Is it a Tablet Kinda Christmas? Get These Great Horse Books in Digital Format!

December 14, 2012

Is someone you know getting a tablet for the holidays? Treat your horsey-and-tech-savvy friends right with a few of TSB’s bestselling books in digital format! The following titles are available in Kindle and eBooks!

These are some of my personal favorites this last year: (not in any particular order either)

Ride Horses with Awareness and Feel: The New Dressage Training System from the Dutch Olympians at Academy Bartels

Believing in Horses

Off Course: An A Circuit Novel

Masquerade (Canterwood Crest)

How Good Riders Get Good: Daily Choices That Lead to Success in Any Equestrian Sport by Denny Emerson

These are some other great books:

The Seven Deadly Sins of Dressage by Douglas Puterbaugh with Lance Wills

Academic Equitation: A Training System Based on the Methods of D’Aure, Baucher and L’Hotte by General Decarpentry

Clinton Anderson’s Downunder Horsemanship: Establishing Respect and Control for English and Western Riders by Clinton Anderson with Ami Hendrickson

The Complete Guide to Hunter Seat Training, Showing, and Judging: On the Flat and Over Fences by Anna Jane White-Mullin

Dressage for the Not-So-Perfect Horse: Riding Through the Levels on the Peculiar, Opinionated, Complicated Mounts We All Love by Janet Foy with Nancy J. Jones

Aspiring Writers Want To Know… Who Won The HorseGirlTV® Guest Blogging Contest?

November 21, 2012

I love to write. I’m actually writing my very first novel (one of many I have pages and pages of notes on) at this time and it’s turning into a juicy series actually! Spicy, drama loving horse peeps stay tuned!

I also love to share and give back however I and HorseGirlTV can. I remember long ago when I was first sending out submissions to magazines, yes we snail mailed submissions back in the day. It became a ritual to keep all my numerous rejection letters and they built up to become a sign of that little train chugging its way to the top of the mountain reciting, ‘I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.’ and well… now?.. ‘I know I can. I know I can. I know I can.’ so it was with that in mind that we decided to offer a guest blogging spot on my blog here at HorseGirlTV.

What I didn’t imagine is that we would receive SOOOOOO many amazing submissions and ideas from fans and viewers around the globe! The collection and the ideas were impressive! We narrowed them down to finalists who have been emailed and ALL the finalists have an opportunity to write a contributing guest blog here on HorseGirlTV! So we will all get to share in their wonderful stories! Yeah!!!!

We will be drawing the winner from our finalists and I will be announcing the winner, uh, ahem, now! Drum roll please. (insert drum roll in your mind here please, tehe). The winner of the HorseGirlTV Guest Blogging Contest and recipient of an awesome journal from the wonderful folks at Barnby Notes is – Marsha Stone! Congrats!!!

Marsha is a carriage driving, tour guide in Florida and wants to share a tale or two about the many hours she and Gary (her horse) spend together and the unusual experiences they share as they trapse through the old city at night together.

Again congrats Marsha and congrats to all our finalists too! I, and I know the fans & viewers, look forward to reading your tales and exciting blogs in the near future.

AND a Happy Thanksgiving to all of you stateside!

JoJoSox – The Absolute Best Boot Socks EVER!

October 19, 2012

I train 6 days per week usually with the off day doing some ground work + guaranteed stable work. This daily grind is tough on socks, especially boot socks so when a fan recommended (Thanks Sarah F!!!) I check them out I was quite excited. I contacted Joanna, who is one of the Jo in JoJoSox, to find out more about their range, checked out there website and have been putting several pairs of their sox to the test these last few weeks.

Of course I understand the importance of function for horsey peeps but I also lean towards fun fashions as well! SUCCESS on both counts with JoJoSox! The range is diverse, colorful, yet classic and therefore unique to whatever style you might consider stylish. I have not put a better boot sock on my foot so function abounds. The toe fit is PERFECT, the heel DOES NOT slip and the most important to me… the socks stay up and comfy whether on the inside or outside of my breech. I’ve only been with these particular pairs for a few weeks now but one can tell how well a product is going to manage the repeat washing and wearing and these have all held their own through 5 washes so far. Yes… these are the only boot socks I’ll wear now so they get washed a few times per week!

These lovely ladies to the right are their BAMBOOTZ option! They are made using sustainable, organic Bamboo pulp, are softer than cotton with a texture similar to that of silk. Thin, but also durable, with a reinforced heel and toe, their BAMBOOTZ are naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic. They are also quick to absorb moisture, keeping your feet dry and odor-free making them the perfect year-round socks for keeping you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. What I find wicked awesome about these are the silk feel with the contour foot hugging comfort that you can’t find in a silk sock! Check these out at http://www.jojosox.com.

