You know what happens to all those girls who are just crazy about horses? Once they discover boys, the horses are history. Or maybe not. For Lizzy, and others like her, no boy, no man who knows what's good for him, speaks the unspeakable-"It's me or the horse." It's no contest. And so Lizzy snips the threads that hold her, however tenuously, to a conventional life and begins her journey into the world of horse sports. She signs on as a working student for dressage superstar Margot Fanning, heading to south Florida with her six year old mare, for "the season." She immerses herself in an extraordinary world of high-dollar horses and ambitious women and receives an incredible education in more than just riding dressage. And she's taking notes. Welcome to The Dressage Chronicles.
"Like the classic deadly sins, the seven deadly sins of dressage presented in this innovative guide-ignorance, timidity, pride, fear, gluttony, impatience, and sloth-wreak havoc on both rider and equine development and training. Calling attention to common mistakes and offering new strategies for avoiding age-old pitfalls, this manual addresses the philosophical issues of incorrect dressage training by examining each vice in depth. Using a touch of humor and sound advice, this guide comes complete with practical exercises, enlightening photographs, and useful information for becoming a better rider and person"--
For nearly 400 years, four illustrious riding schools have striven for perfection in the equestrian art: the Spanish Riding School in Vienna; the Cadre Noir in Saumur, France; the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art in Jerez, Spain; and the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art in Lisbon. Each school is a guardian of traditions--ancient, technical, and artistic--and together they have preserved and enriched the long dressage tradition. This meticulously researched study reveals the inner workings of each of these schools, including details about their traditions, their systems for recruiting and training riders, and of course their horses. It also discusses the future of these prestigious yet seemingly anachronistic establishments.
Traces how the author, an Associated Press special correspondent who has been nominated twice for a Pulitzer Prize, endured heartbreaking infertility treatments before finding healing and wholeness through the consuming love of a cantankerous Thoroughbred. Original.
The first book in Natalie Keller Reinert’s beloved Eventing Series, set in the high-stakes world of three-day eventing, now reimagined and repackaged! Jules Thornton didn’t come to Florida horse country to make friends. With her beloved horse Dynamo and her ruthless ambition, she is intent on becoming a world-class rider and trainer. Chasing dreams this big doesn’t leave much time for things like friends or vacations or properly cooked meals. And she certainly doesn’t have time for Pete Morrison, the handsome heir to one of Ocala’s grandest horse farms who keeps beating her at events and, for some reason, asking her out to dinner. But even Jules has to admit that she is hanging on by a thread. As a new horse challenges her skills and her farm slips toward bankruptcy, she begins to realize her ambition can only take her so far. With hurricane season on the horizon, Jules will need to learn to trust her community—or risk losing everything. In Natalie Keller Reinert’s beloved eight-book Eventing Series, we follow Jules and her friends through the joys and losses of competitive eventing, as they climb to the top of their sport—and into one another’s lives and hearts. Utterly immersive and propulsive, this series is an unforgettable journey for anyone who has ever fallen in love with horses, or humans.
"Buy a horse, they said. It will be fun, they said." Casey Halbach's life was perfectly on track. She had it all: good friends, loving boyfriend, decent job with her very own cubicle. Then, she met Sky. Riding instructor, barn manager, and whirlwind of energy, Sky effortlessly launches Casey back into the saddle. After fifteen years behind a desk, Casey was a little rusty... but the more time she spends at the stable, the more she never wants to leave. Friends are confused, the boyfriend is concerned, and Casey is conflicted -- but when she decides to take the plunge and buy a horse of her own, she realizes that she was just dabbling in the shallow end before. Now, Casey's pretty sure she's in over her head, but the crazy thing is: She thinks she likes it this way. Can anyone balance life, work, and horses? Casey's going to give it a try. Indeed, she's pretty sure she doesn't have a choice. For anyone who has ever loved a horse, dreamed about their very own pony, or simply clock-watched their way through another boring day at the office, Grabbing Mane is our story. Testing the boundaries of who we think we are, adjusting to strange new realities, and (hopefully) bringing our partners along for the ride: balancing real life, and equestrian life, isn't easy. Grabbing Mane is Book One in a new series about adult amateur equestrian life, from award-winning author Natalie Keller Reinert. Early Reviews for Grabbing Mane: "Natalie has done it again and with all new characters! I loved getting to know Casey, Brandon and of course the lovely James! I especially liked the fact that Casey was just like all of us, bitten by the horse bug but having to make her way in the real world, with all the conflicts and confidence issues that haunt horse-girls everyday." - Kathleen Edwards, Goodreads "It is relatable and extremely well-written. Anyone who has been into horses and has walked away for a while will understand." -Jo, Goodreads
