

Was it a confidence issue?

We’ve already established that the rider’s confidence should be solid, but some problems can still be fear-based on the horse’s part.

“For example, ‘My horse doesn’t like water or ditches,’ ” O’Connor says.

These problems can often be solved through patient additional schooling of those elements, but sometimes a rider will have to acknowledge the alternative. c h ro n o f h o r s e .co m

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COVER STORY “Maybe he just doesn’t like ditches at this level [and is never going to],” O’Connor continues. “That happens all the time, all the way up the levels. Not all horses are going to want to continue up.”

Is there a physical limitation?

Jumping small fences is pretty easy for most horses, but don’t overlook the possibility that yours may not be able to perform at a higher level safely and comfortably.

“Riders’ ability to recognize their horses’ physical limitations is an issue,” O’Connor admits. “Trying to get help with that or having an assessment of that is really important.”

Once you’ve assessed what went wrong, it’s time to solve your problem and move on. And it’s important to tackle this development stage with a sense of empowerment.

“You’re always in a better place if you can say, ‘This is something that I feel I want to do,’ ” he says. “And then you go to your

trainer and ask them to help you with that, instead of just thinking that you abdicate everything to the trainer.”

You’ll go a lot farther a lot faster, and you’ll become a much more independent rider, if you don’t wait for someone else to point out your problems.

“Let’s say you’re having trouble with pacing on cross-country.

You should go to the trainer and say, ‘I’m really struggling with this; can you help me?’ ” O’Connor explains. “That type of change in the relationship is really important. You come to think of your trainer as someone who helps you with an issue you have already decided you want to conquer.”

David O’Connor won individual gold at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney aboard Custom Made, and he has a host of other team medals to his credit. Based in The Plains, Va., and Ocala, Fla., O’Connor now serves as the chef d’equipe and technical advisor to the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team.

A Lesson In Confidence In 2011, following her first trip to the Land Rover Burghley CCI**** in England, (an event she would go on to finish second at the following year), COTH. com blogger Sinead Halpin shared the following—an intimidating but inspiring pep talk she received from longtime coach David O’Connor.

While most of us will never enter the start box at a fourstar, these tenets are universal: Respect yourself, believe in your preparation, and never be afraid to fail.

David O’Connor stopped me while I was walking out of the stabling and asked if he could talk to me for a second. I quickly went through the things

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I could have possibly done wrong, and I assured myself after a quick mental check that, “Nope, I think I’m good!” So after a prolonged second, I said yes, suspiciously.

David proceeded to tell me he had overheard a conversation I had with William Fox-Pitt about the cross-country course.

During this exchange, I had commented that I was sure his horse would be fine because he was in the irons, and I wasn’t so sure Tate would be so lucky with me in the navigation seat.

David raised an eyebrow, and, in a more assertive tone than I’m used to from the usual Mr. Cool, said, “Don’t do that.”

I looked at him blankly.

“You are that rider,” he

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continued. “You’re playing at the level. Stop acting like you’re a guest.”

I felt a lump of self-doubt creep up in my throat. I thought I was cleverly hiding my “in over my head” feeling, but David saw straight through it. I honestly said, “But what if I make a mistake out there?”

“Then you are still that rider, but you made a mistake, and you’ll come home and fix it,” he said.

I nodded and walked toward the course for my final walk, contemplating whether I really was “that” rider…

When I walked to the start box on Tate later that day, I was trying to stay cool. Boyd Martin and Phillip Dutton came

up while I walked the short walk with my groom Meg from warm-up to the start box. Phillip gave me some last-minute advice on a particular line on course, and Boyd looked at me and said, “Just one jump at a time.”

And when I reached the box, David seemed to appear from out of nowhere at the last minute. And just loud enough for me to hear, he said, “Be that rider…”

Exactly 11 minutes and 32 seconds later, he gave me a proud smile and a hug and said, “I told you so.”

You can read all of Sinead Halpin’s blogs at COTH.com/ blogs.

Let’s face it:

This is the personal goal almost every American sets (and re-sets, and sets again) at the beginning of every new year. It’s dull, it’s difficult, and more often than not, it’s doomed for failure.

As riders, we have even more impetus to stay in shape than the average American: We owe it to our equine partners, who carry us around day in and day out, often over large obstacles. In fact, most of us spend countless hours plotting and fretting over our horses’ fitness (Does he need more trot sets? Or more hills? Should she get some swim sessions, or spend some time on the aqua-treadmill?), so com-

mitment to physical training shouldn’t be a foreign concept. Why, then, is personal fitness either an afterthought or a discouraging perpetual struggle for most of us?

The key, as most experts will tell you, is reframing the way you think about your goal, long before you start your first workout.

Progress Equals Success

First of all, saying that you’re going to “get in shape” isn’t a long-term goal. The idea is that you continuously improve your level of fitness.

ARND BRONKHORST PHOTO

GET FIT Even if you’re not a professional athlete, your horse deserves a fit rider.

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COVER STORY Sure, you can set specific objectives for weight loss or 5K run time. But the key is to equate success with the progress itself, not just the checking off of goals.

“To succeed, you have to think long term and sustainable,” says Megan Kepferle, business manager and former head groom at Sinead Halpin Equestrian in Chester, N.J. “This means eating 500 calories a day and going on juice binges aren’t going to work.

In fact, they’ll probably make you fatter in the end.”

Kepferle is living proof of the importance of sustainability. In 2012, a photo of the highlight of her grooming career—her hugging charge Manoir de Carneville after his second-placed finish at the Land Rover Burghley CCI**** (England)—was rendered bittersweet by her obvious weight gain. But the snapshot spurred Kepferle into a recommitment to her physical fitness, and she lost more than 35 pounds in eight months. Even more importantly, she’s maintained the lifestyle changes that helped get her there.

“Think of it this way: You buy a 3-year-old off the track in April. You enter him at Burghley in September. How do you think that’s going to go?” she says. “But if you buy him in April, start slowly and consistently and build a tiny bit each day, all of a sudden you have this awesome young horse, and in a few years maybe he could go to Burghley and almost beat Andrew Nicholson’s Avebury.”

How To Make The Time

Once you start looking at your goal through the lens of “continual improvement,” it’s time to start getting more practical. Working on your fitness doesn’t have to involve hours a day at the gym.

Physical trainer Bob Gutowitz, who’s worked with numerous riders including dressage Olympian Robert Dover, says three or four hour-long sessions a week will almost guarantee noticeable progress for most people starting out.

“People think you have to go to the gym for hours and hours a day, but that’s not the case,” he says. “You can train hard, or you can train long, but you can’t do both at the same time. If you do train hard, you’re in and out in no time. People spend all day at the gym, staring at themselves in the mirror, but that’s really not necessary.

“When you break it down like that, it really is just three or four hours a week, and I don’t care how busy you are, you can find three or four hours a week. You just have to make the time, and you have to say to yourself, ‘I’m going to do it,’ ” he continues.

And that buckle-down, “just do it” time is when you need accountability and support the most. That’s why high-intensity programs like CrossFit are so popular: They come with a built-in 40

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support system comprised of fellow sufferers to encourage you through the physical and mental plateaus.

But if that kind of crazy just isn’t your bag, that’s OK. Build a foundation that works for you.

“Get together in your barns and create a system of accountability,” says Kepferle. “Think weight loss challenges, recipe sharing or gym memberships; there are so many things you can do out of the irons that will benefit you while you’re in them.”

Solidifying exercise as a pattern in your life is a feat in and of itself, and until you do that, sustainable physical fitness will be nearly impossible. That’s why it’s crucial to find workouts you enjoy, whether that’s working with a trainer or friends or taking classes, so that you’re willing to make the time and do it.

Focus On The Core, But Don’t Forget The Cardio

Everyone’s busy, so “working smart” is key. Any physical activity is better than none, but don’t expect to see big results quickly if there’s no method to your madness—that’s one of the surest ways to get discouraged and quit.

Gutowitz recommends splitting your hour-long workouts into 30-minute halves, the first devoted to strength training and the second to cardiovascular work, to get the biggest bang for your buck (or, in this case, time).

Core work is crucial for all riders, and you can work those muscles in a variety of ways—with gym machines or classes like yoga and Pilates. Gutowitz also notes that women sometimes need more work than men on their upper bodies.

“It depends on the individual for exactly what they need, but it’s important for being able to control the horse and look good on the horse,” he says. “Everything really revolves around core strength. You can have a strong upper body or lower body, but you’re still not going to be able to sit the way you want without that core strength.”

But keep in mind that without cardiovascular workouts— which can include running, swimming, biking, or any number of other machines within the gym—you’ll still find yourself winded while riding.

Nutrition Matters

Even if you’re working out diligently, you might not see the results you want without including a healthy diet into the mix.

For that, moderation is key.

“If you’re going to McDonald’s every day, you’re really defeating the purpose of the exercise,” Gutowitz said. “You don’t have

to stay on a strict diet, but you have to be aware of it for fitness and health in general. Sure, eat McDonald’s occasionally, but don’t do it five times a week. You don’t want to limit until it’s not fun, but maybe step up your nutrition awareness—and I don’t care if you’re 15 or 55.”

Bob Gutowitz is a personal trainer based in West Palm Beach, Fla. In addition to training riders on an individual basis, he volunteers his time annually for the Robert Dover Horsemastership Sessions, conducting morning fitness programs for the participants.

Megan Kepferle is the business manager at Sinead Halpin Equestrian in Chester, N.J. She’s committed to sustainable avenues promoting good horsemanship and the sport of eventing, and her dedication to fitness has inspired her to share her story and help others toward what she calls “the path of awesomeness” at MyBody Tutor.com and as a blogger on COTH.com.

It’s Not Just About The Physical Benefits Canadian Olympic eventer Kyle Carter has long placed a premium on his own fitness. He competed nationally in modern pentathlon when he was younger, and he’s always been a runner.

But a few years ago he started running more races—first just a series of 5Ks. Then his wife Jennifer ran a half marathon and proposed the couple train together for a full, so he started running even more seriously. In August, the Carters completed the Big Wild Life Runs Moose’s Tooth Marathon in Anchorage, Alaska.

“The training was very educational as far as working with fitness in animals,” says Kyle, who’s since started emphasizing fitness in a new way with his students. “I’m more inclined to be critical of someone who isn’t [working on his or her own fitness], which in the past I’ve never been.

“I think it’s a useful tool for people, because you understand if you shirk off doing the work with your horse, what it does to that horse in the long run. You learn you’re really doing that horse a disservice,” continues Kyle, of Ocala, Fla. “[By engaging in] exercise, you learn more about how a body works. It’s a very useful tool, almost from a clinical aspect.”

Megan Kepferle’s Dos & Don’ts DO: • Eat lean protein at every meal. No, Lunchables do not equal lean protein.

• Eat more vegetables than anything else.

You’ve really got to learn to love these guys. They can be the life of the party, I promise—you just have to invite them.

• Drink so much water. Not Gatorade. Or Vitamin Water. Or bourbon and water. Just water.

• Tackle the challenge of making healthy choices by thinking, “Eat this, not that.” This outlook is much easier (and more successful in the long term) than “I don’t eat any of that.”

DON’T: • Give up on yourself when you have an inevitable weak moment. “Oh, s***! I just ate some Texas toast and bacon sugar donuts with grits and a frappuccino, so I guess I’ll just start my diet over on the first of the next month and binge eat until then.”

Stop. Doing. This. It will change your life.

• Eat processed food. It makes you feel processed.

• Think fat is the devil. Au contraire! Sugar, my friend, is the devil.

• Reward yourself with a treat after the gym. This one has made the biggest difference in my life. Just don’t do it. Adrenaline is your reward, you greedy American!

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COVER STORY

While there are plenty of opportunities for volunteerism within the horse world, sometimes looking outside the equestrian bubble can result in even more rewarding service experiences. Think your hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s canine visitor program, storm damage clean-up at a local park or adult literacy tutoring.

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make a e c n e r e ff di

Equestrian life is often all encompassing,

so it’s no shock that the horse world ends up feeling quite insular at times. It’s fitting, then, that New Year’s resolutions coincide with what most of us consider a comparative lull in the equestrian calendar—a time when we can take a step back and reexamine the world around us and our roles (or in some cases lack thereof) in it.

If you have the finances, health and time for a horsey hobby, you’re far luckier than most in this world, and you also have more power than most to affect positive change.

And society could certainly use your help; according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2013 volunteer rate in the United States was the lowest it’s been since the organization started tracking participation in 2002.

So if giving back is one of your main goals in 2015, consider these factors for ultimate impact.

Assess Your Skill Sets And Time

It feels counter-intuitive, when you’re trying to turn over a new leaf of selflessness, to start out in the “it’s all about me” mindset, but forging ahead without a bit of self analysis won’t really set you up for long-term success. If you’re looking to step right into a new volunteering role and feel like a rewarding contributor, you need to identify the strengths or talents you already possess.

“One is going to be much more stimulated if they stick with something they already know something about, and that they can bring some sort of a skill to,” advises Nancy Winter. An accomplished rider who was short-listed for the 1984 Olympic Games in eventing, Winter now focuses the majority of her time on volunteering and philanthropy in her community of Stockton, Ill., and around the country.

“If you have to do a steep learning curve and volunteer, it can be discouraging,” Winter cautions. So you probably don’t want to bite off more than you can chew or venture too far out of your comfort zone too soon.

But everyone has unique skills, and every skill set has an application. So if you’re a wizard with computers, you can volunteer to help with data input or website design. If you’re a natural organizer or a people person, you can help plan an event.

On the flip side, there’s nothing wrong with approaching volunteerism as a new hobby—an excuse to learn something new, explore your curiosity and break up the routine of your

day job. Just be up front with your volunteer coordinator and yourself about your experience and intentions. You’ll likely need to set aside more time and expect to make less immediate impact toward your cause if training is required.

Choose Wisely

Once you’ve assessed the time and talents you can bring to the table, “Look within your local community and see what they need,” Winter advises. It’s important to find a cause that you identify with and feel invested in.

If you’re overwhelmed by the possibilities and can’t narrow down your options, ask yourself these questions.

Do I want to… spend more time around horses? Many riders are familiar with the skills and

commitments required to volunteer at the in-gate of a local show, but there are other ways to get more horse time and give back.

Winter was a pioneer for therapeutic riding programs in her area, and she points out that assisting such organizations can be as easy as walking a horse for a few hours a week to as involved as serving on a nonprofit board. There’s a level of involvement appropriate for anyone.

Also, with time as a limited resource, “If you have a family, it makes sense to involve yourself in things your own children are involved in,” Winter notes. That can range from Pony Club to the horse shows their children are attending.

Do I want to… support my riding community in non-equestrian ways? Winter suggests

thinking outside the box a bit and considering the various organizations that make your local equine pursuits possible.

Especially in rural areas, fire and emergency services are often volunteer-based and are always in need of new members. Riding is a dangerous sport, and an appreciation for such services can certainly motivate a commitment to them!

Even if you’re a casual trail rider, there are community causes that directly relate to your experience. Local parks and trail groups always need volunteers to clear the trails after storms and help maintain the integrity of the trails for riders. c h ro n o f h o r s e .co m

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COVER STORY On a larger scale, causes like land conservation directly impact competitive and casual riders alike: Without open land, we have nowhere to enjoy our horses.

“When I got involved in the Equine Land Conservation Resource,” Winter explains, “it combined my interests in the horse community and conservation. This blending of two things was a remarkable opportunity.”

Do I want to… expand my horizons? Sometimes you’re just horsed-out, and that’s OK. Venturing outside the equestrian bubble can be even more rewarding than pursuing opportunities inside it, so consider causes that may have no relation to horses but do directly impact your community.

Looking for ways to share or teach something you may take for granted is a great place to start. Winter has tutored adult literacy and says she found the experience of sharing her skill set with another member of her community incredibly fulfilling.

The participants in such programs “are working towards something,” she says, “and should feel that somebody cares about them.”

Take It Seriously

Whether you start off volunteering one hour a week or 10, honoring your commitment is the most important part. The unfamiliar stages near the beginning of any new volunteer arrangement will likely be the most uncomfortable or discouraging, but don’t give up.

“If you’re going to do it, you don’t have to do a lot,” says Winter. “But whatever you say you’re going to do, be reliable. A volunteer needs to assume in their heart, ‘This is my profession, and I am not getting paid for it, but I will treat it as seriously as a profession,’ and become 100 percent reliable, just as if you were punching a time clock in a car factory.”

Nancy Hamill Winter, of Stockton, Ill., is a devoted volunteer for a wide range of causes and organizations, including the U.S. Pony Clubs, therapeutic riding programs, volunteer emergency response, land conservation and adult literacy—to name just a few. A former upper-level eventer, she has served as president of the Illinois Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, and in 2013, she won the Land Trust Alliance’s prestigious National Conservation Service Award.

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When There Just Aren’t Enough Hours In The Day “Time is money” is a saying that’s been bandied about for decades, but in our speed-of-light culture, time often seems even more valuable than its cash counterpart.

If you’ve tried but just can’t make the time in your schedule to be a reliable volunteer, charitable giving is still a great way to give back. Just be smart about when, why and where you give, and keep these facts from the National Center for Charitable Statistics in mind as you research: • 45 percent of annual donations in the United States go to religious organizations.

• The holiday season is serious stuff. More than half of the nonprofits queried in a 2012 GuideStar survey said they rely on the traditional “season of giving” (October to December) for the majority of their annual contributions.

• According to itemized* individual tax returns for 2011, Utah has the highest charitable contributions. Its residents gave, on average, 4.8 percent of their income, or around $2,500.

The least giving state? West Virginia, where residents gave on average 1.3 percent of their income, or $620.

• It’s not much of a surprise to find that the very rich are the most generous; those making over $10 million give the most, at 5.9 percent of their annual income. But the $45,000$50,000 sector actually ranks second in charitable giving, contributing 4 percent.

• Guess who gives the least? Statistics show it’s the $200,000-$250,000 income bracket, averaging 2.4 percent.

*Bear in mind, individuals making more than $100,000 a year are far more likely to itemize their tax returns than those in lower income brackets, so these figures “skew rich.”

COVER STORY

Learning to process fear—of everything from life-threatening physical injuries to mere embarrassment in the show ring—is a fundamental skill all riders must learn.

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conquer r a e f r u o y

Powerlessness:

Is there any feeling more frustrating for a rider? When all the hard work you’ve done with your horse comes unraveled on the day it counts, thanks to something that should be well within your control—your mind.

It happens to all of us, more times than we’d like to admit. You enter the ring with a plan, and slowly, or maybe even quickly, that plan falls apart.

How can 2015 be different? By making a plan for mental positivity, says Dr. Jenny Susser, a sports psychologist who’s worked with numerous top athletes, and erasing the idea that you can tackle the issue the way you’d originally thought.

Fear Won’t—And Shouldn’t— Ever Go Away Completely

“The quick and gritty is that there’s no such thing as overcoming fear,” says Susser. “When we say ‘overcoming fear’ that’s like saying ‘overcoming hunger.’

“Fear is a natural response that’s a survival mechanism; horses are frightening,” she continues. “The thing about fear is that the more powerfully related to it you can become, the better things will go. If you have something scaring you, you need to address it in a powerful way.”

Taking control over your fears, becoming what Susser describes as “powerfully related” to them, requires first making good decisions. Those good choices lead to confidence in your own decision-making abilities, and that in turn creates even more confidence in the saddle.

Stay Confident Under Judgment

But you first need education about what makes a good decision versus a bad one—and once you’ve gathered the relevant information about a situation and come to the conclusion you feel is correct, you may experience judgment from others about those actions.

“I have a 17-hand Holsteiner, and I was riding him on a January day when some snow slid off the roof,” Susser explains. “He took off galloping and bucking, and I got bucked off. I didn’t have the knowledge that there was snow on the roof. A year later, I’m recovered from that, and I’m riding him, and something outside the ring spooks him. I have no control over him—he’s not bolting, but I have no control over his big neck.

“I stopped him, and I got off, and I took him to the window and let him look out. My trainer was like, ‘What the hell are you doing?’ I had more than a twinge of humiliation and shame,” she continues.

“But I took him to the window, and he figured out what was going on. He took a deep breath, and his neck went down. We finished our ride beautifully.”

In that scenario, Susser admits, it was hard to dismount. There was a shame and humiliation factor, “and my trainer was busting my chops,” she recalls.

“But afterward she came over and said, ‘You were right,’ and my horse also said, ‘You were right,’ ” Susser says. “There are those moments where we make those decisions, and mine was, ‘Do I try and fight through this or get off and be safe?’ That just opened the door for me to make better and better decisions.

“When you make a good decision and have a good result,” she adds, “even if the decision isn’t to ride that day, you may have a twinge of humiliation, but it will be followed by a twinge of empowerment.”

Understand Setbacks Are Normal

But what if you do make the wrong decision—you invite disaster by raising the jump cups one hole too high, or you get hurt because you didn’t have all the right information on the day? How can you get your decisions back on the right track and steer away from fear?

First: Understand that failure is natural.

“We’re somehow surprised when setbacks occur,”

“The quick and gritty is that there’s no such thing as overcoming fear,” says Dr. Jenny Susser. “When we say ‘overcoming fear’ that’s like saying ‘overcoming hunger.’ ” c h ro n o f h o r s e .co m

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COVER STORY says Susser. “We have this fantasy relationship with success like there’s no such thing as failure. But from a neurobiology standpoint, success comes from failure.

True learning happens in the correcting of a mistake.

“Good rides can give us information; however, there is so much to be learned when you have a setback,” she continues. “You just have to have that emotional resilience so you can go, ‘OK, this is a setback,’ and then regroup. Your philosophy toward setbacks will determine your actions when you have one.”

And if you’re not capable of getting your actions back on track after a scary or embarrassing situation by yourself, that’s normal. Everyone needs a support network. It can be as simple as a friend at the barn who will give you perspective, or it can be a trainer or sports psychologist.

Measure Logically, Not Emotionally

Progress in sports psychology isn’t as measurable as improvement in other areas; you can’t see the numbers on a scale, and your fear will likely come and go depending on circumstances. But Susser recommends creating your own numerical system for understanding progress in the mental arena.

“Like a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the most confident,” she says. “Say, ‘What was my level of confidence today?’ Maybe it was a 2.5 or 3 because it was cold and windy and you hadn’t ridden your horse in two weeks.

Maybe it goes up to a 7 after riding five days in a row.

It becomes really logical when you measure that way.

“The New Year is a great time for mental and emotional rebirth, so treat it like something that’s serious,” she adds. “Apply smart goal-setting to do it. You have to make it serious and tell the truth about what you’re really resolved to change.”

Dr. Jenny Susser, Huntington, N.Y., earned her doctoral degree in clinical health psychology before starting her career in sports psychology. She worked with the U.S. Dressage Team before the 2012 London Olympic Games and works with athletes in a variety of sports now. Susser, who participated at the 1988 Olympic Trials in swimming, also rides. You can find more of her insights on her blog at JennyRSusser.com.

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Key Concepts For Overcoming Fear •

Striving for progress is healthy and productive, but striving for perfection is detrimental. You’ll never obtain perfection, which is more of a concept than a target, but you can reach both large and small concrete goals.

•

Visualization is powerful, but it must be practiced, like any skill.

Don’t start it the morning of a competition; use it in training and preparation for competitions so it feels natural.

•

If things aren’t working, try something new. “If the tools in your toolbox aren’t working, you need a different one—a sharper one or a duller one,” says Susser. It sounds obvious, but some riders continue the same strategy—one that’s not working—for years.

•

Be honest with yourself, but don’t be negative. Berating yourself after a bad lesson or ride doesn’t do any good, and your inner monologue should contain only positive statements. But don’t block out the negative memory entirely or blame the result on someone or something else—your horse, the weather, the judges. Accept it as a learning experience on the road to improvement.

•

Understand that you’re anxious because you care. Your goal is to lessen the anxiety, not the desire to do well and be safe. For that reason, you can’t expect nerves to disappear 100 percent.

“I’m going to ride

in the Olympics someday.”

Who among us didn’t make similar proclamations to anyone who would listen to our 8-year-old selves? (If you’re still doing so, more realistically, at 18 or 28 or 38, we’re pulling for you!) Or perhaps you had another lofty ambition as a child—to become an astronaut or a rock star, or run for president.

But the simple reality is that for most of us, life has

SARAH FARNSWORTH PHOTO

BE CONTENT

The concept of contentment can be hard to grasp for many driven, competitive riders, but it’s a skill to practice just like any other.

other plans in store. Maybe your professional riding dreams did come true, but not on the scale you’d imagined. Perhaps you’re a one-horse amateur working hard just to make it to a few shows a year. Or maybe you took time off from riding altogether to raise a family or focus on your career, or both.

Studies show that as we age, our concept of what constitutes happiness undergoes a pretty dramatic shift from “excitement” to “calm.” But that transition doesn’t c h ro n o f h o r s e .co m

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COVER STORY happen over night, and it definitely doesn’t happen seamlessly. Some of us spend decades grappling with realities we never expected and comparing ourselves to our peers, and that inner turmoil can be exhausting.

Many riders are naturally driven, competitive people, so warm and fuzzy concepts like “seeking contentment” and “finding your Zen” may sound cringe-worthy. But embracing a more positive outlook is a vital step in creating a healthier, more balanced lifestyle. And it’s not as hard as you might think.

What Contentment Isn’t

First, let’s dispel some negative connotations.

“Contentment is a really charged word,” says Tonya Johnston, MA, an author and mental skills coach who works with riders across the country. “I think a lot of people would equate it with being complacent and not being driven and not getting the best out of themselves.

“I think that’s cultural, partially, and it’s something to be aware of,” she continues, “because feeling like, ‘I want more, and I want to do more, and I want to be more,’ is a big motivation for some folks. It’s a double-edged sword, for sure.”

But to some others, “contentment” conjures up connotations of affected, constant cheerfulness. Yet “happy all the time” is neither A) the real definition of contentment nor B) even humanly possible.

“Happiness is as a butterfly,” Nathaniel Hawthorne once wrote, “which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but which if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” In other words, happiness is a fleeting emotion that happens to you. But contentment is an action you choose and create yourself.

And this is great news for all the strivers and the fighters out there—because finding contentment isn’t about giving up or giving in. It’s actually a skill you can practice.

“It’s a little bit about taking stock as you go along and being self-aware,” says Johnston. “And that really has to do with tracking your own progress. If you’re not disciplined about looking for those moments of joy, the moments of success, and sort of calling them out to yourself and recognizing them, it’s easy to get caught in a comparison trap.”

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Keeping Up With The Joneses

Once jealousy or a sense of inadequacy sets in, it’s a hard cycle to break free from, especially if you’re feeling both simultaneously. To do so, Johnston recommends preempting those feelings by refocusing your energy in a different direction.

“I don’t want to say this, because it’s a negative way of looking at it,” she admits, “but it’s a little bit lazy to use comparison as a yardstick. Because what you want to do is be more proactive. What are you feeling good about? What are the moments where you’re experiencing those feelings of success, and how did you contribute to making that happen?

“Take that same energy that you would use for comparison and put that instead into tracking your own development as a rider and really sort of honoring those times that are successful, that are fun, that are exciting,” she adds.

And that mindset can be even more valuable when applied to your personal life. Say it’s raining on a Saturday, and your kids want to play Monopoly all day.

“OK!” Johnston says. “I’m not going to call myself a wimp for not going to the barn. I’m going to say, ‘Hey, an opportunity presented itself for me to do something else that I love, and I’m glad I did it.’

“It’s about being aware,” she continues. “What makes you light up? The more you learn to recognize those things, the more you’ll gravitate toward them.

You just have to [stay in touch with] how they change over time.”

Serenity Now

It’s tempting to think of a transitional phase as an identity crisis, and it may even feel like that from time to time. But contentment doesn’t require giving up on your goals or changing your personality. In fact, a satisfied, well-balanced person can still be extremely competitive. Case in point: Olympic eventer Julie Richards.

In the late ’90s and early 2000s, Richards was your typical top-level athlete, laser-focused on her small string of horses and elite competition. She represented the United States at the 2000 Sydney Games and won team bronze at the Athens Olympics four years later.

“Contentment is a really charged word,” says Tonya Johnston, MA. “I think a lot of people would equate it with being complacent and not being driven and not getting the best out of themselves.

It’s a double-edged sword, for sure.”

Then she all but disappeared from the top levels of the sport.

In the time since, Richards had her second child, got divorced, and moved back to her hometown of Newnan, Ga., so that her mother could help her raise her daughter, now 11-year-old Genevieve, and son, 9-year-old Adam. She also completely changed her business model, focusing on sales and teaching instead of competing at the upper levels.

And now she’s happier than ever.

“It takes a long time to figure out what you want to do, and what you’re good at, and what economically makes sense,” Richards says. “I lived in Middleburg [Va., at the height of her competitive career], and I didn’t love that all it was was horses, running into fellow competitors all the time. It was great fun, but it was a bit of a fishbowl feel.

“Now I have my kids and their school activities and my friends and my social life, and I have a super business too,” she adds. “I can be competitive with the best in the country and still live in Georgia. I didn’t plan it to be this way, but I’m in a great place now.”

Today Richards has a score of local students and runs one of the preeminent horse sales businesses in the United States, retraining off-the-track Thoroughbreds from across the country and importing mounts from Ireland with the help of Carol Gee of Fernhill Sport Horses.

“I buy ponies for people and bring them over and get them going; I find nice young horses; I find hunt horses,” she says. “I find everything. I love it! I love working with people and trying to help them find the right match.

“It’s so much more fun than when I was trying to get one or two or three horses to the top level,” she continues. “Now every day is a journey, and you put all the pieces of the puzzle together.”

But make no mistake—competition is still one

of the main puzzle pieces in Richards’ life. This fall, more than a decade after her last appearance at the Dutta Corp. Fair Hill CCI in Maryland, she returned to win the 111-horse national two-star championship aboard Asa Cooper’s Urlanmore Beauty.

