Recreation & Lifestyle
Welcome to Recreation & Lifestyle, which includes leisure riding and other aspects of the equestrian lifestyle for you and your horse loving friends and family.
Looking for the perfect present? See the Gifts & Jewelry section. Redecorating? Find a Painting, Photograph or Sculpture in the Artwork section. Need to check out a movie or crawl up with a good book or magazine? See our Entertainment section where you will find and Books, Movies, Games, and Magazines. And don't forget about Fine Art in some specialty Museums that might surprise you.
Looking for love or a trail buddy? Riding Partners is the spot to seek other riders who share your passion. Find a place to ride with that special person in our Trail Riding section and if you need more time away, take a look at Vacations. Want to know about the next horse show or special event? Don’t miss it! Dates and locations are included in the Calendar of Events for Recreation & Lifestyle.
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"What if horses were given a choice? Would they let us ride them?”
The touching story of horse trainer Elsa Sinclair is told in her movie "Taming Wild" where she traveled to find an untouched Mustang, a mare which was totally wild, and patiently created a bond with her. Elsa used no saddles, no bridles, no whips, and no food for bribes to see if a wild horse would choose to be ridden. Elsa speaks with Equine Info Exchange and shares her remarkable journey of respect, patience and love with her Mustang mare named Myrnah.
Written by: Susan Stafford. Excerpted from Volume 1 of the "Horse Tales for the Soul" series.
Many years ago - about 4 B.C. (Before Children), to be exact - my husband and I had a Big Adventure. After years of city living, we had just purchased our first home in the country, a run-down cottage in the middle of a swamp on a dead-end road. The basement was constantly under water (we cheerfully called it our indoor swimming pool), the septic system was always backing up and the mosquitoes were so ravenous that we could have benefited from regular blood transfusions. We were often without power, got snowed in every winter, and the roof leaked. But the place was ours, and it was heaven. To satisfy a lifelong dream, we bought a couple of horses to complete the picture. Now, knowing very little about horses at the time, we just scooped up the first likely prospects that came along. Luckily, my little black gelding, Buck, was trustworthy and quiet most of the time. His only major flaw was that he was an escape artist. There was not a stall latch designed that could keep him in.
There was, of course, the unfortunate incident when Buck let himself and his barn mates out one night, then proceeded to the neighbor’s stable to release all their horses as well. The police informed us in the morning that the small herd of hoodlums had been terrorizing the surrounding farms and frightening motorists all night long. They implied that “the black one” appeared to be the ringleader. It was all very embarrassing - much like the authorities showing up at your door to tell you that your teenage son had been caught joyriding in a stolen car.
by Marion E. Altieri, for Equine Info Exchange, Oct 2015
If the name Buddy Ebsen brings to mind only two of his characters—Jed Clampett and Barnaby Jones—then you don’t know Ebsen, at all. Or one important part of the legacy the gentleman left behind, in the hearts and actions of three of his beloved equestrian daughters.
Hollywood legend, Buddy Ebsen, got his start in show biz, dancing and singing with his sister in New York City. Soon he found himself tearing up the dance floor and singing for none other than Flo Ziegfield, himself—and from there, to a fat contract with MGM and the great musicals which brightened the otherwise-dreary 1930s.
So you didn’t know that Mr. Ebsen had serious acting, singing and dancing chops—you probably didn’t know that he loved riding horses; owned a ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains; had six daughters—and passed on his love for horses to at least three of his girls.
Read more: Three Ebsen Sisters + Horses = A Legacy for the Ages
Saratoga Springs NY artist Nick Martinez, a native of Trinidad, Colo., was introduced to horses at a young age by his grandfather. He started his jockey career in 1976 at Centennial Race track in Colorado. In 1983, Martinez' career came to a halt when he shattered several bones in his leg in a riding accident. Nick endured a year and a half of physical therapy and in his spare time took drawing classes at a local art college in Phoenix, Ariz. After his leg was fully rehabilitated, he returned to riding for another six years. When he officially retired from race riding in 1991, Martinez continued work as an exercise rider while pursuing his art career on the side.
Martinez came to Saratoga, NY where he had his first art show. Due to his success at the upstate New York track, Martinez decided to make regular visits there to sell his equine art, and eventually decided to make Saratoga Springs, NY his permanent home. Martinez has been working as a full-time artist since 1991. In addition to portraits of various horsemen, jockeys, and horses, he also paints landscapes and other animals and was commissioned to travel to Africa and paint wildlife last winter (courtesy of www.nickmartinezart.com.)
Welcome to the World Stage: Arabian Horses Take NYC by Storm at Rolex Central Park Horse Show this Week
by Lindsey Brock
For Immediate Release September 21, 2015 New York, NY – The world stage is set. The path has been laid out. The weather, with clear skies and enjoyable temperatures, is predicted to be perfect. The historical unveiling of the Arabian horse at New York City’s Rolex Central Park Horse Show is just days away, aligning with the arrival of Pope Francis to the ‘Big Apple’. The transformation of the famous Central Park in Manhattan is in full swing as New York City prepares for a historic week. Arabian horses arrive in Central Park for the U.S. Open Arabians the opening night of the Rolex Central Park Horse Show on Wednesday, September 23. Beginning at 6 p.m., this unprecedented event will showcase the Arabian breed to the world.
by Janis Fontaine, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013
Businessman Jack Van Dell knows an opportunity when he sees one, so he opened the Wellington Equestrian Gallery and Mall in December. Tucked into the corner of the Publix’s shopping center at the intersection of Wellington Trace and Greenbriar Shores Boulevard, it’s a place where local business owners can lease space to display their work and their wares.
The cavernous room has been a Halloween store, a consignment shop, even a Hollywood Video. Now the fine jeweler has filled it with a bounty of eclectic equestrian art, fashion and furnishings. And it’s convenient too: Van Dell’s jewelry store, specializing in custom fine and equestrian pieces, is in the same plaza.
"Morgan fell in love with Scooby the pony. Morgan slurs because of the meds but somehow Desiree understood her. Morgan saw wild turkeys on her farm and asked questions about them. She helped brush Scooby; she helped take the tack on and off. She interacted with someone. She was here in reality. And I couldn't believe it. " - Danielle Frank
Here is our story. . . .
We have a very special little girl. In fact we have two wonderful daughters. Our Maddy is about to turn 12 years old. And she is vibrant; beautiful; patient; wonderful; and a great student. Our Morgan is way different than our healthy Maddy. Morgan is beautiful; shy; and wonderful however she has been diagnosed with Paranoid Schizophrenia. With that diagnosis she also has Attention Deficit Disorder; Anxiety; Night Terrors; Enuresis; Depression; Chronic Constipation; Medication induced Obesity; and Medication induced elevated cholesterol. She also exhibits signs of bipolar disorder. Quite the mouthful for a 10 year old little girl.
Our household is very different than most. We have been dealing with Morgan having a mental illness since she was 5 years old. However; we almost lost her beginning in August of 2013. I fell down our basement steps and shattered my ankle. Unfortunately; Morgan witnessed this accident. It was completely my own stupidity that it happened. I am blind as a bat without my glasses and I attempted to run down the steps to the laundry room without them on. Morgan somehow blamed herself for this accident; her psychiatrist explained it to us that she literally mentally broke inside. After I got home from the hospital we could see Morgan really was going down hill fast; her illnesses were taking over and she was disappearing in front of us. We were in the hospital several times; and on the phone with her specialists more times than any of us can count. Morgan would scream bloody murder and we couldn't figure out what was going on. She was angry; irrational; saying things like "we hated her"; "go away I can't hurt my mommy"; "stop touching me"; "No I won't do it." She would become fearful of our dogs. And she was getting violent towards us and her sister.
Denis Linehan, author of “Shadows of August” tells Equine Info Exchange about the inspiration for his book.
My uncle was the track doctor at Saratoga racecourse years ago and some of my cousins’ friends parked cars on or near Nelson Avenue, the road next to the track. It wasn't difficult to catch the bug and get caught up in all the excitement every August.
After high school I went to Hobart College, and what did my wondering eyes discover, nothing less than another racetrack, Finger Lakes, right up the road! I was hooked again. Even later another uncle allowed me to become a part owner of a small herd/collection of Standardbred harness horses that raced at Saratoga Raceway. Now, I was hooked quite badly and well aware that I had fallen head over heels in love with the sport. Teaching, along with other adventures, took me to New Jersey, close to Monmouth Park (do you see a theme or motif developing here?) where I taught Advanced Placement students in preparation for the Advance Placement English Literature exam. Each year, I would commit some of my summer adventures at the races to paper, in several edited versions, and later use the story(s) in their various forms to initiate conversation concerning the effects and affects of the tales and why some worked while others didn't.
