The media and the news aren't full of the best topics right now. We are right there with you when we say it's hard to read them every day. So we wanted to change things up a bit, and share some of our all-time favorite stories. During these unknown times, it has been very easy to get sucked into watching the news nonstop or scrolling through our phones for hours on end. A positive message and distraction is something that we all need right now. Which is why we picked this particular topic for our first blog of the month. To break up the multitudes of articles and blogs you've been reading about the current situation, we wanted to share one about some of the world's most famous literary horses, what their stories are, and what their history is. Sometimes, you can't always find yourself in the comfort of a saddle riding through the best horseback riding trails in Charleston. Sometimes you have to turn the pages of your favorite books, and that's alright. They will be here to keep you happy and comfortable until we can see you again! BLACK BEAUTY By Anna Sewell (1877) There are many of us out there who believed that Black Beauty was a real horse and based on a true story. Some you might still believe that today. With his amazing popularity and renown, it's hard to imagine a world without Beauty, even if he just lives in the pages of our most beloved children's book. Remember too, Beauty is the one telling the story. As much as we LOVE the idea of a real talking horse, they are still just in our storybooks. The book is credited as one of the first major animal stories in children's literature, and we all know why. Beauty himself narrates the story, as we said before, and the book is the story of his heroic life. It is the story of a well-born and well bread horse living in a world before cars and most modern technology that we know today. The amazingly brave, strong, smart and obedient Beauty is sold to a very cruel master, after his happy early years. Under the hands of this cruel master, he collapses from ill-treatment and overwork. Thankfully, Beauty recovers under a new master who loves him dearly and lives an extraordinary life after this rescue. Not only is this a beautiful story, but it was also one of the first to teach the importance of kindness towards animals and about animal welfare. Black Beauty is sited as the most famous horse story ever written and is it is still very popular to this day. It is one of the best selling books of all time, having sold over fifty million copies. There have been multiple TV shows and mini-series, movies, theatrical adaptations, and a musical recording adaptation made by Walt Disney about or inspired by Black Beauty. MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE By Marguerite Henry (1947) This four-part book series was written between 1947 and 1992, inspiring many others to continue the Misty legacy in their own books. Even before many of us read Black Beauty, Misty and the many books written by Marguerite Henry were the first stories about horses we read and fell in love with. The story begins in Virginia in the mid-1900s. The island the story takes place on has become home to several wild horses who came from a Spanish ship that sunk in the 1300s. The horses made their home on the beaches and became wild after being left alone for generations, and have become a staple of this story's little town. Paul and Maureen, our two main characters, want to be apart of rounding up these wild horses to sell or train as the rest of the adults do in their town, but since they are so young they have been allowed to. The famous wild horse, Phantom, has never been caught by anyone in the town and happens to be the prize Paul and Maureen have their eyes set on. Against all odds and through many trials and tribulations, they round up Phantom and her foal, Misty. Paul and Maureen finally gain Phantom and Misty's trust and allow them to be ridden. Paul trains Phantom to race and wins to the pride of their town and their grandparents. Guilty with the knowledge that Phantom wants to run free again, Paul and Maureen let her go, while Misty wishes to stay behind. This beautiful story is a coming of age book in many ways and continues to hold onto this beautiful theme through the full book series. Have you read them all? THE BLACK STALLION By Walter Farley (1979) This series of books was written for the adventurer and daydreamer alike playing make-believe while we were growing up, or for those still daydreaming today. The first book that started the adventure was about a young boy named Alec. While sailing around West Africa, Alec befriends a beautiful stallion on board. When the ship sinks, Alec saves the horse by releasing him from his stall and they swim to a nearby island. When they are finally rescued after forming a very tight bond, Alec insists that his horse be reduced too. They go to America, where after training, the stallion is now called "The Black". The horses are entered into his very first prominent race and wins, breaking a world record while doing so. This incredible book proved that nothing can get in the way of your dreams. The following books in the series are about his three children, his life beyond that of the first book, and introduces many other incredible horses along the way. Even though Black Beauty was sited as the most famous horse story ever written, the New York Times has described The Black Stallion as "the most famous fictional horse of the century." There have been three movie adaptations and one TV adaptation of the book. The first two books in the series, along with the last were all adapted into the three movie adaptations. In total, there were twenty books in the series written over more than 40 years. Some of the books were written by Walter Farley's son, Steven has also written his own Black Stallion novels, which are not included in the original 20 book series. Which one was your favorite? What is your favorite book or story about a literary horse? Is that where you came to find your love of horses for the very first time? Are the pages of these stories where you went you couldn't ride or visit your horse? Are these books ones you've shared with your family or plan to in the years to come? We hope you take comfort in their pages now, and they are getting you excited to ride with us again! When this is all over, we can't wait to take a trail ride with you on the best horseback riding trails in Charleston and in South Carolina!
