Horses Never Forget Us!

 

 

Horses Never Forget Human Friends

Horses not only remember people who have treated them well, they also understand words better than expected, research shows.

Read this really interesting article on Discovery.com.  Who knew?

http://news.discovery.com/animals/horse-friends-memory-trainers.html?fb_ref=fb2&fb_source=home_oneline

Glad to know our furry friends do indeed know us and remember us!

Deux Chevaux Hermes Look Bracelets

Still stumped on what to buy the favorite equestrian in your life? What about one of these beautiful hand-painted bracelets?

You may remember the feature a few months ago about this company's candles (which are to die for, and would also make a lovely gift for a bit less). 

I am loving the Hermes orange one.  These are not inexpensive, though,  at $150 each.  And it does look nice to wear more than one as pictured below. 

https://www.deuxchevauxproducts.com/Products/Bracelets/Bangles/





Half Price Horses!

Yes, you heard me correctly, half price horses.  During the month of December you can adopt an OTTB (Off the Track Thoroughbred), meaning a horse that raced, for 50% off through New Vocations, a non-profit that helps horses from the track find new homes and new lives after racing.



The horses are not expensive to begin with, but this organization is simply the best.  They bring in horses off the track, evaluate them, have them vetted, determine their best possible use, get them in work and then markets them to people like us.  It is a wonderful organization and needs support from us horse lovers to keep this process going.  Think how many lovely horses have had new lives through their efforts!

Check their web site regularly as the horses are typically not available very long.  You must fill out an adoption application and get "approved."  I would encourage you to submit an application if you even think you are wanting to adopt an OTTB as the good ones are gone.  Here are a few of the adorable horses currently up for adoption.

Dream Venture is in PA and can be yours for $350.  He looks like a teddy bear.



Now Certain is a 3-year old filly that has much potential.  She is priced now at only $300 and is also in Pennsylvania.  Go to http://www.horseadoption.com/ to see more photos.

Too Much Attitude is a 3-year old filly who suffered a knee injury so she likely won't be a hunter-jumper but can be ridden and would also make a great companion or trail horse.  She is priced very reasonably as well.

Can you think of a better Christmas present? A lovely new horse who needs a new home badly and who wants to cared for?  Better get that application in right away! 

Gifts Galore

It's getting closer to Christmas and if you are still struggling with finding that perfect gift, have I got news for you.  My very favorite "horse store", Horse Country, in Warrenton, Va., has a good web site, finally, after all these years.  The web site does not do the real store justice.  If you are ever in that area, it is a must see.  You'll spend hours there, there is just no where else like it.  The store caters to the hunting crowd, but as you'll see over the next few days, you can shop til you drop very easily.  Take a look at a few of the gift items I selected.  The web site is http://www.horsecountrycarrot.com/.

These napkin rings are just the cutest.  $40 each, so they are not cheap, but what a conversation piece.



These are bit more reasonable (no pun intended) and come in a nice leather box.



Pair these salt and pepper shakers with the red and chrome bit napkin rings above. 



This stool would look fabulous in my den:



If you like flags then you know how difficult it is now to find good ones.  I am loving this fox motif flag, which Horse Country has made specifically for them.



Horse Country has the best selection of pillows. 



And there are some lovely equestrian-themed lamps. 



And lastly, for today, here are some great looking Christmas ornaments.



Sharon Campbell - Equine Artist Extraordinaire

Virginia-based Sharon Campbell is out there.  In the horse world, that is.  Her paintings have graced the covers of the Chronicle of the Horse many times, her work has appeared on horse show trophies (Middleburg Classic, Capital Challenge and others).  And her paintings can be found in homes throughout the US.  Her work donned the cover of the 2010 WEF in Wellington last year.



This painting (all of her paintings are in oil) is a famous large pony hunter, For the Laughter, who lives in Virginia with his owner (Middleburg):



She does not limit her work to horses.  This painting of two Corgis from Aspen, CO demonstrates her talent goes beyond the equine world.



Alice and Southern Belle (from Pittsburgh) are truly adorable. 



This is Bowmore, a lovely hunter from Illinois:



And this is Chug, a portrait she created for her sister's 50th birthday. Chug was her first horse and he lived to the ripe old age of 28.



And lastly, "The Boys" - four retired hunters who live in South Carolina. These are some nice horses don't you think?

You can see more of Sharon's work on her Facebook page and she also has a web site. She lives in Virginia, will come to your house for a photo shoot, and then you get to wait about 9 months to see the finished product (which is clearly worth it).  Or you can visit her in Florida over the winter at the WEF where she has a booth.  Wouldn't it be great to have this kind of talent?

Michaelian Home Goes Equestrian



I came across Michaelian Home rugs when I was in the Caspari store in Charlottesville last week.  So I went to the web site and discovered all kinds of fun things that will transform your home.  And the history of the company in itself is unique.  This is from the company's web site:



In the autumn of 1922 Frank Michaelian arrived on the overnight steamer ship from Shanghai and entered the port of Chefoo on the northeast coast of mainland China. In the previous year, the twenty five year old Michaelian had established the woven rugs carpet manufacturing and importing company Michaelian and Kohlberg. Michaelian was to later become one of the first Americans to establish carpet exporting offices in the Middle East and India, but early on one of his ambitions was to introduce and train needlepoint carpet weaving skills to artisans in mainland China. Michaelian set up a weaving center in China and between the years of 1924 and 1937, he produced some of the finest examples of needlepoint carpets ever made.


In 1937, with the Japanese invasion of the Chinese coast and the hostilities taking place between Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Tse-tung, Michaelian was forced to leave China. History though does have a habit of repeating itself, and with the opening of China in the early 1980's, he started to import many of the same products. And now, steeped in the tradition and heritage of this industry legend, Frank Michaelian's renowned artistry and unparalleled quality continue to be the hallmarks of Michaelian Home. Jason Sumner, the grandson of Frank Michaelian and the owner of Michaelian Home, has been involved in the home furnishings business since 1981, just three years after Frank Michaelian passed away. And so the legacy continues. Michaelian Home is a company with many accomplishments and it uses all of its prowess to produce designs that are unique to its brand. For instance, the clever decisions on colours and shapes are taken with savvy understanding of what works and what doesn¹t work, what is beautiful and breath taking, and what is familiar and inviting.

And this must be Frank:

I was initially attracted to their rugs, but look at some of their pillows.  These are so cute and you don't have to stitch them yourself!





Some pretty fun stuff?  And there's still time to order before Christmas!

J Crew Goes Country

I love J Crew and am thrilled to see their newest winter clothes being ideal for the "country folks."  Just proves that "country chic" is still, well, chic.

These boots are great and am seriously considering putting a pair of these under the tree for hubby.  Kind of like LL Bean meets Bass if you know what I mean.



These are great as well.



And they also included these for women!



I am partial to these:



And they also carry Barbour, which some of us have been wearing most of our lives.  These are indispensable on the farm and also look good in the city, which is tough to pull off. My  husband has this one, we added a small circular monogram on the left chest. 

This one is better in all kinds of weather.





And don't forget the ladies: