Category: Celebrity

Dior Spring Summer 2023 Haute Couture

This is a short film from @dior explaining the incredible detail and art that was utilized in their Josephine Baker-inspired spring summer 2023 collection. I’ve included several looks below that were featured in the short, as well as several I found absolutely stunning. Each hand-constructed piece (including the fabrics) is truly wearable art and every artisan in their atelier should be proud. Head designer Maria Grazia Chiuri’s instagram can be found here.

IMHO, this is what couture should look like. Now if only I had one in my closet ;).

xo

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Advertisement

In memory of a Queen and her Love of Horses….

Thank you @people.com for the wonderful article – sharing here:

https://people.com/royals/queen-elizabeth-pet-horses-racehorses-guide/

Go Stallside, with Matthew Eliott, DVM

  • Dr. Eliott

I worked at New England Equine Practice, a large referral equine hospital in Putnam County New York for two years, and in that time, I met Dr. Matthew Eliott, one of their practicing equine veterinarians. I spent most of my days in the equine pharmacy, which gave me an opportunity to chat with most of the techs and doctors; his was always a friendly face when he came through the door. One day, he mentioned that he wrote a book, and being very gracious, gave me a signed copy.

I swore to myself that I would read it, and as soon as my schedule allowed, I grabbed the chance.

Stallside, My Life with Horses and Other Characters, is a really fun and interesting book. Dr. Eliott takes his readers all around the globe, following his life growing up in Jamaica and New York, his internship working with zoo animals in Ohio to working as an equine vet in California.

These memories are wonderfully entwined with vet stories from the Dr.’s point of view; all creatures big and bigger, of sorts. What I really found entertaining was not just his description of what vets do when they work up your horse, but WHY they do it with medical explanations (in ways the layman can understand).

When Dr. Eliott isn’t out on farm calls, he spends time riding his steeds and tending to his gorgeous Riverhorse Farm, in North Salem, NY.

Horse lovers, and animal lovers in general, will find this a fun, informative and great book to read anywhere, but I suggest it would be a refreshing summer read while sitting on a bale of hay next to your best four legged friend, eating carrots and sipping rose!

xo

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Dear Joan Rivers…

We miss you terribly. I’m not a huge fan of award shows; personally, I feel they drag on and on, and are typically filled with self-congratulatory dribble, but at least we could count on your honest, no-holds-barred review of the red carpet. Worst dressed culprits strived on the next go-around to make it to your best dressed list, and your best-dressed celebs could be confident that they absolutely did look glamorous. Joan Rivers, you had great taste.

Last night, I could almost hear your post-carpet review on Fashion Police in my head while watching what looked like a bad high school prom.

Given, I’m not under the scrutiny of every camera and bitchy princess in Hollywood, and I’m not churning out multimillion dollar movies (or anythings for that matter), but I would hope I would make some better choices than what we all saw last night.

For example, I wonder what the Fabulous Mrs. Rivers would have to say about the taffeta tulle trend:

2019
Oh no, Heidi, not you too?

Honestly, the only one that pulled it off is Emmy Rossum in Monique Lhillier, but still don’t these dresses harken back to Pretty In Pink? I know this style all too well; I actually wore these types of dresses 4 years in row. The bigger the better. The only thing missing is the carnation and baby’s breath corsage (wrist or pin-on depends on neckline).

1980’s See the resemblance?

I love a good tuxedo on a woman, but these just didn’t cut it. Too big (like she got into daddy’s closet), too short (forgot pants?) or just confusing, the fit of these were off.

Judy Greer, Julianne Moore, Elisabeth Moss

There were some beauties, however. I thought the following two took the Disney Princess theme, and made it look classic, grown up and posh – definitely winners for the night:

GORGEOUS Gemma Chan in Valentino
The back is simply stunning.
As always, Halle Berry never lets us down (wearing Zuhair Murad) – does she ever get older?

Did you guys watch the red carpet last night? What do you think? Am I being too harsh?

xo

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En Lusitaine by Beatrice Bulteau

A couple years back, I met the artist Beatrice Bulteau at the Equus Film Festival in New York City, where her short, En Lusitaine (above) won Best Artistic Film. Born in the countryside of Loire France, she is currently based in Portugal and works in a number of mediums. Porcelain, print, watercolor, animation, illustration; there’s nothing she cannot do. I instantly fell in love with her simple but elegant aesthetic as she celebrates the clean beauty and noble nature of her frequent subject, the Lusitano Horse.