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Many of us dream of being in the limelight one way or another. Who could have ever thought that horses share that same interest? Or that a horse could help bring their owners into the limelight with their incredible talents and beauty? Here is a little story behind some of the most famous horses and their equally famous owners. Famous people come to the Lowcountry every day. You can walk down King Street in the summertime and spot a star or two, or while you're sitting at your favorite restaurant in town someone famous could be sitting at the table next to yours. With our beautiful beaches, excellent food, amazing horse riding facilities, and perfect weather, Charleston offers the best of the best. More films and TV shows are being filmed in Charleston every year too, and stars of the silver and smaller screens are becoming a permanent fixture in our beautiful city. Beyond the stars that call Charleston their home or their favorite vacation spot, can you name any horse who has become famous on the big screen? Can you name a famous fixture in history who was known to be an amazing horseman or woman? You might be surprised to know there are many in both categories. Many modern celebrities love their horses or fall madly in love with them while working with them on set, but this list offers a little more than just that! Roy Rogers Many think of this handsome horseman as a TV and movie star. Which is 100% correct! Trigger, a stunning Palimino, was hist faithful horse and companion. To this day Trigger has become one of the most famous horses in film history, and Mr. Rogers was not too far behind him. Trigger stood at 15.3 hands tall, and was born on July 4th, 1943 and died on July 3rd, 1965. A child growing up during Trigger's lifetime knew who he was and that he was a cowboy's best friend. This beautiful horse used his fame to inspire so many, and never let stairs or elevators get in the way of a hospital or shelter visit. When he was born, his name was Golden Cloud. He was sold to the Hudkins Stables of Hollywood when he was three years old. This particular stable supplied horses exclusively for the TV and film industry. He appeared in his first film, "The Adventures of Robin Hood", and was ridden by the incredible Olivia de Haviland in 1938. Around the same time, a very handsome young cowboy who loved the movies changed his name from Leonard Slye to Roy Rogers. He chose the name so he could sound a little bit more like the cowboy he was. A real cowboy, now staring in his film, needed the perfect horse. That perfect horse was Golden Cloud. Rogers knew he was his match from the very first moment he rode him. Trigger earned his new name when a fellow actor of Rogers' noticed how quick he was, similar to Rogers' quick draw with a gun. So, he suggested the name, and it stuck. When their first movie together, "Under The Western Stars" made its premiere, one of the most important duos of all time was born. Knowing Trigger's popularity would continue to soar, Rogers couldn't bear the thought of someone else riding him or taking him away. So, he jumped into action and bought Trigger for his own for $2500, a mighty big sum at the time. Rogers paid in installments, and it was one of the best decisions he ever made. The duo soared to success, making one another more famous than they could have imagined. Trigger appeared in all 88 movies Rogers was in and in all 100 episodes of the Roy Rogers show and was a part of Roger's life until he died. He couldn't bear to see him buried, so he was taxidermied and was on display at multiple museums until the early 2000's when the last museum he appeared at shut down. Queen Elizabeth and Burmese The Royal family has been known for their deep love and appreciation of horses for generations. Queen Elizabeth has been one of the most prominent members of the Royal Family who has always loved and dedicated a large part of her life and time to her horses. Thanks to historical TV shows like "The Crown" we have gotten a front-row view of her love of horses and the passion she's had them from the time she was a very little girl. She had her very first pony at the age of three and is still known to ride today at the age of 92. To this day the royal family breeds some of the best horses in the UK, their horses winning almost every race in most recent history. From a very young age, Queen Elizabeth has owned and loved many spectacular horses. The standout of these beauties being Burmese, a stunning black mare that was gifted to her by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 1969. For 18 years, the Queen rode Burmese in the Troping The Color Parade, a parade given in special honor of her birthday. She rode Burmese next to President Ronald Reagan, and she was also riding Burmese when in 1981, 6 blank shots were fired at her during her birthday parade. The stunning horse stood strong for her beloved Queen, who recovered almost instantly and continued riding with