Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Relics From Riding Past

If you are old enough, you'll remember what riding in the 1980's and 1990's was like.  I starting riding again the 90's so I cannot comment on what things were like way back when in the 80's but this great blog is so point.  See it here.

1) Needlepoint Belts
In my mind, these are still very much in style.  Some classics remain.


2) Fringe Chaps
Yes, I still have mine.  And I'll tell you a big secret.  Fringe chaps last FOREVER.  They never wear out if you take care of them and they are fabulous for riding in cold weather.


3) Paddock Boots
If you wear full chaps you need a pair or two of paddock boots.  They also last a long time if you buy good ones (not Ariat).  You can resole them, put new zippers in them and they will last you a decade.  And comfort? Of course.  Form follows function and a pair of good leather boots is still in style.



4) Barbour Jackets
Some of us still wear our "old" Barbour Jackets - the horror!  Well, until someone comes up with a better jacket for cold, damp weather, that lasts 20+ years, I'll keep wearing mine.  And these too will last you a few decades unlike today's wash, wear, fall apart clothing that is made in China and Vietnam.  You get what you pay for.

Did I miss anything?

Monday, March 27, 2017

Equestrian Artist Vanessa Whittell

Art is such a personal thing.  You have to really enjoy art and I love my paintings more than any piece of furniture in my house.  Finding an artist to capture you and your horse, well, it's not easy but I must say that I love Vanessa Whittell's work.  She really captures the horse and rider and the pieces are not "posed" as so many equine artists tend to paint.  You can see her web site here.




Her paintings are large, but they have so much impact.

She's based in Canada and offers a few paintings for sale on her website.  Happy Monday! 

Friday, March 24, 2017

The Arrogate Show

Another major league horse race. Another huge purse. Another Bob Baffert/Arrogate win?  If you have nothing else to do on Saturday morning you might want to watch this stunning colt in now the world's second richest horse race, The Dubai World Cup. It's funny how really great race horses come in pairs. If you're old enough you'll remember Riva Ridge and Secretariat or Alydar and Affirmed. If you read Seabiscuit or saw the movie then you know about Seabiscuit and War Admiral. Now we have American Pharoah and Arrogate. This horse is the real deal.What would have happened if Arrogate and Pharoah had both run in the Triple Crown? They are the same age and it's a shame that the gray stallion wasn't ready to run in those races.  But lucky for us, we have another truly great one to follow on the heels of a truly great one, Pharoah.  He's already set a decades old track record at Saratoga in The Travers. He beat the older more seasoned horses in the Breeder's Cup Classic. He won millions at the inaugural Pegasus Cup in January.  Now if he wins this race, what next for him? Maybe a second Breeders' Cup, then retirement with a huge stud fee ($750K?).  He's won everything there is to win other than the Triple Crown.  And he might have won that too.  He's won a staggering $11M in seven races.

The race will be on television on NBCSN from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. 




Thursday, March 23, 2017

Suzanna Dai Jewelry

I am in love with this jewelry designer.  Her line is a bit expensive but her style is impeccable. You see the entire collection here.








Happy Thursday!

Victoria Beckham for Target

I loved the Lilly/Target promotion two years ago and am glad to see another promotion on the horizon. In early April the collaboration between the uber chic Victoria Beckham and Target will be rolled out and it's certainly going to bring down Target's web site again.  These clothes will sell out immediately for sure. This cute dress is $40. It's surely going to end up on Ebay for $100 somewhere.  Most everything is under $50.  Cute stuff with a 60's vibe.  See the collection here.








Sunday, March 19, 2017

Equestrian Venue Bucket List

The World Cup Finals are being held in Omaha, NE (yes, Omaha) in a few weeks and it made me think about the venues I'd like to visit to see the horses in action. I went to the World Cup in 2009 in Las Vegas and if it's easy to get to (as it was in Las Vegas) then it's worth the trip.  The tickets were reasonable and hotels in Las Vegas are cheap. I got to see the great Shutterfly, the great Sapphire and the late Oki Doki battle it out for first second and third. We visited Keeneland in October and have another trip planned in April but there are a few others on my list.

1) The Breeders' Cup
While some want to go to the Derby or the Preakness or any of the Triple Crown Races, I'd much prefer to go the Breeders' Cup.  In one or two days you're able to see the top race horses in the world in one location.  Next year the races return to the East Coast, to Churchill Downs, and I'm planning to make the trip.  This year the races will be in Del Mar.


2) Aachen
The top jumper riders all talk about Aachen and I'd just like to see it. I'll probably be disappointed but it's a good excuse to make the trip to Germany in June one year.



3) Saratoga
The three tracks people tell me I must visit are Keeneland, Saratoga and Del Mar. Now that I've been to Keeneland, I understand. Del Mar is the venue for this year's Breeder's Cup Races in November.  If you happen to live on the West Coast, make the trip.  I'm planning a trip to Southern California again at some point and this time I'll go to the races for sure.


4) Del Mar
Del Mar, enough said.




5) Spruce Meadows
My trips to Alberta (and there have been many) have all been in winter so I haven't had the pleasure of going to Spruce Meadows yet. But it's on the list.  The venue is near Calgary which isn't easy to get to but there are direct flights from Houston, Denver and Chicago.  The Canadian dollar is very good right now against the American dollar so it's an economical trip too. Put this on your calendar to go in June. The very best show jumpers in the world make the trip for the huge money classes. 




6) Keeneland
I made two trips to Keeneland last year.  The place is magical and I can't wait to go again very soon. 



7) Stallions
My big regret is that I didn't see Secretariat when he was alive.  We went to Winstar last fall and we have reservations for Coolmore in April. Hoping to see American Pharoah then and I want to see Tapit too at some point.  It's really great to see these horses up close if you can and it's not expensive, you just have to plan in advance.  


 (Winstar Farm)

(Pioneer of the Nile at Winstar)

8) The Upperville Horse Show
There's simply nothing like the Upperville Horse Show anywhere.  If you've never been and you love the hunters, this is a MUST see.  The show is a week long and it always starts the first Monday in June.  It usually rains at least one day and there are no hotels near Upperville that you will be able to afford so stay in Leesburg, VA or Winchester, VA.  It's unlike anything.  The first time I jogged my horse into the ring for ribbons, I almost cried. I had dreamed about it since I was a little girl.  A shopping bonanza not to mention you'll see the same horses here that you see in Palm Beach.  The top trainers give their best horses to the top Amateurs and Juniors to ride so I always used to say that I was riding for a "fifth" meaning that even if I received an 88 (a really high score) at Upperville that was not even close enough for a top call. There is nothing like this.



What's on your list?

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Anthro Picks

If you've been waiting on a sale to pull the trigger at Anthro, this weekend's the perfect time to add a few new pieces to your spring and summer wardrobe.  Use code SPRINGPERK and get 20 percent off any full price items.  Here's what I am loving......













Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...