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Horse Riding Equipment Belfast

Riding for Kids Book $17 ‘Riding for Kids’ by Judy Richter includes subjects including Stablecare, Equipment, Tack, Clothing, Longeing, Lessons, Jumping, and Showing. Horse Book.

Equipment Sack – Odor Neutralizer $16.2 Fresh Helmet, Equipment, and Boot sacks were designed with athletes in mind! These sacks works to soak up moisture and neutralize unpleasant odors caused by everyday use! After each ride, simply toss your helmet sack into your helmet, your equipment sack into your tack trunk, and your boot sacks into your riding boots or shoes and you will have Fresh, dry, and odor free helmets, equipment, and boots the next time you ride! Once a month or so, regenerate your fresh helmet sack by microwaving it on low for 2 minutes (remove it every 30 seconds and give it a good shake) or sit it in the sun for 12 hours (you can leave it on the dash of your car while mucking stalls or hand grazing your horse)! Don’t forget that you can use these at home too (for example, in your tennis shoes, cowboy/cowgirl hat, gym bag, near cat litter boxes, etc)!

The Riding Lesson Coloring Book $7 A Horse Book read-Along Coloring Book About Riding Lessons.

Mounting Step For Horse Riding $58.4 2-Step Mounting Block with built in handle. Durable, weather proof and easy to move

Sportote Step For Horse Riding And More $119.3 Sportote 3-step, ideal for mounting, grooming or any other barn or household chore. Third step opens up as a storage compartment and is lockable

Weaver Leather Draft Horse Riding Bridle – Dark Chocolate – Regular Draft $75 Draft Horse Riding BridleThis 1 doubled and stitched dark chocolate skirting leather browband bridle features 7′ reins and a snaffle bitSingle-ply throat latchFeatures double cheek buckles and chicago screw bit endsNickel plated hardwareColor: Dark ChocolateSize:  Regular Draft

A Parents Guide to Riding Lessons $15 Every parent hopes to experience the thrill of seeing a child discover an activity she loves, and then watching as that interest unfolds into a lifelong passion. But when a child adores horses above all, these joys are often dampened by anxiety, especially when the parent knows little about riding. The questions can be overwhelming: How does one begin to find a qualified riding instructor? Just how expensive is this hobby? And most important will my child be safe?Parents searching for answers will find relief in A Parents Guide to Riding Lessons, by Elise Gaston Chand. A former horse-crazy child born to horse-clueless parents, Chand is today both an accomplished horsewoman and the mother of a horse-crazy daughter. Her vantage point allows her to get to the heart of parents concerns, then offer the information, instruction, and peace of mind that they desperately need.With its engaging been there voice, A Parents Guide to Riding Lessons combines the instant appeal of an impulse purchase with the practicality and depth of content of a thorough guide. Parents will snap up the book for its clear, reassuring voice, then refer back to it often for its quality answers and information.A Parents Guide to Riding Lessons gives busy parents an overview of horseback riding and lesson progression. It translates the strange language of horse enthusiasts, explains horse show etiquette, and addresses specific ways that parents can help children stay safe in and out of the barn. Along the way it offers practical advice, tips, and step-by-step guidance through an array of challenges that parents can expect to face.

Finishing Touch Finishing Touch Horse Head With Stone On Riding Crop Gold $10.95 HORSEHEAD WITH STONE ON REINS ON CROP STOCK PIN-GOLD FINISH 1 15/16 X 5/8Finishing touch takes a great deal of pride in offering a high-quality product at a low price, and they stand behind their products. Finishing Touch is a 34-year-old Lexington Kentucky corporation located in the heart of Horse country and Horse Jewelry is their specialty. Finishing Touch Jewelry is all costume jewelry and is plated in either durable karat gold or imitation rhodium (gives a nice silver finish without the problem of tarnishing) over white metal or brass. Many items are manufactured right in Nicholasville, KY. Jewelry from The Finishing Touch of Kentucky withstands the test of time when cared for properly.

Finishing Touch Riding Crop With Horse Head Pin Gold $11.95 HORSEHEAD WITH REINS ON CROP STOCK PIN-GOLD FINISH 1 15/16 X 11/16Finishing touch takes a great deal of pride in offering a high-quality product at a low price, and they stand behind their products. Finishing Touch is a 34-year-old Lexington Kentucky corporation located in the heart of Horse country and Horse Jewelry is their specialty. Finishing Touch Jewelry is all costume jewelry and is plated in either durable karat gold or imitation rhodium (gives a nice silver finish without the problem of tarnishing) over white metal or brass. Many items are manufactured right in Nicholasville, KY. Jewelry from The Finishing Touch of Kentucky withstands the test of time when cared for properly.

Mountain Horse York Sox $13.5 An Innovative combination of cotton for comfort, nylon for durability and Lycra for a snug fit. This knee-high riding sock, with argyle pattern and Mountain Horse embroidery, also offers a smooth toe seam and a terry cushioned foot bed for arch support and all-day comfort. Material: 85% cotton, 13% nylon, 2% Lycra

The Horse Show Coloring Book $7 By Pat Young, illustrated by Polly Carbonari. Read-along coloring books that teach kids about riding lessons and trail riding. 40 pages.

Weaver Rayon 15-Strand Horse Cinch $20 These traditional favorites are great for all riding needs. Horse size features woven-in dees for tie down strap and back cinch attachment. Nickel plated hardware. White with brown accents.

Weaver Rayon 17-Strand Horse Cinch $21 These traditional favorites are great for all riding needs. Horse size features woven-in dees for tie down strap and back cinch attachment. Nickel plated hardware. White with brown accents.

Devonaire Monaco Riding Helmet $54.9 The Monaco is perfect for those beginner horse shows. Provides a classic, traditional look with modern helmet safety technology. Exclusive vent design provides maximum air flow and circulation.The chin strap has a quick snap buckle for easy on-off. Removable cushioned head liner is washable. Meshed covered vents keeps out dirt and debris. Devon-Aires famous dial adjustable retention system ensures a comfortable and secure fit. Reinforced retention anchors keep the sizing system in place. SEI approved to ASTM F1163-04a standards.

Easycare Horse Boot Studs $8.5 These boot studs are designed for durability and ultimate traction, and are great for riding on ice, mud or turf. Four studs per boot are recommended, but more may be used. Studs come complete with installation instructions, and can be used in all sizes of EasyCare riding boots. Note: Studs come in regular and long sizes. For the Easyboot line, regular studs can only be used in size 4 and smaller boots, due to increased sole thickness. Order long studs for boot sizes 5-7 in the Easyboot line, all sizes of the Easyboot Grip, all sizes of the Boa Horse boot, and for all Old Macs styles. Sold in sets of four (4).

