Best moments of 2010 from BTB

Here is my list of top three moments for 2010...

1. Riley outside for the first time in 8 months. I love the picture to the left, where he's sniffing the cold March air.
2.  Harv and Riley meet for the first time.
3. Riley's return to the Dixon Oval.
4. Seeing Heather Blitz and Paragon.
5. Harv recovering from his gimpy leg.

My rides on Riley are works in progress, so they didn't quite make the list. Padre's win at Devon is probably my favorite non-personal BTB moment.

So what are your personal best moments of 2010?

Coming up next, the New Year's resolutions.

The BTB 2010 Quiz-O-Rama -- Win a prize!

The quiz items are all taken from the 2010 blog entries -- so, were you paying attention? Find out how well you know Riley, Harv, and all of the BTB topics. The 1st, 5th, and 15th quizzes that are 100% correct and that provide contact information will get a nice (if modest) prize.

Technical Delegates: Upholding the Laws of Dressage?

This is part of a series I'm starting on volunteering...

I've volunteered at a lot of recognized shows, albeit it was at least ten years ago. I can recall several interactions with technical delegates, or TDs, and I was impressed with both the people and the position. What do they do? Despite the picture on the left, my sense is that they're not big on the use of force, and they don't issue edicts. I'm not even sure they enforce rules, exactly, but they wield a lot of inluence in their role as an advisor to show management.

So what is a TD anyway?
Well, the TD is not the dressage police and he or she is not the Enforcer, capital E. I have come to think of them as reps or advocates for the USDF rules, and in that sense I'm kind of drawn to the position. I think I might like it!

 If you like being a rule maven, if you like management by walking around, you might like it too.  If you like..

•  helping things run smoothly
• helping people do their job
• collaborating with other show officials
• resolving the occasional problem or conflict...

Then you might like being a TD. I looked into what it takes to be a TD. You have to have a fair amount of volunteering experience to even start the official training. This coming year I'm going to follow some of the suggestions in the article from Flying Changes magazine, How to become a dressage TD. I'll be trying out some volunteer positions and testing the assumption that I'd be a half-way decent TD.

Riley on Gumbits, brief footage

Here he is with the trainer. You didn't see him before but there was a definite, high pitched grinding sound in recent past rides. Now? Pretty quiet...

Gumbits: Grinding away at a problem

When I reported on Riley's "behavior du jour" -- grinding his teeth -- dressagemom of dressagemom.com contacted me and recommended that I try Gumbits. She had seen the product used successfully, and she tried a few herself. She described them as tasty and waxy-feeling. There is an article about Gumbits on HorsesDaily.com, and an article in Horse Journal gives them a thumbs up.When I searched the usual online forums there were quite a few success stories. Not one poster said "they didn't have any effect."

Taking a test drive
In the spirit of consumer research,  I ordered a bag from Paddock Saddlery for $39 (I know, I know, a lot of dough). I started giving Riley a couple of the teensy balls at the beginning of every ride. The Gumbits start working at about the time you finish your ten minute warmup, and it lasts about 45 minutes. The first few rides he got a very foamy mouth, but he didn't stop grinding immediately. However, over the course of a week the grinding has subsided. I had a lesson this morning and he was pretty quiet in the mouth.

To be honest I'm not sure if he is just acclimating to the weather and the indoor ring, or if the gumbits have worked. From what I hear it takes about a month to achieve the full effect. Even if the Gumbits didn't fix the problem, it's worth the price to have a foamy mouth at horse shows, don't you think?

Thumbs Up!
Anyway, I'd buy them again and I probably will. The Horsesdaily.com article says you can give up to a handful, which I'll probably try if he is grinding a lot one day. For now, I use them in onesy-twosies and enjoy the effect it has. I'd recommend Gumbits for these uses:

• Teeth grinders, for sure. There are lots of success stories on COTH and elsewhere, and Riley might be one. Time will tell.
• Horse shows, for sure. The Gumbits start working at about the time you finish your ten minute warmup, and it lasts about 45 minutes.
• Gifts. While not everyone wants to shell out the $$ for that foamy, soft mouth, I bet they'd all appreciate receiving a gift bag!

