Anybody here ride with/know someone who rode with Jackie Kennedy Onassis?

[LegoMyMego]

...just saw lots of things in the news today since it's 11/22...45 years later.

I see she was big into foxhunting in Virginia, and thought maybe someone here could share some stories if they rode with or knew her.

I've always admired her greatly and would like to learn some more about her, especially her with horses.

[Jaegermonster]

There is a wonderful book that came out a few years ago, it's almost a coffee table book but it has lots of text about her. It's called Jacqueline Kennedy: Portrait of a Rider.
I believe that's it, I'll double check when I get home. But you would probably really enjoy that.

[LegoMyMego]

Oh wow - I just looked it up on Amazon...

It's called 'The Private Passion of Jackie Kennedy Onassis: Portrait of a Rider.'

Guess what I'm adding to my x-mas list! :D

[Calamber]

I have read that book. It is a good book but I really hunger for more info. I have a slightly different kind of story about her, a horse that she was trying who had been an eventer and had a nervous breakdown on course, was sent to Jackie to try and the horse ran away with her in the hunt field. True story. I cannot tell you who bought the horse and then tried to make a bunch of money cause he would jump the moon, at that time she had him on trial with a 70 plus year old woman!:eek: When I told that dealer the story she very visiby blanched. I rode the dude and he was a nice horse, sans the hounds and all the commotion he was a lovely trail horse. I was just told not to try any trot sets with him! Since I did not want to fly around that trappy area in Loudoun County out of control, believe me I complied! This was prior to her much publicized fall in the field, that was not part of the story thankfully.

[Beverley]

I have that book, it's very good. I did have the pleasure of hunting with her once or twice, and competed against her at the pair races and the Orange County Team Event. The last horse she had, Be Frank, was one super horse and they deservedly one top prize at the OCH Team Event one year- 89, I think.

I will say that even though she didn't know me from Adam she was always cordial and gracious. Once, while in Middleburg, I popped into Journeyman to do a bit of Xmas shopping, found a couple of items, and stepped to the register at exactly the same time she did. I said 'after you,' she said 'no, after you,' and so it went for a few seconds- and she ended up winning, as in, I went first. I still can't believe I lost the Alphonse and Gaston routine, I ALWAYS win that.

[WWCountry]

Until her death, Mrs. O kept a few hunting horses at her private barn in NJ. She hunted with Essex Hunt. I was friendly with her barn manager. She definately loved to hunt and was passionate about her horses. When she died, the family gave away most of her horses and shut the barn down. I seem to recall that Caroline kept one of them for herself.

[FancyFree]

There is a wonderful book that came out a few years ago, it's almost a coffee table book but it has lots of text about her. It's called Jacqueline Kennedy: Portrait of a Rider.
I believe that's it, I'll double check when I get home. But you would probably really enjoy that.

I have this book. It's really gorgeous. I look through it all the time. I find it inspiring. Light on the text, but the pictures are so beautiful. She was such an elegant rider. I loved seeing all the horses she owned over the years. Horses were a big, big part of her life. I also love the fact that, no matter what, Jackie always made room in her life to ride. Truly she is someone to admire.

[BeverlyAStrauss]

She hunted with us for years at Essex- a lovely rider and top notch horsewoman who hunted first flight and loved it......I remember one run at Dillon's where we came upon a huge overgrown brush fence that had been on the steeplechase course for the Essex Horse Trials- Our huntsman jumped it, the fieldmaster opted out and only three of us then went for it- me, my dear English friend Susan, and Mrs O-we lost the rest of the field, had a great day......Another year, at our hunter trials, she won just about every class and deservedly so- but had a fall in the schooling area, and guess what pic ended up on the front page of the NY paper the next day? Without a mention of how well she did otherwise.....

Bev Strauss

[Jaegermonster]

I just love that book. I have it on the dresser in my guestroom, which is done in all foxhunting stuff, and my guests have really enjoyed the book.
I can sit and look at the pictures for hours (when I have time to sit still that long).
She was lovely rider, and very elegant

[Calamber]

Bev, what a neat story. How did we end up on the same thread? I guess we are all reminiscing, I need a good warm fire and a glass or so of my favorite Bush Mills. Can you please answer my question about that grey mare?:lol:

[equinelaw]

My pathetic story:

I worked in McClean and dashed out to see as much of the Fairfax races as possible on a rainy Staturday after work.

When I arrive the rail was packed except for a perfect spot right at the finish line. Nobody else was there but one small lady covered up in a plastic rain poncho and a few oddly dressed men standing off to the sides and behind her.

It was the perfect spot to view the races so I just sent a stood next to her. She turned, smiled and nodded at me and we watched the last races of the day.

It wasn't until I got home and started cleaning stalls I realized who she was, why there was a circle around her and why several men in suits were at the races on a rainy Saturday.

I guess I wasn't supposed to stand there, but she was too much of a lady to have me removed:)

[cllane1]

Ooh, I'm putting that book on my Christmas list! I've flipped through it in the store, but it hasn't come home with me yet.