“Hopefully I’ll be even more competitive. Fair Hill gave me a lot of confidence in my ability to gauge whether I’m ready [for a particular competition],” she says. “But after two Olympic Games, going clear and almost inside the time and jumping two clear show jumping rounds, I don’t need to go and just participate again. The only way I’d want to do a three- or fourstar is if I have a real shot at winning.”

And if she never chooses to return to the top level of eventing, Richards will be just fine with that.

“Right now it all works,” she says. “I think the main thing that’s made me so successful is that I try to be around people who don’t let ego get in the way.

When everybody works together, and people don’t worry about who gets the credit, we seem to get a long way. If you surround yourself with positive, good people, life is pretty fun.”

Tonya Johnston, MA, is a mental skills coach and the author of Inside Your Ride: Mental Skills for Being Happy and Successful with Your Horse.

She also conducts mental training clinics across the country and works with high school and university equestrian teams, including the Stanford Equestrian Team. A rider herself, Johnston is based in the San Francisco Bay area and recently won the 2013 Foxfield and PCHA Adult Medal Finals.

Julie Richards represented the United States in eventing at the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympic Games and won team bronze at the latter.

Today she runs a thriving horse importing and sales business in partnership with Carol Gee of Fernhill Sport Horses in Ireland, and she also trains horses and riders in her hometown of Newnan, Ga.

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History Echoes

In Gladstoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Walls

The iconic stable in Northern New Jersey has served as everything from a wartime hospital to a cannery, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also been a touchstone for U.S. horse sport for more than 50 years.

By Nancy Jaffer

DAVID GRUOL PHOTO

The main barn at Hamilton Farm, built in 1916, is an icon in U.S. horse sport and is today universally recognized by one name: Gladstone.

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history

PHOTO COURTESY OF USET FOUNDATION

The stables at Hamilton Farm served as a hospital during World War II, with surgical tools and medical supplies stored in what were designed to be tack rooms.

The glazed brick surfaces from floors to ceilings made the facility easy to sterilize, and the hayloft offered plenty of overflow space for beds.

PHOTO COURTESY OF USET FOUNDATION

In the 1970s, show jumping greats like (from left) Michael Matz, Buddy Brown, Dennis Murphy, Kathy Kusner, Robert Ridland and coach Bertalan de NĂŠmethy called Gladstone home.

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Gladstone:

The word doesn’t need any further elaboration in the horse world. When heard, it instantly brings to mind equestrian excellence, based on a foundation of classical training that brought the

U.S. Equestrian Team into such prominence that it was universally admired.

PHOTO COURTESY OF USET FOUNDATION

Generations of great horses and ters Foster and Markham. Dressage horsemen have heard their footsteps horses Keen, Brentina and Ravel are echo on the unique brick floors of the among the equine “guests” who have iconic stone stable. The facility that come for stays during training or comearned an official designation as an petition.

Olympic training center became the Today the polished brass finials, USET’s home in 1961. But it had quite herringbone-pattern terrazzo brick a history long before that. floors (please pick out your horse’s The iconic stable dates from 1916, hooves in his stall) and 54 varnished when it was an integral element of hardwood 12' x 12' stalls on two levels Hamilton Farm, a private estate and continue to inspire wonder in first-time working farm whose 5,000 acres once visitors. And what once was called the rambled across three New Jersey counsand ring has been updated and is set ties. Construction of the stable, which for another footing refurbishment, also has room to store carriages, cost while the adjacent indoor ring also had what was then the sensational sum a major facelift and is a popular spot for of $250,000. Adjusting the figure for clinics, training and the warm-up for inflation, that would be roughly $5.5 competitions held in the outdoor arena. million today.

The three-story fireproofed building constructed of stucco over brick is Even with the additions and improvenow the headquarters of the USET Foundation, the fundraising organiza- As this poster from 1976 can attest, Gladstone has long ments, the original master of Hamilton been a place where the public can experience horse sport and Farm, James Cox Brady, would have tion that is the successor of the USET, see the biggest stars of the U.S. Equestrian Team in action. no problem recognizing his creation while nine U.S. Equestrian Federation today. With its balconies, octagonal employees also occupy offices there.

Gladstone, the village that is part of the they ride or not, are well aware of the stable foyer and exquisite trophy room boasting a borough of Peapack and Gladstone, is the designed by New York architect William ceiling of stained glass, the stable’s unique mailing address for the foundation. Much Weissenberger Jr. Standing tall as a majestic silhouette and much of the interior are the of the property, however, actually lies in landmark from another era, it is associated same, though it still seems more at home in adjoining Bedminster Township. The loca- with names that bring instant recognition, the early 20th Century than in the 21st.

Historian Barry Thomson called the tion of both is the heart of the Somerset from Bertalan de Némethy and Jack Le Hills, a region of tree-lined vistas comprised Goff to William Steinkraus, George Mor- building “the most lavish structure of its of several well-to-do towns where riding is ris, Frank Chapot, Jimmy Wofford and kind in this country,” and that assessment likely applied to the rest of the world as well a favorite sport and hobby. Shoppers don’t Mike Plumb, among so many others. raise an eyebrow when someone wearing The stellar horses housed in the stable at the time.

The Hamilton Farm founder is not to breeches and boots walks past in the super- over the years included jumpers Sinjon, market.

Untouchable, Sloopy and Steinkraus’ gold- be confused (as people often do) with the Longtime residents of the area, whether medal mount Snowbound, as well as even- famous James Buchanan Brady, aka Dia-

No Expense Spared

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SARA LIESER PHOTO

history

mond Jim Brady, a financier known for his appetite, as well as his fondness for jewels and statuesque singer/actress Lillian Russell.

He died in 1917.

The far more conservative James Cox Brady lived for another decade, as he enjoyed a lifestyle patterned on that of the British aristocracy. Hamilton Farm was among dozens of estates in the area drawing businessmen and their families out from New York on a train nicknamed the “Millionaires’ Express,” established in 1890.

After making stops in affluent Bernardsville and Far Hills, the end of the line was Gladstone (called Happy Rock by some jocular conductors), where the travelers were picked up, at first by horse-drawn carriages, then later by chauffeurs in Pierce-Arrows and Rolls Royces, who took them to their nearby mansions.

Brady’s family was among the most prominent in the Hills, but there were and are many others whose names are wellknown, from the Johnsons of Johnson & 56

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Johnson fame to the Dillons (Douglas Dillon was a secretary of the treasury, as was Brady’s descendent, Nicholas Brady) and the Engelhards, who made their money in precious metals.

The son of a utilities baron and grandson of an Irish immigrant, Brady made his own fortune as a financier in yet another chapter of an American success story.

The stable housed Brady’s prized collection of horses. Clydesdales and Percherons worked the land of the self-sufficient farm, an industry that provided employment to many in the area. Hackney ponies and hunters also lived in the stable—the Essex foxhounds gathered there periodically for their meets.

The extremely competitive Brady took enormous pride in his horses and farm animals, and he spent lavishly to have the best.

He paid $10,000 for the Shetland stallion King Largo, and he treated visitors looking through the trophy room’s glass floor to a procession of marvelous livestock parading

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A vintage sign and ledger greet visitors at the entry to the stable.

The Gladstone facility isn’t limited as a venue for major national competitions—it’s also played host to local events such as this sidesaddle show.

along a red carpet below on the main level of the stable.

The most famous of Brady’s hackneys was Hamilton Model, immortalized on one of the stable’s three fabulous weathervanes crafted by two Italian sculptors. The piece is so valuable that it’s now kept inside the building, along with the others, which depict a coach-and-four and a tandem (two horses pulling a carriage head-to-tail). There have been stories of thieves using helicopters or mountain-climbing gear to nab other precious weathervanes, and no one wanted to

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(From left): Former USET Chairman Bill Steinkraus in the headquarters lounge with Frank Chapot, George Morris and Jane Clark.

Historian Barry Thomson called the building “the most lavish structure of its kind in this country,” and that assessment likely applied to the rest of the world as well at the time. see these in harm’s way.

Brady also had quite a collection of carriages, which he would often drive proudly along a path around the edge of his giant ring, which in those days was a grass oval.

But Brady’s death from pneumonia in 1927 ended a glorious period at Hamilton Farm. The animals were sold, along with a portion of the land, and his widow remarried. The stable was closed down.

Then in 1942, during World War II, the facility was reopened as the Hamilton Farm Defense Emergency Hospital, a haven for merchant marine seamen whose vessels had been torpedoed or who had been shipwrecked.

The walls and ceiling of orange-glazed tile set Catalan-style in interlocking layers were easy to sterilize, a large fireplace was blocked in order to provide an operating room, and trophy cabinets were emptied to make room for hospital gowns and other supplies. The hayloft was considered for additional bed space, if needed. Another portion of the building was used for canning vegetables, some of which wound up in an officers’ prison camp in Germany, while other food was sent to struggling Great Britain.

In 1943, the hospital received two visitors of note: the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, friends of Brady’s widow (who became Mrs. Suydam Cutting). But after housing some

5,000 patients, the hospital was closed in 1947. During the 1950s, the building was used by a construction company.

A New Life

Happily, the stable and its grounds would embark on a new and more appropriate identity in 1961 as the permanent training center for the USET, which had incorporated in 1950.

The USET filled the gap left by the Army teams after the cavalry became mechanized, but it was inspired by how things were done when the military fielded the squads. Maj. Gen. Jonathan Burton, a show jumper and eventer who rode for both the Army and

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history Maintaining The Legacy

After the draining and expensive battle with USA Equestrian in the early 2000s over which organization should be horse sports’ National Governing Body, the new USET Foundation had to focus on its mission to provide funding for training and fielding international teams in the FEI disciplines.

That meant there wasn’t a lot of money left to put into maintenance of the Gladstone headquarters, which started looking rather shopworn at one point.

The facility was not built with efficiency of operation in mind. It’s expensive to heat, cool and keep up. But that’s the price to be paid for having offices in an historic building.

In 2012, there was a formal kick-off for the Gladstone Fund, with a goal of raising $3.5 million for refurbishment and upkeep of the foundation’s property, looking toward the stable’s 100th anniversary in 2017. So far, the fund has accumulated $2.2 million.

Even before the formal fundraising announcement, gifts and pledges had been coming in since 2010, with the Murphy family making a leadership gift in memory of the late USET President Vincent B. Murphy, who served from 1983 to 1989. The tack room was named in recognition of his contributions to the team.

Another naming opportunity for a donation came in 2012 when Jane Clark, then the foundation’s president and CEO, presided over ceremonies in the stable’s courtyard. It was dedicated to Chapot, Morris and Steinkraus, members of the 1960 Olympic silver medal team.

“Frank, George and Billy were instrumental in building the sport of show jumping in the U.S. They are our icons; they are legends, and they need to be honored,” said Clark. “Their days and years with the USET centered around Gladstone. To honor them with the courtyard is perfect for them.

It also highlights how important Gladstone is in the history of equestrian sport in this country.”

Most recently, a spectacular $1.5 million gift was given to the fund in memory of Joan Hamill, a USET trustee from 1976-1984, and her husband, noted traveler and outdoorsman Corwith “Corky” Hamill, of Wayne, Ill., by their children, Betsy Bramsen, Jonathan Hamill and Nancy Winter, who was on the eventing short list for the 1984 Olympics and the long list for the 1986 world championships.

Though there has been much sprucing up of the facility in the last few years as it puts its best foot forward, the Gladstone Fund will be applied toward such major projects as the roof and the heating and cooling system.

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“My jaw dropped. I had never seen anything like that.

It was magnificent; it was an institution. There wasn’t a blade of grass out of place; there wasn’t a piece of brass that wasn’t constantly polished.” —mason phelps the USET, noted the civilian group had a good model to follow as best it could from the cavalry way of doing things.

“They were able to put everything together in a steady situation where horses were available under some instruction. It was an all-out effort,” Burton continued.

The founders of the new organization wanted to make sure the country was represented internationally by the best horses and riders possible. Toward that end, a permanent base was necessary, and Hamilton Farm filled the bill when the USET was able to lease it from the Brady estate and put the stable to the type of use its founder had intended.

Steinkraus still remembers his introduction to Hamilton Farm.

“I was highly impressed and am still impressed by this facility,” he said.

He noted the move to the stable was “a major turning point in the career of the team. Hamilton Farm became a key factor in the success of our teams in all three Olympic disciplines.”

Riders came from all over the country to train there. It was an impressive situation for budding team members seeking to learn and make the cut for the team.

Morris noted that Gladstone was regarded with “great respect, reverence and awe.”

Wofford reminisced about life at the USET in the 1960s, when male team hopefuls lived in the dormitory on the stable’s top floor. They alternated their time in the saddle with physical labor, including setting jumps and picking “rocks like dragons’ teeth” out of the arena before it was converted to a sand ring, which became its

footing for decades.

Mason Phelps, now president of the National Horse Show, was aspiring to ride with the three-day team and got the call to come to New Jersey from California after a nationwide talent search. The eventing team was based at Gladstone until 1974, when it moved to South Hamilton, Mass., with Le Goff.

“My jaw dropped,” Phelps recalled of his arrival at the farm. “I had never seen anything like that. It was magnificent; it was an institution. There wasn’t a blade of grass out of place; there wasn’t a piece of brass that wasn’t constantly polished.

It was intimidating. Looking around the trophy room at the pictures and engraving on the trophies, it was a hall of fame, and I wanted to be in it.”

He recalled the group riding at Gladstone during that time included Michael Page, Jimmy Kohn, Rick Eckhardt and Sally Ike, noting the shared and demanding experience (as well as plenty of hijinks) made fast friends of those in the groups of aspirants. Gladstone became the epicenter of the Olympic disciplines in the United States—a home for training sessions where the country’s best honed their skills.

The late Jack Fritz, who became a USET vice president, recalled the greeting he received as a new volunteer from Anne Stone, the wife of USET Chairman Whitney Stone, one of the organization’s founders and its biggest supporter.

“Welcome to the family,” she told him.

He came to know the organization as “people with a common interest, the horse, who worked together to achieve success in

And the expectation was that it needed to be done with grace and style, as well as athletic prowess.

“You were expected to represent the team as a gentleman, to meet a certain standard. Bert used to give lessons in manners when the team first came to Europe,” Steinkraus said. “It was a great privilege to represent your country in Europe at that time.”

Adapting To Changing Times

A big change for the USET came in 1978, when Beneficial Corp. bought 547 acres of Hamilton Farm as well as another 300 acres in Peapack owned by the Brady family. Finn Caspersen, Beneficial’s CEO, was a driving aficionado who was chosen as the USET’s president in 1990.

Under his direction, the Gladstone

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international competition for the United States, while also becoming members of a community.”

Loyalty was a hallmark of those involved with the USET. Chapot, who became captain of the jumping team after Steinkraus retired in 1972, explained his dedication this way: “The team kind of made me, and I had to give something back.”

Young rider Brandi Roenick spends some quiet time with the legendary Ravel after his win with Steffen Peters in the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival Of Champions Grand Prix Championship at Gladstone. The barn’s original polished brass finials, herringbone-pattern terrazzo brick floors and 54 varnished hardwood stalls are kept in pristine condition, and each stall is named for a famous U.S. team horse (the plaque on this one honors Guenter Seidel’s mount Graf George).

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history

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While the facility is quieter than in its heyday as the U.S. team’s base, Gladstone still hosts some major annual competitions, such as the USEF Dressage Festival Of Champions (pictured) and the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals— East.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF USET FOUNDATION

In the 1910s, construction of the ornate multi-level stable cost what was then the sensational sum of $250,000. Adjusting the figure for inflation, that would be roughly $5.5 million today.

Driving Event became as much of a highlight on the USET property as the Essex horse trials and three-day event, which had started at the Haller family’s Hoopstick Farm a few miles away on Lamington Road in Bedminster and took on greater importance when it moved to Hamilton Farm.

The 1993 World Pair Driving Championships introduced another constituency to Gladstone. It was the magnificent pinnacle of the sport in this country under the aegis of the Gladstone Equestrian Association, started by Caspersen and also based at Hamilton Farm.

In 1988, Beneficial granted the USET a perpetual

As designed by the farm’s founder, James Cox Brady, the trophy room at Gladstone features a stunning glass ceiling and floor overlooking the stable aisle below.

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history

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Brady treated visitors looking through the trophy room’s glass floor to a procession of marvelous livestock parading along a red carpet below on the main level of the stable.

SARA LIESER PHOTO

There are memories galore immortalized at Gladstone, such as the flag individual gold medalist David O’Connor tied to his crop and carried during his victory gallop aboard Custom Made at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

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The lounge in the main barn is adorned with beautiful art, such as this portrait of dressage star Brentina, and framed memorabilia, including the jacket McLain Ward wore to win show jumping team gold at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong.

Ribbons from countless competitions throughout the decades are displayed in beautifully carved wooden cases in the Trophy Room.

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easement, giving it the run of approximately 128 acres, including the stable, show rings, some trails and the Pine Meadow area, where a small driving event still takes place. The course used by the Essex Horse Trials disappeared, however, and that event was discontinued in the late 1990s, after a country club with two golf courses opened on the property.

At the end of 2003, the USET became a foundation following a long and bitter governance battle with USA Equestrian, the successor to the American Horse Shows Association. The new USEF took over from USA Equestrian as the national governing body for horse sports in this country. The years since have smoothed things over, however, as the foundation and USEF cooperate to make sure U.S. teams have the best possible opportunities.

Today the facility is the scene of the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals—East every October. Various dressage selection trials and national championships are also staged there, a remnant of the original USET Festival of Champions, which featured a variety of disciplines, including driving, show jumping, endurance, dressage and reining during the 1990s and early 2000s. Morris also holds a clinic for up-and-coming riders at Gladstone each spring.

The foundation recognizes that its facility has a place in the community as well as on the high-performance scene. Bonnie Jenkins, the foundation’s executive director, noted that accommodating various local groups, including the Somerset Hills Pony Club and Mane Stream, which specializes in equine-assisted therapy, “is something that continues to build on the legacy already established.”

The building also is rented for various non-equestrian occasions, including weddings, festivals and receptions. It was the setting for memorial gatherings honoring Le Goff and Carol Hofmann Thompson, a member of the show jumping team, during the last few years.

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pioneering Her Own Path From the art world of New England to the Rocky Mountain equestrian community, Helen E. Krieble has always been a visionary.

And now, at a time when her contemporaries are embracing retirement, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suiting up to focus full time on one of the most contentious quagmires of national public policy: immigration reform.

B

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By jennifer b. calder

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a fascinating project, and making it into something to serve the equestrian community in the United States in an area that was hugely underserved was my goal,â&#x20AC;? said Helen Krieble of founding the Colorado Horse Park.

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“I looked at that and thought, ‘ You know, I don’t live in Gestapo Germany, and I am going to do something to correct this. This is not the way you treat people.’ ”

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prix rider Amanda Strain, grew interested in expanding her equestrian opportunities, and research pointed them toward the Denver area.

“We did a market study of all the areas in the country where we thought the equestrian world would blossom, and we decided that was Colorado,” Krieble recalls.

The original plan was to buy a small private barn, but when the High Prairie Farms Equestrian Center came on the market in a sealed bid auction, with no announcements or advertising, Krieble took the offer and bid the same amount on the equestrian center. Six days later, it was hers, later to be renamed the Colorado Horse Park.

“It was a fascinating project, and making it into something to serve the equestrian community in the United States in an area that was hugely underserved was my goal,” she says.

But that hadn’t been the entire goal—it was more just a piece of a puzzle.

With her background as a scholar and historian, Krieble envisioned the inclusion of a museum as a key component of the plan.

“I originally started the Horse Park as a history and heritage museum complex for the western states,” she says. “As a historian, that was very, very important to me.

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They descended in ominous black helicopters and swept swiftly around the grounds of the Colorado Horse Park, some with clubs in hand and others with barking dogs pulling hard on their leashes. Horse Park owner Helen Krieble watched, horrified, as representatives of the U.S. Naturalization and Immigration Services rooted out, handcuffed and took away three undocumented guest workers.

The men weren’t Krieble’s employees— they’d been hired by “Public policy one of her subletters is my great love, at the show facility in and I feel like Parker, Colo.—but that I can do some—Helen Krieble didn’t make the raid thing of national that day in 1995 any importance in less upsetting. Nearly that area,” Krieble 20 years later, she still remembers it like it says. “I’ve been focusing on immigration, was yesterday. thinking that the equestrian world and the “People were totally traumatized. It was whole of the country needs a solid immia bad thing. You’ve heard the horror stories gration plan. And if I accomplish that, it of what happens when they come to a busiwould be a great cap on my lifetime efforts.” ness? I can tell you, they’re true, and it’s not But those efforts by Krieble, now in her the way for a civilized society to behave,” 70s, already set a pretty high bar. she states emphatically. “I looked at that From Historian To and thought, ‘You know, I don’t live in Horse Park Owner Gestapo Germany, and I am going to do The transformation of a small equestrian something to correct this.’ facility on the outskirts of Denver to a major “This is not the way you treat people,” international equestrian event center now Krieble continues. “These guys are not known as the Colorado Horse Park might criminals in the sense that they have hurt seem like a strange tangent for a renowned anybody or done anything wrong except art historian from the East Coast who once come across our border illegally looking for mounted 18 exhibitions in her Connecticut opportunity, and we need to fix this. And gallery over the course of one year.

I’m going to take it on.”

It was happenstance that led Krieble The episode would fuel what Krieble to develop the park. While she takes the hopes to be her legacy: a proposal she has occasional trail ride, she isn’t a horse person, masterminded addressing the issues of forper se, and never had any interest in showeign guest workers known as the Red Card ing. But in 1992, Krieble’s daughter, grand Solution.

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Under Helen Krieble’s leadership, the Colorado Horse Park has grown from a 44-stall equestrian center to a show facility with 300 permanent stalls, room for 1,000 temporary ones, two indoor arenas and nearly a dozen outdoor rings.

I did all the planning and went to all the major museums of western art and culture and arranged to borrow their exhibitions if I had a gallery that was secure and climate controlled, so we would never have to buy a single work of art.”

The mission of the museum would be to tell the story of the horse in the West through the lenses of three cultures: from Mexico, the history of the conquistadors and the tradition of the vaqueros; from Native Americans, whose domestication of horses changed their entire culture and way of life; and from the Western European tradition and the use of the Quarter Horse as a pre-industrial labor for the large western ranches. To accompany this, Krieble planned an archival library.

“I wanted to use the equestrian competition center as ‘this is what the equestrian world has evolved to, mostly competitions’—whether it’s rodeos, hunter/jumper,

dressage, barrel racing—and I wanted to keep that component for the entertainment value, but it was part of a bigger plan.”

Sadly, despite years of effort, the museum and archive never came to fruition due to funding challenges.

“So that’s when it turned out to be a great equestrian center, which is what it is now!” Krieble explains. “But my interest as a longtime art historian was in the museum complex.”

Prevailing In Preservation

The Horse Park Krieble bought in 1992 was a 44-stall facility on 82 acres, but today it offers 300 permanent stalls, space for 1,000 more temporary ones, two indoor arenas, nearly a dozen outdoor rings and a cross-country course. It’s hosted the FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships three times and will again

in 2016.

“We can do a 100-mile endurance ride with no repeat loops,” Krieble boasts.

“There aren’t many places that can do that.”

Preserving that amount of open space in such a rapidly developing state was a feat in and of itself.

“When I first purchased it, I realized my first effort had to be to save enough land so we would never be unable to do equestrian activities,” Krieble says. “It was very clear that the front range of the Rocky Mountains, from Pueblo to Fort Collins, was going to be wall-to-wall houses, so I set out to save the open space and land around me.

“That was a big project and took a number of years,” she continues. “There was a lot of negotiation, and I ran up against some very corrupt people. It was a difficult political environment.”

But for all the discouragement Krieble encountered, there were an even greater

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number of supporters, and she’s quick to credit others in the horse community for the success of the park.

“A lot of people helped to make it what it is, with great goodwill. Linda Allen worked on it, Larry Langer, David O’Connor. I have an extraordinary staff. There have been some terrific helping hands for which I am very grateful, because as an art historian, this wasn’t exactly my area of knowledge,” she says with a laugh.

Allen, a renowned FEI and Olympic course designer, worked side by side with Krieble in the evolution of the park.

“I was most impressed with her because she was very hands-on,” Allen recalls. “She was very committed to making it work and turning it into something valuable for the 68

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“I think it’s accurate to say that Colorado was not at first ready for a visionary like Helen.”

—Larry Langer

entire community—the local community as well as the larger horse community.”

“Helen was, in every sense of the word, a pioneer,” agrees Langer. “I think it’s accurate to say that Colorado was not at first ready for a visionary like Helen, and she had to prevail over some ‘immovable’ objects. But prevail she did, and she grew the Colorado Horse Park to be a world-class facility in the center of the country.”

For most people, a project of this magnitude and scope would likely constitute the

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Mollie Bailey Photo

Helen Krieble (far left) has thrice hosted the FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships, an event which plays a pivotal role in the education of future stars.

Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister (left), pictured here at the 2008 NAJYRC at the Colorado Horse Park, went on to represent the United States at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

crowning achievement of their lives. Yet even in the thick of it, Krieble considered the development of the Horse Park a side project when compared to her biggest passion.

“I’m not fascinated by equestrian centers,” she admits with a chuckle. “So while we did it and did it to the best of our ability—to serve the equestrian world, and I think we accomplished that—it was not my main focus in life. Although I really enjoyed it!”

Krieble’s primary passion, ignited many years ago by the example set by her father, is public policy and reform.

All In The Family

Krieble inherited her interest in policy from her father, Dr. Robert H. Krieble, a chem-

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A typical Saturday afternoon crowd for one of the Horse Park’s many grand prix classes.

ist who co-founded Loctite Corporation with his father, chemist Vernon K. Krieble.

Founded in 1956, Loctite became a Fortune 500 company after producing, among other things, a sealant that would be the basis for Super Glue. “[Their story] was taught as an example at Harvard and other places because it was so unusual that a chemical researcher would create a major company after inventing the product,” Helen says.

But it wasn’t just her father’s business and research acumen that inspired a young Helen—his fascination with and participation in public policy initiatives left a lasting impression on his daughter.

“My dad was always interested in government, liberty and the principals of the founding fathers and always supported anything that fell in that area,” she says. “I followed in his footsteps.”

The Krieble family has a long history of involvement with conservative politics.

Robert, a champion of free market principles and small government, served as vice chairman of the conservative think tank

The Heritage Foundation and on the board of the Free Congress Foundation. He also established the Krieble Institute in 1989 with the goal of fostering capitalism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.

So it was no surprise when, in 1984, Helen established the Vernon K. Krieble Foundation, “to further democratic capitalism and to preserve and promote a society of free, educated, healthy and creative individuals.” She still serves as the organization’s president.

Helen conceptualizes her life to date as divided into thirds: one-third spent on public policy, another on the Colorado Horse Park, and the final third on her family, which includes three children and 10 grandchildren. (Helen was married for 25 years to J. Peter Fusscas, a Republican former member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, but the pair divorced more than 20 years ago.)

But now it’s time for a shift. On Aug. 1, Helen announced her plans to retire from the CHP in January and her intention to sell the facility in order to focus on affecting

immigration reform.

“I am very proud of what we accomplished. [The horse park] has grown in reputation, and it’s really a very special place,” she says. “You learn by experience. You have some outrageous successes and some outrageous failures, and I learned.

“But I’m getting old now, and the immigration issue is very important to me,” she continues. “So it’s time for me to leave. I am looking for somebody who has the enthusiasm and the energy and hopefully the financial resources to take that beautiful place to the next level.”

Her Raison D’Être

The keystone of the Krieble Foundation’s immigration platform is known as the Red Card Solution, and it’s partially informed by Helen’s experiences with her own employees at the CHP. “I have 10-15 guest workers every year in the summer season that come in on H2-B visas, and they are friends of ours. They’ve gone back and forth for years and years and are magnificent workers. We talked a lot

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ProfilE ProfilE about what it was like, and they gave me some very good information,” she says.

Among that information, Helen says, was the concept that the majority of guest workers in America have no interest in pursuing citizenship.

“They love their own countries. They’re here to earn money—to work!” she says.

“They don’t want to live here. Our arrogance in thinking they want to live here is quite amazing. The idea that every guest worker wants to be a U.S. citizen is nuts.”

With that in mind, the Krieble Foundation works to distinguish “the discussion of border security and temporary workers from the discussion of immigrants and citizenship.”

To address the former, the Red Card Solution comprises a “smart card” system that would allow foreign workers with no criminal history and confirmed employment offers in the United States to enter the country on guest worker permits, “good for two years, with an ability to change your job to a better job, because the Red Card would be job-specific,” Helen says.

Under the plan, private employment agencies licensed by the government would be allowed to open offices in foreign countries and authorized to issue—after a background check—temporary non-immigrant worker permits. These smart cards would include a photograph, fingerprint or other biometric identification, as well as employment information and visa expiration data for easy reading by border agents, law enforcement or employers.

“It’s a passion of mine, to find a sensible solution,” Helen says. “This is what America is about; these are our principles. We need to do something that is private sector, market-driven, with no quotas, because quotas are always wrong and incentivize people to come across illegally.”

Sweeping Republican wins in the Nov. 4 midterm elections leant the Krieble Founda70

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tion some welcome additional momentum, but it didn’t change the terms of the current immigration bill languishing in Congress.

And President Obama’s announcement two weeks later of executive action suspending deportation for several million undocumented immigrants has significantly dialed

“Our arrogance in thinking they want to live here is quite amazing. The idea that every guest worker wants to be a U.S. citizen is nuts.”

—Helen Krieble

up the pressure (as of press time) on the legislative branch to pass reforms.

“I’ve read the recent bill, all 2,000-plus pages, and I can tell you it’s an appalling bill,” Helen says. “It’s micromanaged, it’s one hand not knowing what the other is doing, it’s a huge expansion of government and billions and billions of dollars, and it’s not going to be effective. My plan is a doable, simple thing. The bill is 15 pages.

The program would be paid for by user fees, not tax dollars. People look at it and say, ‘Oh my God, this would work,’ including Democrats, so I think it’s a real possibility.

