We are so excited that Equitana USA at the amazing and beautiful Kentucky Horse Park is right around the corner, and we are THRILLED that six of our amazing authors are featured presenters. Here’s what you have in store in Lexington this weekend.
Sally Batton, Founder and President of the Athletic Equestrian League and author of the forthcoming The Athletic Equestrian (coming January 2022)
Cathy Woods, horsewoman, yoga teacher, and author of Yoga for Riders
With a dynamic combination of seminars, clinics, and trainings, the EQUITANA USA Education Program will broaden your understanding of all things related to horse care and riding, while opening doors to new disciplines and fun. It all starts on Friday, October 1! Get your tickets and plan your visit today!
For more information or to reserve your tickets, visit EquitanaUSA.com.
Tomorrow, Saturday, April 24, 2021, is Independent Bookstore Day, a day to celebrate the small but mighty independent bookstore–your local source for books, events, and most importantly, community! Indie bookstores suffered terribly over the past year as lockdowns and changes in purchasing habits during the pandemic devastated their bottom lines. As an independent book publisher, fighting hard for every sale is a familiar struggle, so we ask you to join us tomorrow and show your support for your favorite local bookstore.
We are very lucky to have three independent bookstores our staff frequents (and who carry select TSB books!) in locations near our main offices in North Pomfret, Vermont. We checked in with each shop to see how they are doing and what their reopening plans are–if you are in the area, we urge you to stop by and visit these stores, and if you aren’t, please consider placing an order online!
Liza Bernard and Penny McConnel met in 1988 at a book study group. Penny was working at the Dartmouth Bookstore, then one of the oldest independent bookstores in the country. Liza was supporting herself designing and making hand woven and knit clothing, and later as an independent art consultant and graphic designer.
In the early 1990s both Penny and Liza were approaching work transitions, and imagining what might come next. Always envious of Penny’s position being surrounded by books and the people who loved them, and knowing their work styles were complementary, Liza broached the idea of opening a bookstore together.
Here we are almost 30 years, and one pandemic, later, and the Norwich Bookstore continues to be a favorite destination for families and a hot shopping spot for locals (their complimentary gift wrapping is legend!).
“Since we opened the doors on August 1, 1994, we have enjoyed bringing writers and readers of the vibrant Upper Valley community together,” says Liza, “from offering personalized recommendations to hosting internationally acclaimed author events.”
2 Carmichael Street, Essex Jct, Vermont | 191 Bank Street, Burlington, Vermont | 2 Center Street, Rutland, Vermont
With 20 years of bookstore ownership behind them (Mike and Renee owned The Book Rack and Children’s Pages in Winooski, Vermont, from 1993-2003), Mike DeSanto and Renee Reiner opened the first Phoenix Books in Essex, Vermont in 2007. With support from the community, they then opened locations in Burlington in 2012 and Rutland in 2015.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to provide books and to foster a love of reading in our communities,” says Social Media Manager/Floor Manager Katie DeSanto. “It’s why we’re here!”
Vermont’s oldest continuously operated independent bookshop first opened in November 1935 and has been serving Woodstock and the surrounding towns ever since. Yankee offers a terrifically curated collection of books, as well as vinyl, stationery, gifts, and awesome puzzles (I bought MANY in 2020!).
The shop’s eighth and current local owners are Kari Meutsch and Kristian Preylowski who purchased the shop in February of 2017 with the help of the owners of Phoenix Books: Michael DeSanto and Renee Reiner.
But the past year undoubtedly challenged the usual ways our independent bookstores could interact with their customers, and seeing as that interaction is such a huge part of the connection we feel as neighbors and customers, we asked our locals how they felt the events of 2020 strengthened their place in our community.
“From how-to-knit to thrilling mysteries, people are turning to books to learn and to be entertained,” says Liza Bernard from Norwich Bookstore, “so we quickly pivoted from in-store browsing to recommending books by phone, email, and via our website for pickup from the porch. We turned to zoom for author events and book discussions! While not as up-close and personal, online events have the advantage that we can easily accommodate many more in the audience–and from all over the world. And we can host authors from far away such as when Nuala O’Connor signed in from Ireland to talk about her book, Nora. The challenges have underscored how important collaborations are! We have always partnered with other organizations and forged new connections in 2020.”
“Like so many other small businesses, we had to ensure our customers and booksellers worked and shopped in a safe environment,” Phoenix’s Katie DeSanto says. “We’ve heard many times from our customers over the last year that they feel comfortable shopping with us because of the safety precautions we continue to adhere to. It’s absolutely our number one priority.
“Also, in-person events and story times have always been at the core of our business, and one of our roles in the community. That changed in March of 2020. We quickly began hosting virtual events in April 2020 (even though we were all a little camera-shy at the time) and have enjoyed it immensely since. They’re actually a lot of fun! We are grateful that our customers have embraced the online format wholeheartedly. It’s remarkable that our Events Coordinator, Michele, began her position in January of 2020 and has successfully navigated this brave new world of online author events with the grace and ease of someone who has been doing it for years!”
A few of the books we publish that you can find in these local bookstores.
We asked if any specific out-of-the-box ideas helped our local indies get through 2020. Liza and Penny at Norwich Bookstore had a Porch Pop-Up Shop when weather cooperated, where they offered cards, puzzles, face masks, and sale books, even during the times when in-store shopping was unavailable. When shutdown began, Phoenix immediately mobilized one- or two-person teams in each store and focused on providing web fulfillment and curbside pickup to their communities. Puzzles and games were big for all three stores.
As small, locally owned businesses, what have we learned in the past year?
“The understanding of the importance of shopping, banking, and dining ‘local first’ has been growing and hopefully will continue as we slowly reopen,” offers Liza. “When we shop locally, we are making an investment in our own towns and villages; our family and neighbors.”
“Communities have always valued their neighborhood businesses,” adds Katie. “The pandemic highlighted how valuable small businesses are economically, socially, and culturally to neighborhoods. Every book, every meal out, every snow shovel, and every roll of paper towels matters to your local businesses. Keep shopping local, everyone!”
Norwich Bookstore, Phoenix Books, and Yankee Bookshop all carry select Trafalgar Square titles, as well as wonderfully curated collections of books from all genres. All offer online ordering and curbside pickup. And as of tomorrow, Independent Bookstore Day, all will be open for in-store browsing with protocols specific to each location in place. Please visit their websites for details regarding hours and safety protocols:
We’re celebrating moms this weekend. Thank you to eventer, trainer, horseman, and author of IN THE MIDDLE ARE THE HORSEMEN Tik Maynard for this original essay.
Tik and his mother Jen. Photo courtesy of Rick Maynard.
Mum
My mother walks into the bank, where she has banked since she was six years old. She waits in line, shuffling her feet. She studies the patrons, alert for gossip. The teller is frowning at a young girl who keeps repeating, “I don’t think so,” and then scrolls through her phone.
My mother huffs at cars that drive too fast, puffs at cars that drive too slow. She can’t teach riding, like my dad and I do, because she doesn’t “understand why they just don’t get it.” And if you are not a Democrat (in Canada a Green or NDP, or maybe a Liberal, if it is a year to vote strategically), you don’t have a prayer.
After ten minutes Mum walks up to the counter. The teller wears wire-rimmed glasses and is nearing retirement. She takes a deep breath then looks up at my mother. As Mum opens her mouth to say something, the teller speaks first. “Piss off,” she hisses.
My mother rocks back. Her eyes widen. And then she laughs. The teller smiles. They giggle. She feels honored that she is the kind of woman who can take a joke.
Mum will give it, but she can take it too. She loves that kind of thing. My mother teaches me to not take myself too seriously.
***
Photo courtesy of Rick Maynard.
When I’m home in Canada we play Scrabble. Mum usually wins, which is frustrating because I want to win more than she does. She just likes getting a lot of points—the 50-point bonus for using all seven letters in her hand, or putting an X or a J on a triple-letter score. She is an expert at the small words: ZUZ, QAT, XI, XU, QI, KA, ZA, AA.
I lay down “LIB” across, which adds an “L” to “AB” to make ”LAB.”
“Great words, Tik!”
“Thanks, Mum.”
She does the math. “You’re only 85 points behind,” she says sincerely.
“Thanks, Mum.”
My mother reminds me to keep enjoying things for their own sake.
***
I wonderwho else banters. It drives my dad crazy. It pushes my wife to the edge. But my mother and I can’t get enough of it.
“You shouldn’t talk on the phone while you drive.”
“It’s legal in Florida.”
“Legality is not the same as intelligence.”
“Are you calling me stupid? Because stupidly is mostly genetic.”
Photo courtesy of Rick Maynard.
“If you are going 60 miles an hour and look down at your phone for two seconds, that is like going the length of a football field without looking up.”
“Did you know 80 percent of statistics are made up on the spot?”
My mother looks at me.
“Mum, I’m just saying, did you do the math on that?”
“We can figure it out right now…”
“And have you ever compared the reaction times of someone in their thirties to some in their eighties?”
“I was born in 1946.”
“So you haven’t?”
It’s like eating potato chips. We can’t stop.
***
My wife Sinead and I have a little joke where we like to give each other backhanded compliments. We decided to let my mum in on the game this year and sent her a gift with this written on the card:
What some might call stubborn and overbearing we see as strong-willed and filled with love. Happy Mother’s Day, from Tik, Sinead, and Brooks
***
My mother taught me to appreciate stories and literature. She taught me the names of constellations and how to grow tomatoes and that science is a method and not a discipline.
She taught me to question authority. (Entirely by example.)
My mother made me realize that we are all paradoxes. We are all hypocritical. She taught me that loving someone and understanding someone are not the same thing. My mother drives me crazy.
My mother taught me to love strong women.
Happy Mother’s Day.
Photo by Patricia Dileo.
***
You don’t have to be from a different generation to be a strong woman. Take Sinead, for example. This will be her second Mother’s Day as a mother. Our son Brooks, about 20 months old, asked me to write a few words for him:
“Mummy”
I watch Mummy make me breakfast. I watch her make me lunch. I watch her make me dinner. When my diaper needs to be changed she can make that happen too: She says “Oh, Daddy. Your turn for a bit…”
Sometimes I cry, but when I see Mummy, I know it will be okay.
Mummy teaches me things: “Dogs go ‘Woof-woof.’ Cows go ‘Moooo.’ Auntie Meg goes ‘Ca-caw, Ca-caw.’”
Brooks and Sinead. Photo by Patricia Dileo.
Mummy reads me books like Giraffes Can’t Dance. She makes a joke about Daddy, but I think he is a good dancer. “Well, he is enthusiastic,” Mummy says. I don’t understand most of the book, but I point at the things I recognize and make noises.
When Mummy sits with me on the couch I feel like a prince. Sitting with Mummy is special; not everyone gets to sit with Mummy.
Mummy rides horses. I see her with them, and she is focused and calm. It is difficult to be focused and calm.
I like hugging Mummy. Mostly I just hug her legs, but when she picks me up and hugs me that is the best.
We woke up one morning and “poof!” it was November! That means we’ll be setting up shop at Equine Affaire in West Springfield, Massachusetts, in no time at all…or in other words, next week…
Take your pic with Fergus!
That’s right: Equine Affaire runs Thursday, November 7, through Sunday, November 10, 2019, at the Eastern States Exposition grounds. Come find the TSB booth 846/847 in the Better Living Center. You can browse and buy our newest books and favorite bestsellers, shop our massive sale bins, take advantage of show specials and discounts, sign up to win great prizes, and take your picture with this year’s Fergus the Horse—an EA tradition!
