That being said, there’s a lot to be said about gold horse rings. The jewelry term ‘Gypsy Set’ is not one everyone is familiar with. What the term means is a ring, usually gold, that has one or more jewels set deeply into the metal. This style of setting stones is ideal for Rider Rings – rings worn by horsewomen that can stand up to the demands of life with horses. The risk of losing a stone is diminished when the stones are securely held in the channel.

You’ll see Gypsy set horse jewelry a lot when you’re considering vintage and estate horse jewelry. People were far more cautious with their gems back in the day – but no one really wants to lose a sapphire or diamond now. If you choose this Vintage 9K Rose Gold and Sapphire Ring you’ll be able to wear it with confidence. Rose gold is one of the hottest jewelry trends for the 2011 Spring Season.

Did you know that there’s an American Gypsy Horse breed? Talk about some truly magnificent animals. These horses are quite large, and strikingly colored: I can imagine how a team would look pulling a colorful wagon into town!

The worried parents of the boys brought them to the local psychologist. He suggested to the parents a plan to balance the twins’ personalities. “On their next birthday, put them in separate rooms to open their gifts. Give the pessimist the best toys you can afford, and give the optimist a box of manure. That should balance them out.” The parents followed these instructions and carefully observed the results.

When they peeked in on the pessimist, they heard him audibly complaining, “I don’t like the color of this computer . I’ll bet this calculator will break . . . I don’t like the game . . . I know someone who’s got a bigger toy car than this . . .”
Tiptoeing across the corridor, the parents peeked in and saw their little optimist gleefully throwing the manure up in the air.
He was giggling. “You can’t fool me! Where there’s this much manure, there’s gotta be a pony!”

Diamond Horse Jewelry

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend (although I know a few horses that would step up and claim that title for themselves!) and it may be because diamonds are the ultimate in optimism.  Diamonds are, after all, basically coal that learned how to shine under pressure!  Deep within the earth, tremendous forces are exerted that would destroy most things – but diamonds ensure, and so do we.

This 14K Gold Diamond Horseshoe Ring is the perfect ring to remind us that no matter what life throws at us, we can come through it shining! The horseshoe is traditionally the symbol of good luck, and it’s easy to feel lucky when this beauty’s on your hand!

Sometimes when you’re feeling a little blah – or maybe it’s not you, but it’s someone you know and cherish that’s having a tough time – the best thing to do is give yourself a little gift. The nice thing about horse jewelry is that it can provide that instant little “pick me up” – simply looking at a new piece of horse jewelry for your collection can put a smile on your face. And is there any better way to cheer someone up than with a personal, thoughtful gift that says “I was thinking of you”?

We really like the Hoofprints on Your Heart sterling silver charm necklace for this purpose. It’s a simple piece, on the petite size, with half a dozen tiny hoofprints on a sterling silver charm.  Appropriate for any setting, this charm reminds us of the unconditional love we get from the horses in our lives.  Even when everything is going wrong, our horses love us – - and when everything is going wrong AND we have carrots in our pocket, well, then our horses love us twice as much.

The Hoofprints on My Heart design is also available on a pin and on a bangle bracelet.  The necklace is a big hit with younger horsewomen.  Teens are particularly fond of it.  The charm comes on a black silk cord, although for a more formal look, you could switch it to a narrow sterling silver chain. A great gift for yourself or someone you love – perfect to put a smile on their face!

We also all have a need to celebrate those moments.  Achieving a life goal is a big deal.  It may be the sort of big deal that not everyone knows about – after all, we may not want to advertise the fact that we’ve quit smoking or worked up the nerve to finally confront the boss who’s been making our lives miserable – but it’s still something that we need to acknowledge, at least to ourselves.

Many people have special pieces of jewelry they wear to remind them of great things they’ve achieved, promises they’ve made to themselves or others, or to celebrate a life’s triumph. This is a tradition that goes back centuries.   Rings are especially sentimental: we wear rings to mark marriages, engagements, and sometimes the birth of children.

We think this sterling silver twist horseshoe nail ring is a great example of a ring that can be worn to mark a personal achievement. Sometimes you have to be tough as nails to make it in this world – but that doesn’t mean we can’t still be beautiful! This ring is simple yet stunning, with a modern feel, reminiscent of many favorite Gucci pieces. Wear it to remember the great things you’ve done and the amazing things you’re going to do!

In addition to the Horse Beauty pageant, Turkmenistan will be holding a national competition for carpet makers, jewelry makers, and sculptors.  Each group of artists are being encouraged to embody the horse’s beauty into art.

We can’t wait to see the entries, particularly where the jewelry makers are concerned. Great horse jewelry is all about capturing the beauty of horses, their grace, their passion, their majesty and power.

Cameo Horse Jewelry

When you buy horse jewelry for yourself – or as a gift for your sweetheart, as Valentine’s Day is less than a week away! – you want to choose only those pieces that you find personally beautiful.  A piece of horse jewelry must speak to you. You must enjoy looking at it, wearing it, and having it be part of your horse jewelry collection.

This beautiful double horse head cameo necklace certainly qualifies on every level. Carved from Italian agate,the necklace features hues ranging from deep navy blue to pure white.  Graceful and elegant, the pendant features a bit of whimsy: the flowing manes evoke an almost magical, otherworldly sense to the piece.  A delicate twisted wire bezel of 14K gold surrounds the pair. Great for horse lovers of every age, and absolutely romantic. The fine features, especially the pointed ears, of the horses reminds us of the Akhal-Tekke, and we’re absolutely sure that the judges in Turkmenistan would love this pendant.  How about you?

