Global Horse Culture

15 Saturday Jan 2011

Global Horse Culture is a blog I launched in June 2007 and updated actively until the Autumn of 2010. It features hundreds of posts about horses, particularly the aspects of horses and equestrian traditions that are less familiar to American readers. Topics include rare breeds, the adornment of horses, unusual sports, depictions of horses in ancient art, and so on.

Global Horse Culture developed out of my longstanding interest in horses and in particular the adornment of horses. Post range from brief pointers to interesting online resources; to in depth interviews with horse breeders, artisans, and riders. Numerous posts have been based on research done during my own travels in Costa Rica, Brazil and Mexico.

You can follow Global Horse Culture on Twitter.

Carriage Days at Boscobel

15 Saturday Jan 2011

Posted by Ona in horses, magazines

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Article for the Horseman’s Yankee Pedlar print edition about a day of carriage driving at a historic estate in the Hudson Valley; published in August 2009.

The annual event, sponsored by the Mid Hudson Driving Association, allows visitors to the Boscobel House and Gardens to experience a taste of what it might have been like in the days of horse and carriage; the participating drivers enjoy the opportunity to drive their horses on the great lawn and driveways of the scenic property overlooking the Hudson River, while educating the public about the pleasures of carriage driving.

The Better Deal

14 Friday Jan 2011

Posted by Ona in books, horses

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The Better Deal (working title) is a forthcoming book co-written with horse trainer Margaret Beeman. It features Margaret’s training philosophy and a complete system of working with horses to develop a safer, more successful and more fun partnership for all disciplines.

For this project I first helped Margaret develop an overall concept for the book. We then did several months of recorded interviews, which I used to write rough drafts of various sections. We then refined the drafts together into more developed chapters and eventually into the complete manuscript. Finally, I photographed Margaret and her students as they demonstrated the exercises, step by step. The writing process from initial discussions to final draft took six months. I then packaged and prepared the materials for submission to publishers.

Having worked with Margaret for four years training my own horses, I was familiar with her method and was able to incorporate this knowledge into the writing process.

Horse Shows for the 21st Century

14 Friday Jan 2011

Posted by Ona in horses, magazines

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An article for the March 2010 Horseman’s Yankee Pedlar digital edition, describing an innovative format for training and showing young horses developed by Rod Miller, an experienced judge, trainer and competitor in the sport of Reining. His organization, the IPHDA, allows competitors to show their horses via video submissions which are judged by professional judges. These virtual shows offer real prizes, including cash, buckles, and saddles.

This article also ran in the Canadian print magazine The Rider.

Training for Safety

14 Friday Jan 2011

Posted by Ona in books, horses, magazines

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Training for Safety is a nine-part series of horse training articles co-written with trainer Margaret Beeman. This series ran in the magazine Rural Heritage from April 2010 to June 2011. These articles were later accepted for publication as a book, which is now available!

Click here to purchase a copy directly from Mischka Press.

The series describes exercises and techniques that build a solid foundation on your driving horse. Driving is a more challenging skill than riding, as the horse is more difficult to control from a the seat of a vehicle than from the saddle, and extra care in training the horse can provide an important measure of safety. The exercises are designed to educate the horse and driver to plan ahead, maneuver smoothly, and be prepared for surprises. Full color photos illustrate the steps.