Mountain Horse Team Jacket $75 The classic Mountain Horse barn jacket will protect you from nature’s nastiest elements. Waterproof, windproof and breathable. Fully seam-sealed. Detachable, adjustable hood. Two-way ront zipper with storm flap, riding vents in back, adjustable waist, underarm zips for quick ventilation, four outside pockets, two inside pockets. Outer Shell: 100% Polyester. Lining: 100% Polyester.

Mountain Horse York Sox Jr. $13.5 An innovative combination of cotton for comfort, nylon for durability, and Lycra for a snug fit. This knee-high riding sock with argyle pattern and Mountain Horse embroidery, also offers a smooth toe seam and a terry cushioned foot bed for arch support and all-day comfort. 85% cotton, 13% nylon, 2% Lyrca

Old Mac’s Horse Boot G2 $122.8 Every Old Mac’s horse boot has a unique hi-tech performance outsole, incorporating the unique Hoof Suspension System. The specially developed Thermo Plastic Urethane (TPU) compound will minimize and help speed up recovery from concussion-related injuries. If your horse suffers from any of the following – arthritis, pedal bone fractures, jarred shins, navicular disease, ringbone, knee fractures, laminitis (founder), bruised soles or hoof walls and scalping from overreaching an Old Mac’s horse riding boot will benefit your horse. Aimed at improving your horse’s soundness, well-being and performance, these boots will extend your horse’s working life!When used during transport, Old Mac’s will eliminate the problem of your horse throwing a shoe in the trailer. When you arrive at your destination, your horse will be ready to work. Old Mac’s protect your horse from bulb and tendon damage, as well as hoof wall and sole bruising. Their exceptional traction will help prevent slipping on the loading ramp and offer increased confidence inside the trailer. Please note that the use of boots over shoes voids the wear warranty.You can protect both the stallion and mare against kicking injuries during breeding by fitting Old Mac’s Multi-purpose Horse Boots. The unique outsole design will also significantly improve traction during serving. Our equine friends often suffer skeletal structure injuries due to losing their footing on greasy or hard surfaces. This sudden hyper-extension of the limbs can cause serious spinal, joint and/or ligament damage. Riders, too, are often injured as a result of a horse losing its footing and falling on its rider. The traction offered in Old Mac’s unique hi-tech performance outsole helps ensure a safe ride for you and your horse.

Tough-1 Kid’s Embroidered English Riding Gloves $10.7 Synthetic leather palm/fingers for superb feel and durability. Spandex back for comfort and airflow. Quick grip closure back with embroidered english horse.

TuffRider Smart Riding G’s G-String Underwear $4.95 Made with ultra soft cotton fabric, these g-strings offer exceptional comfort for the active rider. Attractive horse head design on front.

Old Mac Hoof Horse Boots $139.4 Every Old Mac’s horse boot has a unique high-tech performance outsole, incorporates the unique Hoof Suspension System. The specially developed Thermo Plastic Urethane (TPU) compound will minimize and help speed up recovery from concussion-related injuries. If your horse suffers from any of the following – Arthritis, Pedal bone fractures, Jarred shins, Navicular disease, Ringbone, Knee fractures, Laminitis (founder), Bruised soles or Hoof walls and Scalping from overreaching an Old Mac’s horse riding boot will benefit your horse. Aimed at improving your horse’s soundess, well-being and performance, these boots will extend your horse’s working life!Offer your horse the necessary support and confidence needed during transportation and wear Old Mac’s Multi Purpose Horse Boots. Using Old Mac’s may also prevent injury to the coronet which impedes hoof wall growth and results in permanent scarring of the hoof wallOld Mac’s will eliminate the problem of your horse throwing a shoe – when you arrive at your destination no matter your discipline your horse will be ready to work. Avoid lower limb injuries. Old Mac’s protect your horse from bulb and tendon damage, hoof wall & sole bruising. Old Mac’s exceptional traction will help prevent slipping on the loading ramp and offer increased confidence within a trailer. Please note that the use of boots over metal shoes voids the boot’s wear warranty.

Easyboot Grip Horse Boot $68 Unrivaled TractionThe Easyboot Grip is essentially the Easyboot Epic with an aggressive sole and traction tread pattern. The Easyboot Grip is ideal for the barefoot horse ridden in soft muddy conditions or wet grass and snow surfaces. The aggressive traction pattern provides better grip on these surfaces but should never be used on dry surfaces or hard surfaces.The Grip should be used in soft soil conditions or soft wet grass and snow surfaces only! Although the Easyboot Grip provides increased traction in slippery conditions, riding horses in wet, muddy and soft conditions is dangerous and should be done at your own risk.Available in sizes 0, 1, 2 and 3 only. Sold individually.

Miniature Horse Western Saddle Pad $21.9 This classically designed saddle pad is sized just for the miniature horse. Features soft fleece underside, wear leathers at the appropriate places, and a fun southwest design. Measures approx. 19 x 19. The perfect pad to fit all of your mini’s western riding activities. Design may vary slightly but it is a Tan Southwestern design on each pad.

The Green Guide for Horse Owners Book $20 Many horse lovers are looking for ways to make their facilities more environmentally friendly and to practice greener riding habits. The Green Guide for Horse Owners and Riders takes a clear look at current horse-care practices and provides green alternatives for day-to-day horsekeeping – both for the property owner who keeps dozens of horses and for the rider who rents a stall in someone else’s barn.Property owners will find extensive information on building and renovating barns that use environmentally friendly materials, fit well into surrounding ecosystems, and work best with available water resources and prevailing weather conditions. All horsekeepers will appreciate the chapters that address the constant challenges of responsible pasture rotation and manure management.There is plenty here for the concerned rider, too. From avoiding toxins in feed, fly sprays, cleaning products, and medicines to practicing good trail-riding etiquette, anyone who spends time with horses will find simple and rewarding ways to be kinder to the earth. Paperback , 231 pp.