That being said, we don’t necessarily recommend offering yourself up as the obstacle! You have to wonder who the guy in the center ticked off to draw that particular assignment at the horse show….

Hunter/Jumper Horse Jewelry

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching.  If you’re going to buy your sweetheart horse jewelry for Valentine’s Day, consider selecting a piece that closely reflects their interests. Eventing is a passion: people who spend all of their time, money, and energy in the hunter/jumper world do so because they love it.  Select jewelry that reflects that love!

Bangle Bracelets are a perpetually popular option for Valentine’s Day. This Sterling Silver Hunter/Jumper bangle bracelet features a sculpted horse head with exquisite detail. A low, flat design makes it ideal for everyday wear: beauty can be durable!  Sized for a larger wrist, this bangle bracelet can be worn by men and women.  If you’re looking for a daintier version, check out this version. Slightly slimmer, this bracelet also features the detailed sculpture of a hunter/jumper’s head.

Earrings make a great Valentine’s Day gift! These sterling silver studs shaped like horses’ heads feature the same detailing seen in the bracelets. These earrings are small enough to be worn in the show ring and are great for everyday wear. You can dress them up or down: they go from home to office to dinner seamlessly – always appropriate and always stylish.

Valentine’s Day is all about the sentiment.  More than any other holiday, this is when it truly is the thought that counts.  Knock your sweetie’s socks off by presenting them with horse jewelry that’s stylish, high quality and reflects their love for their hunter/jumper – who they adore nearly as much as they love you!

And perhaps I’m more than a little nostalgic for Norman Thelwell’s ponies.  Do you remember them?  With touseled manes, snarled tails, and determined helmeted riders, Thelwell’s ponies were a staple of my childhood, decorating storybook pages and china mugs.  I collected such things as proof of my love for all things equine – even if I got no closer to the show ring than leading Sugar around and around and around the corral!

Of course, you live, you learn. Growing up means discovering that fresh fruit and vegetables are better than candy and cake – for you and for your horse!  When we love someone, we want what’s best for them.  And boy, do we love our horses.

Silver Horse Jewelry

I scoured the Equestrian Jewelry Collection to see if we had any pieces that evoked the fat and sassy ponies of my childhood – after all, aren’t there some days when you’d LOVE to wear a brooch with that expression of absolute and utter contempt that only a pony can manage? – but no such luck.

Instead, let’s check out Sterling Silver Horse Head in Heart Necklace. It’s a little more refined, perhaps, with an elegant jumper’s head in a silver heart. The 17 1/2″ rolo chain is the perfect length, flattering with every neckline. Whether you’ve got fat and sassy ponies in your life or trim, athletic horses, this is the necklace for you!

Ironically, they’d gone out riding to celebrate one of the pair’s recovery from a riding accident.  No one was hurt, and the charges against the two have been reduced to public intoxication.

No comment was available from the horse or the mule.

Gold Horse Rings

We all like to have a good time, and we like to look good while we’re doing it.  One way to do that is make sure we don’t have too many cocktails before getting up in the saddle. After that, we’ve got to look at our jewelry.  This week, we’re really enamored of this 14K Gold Galloping Horse Ring. Look at the energy and enthusiasm of the horses – a stallion and mare galloping full tilt across the pasture, mane and tails flying. You can almost hear the thunder of flying hooves.

It’s a perfect ring for a high-energy, fun loving woman. More than a few brides have selected this ring for a wedding band.

Another gold horse ring that’s a lot of fun is this 14K Gold Saddle Ring Shaped like an English saddle, this ring is a fun and quirky way to share your love of all things equestrian.

Both rings are part of our RiderRings collection, meaning they’re designed to work well in any environment, from the office to the show ring to the barn. These rings are designed for wearability and can stand up to the demands of life with horses — and look great for even your most exciting nights on the town.

(Just leave the mules at home…they’re always looking for trouble!)

In the ad, Michele claims the horses are overworked and badly treated.  However, fact checking with the Horse and Carriage Association of NYC, the group responsible for the oversight of the industry, reveals that the horses in NYC live in what most horse lovers would consider pretty good conditions.  They have limited work days, and have a five week vacation every year where they are taken to the country.

The carriage horses of today without a doubt enjoy better treatment and living conditions of horses half a century ago, much less half a century before that.

Horse and Carriage Jewelry

Horse and carriage jewelry is actually pretty hard to find.  We’ve got this great pin to tell you about, which has a little bit of history of its own!

Bridle rosettes were a once popular way to dress up your horse’s tack. Images are protected under glass domes, and backed with a sturdy brass panel. You’d slide your bridle through a loop on the back, and your horse would wear it, like jewelry. Usually a horse would wear a matched pair.

Today, many of these rosettes are seeing new life as pins. You can see the range of pins we have available here. At just under 2″ across, they’re the perfect size, and they were built to last. They’re a little heavy, so don’t plan on pinning these to your favorite silk blouse. On a blazer, denim jacket, or even on a bag, they look fabulous! Unique and equestrian-vintage, they’re a perfect gift for your favorite horsewoman — even if that’s you!