I will have to save some money to have one of her original watercolor pieces grace my humble home’s walls, however, I can adorn my body with either one of her new clothing pieces or leather handbags. I do recall a gorgeous maxi dress in one of her promotional ads, but I cannot find it to order (please comment below if anyone knows where to find it). I will be ordering one of her beautiful t-shirts (perfect for a night out or a ride in the ring). Her original handbags and silk scarves, as well as any of her artistic works can be purchased online at BeatriceBulteau.com.

bulteaubag350
Leather Bag B 350usd

bulteau$50
TShirt Blue Jumping 50usd

bultau250
TShirt Luso Grey 50usd

bed+sheet+and+pillows
Pillow and Sheets 350usd

IronSculpture280
Iron Trot Sculpture 280usd

lusogreywatercolor650
Luso Grey Watercolor 625usd

scarf+jacq+158
Mousseline Silk Scarf 158usd

xo

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There’s a bun (or two) in the oven…

No, I’m not with child, but we’ve been busy here at T&T! We’ve been collaborating with renowned Equestrian Artist Beatrice Bulteau to create a gorgeous new product just in time for the holidays – will launch tomorrow….

Also, we’ve put together our annual Tack and Tweed Holiday Gift Guide which will be published in less than two days….can’t wait!! Okay, back to work….

xo

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Equus Film Festival NYC

FilmFestival2I’ve lived in and around NYC for almost 20 years now and I’m a little sad to say I’ve never participated or attended any film festivals. I’ve thought long and hard about getting my butt to the Tribeca Festival, but never actually made it. Last Thursday, when I heard (last minute) about the Equus Film Festival at MIST in Harlem Friday and Saturday, I called in a last minute babysitter, grabbed my notebook and jumped on Metro North. Quite clearly, hours of horsey films take priority over a DeNiro (my favorite actor, by the way) sighting ;).

It took me a couple minutes to find MIST, but once inside I felt very much at home. Three theaters playing equestrian cinema, world-renowned artists and horse activists all convening to share a drink and a bite at the delicious bar of Madiba, and the 7 or so obligatory protesters (anti-horse and carriage types as there was one short film being screened that defended NYC’s horse carriages) out front all conspired to make a wonderful and entertaining evening. I had a bite to eat at the bar, and I realized that this was of the same Madiba of Fort Greene Brooklyn fame, right down the street from where my husband and I lived years ago. It was one of our favorite haunts, so I was happy to see them thriving. Not to mention, the food was amazing. My little hand meat pie and truffle fries were perfect, as was my husbands dish of Chicken Durban Bunny Chow (spicy curry-like dish served in a hollowed out organic bread loaf). DELISH.

Okay, so I grabbed another glass of South African chardonnay, and sat through some evening flicks. First, some shorts. A short about Dr. Maria Katsamanis, who specializes in classical horsemanship, then a quickie about the Festival of the Horse and Drum, which looks to be a fun event scheduled for next August 15th and 16th in St. Charles, Illinois.  Sorry to report that the Asmar Equestrian (my regular readers know I love this brand) ad wasn’t aired at this point, but was seen on screens across the lobby and perhaps at another point in the festival. We then screened Free Rein, a glimpse into the life of a natural horsemanship trainer in Cananda named Jessica Fobert. She teaches us to listen to horses, and gives them a voice – they also happened to win the “Best Equestrian Series” award – congrats!  Next was the talented and artistic Riders of McCrae Farm. Specializing in French Classical Dressage, movements are given by, not forced from, the horse. Not the best cinematography, but a great performance and fun to see.

