New Harv: the Happy Birthday logo

The Harvster will be 24 this spring. I'm preparing an order for a  cake from an artisan bakery --gold-flecked white chocolate cream cheese frosting :-) -- but what else? 


I'm dabbling with t-shirts so I thought I'd ask a graphic designer friend to spiff up the BTB logo. She sent a few samples -- tell me what you think!

Lilliputian dressage: I'll take several of those

When I was young, I hated being tall. It was annoying to see the cute clothes in the petite section, and demeaning to find petite dept. garment in my size and  see that it was no longer cute (Hey, why are the pockets so far apart???).

I like being tall now, but it does limit my options as a rider--my potential mounts start at 16.2 and up. This video brings a little bit of my height hatred back, but mostly it makes me laugh. Too. adorable. I'll take one in every color, please!

Trainer phrases: Some new ones

Trainer phrases and quotes as a topic are getting a bit overdone, but here is one that always tickles me.  When Riley gets behind the leg, there is a pause, and then:

"He's going nowhere. [pause] And now you're going backwards. [pause] He's flying backwards, Stacey."

Not happy with your look in breeches? It could be worse...

D'anton Leather (www.dantonleather.com)

You could be wearing a "bodysuit with glitter." These clothes are gorgeous in their own right, and you can see tons more of this amazing leatherwork at the D'anton Leather web site. A lot of it is lambskin and I imagine the rest of it is lycra. I love the western world's pizazz. And, for the woman who has zero body fat, the look is pretty dramatic/eye-catching. But talk about unforgiving! I am grateful that dressage does not require me (or anyone) to wear a bodysuit.  I am thankful that in dressage there a no sequins...

Another thing I love about the western riding look is the hat, though. Personally I'm not a fan of top hats or bowlers, and helmets just look better. Cowboy hats look good on everyone.

RIP to our black kitka, Buddy

Red kitka and Black Kitka on Harv's Saddle Pad, 2010

Buddy, our skittish kitty with a beautiful face and sweet personality, was euthanized Monday.

Bob adopted Buddy before we met, and he was probably around eight or ten years old. Last fall his litter box use became very sporadic, and he lost a substantial amount of weight. We had some tests done. The vet said he was in  renal failure, and the outlook long term was poor. We got special food, new litter boxes, and medication.  He got better for awhile, then worse, then better.

And last week, he got worse again, and Sunday was a really bad day. That night neither of Bob or I slept well, and in the wee hours Bob went downstairs. I could hear him milling around and talking to Buddy.

I went to work on Monday morning, but at about 10am Bob called. He had made the decision. Based on everything we knew of Buddy's condition, his behavior, and the vet's report, it was time to say goodbye. I drove home to help put Buddy in the carrier and take him to the clinic.

 I'm a practical person. It actually seemed doable to drive home, do the grim task, and go back to work. I entered the house at 10:30am, feeling sad but prepared. I had an eye on the clock for my 1:30pm appointment at work, and I focused on the immediate task of getting him into the carrier. This is no small feat for a cat that will not let you pick him up.

We're seldom successful on the first attempt to get him in, and usually one of us ends up needing the first aid kit. This time Buddy offered no resistance as Bob lifted him into the carrier.  He was  terrified, though, and yowling, and our red kitty started yowling too. My heart sank: they both know what is happening. Bob wasn't speaking and he was moving purposefully. I think if he hestitated even a moment he would have lost his resolve. As he drove us to the vet, Bob was quiet. To fill the silence I went over everything we had done for Buddy and the signs of his discomfort/health decline.

Buddy was hard to photograph; when you focused a camera
on him he ran. It was easier to photograph him with Red Kitty.



Because Buddy had gone easily into the carrier, we were forty minutes early for our appointment. We checked in with the receptionist.  Bob glanced down at Buddy's folder on the desk. Then he started asking questions. Could we review Buddy's records? Could there be something we'd overlooked? Were they sure this were no other options? What about antibiotics? He asked if Buddy could live outside. It was a desperate, illogical question and I knew where it was going.

"Bob, he's sick," I said. "He can't be an outside cat."  The receptionist backed me up, and we talked about everything we had tried to keep him healthy, all the meds and the tests and the lifestyle changes. The receptionist reminded Bob, "You've been in here every week for months. You've done everything we said, you've done all you can."

Bob was on the verge of taking Buddy back home, I just knew it. I wanted Bob to be there, for Buddy, but it was not to be. I suggested that he go home and come back later to pick me up. To my surprise, he agreed. The look on his face was awful. He left without a glance at the cat carrier.

The receptionist led me in to a patient room. I took a seat, and she asked me if I wanted to let Buddy out of the carrier.  I said yes. 

Buddy was never a people cat. Sweet and gentle as he was, he very fearful. He would often approach  to be petted, but he only let you touch him a few seconds before running away. Here in this sterile room with the humming lights, I fully expected him to dive under the table and cower. I took a seat by the table. To my surprise, he jumped up next to me. Wide eyed, he curled up at my side against my corduroy pants. I patted him and told him how good he was, and I cried. It was the longest time he'd stayed near me. In about ten minutes, the vet came in. 

Have you been through this process with a pet? It's not so bad. The clinic staff were wonderful. They did their work with kindness and reassurance.  They encouraged me to be near and to hold him, and I was grateful for that. In a strange and scary place I was the only familiar thing, and I hope my presence comforted him.

Afterward I sat with Buddy for a bit, petting him. Then I called Bob and he took me home. I fixed us some coffee, and we sat together on the couch for awhile, neither of us saying much. Then it was time to go  back to work.

Buddy, we miss you very much. 
Fare thee well.

Bo Jena Bonus: The levade

One of the especially impressive horses at the clinic was the 18H Hanoverian by Bergamon, Brazil. A heavier type without being coarse, Brazil had huge, powerful, uphill gaits and an ability to collect easily. In fact, when Bo asked for half-steps Brazil offered a beautiful controlled levade. You might argue he was just rearing, but I had the distinct impression that he was offering this movement to see if that was what the handler wanted. Brazil showed a lot of exuberance without being naughty. I later learned he could be a handful, but tactful handling kept him nicely in check.

Brazil is for sale by Harmony Sport Horses. I think he would be a great "guy's horse."

New T-shirt: whaddya think?

behindthebit.spreadshirt.com

Update: just changed text to full seats, half halts, empty wallet -- available at behindthebit.spreadshirt.com

---

 I'm t-shirt obsessed these days -- lots of folks buying the dressage arena love shirt, and it makes me so happy!  I'm making some shirt designs too, also at no commission. The artwork and text incurs a fee which explains the price differences.

Here's a design I just did. I have a quirky sense of humor, so these shirts will be a "niche market" at best :-). The last line was tough -- others considered are:

• No dough
• No money
• Empty pockets
• Empty wallet

It's cheap at least, under $15. I have a few other designs up too, but this one is the most original as these things go.

Comments, and of course shirt logo ideas continue to be welcome.

Bo Jena Clinic: Long lining notes part 3

The horse to the right is a Friesian/Quarter horse cross -- what a delight this horse was! Pretty gaits, interesting color, but with a tendency to shorten the neck and perhaps a tendency to go lateral in the canter. Bo offered advice on fixing the shortened neck, but I can't recall what it was.

So  far, I've covered two of the three things Bo did with every horse:

1. Establish contact with the outside rein on a circle, walk, trot, canter.
2. Long line around the edge of the ring.

The third thing
Bo has every horse work in a collected trot so that the handler can follow at a brisk walk. He said 20 minutes of collected trot/walk transitions can be very beneficial and a good workout. Here's a tip: if you are looking to discover the potential of a dressage prospect for upper level work, see how readily they perform half-steps/collected trot on the long line. Some horses took to this readily, and some were extremely distrustful/resistant. One lovely 7 year old readily offered piaffe, and Bo turned to the owner: "Is this horse for sale?" He may have been joking but he said that it was very auspicious that this young horse collected so easily, and so willingly. This same horse also picked up long lining quickly, and he was actually more cooperative and confident in his work than some of the horses that had long lined before. He was an "R" line horse (Rubenstein) but I don't know much else about his breeding.

High winds, high adrenalin! (video)

My trainer, Riley, Feb 19

Saturday, Feb. 19 was a WINDY day -- gusts of 50MPH. A lot of people chose not to ride in our rattling, wind-besieged indoor, but  Riley and I had a lesson.  Ri was oblivious to the scary sounds and movement (I was so proud).

Midway through our lesson, we were coming around the short side of the ring, and Ri (who had actually seemed pokey that morning) was losing energy. I whacked him smartly with the whip, which is normally no big deal.