“A wild, rollicking ride into the heart of horse country—these essays get at what it means to love horses, in all that love's complexity.” —Anton DiSclafani, author of The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls A compelling and provocative essay collection that smashes stereotypes and redefines the meaning of the term “horse girl,” broadening it for women of all cultural backgrounds. As a child, horses consumed Halimah Marcus’ imagination. When she wasn’t around horses she was pretending to be one, cantering on two legs, hands poised to hold invisible reins. To her classmates, girls like Halimah were known as “horse girls,” weird and overzealous, absent from the social worlds of their peers. Decades later, when memes about “horse girl energy,” began appearing across social media—Halimah reluctantly recognized herself. The jokes imagine girls as blinkered as carriage ponies, oblivious to the mockery behind their backs. The stereotypical horse girl is also white, thin, rich, and straight, a daughter of privilege. Yet so many riders don’t fit this narrow, damaging ideal, and relate to horses in profound ways that include ambivalence and regret, as well as unbridled passion and devotion. Featuring some of the most striking voices in contemporary literature—including Carmen Maria Machado, Pulitzer-prize winner Jane Smiley, T Kira Madden, Maggie Shipstead, and Courtney Maum—Horse Girls reframes the iconic bond between girls and horses with the complexity and nuance it deserves. And it showcases powerful emerging voices like Braudie Blais-Billie, on the connection between her Seminole and Quebecois heritage; Sarah Enelow-Snyder, on growing up as a Black barrel racer in central Texas; and Nur Nasreen Ibrahim, on the colonialist influence on horse culture in Pakistan. By turns thought-provoking and personal, Horse Girls reclaims its titular stereotype to ask bold questions about autonomy and desire, privilege and ambition, identity and freedom, and the competing forces of domestication and wildness.
In Council Bluffs, Iowa she was a beloved, talented quarter horse. But when Cotton Candy Sally arrived in New York City, they started calling her a nasty, sour nag. The girls at Bernadette's riding school were afraid of her, and after bucking off her riders right onto the pavement, Sally started spending more and more time alone, with her head tethered to her stall. Couldn't anyone find a way to tame her? Twelve-year-old Kara fell in love with Sally and was determined to fix things. But her father had recently died, and her mother had no money to buy the spirited mare. Worse yet, Bernadette started talking about sending her "down the road" because she wasn't earning her keep. Where would she end up and what would happen to Kara, who finally found a way to be happy in the wake of her father's death? "Belove's attention to detail...is superb" -- "Kirkus Reviews"
The world’s oldest horse breed, the Arabian epitomizes equine versatility, participating in all disciplines of English, Western, dressage, driving, and in-hand horse show classes. Flight Without Wings chronicles the essential qualities and capabilities needed for success in every Arabian show division. It shares sound advice from top trainers and exhibitors to prepare for and compete in these competitions. It outlines the who, what, where, when and how of the Arabian show circuit. .
Margot tells Lizzy that nothing in life is ever really settled, not until they "pack the earth over your grave, darling." And of course, as usual, Margot is right. Although Lizzy is living her dream at Equus Paradiso Farm, there is no guarantee that her future is settled. She is terrified to think that despite her hard work, despite her commitment and desire, her efforts may not be enough. Regardless of the shifting sands beneath her feet, Lizzy still has a job to do. It is a job with growing responsibilities, without regular hours, without weekends off, that pays almost nothing and beats her up physically and mentally. And while success is not guaranteed, failure in part or whole appears to be. Maybe she is foolish with her rainbow and unicorn thinking; maybe the naysayers were right all along and reality is coming to kick her in the rear and eject her out of paradise and back out into the ordinary world. Not all good deeds are rewarded, or efforts even appreciated as the territory of her daily routine gets trickier to navigate. Life is not fair. But giving up before the battle is finished is not an option. Though she'll be tested, though she'll know doubt and failure, she will come to discover that she is indeed the right girl for the job.
