If you are a fan of the PBS hit series Downton Abbey, then join us for a very proper June is Horse Month!
Learn about the art of riding sidesaddle and the history of foxhunting. Meet presenter Tracy Brennan and her horse Beau, and learn about the very elegant British riding habit for women. Plus, listen to a panel of experts discuss the importance of the Standardbred horse industry to Monmouth County.
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The programs will be held at the Eastern Branch Library in Shrewsbury and Monmouth County Library Headquarters in Manalapan. Be sure to check the Library’s calendar of events at www.monmouthcountylib.org for special June is Horse Month movie selections.
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Each year, the Monmouth County Library celebrates June is Horse Month. Please join us in celebrating New Jersey’s equine culture and its contributions to the Garden State’s rich heritage.
June is Horse Month Library programs include:
Meet Beau and Learn about Riding Sidesaddle
11 a.m. Saturday, June 8
Eastern Branch Library, 1001 Route 35,
Shrewsbury 07702
1-886-941-8188
Join Tracy Brennan and her horse, Runnin’ Robbo (a.k.a. Beau), outside the Library for this program. Dressed in a period riding habit, Tracy will teach us about the progression of women’s riding styles through the ages. The bond between the rider and the horse will come to life as Tracy demonstrates riding sidesaddle.
After the demonstration, Beau will welcome carrots, words of praise, and photos with the audience. In addition, children will be able to mount stationary saddles to experience different riding styles: English, Western, and Side Saddle. Rain date is June 15.
The World of Foxhunting
7 p.m. Wednesday, June 12
Eastern Branch Library, 1001 Route 35,
Shrewsbury 07702
1-886-941-8188
Who can forget the foxhunt in Downton Abbey when Lady Mary rode sidesaddle dressed in an elegant riding habit? Tracy Brennan will take us back in time to the early 1900s and explore the sport of foxhunting as it played out in the days of Downton Abbey. Dressed in a period costume, Tracy will explain the design and function of each piece of the riding habit. She will also recount the history of foxhunting, explain the roles of the participants, describe the equipment, and teach us about the significance this sport played in the Edwardian social scene - particularly for women and explain how foxhunting is practiced today.
Enjoy her presentation while you indulge in some of the goodies that Mrs. Patmore, the head cook at Downton Abbey, would have prepared for the guests attending the Crawley foxhunt.
Standardbred Horse Panel Discussion
and
A Visit from Indy
7 p.m. Monday, June 17
Library Headquarters, 125 Symmes Drive,
Manalapan 07726
732-431-7220
A special panel on Standardbred Horses will discuss the importance of the horse and the equine industry to Monmouth County.
The panelists include:
-- Harriet Honigfeld, Administrator, Farmland Preservation Program, Monmouth County Planning Board
-- Sam Landy, Esq., President, Open Space Pace
-- Tom Luchento, President, Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey
-- Dr. Karyn Malinowski, Director, Equine Science Center, Rutgers University
The moderator of the event is: Dr. William Sciarappa, Rutgers University - NJ Agricultural Experiment Station.
Before the panel begins on June 17, there will be a visit from Independent Act, a.k.a. Indy, a retired Standardbred racehorse who will be outside the library to greet well-wishers with his handler Suzanne D'Ambrose, a member of the Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization, from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m.
In addition, enjoy photographs from the collection of the Monmouth County Archives depicting equestrian sports in Monmouth County. The exhibit will be on display from June 1 – June 28 in the Eastern Branch lobby. The Eastern Branch would like to thank Gary Saretzky and the staff of the Monmouth County Archives for their assistance with the production of this display.
The Eastern Branch meeting room will also display the horse-themed photography of Amy Greer during the month of June.
For more information on programming at the Monmouth County Library, please visit our webpage at www.monmouthcountylib.org