Hawthorne Ladies Huntley English Riding Shirt Long Sleeve Cotton $39.95 Huntley Cotton Riding Shirt Fine Cotton broadcloth fabric Embroidered horse design Tail is longer to prevent pull-out which can occur while riding Shorter front so there is less shirt tail to tuck in Comes with two chokers with hidden buttonhole to button to shirt to keep choker in place Straight back yoke with pleats gives added shoulder ease Imported Pins or monogram not included

Tucker Pleasure Trail Bridle – Brown with Brass – Horse $78.75 This Tucker design is made just like our Plantation Headstall except the cheeks and crown are only 5/8 wide double stitched construction. It is a great bridle for pleasure riding. Horse size. Crown 21 1/2, Cheeks 10, Noseband 23, Throat 38.Color: Brown w/BrassSize:  Horse

Easyboot Glove Horse Boot $50.6 This form-fitting, seamless boot hugs the hoof and responds like a natural foot. Flexible and tough, this boot adds traction to the hoof, while allowing a free stride and breakover.Like a glove, this boot provides protection without stifling mobility. The Easyboot Glove material stretches over the hoof and clings to the wall so that debris stays out of the boot even through sandy and muddy conditions. No external hardware means that there is no need to worry about replacing cables. Studs are available for winter riding.Does your horse overreach? These boots have a faster breakover and no hardware to catch on the front heel if you are wearing them on hind feet. This boot must be carefully sized and fitted to the hoof. Your horses width and length must fall into the same size category. If your horses width and length fall into two different size categories you must choose another boot style. If you believe that you measured correctly but the boot doesnt fit tight try going to a smaller size or chose another boot in the EasyCare line.Sold individually.

Miniature Horse Nylon Training Surcingle – Brown – Miniature Horse 40.5-53.5 $24.9 Finally a training surcingle small enough for the Mini’s! This classic training aid is constructed of durable Nylon webbing w/ Felt padding. Nickel plated Dees correctly positioned for maximum equipment attachment possibilities. Girth adjusts on both sides. A must have item for any training or lesson barn. Great way to start the young Mini or give a tune up to a seasoned veteran.Color: BrownSize:  Miniature Horse 40.5-53.5

Finishing Touch Riding Crop Pin Imitation Rhodium $7.95 CROP STOCK PIN-IMITATION RHODIUM FINISHFinishing touch takes a great deal of pride in offering a high-quality product at a low price, and they stand behind their products. Finishing Touch is a 34-year-old Lexington Kentucky corporation located in the heart of Horse country and Horse Jewelry is their specialty. Finishing Touch Jewelry is all costume jewelry and is plated in either durable karat gold or imitation rhodium (gives a nice silver finish without the problem of tarnishing) over white metal or brass. Many items are manufactured right in Nicholasville, KY. Jewelry from The Finishing Touch of Kentucky withstands the test of time when cared for properly.

Easyboot Trail Horse Boot $54.1 The Easyboot trail is the easiest hoof boot in the world! This boot opens up completely to slip on and off most hoof shapes and sizes. The rear double velcro attachment protects the entire hoof wall and keeps the boot firmly in place. Front shield protects the area that takes the most abuse. Proven tread design handles a wide range of conditions. Recommended for medium-distance riding of up to 25 miles per week. Great for a pleasure rider or the backcountry rider!

Mountain Horse Devon Jacket $143.1 Our classic barn jacket will protect you from natures nastiest elements. Fully seam-sealed, the Devon Jacket is waterproof, windproof, and breathable. Detachable, adjustable hood can be folded into the collar. Additional features include a two-way front zipper with storm flap, adjustable drawstring waist, ventilation zippers under front and back yokes, riding vents in back, fabric zipper pullers, reflective piping on front and back yoke, mesh and taffeta lining, and multiple pockets. Material: 100% polyester

Easyboot Rx Horse Boot $50.6 The Easyboot Rx is just the prescription for horses requiring a therapy boot that offers stability and support without being heavy or clunky.Veterinarians, hoof care professionals and horse owners alike rely on the Easyboot Rx to help horses heal and recover quickly. It provides support and relief for horses suffering from chronic lameness, laminitis, founder, navicular and other lower limb/hoof problems.The Rx is an excellent choice for those horses that simply have difficulty standing on hard surfaces for extended periods of time. The boot can be used to speed recovery and offer protection after surgery or injury, lessen fatigue and add protection during trailering as well as offer a safeguard in the breeding shed.The sole of the Easyboot Rx is a combination of durable and soft material, much like that used in human orthotics, in a light weight package. All seams and edges of the upper are rounded for safety. Three air vents provide air circulation keeping the hoof cool while preventing the accumulation of dirt and debris. Each boot comes fitted with an EasyCare Comfort Pad to provide immediate relief and additional sole support. Replacement comfort pads in three densities are available at a very affordable price.Application is quick and easy. The unique upper of the Easyboot Rx folds down and opens large enough to accommodate the wide base of a hoof, allowing for quick application without strength or force. After the hoof is placed in the Easyboot Rx, two hook and loop tabs are fastened to provide a secure fit. A quick pull on the hook and loop tabs and the Easyboot Rx is easily slipped off the hoof. Each boot has a double hook and loop lock system that prevents the boot from opening unintentionally.The Easyboot Rx is not intended for riding but can be used for light turn out.Sold individually.

Robart Robart Pinchless Walking Horse Bit – 5 $52.5 Robart PRECISION Bits have patented internal springs that allows the port to return to a neutral position quickly upon dropping the rein, giving immediate reward for correct behavior. Great for shoulder control and keeping a lower head set. Why a Pinchless Bit? A horse is a flight and fight animal. If the bit is hurting the horses mouth he is going to respond with fight or flight. Neither of these responses are condusive to training, competing or riding. Take the pain away and you instantly modify their behavior and response to your instructions. The Pinchless bit swivels at the bars, rather than relying on the center link to swivel, eliminating the possibility of pinching the tongue. Also it gives a more consistant and immediate signal to your horse, so his response time is reduced, with less pressure. If a horse is not new to the bit and is still gapping his mouth, excessive mouth movement or tossing his head, you will want to try a pinchless bit. Using a pinchless bit on a young horse will prevent inflicting pain, keeping the experience less streeful, resulting in easier and improved learning for the horse. Great for walking and all gaited horses. Tongue is not trapped! Smooth ball action allows horse to swallow and relax his face. More gait control.Size:  5

Finishing Touch Riding Crop With Horseshoe And Stone Gold $10.95 HORSESHOE WITH STONE ON CROP STOCK PIN-GOLD FINISH 1 15/16 X 9/16Finishing touch takes a great deal of pride in offering a high-quality product at a low price, and they stand behind their products. Finishing Touch is a 34-year-old Lexington Kentucky corporation located in the heart of Horse country and Horse Jewelry is their specialty. Finishing Touch Jewelry is all costume jewelry and is plated in either durable karat gold or imitation rhodium (gives a nice silver finish without the problem of tarnishing) over white metal or brass. Many items are manufactured right in Nicholasville, KY. Jewelry from The Finishing Touch of Kentucky withstands the test of time when cared for properly.