“It does not talk about citizenship; it does not talk about green cards,” she continues. “It talks about a simple work permit that every groom in America could be legal on, and I think would solve 80 percent of our problems.”

One thing is for certain: This crippling

national problem isn’t going away any time soon. Now more than ever, there seem to be more questions than answers, and that uncertainty has real ramifications in the equestrian industry.

“Comprehensive immigration reform has been a priority of the horse industry for many years,” noted a statement by The American Horse Council, a non-profit organization representing the equine industry in Washington, in response to the President’s executive action.

“The difficulty horse farms, horse shows, trainers and others have had recruiting American workers has forced many to rely on foreign workers and utilize both the H-2A and H-2B temporary foreign worker programs to meet their labor needs. However, these current programs are not reliable and are extremely burdensome to use. In addition, many of the workers employed in the industry may lack legal status…A way to permanently legalize such workers is critical to the industry.

“It is very likely that there are workers in the horse industry who meet these requirements and will benefit from the President’s actions,” the release also stated. “[But] the President’s action does not fix or even address the many problems with the H-2A and H-2B [visa] programs or address undocumented workers that don’t meet the requirements for this new program. For these reasons it remains critical that the Administration and Congress take action on comprehensive immigration reform.”

And Helen Krieble will be doing her part, and then some, to affect action and resolution.

“My Dad had an old saying: ‘If you think you can’t, you’re right. If you think you can, you might.’ This has been the guiding thing in my life,” Helen says. “Go for it! The worst that can happen is you fail. So what?

Go for something else. But don’t just sit on your hands.”

Integrity. Focus. Results.

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THE HORSE IN ART

How Da Vinci’s Br ainchild Became

The American Horse

By tania evans

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he year 1482 was a busy one for Leonardo da Vinci. The 30-year-old creative genius had just begun working in Milan, where he would stay until 1499, and his days were filled with inventing, designing and building everything from war devices to air conditioning systems.

But one special commission came da Vinci’s way that year: to build the largest horse sculpture in the world.

The bronze equestrian monument would commemorate the father of his new patron, Italian Duke Ludovico Sforza (the original design featured the father, Francesco, mounted), and da Vinci theorized and sketched out meticulous plans for this unprecedented feat. The Duke, meanwhile, set about gathering the metal his artist in residence required—lots and lots of it, almost 160,000 pounds. Da Vinci believed he could make a mold of the enormous horse and complete it in one pouring, which would constitute a revolutionary new method in casting at this size.

At long last, da Vinci eventually built a 24-foot clay model of the piece in the Sforza castle vineyard near Milan.

“That site, which is today a dense and noisy urban district, was then a pleasant expanse of open fields, dotted with trees and shrubs, or neatly kept as orchards, vineyards or citrus groves,” scholar Carlo Pedretti described. “One can well imagine the skyline of such a peaceful landscape, bathed in the yellow light of a misty morning of a September day in the Lombard plain… and see that skyline suddenly interrupted by the imposing silhouette of Leonardo’s colossal clay model, standing there with the foreboding of a Trojan horse.”

But years passed as da Vinci focused on other projects— some the result of his own passion and others at the insis-

H. MICHAEL MILEY/ FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS PHOTO

Planned by a Renaissance master in the 15th century and resurrected by a retired commercial pilot, a Midwest grocery-store magnate and a sculptor from Oklahoma, this equine bronze was five centuries in the making.

Measuring 24' tall, The American Horse now stands in full access to the public at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Mich.

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ROBERT EMPERLEY/ FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS PHOTO

THE HORSE IN ART

Three different sized models of the horse help illustrate the creative process by sculptor Nina Akamu.

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tence of his patron—ranging in importance from the famous painting The Last Supper to rhymes and puzzles for the ladies of the Duke’s court. He created plans for a flying machine, stage sets for theatrical performances, a city plan for Milan and, according to the Da Vinci Science Center, “a defense system for the castle that the Duke probably should have taken more seriously.” All the while, the clay horse stood on a hilltop, suffering weather damage.

Then, on Sept. 10, 1499, the French invaded Milan. The Gascon archers used the horse for target practice, while Sforza’s stockpile of metal went into cannons for defense.

The invaders quickly conquered the city, the Sforzas and da Vinci fled to Florence, and the artist’s model was reduced to nothing more than a massive mound of clay.

“Leonardo probably saw the original stages of

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destruction of his clay horse,” said Joe Becherer, chief curator of the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. “Leonardo was not one for political chaos and physical risk; Milan was in chaos. I am sure he was crushed, as all accounts tell us, but there was a realist in him too. If they will do this to a major work of art, what else might they do?”

It was said that on his deathbed in May of 1519, da Vinci spoke regretfully about never finishing his challenge. And so, for nearly five centuries, the piece remained “The Horse That Never Was.” Until 1977, when a retired United Airlines pilot from Allentown, Pa., named Charles Dent changed all that.

A Man With A Plan Da Vinci’s journals with the plans for the horse were long lost for hundreds of years, but one set, the Codex

PHOTO COURTESY OF MEIJER GARDENS

Since opening in 1995, the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park have developed into one of Michigan’s most beautiful cultural destinations.

Madrid II, eventually surfaced in that city’s Biblioteca Nacional in 1966, and another now belongs to the British Royal Collection. About 6,000 sheets of his notes survive from an estimated 13,000.

Dent, an amateur artist, collector and Renaissance aficionado, was instantly enthralled when he read the story of the horse in the Sept. 1977 issue of National Geographic, and he set out to devote the remainder of his life to bringing da Vinci’s plans to life at last.

The master, Dent believed, had left him an immaculate road map for a process that still hadn’t been tackled in the 500 years since; among the drawings and notes in the artist’s journal were a full 20 pages of instructions on the casting of such a massive equine shape, standing on only two legs.

Dent was determined: He could present to Milan the 24-foot horse da Vinci had envisioned. And so he spent the next 17 years finding backers, raising money and fostering excitement in the art world for the epic endeavor. Hank Meijer, the son of midwest grocery magnates Fred and Lena Meijer, was among the believers in Dent’s goal, and he soon enlisted his parents in the movement as well.

But in 1994, with the project only in mid-swing, Dent died, having not even completed his model. A year later, the members of Dent’s fundraising and

The Patron Saint

A pioneer of one-stop shopping with his family’s Meijer hypermarket chain, Frederik Meijer and his wife Lena helped the West Michigan Horticultural Society establish a cultural landmark in Grand Rapids in 1995.

When The American Horse was installed at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park four years later, the landmark was 118 acres of wetlands, woodlands and gardens that contained more than 80 contemporary bronzes.

Today the main campus has expanded to 158 acres and is home to works by both internationally renowned names and American and local artists.

“The Horse greatly expanded Fred’s perspective on art,” said Joe Becherer, chief curator of the park. “He was captivated with the story and Leonardo, and he appreciated Nina’s process and her point of view, and his personal view of the art world expanded as a result of The American Horse.”

The same year the Horse was unveiled in Grand Rapids, Meijer announced his intentions of curating a world-class sculpture collection.

“From that point in time,” Becherer recalled, “the major, major pieces started coming. The Moores, Rodins, di Suveros. They came in very short order.”

“There are very few patrons around,” said Nina Akamu after completing The American Horse. “Fred and his wife Lena are true patrons in the big sense. They are bigger than life as people, and they leave a wonderful legacy in art, in the way they lead their life, in the environment they have created at the Gardens.”

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PHOTO COURTESY OF MEIJER GARDENS

PHOTO COURTESY OF MEIJER GARDENS

THE HORSE IN ART

The twin of The American Horse, known as Il Cavallo, was unveiled just a few days before its continental counterpart in 1999 in Milan, Italy.

organizing committee, Leonardo Da Vinci’s Horse, Inc., acknowledged that Dent’s version of the model realistically wouldn’t have worked anyway, being anatomically inaccurate and apparently based on a Quarter Horse whose characteristics don’t resemble horses of the 15th century.

Someone would have to fix it, and there was only one woman for the job.

The Chosen One

Nina Akamu was born in Oklahoma, but as the daughter of an Air Force serviceman, she grew up all around the world. At the age of 10, when her family moved to Japan, she began taking lessons at an international English riding academy, and she carried that passion for horses into her career as an artist.

In 1983, Akamu had become the youngest inductee into the National Sculpture Society. Seven years later she was the youngest artist to advance to Fellow. She’d won awards from the National Academy of Design, the National Sculpture Society, the Allied Artists of America, the National Arts Club and the Society of Animal Artists. And Akamu also 76

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Patrons Fred and Lena Meijer at the installation of The American Horse in 1999.

studied sculpture in Italy for 12 years, working on multiple equestrian pieces during that time. If anyone could complete da Vinci’s horse, the committee believed, it was her.

Impressed by what their son had told them of Dent’s efforts, Frederik and Lena Meijer planned a visit to Tallix Art Foundry in Beacon, N.Y., one of the best foundries in the United States, where the Dent model had been based and where Akamu had two other sculptures ready for casting.

As soon as they saw her work, Fred said, “We knew she could do it. When we saw her Pegasus and her Fighting Lions, we were so impressed that we bought them for our Gardens.”

With the Meijers’ financial support committed (the exact amount they contributed to the project has never been confirmed, but the standardly quoted figure is $2.5 million), Akamu set to work.

“My job initially was to improve upon Dent’s model,” said Akamu, who worked on the piece for four months before giving up. She couldn’t make the amount of revisions it needed.

“So I started again, entirely again,” she said.

“There was a lot of sentiment involved in the Dent model, but ultimately they gave me the permission—brave on their part. It was a big challenge to me. But when you feel you can do your best, and that you thrill at these kinds of challenges, then it’s exciting.

“Then creation becomes, and is, a really exciting mystery,” she continued. “How would I know I could do this statute? I had never even done an 8-foot one before. I didn’t know if the big one was going to look as good as an 8-foot sculpture. But there’s a way of focusing yourself so you don’t get bogged down and limit your creative ability. You allow yourself the freedom to continue to create.

You just do it.”

After studying da Vinci’s drawings in more detail and making more of her own meticulous calculations, Akamu had settled on a solid 3-D image in her mind.

She didn’t own a computer then, much less know how to use the sophisticated electronic drafting programs artists rely on today.

But she’d ridIf anyone den enough horses could comin Italy to know what plete da Vinci’s she was looking for. horse, the com“It was riding the Andalusians there mittee believed, that gave me the it was Nina insight into that sort Akamu. of horse for Leonardo da Vinci’s,” she said. “There is a history of the Iberian horse, of course— a Lipizzaner/Andalusian/Lusitano type. In the years I rode there, these were the heavier, rounder, Roman-nosed Andalusian stock—big arched necks and heavy heads. But they were so marvelous to ride. They made me look very good!”

Akumu created an 8-foot model of anatomical correctness and great energy, a vibrant Renaissance stallion, in clay, then cast him in bronze. She called it Homage to Leonardo.

Then she set to work on the big guy.

Casting The Twins

How do you shape a 24-foot sculpture? You’re either so far away that you can’t touch it, or so close to it that you can’t see it.

So Akamu made a pantograph—updating with lasers, headphones and audio an age-old projection method for expanding scale—that traced fixed points on the smaller version. From the ground, she directed assistants who stood on platforms around the emerging giant, built on a steel armature.

While much of the model was built again in clay, Akamu also used plaster for broad areas like the flanks.

“The plaster model gives a good idea of what a piece might look like,” said Becherer. “Also, you can still sand down and build up plaster. It’s not flexible like wax or clay, which are malleable.

Plaster has its own virtues, too. Rodin loved everything he did in plaster. He was very hands-off after that—he didn’t cast the bronze or carve the marble. He was interested in the plaster.”

Akamu wanted anatomical correctness, but she also wanted to make sure that anatomy would appear real from any angle—to a viewer standing below on the ground or up on a hill. The perspective had to be perfect.

Finally, the giant horse, measuring 24' by 26', trotted in the

Grooming The Big Horse Though he’s strong enough to withstand wind shear and earthquakes, The American Horse still needs some pampering now and then.

“All sculptures that are made of bronze are washed at least once a year in the summer,” said Joe Becherer, chief curator of the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. “They’re also waxed— actually a bowling alley wax, so it’s thin and clear. It’s rubbed into the surface of the bronze and buffed out by hand.”

That process can be tricky in Michigan, where weather can change quickly.

“You have to get the temperature right; if it’s too cold, the wax gets cakey and looks like an old, glazed donut. But too hot, the wax gets syrupy and drips,” said Becherer. “You have to move skillfully and quickly.”

It usually takes the park’s crew a week to complete the cleaning, because detailed areas like the mane and tail require slow, methodical work, and everything must be done on hydraulic lifts.

“Maintenance of the Sculpture Park’s bronzes occupies the staff all summer,” Becherer said. “Fred [Meijer, the park’s namesake and founder, who died in 2011] loved it because it was the traditional material, and it was going to last.” c h ro n o f h o r s e .co m

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atrium of the Tallix Art Foundry. Appropriate. Anatomically correct. Strong musculature. A bold eye. A Renaissance romantic grandeur. Powerful tension in the pose. Sublime and also ferocious—the combination that so frequently appears in Akamu’s work.

Then Akamu and Tallix faced a daunting puzzle. Perhaps da Vinci knew how he might cast it in one pouring of bronze—and he had noted a new method—but the foundry experts said it could not be done.

The temperature of the molten metal has to be carefully maintained during the pouring process, and this Perhaps da amount of bronze would lose Vinci knew heat as it coursed through the how he might giant horse. There was no way cast it in it could be cast all at once.

It would have to be done in one pouring pieces. of bronze— In addition, Akamu said and he had da Vinci had wanted it to be 80 tons, with six inches thick noted a new of bronze. “Instead,” she said, method—but “our horse is half-inch thick the foundry bronze and 15 tons (including experts said it the armature).”

The Tallix crew cast could not be about 60 pieces, most of them done. around 4' square, which were sand cast, while much smaller pieces of mane and tail were lost wax cast.

In 1999, one whole horse was completed, and then it was duplicated. Each twin was then taken apart in seven massive pieces, handled by giant cranes, lifts and hoists. Packaged, the pieces of one were transported by plane to Milan, where it was assembled to stand on a Carrera marble pedestal at the Hippodrome de San Siro and unveiled in September of 1999 as Il Cavallo.

Meanwhile the pieces of the second horse traveled by semi-truck to the Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Mich. Today it stands there proudly within reach of the people, on the ground, as The American Horse.

Is this da Vinci’s horse? It doesn’t have a rider (the key component of the commission, if you’d ask the 78

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PHOTO COURTESY OF MEIJER GARDENS

THE HORSE IN ART

While Leonardo da Vinci conceived of this sculpture being built with a single pouring of bronze, experts at the Tallix Foundry in New York recommended a piecemeal approach.

long-dead Duke of Milan), and even today many Italians don’t look on the statue with fondness. While some love and appreciate the piece—which The Guardian referred to at the time as “the most spectacular cultural gift between the Old and New Worlds since France gave America the Statue of Liberty,” some didn’t want it at all, saying it had nothing to do with their beloved da Vinci. Others saw it as an American imposition, and still others found it simply a gift that would be expensive to maintain.

“It’s estimated that the Italian peninsula contains two-thirds of the world’s art; the country has so much art to attend to on their priority list already,” said Becherer.

