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Tuesday, May 29 2018 / Published in Weekly Feature

Diane Roth Combines Horse Sense With Fashion Sense

Diane and her Lusitano stallion, José
Photo by Mimi Forer

By Dani Moritz-Long

Horse. Of the millions of words in the English language, this was Diane Roth’s first uttering — a word, mind you, that completely perplexed her urbanite parents, who found the equestrian term to be nearly as foreign as a word spoken in an entirely different language.

Nonetheless, despite her parents’ confusion, horses became a lifelong passion for Diane, who grew up happily horse-obsessed.

After her first ride at 6 years old, her passion for all kinds of horses continued to mount. She dabbled in hunters and jumpers, competed in 4-H with a Morgan pony named Peter Pan and yelled “tally-ho” during foxhunting trips in the Northeast.

As an adult, Diane found a talent for and love of dressage when a friend connected her with Olympic dressage rider extraordinaire Lendon Gray who, after evaluating Diane’s potential, took Diane under her wing. Fondly calling dressage a mind game, Diane says she quickly found joy and peace through the sport, as well as kinship with Lendon.

Diane Roth
Photo by Mimi Forer

“It’s great for discipline,” she said. “You’re so in-tune with the horse on so many levels.” Laughing, she added that dressage is also much easier on her body than some disciplines of choice from her younger years. “When you’re young,” she said, “you bounce. When you’re old, you break.” So nowadays, Diane prefers the grace of dressage maneuvers to the youthful exhilaration of jumping.

Furthermore, Diane explains, dressage is undeniably good for the soul — which is why she doesn’t mind the early mornings she spends with her gorgeous Lusitano stallion, José. Each day, after her morning coffee, she arrives at the barn at 6:30 a.m., when she says the only humans to be found are “me and the mucker.”

“You can see the sun coming through the trees as it comes up,” she said of her early-morning rides. “You feel so close to God and nature, and you have to focus. It clears your brain.”

This calming effect is perfect for the busy professional, who, when she isn’t at the stable, is busy running her business, L’Armoire in New Canaan, Connecticut.

Fashion Sense
Her business, which has been operational for more than 30 years, is a destination boutique devoted to dressing women for every occasion, from the Oscars to equestrian banquets and everything in between. Her favorite events to dress women for, though, are — hands-down — derbies, like the world-famous Kentucky Derby. “That’s a riot,” she said, alluding to the grandiose hats the races are famous for.

No matter what she dresses women for, though, Diane simply loves the impact fashion can have on someone’s confidence. “If you make a woman look her best,” Diane said, “she can conquer the world.”

Oddly enough, unlike with Diane’s love of horses, her passion for fashion didn’t come early on. In fact, she said, she was quite the tomboy and only fell into fashion when she discovered an aptitude for it while working retail.

“I studied economics and political science,” she said. “I got out of college and needed to eat. I got into retail, and discovered a talent for dressing people.”

Today, some of her favorite styles are equestrian-inspired looks, and fashion designer Maggie Norris, who often employs equestrian style, ranks among her favorite designers. Faux riding boots, slim pants that resemble riding breeches, riding jackets, white blouses with stock ties and equestrian jewelry are all among her favorite components to a well-put-together outfit for anyone looking for classic elegance.

“If you think of a well-dressed dressage rider, it’s a unisex look — classic and elegant,” she said. “Hunter and jumper is the same thing.”

Ironically, she says, her fashion sense doesn’t entirely translate to her personal riding attire. “At the barn,” she said, “it’s down-home classic.” But, she admits, she likely has the best cashmere sweaters and scarves at the stable.

Her horse, on the other hand, is always dressed in his best. “He’s so handsome,” Diane said. “He needs to look good. He thinks he’s Fabian from the cover of a romance novel.” Thus, you’ll find José sparkling in the ring with rhinestone-studded tack.

Fortunately, Diane says, Lendon — who is also a client of Diane’s — doesn’t mind the star-studded look. “I amuse her,” Diane laughed, “which is why she still trains me.”

From her boutique, L’Armoire in New Canaan, Connecticut, Diane loves to dress women in hats for derbies, including the Kentucky Derby.

Giving Back
As if riding seven days a week and attending to her fashion business wasn’t enough, you can also find Diane giving back to her community — something that was instilled in her from a young age.

“My father said to us when we were growing up, ‘Don’t give time and money randomly. Pick a couple of charities and go all in with your time and money, and make them ones you believe in.’”

Inspired by her father’s words of wisdom and her passion for horses, Diane donates her time and money to the New Canaan Mounted Troop, a non-profit organization that offers character-building horsemanship and equine care programs for youth in Fairfield County, as well as a therapeutic riding program for the physically and mentally handicapped of all ages.

Explaining her passion for working with the mounted troop, Diane commented that “horses center you and give you an appreciation of life and taking care of something. I think everyone should grow up with animals and learn to take care of them. It teaches you empathy and the cycle of life.” Plus, she said, it’s a much better use of time than staring at computer screens.

Currently, Diane serves on the board as the gala chair. In doing so, she helps the troop organize fundraisers, which are vital to the program’s sustainment. Derby parties, complete with fanciful hats, are among some of Diane’s favorite events.

Diane with Simon, a 2 year old Chinese Shar Pei
Photo by Venture Photography

Aside from volunteering with the New Canaan Mounted Troop, you can also find Diane — who is an all-around animal lover — volunteering with Puppies Behind Bars, an organization that teaches prison inmates to train service dogs for wounded war veterans and explosive detection law enforcement units.

No matter what you find Diane working on — whether she’s schooling before the sun rises, dressing clients for success or planning galas — one thing is constant: Diane loves life and you can almost always find a smile on her face.

“People take things too seriously,” she said. “Life is short; make it fun. How lucky are we to have horses?”

