Our Story
Welcome to The Gilded Horse, where equestrian heritage meets artistic craftsmanship in every unique piece of jewelry we create. In Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.A., horses aren't just animals - they're the heartbeat of our city, woven into the fabric of who we are. As a kid growing up here, I never realized how special it was until I left and understood that not everyone's hometown has thoroughbreds grazing on pastures behind every other fence.
Deep Kentucky Roots
There's something about being raised in the Horse Capital of the World that gets in your blood. Spring meant Keeneland, where going to the track wasn't just about betting - it was about tradition, about standing at the rail in the crisp morning fog watching workout gallops, about the peculiar poetry of the calls, about running into everyone you know dressed in their Sunday best on a Friday afternoon.
Summers brought rodeos, the excitement of barrel racing and the collective held breath during eight seconds of controlled chaos. My family would pack lawn chairs and coolers, and I'd watch, mesmerized by the partnership between rider and horse, the way they moved as one through dust and thunder.
These weren't just activities - they were cultural touchstones, as fundamental to growing up in Lexington as basketball or bourbon. With extended family involved in polo and twenty years of horse ownership between us, horses weren't pets or hobbies - they were family members, teachers, connections to something ancient and true.
From Bluegrass to Precious Metal:
Elegance in Motion
The path from horse-obsessed kid to jewelry designer wasn't as winding as it might seem. "Elegance in Motion" - that's what I saw in every horse, whether clearing a jump or simply grazing in a misty field. That same elegance is what I strive to capture in metal and stone. Both horsemanship and jewelry design require an eye for line and form, an appreciation for heritage, and patience for the process. The first time I translated the curve of a horse's neck into a pendant design, something clicked - this was how I could preserve that feeling, that movement, that elegance horses have always embodied for me.
Each piece I create carries echoes of early mornings at cross-country courses, the distinctive hollow sound of hoofbeats on Keeneland's track, the way sunlight filters through bluegrass on misty Kentucky mornings. These aren't just designs - they're tangible memories, stories you can wear.
Why This Matters
Horses symbolize so much in our collective imagination - freedom, strength, loyalty, grace. But for those of us raised in Kentucky's horse culture, they're also community, tradition, the passing down of wisdom through generations of hands that have learned the same motions - how to wrap a leg, how to gentle a colt, how to move around these powerful animals with respect and love.
My jewelry attempts to honor both the universal symbolism and the specific heritage of Kentucky's horse tradition. When someone wears one of my pieces, they carry a small piece of that with them.
Finding Your Connection
Whether you grew up breathing the same Bluegrass air, have your own connection to horses from another tradition, or simply appreciate the beauty and symbolism they represent, I hope my work speaks to something genuine within you.
Each purchase isn't just a transaction - it's supporting a continuation of Kentucky's horse culture, translated through craftsmanship and art into something you can carry with you wherever you go.
Thank you for being part of this journey - for understanding that in each piece of The Gilded Horse collection, there beats the heart of Kentucky itself. Every design embodies our commitment to capturing that perfect moment of elegance in motion, preserved forever in something you can wear and treasure.
"In Kentucky, there is no such thing as just a horse."