The next film was a treat. Animaglyphes, a labor of love by director and creator Manolo Bez, creative mind behind the Theatre du Centaur along with his wife, Camille. The film takes us on a journey of animals and man, so that we cannot tell where one ends and the other begins. They bring together a collage of hundreds of people, sheep, horses and onlookers as they undertake an epic journey across many miles through the south of France, ultimately parading though the un-barricaded streets of Marseilles. A piece of art, his objective was to demonstrate the oneness of man and animal while capturing different points of view, the most striking being one of birds as they witness hundreds of sheep being herded behind a female “centaur” (actually Manolo’s wife riding standing up on anywhere between 1 and 3 horses). When I asked what were some of his largest challenges making the film, besides securing the necessary bureaucratic permits, the largest challenge was the massive amounts of animal and human waste and how it was to be controlled and kept clean. Poo above all. 😉

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After this, I took a break to see what was happening in the lobby. I wasn’t disappointed as there were some protesters trying to cause a ruckus over the screening of a 10 minute movie named Save the Horse Carriages by Mary Haverstick (narrated by Liam Neeson). Eh, what’s a good event without some rabble rousers to bring in some media attention :)? I’m posting it here – reason for protest? I’ll let you decide.

Anyway, on the lighter side of life, I also met a wonderful artist named Beatrice Bulteau, who specializes in equestrian art and the celebration of movement and capturing the essence of the horse. She also happens to be the artist behind this year’s festival poster. As much as I wanted her beautiful watercolor mural (and everything else I saw), I only walked away with a signed festival poster and a beautiful iPhone 5 case. Hailing from Paris and now living in Portugal, Ms. Bulteau has been at her art for decades. I am sure that any piece of hers is a wise investment; tasteful art that will ad beauty and class to any room.

If I had more time and less children, I would have attended Saturday – all day. Alas, I had to call it quits after Friday. I’m anticipating next year, and will absolutely make time for the train ride back to the city to attend. Well worth it!

xo

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Congrats to Jessica Springsteen – Winner of the American Gold Cup!

Jessica Springsteen Round One - a killer round!
Jessica Springsteen Round One – a killer round!

Fabulous day of jumping and sun. Just a quick post to congratulate Jessica Sprintsteen in her win. Beating former Gold Cup champ Brianne Goutal and perpetual competitor Todd Minikus can’t be easy!

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xo

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Report from the American Gold Cup

I had a lovely morning at the American Gold Cup at the pristine Old Salem Farm in Westchester County, NY. I arrived when the booths were just setting up, so I was able to catch some serious jumping before hitting boutique row for some shopping. Great performances from Brianne Goutal to Todd Minikus to Georgina Bloomberg; it was truly wonderful.

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Okay, on to the fashion!

There were so many stand out products, that it was difficult to edit, but here are some of my favorites:

I love, love, love DerDau, and at this show, I got to meet the wonderful Mr. Der. He introduced me to HIS favorite boots (at least for today) and they are truly a piece of art. Completely hand made out of beautiful ostrich and alligator skins, these were beauties. Western in style, Mr. Der assured me he can adapt them for a more English preference, if desired. He’ll put in zippers or change the heel, color or skins. Price on these babies is around $4500, so you better break out the visa black. Other styles and skin combinations are easier on the pocket book, but wow, amazing.

 

Mr. Der himself with his art.
For sunnier days: Custom Der Daus
Even the sole is finely crafted

They have a fun line of men’s ties, I bought my husband this one:

For the Hubby
Assorted Silk Ties

If you haven’t heard of B+ (that’s “B Positive”), you will! It all began 7 years ago when founder Deb Gorman’s husband successfully underwent a stem cell transplant, changing his blood type from A+ to B+! Their first B+ necklace, a simple silver charm on a leather cord, reminded family and friends to BE POSITIVE. Along with Sari Seewald, they have created a line of beautiful, wearable jewelry lovingly named after influences and places they remember in their lives, like “Annie’s Cove”, “Dakota Sky” and “Moonstone”. I purchased a really cute charm bracelet with their signature B+ charm, a sterling silver stirrup and a pretty blue stone. It can worn casual or dressy. Check out their line here.

 

Deb and Sari

I want to shout out to Hunt Limited – they have a beautiful boutique filled with all the latest trends, styles and must-haves. They offer something for the rider to wear after show, and for the non-rider to wear TO the show. I was greeted by Gretchen and Ginny who showed me their favorites:

 

Gretchen modeling the new Vince silhouette – gathered, cuffed-bottom pants
Repeat Reversible Cashmere Wrap

Currently, they sell to only the horsey set who follow the A Circuit, however, they are currently working on their website/facebook page so they can sell their wears online to the masses!

