Welcome to Barn Banter, the official podcast of Horse Illustrated. In Barn Banter episode 37, hosts Susan Friedland and Horse Illustrated Editor In Chief Holly Caccamise chat with Coagi Long, president and owner of Equine Affaire.

To end the episode, Susan and Holly chat with Simon d’Unienville of Healing Heroes Through Horsemanship about Win Often (“Whinny”), Sweetheart, and Virulente (FR) (“Violet”), this month’s ASPCA Right Horse adoptable horses.

Click here to listen on mobile.

Coagi Long, President & Owner of Equine Affaire

Coagi Long, president and owner of Equine Affaire, Inc. has more than 20 years of experience with the company in a variety of areas. She joined Equine Affaire in 2003 as a member of the marketing department, where she facilitated numerous promotional projects. She also served as Program Director, and Vice President & Executive Producer between 2006 and 2018.

Coagi now manages the production elements of each event, supervises the day-to-day operations of Equine Affaire, Inc., organizes the extensive program of clinics, seminars, and demonstrations, and coordinates the Fantasia performers and production for each Equine Affaire.

Coagi graduated summa cum laude from the University of Findlay, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a dual major in marketing and equestrian studies and a minor in operations and logistics management. With a love for riding and training since her early childhood, she has primarily concentrated on dressage and hunt seat. While at Findlay, she earned several awards, including three consecutive Intercollegiate Hunt Seat National Championship titles and 2003 Intercollegiate Dressage Association Reserve National Champion. Coagi is a member of the United States Dressage Federation and the United States Equestrian Federation. She continues to pursue her competitive career in dressage and trains Warmbloods at her farm in West Mansfield, Ohio.

◆ The Equine Affaire Website
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◆ Follow Equine Affaire on Instagram

Adoptable Horse of the Month from Healing Heroes Through Horsemanship

Win Often (“Whinny”)

After 12 starts on the track, with an impressive 9 podium finishes, Whinny retired to a well-earned second career as a broodmare. Now, after raising several lovely foals, this striking and intelligent mare is back under saddle and easing into light work in both English and western tack. She’s the type who knows her job and prefers to take things at her own pace.

Whinny is happiest in a quiet, consistent environment with minimal fuss — enjoying the simple things like turnout time with friends and leisurely trail rides with a calm rider she trusts. She’s not one for endless drilling or pampering sessions, but she appreciates calm, kind handling and clear boundaries.

Her ideal home is one where she can live outdoors most of the time, whether in a small herd or larger group pasture, with someone who values companionship over performance. She would make a wonderful pasture partner, light trail companion, or gentle riding horse for an experienced novice to intermediate who appreciates a mare with personality.

Learn more about Win Often (“Whinny”) here.

Sweetheart

Sweetheart is a 2018 mare whose name truly says it all. After just three starts on the track, it was clear that racing wasn’t her calling. But with her excellent bloodlines and kind temperament, she transitioned naturally into a successful broodmare career, raising three beautiful foals.

Now back under saddle, Sweetheart is showing a willing attitude and a calm, steady nature as she begins her retraining in both English and western tack. She takes each new experience in stride and continues to grow in confidence with consistent handling and patient guidance.

With her conformation, elegant movement, and easygoing disposition, Sweetheart has the potential to shine in a variety of disciplines, whether that’s hunter/jumper, English or western pleasure, trail or more.

True to her name, she’s gentle, level-headed, and a pleasure to have in the barn. She gets along well in a herd, stands quietly for the vet and farrier, and enjoys attention without being pushy. Sweetheart is the kind of mare who makes every day a little brighter — soft-natured, willing, and ready to make someone very happy in her next chapter.

Learn more about Sweetheart here.

Virulente (FR) (“Violet”)

Violet is a 2019 mare with an impressive international background and all the elegance you’d expect from her Irish lineage. Born, raised, and started under saddle in France, she showed early talent on the track, earning five in-the-money finishes in just nine starts and breaking her maiden with a win before being imported to California.

After retiring from racing, Violet produced two lovely foals and is now beginning her transition back under saddle. Though still early in her retraining, she’s already showing glimpses of natural balance, scope, and athleticism that suggest real promise for a future in eventing or other sport horse disciplines.

Violet combines refined conformation with a smart, forward-thinking temperament. She’s curious, willing, and enjoys having a job, making her a rewarding prospect for someone who appreciates a talented mare with both class and character.