her head held high. Burmese was retired in 1986 and put out to pasture at Windsor Castle until her death in 1990. She is buried on the grounds of the castle, which is an extreme honor and a very unique one. The Queen had a statue commissioned in honor of Burmese's life, and today it stands in front of the Saskatchewan Legislature Building in Regina, Canada. This was the providence that Burmese was born. In the UK's history, the Queen has been ranked as one of the top horse breeders. She has also been ranked as one of the highest-profile horseback riding devotees in the world. Burmese was born in 1962 and was trained by corporal Fred Rasmussen. The Queen rode her daily when she was staying at her country house, not just during her birthday parades. She was a stunning sight to see when she was being ridden and is still remembered as one of the most beautiful horses in royal history. Mr. Ed We can't talk about famous horses without mentioning Mr. Ed, of course! This popular children's show stole the hearts of the nation and Mr. Ed was at the center of that love. The TV show focused around the friendship between Wilbur Post (played by Alan Young) and Mr. Ed, his talking horse (voiced by Alan Lane). Mr. Ed was named Bamboo Harvester off the big screen and was a stunning Palomino. The majority of the show is about Mr. Ed offering his best friend, Wilbert, advice on life. More often than not, he got Wilbur in trouble because Mr. Ed would only talk to Wilbur and no one else. The show was popular around the world, and long after it went off the air in 1966. The show aired from 1961 to 1966, and believe it or not, no one wanted to pick up the show at first. It took a year of private backing before it was picked up, but once it was the show was a smashing hit. Bamboo Harvester was born in 1949 and was trained by Les Hilton. Hilton was able to teach him to move his lips every time his hoof was touched. Peanut butter could also be used to get his lips moving so it looked like he was talking. Bamboo Harvester died in 1971 after an incredible life and career. No one knows exactly how he died, many stories are floating around Hollywood about it. The most probable story of them all is that he died from heart failure. A little known fact about the show, one of the most famous film cowboys of all time, Clint Eastwood, was on the show too! There you have it! Some of the most popular horses and their celebrity counterparts of all time. Historically hundreds of horses could be added to this list. Horses have been used from the dawning of time to help conquer, protect, and build civilizations. They have journeyed from building the world to creating a world on the big screen. Who is your favorite TV or Film horse of all time? You never know, the next time you come take a ride at Middleton Equestrian Center, you might be riding the next big star Charleston will ever see! It was such a joy to walk down the honored halls of some of the most famous horses of all time that we couldn't just limit it to one blog. It was hard enough to pick just a handful to celebrate, but it's been such fun to comb through their history and share their stories with you! Happy November, Friends! Have you stopped by to enjoy the cool weather and beautiful foliage on our riding trails yet? It's starting to get chilly - so make sure you come to see us soon! While you are waiting for your next ride, we wanted to continue our history lesson with some of the most famous horses of all time. We are moving forward with Seabiscuit and Seattle Slew! SEABISCUIT This amazing horse was the grandson of Man O' War, one of the horses we discussed in our last blog. Ironically, Seabiscuit didn't show any racing qualities until later in life and was on the smaller side. He was born in Lexington Kentucky on May 23, 1933. Just two years later he made his racing debut at Hialeah Park in Florida on January 19, 1935. Thankfully he was purchased by Charles S. Howard after his first few unsuccessful racing seasons. He lost 17 races in a row before Howard found him with trainer Tom Smith. They found Seabiscuit 200 pounds underweight, exhausted, and in a terrible temperament. He needed rest, relaxation, and to heal before anyone raced him again. That's exactly what Smith gave him, and he came out of his vacation a brand new horse. With the help of Smith and his jockey Red Pollard, Seabiscuit won 11 of the 15 races he entered in 1937. Pollard was a bit of a controversial jockey. He was much bigger than most and was blind in one eye. But both underdogs took to one another right away, and the pair became famous virtually overnight. His popularity soared during the Great Depression and gave the country something to hang on to. He was named Horse of The Year in 1938 and was the champion handicap horse in 1937 and 1938. One of his crowning moments, known as the "Match of the Century", was when he defeated Warm Admiral in 1939 at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. War Admiral was considered the fastest