A Pony Girl's Berlin

Yes, there really is a district of Berlin called "Uncle Tom's Cabin" -- and yes, it's still called that, and yes, that's a whole other post. Hence Uncle Tom's Riding … Club, where you can have riding lessons outdoors or, in winter, in an indoor arena. The mock-Tudor stables boast a solarium for the horsies and a bar for the saddlesore, so horse and rider can recover from the trauma of posting exercises. [link]

There's no name on the door -- you just have to hunt out the discreet pony cut-out hanging outside this nice Mitte bar. There's a sixties thing going on, but luckily the … music provided by the live DJs is a bit more up to-date. It's good for cocktails or a quick Beck's before you head out into the Scheunenviertel nightlife. [link]

Jeremiah Luna's horse-drawn carriage is a part of the scenery in Prenzlauer Berg. He keeps Goldika and Amourette (a very cherished pair of dark bay mares) near … Helmholtzplatz, and they can be heard slip-clopping patiently around the streets and squares. If you have a pony person in your life and you want to spoil them, I suggest dropping Jeremiah an email and booking the Pferd-Taxi for a coupla hours. [link]

It's worth the long jaunt out on the S-Bahn to see this beautiful track on race day. The stand is a 19th century relic that's a little neglected, and the horses aren't … top class, but they've got four legs, you can bet on them, and the woodland backdrop is easy on the eye. Watch the field parade round the paddock then stock up on beer, cherries, and smoked fish kebabs before you cheer them home on the turf. Bliss. Next meet is October 21. [link]

Horseman Marcella Pocai runs an ongoing seminar series dealing with comparisons of various methods of classical horsemanship from different countries and the minutiae of … equine psychology and physiology. If you're intrigued by the premise or if your horse is dissing you and you want to do something about it, Pocai has the know-how and the patience to help you out. [link]

Save your euros for Hippologica in December, a giant expo and riding display at the Messe Berlin exhibition halls. There will be dressage (the ultimate German equestrian … pursuit), show jumping, stunt riders, and carriage driving to enjoy, and the opportunity to snap up bargains in the shopping village. If you were waiting for a special moment to treat yourself to a gag snaffle, now's the time. [link]

Yes, you love horses, but have you ever eaten one as a savory topping? Those bastards at Due Forni serve pony pizza -- ask for the "Contadina" or "lady farmer." … Presumably the name harks back to some merciless farmer who rode her horse to death then ate it for supper with pomadori sauce and a thin crust. Bitch. [link]

Hurrah! Columbian sculptor Fernando Botero's giant, fat bronze horses with legs like tree trunks are on display in the city -- Horse 1999 in the Lustgarten and … Horse '06 in Pariserplatz, where he waits like a sentry by the Brandenburg Gate. Sadly you're not allowed to climb aboard them (and if you did you'd probably fall off and crack your skull), but you can contemplate their awesome solidity from close up. [link]