Prison inmates in New Mexico are learning the value of hard work, compassion, and patience as they train mustangs captured by the BLM for subsequent sale to the public.  Mustangs that have been thus trained have a much greater chance of being purchased and loved by a family, giving them access to a life they might not have otherwise enjoyed.

It’s pretty amazing stuff.  The horses are helping these men make real changes in their lives, and that’s something worth paying attention to.  It’s also worth paying attention when the men in our lives go through change: whether it’s personal growth, a professional achievement, or gaining new skills in the show ring, it’s important to remember that these moments are special.

The tradition of commemorating life achievements with jewelry is nothing new for women.  Setting aside entirely the engagement ring and wedding ring conversation, many women collect jewelry that they find personally meaningful, related to specific events.  Perhaps a ring to commemorate the birth of a child, or a fabulous bracelet to celebrate a promotion.  Charm bracelets are used to provide a tangible narrative: each bead relates to a special occasion in our lives.  Equestrian bead charms are a great way to remember the fantastic times we’ve had with the horses in our lives.

But what about the men? Men need positive reinforcement and recognition too. It’s not something we hear so much about – but that doesn’t mean the need’s not real. Many men are touched and gratified when their loved ones present them with horse jewelry for them. Select pieces that are both high quality and personally meaningful, and you can be sure he’ll wear it proudly for years to come — remembering both the achievement the jewelry marked, and the people in his life who inspire him to greatness!

To keep your horse jewelry looking great, you need to take care of it. Here’s a few tips to keep your horse jewelry collection looking great:

Keep an Eye on Your Jewelry!

We like to look at our horse jewelry because it’s beautiful. However, every now and then, you want to make a point of inspecting your horse jewelry. Before you put a piece on, look it over closely. Look for loose stones, clasps that don’t work properly, any kinks in the chain, or flaws. Having minor issues repaired can prevent you from having a favorite piece damaged or worse, lost entirely!

Awareness is also key in your jewelry’s security. This is especially true when you travel; keep an eye on your horse jewelry collection. Make use of hotel safes; it may seem like overkill, but once a piece is gone, it’s gone forever most of the time. Economic pressures are driving people to desperate measures. You want to remove temptation from the equation by keeping your horse jewelry collection safely out of sight except when you’re wearing it.

Last On, First Off

When you’re getting ready for an evening out, make a point of putting your jewelry on last. There are a couple of reasons to do this. First, you’re reducing your jewelry’s exposure to perfume and hair spray. Both are great, but both contain chemical elements that can be bad for your fine horse jewelry. By the same token, you want to take your jewelry off before you soak in the tub or step into a steamy shower. This will keep your gold horse jewelry from losing its shine and luster.

Without a doubt, a wedding of this size is one instance where it’s definitely more fun to be a spectator than a participant (I could say the same about some dressage classes I’ve seen over the years, but that’s another story…) We’re in for weeks and weeks of speculation about Kate Middleton’s dress, her hair, her makeup — not to mention the thousand and one other details that goes into planning a royal wedding.

One thing has already been decided, though, and that’s the engagement ring question.  Prince William presented Kate with the sapphire and diamond ring his mother, Princess Diana, wore when she was engaged to Prince Charles.  It’s a beautiful way to include the Prince’s mother in the happiest occasion of his life — it’s times like these when we really see how individual pieces of jewelry can take a place in our family history, becoming part of our cultural heritage and tradition.

Sapphire Horse Jewelry

Diana’s sapphire ring is big and bold, an unmistakable piece of signature jewelry.  As a horsewoman, you too can have a signature piece that combines your love of horses with your personal style.

Sapphires come in a range of colors, but far and away the most popular sapphires are blue.  Sapphire is September’s birthstone, and has long been a favorite stone of mankind.  The precious blue stones are mentioned in the Bible, and the stone is mentioned in the inventories of rich Roman nobles.

This lovely 14k Gold Galloping Horse Ring features the beautiful, dynamic form of a horse in full gallop, mane streaming, tail blowing in the wind, hooves barely brushing the ground, above a raised set sapphire.  A lovely piece for the horsewoman with lots of natural energy of her own!

