The monster-sized garbage truck was headed straight for the horse I was riding down busy Columbus Avenue, at the height of evening rush hour on New York City’s Upper West Side. Gears grinding loudly, the vehicle kept chugging toward us as I maneuvered my horse as close as possible to the parked cars along the curb in an attempt to avoid a truck-horse-human collision.
The perpetually rearing wooden horse still stares out the enormous picture window oblivious to the constant bustle of New York City, just as he’s done since 1912. All around him, the world has changed. The once plentiful shops offering equestrian accouterments to clients with names like Rockefeller and Kennedy have disappeared, leaving Manhattan Saddlery as the sole surviving tack shop in the borough.
It was 8:45 p.m. on a Thursday evening. It was dark, wet and cold outside. I had 24 hours until the chili cook-off fundraiser I’d been planning for the Area II Young Riders, and the anxiety was setting in, as it always does before any function I plan.
I was doing my best to balance my time between my full-time job at Sinead Halpin Eventing, my part-time job at Prestige Saddles, my commitment to Young Riders, my part-time job teaching at River Edge Farm, and my personal commitment to fitness.
Braiding Manes And Tails
Charni Lewis
Storey Publishing, 210 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
151 pp. 2007. Color photographs.
$22.95.
Lyric Suite by Marcia Spivak
Marcia Spivak, of Wilton, Conn., has been a passionate horse owner and admirer since childhood. The expressiveness and gestures of her equine companions inspired her to create both small and life-sized horse sculptures out of welded steel.
Glenn Benson, an avid farmer and horseman, died at his farm in Randall, Minn., on May 23. He was 58.
Born in Minneapolis, Minn., Mr. Benson spent his high school years in Arizona before serving as an M.P. in Korea during the Vietnam War. He later returned to Minnesota, where he was an active leader for his children’s 4-H club. He loved farming, animals and spending time outdoors. He also enjoyed breeding Quarter Horses and was proud of his program.
Lester T. “Rad” Hundt Jr., a lifelong horseman, died of cardiac failure on May 27. He was 79.
Born in Newport, R.I., Mr. Hundt began his equestrian career at a young age when he won the leadline class at the 1933 Devon Horse Show (Pa.). He later became an avid follower of the Radnor Hunt (Pa.), from which he earned his nickname.
Eloise “Judy” Molter Lawrence Groves, an accomplished horsewoman from Berwyn, Pa., died on May 31. She was 88.
Mrs. Groves was born in New Orleans, La. She graduated from the Garrison Forest School (Md.) where she began her equestrian career. An avid foxhunter, she hunted with the Radnor (Pa.), Cheshire (Pa.) and Warrenton (Va.) hunt clubs and traveled to Ireland as well.
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