His reaction took me by surprise -- he bucked and took off at a hand gallop. I sat up and pulled back, first with my fingers and then with my elbows.  I had zero control-- we weren't careening, he wasn't wild-eyed, it wasn't quite a "bolt." I feel Ri was making a point in the only way he knew how -- Lose the whip, you lulu. We went down the long side and around the corner.

Now I  tuned into my trainer, who never lost her upbeat, encouraging tone even as we galloped around. I think she saw what I was now starting to feel, which was  that Riley settling, and that for once, he was offering me a balanced left lead canter. Her words:

 "You got your forward -- now ride it like you want it!"

I closed my fingers on the reins and touched his belly with my ankles, and Ri-Ri shifted his weight back -- he was still pissed off but now he was nicely forward, cantering straight, and listening. We made a couple more laps of the ring (first time I'd held a canter more than one lap!). The rest of the ride went really well, with Riley nicely between my leg and hand.

I rode almost 50 minutes and then Olivia got on. Here is footage from her ride. He was a little tired, I think...

Hi, Hi-waister! Would the waist come up to your boobs too?

Dover is having a big clearance sale and this breech is now under $50. It's a good brand, and a lovely color,  but I'm not biting. Pleated front pants do bring back memories. I wore creme-colored high-waist pants like this in the eighties -- from Paul Harris -- along with a shoulder-padded sweater and hair just out of hot-rollers. Never again.

I don't know if I could tell you specifically what mom-jeans are, but these are mom-breeches in my book.

Never mind the balance exercise (barn envy)

 There are many practical, educational reasons to watch this Beth Baumert video -- for starters, there is the horse, the exercise, and the rider's seat and position. But  I watched this video several times with no thought about learning a thing. How wonderful to hear the cicadas and the birds!  I can practically feel a warm breeze on my arm as I watch this ride. Beth rides in silence, and I know she is experiencing the spiritual feeling of solitary riding.  What a joy it must be to ride on that beautiful farm and to be allowed to school on the lawn :-). The horse is also my favorite shade of chestnut. Watch and enjoy!

Bo Jena on long lining, part 2

So now, if you had Bo Jena coaching you at this clinic,  your horse should be on the outside rein on a circle, and pretty forward. You walk trot and canter. You halt. you do a lot of transitions. Then you come to a walk, and then you start using the whole ring. To get to the rail, Bo followed the same procedure...

1. Keeping outside rein contact, flip the whip to send the horse forward and sideways, into the outside rein. 
2. The point is to get the horse to the rail, preferably by leg yielding. If you're Bo, you might have an assistant point a whip at the horse's shoulder to reinforce this idea.
3. Walk the horse forward on the rail while you walk well behind the horse and at a 45 degree angle. The horse should be straight and handlers were encouraged to make use of the wall.

What could go wrong, right?
Ha! We saw balky horses, jumpy/reactive horses, placid horses, and pissed off horses. Horses kicking out with double-barrels, horses leaping forward with such exuberance I wondered if they would break free. Bo was unflappable. He had empathy for the horse, but not too much. He acted as a strong, authoritative, persistent, but tactful presence. When he got the big reaction (e.g., double barrel), he never backed off but he didn't press further, and as soon as he had the horse's attention again he went to something the horse was comfortable with for a bit. Then he tried again.

Three's not a crowd
Bo often, often, often required a third person to assist. Not a bad idea if you are starting out, and especially if your horse is a bit reactive or tense.

Still more to come!

T-Shirt Contest winners!

New design at behindthebit.spreadshirt.com

T-shirt logos are really hard. The shirt winner is Scarlett for her recounting of great shirt logos that I had not seen or heard of before. Runner-up is Mikey for Carpe Manure Fork or Carpe Pitchfork.

Scarlett wins a t-shirt from behindthebit.spreadshirt.com (any shirt $16 or under). Scarlett, take a look at the site, tell me the style, size, color, etc you want and your mailing address -- I'll get it out to you!

Mikey, you win a bag with your choice of designs, just let me know your design choice and your address.

The contest continues!
Keep your thinking cap on. If you think of a great design, quote, or logo, add it to the comments of any blog post and note that it is a t-shirt idea. You could win a shirt like Scarlett and Mikey. Thanks for playing guys!