These sexy little hot rods are called Oregon Zebra. Now I’ve lived in Oregon and I haven’t seen any native zebras there. In fact I’ve never saw a zebra in Oregon ever BUT I find the name adorable and if there was an Oregon zebra breed out there, I’m sure it would have such a hot and vibrant yellow! These are in their tall sock range and are made from using moisture-wicking, performance fibers. These socks can absorb and transport tremendous amounts of moisture away from the feet. Perfect with tall boots, or for playing sports, these socks are virtually seamless with no excess bulk anywhere. Seriously… there’s no bulk and they cradle your heel, arch and toes with no bunching whatsoever! Have a gander online at http://www.jojosox.com.

These are perfect for wear while attending The Hampton Classic, Dressage at Devon, watching Downton Abbey (bites nails… will Matthew and Lady Mary marry??) or whenever you generally would like to feel very, very high brow while simultaneously enjoying the comfort of a modern sock! Their traditional argyle is dubbed Color Me Proper!

What more to ask for in a sock. The best function! A menagerie of style and all packaged with the most hip, cute, and clever names! Plus their price point is fair retailing around $20 each!

So if the sox fit… Well, I’m gonna most certainly wear them! Cheers!

Horse & Academy Magazine

October 19, 2012

I was interviewed for the latest issue of Horse & Academy magazine and it’s a really fun piece. A huge thanks to them for the interest!!! I’ve put in a screenshot as a teaser!

Lovin’ The New Alexus Range By SmartPak

October 11, 2012

I’ve been privy to enough new product launches, tried and tried again new-to-market fashions and understand the great importance of not only riding top but looking top in the process (this means if you have a brown saddle you better be darn sure you’re sporting a brown girth and bridle!) thus I feel compelled to share a happening new range from the folks at SmartPak dubbed Alexus complete with the hip byline aesthetic, athletic, alexus! Schweet!

The Alexus Hybrid Jacket is a nice tailored fit without being too tight and the contrasting black sides are slimming too. The zipper is über quality easy flow up the front as well as zips on each pocket. The pocket zips are great for people like me who are fortunate enough to ride a massive moving horse, hence, without the zips items tend to bounce out.

The Alexus Full Seat Breeches are shopping market and out-in-town ready with nice wide belt loops, a super smooth comfy fit and a full seat that doesn’t need adjusting once you’re in the saddle. Just get on an go, no hiking up of breeches required here! I have the tan with espresso full seat and the contrast is fabulous. My favorite bit is oh so small but oh so cute – the accented stitching on the back belt loop.

A big factor for me when choosing apparel for training is the smartphone-ability. Can my mobile fit in the pocket? The answer is yes. It slides in sideways with ease and anything smaller than an iPhone won’t have an issue either. Most often I need the extra grip provided from the full seats but SmartPak does make a rocking Alexus Knee Patch Breeches as well.

I give a big two hooves up and props to SmartPak for stepping out with their own apparel range! Check them out when you have a chance and please feel free to send me your feedback or post comments here if you’ve tried this range yourself! I’d love to hear your thoughts too!

Remembering Jonathan Wentz

October 1, 2012

The equestrian world mourned the loss of talented para-equestrian competitor and ambassador to the sport yesterday with the passing of Jonathan Wentz.

Jonathan had recently returned home from London where he was a member of the US Paralymic Team. Jonathan finished fourth overall aboard Kai Handt’s NTEC Richter Scale and helped guide the US Team to their seventh place overall. Jonathan was the highest placing American equestrian for the Paralymics but likewise the highest placing overall for Olympic and Para combined!

Jonathan was no stranger to international competitions having competed at World Championships, Paralymic Games, National Championships, and World Equestrian Games. Not only a talent in the saddle, Jonathan was tirelessly dedicated to the sport having served on the Youth Council with USEF representing para-equestrians as well as on their Technical Committee.

Jonathan was studying at SMU in Texas who’s mascot was, of course, a horse!

Please take a moment to reflect on the life of this talented and ambitious and tireless young man who helped bring about such keen awareness of para-sports helping to popularize them stateside. I was fortunate enough, thanks to Evin R, to have Jonathan on HorseGirlTV.

I send my condolences to his family, trainer, team mates, NTEC Richter Scale and the many more people who’s lives he’s touched. I was looking at his website earlier today and it clearly states ‘One boy. One horse. One dream.’ It’s with that I’m so thankful for him that he was able to live his dream and represent his country before passing on. May you rest in peace Jonathan.


Remember Jonathan Wentz, 1990-2012.