Horses

Book excerpt: A tribute to horses, their riders, stables, and the equestrian lifestyle around the world. Derry Moore’s photographs celebrate the extraordinary beauty in the trappings and traditions of the equestrian world. Offering a privileged glimpse into the lives of jockeys and cavalrymen, Spanish riding schools, and Midwestern rodeos, these pictures take the reader to paddocks, courses, and stables the world over and reveal the customs and passions of equestrian culture. From stablehands grooming before an English country hunt to blacksmiths shoeing showhorses to pull royal carriages in Spain, and from immaculate dressage riders at Chantilly to roughshod jockeys in the dusty fields of India, Moore’s photographs offer a profound and romantic insight into the connection that binds us to these animals. With contributions from legendary owners and trainers, this elegant book paints a picture of an entire equestrian world, from the racecourses of Keeneland in Kentucky to the training stables at Newmarket, and from the majestic working Suffolk Punches to Frankel, the most valuable stud in the world. Moore’s work—with a unique eye for character, not just in his portraits of the horses but in the details of their surroundings—is a fitting celebration of a lifestyle that continues to inspire.