The Equinest archives

Cowboy Chris

Click to see VideoCowboy Chris is heading on a long ride, a very long ride. Chris Blethen is riding from Dallas to New York to raise awareness for children’s cancer research at Heroes For Children. Could it be true…could cowboys really still exist?

A Long Ride

Chris is a cancer survivor and horse lover who wanted to do something he loves to make a statement. He uses several horses for his journey and rides them in turns, leading the others behind. I’m guessing he relies heavily on local hospitality everywhere he goes and that’s pretty cool. You can follow his journey in real time on this map to see when he’ll be coming through an area near you. Be sure to go out and show him your support if he’s headed your direction!
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Sustainable Stable Resources

HorseIt seems to me that perhaps the most satisfying type of horse life has to be a sustainable one. They are, after all, animals and every effort should be made to keep them in the most natural environment possible.

Keeping it Real

Considering it is animals we are talking about, there aren’t very many resources available to horse owners who want to go sustainable. However, the information that is out there is top notch (from handy articles to handy products) and all of it is worth a look.
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A Horse, Of Course

This handy guest post is curtesy of Don Blazer who teaches over at Horse Courses Online

Horse TrainerThere must be a million horse training tips, tricks and techniques, but one transcends all others.

Learning From the Best

I stated writing about horses many years ago. And because I was writing for major horse magazines at the time, I got to interview, be taught by and ride with some of the very best trainers.

That good fortune continues today. Some of the very best continue to tell me what works, what doesn’t and why. The best part, of course, is that I get to apply all those “training tips” and see for myself if the words of wisdom ring true.
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Made That Way – Horse Book Review

This handy review is curtesy of Carol M. Upton, who works with a number of amazing equine (& other animal) authors.

Made That Way“Usually it makes me feel better to wear my riding clothes. But today nothing helps, even when I buckle on my riding helmet and hop on my bike. Somehow I know I’m doomed.” ~ Susan Ketchen

Youth & Horses

In this family fiction sequel to Born That Way, Susan Ketchen reunites readers with the intrepid young Sylvia, who is challenged by a genetic disorder, wild about horses, and determined to find solutions to the obstacles presented by her life in general.

Sylvia wants to be a real horsewoman and she’s excited about getting her own horse, even if the horse is arriving at a less-than-perfect time. Brooklyn is, well, not quite a regular horse. He has big ears, makes strange sounds, and he’s already bitten the transport driver.
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The Horses of Edgar Degas

Edgar Degas was a French Impressionist painter during the late 19th & early 20th centuries. Not just an artist, Degas was an art lover and during his lifetime he amassed an enormous collection of art.

An Prolific Artist

Perhaps most widely celebrated for his scenes of Parisian life and his preoccupation with ballet dancers. However his horses are lovingly rendered and his use of color and shadow really captures the flashy coat colors of his subject.
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Equiscapes by Juliet Harrison

WaterfallMany of my readers already know the artistic equine photography of Juliet Harrison, (and if you don’t know her you should check out her interview). Recently she sent me some information about a fantastic solo show and I had to share with my readers.

The Show

“Equiscapes” is a solo show by photographer Juliet Harrison who presents an innovative approach to traditional equine form photography. The show runs June 2nd through July 24th & there is also an opening reception June 10th from 6-8pm.
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Horse Careers – Equine Stud Hand

Looking for a job working with horses?
Try our job board for current listings!

Click to see VideoThere is a big market for horse jobs among young horse lovers. The horse industry is huge worldwide and jobs can be found in every facet and discipline. This video discusses what it takes to become a stud hand.

Not For The Feint of Heart

It should be noted that this is an incredibly physically demanding job and handling stud horses (especially those in breeding situations) can be challenging. While I prefer the snappy personality of an uncut stud to almost any other mount, I’m not sure I’d want to work with breeding studs…
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Horse Craft Ideas

Horse Craft IdeasThose of us who love horses have a tendency to be crafty as well, and interestingly enough the two can collide very nicely. There are tons of different horse crafts out there, from DIY items for horse people to horse theme, well – everything.

Crafty Equine

I started doing some searching around to see what there was online in the form of equine crafts. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that most of what I found wanted me to buy their horse crafts, but I was able to find some fun items that can be made at home. These ideas come from a variety of websites, from craft sites to horse sites – if you have a great horse craft idea, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
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Quick Guide To Horse Face Markings

Horses come in a wide variety of amazing colors, so many in fact that it’s almost impossible to understand them all. However face markings are much easier to get a handle on.

Need More Info?

Here is a quick cheat sheet if you will providing some basic information on face marking types & compliment my leg markings cheat sheet. If this is too simplified and you’d prefer a little of information & real life examples of each one be sure to check out the face markings section.
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The Horses of Rosa Bonheur

Rosa Bonheur was a French painter during the mid to late 19th century and she was widely known for her animal paintings. Her father was an artist and she began to study with him at an early age.

An Artistic Life

Most of her life was spent painting her animal subjects and exhibiting her work. There were very few females among her contemporaries, but Bonheur had no trouble making a name for herself. In fact, she was a flamboyant liberal who wore her hair short, smoked cigars and dressed in mens clothing. Although horses aren’t her sole subject, she captures them with a clearly equestrian perspective.
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