With her strong European bloodlines, quality movement, and eager attitude, Violet is poised to make an exceptional partner for an experienced rider looking to develop a versatile and athletic prospect.

Learn more about Virulente (FR) (“Violet”) here.

In addition to Barn Banter episode 37, you can check out all previous episodes of Horse Illustrated’s podcasts here.

The post Barn Banter – Episode 37 appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Welcome to Barn Banter, the official podcast of Horse Illustrated. In Barn Banter episode 36, hosts Susan Friedland and Horse Illustrated Editor In Chief Holly Caccamise chat with Gideon Kotkowski of Horse People Podcast. Plus, tune in as they talk with sponsored guest Jackie Jolie of EquiSol.

To end the episode, Susan and Holly chat with Amanda Tucker of New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program about Dennison Girls (AKA Denise), this month’s ASPCA Right Horse adoptable horse.

Click here to listen on mobile.

Gideon Kotkowski of Horse People Podcast

Gideon Kotkowski is the host of the Horse People Podcast, where he explores cross-discipline stories from the equestrian world. From authors to entrepreneurs, artists to farriers, veterinarians to professional athletes, his conversations highlight the passion, grit, and creativity that connect everyday horse people. The show resonates with anyone who believes that horses shape not only how we ride, but also how we live.

Gideon’s own background began in polo, where he developed a deep respect for the partnership between horse and rider. That foundation carried him into the Mongol Derby—the world’s longest and toughest horse race—where he tested his horsemanship and endurance across the vast steppes of Mongolia. He finished among the top competitors and was awarded the coveted Spirit of the Derby, the highest honor given to a rider.

When not in the saddle or behind the microphone, Gideon works in the tech industry, helping companies measure, report, and reduce their carbon emissions.

◆ Listen to Horse People Podcast on Apple Podcasts
◆ Listen to Horse People Podcast on Spotify
◆ Follow Horse People Podcast on Instagram

Sponsored Guest: Jackie Jolie of EquiSol

Meet Jackie Jolie, whose lifelong dedication to animals, especially horses, led her to a distinguished career in equine and canine bodywork. With a Bachelor’s in Equine Health and Rehabilitation, Jackie’s 15-year journey has been shaped by her belief in natural healing processes. Her personal turning point came in 2018 after a diagnosis of Lyme disease, which she overcame through natural treatments and learning all about quantum healing through light, water, and magnetism. Getting certified in Quantum Biology to be able to learn on a deeper level along with using red and infrared light therapy during her recovery led her to a bigger mission. This experience, along with her professional observations, inspired the creation of EquiSol and DogSol: red/infrared light therapy blankets for animals. Jackie’s vision for EquiSol transcends animal healthcare; it’s about enlightening others on the transformative effects of light on overall wellness.

◆ EquiSol Website
◆ Follow EquiSol on Facebook
◆ Follow EquiSol on Instagram

Adoptable Horse of the Month, Dennison Girls (AKA Denise)

Meet Dennison Girls (AKA Denise) a 4-year-old off-the-track Thoroughbred mare. Located in Lexington, Ky., Denise is available for adoption for a non-riding second career as a part of New Vocations’ Pasture Potatoes program for companion Thoroughbreds.

Denise leads well in a plain halter and lead rope. She is forward-thinking while leading, but listens very well to correction and will happily follow us around on a loopy lead. She would prefer to walk over logs and bridges, but is not pushy when asked to stand still, either.

Denise is happiest outside with her friends. She is quiet in her stall but can get antsy in the crossties. Like many former racehorses, Denise does well being groomed tied to the wall of her stall.

Denise is barefoot and eats our normal grain ration. She lives outside full-time in a herd of mares and is very easy to manage.

Learn more about Denise here.

In addition to Barn Banter episode 36, you can check out all previous episodes of Horse Illustrated’s podcasts here.

The post Barn Banter – Episode 36 appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Now secured in crossties, Blackie tried to stand still, but he could not help himself from twisting his lithe body ever so slightly left to right, assessing all that was going on around him. Meanwhile, I gently stroked his supple neck and massaged his firm withers as I spoke softly into his furry ears and kissed his velvety muzzle. With these small gestures, I wanted to see if I could build my own bond with him, to observe if, with time, he might respond to and trust me like he did Gail. Quickly realizing that there was an immediate connection, Gail embraced the opportunity, saying, “Would you like to try Blackie? He moves as good as he looks.” 

Of course, I wanted to ride him, but in refusing to acknowledge this instinctive impulse, I clung to some semblance of my rational self and respectfully declined the generous offer.  