There were so many more, here were some other highlights:

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I urge ANYONE who loves horses or equine fashion, to take the trip to beautiful Old Salem, NY for the festivities. They continue every day until Sunday evening, September the 14th.

I’ll be back Saturday – I have so much more to cover!

xo

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Grand Prix Sunday – Glamptons Classic

The last day of the Hampton Classic ends with the Longines Grand Prix. I’m watching it live, as I cannot be there today. I am sad, as I had a great time last year acting as a low-level paparazzi, capturing the celebs in the VIP tent, but I’m sure they will be strolling in their heels through the acres of shopping in the Boutique Garden.

Here are three of my favorite booths, all of whom give meaning to the word Glampton 😉

My first stop was the famed French fashion house Hermès. They were named the Official Technical Riding Apparel Supplier of the United States Equestrian Teams. Hermès has been became the Title Sponsor of the U.S. Show Jumping Team since February, and their designs did not disappoint.

Hermes Team USA Uniform
Hermes Tent

James Sardelli, the equestrian account executive, let me try on the official show jacket, and let me say it was like butter. The fabric was stretchy, soft and breathable, with the added benefit of being machine washable. I’m not convinced that if I was lucky enough to have one of these babies that I would just throw it in the washing machine, but it is a nice option. The tailoring is impeccable and the buttons are made of palladium; they never skimp on quality.  Regular, but well-heeled, riders are able to buy the riding jacket in dark navy blue for a mere $1925 (men’s and women’s both available). The competition red jacket is only for the team members, darn. Absolutely gorgeous.

The breeches were beautiful, of course, and created with the same quality and craftsmanship. I love the tan and black, but are also available in white. $990. Men’s come in black and white.

Inside their award-winning booth, I was also drawn to their warm up jackets, belts and just about everything else they had. The saddles, of course are just a dream.

 

Across the boutique row, and hard to miss, was another favorite designer of mine, Missoni.

Missoni – Christopher Philips, Roxane Mosleh
Missoni mommy and me bath robes
Missoni’s Impeccible Booth Design

They had a gorgeous presentation of their famed chevron print, and set up a mini lounge where tired Classic-goers could kick back and put up their feet….like Dane. I met Roxane Mosleh, COO of Pomme, NY Inc and Christopher Philips, VP of Sales, Missoni The Americas. Mrs Mosleh said her husband is an avid rider so she thought it would be a great idea for Missoni to “show” at the Hampton Classic, I agree. I especially loved their bath towels and robes. Soft and plush, I can see Annalise and I fashionably exiting our evening bath for our evening drink (milk and wine, respectively).

 

Last stop of note (there were so many, I had to edit), was the Der Dau booth.

Der Dau’s Polo with Snakeskin detailing
Der Dau Breeches with Snakeskin Knee Patches
Close up of Snake Skin Knee Patches
More detailing on their breeches.
A gorgeous example of their customized boots
Customized initials at the top of one of their boot designs.

Known for their customization of just about everything, I was not only drawn to their impressive display of boots, but also their breeches. One particular style has real snake skin on the knee patches and detailing around the belt loops. Gorgeous, fun and funky, I loved them. The rep said that she was sure he would even design in fur, if requested. That would be cool. Back to the boot wall – every imaginable color and leather is available, only limited by one’s imagination. Price points are hard to calculate, as different details/customizations cost different amounts of money, but there is a “ready to wear” collection, which are gorgeous and more affordable.

Enjoy some other shots of cute and fashionable people items from the Glamptons Classic:

 

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xo

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Not Very Horsey? Don’t Worry! You’ll Fit in at the Hampton Classic

My son (who is taking riding lessons) and I attended the opening day of the Hampton Classic this past Sunday. We were rewarded with a beautiful day, good food, lots of fun fashion and amazing riding. There was so much to feature, I wasn’t sure where to begin, but my son inspired me to feature the family-friendliness and diverse activities of the Classic. If anyone thinks that this show is just for the extremely horsey set, or that it would be too boring for kids, is simply wrong.

