Public Libraries Host a Parade of Yesterday’s and Today’s Heroic Equines and Equestrians
The University of New Hampshire’s Dimond Library and UNH Equine Center have partnered to present “The Literary Horse: When Legends Come to Life,” a photo exhibit of horses and riders paired with quotations from the world’s great books.
The exhibit, on display in the University Museum June 1- 23, 2012, features novice through Olympic horses, and spotlights riders and horses of the University of New Hampshire’s Therapeutic Riding Program.
“From Achilles’ weeping chargers to Don Quixote’s Rocinante, the horses of myth and literature are alive and thriving in our neighborhoods,” said exhibit creator Vanessa Wright. “For example, in her poem, ‘The Horseback Ride,’ Grace Greenwood describes the power, joy, and transformation that equestrianism offers, just as at the University of New Hampshire’s Therapeutic Riding Program, not only the riders and horses, but families, staff, and volunteers – the whole community – participate in and celebrate each individual’s quest to reach his or her dreams.”
Showcasing first-time riders through Special Olympic and Olympic champions, and equestrian disciplines ranging from carriage driving and show-jumping to jousting and vaulting (gymnastics on horseback), “The Literary Horse” provides visitors with a real-life tour of horse-lovers’ favorite classics, such as the “Iliad,” “Richard III,” and “Don Quixote,” as well as beloved children’s tales, such as “Cinderella,” “The Arabian Nights,” and “King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.” The exhibit, though, extends beyond its images, featuring UNH and other regional equine and equestrian programs.
“I hoped these images would help people see themselves in the great books and inspire them to live their own legends,” says Wright. “Heroes aren’t just people who lived long ago - they are our neighbors, our friends, our family members, and ourselves. The beauty, heart, and spirit we admire in legendary horses exists in our pasture pets, school ponies, service horses, and competition partners. Together, we face challenges as thrilling and as extraordinary as the quests of old. After all, every great story, at its heart, reflects the greatness that is already within us.”
“The Literary Horse: When Legends Come to Life” will be on display from June 1- 23, 2012, at the University Museum, UNH Dimond Library, Level 3, 18 Library Way, Durham. Museum hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., closed noon-1 p.m., and the Saturdays of June 9, 16, 23, 10 a.m. -2 p.m. The exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, activities, and a booklist, visit www.TheLiteraryHorse.com, orhttp://www.durhampubliclibrary.org/durham/ or www.izaak.unh.edu/museum.
Originally published by:
UNH Media Relations
Written by Jody Record, UNH Media Relations.