“Thank you, Gail, but no, not today,” I said. “I don’t have that ‘I’m ready to jump on a racehorse’ frame of mind.” 

Even though Blackie had already gripped my imagination, I held back from mounting him upon that spur-of-the-moment invitation, because I was afraid of this undeveloped prospect, unsure that I should or could accept such a splendid dare. While concerned about compatibility, I was mostly preoccupied with where such a big step might lead me. Before experiencing that closest of rapports between horses and humans that riding represents, I needed to pause, to ask myself if I should curb my quickening fancy and first consider the implications of a spirited horse like Blackie. Would he be too much for me? On many levels? Could I handle him? Could I train him? I pondered privately. Most importantly, though, I wondered, Could I manage him and my demanding job at the same time? What if this capricious creature upset all that I had struggled to establish as a professional woman, risking the mighty foundation I had built up for myself and into which I had cemented my very identity?  

On the heels of these trifling rationalizations, I closed the matter at hand by saying to Gail, “While I don’t believe Twinkles is a match for me, please give me some time to think about Blackie, as you consider whether you really want to let him go.” 

Unconsciously, I must have known that mounting him then and there would have ripped open a floodgate of repressed emotions that I was unprepared to confront. But those hidden feelings were precisely the secret sentiments Gary was hoping I would tap back into by having a horse in my life again, convinced that any Sturm und Drang unleashed by this magnificent 1,200-pound ball of pure energy would be temporary and, in the end, all for the good. He simply paid no mind to my inner conflict about this whole horse thing. Instead, he capitalized on the fact that, ever since stepping foot in the barn at Altamira Ranch, I had been eyeing this mysterious black beauty. 

Naturally intuitive, Gail sensed the tug-of-war going on inside me and leapt at another chance to steer me toward Blackie. 

“I know Thoroughbreds can be intimidating,” she said. “They’re a lot of horse, but once you understand them, they’re truly the best.”  

Gail found herself encouraging my nascent attraction, because, if she had to part with her Blackie, she wanted to place him with someone like me who revealed an instant affinity, however much I was trying to deny it. Assuring her that we would be in touch again soon, Gary and I took our leave, and as we headed to our car, I looked back over my shoulder and saw Blackie’s eyes fixed on me. 

While retracing our path back over the Santa Ynez Mountains to our home in the Santa Barbara foothills, we each quietly considered our day’s adventure. The lulling sound of the car’s pliant tires rolling against the hard asphalt filled the tranquil space between us. For me, this rare excursion together had been a refreshing change of pace from my normal workaholic grind, and I enjoyed the sense of calm it brought. As it turns out, though, it was short-lived. 

When we approached home, winding slowly up toward Rattlesnake Canyon on narrow, curving roads bordered with gnarled oaks and craggy boulders, Gary broke our silent musings. Being a decisive person, he simply stated, “I think you’ve found your horse. Search no further!” 

“What!? Why do you say that? What makes you so sure?” I shot back defensively, fearing deep down that he might be right.  

“Well, for starters, he’s smart and good-looking. And it’s about time you had someone like that in your life,” Gary quipped. Smiling wide now, he added, “There’s already some kind of woman-horse communication thing going on between the two of you. It just seems like love at first sight. Put it this way: if you ever looked at another man the way you looked at that horse, I would know the marriage was over!” 

Laughing under my breath, I had to confess, “Yes! Blackie’s definitely in my head, and more importantly in my heart, but he’s so green.”  

Gary quickly countered, intent on influencing my deliberations, “His naiveté is not a detriment. Think of his rawness and need for attention as assets. Even I can tell he’s a force of nature, but by bringing him into your life, you will help him while also finding a healthy kind of absorption. You desperately need that. Something good and wholesome but also challenging to check your obsession with work.” As I let Gary’s words sink in, he gently pressed one last time. “Call Gail and get on his back and see what you think, before she changes her mind or someone else grabs him.” 

Pre-order Fur Mama here.

This excerpt from Fur Mama by Diana Dupont is reprinted with permission from Trafalgar Square Books.