Scott's video: A week with Heather Blitz

J. Scott Arnold created this charming video of his weeklong visit with Heather Blitz in November 2010. My only regret is that the footage of his own rides is so far away. He looks to be quite capable, and a line from his video channel "from training level to Grand Prix in 18 months" makes me think he's progressed quickly with the help of a schoolmaster. Good for him! That's really the fast track to progress...

Bo Jena clinic: Learning long lining I

Bo Jena long lines stallion Davidoff Hit

On Valentine's Day I attended a long lining clinic with Bo Jena at Scott Hassler's home base/training facility Riveredge. My dressage GMO took a van-load of us to learn from the master. Bo Jena is a leading authority on long lining, and besides, I was eager to see the Riveredge (Hassler Dressage) facility.

The Riveredge facility is a whole 'nuther post. The Hasslers have designed a state of the art, spare no expense, palatial but ultra-functional home for their program.

But this is about long lining, and Bo Jena shows us what an art this is. I could never capture everything in the clinic, but will talk about the main some key points in his system.


Get your horse on the outside rein
Bo started each horse on the circle. Whether a pony, or a stallion, experienced or new to long lining, the first thing the horse had to learn is to be on the outside rein. It would be hard to overstate this as it's the basis for handler control--during this clinic, the handler was always positioned near the inside rein, and you don't want the horse to drop the inside shoulder and barrel into you. For some horses, in the beginning,  this meant that the horse was strongly bent to the outside when long lining on a circle. I was surprised at the decisive, sometimes strong use of outside rein aids to achieve this, but it's self-defense. As Bo said, control is critical, and without the outside rein contact "the horse can veer into you very quickly."

 It's okay if the horse isn't round at first, and believe me there were a lot of unpretty moments while the horse was still learning the idea of long lining. Support with the whip to keep them out on the circle and forward (forward is also a big deal). Bo never used force but he was very compelling, and I think he showed his expertise in his ability to gauge the horse and how much "pressure" (physical and psychological) they could tolerate. Long lining is a very psychological exercise. I had no idea.

The importance of safe handling practices was drilled home by a chestnut mare (shocker) that was balking, backing, and double-barreling during the session. LONG LINING CAN BE DANGEROUS...

• You never stand directly behind the horse.
• You never stand closer than the length of the whip.
• Although only one long liner learner did this, you should wear a helmet when long lining.

More later!

Dressage t-shirts: A tough sell (and a giveaway!)

I love the shirt I found (behindthebit.spreadshirt.com) and blogged about yesterday. That said, it's hard to find really good, clever dressage t-shirts, and the shirt to my right proves it. It's from Zazzle.com, a company that posts shirts that anyone with an account can design. Dressage t-shirts messages seem to always be have one or several of these elements.

• Verbiage about being perfectionist, perfect, achieving perfection -- sorry, they just seem a little smug.
• The horses are doing upper level movements, and maybe the verbiage suggests the wearer does upper level movements.  I've never done so much as a half-pass. Don't think I'd be fooling anyone!
• General snootiness, like here, or here.
• Awkwardness -- like what we see on the right. Hardly pithy, is it?
• Some are a little too naughty.

So, if I make up my own t-shirt for my own brand of riding, I can hardly do worse. Here are my off the top of the head thoughts/ideas on a t-shirt:

• To be worn riding at home: This is what dressage on a budget looks like
• For horse shows: Whinnying is everything
• For riding Riley: Chestnut is the new black
• For riding Harv: Retirement: Let the grazing begin 

 Hey, what ideas do you have for a dressage shirt/message shirt? The best shirt idea will win one of the spreadshirt tees that I blogged abou yesterday...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentines Day! My gift  to you guys is this T-shirt design (artwork on right).  I found it online but it was only available in Europe (unless you like to pay international postage). Early last week I pestered  the designer--Paul in Leipzig, Germany--to make it available on the U.S. Spreadshirt.com site. Paul graciously complied, and the design is now available in the U.S. market.

Because I do nothing half-way, I set up shop to promote it. You can see lots and styles and variations on the shirt below at behindthebit.spreadshirt.com. The prices start at  $11.  Paul will get a commission from sales, but I don't benefit monetarily.  I'm just happy to bring this neat-o dressage design to the U.S. of A. and to you guys :-).

Check out more of Paul's horse/dressage designs  at his shop Le Shirt.

How not to sell a bridle...