Finishing Touch Riding Crop Pin Gold $8.95 CROP STOCK PIN-GOLD FINISH 1 15/16 X 1/4Finishing touch takes a great deal of pride in offering a high-quality product at a low price, and they stand behind their products. Finishing Touch is a 34-year-old Lexington Kentucky corporation located in the heart of Horse country and Horse Jewelry is their specialty. Finishing Touch Jewelry is all costume jewelry and is plated in either durable karat gold or imitation rhodium (gives a nice silver finish without the problem of tarnishing) over white metal or brass. Many items are manufactured right in Nicholasville, KY. Jewelry from The Finishing Touch of Kentucky withstands the test of time when cared for properly.

Mountain Horse Venture Jacket $175.5 Finally, a jacket for your most strenuous riding activities – under all conditions!Features: Waterproof, windproof, breathableFully seam-sealedDetachable, adjustable hoodWaterproof two-way front zipperAdjustable drawstring at hemHead-set wire system to accommodate MP3 players and mobile phonesReflective detailingMultiple pocketsMaterial: 98% polyester, 2% spandex

Mountain Horse Stella Polaris Winter Boot $197.1 At Mountain Horse we are passionate about providing riders with superior quality products, innovative designs and features to keep you warm and comfortable, allowing you to enjoy your time outdoors. Our newest Mountain Horse winter boot is fashionably chic as well as functional, meticulously designed for a comfortable fit and superior traction on ice and snow. The durable, quilted PU upper boasts membrane technology making this boot 100% waterproof up to the start of the zipper. Heat insulating faux fur to keep legs, feet and toes warm. Strong and durable YKK zipper in the back makes the boot easy to put on and take off. Unique side elastic for an individual fit. Reflective inserts along back of boot for night riding. Ergonomically designed removable EVA insole with soft Nylex lining. Built-in steel shank for increased stability while walking or riding. Faux leather foot part is waterproof and has been tested to withstand one million flexes in -10 weather. Specially slim and contoured designed outsole made especially for riding. Dirt repellent tread zones on bottom of sole enhance your grip in the stirrup. Heel part is fitted with shock absorbing IPS system. Material: PU-Leather/Extensiz. Lining: Faux Fur.

Mountain Horse Legacy Parka $247.5 Our most durable and roomy barn jacket. Waterproof. Breathable. Unstoppable.Features: WindproofFully seam sealedSoft and warm faux fur liningDetachable, adjustable hood with removable faux fur trimArticulated sleeves with pre-bent elbowsTwo-way front zipperTwo-way side seam zippers for quick ventilation and riding comfortAdjustable elastic strap in waistNeoprene cuffs and hook and loop strap at wrist for an adjustable fitTwo zipper front hand-warming pockets, plus five other pockets

Mountain Horse Winnipeg Jacket $215.1 Bundle up for winter weather in the most comfortable combination ever durable Taslon Shiny on the outside, soft and warm faux fur on the inside. Breathable, windproof and waterproof. Fully seam-sealed. Detachable, adjustable hood with excellent sideways visibility. Double riding vents at back. Two-way waterproof front zipper. Waterproof pit zips. Articulated sleeves with pre-bent elbows. Reflective trim details on front, arms and back. Elastic strap in waist and sleeve for an adjustable fit. Pockets: Two front and one chest pocket with waterproof zippers and one internal security pocket. Outer Shell: 100% durable polyester Taslon Shiney. Lining I: 100% polyester fuax fur. Lining II: 100% polyester satin. Insulation: 100% fiberfill, 140g body/100g sleeve.

600 Denier Waterproof Horse Sheet $54.9 This sheet is great for that sudden rain shower at the show, camping, trail riding or just out in the pasture. This sheet is made of 600 Denier waterproof nylon with a 70 Denier lining. It features shoulder gussets, adjustable leg straps, double buckle closure front, crossed surcingle belly and tail flap.

Synthetic Gaited Horse Round Skirt Trail Saddle $266 A lightweight synthetic saddle made to fit todays gaited horses. Round skirt for short coupled horses. Great for everyday riding or trail riding. Features tough nylon synthetic skirts and fenders, handsome leather jockeys, pommel and cantle, rounded skirts for freedom of movement, nylon tie straps, reinforced stirrup bars, blevins style quick change buckles, saddle strings and tie rings, padded leather stirrups and padded smooth leather seat.TREE: Rawhide CoveredBARS: Gaited HorseHORN: 2 1/4CANTLE: 3 1/2SWELL: 13GULLET: 7RIGGING: Drop DeeSKIRT: 26 x 22 1/2WEIGHT: 18 lbs.

Jeremy and Lord Sport Horse Boots – Hind $54.95 Jeremy & Lord Jeremy & Lord is a registered trademark of Libertyville Saddle Shop, Inc. Top quality sport horse jumping boot for show, event and performance riding. Designed with quality grain leather wrapping. Splint and tendon protection of heavy molded leather, with shock and sweat absorbing felt lining. Heavy leather on the inside splint area and over the flexor tendon and suspensory ligament area prevents overreaching injuries on back of front leg. Taller hind legs have heavy leather on inside of splint area. Double locking self-gripping closures on elastic. Large Size: Large-boned horses (European Warmbloods, Heavier Horses). All boots sold in pairs. Hind Sport Horse Boots.

