The Aiken Horse

24/01/2025

🎨 Commission a Custom Painting & Support the SPCA Albrecht Center! 🐾

We’re thrilled to share an exciting opportunity to own a beautiful, custom 11x14” acrylic painting on canvas by the talented Sharon Taylor Padgett – and support our mission at the same time! 🙌 For just $135, you’ll receive a unique work of art, and $35 from each order will go directly to the SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare. 💖

📅 Sharon can typically complete your painting within 2-3 weeks.
📩 To place your order or learn more, contact Sharon at [email protected] or text 803-645-5718.

About the Artist
Sharon Taylor Padgett is a celebrated artist with over 30 years of experience painting and selling her work across Florida and South Carolina. Her subjects range from breathtaking landscapes and equestrian scenes to striking portraits and vibrant depictions of the Carolina Lowcountry.

Sharon studied art at Jacksonville University and under the late modern Italian artist, Livio Valentini, at USC. She has also taken numerous workshops with accomplished artists and teaches art workshops from her home studio in Aiken, SC.

Her award-winning work has been featured in juried shows and can be found in private and corporate collections. Sharon is a past president of the Aiken Artist Guild and is also a member of the Aiken Center for the Arts, Aiken Artist Guild, and North Augusta Artist Guild.

🖼️ Some of her accolades include:

Best Aiken Scene Award, Aiken Artist Guild Spring Show
Numerous first-place awards and purchase awards from Clariant Corp. and the SC State Fair
Best of Show and Outstanding Merit awards from local art guilds

Check out the photo examples of Sharon's stunning work, and let her bring your vision to life on canvas while helping us continue our mission of improving the lives of animals in our community!

🌟 Don’t miss this chance to own a one-of-a-kind piece of art while giving back! 🐾💕

24/01/2025

Here's a cool opportunity to get a wonderful portrait of your pet and support the SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare at the same time. Check it out!

🎨 Commission a Custom Painting & Support the SPCA Albrecht Center! 🐾

We’re thrilled to share an exciting opportunity to own a beautiful, custom 11x14” acrylic painting on canvas by the talented Sharon Taylor Padgett – and support our mission at the same time! 🙌 For just $135, you’ll receive a unique work of art, and $35 from each order will go directly to the SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare. 💖

📅 Sharon can typically complete your painting within 2-3 weeks.
📩 To place your order or learn more, contact Sharon at [email protected] or text 803-645-5718.

About the Artist
Sharon Taylor Padgett is a celebrated artist with over 30 years of experience painting and selling her work across Florida and South Carolina. Her subjects range from breathtaking landscapes and equestrian scenes to striking portraits and vibrant depictions of the Carolina Lowcountry.

Sharon studied art at Jacksonville University and under the late modern Italian artist, Livio Valentini, at USC. She has also taken numerous workshops with accomplished artists and teaches art workshops from her home studio in Aiken, SC.

Her award-winning work has been featured in juried shows and can be found in private and corporate collections. Sharon is a past president of the Aiken Artist Guild and is also a member of the Aiken Center for the Arts, Aiken Artist Guild, and North Augusta Artist Guild.

🖼️ Some of her accolades include:

Best Aiken Scene Award, Aiken Artist Guild Spring Show
Numerous first-place awards and purchase awards from Clariant Corp. and the SC State Fair
Best of Show and Outstanding Merit awards from local art guilds

Check out the photo examples of Sharon's stunning work, and let her bring your vision to life on canvas while helping us continue our mission of improving the lives of animals in our community!

🌟 Don’t miss this chance to own a one-of-a-kind piece of art while giving back! 🐾💕

22/01/2025

Are you a Rocky or a Cowboy on this cold and snowy day?
Stay warm everyone!

15/01/2025

There is still time to get an ad into our February-March issue. Our space deadline is coming up on January 24, but we can accept new material all next week. Do you have something to advertise to Aiken's vibrant equestrian community? Let us know how we can help promote your business. Contact us today!

https://conta.cc/4jkgIH4

13/01/2025

Our February-March issue deadline is coming up on January 24. Do you have something to advertise to Aiken's vibrant equestrian community? Let us know how we can help promote your business. Contact us today!

https://conta.cc/4hfLn6R

11/01/2025

Our horses this morning. Fortunately, this is Aiken so winter is very temporary. In 21 days it will be February, and February is spring! (Sort of.)

10/01/2025

We were hoping for snow like this, not the freezing rain variety.

The white turf of Coolmore Stud ❄️

The first foal born at Coolmore this year; Alphabet’s WOOTTON BASSETT filly enjoys her turn-out time 💙

10/01/2025

Corazon says she hopes everyone is staying warm and dry and safe on this nasty wintry day.

10/01/2025

The Aiken County Animal Shelter is overrun with puppies and their moms! Who can foster, or foster to adopt, to help save lives? Contact Friends of the Animal Shelter - FOTAS Aiken for more information.

09/01/2025

It's deep in the heart of winter here in Aiken, but over at Aiken Polo Club, they are already thinking about spring! Get ready for Pacers & Polo, the Third Leg of the Aiken Triple Crown and the official start of the Aiken polo season 2025.

PACER & POLO, SAVE THE DATE!!!!

08/01/2025

We're hard at work on our February-March issue, our biggest of the year! If you have something to advertise to Aiken's vibrant equestrian community, now is the time to do it! Contact us today!

https://conta.cc/4fSjkct

04/01/2025

We're getting to work on our February-March issue, the biggest of the year! Do you have something to advertise? Contact us!

https://conta.cc/4gGg5WT

04/01/2025

We're updating our online calendar and we need your clinic dates and other events! Please check us out and let us know what we are missing! We know that many spring events, and categories of spring events, have not yet been added, but we are working on it. We need your help!
https://theaikenhorse.com/events/

25/12/2024

Merry Christmas to all!

21/12/2024

The Hitchcock Woods will reopen this weekend! Welcome back to the woods!

Dear Friends of Hitchcock Woods,

Finally, the moment we’ve all been eagerly waiting for is here! Hitchcock Woods will reopen to the public (pedestrians, dogs, and equestrians) at dawn on Saturday, December 21, 2024. On behalf of everyone at the Hitchcock Woods Foundation—trustees and staff alike—we are delighted to invite you back into the Woods.

The Foundation staff and professional contractors have labored hard under dangerous conditions to bring us to this point. There are 2100 acres and 71 miles of trails in the Woods, much of which was significantly damaged by the hurricane.

We know how difficult it has been to be without access to this community treasure—we’ve missed it too—but your safety is, and continues to be, our top priority. Accordingly, Phase 1 of our long-term recovery effort was to remove trees, obstacles, and obvious aerial hazards from the major trails. The completion of this phase allows us to now open the Woods.

Please remember Hitchcock Woods is a hurricane storm-disturbed area, and all visitors must exercise caution. Please do not enter any areas of the Woods that are marked “Closed” or taped off because they are not safe.

Please note: Aiken Hounds will not be hunting on Tuesdays and Saturdays in the Woods before January 7, 2025, so dogs will be welcome on those days as well.

Please report all hazards and the location to the Hitchcock Woods Foundation office at 803-642-0528.

Again, thank you for your patience and steadfast support as we work to restore Hitchcock Woods. Our work is just beginning, so we hope you will continue to support us throughout this long-term effort.

We look forward to seeing you in the Woods soon. Please stay safe and enjoy!

Mary Katherine Philipp MD, Executive Director
Bennett Tucker, Woods Superintendent

13/12/2024

Has everyone gotten their Aiken Horse?

11/12/2024

Our cover shows Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) winning the $100,000 Lugano Diamonds CSI2* Grand Prix at the Split Rock Jumping Tour in the Aiken Horse Park. Amanda is riding Cornwall BH, owned by Derbyshire and Gochman Sporthorse LLC. Photography by Pam Gleason