History, Natural History & the Arts
Return with me to the thrilling days of yesteryear when the automobile was viewed as the solution to transportation noise, fumes and congestion.
The problem: Horses.
A lot of horses. [Read more…] about The Unpleasant Side of Life With Horses in Cities
Although much remains unclear about the origins of Cockney rhyming slang, there is a consensus that it stems from London’s East End, dates back to the 1840s, and is alive and thriving. One slang expression reads “on one’s tod,” meaning: on one’s own; all alone. The phrase is a shortened version of the original “on one’s Tod Sloan.”
In full, these four words offer a multi-colored mosaic of socio-cultural events involving Manhattan, London, and Paris. [Read more…] about Slang, Stirrups, Paris in the 20s, and the Invention of the Bloody Mary
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the completion of a three-year project to reconstruct 36 bridge crossings along the Brookfield Trail System in the towns of Hamilton and Brookfield, Madison County. The popular recreation trails provide more than 100 miles of opportunity for hikers, equestrians, snowmobilers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. [Read more…] about 36 Bridges Replaced Along 100-Mile Brookfield Trail System
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents in the around New York State. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people.
What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers. [Read more…] about Forest Rangers Aid Paddlers, Hikers, Equestrian; Fight Fire
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs is set to reopen to the public on Saturday, September 5th.
The Museum has been closed since January for the installation of a new state-of-the-art Hall of Fame experience as well as multiple new and updated exhibitions. [Read more…] about Saratoga Horse Racing Museum Reopening Sept 5th
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has temporarily suspended all overnight camping at the Otter Creek Horse Trail facility, effective immediately, to help limit the community spread of COVID-19. [Read more…] about Overnight Camping Suspended at Otter Creek
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced that the agency is accepting public comments on regulatory proposals for the Brookfield Trail System at the Moscow Hill Camping and Assembly areas in Madison County.
[Read more…] about Comments Sought on Brookfield Trail System
A little more than two years after a devastating fire Goshen Historic Track has added a new page to its history. Considered among the world’s oldest active harness racing tracks, the Orange County facility recently hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate a newly constructed barn and horse stalls on the site of the old BOCES Barn that was partially destroyed by the fire on August 23, 2017. [Read more…] about New Barn in Goshen Preserves Horse Racing Tradition
The most popular genre by far on nighttime television through the 1960s? Westerns. While children were allowed to watch some of them, several shows specifically geared towards the younger set were shown on Saturday morning. Watching heroes — Roy Rogers, the Lone Ranger, and Zorro, three of the best — escape tense situations and catch bad guys was unforgettable.
Among the skills of any cowboy star (or stuntman stand-in) worth his salt were the hurried mounting and high-speed dismounting of horses (usually their own faithful steed, of course). It’s an impressive feat when you consider that horses are pretty high off the ground — which brings us to our main subject: how to get down off a horse. [Read more…] about Once Common Horse Blocks Weren’t Just for Horses and Carriages
The Goshen Historic Track has announced the Fifth Annual Kentucky Derby Day has been set for Saturday, May 4th, from 4:30 to 7:30 pm.
Visitors can watch the Kentucky Derby races simulcast on several large screen TVs while enjoying the rest of the day’s festivities that also feature a family-style BBQ food, beer, wine and soda. OTB will be available. There will also be a 50/50 raffle and more. [Read more…] about Kentucky Derby Day at Goshen Historic Track May 4th