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The Millbrook Horse Trials, the
prestigious annual three-day equestrian
event, kicked off with a conversation
between Candace Bushnell, author of
Sex and the City, and former
Brides magazine editor in chief,
Barbara Tober, how learning to ride
shaped them into the independent,
successful women they are today.
Said Bushnell, "I rode from eight to
eighteen....I was a member of the
school's Pony Club, so we did eventing
and learned stable management, all
aspects of horse care. We had lots of
fun adventures. When my parents
moved to a house with a barn in
Glastonbury, Connecticut I took care of
that barn, an you could eat off the
floor. Of course, my own room was a
mess. One time my father wanted to
get on a horse, and it was hilarious to
me and my sisters. But in a
way empowering....something we could do
and did, event though we were much
younger."
Barbar Tober shared "I learned to ride
from a book. I was self-taught.
At six I had a horse at our farm.
My parents had other priorities, and
this was my way to independence.
Later at Brides I kept riding, but in
those days we all had long nails. I
still rode and jumped. My husband
Donald was a skier. He learned to
ride for me and I learned to ski for
him. Sometimes before work I would
ride with Michael Korda in Central Park.
Was always jealous that his office had a
shower for him. I had to go
home and shower before arriving at Conde
Nast."
What both women agree on is that
"learning to rise as a young woman
instills confidence, and concentration.
The experience of falling off and
getting back on makes you resilient and
assured.
It's great training for life." |