Mountain Horse Active Winter Rider Mens $170.1 Bring on the cold! The newest Mountain Horse winter boot features a black faux fur lining. Very fashionable and extremely warm! New and improved elastic along side the YKK zipper has 50% more stretch than the original Mountain Horse elastic, allowing a more comfortable fit for many more riders because of the super stretch. A brand new, specially designed outsole has slip resistant and dirt repellent tread zones which will give riders enhanced grip in the irons. Reflective inserts at the back of the boot provide visibility during evening hours. An ergonomically designed removable EVA insole has soft Nylex lining for all day comfort and a built-in steel shank that provides increased stability while walking or riding. The heel part is fitted with the shock-absorbing IPS system to reduce shock impact while walking. Material: PU/PVC

Hawthorne Ladies Bradford English Riding Shirt White Cotton Poly Long Sleeve $31.95 Bradford Riding Shirt 65% Polyester/35% Cotton Blend Embroidered horse design Tail is longer to prevent pull-out which can occur while riding Shorter front so there is less shirt tail to tuck in Comes with one choker Straight back yoke with pleats gives added shoulder ease Imported White Item/Choker can be embroidered in a variety of styles. See Embroidery Details and, if desired, make selections below. 16-3410 Long Sleeve

Robart Robart Pinchless Arched Port Walking Horse Bit – 5 $50.1 Robart PRECISION Bits have patented internal springs that allows the port to return to a neutral position quickly upon dropping the rein, giving immediate reward for correct behavior. Great for shoulder control and keeping a lower head set. Why a Pinchless Bit? A horse is a flight and fight animal. If the bit is hurting the horses mouth he is going to respond with fight or flight. Neither of these responses are condusive to training, competing or riding. Take the pain away and you instantly modify their behavior and response to your instructions. The Pinchless bit swivels at the bars, rather than relying on the center link to swivel, eliminating the possibility of pinching the tongue. Also it gives a more consistant and immediate signal to your horse, so his response time is reduced, with less pressure. If a horse is not new to the bit and is still gapping his mouth, excessive mouth movement or tossing his head, you will want to try a pinchless bit. Using a pinchless bit on a young horse will prevent inflicting pain, keeping the experience less streeful, resulting in easier and improved learning for the horse. A revolutionary idea and bit designed to implement it! Instead of training and working a horse on the basis of creating pain,the patented David Robart bit corrects by using pressure and eliminating the pain. Truly a clever design. Comes with 8 shanks. Shaped with swivel joint.Size:  5

Robart Robart Pinchless Medium Arched Walking Horse Bit – 5 $52.5 Robart PRECISION Bits have patented internal springs that allows the port to return to a neutral position quickly upon dropping the rein, giving immediate reward for correct behavior. Great for shoulder control and keeping a lower head set. Why a Pinchless Bit? A horse is a flight and fight animal. If the bit is hurting the horses mouth he is going to respond with fight or flight. Neither of these responses are condusive to training, competing or riding. Take the pain away and you instantly modify their behavior and response to your instructions. The Pinchless bit swivels at the bars, rather than relying on the center link to swivel, eliminating the possibility of pinching the tongue. Also it gives a more consistant and immediate signal to your horse, so his response time is reduced, with less pressure. If a horse is not new to the bit and is still gapping his mouth, excessive mouth movement or tossing his head, you will want to try a pinchless bit. Using a pinchless bit on a young horse will prevent inflicting pain, keeping the experience less streeful, resulting in easier and improved learning for the horse. A revolutionary idea and bit designed to implement it! Instead of training and working a horse on the basis of creating pain,the patented David Robart bit corrects by using pressure andeliminating the pain. Truly a clever design. Shaped with swivel joint.Size:  5

Robart Robart Pinchless Walking Horse Snaffle Bit – 5 $40 Robart PRECISION Bits have patented internal springs that allows the port to return to a neutral position quickly upon dropping the rein, giving immediate reward for correct behavior. Great for shoulder control and keeping a lower head set. Why a Pinchless Bit? A horse is a flight and fight animal. If the bit is hurting the horses mouth he is going to respond with fight or flight. Neither of these responses are condusive to training, competing or riding. Take the pain away and you instantly modify their behavior and response to your instructions. The Pinchless bit swivels at the bars, rather than relying on the center link to swivel, eliminating the possibility of pinching the tongue. Also it gives a more consistant and immediate signal to your horse, so his response time is reduced, with less pressure. If a horse is not new to the bit and is still gapping his mouth, excessive mouth movement or tossing his head, you will want to try a pinchless bit. Using a pinchless bit on a young horse will prevent inflicting pain, keeping the experience less streeful, resulting in easier and improved learning for the horse. A revolutionary idea and bit designed to implement it. Instead of training and working a horse on the basis of creating pain, the patented David Robart bit corrects by using pressure and eliminating the pain. Truly a clever design. Comes with 8 shanks.Size:  5

A Tourist’s Guide to Western North Carolina

1. Asheville

                 Western North Carolina is topographically the most diverse part of the state and therefore offers one of the richest travel experiences.  Asheville, some 125 miles from Charlotte, is the area’s gateway.

                Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers, it had been settled in 1794 by John Barton, who had originally named it “Morristown” after Robert Morris, a financier of the American Revolution, but it had been later changed to honor Governor Samuel Ashe.  With the 1880 arrival of the Western North Carolina Railroad, it had developed as a livestock and tobacco market, and is today the economic and recreational center for western North Carolina and a tourism base for the area’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cherokee Indian culture.

                Second only to Miami in art deco architecture, Asheville offers several interesting sights.

                The Basilica of St. Lawrence, for example—jointly developed by Spanish architect Rafael Gustavia and Richard Sharp Smith—is a Spanish Renaissance design in brick and tile with a self-supporting dome and Catalan-style vaulting.  It had been completed in 1908.

                The early life of Thomas Wolfe, Asheville’s famous novelist, can be gleaned from a tour of the 29-room Queen Anne-style house in which he had grown up.  It is now a designated state historic site.

                Nucleus of the arts, Asheville is the cultivation point of painters, sculptures, and potters, who perfect their crafts in the Riverside Arts District.

                Asheville’s—and all of North Carolina’s—most famous and most visited sight, however, is Biltmore Estate.  Designed by Richard Morris Hunt and landscaped by Frederick Law Olmsted (of New York’s Central Park fame), the 255-room, French Renaissance chateau, having required a five-year construction period during the height of the Gilded Age and some 1,000 workers, had been the result of George Washington Vanderbilt’s trips to the area in the early-1880s and his decision to have a summer residence, reminiscent of the chateaux’s lining France’s Loire Valley, built there.  It is today the US’s largest private residence and is still partly used for that purpose by Vanderbilt descendants.

                The Vanderbilts, one of the country’s wealthiest and most prominent families headed by Cornelius Vanderbilt, had amassed their wealth through railroads, corporations, and philanthropic activities.  Passing the torch to the second generation, headed by William Henry Vanderbilt, he had been able to perpetuate his success, while William Henry himself had fathered the third generation, having four sons.  George Washington Vanderbilt, one of them, had been the least active in developing the family’s business.

