If Wishes Were Horses: Horsemanship

Balthasar Carlos, as painted by Velázquez. A modern rendering of Elizabeth I’s speech at Tilbury, featuring Cate Blanchett and a very pretty palfrey. Marie Antoinette rides astride, dashing in leopardskin and yellow silk, and Catherine the Great eschews a side-saddle for another equestrian portrait. If you can’t resist the chance to read Dick: The Memoirs …

How to Buy a Sidesaddle on eBay

As the title has it: a detailed and very useful set of guidelines for purchasing sidesaddles on eBay complete with photos and some nuggets of historical detail. The author trots out not only in high Victorian rig, but also in Tudor and seventeenth century-stylee – in the Duke of Newcastle’s menàge, no less.

Continental Fancies

Some suggestions of names for horses from A New Method  and Extraordinary Invention to dress Horses, And work them according to Nature; As also, to perfect NATURE by the Subtilty of ART; Which was never found out, but by the Thrice Noble, High and puissant PRINCE William Cavendishe (1657): Bonissimo Grandissimo La Petite Barbe L’Amour …