The 2024 Equine History Collective conference ‘Tech-quids across Time’ is fast approaching. This online conference, hosted by Johnson & Wales University, will take place from September 19-21. Registration is required to attend the conference, and you can do so via our online registration form.
This year we are thrilled to have two fantastic keynote speakers: Jacquelynn Holly and Lynne Ferguson!
Jacquelynn Holly: Keynote presentation Friday September 20th, 3:00-4:00pm EDT
Jacquelynn Holly, a dedicated equestrienne with a penchant for the past, found her passion in the elegant world of sidesaddles. Her journey began in 2013 when she stepped into the enchanting realm of Victorian reenactment. Little did she know that this initial curiosity would blossom into a lifelong devotion to preserving and reviving the art of sidesaddle riding.
As Jacquelynn delved deeper into the world of sidesaddles, her fascination evolved into a mission. She realized these beautiful relics needed more than admiration—they needed restored, but restored to be used, as there is a finite number of functionally, safe sidesaddles in the world, and no one is building new Western sidesaddle trees. Guided by her passion, she embarked on a journey to learn the art of rebuilding and restoring sidesaddles by disassembling and studying those in her own ever growing and ever changing private collection. Jacquelynn’s workshop became a sanctuary for these forgotten treasures. The collection is an eclectic assortment of Western, English, Icelandic, Mexican and Peruvian, from all eras of their evolution. Some had great potential, while others had no value and might otherwise be dubbed “wreckers”. Others, in decent condition, should still only be used for conversation pieces and decor. Today, Jacquelynn continues to meticulously disassemble sidesaddles, study their construction, and breathe new life into them. Each stitch, each pattern, carries the secrets of lost history. Jacquelynn revels in the challenge of preserving authenticity while ensuring functionality, and giving these pieces of art the opportunity to serve another 150 years. She takes great pride in uncovering the history behind each sidesaddle – who owned it, who made it, where it came from and where it is going. Her restorations go beyond leather and delve deep into history itself. She is also the founder of the Idaho Sidesaddle Association in 2018. The vision of the ISA is to promote historical education by riding in various styles of sidesaddles. Sidesaddles, having evolved across different cultures and eras, hold stories of elegance, resilience, and femininity. The association aims to weave these narratives into the practice of riding aside and it hosts an annual clinic in May in addition to participating in different events and educating the younger generation about sidesaddle to foster intergenerational learning and preserve the rich history of this discipline.
Lynne Ferguson: Keynote presentation Saturday September 21, 2:00-3:00pm EDT
Lynne Ferguson is the founder of the Native Horsemanship Youth Program, a non-profit free program serving low income youth and youth with disabilities that Lynne founded in 1998. She is also a singer/songwriter and musician with a long and successful career in many music genres, and live performances and music sales help support the program, as well as grants and private donations. All proceeds from her music benefit the Native Horsemanship Youth Program. You can find her music on YouTube and Spotify.
The Native Horsemanship Youth Program operates on the Port Madison Indian Reservation in Suquamish, Washington. Lynne’s great grandfather had Eastern Band Cherokee descendancy but grew up in Comanche country and learned his horsemanship skills there, which he taught to her grandma, and great-grandma, and they taught Lynne what they had learned. These methods rely on developing a close bond with your horse and this bonding experience is exceptionally healing to children who have experienced trauma. The methods respect the horse’s nature, and the participants learn to communicate with their horses using breath, body language, and intention. They use horses they have bred, raised, and trained to work with youth and adults with disabilities and/or on the autism spectrum. They are now serving their second generation of students. Lynne lives in a cabin – off the grid and on the Port Madison Reservation – surrounded by the horses and the natural beauty of the northwest. Her life and passions are music and working with these horses to help children grow and thrive.