The post An Excerpt from Fur Mama appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Hidden Campsite

Whether it was my sense of direction, good luck, or a skill I’d developed, I usually was able to keep us true to the westerly direction I wanted to go in. But several factors over a few days had brought us a bit south of where I wanted to be. I’d perused my maps and talked it over with the Newtons, a ranching family we’d stayed with, and we had a route in mind that would angle us north and west. Following the directions Dave and Jeff Newton gave me had us sharing the road with traffic, and riding past car lots and fast-food restaurants. At a burger joint in Los Lunas, New Mexico, two reporters caught up to us, and I answered their questions while Rainy and Amanda, my horse and mule and Gypsy, my Collie-German_shepherd mix, and I took a break from the road. I held back a laugh when one reporter, nervously eyeing Rainy’s big head practically resting on the picnic table, asked “Uh, do they always stay right at the table with you when you eat?”

A few miles past Los Lunas the stores and commercial businesses dwindled. By late in the day, we’d completely left that world behind. My animals and I were back in the land of open space and sage brush, where there was no one around but us. The Newtons had described an old water tower to me, and I searched for it as we traveled along the lonely road. “Is it okay to camp there?” I’d asked, and they’d laughed. “Who’s going to bother you?” Mr. Newton had answered. “There’s no one out there.”

They’d spoken the truth. Right about when I began to feel the day should be winding down, I spied the top of the old water tower. We turned down a narrow path that led away from the road and down a sandy incline toward railroad tracks. There was a little hollow down the slope and the remains of an old fence leaned in along the tracks. I dismounted and began the little rituals that made a place feel like “our place” when we camped.

Like every day, the first thing I did was relieve Rainy and Amanda of their burdens. I wanted them to know their work was done and they could rest and relax. I took my saddle, the pack saddle, and the packs, and placed them around our camping spot. It created a curving boundary of sorts and became the outline of our home for the night. It made me feel less like we were small specks in the wide-open space. I fed the animals, opening little bags of sweet feed onto the ground. I stayed with them while they ate, scratching their itchy spots, and hugging their necks. I thanked them for all they’d done during the day.

Our spot was invisible from the road, and though that’s usually what I wanted, it somehow felt extra secluded by the water tank. I had that strange sensation that came with the feeling that not one person in the world knew where we were.

I slept restlessly and woke from a dream that involved a raft and a dark empty sea. I looked outside the tent and saw that Rainy and Amanda were near, staying close in the brushy area we’d claimed.

Late in the night, I woke again, this time to a noise that I should not have heard, tucked away in the desert gully by the unused railroad tracks. It was not wild animals or blowing wind that caused me to sit up and listen.

It was the unmistakable sound of revelry. The clink of bottles, the faint bass beat of music, the occasional smashing of glass and bursts of male laughter.

With a sharp intake of breath, I sat up and grasped the loose scruff of Gypsy’s neck in my hand. We both stayed still, straining our ears. I prayed, willing so hard that the partiers came no farther down the track. I prayed that Rainy wouldn’t neigh, that Amanda wouldn’t send her unusual bray/whinny out into the night. I listened to see if it sounded like those partiers were on the move. How many did it sound like? Were they a few innocent teens out for a clandestine six-pack, or a mob of nasty men, cruising the desert at night?

Gypsy and I sat that way, listening, for what seemed like a long while. My breath was shallow and my heart beat too fast.

Finally, there was the sound of a few more bottles breaking, the slap of a hand on a vehicle, and then the sound of car doors slamming and an engine starting up. At last, the noise faded into silence.

After a while, I allowed myself to lie back down. I dozed again, eventually, but it was the kind of sleep that had served my dog and horse companions and our ancient ancestors so well; sleep that was shallow, with senses still partly alert, tuned to catch the sound of danger in the night.

Order Distant Skies here.

This excerpt from Distant Skies by Melissa Chapman is reprinted with permission from Trafalgar Square Books.

The post An Excerpt from Distant Skies appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Welcome to Barn Banter, the official podcast of Horse Illustrated. In Barn Banter episode 35, hosts Susan Friedland and Horse Illustrated Editor In Chief Holly Caccamise chat with Alyssa Mathews, filmmaker and equestrian YouTuber.

To end the episode, Susan and Holly chat with Allison Moorehead, volunteer at Horses and Hound Rescue Foundation, about Dawson City, this month’s ASPCA Right Horse adoptable horse.

Click here to listen on mobile.

Alyssa Mathews, Filmmaker and Equestrian YouTuber

Alyssa Mathews is an award-winning filmmaker, equestrian YouTuber, and founder of DiscoverTheHorse—an equine adventure series and breed education project documenting her Quest to ride every horse breed. She has ridden 150 breeds and traveled to 30 countries—so far. Her videos give viewers a chance to ride along, learn what makes each breed special, and discover horses they might not have known about. In 2021, Horse Illustrated recognized her as a “Female Equine Industry Trailblazer.” Her mission is to share horses with others and inspire people to chase their dreams. All videos are available for free on the DiscoverTheHorse YouTube channel.

