1962-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1962 July Voice | Page 24

22 July , 1962 ' Business Week7 Says : ' Everyone ' s Getting A Horse Now '

22 July , 1962 ' Business Week7 Says : ' Everyone ' s Getting A Horse Now '

( Editor ' s Note — Another national business magazine reports on the great " Pleasure Horse Boom " in America . Its Business 11 cek . with an article herewith reprinted with special permission of the editors . The subhead on this story read . " Riding and owning horses is one of the country ’ s fastest-growing recreations . " Read the editorial in this issue of the Voice . Wc are determined to get something started that will put the lennesscc Walking Horse into this Pleasure Horse Market . BAG .)
WHEN THE CRY " TALLY-HO " goes out these days , riders flush from all directions . But they ' re more likely lo be off for a trail ride or a fast chukker of polo than riding to the hounds .
Pleasure horse riding is rapidly becoming a top national pastime . In fact , the recent Presidential report on Outdoor Recreation for America ranked horseback riding as more popular than such sports as camping , hiking , water skiing , and sailing . It lopped all other recreations as the one that people wanted to take up in the future .
Owning a horse is no longer confined to the socially elite hunt set or to keeping a pony for the rich man ' s child . These days , the equestrian is likely to be the local druggist , real estate salesman , school teacher , lawyer , or engineer . It has become a family affair , too . ft is estimated that 35 %
10 40 % of active riders today own their horses .
NATIONAL SPORT . There seems to be no single answer for the spurt in horsemanship . More leisure time , more money , the trek to the suburbs , all have been factors . Riding undoubtedly has been given an extra boost from the White House through the equestrian talents of Mrs . Kennedy and Caroline .
Whatever the stimulus , the number of horseowners is growing by leaps and bounds . The situation is pretty much the same all across the country . Where a locality only had a handful of riding clubs a few years back , now there are a dozen or so .
CLUBBY BUSINESS . The Sugar Loaf Riding Club in the suburbs of Washington , D . C ., is typical . Started a few years back with only three members , the club now has around 40 , says club president Ros Goeke , a Public Health Service Officer . The dub isn ' t really trying to increase its membership . " If we put on a membership drive ,” says charter member William Waddell , who ' s in the burial vault business , " Lord knows where it would slop .”
JOYS OF HORSETRADING . Once the horse ownership bug bites , ii usually sticks — and grows . Whether the first time horseowner starts out by buying a purebred or one of nondescript lineage , it isn ’ t long before he starts eying and buying the purebreds that can lake ribbons at the local horse show and double in harness or pleasure riding .
If you are not too choosy about looks and linage , just an ordinary riding horse can be picked up anywhere from § 150 on up ; ponies run a little cheaper . A horse ’ s keep will run from § 30 to § 00 a month , depending on how much labor-sharing you do and whether or not you insist on housing him in an individual stall . Saddle , bridle and other necessities can be had for a minimum of around § f00 .
FAVORED BREEDS . When it comes lo selecting a horse , individual preferences take over . In the west , the quarter horse is still the favorite , with the Appaloosa and Arabian growing in demand ; the East has broader
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The Second Edition of his Great TWH History Book has an index and is especially fine for Library Use . The author will mail a copy of this book to any public library or college library AT A SPECIAL PRICE OF $ 5 , to encourage TWH appreciation . The regular mail price is $ 7.50 . BE SURE THAT YOUR LIBRARY HAS A VOLUME . Order From
Ben A . Green , Shelbyville , Term .