Something you'll come across on occasion in parts of Brazil (I've seen it mostly in the state of São Paulo) is parade tack made of brass rings. Here is an example of a breast collar, being shown to me by a student at the Universidade do Cavalo, in Sorocaba:
The Campolina is a popular saddle horse breed from Brazil, most commonly found in the states of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro. It is a gaited breed, tall and lean, with a distinctive "banana nose,**" quite large ears, long neck and sloping croup. It is ideal for long distance riding, and famed for its pleasant temperament and comfortable gaits. They are also used for general ranch work.
A group in Great Britain which is trying to raise funds and awareness to create an official Museum of the Horse in that nation is undertaking a special ride. According to their announcement "Caroline Baldock and her two companions will be riding some of the ancient Canterbury pilgrim's road" at the end of September. The three day journey will be used to raise funds towards the Museum of the Horse, a project they have been promoting for some time.
I've been intrigued by the variety of methods people use to keep horses in one place - that is, variations on tying or confining them. The styles vary with the lifestyle and landscape, and each method has advantages and disadvantages. Some are based on the obvious necessities of the environment: for example if trees are hard to find, then wooden fences or buildings won't be your first choice; if you move around a lot, nomad-style, then you will probably use something lightweight and moveable, like a tether, to keep your horse nearby. Depending on where you live, some of these methods may seem very normal, and others quite unusual!
I posted briefly before about Angela Swedberg, an artist who makes beautiful Plains and Plateau Indian clothing, horse gear, and other items using historically accurate methods and materials. To my delight, Angela is featured in the September 2010 issue of Cowboys & Indians, one of my favorite magazines. The article is from an interview I did with her about her work. Copies are in the stores now: get one if you can, it's a beautiful 2-page spread with lots of photos!
In talking to her for that article I discovered that she is not only an artist, but also a horsewoman. I asked her to tell me about her personal experience with horses, and more about the meaning and function of the fantastic horse masks, such as the horse in the photo above is wearing.
I just love this photo of my gelding running in his paddock on a sunny day:
He's looking more confident and mature than he did on the day he arrived!
My friend Angela Swedberg introduced me to fellow beadworker Al Zammataro, who recently attended the annual festival of Sant'Alfio in Sicily. The story and photos he shared with me are unbelievable and should be quite an eyeful for those of you interested in unusual horse adornment!! The full set of photos follows in the rest of the post.
A new film, currently in production, takes an inside look at the world of Escaramuza. Escaramuza means "skirmish", and the riding combines an unsettling blend of pretty girls in fancy clothes riding sidesaddle with fast-paced, heart-pounding drill team maneuvers. It is really a unique tradition!
I spoke to filmmaker Robin Rosenthal about the making of the film - read on below to see what she had to say about how she got into the world of Escaramuza and some of the challenges she and her husband faced in making the film.
Escaramuza: Riding From the Heart is looking for financial support to complete the editing and marketing of the documentary. The deadline for pledging your support is July 16th! Even small amounts are helpful. You can view the trailer and find out more about pledging to help support the completion of this unique documentary by using the widget below:
