LATEST ARTICLES

From the Publisher | December 2022
Headlining this special edition is an extensive illustrated equestrian biography which documents Queen Elizabeth’s life in the saddle beginning in 1931 and ending in 2022. I am also proud to reveal the creation and publication of the extensive Shakespeare Equestrian Collection. In keeping with the celebration of all things royal,...

Honouring Her Majesty: An Equestrian Biography of Queen Elizabeth II
By CuChullaine O’Reilly F.R.G.S. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II mounted on Imperial. The first equestrian portrait of the Queen showed her wearing the Uniform of the Scots Guards. It was painted in 1963 by Leonard Boden. Few lives have been filled with so many enormous events. When Queen Elizabeth ascended...

The Royal Stables, aka the Royal Mews, and the Origin of its Name
By Dr. Paula Sells, HRL Guest Author When asked to think of the famous monuments in England’s ancient capital famous names spring to mind including Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the Tower of London. As is often the case, horse history is overlooked. That is why many people are unaware...

The Shakespeare Equestrian Collection
"Shakespeare in the Saddle" by Long Rider artist Katie Cooper. The use of this specially commissioned and copyrighted image is prohibited without prior written permission. Any violation will be strictly and immediately enforced. By CuChullaine O'Reilly F.R.G.S. When asked to describe William Shakespeare, most people recall the sculpture that depicts...

Shakespeare and Horses: Facts and Findings
By CuChullaine O’Reilly F.R.G.S. Queen Elizabeth 1 was an avid rider and a fan of Shakespeare’s plays.During the years in which the Shakespeare Equestrian Collection was being assembled, world-wise equestrians, highly literate scholars and knowledgeable citizens of many countries unanimously expressed wonderment when told that William Shakespeare and horses were...

Shakespeare and Literary Long Riders
By CuChullaine O'Reilly F.R.G.S. Let me ask you a question. What do these six men have in common: Jonathan Swift, Lord Byron, Charles Darwin, Oscar Wilde, William Somerset Maugham and Graham Greene? If you answered, "They are all famous English authors" you would be partially correct. If you neglected to...

Across the Heart of Europe
By Louis Hall, HRL Guest Author The facts are obvious. Scottish Long Rider Louis Hall pioneered the first modern equestrian trail from Italy to Spain. The journey took 110 days to complete, with 84 days spent in the saddle. Louis rode 2,789 kilometres (1,733 miles). It was the spiritual dimension...

The Earth Light Ride
December 9, 2022/Guest Author By CuChullaine O'Reilly F.R.G.S. After completing his journey across Europe, Scottish Long Rider Louis Hall is preparing to ride "Ocean to Ocean" across the United States. His route will take him from Florida's Atlantic to California's Pacific. He said, "I aim to travel across America by...

The Tack Room: An Astonishing Book
By Bonnie Folkins, HRL Guest Author There is a steady stream of predictable books that cater to the latest fad in the horse world. This book breaks the rules by being the first to explore a vital part of equestrian history that tottering is on the edge of extinction. Dr....

The Royal Rides of the Royal Family
By Barb Godwin, HRL publisher Though Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth was a renowned equestrian, she was also an enthusiastic motorist who learned to drive while serving as a trained mechanic in the British Army during the Second World War. Seen driving to a 1956 polo match, the monarch loved the...

This Ain’t My First Rodeo…
Born Clarence Van Nostrand in St. Louis, he changed his name to Tex Austin and left home to seek adventure. Recognizing the appeal of competitive rodeo, Austin produced the first indoor rodeo in Wichita, Kansas in 1918 and went on to create successful shows at Madison Square Garden and in...