2 pm and 4 pm, Meet Equine Core Strengthening Specialist Simon Cocozza
We can’t wait to see you next week! Oh, and if for some reason you can’t make it to Equine Affaire, pop over to our online bookstore for great holiday gift ideas for the horse person in your life. Horse books are some of the most affordable equestrian gear available!
On Thursday, February 28, 2019, TSB author Denny Emerson will be inducted into the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo Hall of Fame, during their first annual induction ceremony, taking place at the National Western Complex in Denver, Colorado. Other 2019 inductees include Julie Goodnight Horsemanship, Meredith Hodges, Pat Parelli Ranch, Richard Shrake, and Dr. Robert Miller.
“I spent lots of time in Colorado, off and on, during the years that my son, Rett, was a student at Colorado State University, and during the several years he stayed in Ft Collins, working, after graduation,” ” says Emerson. “I taught numerous clinics in Colorado, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, and developed a great appreciation for the quality of the horses and horsemanship in those western states.
“Some of my all time favorite horses were Epic Win, a Colorado-bred, Foxed Again, a Wyoming-bred, King Oscar, another Wyoming-bred, and Jetting West, a Montana-bred. So to be honored in a part of the United States so noted for its tremendous riding and horse breeding traditions is a special privilege.”
Tickets for the induction ceremony are $25 and available HERE. (Pre-registration is required to guarantee entry.) In addition to the presentation of the awards, attendees will enjoy individual spotlights and stories of the inductees, and a chance to ask a question of a Hall-of-Famer! (Questions can be submitted in advance online: CLICK HERE.)
Details:
Thursday, February 28, 2019 Reception @ 6 pm Awards Program @ 6:45 National Western Stock Show Complex, 4655 Humboldt Street, Denver, Colorado
On Friday, March 1, 2019, Emerson will be on the grounds at the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo, signing copies of his new book KNOW BETTER TO DO BETTER at The Right Horse truck and trailer located at the front entrance next to the Colorado State University booth. Come meet Emerson from 1:30-2:30 pm! 40% of proceeds from the sale of his book on Friday will go to support the Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance.
KNOW BETTER TO DO BETTER is Emerson’s second bestselling book, and has been called “invaluable” by Bernie Traurig, President and founder of EquestrianCoach.com, and “a treasure”by Charlotte Kneeland, Executive Director of The American Riding Instructors Association.
For more information about the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo and its 1st Annual Hall of Fame Awards and Reception, CLICK HERE.
For more information about The Right Horse and their mission to promote horse adoption, CLICK HERE.
As soon as we turn back the clocks, we all know it is almost that time again…time for Equine Affaire at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts! Tomorrow we’re loading up the horse trailer with our bestselling books and DVDs, as well as all our newest releases, and heading south down Route 91, leaving our Vermont offices behind for four days of horse-centric fun!
Join us in learning from our expert authors who will be on-hand as featured presenters, including:
The Opening Ceremonies for the FEI World Equestrian Games at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, North Carolina, are set to begin this evening, Tuesday, September 11, at 6:00 pm EST. The World Equestrian Games, or WEG, are held every four years in the middle of the Olympic cycle. And here’s the thing…they are a REALLY BIG DEAL. Why? Because WEG combines eight World-Championship-caliber equestrian events in one place with competitions spanning 13 days: dressage, show jumping, eventing, reining, driving, endurance, para-dressage, and vaulting. We’re talking the VERY BEST equestrians in the world, and the top horses in all these disciplines, here, in the United States, for two weeks.