In reality, the horses belong to no one. They’re da Vinci’s brainchild, Dent’s passion, Akamu’s artistry, the Tallix Foundry’s craftsmanship, and the Meijer family’s generosity.

“Dreams may appear to die,” Fred Meijer announced proudly at the Grand Rapids dedication in 1999, “ but they are merely being transformed.”

photo feature

From Kenya

with love Galloping alongside Kenyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wild game is not for the faint of heart.

Story and Photos by ELENA LUSENTI 80

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“I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up and was not happy,”

The moment we cross into these giraffes’ comfort zone, they break elegantly into their surreal, slow-motion canter across the endless plains.

Ernest Hemingway once wrote.

That feeling still rings true for many visitors to Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve, which has often been hailed as the wildlife Mecca of the world. Located in Eastern Africa, it is the northern extension of the Serengeti ecosystem and hosts a fantastic population of wildebeest and zebra referred to colloquially as “the migration.” By conservative estimates, 1.5 million of the former and 250,000 of the latter roam throughout the area in search of grass produced by its seasonal rains.

Witnessing this marvel from the back of a horse is a life-changing experience I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy a few times over the past 20 years, and it never grows less magical.

The Maasai Mara plains are also home to elephants, hippos, giraffes, Cape buffalo, a wide variety of antelopes and primates, and last but not least, the predators. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas and jackals are all common sights on early-morning rides and nighttime drives.

Offbeat Safaris, a company based in Nairobi that will celebrate its 25th year of operation in January, leads eight-day riding adventures assisted by local Maasai guides. Mounted on sturdy Thoroughbreds and polo ponies, riders have plenty of chances to enjoy long canters as they move between four different campsites throughout the week.

These trips are not for the cautious— they’re for real riders who can gallop comfortably and react quickly and safely and be comfortable in the saddle for four to six hours a day. But if you’re a thrill seeker in search of a once-in-a-lifetime experience, seeing East Africa’s amazing wildlife from the back of a horse is it.

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Photo Feature

A gallop through the Maasai Mara plains will be many things, but never dull or forgettable.

Netty, one of our local Maasai bush guides, checks on Johnny Walker during his lunch break under the shade of the acacia trees.

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Many elephants cross our pathsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;both single, wandering males and mothers carefully guarding their young.

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Photo feature photo Feature

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When we encounter a small herd of elephants, the mothers get quite territorial and intensely protective of their young. Their mock charge sends us into a quick retreat, and the adrenaline rush reminds us that these rides are not for the faint of heart!

A guest makes her way down the Olkurruk Mara plateau, elevation 6,200 feet, to a rest stop so scenic itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capable of making a rider forget her sore muscles, especially when accompanied by a cold beer.

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photo feature The moving days between campsites are broken up by lunch stops where we’re met by a Land Rover with a fridge, cold drinks and a much-appreciated meal—in this case, a typical African barbecue—followed by a nap under an acacia tree.

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AÂ few loose horses normally accompany the group on every ride to provide alternates for riders and to help acclimatize younger horses to life in the bush. Â

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photo feature Jakob, an Offbeat Safaris riding guide whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s originally from Argentina, has spent many years in the Kenyan wilderness and now calls it home. Quite the fashion plate, he suits up for work each day in a pair of TOMS shoes and polo wrap half-chaps.

David, one of our assistant Maasai guides, checks on a resting horse and monitors the horizon for unexpected visitors.

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photo feature While one mounted guide leads each group through the duration of their trip, local Maasai guides at the various camps take guests on game drives and serve as teachers and mentors in the bush.

G et I n v o lv e d Because many foreigners aren’t familiar with the geography of the continent, Africa’s tourism industry has taken a huge hit following the devastating Ebola epidemic on its western coast.

Cancellation rates have skyrocketed, and half of more than 500 safari operators surveyed by SafariBookings.com in late September reported declines in bookings of 20 to 70 percent.

But popular safari destinations like Kenya, on the continent’s eastern coast, and South Africa, at its southernmost tip, are both nearly 3,500 miles away from the outbreak area. To put that in perspective, it’s roughly the same distance between Atlanta, Ga., and Anchorage, Alaska.

So not only does the African tourism industry need support now more than ever, it’s actually a great time to book a trip. There are plenty of deals to be had, and you’re likely to get much smaller tour groups and more one-on-one interaction with guides.

Equestrian photographer Elena Lusenti will be leading a riding and photographic safari in the Maasai Mara in September 2015 (exact dates to be determined). You can find out more about the excursion and contact her directly via her website, ElenaLusenti.com.

Offbeat Safaris, owned and operated by Tristan Voorspuy, is a finalist for the 2015 Safari Awards’ Best Riding Safari Operator title. You can learn more about their adventures and check out more photos and video at OffbeatSafaris.com.

The Wyoming outfitter Equitours also offers multiple Kenyan riding safari packages. Check them out at Equitours.com.

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Jakob slowly inches our group up to a graceful family of giraffes.

Millions of animals roam the Maasai Mara National Reserve, and the variety of deer species alone is staggering. The wildebeest, hartebeest, impala, eland, oribi, reedbuck, waterbuck, bushbuck, dik-dik, klipspringer, duiker, topi (pictured) and Grantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Thompsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gazelle all call this region home.

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TRAVEL

Polo In A Winter Wonderland High in the Austrian Alps, snow is the horsemanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best friend.

Photos by r ei n h a r d t & som m er

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The quaint medieval village of Kitzbühel, Austria,

is normally a pleasantly low-key respite from its busy neighbor to the north, Salzburg, but on Jan. 15-18, the town’s population will nearly triple for the 13th annual Valartis Bank Snow Polo World Cup. Upwards of 12,000 polo fans, celebrities and outdoor enthusiasts descend upon the village to watch high goal teams from around the world battle it out for bragging rights on Kitzbühel’s pristine packed-powder field.

Snow polo’s popularity has risen since its inception in the mid-1980s in St. Moritz, Switzerland, and today many European competitions are lavish affairs that include galas, musical perfor-

It’s a far cry from the palm-encircled fields to which most polo fans are accustomed, but the setting in Kitzbühel is a breathtaking spectacle.

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TRAVEL mances and other posh activities. But on the field, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all business. Teams are comprised of three players, as in typical arena polo matches, and they compete with slightly modified equipment. The ball is larger, lighter and brighter, and polo ponies are shod with high-traction shoes that include rubber liners on the inner rims to keep snow from packing up on the soles.

Curious about the sport but want to get your feet wet at some U.S. snow polo

British player Johnny Good shows off his MVP award-winning skills.

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matches before booking a trip to the big leagues in the Alps? Then start planning a visit next winter to Aspen, Colo., the exclusive location of domestic snow polo and the host of the USPA World Snow Polo Championship every December.

Learn more at WorldSnowPolo.com.

You can check out plans for the 2015 KitzbĂźhel tournament and watch video from past championships at KitzbuehelPolo.com, or under the Events & Lifestyle section at Kitzbuehel.com.

German chef and television personality Horst Lichter and wife Nada attend a match.

Snow polo is usually played with a brightly colored plastic ball, between the size of a softball and a bowling ball.

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TRAVEL

Team Wintertechnik (in blue) spars with Team Audi.

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While the sport may have a reputation as an elite pastime, European snow polo attracts enthusiasts of all ages and nationalities, and general admission to the Kitzbühel tournament is free.

The idyllic town of Kitzbühel, nestled in Austria’s Tyrolean Alps about an hour southeast of urban Salzburg, plays host to the World Cup.

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TRAVEL

Pedro Fernandez Llorente of Spain playing in a 2012 match in Kitzb端hel.

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Dutch Colonial main residence has 7 bedrooms, 7 full baths and 2 half baths, with high ceilings and gorgeous moldings. Historic estate includes charming 2 bedroom guest house, large in ground pool, child's play house, greenhouse, bicycle storage and maintenance shed on 2 acres of lush gardens. Call Tom Bossard $895,000

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IDLE HOUR FARM Renovated Southern farmhouse dating back to the 1700s has 4 bedrooms, 3 baths and original charm on 40.86 acres with formal gardens, gazebo, greenhouse, fenced Bermuda pastures, 3-stall stable with storage and apartment, workshop, 3-run kennel and 3 acre pond. Call Mike Hosang $625,000

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CEDAR MEADOWS EQUESTRIAN .

Exceptional 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath home with architectural details throughout features gourmet kitchen, 1st level master suite, wood and tile floors. Screened porch overlooks landscaped grounds and pond. Cozy apartment with full bath awaits guests above 2-bay garage. Call Lisa Hosang $625,000

CEDAR MEADOWS . Custom 3

bedroom, 3.5 bath home in popular equestrian community features elegant downstairs master suite, high ceilings, hardwood floors, granite in gourmet kitchen and baths, sunroom and stone fireplace on 6.5 fenced acres. Additional 4.54 acres available. Call Lisa Hosang $595,000

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www CarolinaHorseProperties com

ESSAY

The Souls

The Barn

Builds

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The barn will give you all the gifts you need to be a good, gracious person, but it is up to us to keep these things when we pass through the gate.

I

By KRISTIN CARPENTER Photos by KAT NETZLER

own a company, Linder Educational Coaching, which works with kids having trouble in school. While we work to address a variety of problems, I tend to specialize in teenage boys with behavioral issues.

I now live in Arlington, Va., a mere 2 miles to the U.S. Capitol in the District.

But I grew up in the rural south in a small town outside of Baton Rouge, La. And I often feel that if I could take the kids I work with here and make them work at a barn, a large amount of their issues would disappear.

I think there’s something magical about the souls the barn builds. While there’s magic made in the saddle, and horses have dramatically altered each of us for the better over time, I like to think that just being in the barn is enough to have a positive impact on anyone.

The barn teaches all the major lessons of life within its four walls and pasture fences. It doesn’t take into account age, gender, race, education or family history. It teaches with the severity and grace of life itself.

I remember learning about hard work. Two hundred bales of hay don’t unload themselves, and the incoming rain doesn’t care that your back hurts, you haven’t eaten in 10 hours, and your hands are bleeding from blisters. If you don’t finish, you lose the hay, and you can’t afford more. That’s hard work.

I remember learning not only a respect for what real manual labor is, but also a compassion for those who perform it. The

workers in the bigger barns aren’t nameless faces; they are men and women with hopes, dreams, opportunities and dead ends like the rest of us. Their backs hurt by the 50th bale, too, but they keep going.

Even though I no longer do the hard labor of big barns, I will never lose the respect and compassion for those that do, and I will never miss an opportunity to thank them and offer a helping hand.

I remember learning the value of a dollar. My dad gave me $500 for my first horse as a Christmas/birthday present when I was 9. I bought a 9-year-old unbroken Arabian gelding, still in a field with his mother. And that was it—we didn’t have anything left over for a saddle, so I rode without one for almost a year or borrowed them from gracious friends.

I fell off 78 times in the first year. I still have my diary, and yes, I counted. I worked off board and lessons, and I saved and begged to go to an event. When I got there, we jumped out of the dressage arena, and I eliminated myself—my hopes and dreams and mouths full of dirt culminating in disappointed parents and a lot of money lost.

My dad then told me to get a job, so I did. I designed websites during middle school to save up money for shows, and I went halfway across the country during a summer of high school to find a working student job with a stipend.

While my income as an adult is vastly different, I don’t forget the feeling of never buying anything and feeling complete, c h ro n o f h o r s e .co m

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ESSAY because just having the horse of something. The passion was enough. Just having the that’s there when exhaushorse was everything. tion steals your strength and The barn taught me perfrustration takes your hope. spective. When it doesn’t When all you are left with rain, and the pastures don’t is this very moment, and yet hold up, and you can’t afford you are at peace and fulfilled. more hay, it’ll be OK. The That is passion in its truest rain will come next year, and form, and that is what fuels somehow this year you will us in barns, and what sneaks make it. It might mean a lot into the souls of children and of hard decisions and sacrinever lets go. That passion fices, but that’s life. drives the thousands of adult The barn makes for a difamateurs to work 60-hour ferent childhood experience. weeks and still ride, and the When all the other teenagers are out partying professionals to lose in grand fashion but show The barn teaches all on a Saturday night, you will be lying in the up the next day at 5 a.m. the major lessons of bed of a truck staring at the sky. You’ll get to It’s easy to get wrapped up in the side of see stars how they are meant to be seen—by the life within its four life fueled by possessions and titles and bank thousands—not just the few that shine through account balances. It’s easy to focus on what you walls and pasture the light pollution of cities. You will learn peace don’t have and who you aren’t. But the barn will fences. It doesn’t take teach you better. You have what you have, and it with the silence of the outdoors, and a kind of meditation that comes from hours of manhas to be enough, so make do. into account age, ual labor with nothing but wind and animals’ The barn will build your soul, and it will gender, race, education breath as music. give you all the gifts you need to be a good, graor family history.

I remember learning that life isn’t fair. I paid cious person. It is up to us to keep these things attention to every hair on my first horse, but I when we pass through the gate.

It teaches with the remember sitting and crying in a wash rack as If you related to any part of this column, severity and grace of he colicked. I stared in horror as the oil and you are lucky. Many go through life never really life itself. charcoal we pumped into him spilled onto the feeling passion; they only have material possesground, and I grappled with the unfairness of sions to try to satisfy their souls. life and death. When, 10 years later, I sat next But to the souls the barn built, life is about to my father as he was on life support, and I decided it was best sitting in a warm rain on a summer day and laughing with your to let go and take him off the machines, I didn’t need to struggle friends. It is about lying on the back of your horse at midnight, in with the existential questions of fairness. The barn had already a field, and staring at the stars. taught me: Life isn’t fair, and neither is death.

I wish I could give this gift to every child I work with.

The barn has also taught me about unconditional love. The barn doesn’t care what you drove to get there, or what you are Eventer Kristin Carpenter, one of our most popular bloggers on going home to. It is a haven for those who give it their all, and it coth.com, juggles the management of her own company, Linder will take everything you have to give. It will take your immatuEducational Coaching, with organizing the Area II Young Rider rity and give you discipline. It will take your excuses and give you Advancement Program out of Morningside Training Farm in The failure. It will take your dreams and give you opportunity. But it Plains, Va., and competing at the FEI levels in eventing. She grew makes no promises, picks no favorites, and spares no hardships. up in Louisiana and bought “Trance,” a green off-the-track ThoroughThe barn taught me passion. Very few people get to experience bred, as a teenager. Together they ended up competing at the North passion at its core, in the way that it is meant to be felt. Not the American Young Riders Championships and the Bromont CCI**. passion of winning—that is superficial and relative. But rather She’s now bringing Lizzie, another OTTB, up through the ranks. the passion that you feel when you have nothing left but your love 102

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Soak Up Aiken’s Southern Charm

DENTON RUMSEY/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM PHOTO

CITY GUIDE

By Lisa Slade

Y

ou won’t find many towns in the American South more historically horsey than Aiken, S.C. It’s been a favorite winter getaway for sportsmen for more than a century, and it’s just as popular today with visiting foxhunters, eventers, hunters and jumpers.

