Sunday, August 4, 2013

Equestrian Style

The ideal high school graduation present for most kids would be a car, not for me!  Mine was a horse, and not just any horse.  My Aunt and Uncle who lived in Illinois, had a half Arab mare who had been bred to a gorgeous Arab stallion and had  given birth to a baby colt.  The summer I was 16, I got to stay with them to learn to ride.  I spent every day at the barn where they boarded their mare.  There, I worked, learned all about horse care, and best of all learned to ride.  I was able to choose the style I wanted to learn and picked English hunt seat. I was lucky enough to get to do basic hunt seat, a little jumping and some dressage.  ( It didn't hurt that the owner's had a gorgeous son who was in his first year of college!   Yeah, it was the best summer ever!   I not only got to learn about horses,  I got to know my Aunt and Uncle who I hadn't spent a lot of time with since they lived so far from CA.  They were the best!   Sadly, the summer after I was there, while out at the barn with their mare and her baby, my Uncle suffered a major heart attack and passed away.  At the time, they were planning on moving to a small farm near us in California and raising horses.  My Aunt made the choice to go ahead and move out to CA and bring Tewa, the mare but was going to sell her baby.  I'd been babysitting since I was 12 and working at a neighbor's carwash, (ugh, that's another story), and saving my money.  I convinced her and my Mom that I'd send her whatever money she needed to
take care of Ahweha, ( sounds like it's spelled, Indian name meaning the wanderer).  They agreed and my Aunt and the 2 horses came to CA.   I couldn't afford to buy him but took care of him and paid for his upkeep.  My parents surprised me with his papers on my graduation day from HS.  We had many fun adventures and some misadventures during our years together, and as horse people know, we had that special bond where we could almost read each other's minds.  Anyway, what this means is that I have loved everything horse forever and one of my favorite decorating styles is Equestrian Style.   
 
Here are some examples of my favorite of Equestrian Style
from one of my favorite places that I visit  to be inspired,  Pinterest.

One of my old riding hats and some of my favorite books. I love books
with outdoor titles.  Notice the title of the last one?  One of our favorite
 dealers in our old store gave it to me and even managed to find
one with my BF and store partner's name, Wanda in the title.

















 
 



 One of my favorite books!

 
 




 
 
Had to add this one, becoming an equestrian is hard work!



modern day riding outfit

 
 
Vintage riding outfits
 


Ralph Lauren dinnerware

 
 

 
 

 
 
 Ladies, I couldn't resist ending with some
Equestrian eye candy, Nacho,
the most famous Polo player around.
You may have seen him and his beautiful
wife in some of Ralph Lauren's adds.

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Till next time,
Rebecca
 
This week I'll be partying at:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday