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An Equestrian Life

close up of horse being ridden by a bride
Equestrian Lifestyle
/
October 9, 2023

The Equestrian Bride

A little over a week now, my friend got married, and I was her photographer. She wanted an absolutely epic entrance - she wanted to ride in on her horse. Her horse is very important to her, almost as important as her groom, and she wanted him to be a part of the wedding.  Bride is ready to ride Being her photographer, I ha[...]

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horse looking out barn window
Lessons, Riding
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September 27, 2023

Should You Lease a Horse? A Guide

I saw a lease advertised on Facebook, and it rubbed me the wrong way. It was a "Free Lease," but the leaser was required to pay all the expenses of the horse during the lease. This included board (on the owner's property no less) and medical bills (the horse had a prior injury that required ongoing treatment). The total amount of this le[...]

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silhouette of horse against the sky
Movies, Reviews
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September 26, 2023

The Saddle Club Movie – “The First Adventure”

I realized recently that a long time ago, I posted an overview for one of The Saddle Club movies. I was full of promises for more, and then I never did another one. I know this must have devastated everyone, so it's time to revisit that glorious time of our lives when we lived vicariously through those girls at Pine Hollow. Let's go all[...]

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portrait of Catherine the Great
Equestrians, History
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September 21, 2023

Catherine the Great, Horse Girl

Catherine the Great, famous for her "love" of horses. Of course, she's famous for lots of other things as well, but it's mainly the horse thing that people are interested in. It's deliciously scandalous, naturally people are interested in it.  The Great has created renewed interest in Catherine, a TV show which is also deliciously scand[...]

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chestnut horse wearing bridle without noseband
Horse Tack
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September 20, 2023

The Different Styles of English Bridles

Many non-horse people look at a horse and just say "yup, that's a horse, with a "bridal."" There's definitely a lot of confusion in the non-horse world about how a bridle works, as evidenced by the appalling kids toys that show up in my house.  But even in the horse world, there's SO MANY different kinds of bridles. Some bridles are[...]

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line up of classic books
Books, Reviews
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September 18, 2023

The Greatest Horse Books of All Time

When I was kid, I didn't have a horse. Sometimes I didn't even have lessons. But I did have books - I had tons of books. I had books on horse care, books on riding and books filled with stories of horses. Some days all I would do is just read my books. Books allow you to escape to another world. You can feel the experience of riding[...]

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close up of wintec 500 close contact saddle
Horse Tack, Reviews
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September 16, 2023

Wintec Close Contact – A Review and Story

I was first aware of Wintec saddles when I was a kid. I remember seeing their full page ad in Horse Illustrated - a brightly lit crisp, black Friesian, a happy rider, and that black synthetic saddle. They were so modern. Not at all like the old leather saddles at my lesson barn. Some had been used so much that the leather where the stirr[...]

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painting of a Greek chariot race
Equestrians, History
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September 15, 2023

Cynisca: The Spartan Princess Who Was the First Female to Win an Olympic Medal

In modern days, it's unthinkable that women wouldn't be allowed to compete at the Olympics. But at one point, they weren't, and it was actually punishable by death for them to just attend. Luckily we are long past those days, but it wasn't without women breaking the ranks and paving the way for other women. One of those women was Cynisca[...]

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horse being free lunged in english tack
Equestrian Lifestyle, Horse Care
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September 14, 2023

How Much Does it Cost to Own a Horse?

Horses are a lifelong dream for many. They begged their parents to buy them a horse growing up only to be told, "Horses are too expensive!" Horses are well known to be an expensive hobby. They are expensive to buy and expensive to keep. But unless you already have the horse, what they cost to keep might be a mystery, leaving you wonder,[...]

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old photograph of rider in show class fort riley
Culture, Equestrian Lifestyle, History
/
September 12, 2023

The Fort Riley Method of Riding

Hunter classes have come under scrutiny. Shows have changed format over time, and with it, the style of riding. There has been criticism of today's riders, claiming they are laying on the neck, perching, too far forward, trying to hard to look "pretty," and this is what it takes to earn a ribbon.  I saw a post where someone blamed[...]

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Hi There, I’m

Hi There, I’m

Courtney

Driven by curiosity about everything in the horse world - the history, the breeds, the cultures. Wanting to spend my life seeking adventure with horses. Is this you, too? Let's discover together.

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Horse Riding Holiday in the Heart of the Chantilly Region, France

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Valley Trail Riding in England

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Ranch Vacation in Montana

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Dressage Jumping Hacking in Spain

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Jumping Training in Poland

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