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Wednesday, January 13 2016 / Published in Weekly Feature

The Bottom Line: Happy Riding Year!

By Jan Westmark

Jan, right, on Oreo and her daughter, Abby Westmark, on Doc. Riding at the Red Horse Mountain Ranch for a week gave Jan the itch to ride as often as possible during 2016.

Jan, right, on Oreo and her daughter, Abby Westmark, on Doc. Riding at the Red Horse Mountain Ranch for a week gave Jan the itch to ride as often as possible during 2016.

It’s 2016, which for many people means it’s time to make their New Year’s resolutions. I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions — probably because I don’t keep them. Sometimes when the New Year rolls around I decide to stop eating chocolate because I’m the first to admit I have a serious chocolate addiction. But then I realize that life without chocolate is difficult (and ridiculous) so that resolution only lasts a few days — or hours.

This year, however, I am making one New Year’s resolution — to ride more often during 2016. I’ve been horseless for a while, which doesn’t work well. As most horse people know, once you’ve been bitten by the horse bug your life changes forever and a horse becomes a necessity.

Jan’s horse Oreo is easy to spot. Look for the black horse by himself toward the right of the photo. Photo by Anne Joubert

Jan’s horse Oreo is easy to spot. Look for the black horse by himself toward the right of the photo.
Photo by Anne Joubert

Toward the end of 2015, I went to the Red Horse Mountain Ranch in Idaho, a fantastic dude ranch that gave me a great taste of the West. And it rekindled my desire to ride more often. (Don’t miss my full story on my dude ranch trip to Red Horse Mountain Ranch in an upcoming issue.)

The ranch assigns each guest a horse for the week, and I was thoroughly smitten with my big black horse named Oreo. He would make a wonderful amateur hunter or foxhunter, and I spent several days trying to figure out how to bring him back to North Carolina with me. Oreo was willing to lope along the trails as calm as could be, even as other horses galloped wildly past him. (You can’t call it cantering when you’re riding the rocky Idaho trails.)

Abby feeding carrots to Oreo.

Abby feeding carrots to Oreo.

One big difference between riding in Idaho and in Wellington, Florida, where I used to live, and even in North Carolina where I live now, is in Idaho the ground is very rocky. And the trails go straight up and straight down and are covered with large rocks. The terrain didn’t bother Oreo; he just picked his way along the trails while I clung to the saddle and gasped at the views and the giant drop-offs on either side of the trail.

When I returned from the ranch, I spent several weekends at the Tryon International Equestrian Center. If that doesn’t spark the desire to ride again, nothing will. The show is filled with one gorgeous horse after another and it certainly kept my itch to ride alive.

So here’s to a New Year filled with horses and riding. I wish that for everyone — whether it’s riding your own horses, riding a friend’s horses, taking lessons or maybe just working alongside horses — I think 2016 is the perfect year to get back in the saddle. And stay there. Happy New Year!

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Tagged under: 2016, abby westmark, dude ranch, jan westmark, new-year, red horse mountain ranch, the bottom line

What you can read next

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Marie Meyers has been around the world because of Marie Meyers has been around the world because of dressage, but it’s her farm in Moorpark, California, that has captured her heart. The farm and the business that thrives there represent Marie’s lifelong journey—a journey made up of good friends, spectacular horses and relationships made to last.

Marie was raised in Southern California, and spent her childhood playing just about every sport under the sun, but she didn’t discover riding until she was 14 years old. “I loved animals so much, so I started taking lessons. I did jumping at first, but I was very bad at that, for sure!” Marie laughed.

After some time, Marie moved on to take lessons at Foxfield Riding Academy and began riding dressage. “I fell into dressage by accident,” Marie said, “At the beginning, I thought it was extremely boring, but then I got hooked. By the time I graduated from high school, I had plans to travel to England to work for Franz Rochowansky, a former head of the Spanish Riding School.”

In 1988, Marie’s hard work paid off, and the pair was selected as alternates for the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. “They didn’t take the alternates that year, so we didn’t go to Seoul, but the experience, the training and the European Tour afterwards set me up for the 1990 World Equestrian Games in Stockholm, Sweden,” Marie said.

In addition to having success representing her country, Marie was busy with her life—marriage, a business, teaching lessons and clinics. 

Learn more about Marie in this month's edition of Sidelines Magazine. Click the link in our bio for more 🦄

📸Photos by Lindsey Long Equine Photography, www.lindseylong.com

#dressage #equestrian #horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #dressagehorse #equestrianlife #showjumping #horseriding #equine #pony #pferd #instahorse #dressur #horselove #eventing #equestrianstyle #cheval #dressagerider #horselife #horselover #pferde #love #riding #jumping #pferdeliebe #horseofinstagram #horsebackriding #paard #dressurpferd
We are starting a ‼️new series‼️ here on o We are starting a ‼️new series‼️ here on our socials where we share some of the lovely stallions, and their breeders featured in each month's magazine. Our first feature on this #STUDSunday is...

 ✨ALVESTA OWAIN✨
Thistledown Arctic Lore x Alvesta Fairy Lustre
13.1hh, Welsh section B
Stud Fee $750 (plus collection)
AI only and EVA negative
Fairfield, VA

Contact Cheryl Maye at (703) 431-9096 for more information
https://www.mayeshowponies.com/more-info/stallions

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 🦄

📸  SAS Equestrian
‼️ROB JACOBS COLUMN‼️ The purpose of this ‼️ROB JACOBS COLUMN‼️

The purpose of this month’s column is to help the young equestrians of our sport develop and maintain healthy friendships within the industry. Cultivating healthy relationships with other members within the industry is not as easy as one may think. As a young equestrian, it may be difficult navigating friendships at the barn and at horse shows. Typically, kids have friendships within the barn they ride at but also friendships with others from different barns in their area. 

Initially, it may seem as though making other friends in the sport would be easy and ideal; after all, there is the common interest of horses. However, because of the natural therapeutic benefits of horses, the sport has a history of attracting all types of people, with a wide range of personalities. This can be both an advantage and a drawback. We are now in an era that acknowledges the growing need to discuss and manage one’s mental health. 

One thing I have learned is that we are likely to notice mental health challenges at an age younger than most people may think. Some of the friendship dynamics I have observed over the years have caused me to pause and really think about the future of our sport. Without looking for a source to blame for the cause of this, i.e. social media, parents, school, teachers, etc., I think if all adults involved worked to encourage, affirm, love, and respect our youth, the likelihood of them developing authentic friendships with their peers may increase.

Both humans and horses were designed to have connected relationships. These relationships allow a greater sense of security when one experiences challenges in life. Cultivating the quality and authenticity of these relationships requires intentional work. 

Thank you Rob for providing your helpful insight on developing healthy relationships. Check out his tips in his column you can find in the link in our bio.
Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine🦄 

Photo by Blenheim Equisports

#horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #horseriding #equine #hunterjumper #equestrianlife #horselove #dressage #sidelinesmagzine
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