Riding in style
When the only tack shop in eastern Dutchess County closed in 2005, Barbara Wadsworth and her partner Jonathan Meyer saw an opportunity and threw their hearts over the fence, as the saying goes, and the horse has indeed followed. Horse Leap in Amenia has been growing every year, selling basics like all-natural horse care products and fine tack alongside antique and vintage equestrian-themed art, jewelry, and glassware.
One of her mainstays, says Wadsworth, is new and consignment clothing suitable for the show circuit and for the even more particular fox hunt. "It's not about killing the fox, it's about getting out in the countryside and watching the hounds work. It's always had a huge social aspect, and I help newcomers crack the code—every detail of what riders wear means something. If you see a rider in a red coat at the hunt, you know that's someone you can turn to for help; a person only earns the right to wear that coat with hard work and experience."