But for many other equestrians, Aiken is the perfect full-time base. The climate is temperate enough for riding outdoors year round—the sandy South Carolina soil rarely freezes—and there’s still enough open land for plenty of cross-country schooling and turnouts galore.

If you’re heading to South Carolina this winter looking to compete, there are plenty of options—from the PSJ shows held at the Highfields Event Center to horse

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trials at Full Gallop Farm, Paradise Farm and Sporting Days Farm. There are also dressage competitions, polo, steeplechases and the renowned Aiken Hounds, established in 1914. If you just want plenty of hacking, make sure to check out the 2,100-acre Hitchcock Woods Foundation.

“It really is a hidden gem,” says Grand Prix dressage rider Shawna Harding of the city where she spends most of her year. “You can go anywhere in your riding boots, and no one is going to look at you funny. It’s a small town with everything, and everyone knows everyone. We have great social gatherings, like the steeplechase twice a year, that really make the little town come alive.”

is prepared, or visit during the slightly quieter lunch hours.

210 The Alley, Aiken. (803) 642-8899.

Tako-Sushi.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT AIKEN

The Willcox

TakoSushi TakoSushi

ice cream.

We’re not joking to say everyone in Aiken loves TakoSushi, so you can expect a wait most weekend evenings.

Enjoy one of the specialty saké cocktails from the bar while your table

The Willcox

>>

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WILLCOX

No, it’s not the most intuitive pairing.

But melding two very different types of cuisine works for TakoSushi. Of course, tacos and sushi aren’t generally combined into one dish, but you can choose between the different culinary genres depending on your mood.

The sushi offerings range from the common—California and spider rolls— to the creative (make sure you sample the Crazy Roll, with shrimp tempura and cucumber, topped with fresh shrimp, crab, avocado, teriyaki glaze and TakoSushi Sauce). The Firecracker Roll (tempura-fried tilapia, cream cheese, avocado and cucumber topped with masago and Bada Bing-Bada Bang Sauce) is another that comes highly recommended. There are even delicious vegetarian rolls that range far beyond the traditional cucumber and avocado.

If you’re leaning more toward Mexican cuisine, try the Steak Takos or a panseared tilapia burrito. Or enjoy east and west by starting the evening with green chili queso dip and end it with green tea

Seeking a place to stay in downtown Aiken? If you like a classically elegant hotel and spa with a top-notch restaurant, The Willcox is it.

The place was built in the late 19th century, and it’s been updated beautifully since. Travel + Leisure magazine voted it one of the world’s best hotels in 2012 and 2013, and Conde Nast Traveler gave it a 2012 Best of the South Award.

Rumor holds that The Willcox hosted guests like Winston Churchill, Harold Vanderbilt, Elizabeth Arnold and Franklin Delano Roosevelt—and plenty of equestrians have graced its hallways.

Take advantage of the spa during your own stay, with such options as a Willcox signature massage, sea spa manicures, and pedicures and

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CITY GUIDE

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WILLCOX

done right and made from scratch. The café offers seasonal treats too, such as Nutella hot chocolate.

The coffee is roasted there in small batches, and the baked goods and soups are made fresh every morning. For lunch, there’s a diverse offering of sandwiches and salads. Make sure to try the turkey and apple croissant, which features smoked turkey, Granny Smith apples, muenster cheese and honey mustard dressing. The “Boss Lady’s” chicken salad is a favorite as well.

116 Laurens St., Aiken. (803) 643-7088.

NewMoonDowntown.com.

The Aiken Training Track Kitchen

The Wilcox soaks in an aromatherapy hydro tub.

“My clients love The Willcox,” says Liza Boyd, who’s based in Camden, S.C., and shows often in Aiken.

The restaurant is equally beloved, and it serves daily lunch and dinner, as well as a Sunday brunch.

“It’s a nice, old-style Virginia place to go,” says Shawna Harding. “They have a wonderful chicken liver pâté. They always have a really good salmon dish too.”

The Willcox atmosphere is a highlight, especially on Tuesday nights when there’s live music, but if you can’t make it all the way downtown, there’s also a classy Willcox food truck that makes the rounds to local events.

quickly in the morning to get there!” says Boyd. “They have the best bagels and coffee, and a really awesome green smoothie. I’m addicted to it. It’s close to the horse show, so you can leave and grab something really quickly. It’s a great lunch spot as well.”

The menu at the New Moon Café is simple—for breakfast you can choose between quiches, granolas, egg sandwiches and bagels—but everything is

100 Colleton Ave. SW, Aiken. (803) 6481898. TheWillcox.com.

How much does top hunter/jumper rider Liza Boyd love the New Moon Café in Aiken?

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LISA SLADE PHOTO

New Moon Café

If you’re spending the winter in Aiken, there’s no better activity than rousing yourself before dawn and heading down the rutted dirt road to the Aiken Training Track. There you can watch sets of feisty young Thoroughbreds gallop under a famous Aiken live oak before heading into the warmth of the track kitchen.

The place isn’t fancy—the vibe is more summer camp mess cabin than anything Aiken Training else—but you can get Track Kitchen

538 Two Notch Rd., Aiken. (803) 6484631. AikenTrainingTrack.com.

Maria’s Mexican Restaurant

On any given night, you’re likely to see a plethora of boots and breeches at Maria’s.

And there’s a very good reason for that.

“They have very toxic margaritas,” says eventer Boyd Martin, who spends most of his winters in Aiken. “The soft shell tacos are my favorite; you just have to go easy on the hot sauce.”

Maria’s is a good lunch stop or place for imbibing after the evening feeding. It’s standard Mexican fare, but a few menu items stand out to the regulars—including the tortilla soup and the tacos al carbon. Fellow eventer Doug Payne, who also winters in Aiken, enjoys Maria’s dip, comprised of queso mixed with beans and beef and served to all guests as an appetizer.

In addition, the mango margarita is delicious, but make sure you take a designated driver.

716 E. Pine Log Rd., Aiken.

(803) 648-8840.

Casa Bella Italian Restaurant

Chef Joseph Iannelli was born and raised in Italy, and he’s now converted an Aiken Victorian mansion, built in

TIM MEESSEMAN PHOTO

a mean egg-and-cheese biscuit there, and that’s the perfect breakfast with a side of home-style potatoes and coffee.

Catch up on the current popular Thoroughbred bloodlines with the trade publications that litter the tables, and listen to the track trainers talk shop. You’ll be in and out before your own horses are ready for their breakfast. Just make sure you take some cash to pay your tab.

Casa Bella Italian Restaurant

1896, into the city’s favorite authentic Italian restaurant.

“Casa Bella is fantastic,” says Sharer Dale, who owns Greystone Farms in nearby Beech Island, S.C. “It has a great outdoor patio, and it’s one of the nicer restaurants in downtown Aiken.”

The signature menu item is the Chilean sea bass, served in a lemon butter white wine sauce, but you can’t go wrong with any of the marinara sauce dishes either.

The restaurant is a popular Aiken spot, so reservations are recommended most nights.

“It’s a really unique location,” says Iannelli’s wife Arlene. “The grounds are gorgeous, and we have a koi pond that’s original to the house. The food is top quality, and the service is top quality. If you use great products as the base, like the marinara sauce for the lasagna and other pastas, everything else becomes really good.”

And if you’re seeking a more chill vibe, the Iannelli family recently opened a speakeasy-style restaurant and jazz bar, Speakeasy and Eats, in Aiken.

120 Chesterfield St. S., Aiken. (803) 6413107. CasaBellaItalianRestaurant.com.

Prime Steakhouse

If you want a steak in Aiken, many say Prime Steakhouse is the place to go.

“It outdoes any New York steakhouse I’ve ever been to,” says Boyd Martin.

“When you go, it always has the Who’s Who of Aiken in there—foxhunters and race horse trainers and event riders all enjoy the fine dining.”

Located in downtown Aiken, Prime Steakhouse served its first patron in 1999, and it’s rapidly become a favorite for visitors and residents. Chef Randy Stamm worked in his family’s New York City steakhouses growing up, and he’s owned restaurants in big cities around the country. Now Aiken steak lovers are lucky he calls their town home.

The filet mignon is a favorite, as is the center-cut New York strip steak. But don’t forget about the lobster entrees, which have their own legion of fans.

The restaurant serves dinner seven nights a week.

“It’s the best place to take clients,” added Aiken-based dressage trainer Laura Klecker. “Everything is amazing.

The service is good, and it’s a great atmosphere, and Randy is outstanding.”

316 Richland Ave. W., Aiken. (803) 6424488. PrimeSteakHouseAiken.com.

>>

Grumpy’s Sports Pub

There are times you want to dress up and enjoy a gourmet meal in a well-designed

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CITY GUIDE

setting. Then there are other times you want to head straight for a cold beer and hot burger after you leave the barn—and maybe you also want a choice of nearly 20 different styles of chicken wings. For those times, Grumpy’s is your place.

Grumpy’s offers 36 different beers on tap and an additional 58 in cans and bottles. The brew choices range from the common—Bud Light and Miller Lite—to the more seasonal and artisanal—such as the Southern Tier Phin & Matt’s Extraordinary Ale and Terrapin Moo Hoo Chocolate Stout.

The pub plays most major sporting events on their enormous collection of televisions, and you can find a schedule, as well as a list of nightly drink and food specials, on the Grumpy’s website.

Make sure to try the double IPA cheese dip and the Grumpy burger.

customers returning again and again.

“It’s really about Carriage the service,” she says.

House Inn “The people who work here cater to everyone.”

The antithesis of a chain hotel, the rooms at the Inn are cozy and decorated with unique accoutrements.

Breakfasts consist of whatever guests prefer, including the choice of bacon and eggs, grits, breads, quiches and casseroles.

Located on the main street of downtown Aiken, the Inn is also in the process of expanding. An additional 24 rooms are in the works, along with a rooftop terrace that can hold 500 people for private events.

“We hope we can be as good as we were, and then even better,” says Thomasson.

139 Laurens St. NW, Aiken. (803) 6445888. AikenCarriageHouse.com.

Rose Hill Estate

During last winter’s ice storm in Aiken, when most of the city was without power for days, the lights still burned bright at the Rose Hill Estate’s Stables Restaurant.

“It was the only place we could go! I think it’s the best-kept secret in the area,” says eventer Allison Springer, who winters in Aiken. “It’s sort of a quirky place, but I love staying there. I love their food, too, and I think the bar is really cozy. In the summer months they have good live music outside.”

The restaurant offers a diverse and seasonal menu—now including wienerschnitzel, shrimp and grits, pumpkin ravioli and cocoa-rubbed lamb T-bones.

And horse lovers will feel right at home, as the restaurant is located in a repurposed stable.

Rose Hill is also a popular location for Aiken weddings, and they Rose Hill offer comfortable Estate

216 East Gate Dr., Aiken. (803) 2269868. GrumpysSportsPub.com.

The Carriage House Inn invites you to “enjoy some of the simple yet luxurious pleasures in life—snug beds, a wonderful breakfast, and a warm, generous staff awaiting your arrival.”

Owner Ann Thomasson says her staff at the Inn, which sits in the center of downtown Aiken, is what keeps 108

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ROSE HILL ESTATE

Carriage House Inn

Malia’s

rooms in both The Inn At Rose Hill and the Greenville Cottage.

221 Greenville Street NW, Aiken.

(803) 648-1181. RoseHillEstate.com.

Who doesn’t love a bar located on Whiskey Road? But Harry’s Local Bar doesn’t just offer spirits and beers; they also serve seafood specials most days.

“It’s just a great local place,” says Shawna Harding. “If you want oysters on the half-shell, it’s a great place for that. The people are friendly, and the prices are good. You can take your kids.”

Harry’s purports to offer the “coldest beer in town,” as well as a delightfully low-key atmosphere. Don’t miss the happy hour specials from 4-7 p.m. every day.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MALIA’S

Harry’s Local Bar

Malia’s

Malia’s opened on Laurens Street about 26 years ago, and the restaurant is still going strong. Its success is owed to its ever-evolving menu, excellent service, and unique atmosphere guests have come to love.

1208 Whiskey Rd., Aiken. (803) 649-0082.

“They just have really excellent food CourtneyCongerHalfUntackedJF15 12/5/2014 1:44 PM Page 1

and great desserts,” says Lellie Ward, who owns and operates events out of Paradise Farm in Aiken. “It’s a more upscale restaurant, and it’s privately owned, which is nice.”

The restaurant’s namesake, chef and owner Malia Koelker, considers food her art. Her menu includes a seared duck breast with an orange and green peppercorn demi-glaze that’s not to be missed.

Parts of the menu rotate based on seasons and the stock of local farmers, and the wine list is extensive.

Most patrons change out of their riding clothes for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights, but the restaurant also hosts a “casual supper” on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and you can do lunch Tuesday-Saturday.

120 Laurens St., Aiken. (803) 643-3086.

MaliasRestaurant.com.

Aiken, South Carolina

FLUTTERBY FARM . Spectacular stone and

FAIR PINES . Marvelous country estate in

hardiplank Sand Hills cottage offers almost 5,000 square feet of timeless elegance featuring heart pine floors, great room with dramatic stone fireplace, master wing with 2 full baths and 3 walk-in closets, chef’s kitchen, 3 guest bedrooms each with full bath en suite. Includes 3-stall run-in shed, riding ring, workshop with hay storage and board fenced pastures on over 25 acres in Aiken’s east side equestrian corridor. $1,100,000

historic Ridge Spring includes over 78 acres with architect designed stable and unique water tower.

Gracious 2-story residence features over 4,000 square feet with high ceilings, classic millwork, 4 bedrooms plus sleeping porch, 3.5 baths, 6 fireplaces and polished oak floors. $895,000

KELLSBORO HOUSE . Carefully

restored Georgian style main residence, circa 1927, encompasses over 8,500 square feet with elegant millwork, brick construction and slate roof. Beautiful brick stable with 8 stalls has tack and feed rooms, half bath, 2 wash stalls and renovated upstairs apartment. Separate carriage house contains a 2-story apartment and 3 stalls. Magnificent old live oaks and magnolias shade sweeping lawns and 5 board fenced paddocks on over 7 acres, adjacent to race tracks and polo fields on clay roads in Aiken’s historic downtown horse district. Price upon request.

CEDAR MEADOWS EQUESTRIAN .

Delightful brick home on over 4 acres offers every amenity for a home with horses. The 3,000 square foot residence features an open floor plan with polished wood floors and window walls overlooking in ground pool, 4-stall barn and board fenced paddocks. Miles of private trails and riding ring are available to residents of this popular equestrian community. $620,000

Courtney Conger www.CarolinaCompany.com

803.645.3308

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DO IT YOURSELF

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Pimp

My Helmet

>>

Laura St. Clair, the voice behind the lifestyle blog SHADBELLY, shares her step-by-step instructions for a surprisingly successful spray paint makeover.

I’m

infatuated with my newly spray painted riding helmet. Sure, underneath it’s still the scuffed up, sweated in, basic black helmet I’ve been using for about a year, but look at this baby now.

It’s my glittering tiara, my guardian angel, my Superman cape. Look out Dressage Queens in the warm-up, because I am invincible when blissfully encased in my newly pimped-out helmet’s metallic awesomeness.

What, you ask? Why not just get a new one?