horse of his time, and no one saw this race turning out the way it did. Seabiscuit retired in 1940 and went on to inspire many books, movies, and a major motion picture in 2003 with Toby McGuire, Chris Cooper, and a full star-studded cast. In his six racing seasons, Seabiscuit won 33 of his 89 races with a total winning of $437,730. At the time this was a record for an American Thoroughbred. Just a few days shy of his 14th birthday, Seabiscuit died of a heart attack and is buried at Ridgewood Ranch in California. SEATTLE SLEW This stunning horse was born on February 15, 1974. His owners were Mickey and Karen Taylor and Jim Hill of Tayhill Stable. His parents were Bold Reasoning and poker mare, My Charmer. No one expected much from Slew when he was born, but thankfully someone gave him a chance. The moment he hit the race track, he was a born runner. When Slew was born he was described as ugly, He was an almost all-black bay, something that didn't catch the eye. He had big floppy ears and a very big personality. He was big for his age, and very clumsy when he first started. He needed time to grow into his body, and to learn how to become the powerhouse he was destined to be. He was bought by Tayhill Stable at a steal of $17,500 in 1975. He was then trained by Bill Turner, and under his tutelage Slew learned quickly and had great confidence in his skills. At three years old he made his career debut with jockey Jean Cruguet, who helped him make a 5 length victory at Belmont Park on September 20th, 1977. He went on to win the Triple Crown that same year. Slew was the 10th Triple Crown winner for the United States and the first to complete the series with an undefeated career record. Through his career years between 1976 and 1978, his total earnings were $1,208,726. He had 17 starts, 14 first place wins, and 2 second place wins. Just two months before he was set to retire he defeated the heir to the Triple Crown, Affirmed, in the Grade 1 Marlboro Cup at Belmont Park. After he retired, he sired more than 100 stake winners. He was the only stakes winner to sire a Belmont winner, A.P. Indy, who also sired a Belmont winner, Rags to Riches. At the tender age of 28, Slew passed away 25 years to the day he won the Kentucky Derby. These amazing horses have such inspiring stories to tell. We are inspired by them daily and the legacy they have left behind. We have loved walking down memory lane with you and look forward to the next time we meet. See you at the stables! Just like any Hall of Fame, horse lovers can easily name off some of their favorite famous horses of all time. In this two-part blog post, we will be talking about some of the most famous horses of all time and why they changed the world of horse racing as we know it. Horse lovers through time, no matter their age or background, can name off some of the most famous and important horses of all time. Each one of them will have their own opinions on why they believe their top four or five took those places. But there are a few who always make the top ten list. These beautiful creatures helped change history, shaped the country when they were needed the most, and gave people something to celebrate in desperate times throughout history itself. Even if you've never ridden a horse, we are sure that you could name at least one famous horse. We are going to be celebrating some of these incredible animals and celebrate their legacies!
His owner, Samuel Riddle, was a very private man, and almost decided not to race him. His career was cut short after just three incredible years, and his owner didn't allow him to race in longer events. This included the Kentucky Derby and the other famous races that if he would have won, made up what became known as the Triple Crown. Even still, he established three world records, two American records, and seven track records. He was the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes champion in 1920 and defeated the 1919 Triple Crown winner, Sir Barton, by 7 lengths in 1920. In his whole career, Man O' War lost just one race at the Sandford Memorial Stakes but still came in second. It was a story that haunted his whole career and the rest of his life. He was so popular during his race years, that everywhere he went he had an armed guard protecting him. After he retired into sire life, he produced over 64 stake winners and 200 champions. One of his offspring sired Seabiscuit, who we will be talking about in our next blog! His total record earnings when his career came to an end was $249,465. Which during a time of war, was pretty incredible. After his death, he laid in state for several days as thousands came to pay their respects to the incredible horse. He is now buried at the Kentucky Horse Park. Who is your favorite famous horse of all time? We still have a few more horses to introduce you to, but those will have to wait until next time! |
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January 2021
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