Opening Biltmore House on Christmas Eve in 1895, he had engaged in scientific farming, stock breeding, and forestry, and brought his bride, Edith Stuyvessant Dresser, there, three years later.  His only daughter, Cornelia, had been born in the house in 1900, and thirty years later, it had been opened to the public.

The massive house, accessible by both escorted and unescorted tours, offers a glimpse into this century-old, opulent lifestyle.  The entrance hall, portal to this era, had been the same access point used by the Vanderbilts and their guests and leads round the glass-roofed winter garden.  Perhaps the most grandiose room on the ground floor is the banquet hall.  Stretching seven stories to the wooden ceiling, it features huge tables, three massive fireplaces, Flemish tapestries from the 1500s, and a 1916 Skinner pipe organ mounted on its own loft.  It had been the location of the estate’s parties, galas, and affairs.

The private sitting and bedrooms of George and Edith Vanderbilt are located on the second floor, although, of particular note, is the Louis XV bedroom, location of Cornelia’s birth and the subsequent birth of her own two sons.

Most of the servants’ bedrooms are located on the fourth floor.

The house’s basement, location of additional servant bedrooms, features several kitchens and pantries and the recreational facilities, inclusive of a gymnasium, a 70,000-gallon indoor swimming pool, and one of the country’s first private residence bowling alleys.

Sitting on 8,000 acres of land, Biltmore Estate features several other facilities of interest.

Fronted by a grass esplanade inspired by the gardens of the 17th-century Chateau de Vaux-le-Viconte in Melun, France, it features Italian, shrub, walled, spring, and azalea gardens, and a full conservatory.

Self-guided tours of the Biltmore Winery can be made, followed by a visit to the extensive wine and delicacy gift shop, while the nearby River Bend Farm, once the center of the estate’s farming community, is comprised of a barn, a farmyard, and the Kitchen Garden, where its “field-to-table” program items are grown, before being used in the dishes served in all of its restaurants.  Aside from this produce and its wines, the dairy division of Biltmore produces its own ice cream.

Adjacent to the Biltmore Estate entrance is historic Biltmore Village.  Also co-designed by building architect Richard M. Hunt and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, and constructed between 1897 and 1905, it had been intended as a picturesque residential prelude to Biltmore Estate itself with a fan-shaped layout leading to the church, the railroad depot, and the estate’s entrance, its focal points.  Its cottages had first been occupied in 1900.

Today, it offers the quaint atmosphere of an English country village with tree-lined streets, brick sidewalks, period architecture, some ten restaurants and tearooms, and 30 shops and galleries.  In 1989, it had been declared an historic area and local historical district.

Aside from Biltmore Estate, the Grove Park Inn, overlooking the city, is another opulent building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The ruggedly beautiful, 512-room hotel, made of boulders hewn from the nearby Sunset Mountains, opened in 1913 and features massive stone fireplaces, four dining rooms, indoor waterfalls, a 40,000-square-foot spa, and beautiful views.  It has hosted an endless list of prominent people, from politicians to movie stars.

Two small, but interesting museums are located on its ground, and their buildings can be directly traced to the Vanderbilts.  Mrs. Vanderbilt, particularly, had been very interested in homespun fabrics, and ultimately established Biltmore Industries, a craft education program, which had later been sold to Fred Seely, son-in-law of Edwin W. Grove, himself architect and manager of the Grove Park Inn.  Its weaving activities had been relocated to the small buildings currently on its grounds, whereafter it had achieved worldwide recognition for its hand-loomed fabrics.

In 1953, Henry Blomberg purchased the business from the Seely family and continued it until 1980.  The daughters and sons-in-law of Blomberg, who had died 11 years later, restored the six English cottages and their surrounding landscapes, and created the two museums.

The first of these, the North Carolina Homespun Museum, had been opened to depict the history of Biltmore Industries originally founded on Biltmore Estate, but relocated to the present site in 1917, and exhibits examples of handiwork by North Carolina natives.  America’s heritage of handiwork, which is now more than 200 years old, still thrives in the southern Appalachian Mountains.  The museum itself displays a four-harness loom and examples of homespun fabric.

The second museum, the Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum, once housed 40 looms, but currently displays four horse-drawn vehicles and 19 automobiles, including a 1913 Ford Model “T,” a 1926 Cadillac, a 1929 Ford Model “A” with a rumble seat, a 1940 Packard “120” Coupe, and a 1959 Edsel, all in still-running, pristine condition.

The Grovewood Gallery, housed in a 1917 English Cottage next to the two museums, sells handmade furniture, ceramics, jewelry, glass, and artwork.

2. Chimney Rock Park

A popular day trip from Asheville is that to Chimney Rock Park.  Located 25 miles away via winding, scenic Route 74-A, it had had its origins in 1900 when Dr. Lucius Morse, a physician from St. Louis in search of a better climate, had been entranced by its wall of stone and had envisioned a park incorporating it.  Purchasing 64 acres of Chimney Rock Mountain two years later, he had taken the initial step toward that goal, but had elected to build an elevator inside it so that all could access its summit.

In 2007, the state of North Carolina had purchased the park from the Morse family, which had continued to own and administer it since its 1902 acquisition.

The 198-foot-long tunnel, leading from the parking lot to the elevator, had been created by blasting through 509-million-year-old rock designed “Henderson Gneiss,” which had formed as magma deep within the earth and had crystallized as igneous rock called “granite.”  During the later formation of the Appalachian Mountains, it had metamorphosed into its present Gneiss form.

The 30-second elevator ride, which ascends 26 stories, could only be constructed after proper surveying had been conducted from its top and a 258-foot-high hoistway, requiring eight tons of dynamite and an 18-month construction period, had been drilled and blasted.

Completed on December 23, 1948, it had been North Carolina’s tallest elevator at the time, and today still uses its original, 3,500-pound capacity, stainless steel car, which ascends at 500 feet-per-minute.

A wooden bridge, 258 feet above the parking lot and spanning a water-carved gully, connects the Sky Lounge and Gift Shop, terminus of the elevator, with Chimney Rock, whose views, afforded by its 2,280-foot elevation, encompass 75 miles over Hickory Nut Gorge.

A recent visit, on a slightly cloudy day, had revealed multiple shades of green velvet-appearing, wave-like mountains based by the silver, reflective surface of Lake Lure.

Five hiking trails, varying between a half to one-and-a-half miles, and between “easy” and “strenuous” in gauge, afford equally beautiful vistas.

Hickory Falls, 404 feet in length, had provided the site for the filming of “The Last of the Mohicans,” “Firestarter,” and “A Breed Apart.”

