by Gene Fowler

Perched all pretty on the Colorado River, where the limestone hills of Central Texas tumble down from the west to meet the Blackland prairie from the east, the city of Austin has changed a lot since I first laid eyes on it in the 1960s.

I’ll know for sure, though, that the place has devolved to high-tech heck if they ever take down the giant cowboy boot that has adorned a Lavaca Street building since….well, it seems like ever since Davy Crockett played his last fiddle tune at the Alamo back in 1836.

The boot once marked the Capitol Saddlery. Rodeo star Buck Steiner opened the boots-and-saddles emporium around 1930, and the legendary Charlie Dunn built boots for Buck from 1949 to 1974. Charlie’s bootmaking career at Capitol Saddlery and elsewhere spanned some 80 incredible years. Singer Jerry Jeff Walker made Dunn extra famous in 1972 with an eponymous ditty about the diminutive bootmaker “with the smilin’ leathery face.”

“Charlie Dunn,” Walker crooned. “He’s the one to see.” Thousands of satisfied boot wearers, many of whom surely treasure their custom Dunns today, 27 years after Charlie’s death, know that the song sang true.

Read more: The Michelangelo of Cowboy Boots

by Nikki Alvin-Smith for Horizon Structures Presents Series

It’s true that good things come in small packages and horses are no different. But what about their housing needs? When it comes to the choice of stabling, owners of the smaller equus breeds face different challenges than those of the horse owner.

For this author the pleasure of owning and riding donkeys set a career with horses in motion. This is probably true for many equestrians. The smaller species of equus is more accessible for grooming and caretaking for a child, and is a better fit when it comes to riding too. Less intimidating to a child than their horse or pony sized counterparts, the donkey or miniature offers a cuddly bundle of joy.

When I was 10 years old my family and I headed down to the Cotswold region of Gloucestershire, England to purchase my first pony. I was beyond excited. We entered the driveway to the stud and saw donkeys and ponies galore in the fields alongside the car, and when my parents, kid brother and I sat with the farm owner in his office to discuss our equine needs, I was certain a new pony was coming home to me soon.

Read more: Horse Barn Modification for Miniatures, Mules and Donkeys

by Lauren Mauldin

Some things will always be consistent on the hunter/jumper circuit: fashion trends grab attention with innovative designs and intricate details, and life will throw a curveball to your plans. 

Right now, a lot of trendy attire comes from Europe. Technical fabrics and micro-crystals have squeaked into tradition. There are tons of colors available and seemingly infinite ways to customize your turnout. Big warmbloods and tiny European breeches—that’s “the look,” right? While they have endless options for trim, details and color, many of the popular European brands are a lot less inclusive in terms of sizing. The advice from the tack store is usually, “Size up,” but unless you’re already a small size, there’s not much room to go. 

That curveball I mentioned? It doesn’t just apply to surprise abscesses and bad weather. Our bodies, especially women’s, take a beating. There are injuries, babies, genetics—so many reasons we have a hard time fitting into those beautiful (but extremely unrealistic for some of us) European breeches. The International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education revealed that the average size of an American woman is now between a 16 and 18. Yet, despite the knowledge that fitness and riding talent prevails at a wide variety of sizes, it’s still hard to find breeches larger than a 32 at many equestrian retailers. 

Read more: 3 Companies That Excel at Outfitting Equestrians of All Sizes