picture by Audrey Pavia
My friend Moira Harris Reeve on my maria , Rosie — they’re both in a better blank space today .
As I sit down down today to drop a line my weekly City Stock entering , I am have a very hard clip concentrating on Gallus gallus and bunny girl and my mud - covered sawhorse . ( It ’s been raining for about a week here . ) Instead , all my thoughts are for my champion Moira Harris Reeve , who just go bad from breast cancer at the eld of 45 .
Moira and I first met when I became manage editor program ofDog Fancyand she was oversee editor ofHorse Illustrated , both sister publictions toUrban Farm . We became profligate ally when we discovered we both had a passion for horses and rock ’ n ’ roll .
I had been exist in New York City for 14 year and had only just returned to California . I had been out of horses for the entire meter I was in New York — it ’s not a very horse - friendly city . Horse Illustratedneeded an editor , and Moira encouraged me to apply for the line . I was hesitant . Even though I ’d had 10 twelvemonth experience as a magazine editor in New York , my gymnastic horse cognition was out of practice . Back when I was ride in the seventies , no one in the U.S. had heard of a warmblood , Appaloosas were one of the most democratic strain and the most accepted way to civilize a horse was to wear its spirit . A plenty had changed since I ’d been subsist in the city . I was afraid I would n’t be able to keep up .
That was no obstruction in Moira ’s psyche . She start out taking me to the boarding static where she keep her thoroughbred , Charlie , and vex me riding again . She boosted my confidence by distinguish me how good I looked on her boy and how she could n’t think I had n’t been riding in so long . She start talking horse to me , educating me about the various disciplines that had become so hot in the time I was absent from the show scene . Dressage was becoming a favorite interest of middle - elderly horse women who were afraid to start , and innate horsemanship was starting to trance on . Slowly , patiently , she crystalize me on all that was Modern in the horse public , got me up to swiftness and helped when I grease one’s palms my first horse as an adult , an Appaloosa mare name Rosie .
I finally was hired as editor ofHorse Illustrated , but Moira ’s guidance keep on even after I became her boss . She was there for me when Rosie suffocate on shot one night and outride at the b with me ’ til 10:30 p.m. , cleaning every bit of hay out of that mare ’s stall so she would n’t swallow anything solid after the trial by ordeal . When Rosie develop serious center disease , Moira helped me distribute eye drops three times a day — a agenda I never could have managed on my own given my demanding business . And when I want to put Rosie in a show but did n’t feel ready to ride her myself , Moira stepped up . She spend the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. before showing me how to braid Rosie ’s head of hair and tail assembly , and then on show day , ride her in several classes and graciously pass on me the ribbons .
When Rosie died a twain of twelvemonth later after a series of heartbreaking malady , Moira , who was now editor program ofHorse Illustrated , compose one of the most beautiful , incredible editorial tributes to her I ’ve ever read .
I would n’t be the horsewoman I am today without Moira ’s generous friendly relationship and guidance . When she passed this calendar week , she leave behind her mare , Misty , along with two dog , two cat-o'-nine-tails , her grieve family and an untold number of ally . My life would n’t be the same if I ’d never met Moira . If I ’m lucky , I ’ll get to see her again someday so I can evidence her so .
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