NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019
EQUUS: LIGHT AND FORM
The Latest Series From Drew Doggett
Holiday Gift Ideas For Horses And Humans
A SUPPLEMENT TO THE CHRONICLE OF THE HORSE
THE CLOTHES HORSE
Nature’s Nourishment You already trust Effol to keep your tack soft and supple, so why not give their human products a try as well? Their beeswax LipCare Stick and jojoba oil Riders’ Hand Cream make great stocking stuffers at $4.95 and $12.95, respectively. DoverSaddlery.com.
Landmarks Of A Lifestyle The idea that any scene in life is best viewed from atop a great horse is what inspired Kristine Dahms to create the Life Between The Ears series on social media. LBTE photos come from riders around the world, and you can choose from five different collections of all-season blank greeting cards or three different sets of holiday card boxed sets with exclusively winter-themed views. $25 for a set of 10. LBTE wine tumblers are $30. LifeBetweenTheEars.com.
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TRAVEL
Seeing The World WITH LIFE BETWEEN THE EARS
Contributors to the “Life Between The Ears” social media accounts transport us to the world’s most interesting and beautiful places—all viewed from the saddle. Here we share a few of their images.
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SHARJAH, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Laura Broadhurst took this photo near the Mleiha Archaeological Centre in the United Arab Emirates on her way to a landmark called Fossil Rock. She broke her knee a few weeks earlier on a beach ride in Oman, and she knew she would be out of the saddle for an extended period of time, but she was determined to get to Fossil Rock. “I run a little meet-up group and have tried to test out as many of the fun rides as possible in the region,” says Broadhurst, a furniture buyer who’s based in Dubai. “I’d up my weekdays, and winter was running out. My friend was willing to kick out of work early one Wednesday, it seemed the perfect chance to give this ride a go, and boy am I glad I did!” Fossil Rock rises out of a sea of sand dunes. Millions of years ago the area was under water, and when the prehistoric ocean retreated, it left behind a wealth of coral and marine fossils that gave the site its name. The camels pictured are Arabian camels, otherwise known as dromedaries; they’re distinguishable from their cousins, Bactrian camels, by having a single hump instead of two. “We headed out into the big dunes that lead up to Fossil Rock, and it was here we first bumped into a massive gang of camels!” Broadhurst says. “These seemed friendly enough, which is lucky, as they can have a bit of a propensity to chase horses if they irritate them. We stopped for a few tentative photos, ready to hightail it out of there. You need a bit of speed to tackle the mighty dune before the viewpoint, so you gallop up, which puts a smile on everyone’s faces. On the way back down, we bumped into the same group of camels being herded back home, which made everyone very lively.”
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LAURA BROADHURST PHOTO/@GOAWAY_GETLOST
been struggling to manage to arrange the ride with pesky full-time job issues filling
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TRAVEL
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VALLI DI COMACCHIO, ITALY When Tania Robustelli needs a break from the bustle of her
Valli di Comacchio, which translates to the “fish basins of
job in Milan as founder of the wellness center CryoMilano, she
Comacchio.” The area is a series of lagoons and wetlands
retreats to the countryside for idyllic weekend rides with her
just south of the town of Comacchio in the Emilia-Romagna
Arabian gelding Twom Kaliph. She caught the horse bug from
region of Northern Italy. Fishing is a common occupation,
her husband, Stefano Robustelli, eight years ago, and the
and the hut pictured is one of many still frequented by local
couple own two horses in addition to “Kaliph.”
fisherman.
“His large eyes, exuberant character and gray coat covered
“I used to go to this place every year starting from October,
with small spots are his distinguishing features,” Tania says.
when the swimming season ends, and we are allowed to ride on
“In the past, Kaliph was performing in horse shows. Luckily
the beach,” Tania says. “Italy is the perfect place to go, because
for me, he is now a perfect and tireless friend, able to face the
we have mountains, lakes, country, hills and seaside very close
hardest trekking around Italy.”
to our stable. There is nothing better than enjoying a wonderful day with friends on horseback and exploring new places.”
TANIA ROBUSTELLI PHOTO/@TANIA_SHINEANDRIDE
The view between Kaliph’s ears shows a fishing hut in
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ince 2008, Life Between The Ears founder Kristine
picturesque Vashon-
Dahms has posted stunning photos shot by riders in
Maury Island.
all corners of the world with one hand on the reins
Dahms has taken
and the other on the shutter. Dahms mines photos with the
some of the Life Between
hashtag #lifebetweentheears, contacts the original poster of
The Ears images from
the image, then features the photo, complete with educational
cyberspace to print,
details about the place that’s portrayed.
creating three lines
Life Between The Ears photos appear on a LBTE
of greeting cards with
Facebook page, an Instagram feed, a dedicated website
selected photos from her
(lifebetweentheears.com), a Twitter feed and a Pinterest page
social media pages. A
(all under @lifebetweentheears account names).
portion of the proceeds
Dahms—who lives in Vashon, Washington, with her Welsh
RICK DAHMS PHOTO
S
SHARING LIFE BETWEEN THE EARS
from the card sales goes to the Equine Land Conservation
Cob, mini horse, pygmy goats, two dogs and two cats—
Resource (elcr.org). Cards are available at
rides dressage and takes quite a few photos herself on the
lifebetweentheears.com/retail.
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