On Saturday, 30 May 2026, The Textile Museum Washington DC in partnership with TMA/SC present a free webinar and in-person Rug and Textile Appreciation Morning, “Pageantry, Protection and Tradition in Equestrian Textiles,” with curators Sumru Belger Krody and Lee Talbot, together with collector Judy Brick Freedman.
The program is connected to the exhibition Adorning the Horse: Equestrian Textiles for Power and Prestige and examines the role of horse textiles across a wide geographical and historical range, from Türkiye to Japan. The presentation focuses on saddle blankets, horse covers, felts, flatweaves, silk embroideries, and other equestrian textiles created over the past 1,300 years for both practical and ceremonial use.
The curators will discuss how these textiles reflected status, power, cultural traditions, and the relationship between horses and their riders in nomadic, rural, urban, and courtly settings. Judy Brick Freedman will also speak about collecting equestrian textiles and the process behind building the collection that inspired the exhibition.
The webinar takes place 30 May 2026 at 8:30 am PT / 11:30 am ET / 4:30 pm BST (London) and participation is free, though registration is required.
Registration: https://tinyurl.com/TMAEquestrianTextilesreg