Horse Is Back

Equestrian Design Touches That Never Go Out Of Style.

The Classic is back in town, but attending this iconic event is not the only way to bring a little bit of equestrian culture into your Hamptons world. This year, spruce up your décor with some equestrian touches that are sure to stand the test of time. Antique stores, vintage shops, and even online auction houses can be great places to source items that give off an air of the Classic — even when August is miles away. 

But what should you look for first? Try old stirrup irons, which make excellent substitute bookends, or even objets d’ arte, poised on a coffee table or dresser. The rubber pads can be easily removed, and the irons themselves can be cleaned — to remove dirt and sweat — with a cloth that has been moistened with water and mild dish soap. 

The accomplished DIY-er can repurpose retired horse bits as nightstands, integrating them into a cool and themed lighting base. Soak the bits in extremely hot water and polish them briefly with a microfiber cloth before mounting them to a wooden base and wiring them (if you’re uncomfortable with this part, recruit a local electrician). If you prefer to keep bits around without converting them into something else, consider using them on bookshelves as display pieces, or atop coffee table books for people to enjoy looking at while they’re admiring the rest of your bespoke décor. 

Used saddles, which can be acquired at yard sales, flea markets, antique stores, and estate sales, make excellent set pieces, particularly in rooms with unused space. They can be cleaned with saddle soap and set atop trunks or tables as their own art installation. If you have a lot of wall space, consider mounting them as part of a gallery wall. Other pieces that can contribute to a curated equestrian art montage include hunt books, polo boots, and polo helmets. Use dark and regal colors and mix smaller and larger items to contribute to a textured effect. Crests, shields, and even vintage blue ribbons can create a wholesale equestrian effect. 

Old horseshoes can find new life as paperweights. Local tack stores carry items like these, as well as other horse-related hardware and accessories that can work as home décor. Snaffle bits can even do double-duty as drapery tie-backs, particularly if you’ve decorated with full and rich drapes — think blackout varieties, or drapes in deep saturated colors or in thick materials, like velvet. 

Polo mallets, too — one final nod to the Classic, of course — can be mounted to the walls in all sorts of different configurations. Collect them in singles wherever you see them. A variety of sizes, shapes, and colors can add an eclectic but intentional look to any room of the home. 

And don’t forget the actual horses. Antique shops are often home to old images of horses. Black-and-white photos, watercolors, and even oil paintings are the ideal final touch in an equestrian theme that never looks tired or dull. This year, it’s polo season every single day.