◆ The DiscoverTheHorse Website
◆ Subscribe to DiscoverTheHorse on YouTube
◆ Follow DiscoverTheHorse on Instagram
◆ Follow DiscoverTheHorse on Facebook

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Adoptable Horse of the Month, Dawson City

Dawson City is a tall, handsome gelding who knows how to turn heads. With four white feet and a bold, thick blaze, he’s sure to catch everyone’s eye with his striking good looks. Responsibly retired and sound, Dawson is ready for his next chapter.

In the pasture, he’s friendly and easy to catch, but don’t be fooled—Dawson knows he’s hot stuff and holds the top spot in the pecking order. He’s confident and charismatic, making him a standout both in looks and personality.

After some well-deserved downtime, Dawson will be evaluated to see what direction he’s best suited for. He’s waiting to meet his next admirer!

Learn more about Dawson City here.

In addition to Barn Banter episode 35, you can check out all previous episodes of Horse Illustrated’s podcasts here.

The post Barn Banter – Episode 35 appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Misty also influenced and informed countless generations of horse-loving children who pilgrimaged with their parents to Chincoteague Island, Va., hoping to come home with a pony just like Misty. The book still inspires great numbers of people to travel to Chincoteague and perhaps even buy a pony of their own during the now-famous Pony Penning Week.

An Idea Is Born

Misty of Chincoteague had a simple origin story. Dr. Mary Alice Jones of Rand McNally, Marguerite’s editor, overheard a conversation while attending a dinner party. Jones listened in as a fellow dinner guest talked about an annual roundup of wild ponies on an island off the coast of Virginia. The ponies were herded into the water from their home on Assateague Island and swum across the channel to neighboring Chincoteague Island each July. There they were auctioned off, with all proceeds benefiting the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department.

Jones shared the information with Marguerite, who was immediately enthusiastic about writing a story about the event. Marguerite planned to visit the island and take a local Wayne horsewoman along with her. She also decided to invite her illustrator, Dennis Wesley, as he had moved from New York to Virginia and could capture the possible story in pictures while they were on the island. Dennis was immediately game to join the expedition. Many of his drawings in the book were from their experiences during that trip.

Marguerite booked a room at Miss Molly’s Inn on Main Street in Chincoteague for her first exploration of the island. During that first visit, Marguerite took endless notes as she and her travel companions spent days looking for wild ponies and talked with Chincoteague residents.

While she was walking around town, interviewing local townspeople, Marguerite happened upon two attractive teenagers named Maureen and Paul. It turned out that they lived with their grandparents, Clarence and Ida Beebe, on a ranch not far from Miss Molly’s Inn.

Grandpa Beebe was not only the owner of a pony ranch on Chincoteague, but he proved to be an invaluable source of information on the island and the history of the wild ponies. Beebe’s grandchildren, Paul and Maureen, helped train the ponies that he later sold.

When Marguerite met Maureen and Paul, they were riding the same pony bareback. She told them that she had come to the island to write a book about the wild ponies and Chincoteague Island, and perhaps one pony in particular—a gold-and-white foal she had seen and worried might be auctioned off.

“Suppose some parent with a clumsy clod of a child bought Misty in the auction tomorrow and had no idea of waiting until she grew strong enough to be ridden,” Marguerite frets in A Pictorial Life Story of Misty.

It was Clarence and Ida Beebe who helped move Marguerite’s story along—and who turned out to be critical to the book’s success, especially Grandpa Beebe’s idea that Paul and Maureen should feature as characters. Grandpa Beebe and Marguerite shook hands on a deal for the gold-and-white foal.

“There was no bill of sale. No bargaining. Just $150 offered and accepted,” Marguerite wrote in Pictorial.

Grandpa Beebe—“wiry, spry-legged as a grasshopper,” proved to be a brilliant find, and as charming as he was knowledgeable about both ponies and life. His grandchildren were the characters Marguerite needed at the center of her book, and his words were what lit up the pages.

Misty on the Mainland

Grandpa Beebe kept his word, and a few months later he shipped 4-month-old Misty to Marguerite in Wayne by way of a railroad box car. It was an arrangement that they had both agreed would only be temporary. Misty would live with Marguerite for as long as necessary to finish her book. It was an odd deal to make, but Grandpa Beebe felt the money paid for Misty would be useful for his grandchildren’s education. And of course, the plan was that Misty would eventually be returned to the Beebes where she would be trained to be ridden and someday bred.

When it was time for Misty to be shipped to Wayne, there was one obstacle: Marguerite didn’t have a barn. But her neighbors the Quayles did, and they offered its use. The Quayle children and their friends even helped to clean up the two-stall structure, especially eager to lend a hand when they heard that a wild pony from Virginia was about to arrive.

But when the “wild pony” arrived looking ragged and sad on a cold rainy day in November 1946, Marguerite had some serious misgivings. Misty had traveled four days by train and looked very much worse for wear. Marguerite was truly shocked at the sight of the filly.

When Misty stepped out of the rough crate that Grandpa Beebe had made, Marguerite thought the sorry-looking foal looked nothing like the gold-and-white pony she recalled seeing just a few months earlier on the island. Marguerite felt sorry for the cold, lonely pony and a bit guilty as well.

What had she done, taking the tiny foal so far from home? The author ended up spending the night in the Quayles’ stable with Misty, keeping the pony company and hoping that somehow the story she’d had in mind might still work out.

The next day dawned on a more promising note. When Misty awoke in the strange little barn, she gave Marguerite a kick while being led her out of her stall. Marguerite took this as a good omen.

Misty’s arrival in Wayne created quite a stir among the neighborhood.

“Children appeared as if by magic to help get her ready for her arrival. There were sisters Susie with her mop of dark curly hair and Judy with her flaxen braids; Tex, with the deep-set eyes; Eddie and Arthur like roly-poly pups,” Marguerite wrote.

These budding young equestrians grew up to be accomplished riders: Judy Martin became a top pony breeder and an alternate on the Olympic equestrian team, and the young Mary Jon “Jonnie” Quayle Edwards took up eventing and remained a serious rider all her life.

Now in her 80s, Edwards still teaches and rides almost every day. And, in her stable of horses there is a pinto pony—named Misty, of course. 

This excerpt from Dear Readers and Riders: A Biography (2024) is reprinted with permission from Trafalgar Square Books. For more information or to order the book, visit here.

The post The Origin of the Misty Story appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Welcome to Barn Banter, the official podcast of Horse Illustrated. In Barn Banter episode 34, hosts Susan Friedland and Horse Illustrated Editor In Chief Holly Caccamise chat with Solange Ellis, creator and coach of the Stable Riding System and LAB.

To end the episode, Susan and Holly chat with Amanda Stevens of the Humane Society of North Texas about Jenny, this month’s ASPCA Right Horse adoptable horse.

Click here to listen on mobile.

Solange Ellis, Creator and Coach of the Stable Riding System and LAB

Solange has been professionally teaching riders and horses for 25 years. Her diverse riding and training experiences lets her teach like no one else. Riders come from all over the country to ride and train with her on horseback and in her custom Rider LAB, including eight Mongolian Derby riders and two Gaucho Derby riders, all of whom went on to complete the world’s longest horse races.

Teaching various different types of riders has shown her what all riders have in common. They all want to be stable on the horse’s back. Stable Riding is designed to keep the rider stable on the horse’s back, using physics and gravity to align both their skeletons so that the horse can move forward freely. Stable Riding is not specific to a riding discipline or horse breed but works in all real-world situations.

Historically, we have burdened horses with the responsibility of our safety. When the rider is unstable and lacks confidence, it affects the overall mental and physical well-being of the horse. If we want to help the horses, we have to help the riders. Solange’s goal is to bring stability to anyone who ever sits on a horse, regardless of their age, athleticism, experience or goals.

• Stable Riding Website
• Follow Stable Riding on Facebook
• Follow Stable Riding on Instagram
• Follow Stable Riding on TikTok

Adoptable Horse of the Month, Jenny

Meet Jenny! This 20-year-old Arabian/Saddlebred cross mare is as sweet as she is beautiful. Jenny is seeking a new home as a companion horse. She has foundered in the past and as a result, she requires turnout on a dry lot or with a grazing muzzle if on lower quality grass. She also requires meds in the form of Prascend and Equioxx to keep her comfortable. This amazing girl deserves a happy home where she can retire and get all the love and attention she deserves.

Jenny is 14.3 hands tall.

This horse is up-to-date on shots, Coggins, dental care, farrier care, and is microchipped.

Learn more about Jenny here.

In addition to Barn Banter episode 34, you can check out all previous episodes of Horse Illustrated’s podcasts here.

The post Barn Banter – Episode 34 appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Horsey Background

Riding forward is all she’s known since she was 10 years old, when a strawberry roan Welsh Mountain Pony named Ginger was “hers” for two riding camp summers at Glen Durham Stables in upstate New York.

“It was a traditional Pony Club program where we learned everything,” says Harrison. “They took us to local shows in Ulster and Greene counties.”

At the Vershire Riding Camp in Vermont, she picked up the basics of eventing before a summer on Long Island at the Thomas School of Horsemanship.

“I came off during an in-and-out combination where my horse jumped the first fence, then put the brakes on, and his bridle and I ended up on the far side of the second,” she recalls. “He was named Romeo but was no love of mine!”

Photography and Horses

By her 40s, her greatest love—her son—led her back to horses after years spent adulting to earn an MFA in Photography from Cranbrook Academy of Art. She built a work portfolio in retail and administration.

“After offering riding lessons to my 5-year-old, who liked them well enough, I realized it was me who wanted to ride,” she reflects. After three years of weekly group lessons, Harrison bought her first horse, Tony. “I had him for 14 years. He was my first horse and my last.”

The Belgian/Quarter Horse gelding was reminiscent of the “amazing” drafts she saw competing in Michigan while studying for her MFA.

“I’d never been able to draw or paint, but I had a camera in my hand since I was a child,” Harrison recalls. “My first ‘real’ equine photos were at that venue. But my immersion into horse ownership inspired me to turn my camera on the world I was part of.

“I shot unlike what most photographers were doing. I got closer to the bodies, cropping and orienting my subjects to focus on light, texture, contrast, and massing. I wasn’t ‘taking pretty pictures of pretty horses.’”

She found others who understood what she was trying to do, pre-Facebook, on a forum called the Equine Art Guild.

“There were thousands of us,” she remembers. “We held online group shows, entered juried shows, networked and supported one another. I was asked first to jury and then direct an online equine art competition called Ex Arte Equinus.”

That led to meeting more horse-focused artists, and by 2009, she was part of a Red Hook, N.Y., art collective.

“We rented a space with a storefront gallery and smaller rooms in the back that we offered as studio spaces.”

Diagnosis & Gallery Beginnings

She was renting one of those spaces for her own work when she got the diagnosis: stage 3 ovarian cancer.

“Between surgery and chemo, I was unable to get out and photograph, and was spooked about going back in the darkroom to do my own printing,” says Harrison. “When I was done with treatment and in remission, the studio space came up for renewal. I had to decide, was I going to give it up?”

The answer came from the artist friends she gathered with each year during Saratoga Race Course’s Thoroughbred racing meet, held during the summer in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Among them was Canadian artist Linda Shantz.

“Linda had gallery representation in Saratoga, so she would drop off work when we met up, and I would pick it up for her at the end of the season and hold on to it for the bulk of the year until she needed to trade something out,” says Harrison.

“I asked if I could show her art in my studio and try to sell it. I’d been selling my own, so I knew how to market it. Linda agreed and I sold one [of her pieces] almost immediately. That was the genesis of Equis Art Gallery. If I couldn’t create enough of my work to sell, I could try to sell work by others.”

She asked her Equine Art Guild/Saratoga friends if they would send her their artwork to sell.

“And they did! I still represent many of them today, including Linda.”

Giving Back Joy

Harrison’s last cancer treatment was in August of 2013, putting her in remission for the last 11 years. She opened Equis Art Gallery in January of 2014, and it now has an international collector base and represents over 30 artists from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the Ukraine.

“Inviting [Ukrainian artist] Kateryna Beilikova was in discussion when war came,” she says. “I’m honored to have her work and amazed that she continues to create and get it out of the country to me, via Poland usually. I am lucky to know her and her work.

“Equis Gallery was my gift to myself. After surviving cancer, I asked myself what could give me joy and let me give back to those I care about. Two communities took care of me when things were at their worst, my equine artists and my Red Hook, so if I can bring support to them, I am thrilled.”

Equis Art Gallery has been called the only gallery of its kind.

“[Operating] an art gallery is not an easy business, and every sale means a lot, but one of my favorite stories is of a couple one summer who bought several pieces,” she recalls. “I was so excited I looked them up, and she turned out to be the curator of a famous museum gallery in New York City. Knowing that she found art in Equis worth owning meant a lot.”

This cancer warrior believes in giving a leg up to artists who don’t always find representation and introducing them to collectors who may appreciate their work and want to own it; collectors who want their art like they want their horses—right up close.