There was just so much to do. After a long drive, my son was hungry, so we grabbed a pizza at Pizza Luca by Stable Row. I’ll get into more detailed food reviews later, but we gobbled it up! Any kid can easily find something to eat, but I truly recommend the pizza (side note to Pizza  Luca: please add more of your delicious mozzarella and basil to the margherita!!!).

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Pizza Luca – Margherita (Napolitano)

Off to the practice/warm up rings for an up close and personal with the competitors. The mounts were absolutely gorgeous, as were the riders; I was so jealous that I wasn’t competing or at least simply sitting on a horse. We also caught some of the short stirrup classes (soooo cute).

028
She did so well!

We then toured the swanky VIP tent, but my son was anxious to get to the kid’s area, so I was only allowed to pretend to be a VIP for 5 minutes. Long enough, however, for a quick glass of Wolffer Estate’s white – yum!

Dane - Too Cool for Schooling (VIP)
Dane – Too Cool for Schooling (VIP)

 

The kids area was (is) fabulous! There is a full size play ground, petting zoo (with very CLEAN and friendly animals), a cookie decorating station (thanks Citarella!), and an art station. The little kids can also join in the horse action with an adorable pony ride. We loved the gallery of children’s art – some was truly amazing. We can’t be there on Optimum Kids’ Day, but no matter, we had plenty to do anyway.

 

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This takes me to the short walk over to the boutique gallery. Even if you don’t want to tack up and jump an oxer, you can find some amazing fashions, fun crafts, quality bags and farmer’s market specialties (I’ll get into the farmer’s market in my food review yet to come).

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We then watched the main event of the day, the $50,000 Clear Channel Hunter Derby. I love watching the hunters – I know many people love the thrill of the jumpers, but the smoothness and grace of the hunter horses really is something to see. Congrats to Patricia Griffith, on Black Label, who won the Derby!

Patricia Griffith on Black Label – Photo Courtesy of Chornicle of the Horse

Enjoy my pictures – fashion and food reviews to come!

xo

lb

 

Daisy Dukes or Daisy Don’ts

I’m not exactly an old fogey (yet), but a certain trend has me gumming my dentures. I grew up during the age of Daisy Dukes, and even back then, they felt short. I wore them, but always with a 4 finger length down my thigh. Had my lower cheek ever flirted with the open air, I certainly would have been embarrassed. Who wore short shorts? I did, sorta.

Well baby, they’re back, with a vengeance.

Street style du jour, girls are letting it all hang out. Personally, I find it tacky to see your pockets below the ends of your shorts (and actually, I remember some older, elegant, Audrey Hepburn-type woman once saying that shorts were only for the beach), and I also find it rather annoying to see full on cheek action. It seems hard to find much jean to rip, but somehow, even these barely there shorts have holes “pre-ripped” for added ventilation (well, it must be, I can’t see any other tasteful reason for the holes).

Maybe when balanced out with a modest shirt, loose and bohemian, I may be convinced that for teens, this look could work. But again, as with the belly shirts, it’s too easy to throw on a tight tank top and heels and look like what the cat dragged in from the street. Seems these are more jean-undies, than shorts.

What do you think? Dukes or Don’ts???

xo

lb

 

And another classic…..

Okay EventionTV, you’ve done it again….LOVE it.

Just love the Schramms!

xo

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A “Shout Out” to the Schramms – Q & A

ImageAs a relative newcomer to riding, I find myself voraciously consuming anything equine-related to help me get to the next level. One of my newest go-to places is EventionTV.com. Originally on YouTube, founders Dom and Jimmie Schramm, professional three day event riders and owners of Schramm Equestrian in Cochranville, Pennsylvania, shared their endless knowledge of all things equestrian. It took off. After my first view, I too, was totally hooked. Now in their second season, the adorable Dom and Jimmie combine expert advice, real riding examples, humor and loveable personalities into digestible horsey segments on their very own newly-launched webTV channel EventionTV.com.

Their warmth, caring and expertise is a welcome addition to the equine airwaves. I especially love that every episode includes a “Schrammo’s Shoutout” where Dom and Jimmie bring much needed attention to equine-related charities around the globe. Consider EventionTV a horse treat for us humans.