My family are landowners with Midland Fox Hounds, and I believe in Midland founder Ben Hardaway's book Never Outfoxed, there is a pic and a little blurb about Jackie O. hunting with them.

[randomequine]

My riding instructor foxhunted with Jackie Kennedy -- Said he didn't get to talk to her, but ran into her horse (on accident), said he was sorry....she apparently smiled and was "very good looking" ;)

[Party Rose]

Andy Bass, the guy that's been working to put Boulder Brook on the National Historic Registry List sent me a package a few years ago that contained a photo of Jackie sitting on the mounting block that I used every day for years. It's burried in a broken filing cabinet and when I can get someone to rebuild it, I'll find it, scan it and post it for you all. I think it was the 1950's. I was there from 1964-1971.

[CA ASB]

My mom was on the same show circuit when she was still "Bouvier." Since you all have such fond memories, I won't share mom's :eek: ... they were very different.

[LegoMyMego]

My mom was on the same show circuit when she was still "Bouvier." Since you all have such fond memories, I won't share mom's :eek: ... they were very different.

CA ASB - you can share with me via PM if you'd like...I don't mind hearing that she's not perfect, no one is! :lol:

[Jaegermonster]

Wasn't she very young then? I'm sure we have all exhibited behavior on occasion in our younger years that we are less than proud of as adults

[Beverley]

Well, yeah, I know someone who knew her waaay back and doesn't share in the universal adulation. Nobody's perfect! But his stories are entertaining.:)

[lolalola]

Some of you may have been born before Nov. 1963. Despite her own grief, the way she arranged her husband's funeral helped keep this country from disintegrating. If tragedy truly tests character, she passed the test. Years later, she said something to the effect that the American people would forgive her anything unless she ran off with Eddie Fisher. If you understand the context of that remark, you're of a certain age or know too much movie star trivia ...

[CA ASB]

Mom's stories are very entertaining, and let's just say that somewhere along the way she must have been sent to charm school. This was far more than a case of "less than proud of" behavior and more of a radical 180 degree personality change had to happen. :eek:

[00Jumper]

My now-retired 3' horse is named Jackie O, does that count? ;):lol: From what I've seen of Jackie Kennedy-Onassis in the public eye, the name fits my horse perfectly: both strong, classy women that look great in a pillbox hat. :winkgrin:

[Slewdledo]

Here is a very cute photo of her and the kids. http://www.visitloudoun.org/global/images/lcva/kennedy.jpg

[JRG]

I am sure there were times where she was less then "lady like" but so are we all. There are times I look back at my past and cringe a little.

But I love seeing the old pictures of riders gone by. The White House pictures are cool too. Another old great place to visit...is the Biltmore. You can actually eat in the Stables.

Back to Jackie O, She is an Iconic figure and the fact that there are so many pictures of her riding and seeming candid is terrific. You know she just didn't hop on for a picture.

[vbunny]

I used to work for a lady who's mother rode for her family. She still has hand made cards from the young Jackie when her mother broke her collarbone on one of their horses.

[2event4]

Years ago I rode in the Orange County Team Chase, Jackie O competed too. She was on the Best Turned Out Team and that was in the local paper the next week. My Overall Championship win was only mentioned in the results section of the article.

The following year Mrs. O. was the Overall Champion! Her picture with the trophy was on the cover of most local papers along with articles in the Washington Post and New York Times.

My team mate from the past year laughed and mentioned that he noticed that Jackie had been given more press than I had, and then told me it must be because she had married the right men. I then replied to him, that is why I needed the press more than her.

I think it's a fun story, and get a laugh when I think about it!

[SidesaddleRider]

Jackie's last horse, Midnight, is still alive and at her long-time friend and riding partner's farm near Harrisonburg, VA. The lady came up to try one of my horses this summer, and was just delightful. She said Midnight is spoiled rotten. ;)

[pj]

the American people would forgive her anything unless she ran off with Eddie Fisher. If you understand the context of that remark, you're of a certain age or know too much movie star trivia ...
ROFL I understand it!! They never did forgive her either.

[Miss-O]

My now-retired 3' horse is named Jackie O, does that count? ;):lol: From what I've seen of Jackie Kennedy-Onassis in the public eye, the name fits my horse perfectly: both strong, classy women that look great in a pillbox hat. :winkgrin:

Mine too lol

Only my horses name is Jacqueline O and was born the day Mrs. O died. I love the name, my horses personality fits the name perfect too.

Supposedly her breeders (the horse not the women lol) were pretty well to do. I've often wondered if they had some kind of connection to Mrs. O but I will probably never find out.

[Pferd51]

Well, if for no other reason, becoming the wife of a politician with big ambitions might have had something to do with an attitude change.

[riverbell93]

Well, if she did have an attitude change (or at least, faked one), it was very thorough. Of course, the press was more protective back then and there wasn't the same culture of celebrity tell-all there is now, so who knows. I think the crack about Eddie Fisher is telling - she was very cynical.

Wasn't there an edition of Practical Horseman last winter that had an article about Jackie and her horses?