The Chronicle Over The Decades: 1950s

I would also appreciate it very much if you could possible start my subscription with the issue covering the Harrisburg show.

I travelled with the U.S. Equestrian Team last year and would like to keep posted on its activities as much as possible. As I can think of nothing better than The Chronicle to read, I hope you will send me the copies as soon as possible.

Thanking you in advance,
Pfc. Bernard R. Brenman

- In The Country, March 3, 1950

Button—Button

Buttons on hunting coats have a way of dropping off and disappearing. When they do they are hard to replace. Leonard Smith, Joint M.F.H. of Camargo with de Gray Vanderbilt, is off on a search for a good source for hunt buttons. He believes he can secure them at a cost of $1.00 each. Although not in the button business, he is willing to divulge his source of supply for those needing hunt buttons at a low price.

- In The Country, July 13, 1956

Cancelled Flight

Travis M. Kerr, owner of Bobby Brocato; Dr. Reed and Joe Hernandez recently returned to California from New York. They had reservations eastbound on the ill fated liner that crashed in the Grand Canyon, which they cancelled in favor of a night flight at the last moment.

- In The Country, Oct. 12, 1956

Did Carrots Get The Nod?

Before the first class at the Oregon State Fair, Harry Samuals owner of hunter Phar Rhona, appeared at the mare’s stall with both hands full. One hand held a luscious bunch of carrots, in the other a can of horse meat.

“Take your choice,” owner Samuals said.

The mare took a look and took her choice.

P.S. She won the Hunter Championship.

Some Things Change, Some Remain The Same

The Upperville Horse Show in Virginia celebrated its 100th anniversary on June 5, 1953, and the Chronicle was there reporting on the winners, just as it will be this year. Thoroughbreds were still the mounts of choice for almost every discipline then; they were even dominating in dressage at the time.

On Feb. 6, 1953, the magazine released a new format. The size of the page was reduced—from 56 to 31 1/2 column inches. The grade of the paper was improved, and all the illustrations were then printed from photo-engravings. Printing went from 20-24 pages up to 40-44 pages to make up for the smaller page size.

“The members of The Chronicle staff, as well as our readers, will have to get used to the new size. Undoubtedly, there will be a few hitches to begin with. For any that may occur we ask your indulgence,” stated the announcement of the new format.

A new publisher and editor came along shortly after that, debuting in the Dec. 12, 1953, issue. George L. Ohrstrom took over as publisher, and Alexander Mackay-Smith became editor. The Chronicle also took that time of transition to lay out the mission statement again.

“More important than any of these things, however, is the fact that The Chronicle represents a way of life. It ties together the many thousands of people who love the American countryside and the horses and hounds which made it a doubly pleasant place in which to live. In an age of professionalism it represents the amateur and those who think of horses in terms of sport, rather than as a way of making a quick buck.”

In the July 24, 1959, issue of The Chronicle it was announced that the publishers had acquired Horse magazine, though the full title of The Chronicle Of The Horse wouldn’t come about until 1961.  

The 1952 Olympics inspired a discussion of the fledging discipline of dressage in the United States. In the June 26, 1953, issue Alexander Mackay-Smith wrote, “Now that the Olympics have deposited dressage on our doorstep what are we going to do with it? We should recognize at the outset that we are dealing with a great art, one that demands both from horse and rider the utmost in natural ability, hard work and execution. It offers one of the greatest, if not the greatest, heights of horsemanship attainable—if one has talent, devotion, a thoroughly qualified instructor and a great deal of time.”

An excerpt from Hermann Friedlaender’s report of California’s Santa Cruz Three-Day Test, which ran in the July 17, 1953, issue proved that riders have always loved galloping tracks for cross-country, and that they’ve always been afraid of ditches.

“It was interesting to note that each of the previous 3-Phase Events had a character all its own as far as type of terrain, obstacles and problems in the cross-country courses were concerned. Santa Cruz was still different from the others. It was fortunate in being able to afford lots of galloping and also presented the competitors with some fences entirely new to them. The outstanding one is this regard was No. 2—the Trakehner Graben—an 8-foot wide moderately deep ditch with a heavy, low fence in the middle—dubbed ‘the coffin’ by some. It proved to be nothing more than a mental hazard to the riders; to the horses as a whole it offered very little trouble.

“The main general weakness of our riders is in dressage, which weakness carries over to the other jumping phases of the event as well. For the most part the horses can jump, though many give the impression of having been pushed a little too fast and lack the style to go on to tougher, more formidable courses,” continued Friedlander.