My Soapbox for Equestrian Writings
I’ve written about Sonora Carver and the Steel Pier Diving Horses before (What was it like to ride a diving horse and Don’t try this at home: The diving horses of Atlantic City) but today I came across a video clip that shows Sonora Carver performing her act and includes a very brief interview with […]
Read MoreI went a few years ago and thought it was good but not great. However, the trailer for this new show looks pretty excellent. Perhaps it’s worth giving it another try. I’ve found that with the Cirque du Soleil shows that I like some a lot more than others. Have you seen any of the […]
Read MoreDorothy Herbert (1910- 1994) was a circus performer. She started her career with Duffield’s performance horse troupe in AZ in 1925 but became a real star when she joined Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1930. When she started her career she was forbidden to trick ride because it was considered to be […]
Read MoreI don’t know how you decide that you want to do this. Or, how you actually train your horse to gallop in a straight line while you practice this. Or, how many times the trick went wrong (and what happened) but this is some pretty impressive trick riding. But that’s okay. I’m happy to let […]
Read MoreUPDATE: On February 14th the owners of the Steel Pier announced they had scrapped their plans to bring back the diving horses. One of the main attractions of Atlantic City’s Steel Pier was the diving horses. From the 1920s until the 1978 (yes, 50+ years!) horses ridden by women in swim suits dove from a […]
Read MoreHere are some great equestrian circus performances that you can watch from the comfort of your living room! If you enjoy them, check out the YouTube channel for this Russian circus — they have hundreds of high quality videos.
Read MoreHere’s some lovely old footage of the Spanish Riding School in an outdoor venue. It’s followed by some interesting trick riding and even some footage of what looks to be a child learning how to do circus tricks. Kudos to that last horse for putting up with some of those antics!
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