I recently caught up with the super busy super couple to ask a few questions:

lb: What is your riding background? How did you guys meet?

dom: I grew up in outback Queensland Australia. I had the typical ‘bush’ start, tearing around on ponies and being a boy. My mum was the one who got me started competing in the show and dressage ring bit. It was when my father was on a military posting in the UK when I discovered eventing at age 11 and I never looked back. Since then I have ridden track-work, broken in lots of horses, and re-trained problem horses to fund my eventing habit.

jennie: I am originally from Dallas, TX and went through pony club which is where I learned about eventing. I rode with Chrissy Allison who also happens to.be where Tex aka Mellow Johnny came from. I went to college at Auburn University where I had the opportunity to work for Mike and Emma Winter who taught me the ins and outs of upper level eventing. I then spent a few months in California with Tamie Smith and that is where I found my current mount Bellamy and have been striving to make it the the top with him ever since. Dom and I met through our good friends Ryan Wood and Jennie Brannigan. We did the long distance thing for a little over a year and then got married and the rest is history.

lb:  What is EventionTV and who is your main audience/ who are you trying to reach?

d&j: EventionTV is a FREE web based how to tutorial series that presents practical information for horse enthusiasts in a fun, fresh and easy to digest way. We target any one who enjoys horses, wants to learn and likes to have a laugh!

lb: Why did you guys start this channel/ what prompted you to start making your show?

dom: To be honest it actually started as an idea to write a book, but I realized living in a digital age, online and visual made more sense. We try to answer simple questions people may have in the least condescending way possible as we thought a lot of what was out there was making people feel stupid. We also realized being broke ass event riders that we didn’t have mom and dad with the never ending checkbook that we were going to have to differentiate ourselves if we were ever going to get off the air mattress and pay the bills!

lb: What will be different about your second season? What is “new and improved”? Any spoilers to share with my readers?

d&j: We have put a tonne more effort and money into this season. Viewers can expect more in depth explanations. Visually it will be broadcast quality and revamped.  We will be trying out new technology to do things that have never been seen before in equestrian videos so it is a really exciting time. As far as spoilers, well, you can expect some more humorous segments as well as some special guest appearances!

lb: What is your favorite riding gear – what do you guys use on a regular basis (I know you use Stubben saddles…anything else)?

d&J: Really all of the Stubben gear is fantastic. Not just the saddles but the bridles and all the accessories as well are such great quality. My new favorite piece of tack is a Stubben jump bridle with fancy stitching. I like that sort of thing.

lb: What is your recommended show clothing? Hack clothing? Does it really matter?

j: For me it always matters, you want to look professional and put together. It obviously helps if you ride well too: ) I wear Pikeur breeches in competition and I have been searching for new competition jacket and tails and really like the Charles Ancona ,their stuff is beautiful. For every day in the summer the EIS sun.shirts are a staple. In the fall and winter I like polo shirts and rugbys. Ralph Lauren makes some really fun ones as well as Joules. As far as breeches go I like Pikeur and Cavallo. Yes they can be expensive but for someone that rides a lot of horses every day, they last.

lb: What is the best advice you have for an adult beginner rider? Is it worth their time working towards a show?

j: The best advice.I have for an adult beginner is to make yourself a realistic schedule and most importantly STICK to it. And by schedule I mean daily rides, lessons working up to possibly a competition. I also think it is worth aiming for a show because it gives you a goal you can work towards and a reason to improve your horse and your riding.

lb: What was/is your biggest challenge putting this show together?

d: Two things, finding the time on top of running a busy barn and second, paying for the production!

lb: Will we get to know some of your staff better in any upcoming episodes?

d: Steph, our barn manager/superwoman of all things is crucial to everything we do. I really want her to be more visible on the show but I know she will groan when I ask her. Hopefully you will get to see more of her.

lb: Where/when can fans come and cheer you on (your show schedule)?

d: Things are actually quieting down for us however we do have our biggest show of the year coming up in Fair Hill MD Oct 16-19. I will be in the CCI** on Cold Harbor and Jimmie will be contesting the CCI*** on her superstar Bellamy. We love seeing Evention fans at the shows so come out and say G’day!

————————

Personally, I would love to cheer them on in Maryland this October. I may need to use some of their horse loading tips to load my kids into the car for a road trip – so we’ll have to see 😉

Check out these pics – I wish I could do this!!!!

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xo

lb

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