A word about ulcers
 I bet some of you are getting ready to comment that I could be masking a problem, like ulcers. I suppose this is possible, but just FYI I've gone down that diagnostic road before. When Riley started cribbing as a yearling, I had him scoped at New Bolton, and his gut was fairly clean, showing only one small healed ulcer. The vet said to me "I could tell by looking at him he is not a candidate for ulcers." I did a course of Gastroguard anyway, to no visible effect. Ch-Ch-ching.

My current plan is to wait and see if it subsides on its own. If the grinding continues, I probably will try U7 or Seabuckthorn or somesuch. But he is eating heartily, in good condition, and comfortable in his stall. He's getting free choice hay, more or less, and almost no grain.

I'll keep you posted.

Clean a stall *and* conserve bedding!

There was a time when horses enjoyed deep, soft bedding. Only 5-7 years ago Harv stood in bedding that came almost to the middle of his cannon bone. Oh, those were the days! But now with the cost of shavings/bedding you can put your horse in a newly bedded stall and still see most of the hoof. Yep, it's slim pickins --pardon the barnworker pun. As a barn worker who also boards, I often think about trying to balance costs to the barn and comfort/health of the horse. 

So how do you maintain a stall on minimal bedding? I will share with you my method. I've met other workers who have come up with the same solution, so I guess it may not be an original idea, but here goes...


Stalls by Stacey


Step 1: The environmental scan. Survey the stall. Identify concentrated areas of pure waste product whether liquid or solid.


Step 2. Bring Mohammed to the Mountain.  Mohammed is the wheelbarrow. Please, please, pull the wheelbarrow at least part-way inside the stall. Why? Well this limits the amount of crap that gets tossed a) into the aisle b) onto passing boarders and c) onto equipment and/or tack boxes stored on the opposite wall. Finding shavings and poop on my tack box is a big pet peeve of mine.

Step 3. The surgical strike.  Target concentrated areas of waste products. Lift with the pitchfork, shake out shavings, and deposit in the wheelbarrow. When finished, the wheelbarrow should contain 85% waste and saturated bedding, 15% marginal bedding (dark/damp), and 0% dry shavings/ bedding.

Step 4. Picky picky picky. This is the most time consuming part -- pick and sift, pick and sift, and when you think you're done, turn the sifted stuff over again and pick some more. During this process, all bedding is sifted and the floor exposed.  This is also where you make the judgement call on the marginal bedding, e.g., it's dark, but not that bad. Pile dry shavings into one small area of the stall. Dust mat with lime or stall freshener if you've got it.

Hint: For marginal bedding, I usually keep or toss by the weight of the bedding. If it feels mch heavier than a dry forkful of the same stuff, out it goes. 

You should now have dry, poop-free bedding, and the wheelbarrow should have less than 10% dry bedding in it.  If you look in the wheelbarrow and see a lot of  dry bedding, you need to work on your technique.

Step 5. The distribution of wealth.  Working from the lovely pile of dry bedding, pick up forkful by forkful and scatter the savings toward/across the middle of the stall,. Pick out the stray waste balls you will inevitably find. Spread/fluff the bedding into the middle of the stall. Add shavings or pellets as needed -- usually 1/3 bag shavings or 1/2 bag pellets ($3ish/day).

Step 6. Giving the brushoff.  This is a controversial point, at least at some barns. Take a broom, or a rake, and pull any shavings about a foot or two away from the wall, so that bedding is a smaller square within the square of the stall. Oh, no! you might say. They'll get cast!

Well, guess what? With the pelleted bedding, and even shavings these days, there just ain't enuf bedding in the stall to create much of an uneven surface, plus horses start kicking the bedding out to the edges the minute they get into the stall. The bedding does the horse the most good when it is in the middle of the stall (which is where they stand most of the time). Leave a bedding free area for hay, and pull any shavings out from under the water bucket. Level out the bedding in the middle.

Summary
In these days of $6/bag shavings and $7/bag Streufex, the goal is to put the bedding where the horse spends most of his/her time.  It drives me bananas when workers evenly distribute the shavings all the way across the stall, including where the hay is thrown and under the water bucket(s). When the heck does the horse stand under the water bucket? Why the heck does the hay need to rest on 1/8 bag of bedding? What good does it do there?

In this new world of "thin is in" bedding, how do you all cope???

Why I love Lendon...

When you talk about Lendon, you're definitely entering a "no diva" zone :-).

Harv and Riley's Christmas dreams come true

I meant to take pictures but my Droid X is a little fussy about lighting, and I wasn't able to bring you coverage of Harv and Riley's Christmas. Of course Riley got  his Horseware striped cooler (charcoal), and Harvey got an assortment of hot mash packages and 10 bales of second cutting hay. In the end, though, what they really seemed to like was this:

Red carrots.  Lots of'em. Last night, for a good 5 minutes,  I was a carrot feedin' machine, and their eyes were as bright and eager as any kid on Christmas day.

Why red? I'm not sure the horses cared, and they're more expensive, but you have to admit they're festive, and it's a special day for them.

Steady Hands! For the wobbly rider and frenemy

Include a card that says, "This is really a gift for your horse."

clipped from www.whinnywidgets.com

Steady Hands

Steady Hands helps keep hands still while maintaining an elastic giving feel on the bit. Steady Hands is the perfect tool for Dressage riders as well as other disciplines. Steady Hands is made of soft rolled nylon for low maintenance with elastic ends and is longer than a bucking strap for the perfect hand position. Steady Hands snap to your saddle D-rings.

No mo' drama

 Some of you may remember that I posted about a bummer barn worker experience. In a nutshell, a boarder felt I'd failed to care for her horse. I made a gesture toward resolving things, but No Dice. The cold war between me and the boarder (Sue) looked like it would never end.  I only work at that barn twice  a month so there are few opportunities to reconcile.

I fretted about the situation. Bob said, "You know, I think one day you'll both just forget what happened. You women will start talking on a topic you're all interested in, and it'll all go away."

My husband the psychic.

The other day while I was doing chores, the barn owner came by. She shared with a group of boarders, including Sue and I, that she was having hip surgery. We all rallied around her to talk it out, and the conversation turned to joint injuries in general. Nodding to Sue, who is a physical therapist, I mentioned that Bob has a bad rotator cuff. She looked me in the eye for the first time in over a month:  "Oh, I know of a great surgeon!" And off we went. 


The moral
I have a big mouth, and I'm opinionated, but I value harmonious relationships. Once a cold war starts, it's hard to break the cycle of silence. Confronting the problem in a one-on-one conversation can work, but it can also make things worse. Bob's comment to me suggests a great strategy.  Try to engage the person in a group--use other people as a buffer. In the group,  make eye contact, and talk and smile just like old times. Offer help. Say something encouraging. It's a little safer, since few people will reject or diss you outright in front of others. And it sends the message, I want this to be over.

I can't say that this tense period ended because I was particularly brave, or gracious, or socially skilled, but I'm sure glad it's over. It takes energy to hold a grudge, to hold someone in contempt, to assume intentions are hateful. And, as a prominent economist once said, "In the long run we're all dead." Let it go.

Rolex tailgate: Not so great

Bob and I have our tix to Rolex, and I read with some dismay that Rolex will sell parking spots on the perimeter of the cross country course for tailgating.

Oh. Great. Drunk people. Bad behavior. Loud music. Not watching the event. Not letting other people watch the event.

Dear Lord please don't let this ruin the best day of the four days of competition!

Riley's latest thing, an update

Okay, Riley's teeth grinding thing came out of nowhere, and this weekend my trainer and I talked about it.  Here's what we came up with in our search for precipitating factors:

• It got cold. Very cold, very suddenly.
• Riley started being ridden in the indoor. 
• Riley went on 1/2 day turnout.
• Riley's energy level went up.
• Riley started spooking, big time. He's even bolted for a few strides over goofy stuff like a patch  of mirror that's fogged up. This is so unlike him! He's always been a rock.

 I really wonder if it is the combination of cold and the indoor. I need to test that assumption on the next warm day. We'll ride outside when possible, but the ground is frozen now. Aside from that, here's how I'm going to proceed:

• Have trainer ride in her saddle rather than mine  -- check for improvement
• Administer bute -- check for improvement
• Remove flash and noseband.
• Try gumbits (THANKS DRESSAGE MOM for the suggestion!)
• Ride in a fix-a-test clinic on February 6 in NJ. See what Marilyn Payne says...

Update 12/18: Well, with just a few more rides, and a few more data points,  I'm starting to think the cold weather, and possibly the indoor, may have just made him more prone to tension. In an upcoming post I'll tell ya why I think this...

Frenemy gift idea: Sitting trot seat belt

Have you seen the Unisit rider "seat belt"? One look and you know what it's for. While it is a delightfully insulting gift idea for the frenemy, the "buzz" on the listservs is that this is a useful tool for teaching how the correct sitting trot feels. At $179, it doesn't strike me as the kind of thing an individual would buy -- a riding instructor or trainer might use it on different students to give them a feel for sitting the trot.

Hmmm. Doesn't look safe
That was my first thought, but instructors who have used the device assure me that  there is a quick-release feature in the event the rider falls, because when all is said and done we never wish ill of our frenemies.

Ideally, I'd prefer to have someone knowledgable show me how this thing works and how to adjust it safely. The product comes with a video that presumably helps with this. If you're gonna strap yourself to a 1200 lb horse, you'd better know you're doing it right.

Henny staying with Peter

"The wheels of justice grind slowly but they grind exceedingly fine." Unknown

"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away." Tom Waits

The news is that Henny (now recovering from colic) is staying with Peter through March 2011.  What a relief -- at least for now. The quotes to go along with this news have to do with my hope that the length of time to resolution will reflect the thoughtfulness and wisdom behind the decision. And the Tom Waits quote? Get things in writing.

COTH covers the Padre story :-)

This COTH article covers my favorite story of the year, and it has my favorite picture EVER of Padre and Patti. And with their typical journalistic flair, COTH writer Jennifer Keeler brings an insight  that makes me feel I'm reading about this pair for the first time. Congrats Patti and Padre.

By the by, Patti loves hearing from people -- and on her Facebook page she invites you to write her and share how Padre's story has impacted your life. I think for me, this story reminds me that the dressage community ain't all divas and drama queens, and breed snobbery is vastly overstated. For the most part, the dressage folks are are happy to  see "regular" folk succeed in the sport. I also love the connection between Padre and Patti, and the way his success is made so much more meaningful because of their relationship.

clipped from http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/padr%C3%A9-mustang-brings-taste-west-dressage-devon

Padré The Mustang Brings A Taste Of The West To  Dressage At Devon    By: Jennifer M. Keeler

A living symbol of American freedom knows no boundaries in his new career.

He was born an American icon. As a wild U.S. mustang he symbolized independence. Surviving wasn't easy in the rugged desert landscape of Palomino Valley outside Reno, Nev., but as a young colt he knew nothing but the freedom of the desert wind.

Until the day the helicopters came.

Nine years later, this striking dun stallion trotted confidently in the company of champion warmbloods around the historic Dixon Oval as the first mustang to ever compete at Dressage at Devon (Pa.).

Lukas: Another smart, sensitive TB

I'm a little wary of people who teach "only with love" but this lady has a sincerity about her, and her regard for Lukas (and his regard for her) is pretty obvious. The number of tricks doesn't impress me as their rapport.

clipped from www.aolnews.com

Super Smart Horse Hoofs It Into Guinness Book

(Nov. 29) -- A 17-year-old thoroughbred gelding in Chino Hills, Calif., is going into the record books, not for the speed of his feet but for the quickness of his mind.

The horse in question is Lukas, who is touted as the smartest horse in the world for the many amazing feats he's been able to master: 35 in all.

According to Karen Murdock, Lukas' owner and trainer, he is able to count and discern different shapes, spell his name and recognize the difference between objects that are the same and those that are different, those that are bigger or smaller than others and a concept called "absentness."

The dressage tests for 2011: Collective Marks

The collective remarks (as I'm sure most of us know) give an overall assessment of key traits in the horse's and rider's performance. There are some changes in the 2011 tests...

• Gaits now have a coefficient of 1 rather than 2, which will level the playing field a bit for non-warmbloods horses who lack the big natural gaits; this serves to emphasize proper training of the horse/rider over the “fancy mover.”
• There are now three scores for rider: position, effectiveness, and harmony. Harmony is one of those things we all recognize but it is hard to define. Of course someone asked the panelists to define it, and they  used words like “effortlessness” and “artistry” to characterize the traits of harmony. One judge said there is also an element of accuracy, since that helps to maintain the horse’s balance. 

As an interesting side note, the panelists noted that experienced judges found it challenging to assign the additional rider scores in the time frame typically allotted for judging. Imagine how it will feel to be an inexperienced judge!

Riley is overflexed -- What would Lendon do?

 Lendon Gray wrote in a 2001 Practical Horseman article that this is one of the hardest problems to fix. Riley, why'd ya have to pick a tough bad habit? I'm not sure I'd try the first method on my young boy, but the other three Lendon suggestions are pretty idiotproof, and interestingly, the "distract him" idea was one that occurred to me right off, when Riley was particularly overbent. It worked.

The upjerk
Is the horse on the aids, moving forward? Try a little "upjerk": First close your leg (he must learn that the leg can push his nose out); then give his mouth a little bop upward and toward his ears. Now, be careful not to direct the bop toward you-there is absolutely no backward pressure. It's just a little tiny jerk up into the corner of his lip. And it's not finished until, as your hand starts to come down, you immediately give it slightly forward so he has room to go out in front of the vertical to the bit.

Do Transitions.

Doing lots of transitions, back and forth between gaits and within gaits, is another way to get your horse to step toward the bit. Go from normal trot to a forward trot and back again twenty times in a row. Try to do your downward transitions with your voice, so you don't have to put pressure on the reins.

Go Sideways.

Simple lateral work where your horse has to cross one hind leg over the other, such as basic leg-yielding across the diagonal or along the wall. This will just naturally push him toward the bit. Keep it going forward.

Distract Him
 Put down some ground poles, change directions, circle, canter, halt, whatever gets his attention.

What I love about these fixes is that they don't require a ton of expertise. Thanks Lendon.

Excerpted from His head's too low! Practical Horseman Apr 2001. Vol. 29, Iss. 4;  pg. 108.

2011 Dressage tests First Level: Hint #2

Most folks have heard that in the new 2011 first level tests, sitting trot is optional. But is it really? At the seminar on the 2011 tests participants asked three ways till Sunday if posting trot would affect their score. 

• If two rides were identical, and one was sitting and one posting, which would get the highest mark? Answer: if the rides were identical they'd get identical marks.
• What if I start out sitting but switch to posting? Answer: It doesn't matter to the judge.
• How will posting affect the rider score? Answer: It won't.

Judges provided the assurance that the rider’s sitting or posting is irrelevant to the score, and they also encouraged posting if sitting inhibits the horse. One judge lamented that they often used to watch rides and in the stretchy trot (posting) the horse suddenly showed much more freedom and swing -- they're happy that now horses won't be as inhibited and performances will be better...

Riding riley: A new kind of challenge

Friday night, two friends came out to watched me ride Riley. Thank God they are good, supportive friends, because it weren't pretty. It was after 8pm, it was about 24 degrees out, and Riley seemed anxious all by himself in the indoor. He was uncharacteristically spooky/tense, which is unlike him. We went around with his head alternately high in the air or rooting around his knees, and he was snatching fussily at the bit. I think I was nervous riding in front of others, but was I that nervous? My friends were helpful, assuring me it was not as bad as I was feeling it was. Then toward the end, I heard a sound I really, really didn't want to hear.

Riley was grinding his teeth.

I walked him on a long rein and looked at his face, which did look unhappy and tense. I got off. But I didn't think it was a good idea to quit -- every ride should end on a good note.

"Heather," I asked, "Would you get on him?"

Heather had not come to ride, but she gamely put on my tall boots. She is 5'3" and could only zip them up 3/4 of the way so that her knee would articulate. she looked like a spanish riding school master. She stuffed her hair in my helmet so it would fit her better. We shortened the stirrups. She got on, and walked him on a circle. He seemed a little worried but he was quiet -- so she pushed him to a trot.

Riley travelled with his head at his knees, then in the air, but in a few circles he started to relax. Heather used to exercise racehorses, and she grew up riding Saddlebreds. She knows how to sit quietly. In about 3 minutes he was travelling with a "falling down" neck and steady contact, though not round. He looked calm and relaxed, and we were all satisfied that it was safe to quit.

The grinding wasn't noticeable or loud except to me, the rider, but that and the rooting behavior I think stem from the same problem. My initial thought would be just go on a long rein, but then he dives with his head at his knees - not nose reaching for the bit but more defensively thrust straight down. To be honest he does this on the lunge too.

Suggestions, guys? 
 I remember years ago reading an article by Lendon Gray on correcting curling/overbent horses.  When I find it I'll summarize her suggestions.

PS -- I rode again the next day, and it went much better. He did grind a little off and on, but when I changed things up (transition, change of direction, even half halt) he stopped. Meanwhile I'm trying to by more conscious of my hands -- specifically I lay them against the saddle pad when I'm tempted to fuss.

Gift for a frenemy or a very, very good friend

UPDATE ON HENNY (HJ Hampton, event horse ridden by Peter Atkins): Henny colicked early this morning and has undergone surgery. Look for updates on Eventing Nation (there is also an EN RSS feed upper right of this page). Send those positive vibes.

---

May I speak frankly?

Breeches are about the most revealing and unforgiving things you can wear -- ya might as well pull on a pair of opaque hose as pull on your Pikeurs, Cotton Naturals, or FITS.  And guess what? Breeches are freakin' expensive.

I wonder what the competitive woman rider does when wearing breeches puts her at risk for embarrassment. Lots of riding situations (trails, dressage shows, events, hunter paces, etc.) involve long days and portolet facilities.

And God forbid, white breeches.
 
There is a company that discreetly addresses a delicate situation that women of all ages are concerned with. I met the women who design and sell Skivvys -- waterproof panties for the equestrienne-- at Rolex. Later they mailed me a pair  for testing. That was last year, and I confess that I only recently gave them a try.

Here's the deal. They're a lot like regular panties. You don't really notice them. And that's a good thing.  They're priced around where high end panties are (around $30), but doesn't that make them a good Christmas gift? Not sure if I'd buy them for a "frenemy,"  because darn it they're cute and the fabric feels great. I'm thinking they're a great gift for that good friend -- the one you talk to about female annoyances anyway.

More frenemy holiday gifts: Oh the variety!

I didn't see much need to pretty up the display of these sweaters, all of which were found on Ebay, and several of which are listed at over $40 despite the fact that they are USED!

The 2011 Second level tests: Hint #1

Last Saturday I attended a seminar on the 2011 dressage tests. In addition to learning lots of details about the development of the tests, the judges spoke about how to best ride the new tests. Tip for second level:

Go in the ring planning to ride the whole test in shoulder fore.

Why? Because second level requires you to show a whole 'nuther level of collection, and there is not much down time between movements. If you think shoulder fore throughout the test, your horse will be poised to do each of the movements in the most balanced and uphill way.

Now to me, the picture left is a shallow shoulder in because it's on three tracks. Am I right?

The picture is from Horse & Rider and accompanied an article on riding the shoulder fore, however. Worth reading, as is this Horse Channel article on the shoulder-fore as "training wheels for the shoulder-in.

More on horses, "that 2nd job"

Just a few years ago, I rode Harv every chance I got -- it was so important to me! I drove 50 minutes to ride, I rode in sub-zero temperatures, I hated missing a day.  I had aspirations as a rider, however modest. I  also used to read novels. I used to go to movies and concerts. To the gym. To restaurants.

Then I bought my second horse, Riley.

There goes the gym membership. Reading? No time. But I still rode Harv, my semi-retired boy, and on a good day we'd do a little lengthening across the ring. Harv always knew that diagonal line was for the big trot.

