Tails of the Horses of Halifax

“When I was in having my first knee replacement surgery I could see the horses from my room window. I loved watching them and it helped calm my nerves after having a severe bleed from my operation. I was in the hospital for 10 days and many of those days I watched the riders and horses every day.”

“I always wanted to have a horse from the time I first sat on one at three years of age. I didn’t get one and I will now never be able to have one or ride and I am so grateful to have them nearby, just to be near them, right here in the city. They soothe my soul just by seeing them as I walk by, photographing them, touring the barn and watching them play. Their loss from the centre of the city would rob it of some of its joy.”

“I met a woman serving in a local Halifax store. She told me that a few years ago she had a stroke. She told me that as she lay in her bed in the hospital, every day she watched the horses through the window. It was moving to hear her emotion and excitement, how a time of health uncertainty for her was bridged with lovely memories of the horses of Halifax.”

“When you had the paddock across the street, my dad used to take me and my brother and sisters down on Sunday mornings to say hello and feed any horse who might come over and visit us. We’d just pull grass up and hand it over and those soft noses and lips would come and gobble.
It was always so calm and quiet an affair but also very beautiful. We loved to do this. Such a special memory for me though.”

“I remember walking with my little children to the art museum, then stopping to watch the riders across from the barn on our way to the Garden’s. I loved seeing the horses and their young riders.”

“Being part of the Bengal Lancers was my very best childhood memory 55 years ago. I remember every horse’s name , color and temperament and all the wonderful people and events we participated in. The Natal day parade, riding up to the Citadel, the musical ride, visiting the hospital, Christmas caroling around the city. I now live on Vancouver Island but came back to Halifax last spring and arranged a visit to the stables…It is clear that the Bengal Lancers Stables has been lovingly preserved and is not only a historical icon in Halifax, much like the Citadel , but is a “living museum” that continues to serve a valuable purpose in the community. I believe that the therapeutic value of horses in a city cannot be underestimated, not only for those who ride and get therapy at the stables, but those who just ‘walk by’. Horses are a time capsule for many seniors and an opportunity for mindfulness for the rest of us. The horses speak the silent language of the past , of a simpler time and a time to remember our roots amidst a rapidly changing world. When I came to Halifax last spring, it was to visit my mom who was in Palliative care at the QEII hospital. It was an emotional time and she passed shortly after my visit. During that time I was able to take comfort in looking out the window and seeing my childhood so lovingly preserved in this living piece of Halifax history. I kept saying to mom..”Halifax is so lucky to still have this.” I’ve lived in major cities all over Canada and there is nothing like this in any of the ‘hearts ‘ of these other cities. Lancers gives Halifax a warmth and uniqueness that no other major city in Canada has.”

“I remember as a school girl in the 60’s at St Peter’s - sitting with my best friend Mary Hanko and drawing out the floor plan of Lancer’ s stables, labeling the name of each horse! ( and trying not to get caught by Sister!) Captain was a wonderful instructor.”

“Having cystic fibrosis, I have been hospitalized a few times as a child and multiple times now as an adult. I remember a volunteer from the hospital bringing me to the Lancers during one of my stays at the IWK. I love horses. It was about the only thing I could look forward to while staying in the hospital. To this day, I love to look in to see the horses as I drive by. I have competed at the Lancers with my College Equestrian Team. I think the Lancers are what sets Halifax apart from other cities. The loss of the facility would be too great. Keep the Lancers in the heart of Halifax.”

“Bengal Lancers gave me a way to bond with my daughter when we both signed up for lessons over 20 years ago. Its location in the city on a bus route, and then across the street from the high school made it very accessible to our family and many others. And the non-profit model, where members collectively “own” the horses, made it affordable. As a female-dominated sport it provided mentors for my daughter, building her confidence in herself and her abilities - both around horses and socially. And we built friendships with instructors and riders that have lasted to this day. Halifax is very lucky to have this treasure, with its dedicated staff and volunteers and amazing horses, located in the heart of the city bringing these experiences to so many who would never have the chance otherwise.”

“Imagine my surprise when I moved to Halifax NS found a riding stable in the middle of the city! I knew this was the place for me!”

“My family moved to Nova Scotia when I was 16, and I didn’t know anyone. A horse lover all my life, I convinced my parents to let me join Lancers and I joined Ride 5 back in the time that Mary Claire was the head instructor. Joining Lancers gave a teenager, new to the city, a community and a circle of friends. It made a world of difference to help with the transition! My very first ride at Lancers was on Sweet Sue - I’ll never forget it! I progressed through the rides and became part of the musical ride in natal day parades and doing guard duty at historic properties. I have so many great memories of Lancer and riding in the Bubble!”

“Bengal Lancers is a Halifax institution that deserves to stay. My daughter and I both took lessons there. I went on to breed horses, and my daughter discovered dressage and trained/competed her horse successfully up to Grand Prix, the highest level. It all started at Lancers.”

“I took adult riding lessons at night.Often worked an 8 hour day at the hospital before the ride.What a way to release all that tension from working at the iwk.I remember the big fellows.Thunder and Hudson boy.Clarion call and Sabrina.Great group great teaching.Riding at night outdoors...priceless.”

“ Imagine my surprise when I moved to Halifax NS in the early 1990s and found a riding stable in the middle of the city! I knew this was the place for me!”

“30 years ago, my daughter rode at the Lancers and I, parent volunteer, in the upper loft went over every uniform to mend and sew on buttons”

“When I first moved to Halifax in the late ‘70s, I had to leave my horse back in Ontario. Walking past the Lancers on my way to work and smelling that lovely eau du cheval brought a lot of comfort.”

“So many memories.I started at the Lancers when I was 7....spent every free minute there for many years. The Lancers barn is an iconic Halifax landmark, such an important part of the fabric of our city! Time for all of our voices to be heard!”