What is Reins of Hope?
Reins of Hope is Chastain Horse Park's most important fundraiser of the year, and the money it raises keeps the park's therapeutic programs within reach of the families who need them. The 2026 gala took place on Thursday, October 29, at the Atlanta History Center on West Paces Ferry Road, with cocktails, a four-course seasonal dinner and a program celebrating the park's work. This year's co-chairs were Whitney Hardwick and Cynthia Widner Wall, and the theme was "Driven by Hope. Powered by Horses."
About Chastain Horse Park
Chastain Horse Park is a nonprofit on Powers Ferry Road in Atlanta, and one of the last urban horse parks in the United States. It began its therapeutic riding program in 1999 and today is the only PATH International Premier Accredited Center in metro Atlanta.
The park serves children and adults with physical, cognitive and emotional challenges through therapeutic riding, hippotherapy, equine-assisted psychotherapy and equine-assisted learning. Part of the reason it works is mechanical: the rhythm of a horse's walk moves a rider's body in a pattern close to a human stride, which can help build balance, flexibility and strength. The rest is harder to measure. Riders gain confidence, independence and, for many, a first real sense of freedom.
Why Icons?
Simmons spends his working days on horseback beside the cowboys he photographs, shooting on medium and large-format film. His pictures are about people and horses doing hard work together, and about the respect that grows between them. In Icons, two friends arrive as if straight from a day's work on a nearby pasture, and the horses are as much a part of the portrait as the riders.
It felt like the right picture to give to an evening about what happens when a person and a horse learn to trust each other.
Give through your next acquisition: October 29 to November 5
The gift doesn't end with the gala. From October 29 through November 5, Carousel Fine Art will donate 15% of the gross from any artwork sold at any of its galleries to Chastain Horse Park.
That includes every location:
- Atlanta: 296 Buckhead Ave NE, Buckhead Village
- Chicago: 230 W Superior St
- Miami: 6737 NE 3rd Ave
- Nashville: 469 Chestnut Street, Wedgewood-Houston
- West Palm Beach: 965 N Railroad Ave, NORA District
The last day of the giving week is also the grand opening of the Nashville gallery on November 5, where Beau Simmons will be in the room. A piece bought that evening supports the park too.
At Carousel, we don't just sell artwork, we place it with purpose. To take part, visit any gallery, book a private viewing, or write to hello@carouselartgroup.com.
About Beau Simmons
Beau Simmons (b. 1990) is an American fine art and documentary photographer whose work offers an intimate portrait of the American West. He began in fashion photography in 2009, working with Marc Jacobs, Guess Jeans and Converse, before turning to the landscapes and working cowboys of the West, with a visual language shaped by Richard Avedon, Slim Aarons and Stephen Shore. His first book, The Twenty-Year War, documented the experiences of American combat veterans and grew into a traveling museum exhibition. He has supported the American Cancer Society and the Careity Foundation, shown at Art Miami, and is now developing Ways of the West, an ongoing photography, publishing and film project preserving working cowboy culture.
About Carousel Fine Art
Laura and Philippe Horowicz, who bring Swiss and Southern roots to the gallery, founded Carousel Fine Art on the belief that collecting should pair exceptional art with a deeply personal experience. From a single gallery in Miami, Carousel has grown to five cities, Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Nashville and West Palm Beach, with a roster of more than fifty artists from around the world. The gallery handles every step for collectors, from sourcing and framing to shipping and white-glove installation, and its Gallery to You service brings works into a collector's home before they decide.
"Our galleries are an extension of our home and many of our collectors end up becoming dear friends," say Laura and Philippe Horowicz.
Frequently asked questions
What is Reins of Hope? Chastain Horse Park's annual gala, which raises funds for its therapeutic programs. The 2026 event was held October 29 at the Atlanta History Center.
What does Chastain Horse Park do? It provides therapeutic riding, hippotherapy, equine-assisted psychotherapy and equine-assisted learning for children and adults with physical, cognitive and emotional challenges. It is the only PATH International Premier Accredited Center in metro Atlanta.
How does the Carousel Fine Art donation work? From October 29 through November 5, 2026, Carousel donates 15% of the gross from any artwork sold at any of its five galleries to Chastain Horse Park.
Which galleries are taking part? All of them: Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Nashville and West Palm Beach.
What did Carousel donate to the gala? Icons, a photograph by American photographer Beau Simmons.
A week to choose
The gala is over, and the horses at Chastain went back to work the next morning. For one more week, a painting or a photograph chosen for your own walls can help keep a rider in the saddle. Which one is still up to you.