The importance of WEG to the equestrian industry, and the significance of it being held here in the US this year, rather than in Europe, makes it a little surprising that of all the press suddenly devoted to the Carolinas and a certain imposing Madame Hurricane, little has been mentioned of this major event and how Florence will likely impact it. The athletes from participating countries and their horses have already arrived and are preparing for competition to begin (with dressage, reining, and endurance on Wednesday, September 12), but hundreds of thousands of individuals planning to attend all or part of the competition as spectators have yet to head out by road, air, or rail. It’s like this big communal breath is held as we wait to see where Flo will track and how mean she plans to be. Mill Spring, North Carolina, is on the western side of the state, and the National Weather Service has a station on site at the Tryon International Equestrian Center, keeping close watch on the hurricane as she develops. All efforts are being made to keep the riders, their horses, and their support teams, safe, whatever the days ahead bring in terms of weather. Of course, the rest of us still have to ask if it makes any sense at all to fly toward a hurricane, when millions under mandatory evacuation order along the coastline are trying to get away?
With that pressing question set momentarily aside, we at TSB have been truly excited in the months leading up to WEG to not only attend, but to have the opportunity to support our many wonderful, talented authors who are judging, competing, performing, speaking, and signing books during the event, including: Anne Gribbons, Ingrid Klimke, Charlotte Dujardin, Carl Hester, Phillip Dutton, Doug Payne, Emma Ford, Dan James, George Morris, Yvonne Barteau, Tik Maynard, and Dr. Bob Grisel.
TSB author and FEI 5* judge Anne Gribbons is President of the Ground Jury for the dressage competition at WEG 2018. Photo by Sharon Packer.
To find most of our books and related book signings at WEG, visit The Chronicle of the Horse (Booth C3-4 in the World Equine Expo Area). Book signings will be arranged as competitors’ schedules allow.
In addition, those visiting with children can find TSB children’s books to explore and enjoy in the BrookeUSA activity area, as well as for sale in the BrookeUSA Shop (Booth B8). 50% of the proceeds from the sales of these books will go to support the mission of BrookeUSA and its sister charity, Brooke, the official charity of the WEG. Brooke is the world’s largest international working equine welfare charity dedicated to improving the lives of horses, donkeys, mules and the people who depend on those animals in the developing world.
TSB author and dressage competitor Charlotte Dujardin is a Brooke Ambassador. Her autobiography THE GIRL ON THE DANCING HORSE will be available at The Chronicle of the Horse Shop at WEG. Photo courtesy of Brooke.
TSB author and former Chef d’Equipe of the US Show Jumping Team George H. Morris will be speaking on two occasions on the WEG grounds:
Saturday, September 15, at 10:00 am, at the Equus Theatre.
Saturday, September 22, at 12:00 pm, on the Coca-Cola® Stage.
George Morris will be signing copies of his book UNRELENTING following each talk, with 50% of the proceeds going to support Brooke.
Fans can also meet George at a special celebration of the George Morris Collection and book signing at Dover Saddlery in Mill Spring on Tuesday, September 18, from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm.
TSB author George Morris will speak on two occasions at WEG, as well as participate in a meet-and-greet at Dover Saddlery in Mill Spring. Photo by Tyler Gourley Pictures.
And be sure to stop by the GetSound® Booth (B7-6) to meet Dr. Bob Grisel and hear about his new App to help diagnose lameness in horses, as well as get a copy of his amazing new book EQUINE LAMENESS FOR THE LAYMAN.
We plan to post updates about competition results, author events and signings, and other news here, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram—so watch this space! Of course, all of this is pending a crazy-plane-ride toward a hurricane…
See you in Tryon…maybe?
Trafalgar Square Books, the leading publisher of equestrian books and DVDs, is a small business based on a farm in rural Vermont.
In the fall of 2017 TSB released the book HORSE SPEAK, which took the international horse world by storm. Horse trainer and rehabilitation specialist Sharon Wilsie put to paper a practical system for “listening” and ” talking” to horses in their language instead of expecting them to comprehend ours. She called her system “Horse Speak,” and has been traveling the country demonstrating how it can be used by any individual who works with horses, whether riding instructor, colt starter, recreational rider, or avid competitor.