Today, the skies over the Atlantic ocean are the scene of the world’s biggest airlift of horses in history.  Approximately 450 European horses are on their way to the World Equestrian Games, which begin tomorrow in Kentucky. The horses are traveling in specially outfitted charter planes — which they reportedly prefer to riding in a trailer! Also making the journey to Kentucky? 19 Australian and 35 South American equine athletes.

This is the first time that the World Equestrian Games have been held outside of Europe.  Consider that this event is the horse world’s equivalent of the Olympic Games and it becomes clear what an honor and privilege it is for the games to occur in the United States.

The World Equestrian Games attracts top notch competition. Competitors strive for top honors in several disciplines, including reining, endurance, dressage, eventing, jumping, para dressage, vaulting and driving.  More than 900 riders and 1,300 horses will be participating. An estimated 600,000 people will attend the 16 day event.

Much like the Olympics, competitors at the World Equestrian Games are vying for medals.  Gold for first place, silver for second, bronze for third. Historically, Germany has been the country to beat.  They have 46 combined medals. (Compared to the US, which holds second place with 27 combined medals)

For most of us, competing at the world level is nothing more than a dream.  As good as our horse may be, and as grand as our hopes are, we have to wistfully admit that the closest we’ll get to World Equestrian Games competition is the best seats money can buy — or, if you’re in Kentucky, watching the opening ceremonies on NBC Saturday night!

That doesn’t mean we can’t have our own gold and silver medals!  Celebrate a personal triumph — your best performance in the show ring, for example, or making it through a rough quarter at work without strangling the boss — with a meaningful piece of gold or silver horse jewelry, such as these dressage horse pendants.

“Mywifenosevrything. Thewifedoesntknow. They’re one-two. Of course they are!”

Mywifenosevrything and Thewifedoesntknow are destined to meet again (of course!) on Sunday, during the 8th race at Monmouth Park.

This battle for the ages even extends to the trainers: Mywifenosevrything is trained by a woman, while Thewifedoesntknow is trained by a man.  But here at ShowStable Artisans, we like to focus on what brings us together rather than what divides us, particularly when it comes to jewelry!

Now, it’s true that there are times when you can take the matching thing entirely too far — all you have to do is let your memory wander back to the early days of line dancing and coordinated bib-shirt outfits to know what we’re talking about.  You can make your connection clear while still being stylish.

Check out these pair of rings: His features a matte gold background with .33 carat weight of diamonds. A bold, masculine ring that works well as a wedding or commitment band, this ring is a favorite among the men we know. Hers is a classic 14K gold ring with .22 carat weight of diamonds in a striking horseshoe, timeless elegance paired with exceptional sparkle and shine. Imagine this couple holding hands, the love they have for each other — and for horses — evident for all to see.

Will Mywifenosevrything  emerge victorious after this weekend’s race?  Only time will tell!  One thing is certain, though…every time these two horses meet, people will pay attention!

Not this year.  This year will be different — particularly if you’re shopping for horse lovers!  We have the absolutely perfect gift — something that’s guaranteed to delight, that no one else will get them, that’s reasonably priced.

We’re talking about the Sterling Silver Horseshoe and Nameplate Bracelet. This item is one of our top sellers, and it’s easy to see why: an attractive, distinctive, high quality sterling silver bracelet, with five sterling silver horseshoes alternating with six sterling silver nameplates. On each plate goes the name of someone near and dear: beloved horses, the best dogs ever — why, there might even be space on there for the kid’s names! When you’re looking at the picture, examine the second bracelet from the top: that’s the one we’re talking about.

This is the type of piece you can wear every single day.  Sterling silver goes with everything, and the design of this piece is appropriate for all but the most formal occasions.  A thoughtful gift, sure to be treasured, and a tangible demonstration of how much you care!  Cross one name (or more!) off your shopping list now and make the holiday season less stressful for you — and more joyful for the person you give the bracelet to!

