Many of Novella’s designs are inspired by real horses and the stories behind them, but the design process is not always linear. Sometimes the horse inspires the shirt from the very beginning. Other times, the design comes first, and somewhere along the way, it becomes obvious exactly whose shirt it was meant to be. The Travis was one of those designs.
For Novella’s fall collection, Taryn knew she wanted to incorporate two of her favorite things: wine and chocolate. She began with a geometric pattern featuring rich, versatile colors that could pair with nearly anything.
Then came the wine-colored sparkle velvet running down the sleeves.
It was bold, polished, and perhaps a little extra, but in the best possible way. Once the final details began coming together, everything clicked: this had to be the Travis.
Taryn knew Travis and his rider, Tae, from competing at many of the same shows. The pair was always impeccably turned out, often wearing beautiful wine-colored looks that perfectly complemented Travis, Tae’s incredible Percheron cross.
When Taryn brought the idea to Tae, they were both immediately excited. The colors, personality, and unmistakable touch of sparkle felt like the perfect representation of the pair.
Meeting Travis
Travis may now be a Grand Prix dressage horse, but his journey to the upper levels was not always an obvious one.
Tae jokes that if someone had told her eight years ago that Travis would become the first horse she brought to Grand Prix, she would have laughed. In fact, the first time she said she would take him to the FEI levels, she was joking.
It initially took Travis six months to reliably sort out his canter leads, but he then qualified for Regional Championships at his very first show. Eventually, half-passes became easy. Flying changes once seemed completely unnecessary to him, but now his tempi changes are frequently a highlight of their tests.
Each time Tae believed they might have reached their limit, Travis returned ready to try even harder.
Their journey is a reminder that greatness does not always arrive fully formed. It is built through patience, partnership, and a willingness to keep showing up for one another. Travis has become what Tae calls the poster child for “Dressage is for Every Body” and, most importantly, her horse of a lifetime.
Tae is also quick to recognize that their journey would not have been possible without the village surrounding them. Travis may be the horse at the center of the story, but the people supporting him and Tae have helped make that story possible.
The Travis sold out in only 12 hours.
Although the shirt disappeared quickly, we still wanted everyone to have the opportunity to meet the horse and rider who inspired it. For everyone who has asked, the Travis will not be restocked.
Novella is intentionally small-batch. We create limited quantities, release each design into the world, and then move on to the next story. This allows every collection to remain distinctive while making room for new horses, riders, and ideas to inspire what comes next.
Consider this your reminder: if you love a Novella release, grab it when you see it. Our designs can go quickly, and sometimes, once they are gone, they are gone for good.
Thank you to Tae and Travis for allowing us to share a small part of their remarkable partnership through Novella. Most of all, thank you to everyone who loved the Travis shirt as much as we did!
This design may have sold out, but the story behind it is one we will not soon forget.
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