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Wednesday, September 15 2021 / Published in Sidelines Feature

Boy-O-Boy Bridleworks Helps Riders Show Their True Colors

Amanda Smith Hood

Washington, D.C.

Owner, founder and designer of Boy-O-Boy Bridleworks 

How long have you been part of the horse world? How did you get started?  

I grew up in New York City, but was always totally horse-crazy and kept bugging my parents for a pony. My mom and dad thought it was important for me and my siblings to get out of Manhattan on weekends and in the summer, so while I was growing up we were always lucky enough to have a country house. Even now, one of my all-time happiest memories is of Christmas when I was about 5—I couldn’t believe my eyes when a horse van pulled up and out came my very own pony! Macaroni had belonged to my cousins until they outgrew him a few years before. Mac and I had many trail rides and swims together, a first horse show and first jumps, a few falls and lots of hanging out together. After I outgrew Macaroni, I showed in the pony hunters and also did some foxhunting and eventing in Upstate New York.

I didn’t ride much when I was in college, but not long after I graduated, my dad died and my mother was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, where I started riding again. I foxhunted a lot, rode friends’ horses and helped gallop the polo ponies who lived down the road every chance I got. After my mother gave me a great Irish mare, In Clover, I really fell in love with show jumping and never looked back.

What part do you play in the horse world and how did you get there? 

I own Boy-O-Boy, a small equestrian strap goods company inspired by traditional ribbon browbands. I make all the items—browbands, belts, dog collars and leashes—myself, by hand. The company is named after my retired jumper, Boy-O-Boy, who lives in Middleburg, Virginia, so I get to visit him all the time.

I loved the colorful ribbon browbands I saw on horses and ponies when my mom and I lived in Ireland, but I never seemed to be able to find them in tack shops—typically, Irish kids learn to make them in Pony Club. When I came back to the U.S., I started making them for my own jumpers, starting with Boy-O-Boy. People used to see me on Boy-O-Boy at shows and ask where I got them, so I started offering to make them for their horses. One Christmas I made matching belts for friends and then began getting requests from their friends. Eventually, stores started calling, too.

Up to that point, I’d been a working historian and writer, but I suddenly found out I had Lyme disease. After I started getting treated for the crippling joint pain and fatigue, I took some time off from writing and my husband encouraged me to go to England to study with a master saddler. In England I learned not only how to cut and sew leather, but details like how to pick out the best hides and hardware and stitching. I’d been curious for a while about learning to work with leather and make and repair tack, especially since more and more people were asking me to make ribbon browbands and belts for them. Funnily enough, Lyme gave me the chance to get out and do it.  

What’s your favorite thing about what you do? 

As a historian, I’ve always been fascinated and moved by the ancient partnership between people and their horses. As a maker, I love being part of a longstanding tradition of crafting items for horses and their riders. As a rider myself, I just love horses.

Boy-O-Boy browbands, like all the items I make, are part of an age-old tradition of using colors in association with equestrian pursuits from medieval knights wearing the colors of their liege lord to modern racing silks, eventers’ cross-country colors and barn, hunt and polo team colors. I certainly use plenty of the muted, earthy tones that have been the mainstay of the traditional equestrian palate since the Victorian age, but I also work with much more vibrant, modern color combinations, especially in my custom work. Hence Boy-O-Boy Bridleworks’ tagline, “Show your true colors.”

 What are your goals for the future?

I’d like to branch out of the horse world and launch Boy-O-Boy among non-riders.

 What’s the best thing about your life?

I’m very lucky to have a wonderful family—a great husband, two beautiful children, and a sister I get to ride with—along with two hilarious bull terriers and, of course, my beloved horses. I also ride in Upperville, Virginia, and show my Dutch Warmbloods, Dealbreaker, a.k.a. Zack, and Vavoom, who goes by Timmy, in the Amateur Owner Jumpers.

Best kept secret about you?

I’m a Harvard-trained historian who’s published a couple of books about American history.

Photos by Shawna Simmons Whitty, unless noted otherwise

Double D Trailers Info

Tagged under: boy-o-boy, Boy-O-Boy Bridleworks

What you can read next

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Selling Your Horse Through a Broker
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It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is. It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is...

 ✨PF'S DIAMO BLUE✨
Diarado-Diamant de Semilly- Chacco Blue
17.0hh, Oldenburg International Hunter Derby/ Jumper Stallion
An outstanding Pedigree- Chacco Blue and Diamant de Semilly
WBFSH/ Rolex top ranking Jumping Sires 2017 thru 2022
Standing at Ryan Pedigo Sport Horses, in California

For more information, you can contact 
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☎️(714) 357-2714

You can find ALL of the stallions featured towards the back of the magazine in the equestrian gallery. Keep a look out EVERY Sunday for a new handsome STUD muffin🧁 and don't forget to subscribe to get your very own edition of Sidelines Magazine, the magazine for horse people, about horse people 🦄

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Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses—in a way, she was born into her career. She grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where her parents ran a farm. Her mother taught, and her father had a jump business and then created one of the first horse show software programs: Ryegate Show Services, Inc.