Chimney Rock Park is a National Heritage Site. 

3. Cherokee

Cherokee, located 50 miles from Asheville, can either serve as a day trip destination or an overnight location.  An introduction to the highly developed Cherokee culture, it offers an opportunity for Las Vegas-style gaming and is the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

As a people, the Cherokee had called these southeastern mountains home for some 11,000 years and they are one of the few Native Americans to have continued to occupy their original territory, designated the “Qualla Boundary,” a 100-square-mile sovereign nation.  Several significant sights within this area enable the visitor to learn about their history, traditions, art, and culture.

The Museum of the Cherokee Indian, for instance—depicting its 11,000-year history—commences with their own beginning in the area’s mountains, before detailing their struggle for early survival amidst harsh climate and huge, now-extinct animals, such as the mastodon.  Their later, sedentary lifestyle, centered round agriculture, had enabled them to refine their culture and enjoy increased leisure time.

After the Europeans had arrived and claimed their land, the Eastern Band of Cherokees had been forcibly exiled to Oklahoma in 1838 in an historic movement known as the “Trail of Tears.”  Some, however, had been detoured and remained, ultimately preserving their customs and re-establishing the sovereign nation of today.

This culture can also be experienced in the nearby Oconaluftee Indian Village, which depicts mountain life in 1759.  Amid the subtle, but ever-present wafts of smoke, traditionally dressed Cherokee demonstrate beadwork, pottery, finger weaving, basketry, weaponry, animal trapping, canoe burning, and wood and stone carving.  A warrior house, waddle and daube houses, the village council house, and cabins from 1790 and 1800 surround the Village Square, where performances are periodically given.

The village is characteristic of the 64 towns spread over 40,000 square miles during this time.

A more extensive performance, entitled “Unto these Hills,” takes place during the summer months at the outdoor Mountainside Theater, and portrays the European arrival and Trail of Tears chapters in its history.  Since its July 1, 1950 debut, it has played continuously, during which time more than five million have experienced it.

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel, a 576-room complex in two, 15-story towers, thresholds the town and features 3,300 games in an 80,000-square-foot casino, five restaurants, and name entertainment in a 1,500-seat pavilion.  It is adorned with the largest collection of Eastern Cherokee contemporary art.

4. Bryson City

Bryson City, located ten miles from Cherokee, is another mountainside community which serves as a gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains with their diverse, outdoor activities, including hiking, fishing, horseback riding, white water rafting, camping, and climbing.

Incorporated in 1887, and named after Colonel Thadeus Dillard Bryson, it is located on the Tucksagee River and had been linked to the outside world for the first time when the rail line between Asheville and Murphy had been completed.  Along with the Nantahala and Little Tennessee Rivers, the Tucksagee River itself had formed nearby Fontana Lake, while the small town, with a population of 1,400, had been laid out in accordance with the ancient trails and roads of the Cherokee.

Its most major attraction is the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.  Tracing its origins to the Murphy Branch Line completed in 1891, it had been intended as the first leg of an eventual rail connection between Asheville and the Midwest; nevertheless, it had exposed the isolated North Carolina communities to the rest of the world for the first time, introducing hitherto unknown lifestyles and ideas to them.

During the 1900s, the railroad had operated up to ten daily trains from Alabama and Georgia to the western North Carolina Mountains and hauled materials, equipment, and workers instrumental in the construction of Fontana Dam.

After the line had been obviated by road travel, the Southern Railway had discontinued passenger service in 1948, and the Andrews-Murphy stretch had been altogether closed by Norfolk Southern in the 1980s.

The tracks, purchased by the state of North Carolina, had provided the foundation for the current Great Smoky Mountains Railroad intended for tourism and sightseeing purposes, after a group of investors had sketched out a plan for it in 1988.  Engines and coaches had subsequently been acquired from several US rail lines and extensively refurbished.

In 1999, the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad had been purchased by American Heritage Railways, which operates sister lines in Colorado and Texas, and in 2007, the North Carolina branch had carried some 200,000 passengers.

All trains depart from the Bryson City depot.  Of the two primary itineraries, the first is a 32-mile, eastbound, round-trip “Tucksagee River” excursion to Dillsboro, while the second is a 44-mile, westbound, round-trip “Nantahala Gorge” run, with price depending upon one of four car types: open car, coach, Crown Coach, or Club Car, the latter of which includes train attendant service, drinks, and snacks.  There are also railroad and rafting packages, dinner trains, and several theme trips, depending upon season.

The Fryemont Inn, in wooded surroundings overlooking the town, is on the National Register of Historic Places and offers either overnight accommodations or an opportunity for excellent dining, even for non-guests.

Constructed in 1923, it features a bark-covered exterior; a rocking chair-lined, outdoor porch; a wooden lobby with a huge stone fireplace; chestnut-paneled guest rooms; and a dining room with a peaked, wooden roof supported by tree trunk beams, a second large fireplace, and polished, hardwood floors.

5. Great Smoky Mountains National Park

                The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, receiving some ten million annual visitors, is the most popular park in America.

                The Great Smoky Mountains themselves, formed almost a billion years ago, had been created when the ancient sea had flooded what is presently the eastern United States, submerging a mountain range.  Sea-deposited layers, exerting progressively greater weight upon each other, ultimately compressed the material into metamorphic rock, while a secondary layer of limestone, itself comprised of fossilized marine animals and shells, provided an upper covering some 300 million years ago.

                Fifty million years later, the collision between the North American and African continents resulted in tectonic plate shifting and the older, metamorphic rock tilted upward, sliding over the limestone and creating the Appalachian Mountains.

                Massive boulders, the result of ice age freezing and thawing cycles, gradually appeared, while erosive, water sculpting forces shaped the mountain’s rounded peaks over the millennia.

                The area had first been populated when Paleolithic hunters and gatherers had crossed the frozen Bering Strait and then migrated down and across North America.  A dissenting branch of the Iroquois Indians, later designated Cherokee, had arrived here from New England 11,000 years ago, and in 1540, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto, ventured into the mountains, discovering a sophisticated Cherokee culture and religion.  The Ulster-Scots, escaping repression in Belfast, Ireland, had also settled here because of the North Carolina Mountains’ resemblance to the Scottish Highlands.

                Rural life can be gleaned at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Cherokee, and its adjacent Mountain Farm Museum, which had been created to preserve the cultural heritage of the Great Smoky Mountains at the turn of the 20th century.