Then Riley got sick.

I stopped thinking about riding and my aspirations as a rider.   I don't like to think about last year and what Riley went through. It was awful, and I think managing his care changed the way I relate to horses. When Riley's hoof was resectioned (I like to say "lopped off"), it had to be kept covered, supported, and clean. It sounds dramatic but I felt like my care was keeping him alive, and this isn't that far from the truth. Caring for him became a second job. At least once a day, and often twice, I was out to check on him, change his bandage, clean his stall, give him meds. I had nightmares that he'd get his bandage off or get loose or founder. He was confined too. While he handled it well, I didn't, and the highlight of 2010 was the beautiful day in February when he was turned out for the first time in 8 months.

So now he's okay, and he's in work, and doing great. I want to ride. But damn it, I can't get out of caretaker mode. I get to the barn, and I'm determined to clean his stall, change his water, check his shoes, fuss over his feet, etc. etc. And if I'm doing this for Riley, I can hardly not do it for Harv. Two hours at the barn, and I haven't swung a leg over either horse.  But it is deeply satisfying. When I leave they lack for nothing, and they're tucked in and safe.


My New Year's Resolution
I have to knock this off! I need to ride. Lesson. Ride. Clinic. Ride. Show. Ride. Don't let me forget, I'm a rider, after all.

Henny and Peter: Update from Eventing Nation blog

I don't normally post more than once a day but Eventing Nation has an update on Henny and Peter. Here it is. Bob and I already have our tickets to Rolex and damn it, we were going to go as Henny/Peter groupies. Still hoping, still sending those good thoughts, may the parties involved find the wisdom to do the right thing.

clipped from www.eventingnation.com

Update: Run Henny Run

By Samantha L Clark on December 7, 2010 11:24 PM, Filed Under Eventing News and Notes

A source close to the situation tells me that Peter Atkins and Linda Martin both attended mediation on Tuesday, 7th
December with their attorneys, but no agreement was reached on Tuesday after
several hours of mediation. Mediation is where both parties and their respective lawyers meet together with an independent attorney in an attempt to reach an agreement out of court--it's a way to save time and money and reach a compromise.

At stake is the control of H. J. Hampton, aka Henny,
who is currently in New Hampshire. Since the mediation failed, this issue of control will now be decided by the
judge, who must rule whether Peter Atkins maintain control of the horse
within the judge's jurisdiction (NH), whether he should be allowed to travel
with Peter down to Ocala for the winter in order to train, or whether Linda Martin should have control.

Knabstrupper-warmblood crosses: It's happenin' in Europe

If you like color (even if you don't) it's a pretty cool breeding development.

Breeder Karina Sartor Westergaard was gracious enough to provide information about her breeding program (see http://www.sartor.dk/ for more info), which I first read about on the COTH list.  She is breeding top quality Knabstrupper mares to stallions such as Sandro Hit and Sir Donnerhall. One of her prize horses is Sartor's Simply the Best, pictured right (both photos).

Karina's breeding goals...
Her main goal is to "produce top horses with special colour, great temperament and outstanding movements to the World's leading top riders."

Her horses have been sold to upper level riders in Germany, Sweden and elsewhere -- she's sold one to an Olympic rider as well. Most of the offspring are quite young but we'll start seeing them in competition soon.

A full brother to this horse, Sartor's Black and Magic, was sold to Germany and has named the top colt in classes and shows. I'll show some pix of him in a future blog post, but I just HAD to include the picture of STB in his cool show sheet. Look familiar????You can see Simply the Best's Facebook page for more info...

Some awesome jumpers!

I am guessing many of you have seen this but I thought it was charming -- what a refreshing change from all of those goofy "half time" programs featuring overdressed women on baroque horses...

HORSEMAN A DRESDEN homme cheval babass
Uploaded by babass59. - Watch feature films and entire TV shows.

Officially the Best Frenemy Gift of 2010

Dressage aid or adult toy? This $60 item does not include the pool noodle needed to apparently master the lateral aids. I am a sucker for equestrian gadgets but even I can't imagine owning this slightly illicit-looking thing. The horse face on the front just makes it worse. Imagine using the School Master Noodle in your living room and being surprised by the UPS guy.