Riding all her life, Annette spent many years as a groom and loved it, but knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do as a career. After she finished college, Annette’s father recruited her to help process entries at Ryegate. Since her father, Lloyd Longenecker, founded it in 1981, Ryegate has provided show management and office staff for some of the largest shows in the country. Now, Annette has taken over from her father and directed the company as it focuses on managing memberships and rankings for organizations such as the North American League, WIHS Championships and Equitation, Rolex/USEF Computer Ranking and National Medal Series (THIS NCM and Ariat NAM). Ryegate also provides scoring software for use with video walls, and production teams for hunter and jumper shows.

“Besides running Ryegate Show Services and its various organizations, I can be found in the show office, running a scoreboard or judging jumpers at most shows,” Annette said. “I love getting to wear a few different hats at the show.”

When she’s not busy at a show, Annette lives in Annville, Pennsylvania, with her “fur-baby,” Maggie Mae, and enjoys spending time with her many godchildren. Though she doesn’t currently own any horses, Annette rides when she can at Rolling Acres Farm with Patty Foster, Ashley Foster-Worthington and Mary Lisa Leffler.

Read this month unbridled with Annette Longenecker by clicking the link in our bio. Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine! 🦄
📸Photo by Sheryl Sutherby

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A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself The spor A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself 
The sport of eventing is a demanding and mentally challenging discipline that requires a combination of physical and mental fortitude from both the rider and horse. While having a coach can be incredibly beneficial, self-coaching can also play a crucial role in a rider’s success.

I think that given the opportunity, most riders would like to be coached every day. The reality of life in the horse world, however, is that the majority of us need to absorb as much from the lessons we have on a limited basis and then practice those skills at home to improve.

When I am riding, I try to have a plan for the horses each day and focus on what I’m looking to achieve. It’s important to be aware of the steady improvements rather than trying to solve everything all at once. This is especially important when teaching horses new movements or exercises that they might struggle with, and we need to give them time to learn and understand what we are asking for.

I have a couple of quotes that I use regularly when I’m teaching, and these are mottos that I hold myself to in my daily work as well.

The first is, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” This is a quote that was said to me many years ago when I was still motor racing and I keep it in the back of my mind each day. It’s easy to get stuck doing the same thing every day with your horse and bad habits are hard to break, from both riders and horses!

This leads me to my next quote, which is, “If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.” It really is as simple as that! Many riders I see keep asking a horse to do something the same way over and over with an ongoing negative response and they wonder why things don’t get better. In these circumstances, I recommend that the rider change something, even if it’s wrong.

Read the full article by clicking the link in our bio! Don’t forget to keep your eye out for our April subscription!
📸Photo by Alex Banks Photography
The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here and we are so excited to feature three-day eventer Liz Halliday on the cover! Big thanks to photographer Melissa Fuller for the beautiful photo of Liz and Cooley Nutcracker- Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing. Liz and her horses have taken the eventing world by storm - and find out how Liz is at the top of the sport as a female eventer! As the horse world gears up for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2023, it's the perfect time to enjoy our eventing issue!! We also feature eventer and woman entrepreneur Frankie Thieriot Stutes, who is not only an eventer, but also runs Athletux and FRANKIE CAMERON handbags and accessories. And don't miss our eventing story on Robert "Bobby" Costello, who will be leading the US Eventing team to the 2024 Paris Olympics- and US Equestrian has named Bobby the eventing technical advisor/chef d'equipe!! Liz, Frankie and Bobby all have GREAT stories - don't miss any of them and don't forget to get your tickets for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day event! We are also excited to introduce you to hunter-jumper rider Casey Lorusso Smith, who is not only a talented rider but also a psychotherapist and incorporates horses into her career. If you are up for adventure, then read the story on dressage rider Priscilla Baldwin who certainly doesn't let any grass grow under her feet! We also head to the west coast to catch up with hunter-jumper trainer Jim Hagman of Elvenstar Farm, we feature beautiful art by equestrian artist Tammy Tappan, and we get to know Miranda Jones and her family. Miranda is not only an attorney who spends a lot of time in the courthouse, but she's a rider and spends lots of time riding, and is joined by her daughters also! We are excited to feature Stephanie Lightner in our Unbridled column, and don't miss our columnists George Williams, Robert R.L. Jacobs and Margie Sugarman! It's a great issue - and you can read it online, but don't forget to go to the website and order a subscription and get every issue delivered to your mailbox!! Enjoy this issue and enjoy the ride: Link in bio!!
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