What is Rose Gold?

Rose Gold has a distinct, attractive reddish color, which makes it a top choice for use in horse jewelry and musical instruments. The secret of rose gold’s red color is in the metal’s chemical make up. Rose gold is what is known as an alloy, a mix of two metals. In this case, we see pure gold — which has the traditional golden yellow color we all know and love — mixed with pure copper. When these two metals are combined, we get rose gold, a lovely, striking reddish gold. How red the rose gold appears depends on the amount of copper in the mix: the greater the percentage of copper, the redder the metal becomes. Skilled jewelry artisans often work with a range of rose golds, using darker, more copper-rich rose golds in combination with alloys with less copper — and hence a lighter red tone — and pure gold.

Selecting the Best Rose Gold Horse Jewelry

When buying rose gold horse jewelry, you’ll want to keep three factors in mind: quality, craftsmanship, and style. Rose gold is appropriate in any setting, from the most formal to the totally casual. So your first concern is quality. Deal only with jewelers you can trust. Don’t be thrown off if you hear the terms Russian Gold used to refer to rose gold — this is an old term that will crop up from time to time when you’re dealing with vintage and estate jewelry. The terms are interchangable. Crown gold refers to rose gold made with 22K gold alloyed with copper.

Compare that to the perhaps more typical good time enjoyed by some counterparts — more typical, perhaps, but less active.  We all have friends, colleagues, or acquaintances who go through life with immaculately manicured nails and dazzling rings with diamonds, rubies, sapphires and other gems sparkling in high-profile, delicate settings.

Have you ever watched those folks try to scratch that itchy spot just under a horse’s mane? How about bending over and checking to see if there’s a stone caught in a hoof? Or simply reaching to close the paddock gate?

Life with horses can be rough on rings.  Delicate settings catch and break, sending your stones to the ground — good luck finding your diamonds in a muddy paddock!

Yet loving horses doesn’t preclude our desire to look good all of the time. That’s why we spend so much time searching out what we call Rider Rings Rider Rings are ideal for everyday wear — even by the most active horse people! An emphasis on design and quality is essential: when you’re not relying on the theatrical affect of high settings and lacy open prongs, you need the innate beauty of the gold, silver, or platinum to shine through.  Lower profile rings don’t catch — you can scoop grain with confidence and straighten the tack room without worrying about damaging your jewelry.  Appropriate in every setting, you can take these rings from barn to ballroom, looking stylish and distinctive the whole time! (They work in the office, grocery store and while you’re out to dinner as well!)

You don’t have to choose between your horses and your rings.  You can have both. You just need to select rings that work in the demanding barn environment.  And that means rider rings!

Increasingly, couples across the nation are seeking to really personalize their weddings. Perhaps it’s in response to the troubled times we live in — economic uncertainty, wars, and environmental disaster — that we’re turning to the most basic aspects of our lives for comfort and celebration. What could be more central to our lives than marriage?

No longer are couples bound by the traditional choices of a simple gold wedding band or a solitary diamond to mark an engagement. Using fine design and the jeweler’s art, many couples are opting for wedding jewelry that reflects their personalities or passions. This is certainly true for the horse lovers, who are blessed with a wide range of wedding ring options. This beautiful 14 K gold wedding band style ring is perfect for the horse lover: .33 cwt of diamond horseshoes surround the band, adding the perfect touch of sparkle and flair while evoking the timeless beauty and meaning of the traditional wedding band.

There’s even more flexibility when it comes to engagement rings. One emerging trend is the use of smaller diamonds for engagement rings, often accented by other, perhaps smaller, gemstones. The flash of color that rubies, sapphires or emeralds can provide adds a new dimension to the engagement ring. Additionally, design can say so much about the bride to be.

The bride who wears this ring is clearly someone who appreciates style and everything equestrian. One lovely diamond in the center of a stirrup ring set with pave diamonds, it’s a distinctive, memorable and eminently appropriate ring — perfect if you’re planning to pop the question during a moonlight ride!