If you ever get a chance to gallop a horse on a beach, you need to do it. I got to do it all weekend at Holden Beach, N.C., when I was in eighth grade. Riding on the beach was made illegal almost immediately after. We made the newspapers not because we almost ran over somebody (but we missed them so why complain?) but because my cousin, the artist Jak Smyrl, took some awesome photos. My copies are all too big to scan so I can't post them until I get a bigger scanner or borrow one. It was awesome fun. Bareback, bathing suits, no helmets. I lived to tell, as apparently did the guy in the photo above.
Back to the news story. Fifteen Marsh Tacky horses (there are only 150 left in the whole country) raced at Hilton Head Island yesterday, reviving an old Gullah tradition. It was the first time in 40 years that Marsh Tackies have raced there.
This photo is of the winner, whose rider fell off during the race. I want to know how you fall off and still win but the story, which you can find here, doesn't explain that part.
Those Tacky's are pretty cool.
Lately I've been remembering how casual we were in our youth about riding in barefeet, shorts, and no tack on the horses other than maybe a halter. Running at full speed, flying over fences.
I can't wait to see your beach pictures. I know Holden Beach, too.
Posted by: Molly | February 25, 2009 at 04:19 PM
He has quite a sunburn...must have been laying out before the race:-) Neat story...love those Marsh Tackys.
Posted by: photogchic | February 27, 2009 at 03:47 AM
Love the Marsh Tackys - and riding on the beach. I did it in Mexico and it was wonderful. We are actually allowed to do it here in New England on a few beaches just before the "season" begins and in the Fall when it ends. I say I'm going to do it every year, but haven't yet. Maybe this year.....
Posted by: Victoria Cummings | February 27, 2009 at 08:07 AM