Now, Wilsie has written the highly anticipated follow-up to her breakout bestseller—a book that not only serves as a complement and companion to HORSE SPEAK, but also an alternative entry point to the concepts she teaches. In HORSES IN TRANSLATION, Wilsie uses true stories to relate examples of “problems” and how they were solved using Horse Speak. Her engaging narrative introduces readers to dozens of real-life scenarios from different barns, various disciplines, and riders and handlers with contrasting experiences and backgrounds. Wilsie highlights her Horse Speak process, the clues that point to the best course of action, and the steps she takes to connect with horses that have shut down, grown confused, or become sulky or aggressive for any number of reasons. The result is a book full of incredible insight and exciting possibilities.
HORSES IN TRANSLATION is available now from the TSB online bookstore, where shipping in the US is FREE.
Are you in the Northeast and interested in learning more about Horse Speak and Sharon Wilsie’s new book? Join us Thursday, May 24, 2018, at 5:00 pm at Strafford Saddlery in Quechee, Vermont, for refreshments and a talk with Wilsie about her work and how it can change your relationship with your horse. We promise it will be a fun and inspiring evening!
Trafalgar Square Books, the leading publisher of equestrian books and DVDs, is a small business based on a farm in rural Vermont.
Are you headed to the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio, for Equine Affaire this weekend? April 12-15, you’ll find a crew of TSB authors collected in one place and presenting on the subjects they know and love best, along with many other experts from across the equine industry. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to expand your knowledge—a chance to become a better trainer, a more informed rider, and the caring partner your horse deserves.
4:00 pm | Demo Ring Celeste Center: Pilates for Dressage®—Path to Partnership: Exercises to Empower You to Truly Find Your Seat
Friday, April 13
10:00 am | Seminar Stage Voinovich Livestock and Trade Center: Ridermanship®—Path to Partnership Using Pilates for Dressage®: Revealing Crucial Keys to Your Posture & Seat
1:00 pm | Demo Ring Celeste Center: Path to Partnership: Pilates Exercises to Empower You to Truly Find Your Seat
We hope everyone has a truly wonderful, educational time (oh, and plenty of shopping!) at Equine Affaire Ohio! And we at TSB are looking forward to seeing you at Equine Affaire in Springfield, Massachusetts this November.
Trafalgar Square Books, the leading publisher of equestrian books and DVDs, is a small business based on a farm in rural Vermont.
That’s right…it’s that time of year again. We’re loading the books and DVDs in the horse trailer (yes, literally) and getting ready to head south on Interstate 91 for four days of horse-centric fun at Equine Affaire in West Springfield, Massachusetts.
From Thursday November 9 through Sunday November 12, 2017, the Eastern States Exposition is transformed into an equestrian wonderland. With educational clinics and demonstrations, entertainment, shopping, and most importantly, lots and lots of HORSES, Equine Affaire is an event you don’t want to miss. TSB is proud to have seven authors presenting this year, including:
CLICK HERE for the Equine Affaire schedule to see when TSB authors and other top equestrians are presenting.
TSB Warehouse Manager Marilyn Tobin with the new 6-foot Fergus!
The TSB booth is located at 846/847 in the Better Living Center—come by and see us! We’d love to meet you! Plus, we’ll have our newest releases, our bestselling favorites, show specials, a chance to earn further discounts, product giveaways, and author signings throughout the event.
And the 6-foot Fergus the Horse is BACK! We have a new Giant Fergus Photo Op to celebrate the release of FERGUS AND THE GREENER GRASS, so be sure to swing by and click a pic. Post it and tag it #FERGUSea17ma…we want to see your photos!
Tickets for the induction ceremony are $25 and available 
Emma Ford, Professional Groom and co-author of 
Jochen Schleese, Master Saddle Fitter and Saddle Ergonomist, and author of 
Thursday, April 12