This article about Juliet R. Harrison appeared in the June 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Juliet R. Harrison: A Gallery of Dreams appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Welcome to Barn Banter, the official podcast of Horse Illustrated. In Barn Banter episode 33, hosts Susan Friedland and Horse Illustrated Editor In Chief Holly Caccamise chat with Sarah Boudreau, a writer, artist, and Chincoteague Pony enthusiast.

To end the episode, Holly chats with the Hooved Animal Humane Society about William, this month’s ASPCA Right Horse adoptable horse.

Click here to listen on mobile.

Sarah Boudreau, Author and Chincoteague Pony Historian

Sarah Boudreau is a writer, artist, and Chincoteague Pony historian. She manages the Chincoteague Pony History project, which she calls a passion of love. Through this project, she endeavors to tell the story of the Chincoteague Pony breed. She also creates and sells art through her business, Chincoteague Pony Art. Her new book, Before Misty: Early Chincoteague Pony History, is now available.

• Sarah’s Website
• Purchase Before Misty: Early Chincoteague Pony History
• Chincoteague Pony History Website
• Follow Chincoteague Pony Art on Facebook
• Shop Sarah’s art on Etsy

Adoptable Horse of the Month, William

As of 2025, William is 19 years old and has returned to Hooved Animal Humane Society in Woodstock, Ill., where he was born all those years ago. He is a beautiful bay Saddlebred cross gelding with a rich past as a competitive endurance horse. After some time as a pasture pal, we’ve discovered that with regular care, William is light-riding, sound, and ready to work!

Under saddle, William is incredibly attentive and eager to please, always looking to his handler for guidance and confidence. He thrives in environments where his handler is calm and consistent and quickly builds trust with those who give him clear direction. William is a versatile horse, comfortable living in either a pasture setting or a stall with a run-out, but most of all, he would love to have a gelding friend to enjoy companionship with. He does well with both the vet and farrier and is a reliable and loving partner.

Are you looking for an affectionate, hard-working, and loyal horse? William is ready to share his heart and talents with the right person and create many wonderful memories together.

Learn more about William here. 

In addition to Barn Banter episode 33, you can check out all previous episodes of Horse Illustrated’s podcasts here.

The post Barn Banter – Episode 33 appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Welcome to Barn Banter, the official podcast of Horse Illustrated. In Barn Banter episode 32, hosts Susan Friedland and Horse Illustrated Editor In Chief Holly Caccamise chat with David O’Connor, Olympic gold medalist and US Equestrian Chief of Sport.

To end the episode, Susan and Holly chat with HAPI Trails Horse Rescue about Rawhide, this month’s ASPCA Right Horse adoptable horse.

Click here to listen on mobile.

David O’Connor, Olympic Gold Medalist & US Equestrian Chief of Sport

David O’Connor represented the USA for 20 years as an athlete, earning individual gold and team bronze medals in eventing at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics and a team silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. O’Connor joined the US Equestrian Federation team in his current role as Chief of Sport in October 2022.

With US Equestrian, O’Connor is responsible for working with the executive team on the overall international and national sport support of the Strategic Plan initiatives including sport integrity, education, and equine and human safety and welfare. Additionally, he provides oversight of the international and national sport operations, ensuring that the sport department’s short-term and long-term strategic plans align with US Equestrian’s priorities. He also focuses on strengthening relationships with stakeholder groups, such as the USOPC, FEI, and USEF’s Recognized Affiliates.

Adoptable Horse of the Month, Rawhide

Meet this stunning Paint Horse mare (registered with the American Paint Horse Association) from HAPI Trails Horse Rescue in Driggs, Idaho. Rawhide is as unique as they come! With one striking blue eye, one brown, and a gorgeous “cat track” chestnut-and-white Paint coat, she’s nothing short of magical.

Though arthritis in her knee makes her a companion horse, Rawhide is a companion like no other. Imagine being greeted by her every day—talk about a mood booster!

Rawhide’s history might be a mystery, but HAPI Trails knows this girl is a delight to be around. Once caught she leads well, and genuinely enjoys your company when you’re in her space.

If you’re looking for a breathtaking pasture buddy with a personality to match, this dragon of a mare is ready to bring a little enchantment to your life!

Learn more about Rawhide here.

In addition to Barn Banter episode 32, you can check out all previous episodes of Horse Illustrated’s podcasts here.

The post Barn Banter – Episode 32 appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.