Well sure, I have my eye on several new helmets (let’s see… I’ll take the One K Defender in gray... and don’t even get me started on my wish list for the Kep Italias…), but in the meantime, my current everyday helmet is still quite functional and well within its defined life span. (Manufacturers generally recommend you replace your helmet every two to five years, but it’s also important to remember that your helmet is only designed for a single impact, so replace it after a fall regardless of its age.)

My second reason: I’m a total control freak, and I wanted a helmet that was exactly the right color to wear with my Kingsland Magritte Competition Coat.

Mostly, however, I wanted to test for myself the phenomenon psychologists call “the Ikea Effect.” Researchers at Harvard and Duke Universities coined this term to describe “the cognitive bias that occurs when consumers place a disproportionately high value on products they partially created.”

That’s right, studies prove that building and/or creating your own stuff boosts your feelings of pride and competence and also signals to others that you are competent.

Sounds dressage-y enough to me. Let’s get started. c h ro n o f h o r s e .co m

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DO IT YOURSELF

Step 1

Step 2

Step 1: Sand It

color... at least twice.

All you need is a super light once-over with a fine sandpaper or sanding block.

Your goal is simply to smooth out any scratches, break up any caked on gunk, and improve overall adhesion for the glorious paint you’ve painstakingly chosen.

Step 2: Clean The Thing

Wipe it down well with a manufacturerapproved cleaner. I used a little diluted Fantastik on a cloth, because that’s what I’ve always used for my annual helmet cleanings. But OK, I admit I have not done the research on whether or not Fantastik is an approved cleaner, etc., etc. My wonderfully conscientious readers (and more than a few helmet manufacturers) will set me straight, no doubt.

Note: If you or anyone you know is a personal injury attorney, stop reading this tutorial now, sell your horse and secure yourself safely on the couch with your organic, vegan, gluten-free cupcakes.

I took out the removable portions of the interior padding and the chin pad, placed them in a mesh lingerie bag and tossed them into the wash along with a bunch of saddle pads. I wiped down the inside of the helmet as best I could, then sprayed a few shots of Charles Owen Helmet Deodorizer, because, well, why not?

Step 3: Allow To Dry

Really well—like overnight. Make the most of this roughly 12-hour “cooling-off period” by changing your mind on the 112

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Step 4: Prepare The Workspace

Overachievers, get your drop cloths.

Everyone else can just set the helmet on a fence post in a discreet location.

Step 5: Tape

Tape off any areas you want to paint a contrasting color or avoid painting at all. I used FrogTape. It resisted sticking to the outside of my helmet at first, but with a little coaxing I was able to make it work. I tucked my cleaning rag inside the helmet to avoid errant paint.

Step 6: Paint The Harness

I originally planned to leave the harness on my helmet its original black color, but after finding out that the amazing Rust-Oleum Universal spray paint works on almost any surface, including plastic and vinyl, I decided to go ahead and give it a try.

First, I did a quick test spray on a piece of newspaper to get a feel for the nozzle and the volume of paint it produced. Once confident, I lightly sprayed the harness using Rust-Oleum Universal’s Chestnut color, moving from left to right about 8-12 inches from the helmet.

The paint pretty well dissipated into the nylon portion of the harness strap, but who cares? Most of that is going to be covered with the chin pad anyway, and I got really nice, uniform coverage on the vinyl portion of the harness.

Note: If I had it to do over again, I’d choose a non-metallic spray paint for

U n tac k e d

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7 the harness—something that would better replicate the look of a nice leather.

Oh, and don’t even think about tackling this project the night before a show.

While the main portion of my helmet dried really quickly, the vinyl was a touch sticky for a few days.

Step 7: Re-Tape And Paint The Shell

Remove the applicable sections of the FrogTape and reapply tape where needed. If you’re applying tape to areas you previously painted, make absolutely sure the surface is dry.

I perched my helmet atop a wine bottle, which enabled me to easily navigate around all sides of the helmet with RustOleum’s “any angle” nozzle.

Painting the main portion of the helmet was instantly gratifying. I chose Rust-Oleum Universal’s Burnished Amber color—a near-perfect match to the sheen on my Kingsland Magritte.

No matter what color you choose, be sure to use a paint that is specifically designed for use on plastic. I spent about three hours at Home Depot ruminating over all the spray paint options. In the end, I brought home four candidates from the Rust-Oleum Universal Metallics collection at a cost of $6.76 each.

OK, listen up: The biggest mistake

Step 8 you can make with this project is applying too much paint. To minimize runs and drips think thin, very thin, light coats, and allow the paint to dry for a few minutes between each application. Honestly, I almost feel like I just misted the helmet a few times with the paint—a light dusting, a whisper. And that was plenty enough coverage to change my helmet’s look completely without ending up with a gloppy, sticky, indiscernible mess. Trust me, less is more!

Step 8: The Final Touches

Reposition your now fresh-as-spring lining and be sure to check for proper helmet fit. I tucked one of those cool turquoise Headline It! brand hat liners in to brighten up the interior.

Step 9: Fall In Love

Stand back and admire your masterpiece.

Not perfect? No problem. Researchers found that the Ikea Effect works even when the results are... well ... less than stellar. Like that crooked table you made when you got your first apartment, you will most likely find yourself quite attached to your customized helmet simply because it is the fruit of your own labor.

Strap on your magnificent partially self-created helmet and ride on!

An Important Disclaimer Consult your helmet manufacturer before applying cleaning agents, paints or adhesives to an equestrian helmet, as these may negatively affect the integrity, stability and protective effect

SHADBELLY’s Style Standards This tutorial was originally published

by SHADBELLY, a blog devoted to the dressage lifestyle, and you can find plenty more projects, tips and trends at shadbelly.com.

While dressage is often perceived as a sport for the elite, the team behind SHADBELLY takes a decidedly unpretentious approach when it comes to fashion: “Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, and add what is uniquely your own.”

Remember these five style standards, says founder Laura St. Clair, and you’ll never go astray: 1. No matter what anyone else says, wear what you love and what you think looks best on you.

2. Good style isn’t about money.

3. Develop your own personal style; be your own brand.

4 . Most rules are meant to be broken.

5 . If you’re going to splurge, make it on that timeless, magical “something.”

of the helmet... and you’re not supposed to leave your helmet in a hot car either. Oops. c h ro n o f h o r s e .co m

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charity spotlight “It’s really the horse and the mountains that do it.

Ultimately we’re just setting up the scenario,” said Micah Fink, executive director of Heroes and Horses. “We’re just helping them get to where it all happens.”

A Closer Look At: >> What It Is:

Heroes and Horses is a 501(c)3 organization based in Montana that uses a three-phase program of remote wilderness challenges on horseback to help restore military veterans into civilian life.

Heroes And Horses

Using a structure that mimics veterans’ prior military training, this remote wilderness equine therapy program puts them in control of their own healing.

By megan Brincks Photos courtesy of micah fink

T

here are countless equine therapy organizations across the country that focus on calm, peaceful interactions with horses as a way to foster serenity in the lives of struggling military veterans. But Heroes and Horses isn’t one of them.

Instead of limiting its participants to structured equine therapy sessions in a controlled environment, this Montanabased nonprofit organization harnesses the power of remote wilderness challenges to build the horse-human connection and inspire growth in veterans suffering from mental and physical scars.

As a young man, Heroes and Horses founder Mark White suffered from an 114

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electrical accident that resulted in a leg amputation, years of surgeries, and a difficult healing process. The mental and emotional challenges of White’s recovery inspired him to take that experience, combined with his military knowledge as the son of a U.S. Marine veteran, and create a system to use the dramatic landscape of the Montana Rocky Mountains and the healing power of horses to help veterans continue their lives after combat.

White and Navy SEAL Micah Fink, who now serves as executive director of Heroes and Horses, developed a three-step system for veterans that closely mimics the style of training they’ve already received in

the military.

Phase 1, called the stress inoculation phase, includes three days of intensive horsemanship training followed by a full week on a guided backcountry trip with additional training along the way.

“It’s like drinking through a fire hose. It sounds like a lot, but that’s how we learn in the military,” Fink explained.

“We brought that same learning environment back to these guys, and they’re really receptive to it.”

This first phase sets veterans up to be active participants in their healing processes, Fink said. By putting them in stressful situations, they also start building immunity to that stress—just like inoculating against a virus requires an injection of that virus, the veterans build up resistance to the pressures and stress experienced in the past by going through new, stressful situations that also include a positive release of pressure.

“Some of them don’t even talk— they’re completely reclusive. But guess who they’re building a relationship with?

The horse,” said Fink. “It’s nothing that we’re doing; we’re just setting up the scenario. We’ve matched that same stress, but in a positive manner. It’s the same story, different script.”

In the second phase, application, veterans return for another three days of horsemanship, navigation and survival techniques before heading into the wilderness individually, camping alone for one night before connecting each day with more program participants.

“They spend the first night completely by themselves,” Fink said. “We find this really important because they need to apply everything they’ve learned.”

At the end of that backcountry trip,

and off the marginalized labels list.”

While billions of dollars are dedicated each year to rehabilitation programs, Fink noted, the suicide rate among veterans is still alarmingly high. The most recent numbers from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs indicate 22 veterans take their own lives each day, but as CNN reported in late 2013, that count is based on data from only 21 states, so the real number is likely much higher.

Heroes and Horses works to defy those odds. Forty veterans successfully completed the program in 2014, and Fink said they’re looking to expand the program significantly in the near future.

“We’re ultimately about restoring and

In contrast to other programs that may offer more relaxing therapy environments, Heroes and Horses challenges veterans to take on demanding and stressful situations that also include a positive release of pressure.

all participants ride back to the ranch together, reconnected and as a group.

Finally, in Phase 3, the integration phase, the veterans return to the area but spend a week working at a different ranch, away from other veterans.

“They’ve learned so much about horses, mountaineering, problem solving, overcoming obstacles—some of these guys are missing an arm or a leg, so they’ve really been through a lot,” Fink said. “[Phase 3] stimulates one thing: getting these guys back working, back into American society

integrating these people back into our nation,” he said. “We want to show these guys what life can be if they face those feelings. Life is really just beginning for these guys. It’s not the end because you’ve gone through some tough experiences.”

>> Learn More: Check out the Heroes and Horses website, heroesandhorses.com. >> Get In Touch: Email executive director Micah Fink at micah@ heroesandhorses.com or call founder Mark White at (406) 539-9946. >> Get Involved: Monetary

donations can be made through the Heroes and Horses website, but the organization can also use equipment, horses, pack mules and volunteers with any number of skills. Email Fink directly for additional information.

WE’LL GIVE YOU THREE REASONS WHY THREE STRAPS WORK BEST. FULL CONTACT. EVEN PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION. UNIFORM SUPPORT. Design is not arbitrary at EquiFit. Every detail including shape, style, material, and construction serves a purpose.

Through research and real-world testing we know that three straps ensure full contact between boot and leg.

Three straps mean maximum leg support. And pressure is evenly distributed across the leg with three straps, providing ultimate comfort and fit. Three is definitely a (well-planned) charm.

Learn more about D-Teq™ Boots as well as our entire collection of boots and legwear at EquiFit.net.

Better fit. For a better finish.

Official Performance Horse Boot and Leg Wear of the USEF

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BEST OF web & Print

What’s Hot On The Web

HOOF PRINTS IMAGES PHOTO

Each week, coth.com features articles in three ongoing series: One To Watch, where exciting young stars with great backstories are highlighted, Amateurs Like Us, where we find out how different amateur riders balance their lives, and Throwback Thursday, where we delve into the past.

LEXEY HALL PHOTO

u One To Watch: Grant Chungo Went From Foxhunting To Grand Prix

u Amateurs Like Us: Lexey Hall Might

Need Another GPS

You probably saw it circulating around Facebook a few years ago—“The Rider’s GPS.” It was a course map stuffed under the bridle, and it was a viral Internet hit. We caught up with Lexey Hall, who took that photo, and got the story behind it. We also found out why she made the decision to trade in her professional riding career for her new amateur status, and how that inspired her to type a hilarious Facebook status that also went a bit viral. Check it out now at coth.com/article/amateurs-us-lexey-hall-gps.

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Three years ago, Grant Chungo hadn’t shown over colored poles at all, and his off-the-track Thoroughbred had never even jumped. Now they’re competing in the high amateur-owner and grand prix jumper divisions. How did this foxhunting convert bring his skills to the ring and develop an unlikely horse into more than expected? Find out at coth.com/article/one-watch-chungo-foxhunting-grand-prix.

u Throwback Thursday: The Teachers We Can’t Afford To Forget Every rider has one, that special first teacher who fanned the flames of their love of horses and riding. Blogger Liz Arbittier remembered hers in a must-read post for Throwback Thursday at coth.com/article/tbt-teachers-cant-afford-forget: “I am ever thankful to her for helping a shy kid who had nothing to offer financially—just genuine interest and passion. As an adult, I realize that people like her are at risk of becoming endangered in this industry, and I try to live up to her example by guiding kids who are interested in veterinary medicine.”

BEST OF web & Print

Don’t Miss In The Magazine u Foxhunting’s

Glossary Of Silly Words And Laws

u Learning Curve: The Challenges Of Learning To Ride As An Adult “Your education, job title or work experience doesn’t matter here,” writes humorist Jody Lynne Werner in our Dec. 15 Amateur Issue of the Chronicle. “Got a Ph.D.? A savvy school horse can still outsmart you. Nominated for a Nobel Prize? No amount of recognition gives you immunity from getting dumped. Pride yourself on logical thought? You can throw that out the window. I once witnessed a lesson horse ‘run away’—at the walk—with an adult man.

The gelding got halfway down the road before we could catch up and turn him around. The man—an accomplished law professional—just couldn’t wrap his brain around how the horse could walk in one direction while he was turning its head in another.”

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FOTO-MITSCHKE PHOTO

GRETCHEN PELHAM PHOTO

Gretchen Pelham takes a droll approach to the customs of this traditional sport with a handy new lexicon in our Nov. 24 Foxhunting Issue of the Chronicle.

“The Plastic Dinosaur Effect,” she writes, “is a Tennessee Valley Hunt tradition defined as ‘the calming effect from a silly toy kept in the pocket of anyone who tends to be overly serious or pretentious. Because after all, how can one take himself too seriously while a plastic dinosaur is kept in his pocket?’ ”

u This Is What Form Over Fences

Looks Like

When George Morris says those words, you’d better sit up and take notice. In this reprint in our Nov. 17 issue of the Chronicle of a much-loved Between Rounds column, the living legend takes modern hunter riders to task by highlighting beautiful examples of equitation from decades gone by. “Here is Frank, pictured aboard Peggy Augustus’ champion working hunter Defense at the Cologne, Germany, show in 1956,” Morris writes of Frank Chapot, one of the six riders he critiques. “Yes, not infrequently, some of our great hunters went to Europe and stepped up to the jumper classes like this. Can you imagine that happening today?”

Photo by Frank Sorge/Arnd.nl

parting ways

This Is Where I Leave You Amateur jockey Marian Falk WeiĂ&#x;meier pops lithely off his mount St Bernhard (landing on his feet a split-second later) during a 2009 turf race in Hamburg, Germany.

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