I do not come from a “horse-y” family. At some point my toddler eye set upon a horse and the love affair began then. I had to ride every pony, every toy horse, the coin operated machines. I looked for horses whenever we passed a farm. I lived and breathed horses…books, Breyers, and believing they’d be in my life one day.
When we moved to New York my mom reunited with a childhood friend…and she was horse-y. Pam became like a second mom to me. She’d pick me up and bring me to the farm; taught me to muck stalls and work hard and in exchange she gave me riding lessons. I owe a lot to her for the horseperson I’ve become today. She instilled in me the hard work and dedication and it never deterred me. I’d go home dirty and happy, I learned to fall off a horse, to work in any weather, to enjoy the highs and get through the lows…through thick and thin I found my way to horse ownership.
I still consider Pam to be my “second mom” or my “horse mom.” Last month we got together with a few close friends to have lunch. I was blown away by the Christmas present I received.
Unbeknownst to me, Pam had commissioned our friend Emily to create a piece of art. Emily is an extremely talented artist but I was unprepared to unwrap this masterpiece.
Over the years I have owned four horses.
Blade: He was my first. A 7 year old thoroughbred gelding with crooked legs. I didn’t know much about conformation or horse ownership at the time. I took a few lessons on him and fell in love…and that was that. Growing up Black Beauty was my favorite book…and I found my own. He was a heart horse. He wasn’t easy but he taught me a lot. I lost him in 2019 when he broke his leg playing the pasture.
Tiger: An extremely fortunate find. He was at the time a 5 year old thoroughbred. The farm owner called him green but he was by far the fanciest most broke horse I’ve ridden. It was love at first ride, I trotted cantered and galloped in the farm’s field and he listened to my body aids the entire time. The farm owner made a point to tell me he liked me, and knowing what I know now that was not a cheap compliment.
Nahe: I met him in 2019 when I was looking for horses. Although Tiger came first Nahe left a mark on me. He’s a perfectly colored black and white paint. He’s put together like a tank. When I tried him we took a trail ride and he was so surefooted descending a steep hill covered in wet leaves. He has a kind eye and moves incredibly well. We estimated 15-16 years when I got him but I believe he might have been a couple years older. It’s hard to accurately gauge from his teeth. He’s been a best friend and great companion, he’d do absolutely anything for me.
Stanley: I purchased him as a 6 year old thoroughbred for my first off-track restart. I bought him sight unseen and we loved each other immediately. He has a goofy personality, a wrench on his face, and a prominent sclera in his eye. He tries exceedingly hard to please and that necessitates me being extra mindful.
Each and every horse has taught me things about horsemanship and about myself. They are all special to me beyond compare.
So when I unwrapped this gorgeous work of art I immediately cried. I was BLOWN AWAY.
This drawing is incredibly special to me. I’ve always loved black background, and I love all of my boys. But digging deeper this was a gift of love. Love from Pam who had the idea and commissioned this to life. Love from Emily, who also grew up riding with Pam for a while. Not only did she use her talents to see this vision but she SCOURED my Facebook to find the right photos and piece them together. She laid everything out masterfully to create a visually appealing color scheme. And did I mention how she NAILED every detail?
Emily noted Stanley’s sclera and included that in the piece. She got every facial marking and facial expression perfectly. She captured their personality. She even included the grey outline Nahe has around every black marking (It’s hard to fully appreciate it from photos but it’s really unique if you look closely).
I don’t think the photos I show here are the ones she used but you can still tell.
Emily listens to you to create works of art you can treasure forever. She takes commissions, sells original art, and can even make you a custom coloring book.
If you are looking for a talented artist I highly recommend reaching out to Emily Lodato Fine Art!
The Green Horseman 
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