UPS Guy: Excuse me -- should I come back, or, er-could you sign here ma'am?

You: Oh. sure.  You know,  this isn't what you think. It's a School Master training aid. I'm learning how to bend laterally.

UPS Guy: I -- uh -- No need to explain. It--I mean--our neighbor used to have snakes.

You: No. really, this isn't....

[Sound of hurried footsteps, van starting]

A great gift, though, for the "right person."

clipped from shop.dressagenaturally.net

School Master Noodle Kit for Learning Lateral Positions

Meet 'SiMoN', the School Master Noodle! This is a great tool for learning all the classical dressage lateral positions. Includes: A kit for turning a pool noodle into a school master 76 Page workbook with exercises 30 minute DVD demonstrating all the exercises Pool Noodle NOT INCLUDED. Requires 2.5" by 4'6" pool noodle.

Stallions stories: The Salon de Refusés

I had heard that Rubenstein, one of the three great warmblood stallions of the 20th century, had a lackluster performance at licensing. This great article (below) lists other stallions who could be classified as late bloomers.  The author uses the term Salon de Refusés which I had not heard before (definition here). This is a fantastic article, hope you enjoy it...

clipped from http://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2010/11/salon-de-refuses-the-stallions-that-almost-werent/

Salon de Refusés – the stallions that almost weren’t

November 4th, 2010 at 12:46 am

Sires that almost didn’t make it…

By Christopher Hector

I guess it is one of the paradoxes of Warmblood breeding that while most observers are convinced that the process of stallion licensing and performance testing is integral to the success of the major studbooks, many of the most famous and successful sires, had difficulties at either the licensing or performance testing stages.

Stallions like Cor de la Bryère, Galoubet, Voltaire,  Rubinstein, Grannus, Libero, Doruto, Quidam de Revel, Irco Marco and Landadel were all initially ‘failed’ at either the initial licensing stage, or at the later performance test, before going on to greatness.

Riley's latest lesson: Starting to get it...

So here is my most recent ride, featuring 8 solid minutes of Riley within striking distance of being on the bit, and a few moments here and there of solidly on the bit. I'll take it! He is definitely an easier ride going to the right.

Note to self: Ask trainer/instructor about the occasional head-tilting.

Horses: So much more than a hobby

Last Tuesday I got off work at 9pm, then went to see the horses, and got home at midnight. Bob, who works second shift, pulled in the drive right behind me. I got out of the car, lugging my saddle and clothes from work, and we entered the house together.

Me: Well, I'm officially exhausted.  [tosses the saddle over a chair, plops onto couch]

Bob: I'll make some decaf.  I see the dishwasher has not been unloaded. Did you clean the catbox today?

Me: No. I left the house at 7:30am, haven't been back.  I'll get it in the morning.

[Silence, except for the sound of coffee brewing and Bob unloading the dishwasher. Then...]

Bob: You need a hobby.

Me: What are you talking about? I have the horses!

Bob: No, the horses are a job.  You need a hobby.

My response?
What can I say? Bob is right. Horses are like a second job -- but it's a job I love to do, and I can't imagine doing anything else.  Bob, who's making the coffee and unloading the dishwasher at midnight, is asking me to start questioning. He's uncharacteristically subtle, which gets my attention more than an outright complaint.

One of the uncomfortable things about getting married late in life is that there is someone around to witness your quirky but well-established lifestyle. And sometimes they pass judgement on it. The horses, the eating habits, the blogging, Bob's got opinions on all of it. I'm listening, but I don't want to change.

What about you guys? Do you have a better work/life/horse balance?  How do you do it? How does your spouse respond?

Mathias Rath and Totilas usher in a new era of...

"Daycare dressage"

I mean does this guy look young or what? 

Congrats, Mathias!

Enjoy the ride... 

The video of Mathias Rath (below) is the one I like most of the ones on Youtube, partly because of the music. I wonder who took this footage, and why? A crush, I bet...