                Several original, relocated structures depict this era.

                The Davis house, for instance, had been moved from the Indian Creek area, north of Bryson City.  Completed in 1900 after a two-year construction period, it is made of split, chestnut logs and is divided into three rooms, including a living room with a fireplace and a piano and a kitchen with a hearth and a heavy block table.

                The meathouse, relocated from Little Cataloochee, North Carolina, had always been positioned closest to the main house for convenience and security and preserved one of the most important food sources during this period.  Although it could have theoretically housed several types of meat, pork, which had been standardly butchered during the autumn because of its characteristically lower temperatures, had been the predominant type and had usually been salted or smoked to protect it against bacteria and insects.

                Chickens, stored in the chicken house, had provided both meat and eggs, and their feathers had been used for pillows and mattresses.

                Apples, equally stored in earth and stone wall-insulated apple houses, had been a staple of rural, mountain farm diets and were eaten raw or used to make cider, vinegar, apple sauce, apple butter, and pies.  Heartier winter apples had been stored in ground-level bins, while the more delicate summer variety had been stored above them.

                Corn, the most important, multi-purpose crop, had been used for cornmeal, livestock feed (as leaves), kindling for fires (as cobs), and stuffing material for chairs, mattresses, and rugs (as shucks).  The corncrib, the storage location, had protected it from weather and animals.

                In the sorghum mill and furnace, sorghum cane had been converted to molasses, which had then been used for syrup and in cooking.

                Hogs, the main source of meat on mountain farms, had also been formed the basis for lard and soup.  Excess meat had been sold for profit.

                The barn, the only structure original to the site, had housed livestock in the stable and feed, hoes, plows, and wagons in the loft above it.

                The blacksmith shop, complete with a forge, an anvil, and a bellows, had been relocated here from Cades Cove, North Carolina, and had been used for ironwork forging and repair of existing tools.

                The springhouse, purposefully located near a stream in order to provide a source of drinking water, had also protected food from animals, and cooled and preserved it by means of rock-line channels or elevated wooden troughs through which it had flowed.

                The entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is just beyond the Mountain Farm Museum.  Established in 1934 to protect the remainder of the Appalachian Forest, which had been severely depleted due to fires and rampant logging, the park itself, covering 500,000 acres, had been the 21st in the national system and the first to have been assembled from private land.  Sixty percent of it is located in North Carolina and 40 percent is located in Tennessee.  It features 800 miles of hiking trails, 700 miles of rivers and streams, and 200,000 acres of virgin forest.  Its lower section of the Appalachian Mountains, the oldest in the world, are characterized by densely-forested, curving peaks once described as “blue, like smoke” by the Cherokee.

                The Appalachian Trail, which stretches 2,174 miles from Maine to Georgia, runs along the crest of the Smoky Mountains and marks the North Carolina-Tennessee state line.  There are three visitor centers: Oconaluftee in the former state and Sugarlands and Cades Cove in the latter.  US Route 441, alternatively designed “Newfound Gap Road,” provides internal automobile access and crosses the Appalachian Trail midway through the park.  The hiking trails, however, provide the best connection with nature and lead to 1,008 developed campsites and 100 primitive ones.

                The park is comprised of five classifications of forest, depending upon elevation: “Spruce-Fir,” “Northern Hardwood,” “Cove Hardwood,” “Hemlock,” and “Pine-and-Oak.”  It contains 60 species of mammals, 200 of birds, and 1,500 flowering plants.

                I had recorded the following observations during a recent, late-May drive through Great Smoky Mountains National Park:

                Clouds, hovering lower than the mountain peaks and nestled in their valleys, seemed to sheath the green-carpeted facades before rising like smoke tendrils, as if the entire mountain had been smoldering.  The winding, ascending road through Great Smoky Mountains National Park seemed mired in thin mist.  The multiple peaks, standing one behind the other and assuming dark blue, gray, and forest green profiles, appeared like ever-unfolding waves frozen at their upward-cycle apogees.  The dense trees, providing tunnel-like walls on either side of the road with their extended limbs, formed canopies where they met in mutual handshakes, exuding an artist’s palette of greens: dark for fraser fir and light for oak–a green blur periodically interspersed by the brown shale rocks which appeared like vertical monoliths and from which these live tree sentinels grew, although I do not quite know how.  Tiny trickles of water, gravity-induced downward over auburn and charcoal-hued rock and glinted by the afternoon sun, appeared like thin veins of liquid silver.

                Atop Clingman’s Dome, the highest peak in Great Smoky Mountains National Park at 6,643 feet, the air is thin and cool and the only view to be had is down, to the almost green-velvet facades of the rolling peaks, as if one had been rendered the high and exalted one of North Carolina and of all of the Appalachian Mountains which thread their way down the eastern portion of the United states.  With this view comes the realization that the Rocky Mountains in the west, although higher, have a reflection in the Great Smoky Mountains in the east.  And with this view comes the realization that it is not the relative size of the reflection, but that we reflect at all…

 5. Conclusion

                 Western North Carolina’s topographical diversity offers a rich travel experience encompassing the art deco city of Asheville and its opulent Biltmore Estate, the geological sculpture of Chimney Rock, the introduction to the highly-developed culture of the Cherokee, the beautiful vistas afforded by a journey with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, and the pristine, almost-ethereal experience of visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

About the Author

A graduate of Long Island University-C.W. Post Campus with a summa-cum-laude BA Degree in Comparative Languages and Journalism, I have subsequently earned the Continuing Community Education Teaching Certificate from the Nassau Association for Continuing Community Education (NACCE) at Molloy College, the Travel Career Development Certificate from the Institute of Certified Travel Agents (ICTA) at LIU, and the AAS Degree in Aerospace Technology at the State University of New York – College of Technology at Farmingdale. Having amassed almost three decades in the airline industry, I managed the New York-JFK and Washington-Dulles stations at Austrian Airlines, created the North American Station Training Program, served as an Aviation Advisor to Farmingdale State University of New York, and devised and taught the Airline Management Certificate Program at the Long Island Educational Opportunity Center. A freelance author, I have written some 70 books of the short story, novel, nonfiction, essay, poetry, article, log, curriculum, training manual, and textbook genre in English, German, and Spanish, having principally focused on aviation and travel, and I have been published in book, magazine, newsletter, and electronic Web site form. I am a writer for Cole Palen’s Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in New York. I have made some 350 lifetime trips by air, sea, rail, and road.