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Tagged under: dani moritz-long, Diane Roth, dressage, fashion, l'armoire

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Sports Psychology column🐎 By Margie Sugarman I Sports Psychology column🐎
By Margie Sugarman

I just bought a new horse. I think he’s amazing, but I miss the feeling of just “clicking” with my old horse. I know that it takes time to grow that connection, but do you have any tips that can help me be confident and in tune with my new horse in the short term?

You kick off your sneakers and realize that there’s a big hole in the sole of one shoe. Well, you’ve had them for quite a while and have worn them everywhere, from hiking to riding. They’ve served you well but it’s time for new ones. (It’s time to move on to a new horse.) You turn on your computer and order a new pair. You wait in anticipation. You’re excited, they’re cool looking. (He’s pretty!)

Upon arrival, you quickly open the box and slip your feet in. They’re great sneakers, but they aren’t as comfortable as the pair they’re replacing. They don’t bend as well—the sole is stiff. They don’t feel as comfortable—they have to be broken in. They don’t fit like the others did—the old ones were so well molded to your feet. (He’s a new ride, a different ride. He needs some suppling work.)

Of utmost importance in the human/horse relationship (especially the ones with the strongest bonds) is the horse looking to their owner as the leader and respecting their personal space. This important dynamic comes from groundwork—no matter what discipline you’re involved in. Just as it is with friendships, there needs to be respect. Respect is developed when one is on the ground and not mounted.

The things you do might seem small, but if done consistently and in a positive way, the results are huge. The confidence and trust you develop between the two of you will carry your relationship to wherever you want it to go.

To read Margies full column click the link in our bio! Never miss an article by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine 🦄

Photo by Ali Kelman

#psychology #mentalhealth #love #therapy #mentalhealthawareness #anxiety #motivation #psychologist #selfcare #mindfulness #selflove #life #mentalhealthmatters  #mindset #wellness #meditation #inspiration #mind #Sidelinesmagazine
Breeding season is underway at Iron Spring Farm! W Breeding season is underway at Iron Spring Farm! We're proud to offer exceptional modern Sporthorse stallions, with wonderful temperaments and quality gaits to North American breeders.
 
Among our stallions are Cum Laude and Kaiman. Cum Laude (Apache x Weltmeyer) is a winning FEI horse and sire of quality dressage horses, breed show champions, and offspring scoring 9.0s on gaits.
 
Kaiman (Dark Pleasure x Gribaldi) earned high scores at his stallion testing and in the young horse classes. He's also the sire of a Licensed Oldenburg stallion. Kaiman's first North American foal crop is arriving now and they are gorgeous!
 
If you're looking for top international bloodlines please check out our 2023 stallion collection, now available fresh, frozen, and by the dose.

Among our stallions are Cum Laude and Kaiman. Cum Laude (Apache x Weltmeyer) is a winning FEI horse and sire of quality dressage horses, breed show champions, and offspring scoring 9.0s on gaits.

Breeding season is underway at Iron Spring Farm! We're proud to offer exceptional modern Sporthorse stallions, with wonderful temperaments and quality gaits to North American breeders.

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❗️George Williams column❗️ The FEI World ❗️George Williams column❗️
The FEI World Cup Final in Omaha is coming up quickly. That means that it’s starting to heat 
up as the end of the qualifying period for both the Western European League (WEL) and the 
North American League (NAL) nears. I started to write this column before the Amsterdam CDI- W, and I was using the FEI Ranking List from January 15 as a reference. As I sit down to finish 
my column, I’m now looking at the results from Amsterdam. While the list of the top contenders 
for the WEL hasn’t changed, they’re definitely moving around on the ranking list. The WEL has 
three more legs, as they’re referred to: Neumünster February 16–19, Goteborg February 23–26, 
and ’s-Hertogenbosch March 9–12, and they could change things dramatically.
Looking at the top 12 athletes from the WEL as they were ranked on January 15, there are five 
from Germany, three from the Netherlands and one each from Great Britain, Denmark

➡️Read Georges's full column by clicking the link in our bio, and never miss an article by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine 🦄 

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Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N strike gold in Gre Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N strike gold in Great American $300,000 Grand Prix at HITS Ocala!! 🏆🥇

Crowds filled the stands at the HITS Ocala Grand Prix Ring on Sunday afternoon to watch the world’s top athletes compete in the Great American $300,000 Grand Prix. The day concluded with a thrilling five-horse jump-off featuring athletes 
representing four countries. In the end, it was Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA) and Ivaro N who produced the only double clear effort of the day, claiming one of the biggest wins of her career. Scott Keach (AUS) and Noble De La Chapelle earned the second-place prize with the fastest 4-fault jump-off, while Aaron Vale (USA) and Obi Wan placed third as the day’s pathfinders.

“I'm still on cloud nine, I still can't believe it – I’ve used up all my luck for the year,” smiled Goldman-Smolen after her win. “I've been knocking on the door a long time in these bigger classes. I am so proud of my horse – he gave every ounce of effort.”

Sunday’s Great American $300,000 Grand Prix marked the conclusion of the 2023 HITS Ocala circuit. HITS CCO Joe Norick concluded, “We are so excited about the new HITS, with 2023 as the launch. New footing, many new arenas here, and a lot of our facilities across America are getting a lot of love and new footing. Our partnerships with Worldly Martin and others across America including our footing leader Bart Poles overseeing our operations – it really makes a big difference for us. Today is about Ocala and these three riders sitting next to me who supported us this entire winter. We want to be a proud destination for our exhibitors and our friends. We know we have to provide them a beautiful showplace to work from that's horseman friendly, and that's our go goal. 

Congratulations to all of the riders, horses, owners, and groom who participated in this prestigious class!!! 🎉
📸 @esi_photography 
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