A bad photo can make a stunning model look goofy, and I guess the same goes for horses. I know I have photos of Harv where the angle just wasn't right and his head looks huge.

These horses look pretty homely. I'm guessing these horses are NOT ugly at all, but what wretched camera work! These are head shots to sell the bridle, and we're not talking about cheap strapwork here. The dressage bridle at the bottom cost almost $350--and judging from the bridle path it's a gaited horse of some sort. What a disservice to the product and the animal. My other gripe is that the bridles are not properly adjusted on a couple of the horses. No. Sale.

Cubed or crushed? Icy conditions at the barn

Poor Harv and Riley -- only about an hour of turnout per day, and I'm grateful for even that. Lots of ice out there, and it's not something you mess with. As Bob says, better an unhappy horse than a broken horse. Not sure if Riley and Harvey would agree--as you can see here there's some cabin fever going on...

Hot soup for horses: Costs and benefits of warm water

There is much to like about the barn where I board, and one thing that I LOVE is that in the winter they regularly provide warm water. It's a hassle, and I appreciate that they do it. Horses suck down that warm water as fast as you can fill their buckets (which is good), but in effect you have to fill their buckets twice each time you water. As a barn worker I know, it's annoying in that labor-of-love sort of way.

Benefits
As an owner I love that my boys get the horsie equivalent of "hot soup" in this wretched winter weather. There are health benefits as well:

• They'll drink lots more warm water than cold. 
• The extra water will offset the lack of moist grass; dry winter forage will be digested better.
• They'll be less prone to colic.  

The water doesn't really have to be that warm, either. My vet told me 60 degree water is adequate. 

Costs
So what does it cost to offer warm water? Say you have a barn of twenty horses who each drink six gallons of water a day -- a  total of 120 gallons/day. Let's tweak this water consumption calculator a little to calculate the cost of heating 120 gallons water from 35 degrees to 90 degrees, using natural gas, in PA, for the going rate heating costs. My math skills are not stellar, but according to the calculator...

The cost for giving twenty horses warm water  is $1.53/day, $45.73/month, or  $182.92 from November-February. If your horses drink eight gallons of water a day, the cost is more like $60/month.

That doesn't look so bad, does it? But it you think hot/warm water is expensive, try colic surgery.

She said smugly.

Totilas and Mathias, out in public

Totilas and Mathias performed at the Shockemohle stallion show a few days ago, and they'll be out and about again on Feb. 13. Reportedly they will compete for the first time in May. Source: Horsetalk NZ.

There really are dressage police!

Well -- not the kind that'll nail you for wearing brown half chaps or leopard riding gloves -- but there are dressagey-looking police. These are photos of Swedith mounted police -- check out the saddles, the horses, the double bridles! Thanks to the COTH poster who shared this, and to the flickr photographer that shared it. I love our Bethlehem Mounted Police, but they don't look quite so ready to halt-at-X!

Horseland: The lateral steps episode

 I have never seen Horseland before this episode on Youtube--it' a little peculiar, but neat to see a cartoon that is almost all young girls who like horses and have riding goals. This episode focuses on "the lateral steps" (credibility gap ho!) and this dressage move saves the day in this episode. Plotwise it's kind of a stretch...

At the end of the video (when they're preparing for the big dressage show, they start referring to "lateral moves." Credibility restored!

Scenes from a marriage

Here's a non-horsey post with a nod to fanfreakingtastic's post on the same subject. Anyone contemplating marriage to someone over 50 and moving into his house should read this post...

Wife: [standing at the kitchen sink] Hey--I know you like using dish rags, but could we ever buy some sponges?

Husband: No.

Wife: No?

Husband: We don't need sponges. The dish rags work fine..

Wife: I like sponges. They seem cleaner.

Husband: My family uses dish rags.

Wife: My family uses sponges. Can't we have both?

Husband: No.Wife: Why not?

Husband: There's no room.

Wife: No room for a rag and a sponge?

Husband: We also have a dishwasher. 

Wife: Oh. That explains it.

Husband: Exactly.

Palimino baby: Always airborn!

Jo Kimmins was kind of enough to loan me this photo from her Facebook page. It's a palomino foal bred from her stallion Crown's Ace of Pearl.

Advantages are well, advantageous...

In 18th century novels of manners and society, we read about women with natural advantages. Back then, an advantage could be a pretty face, a good singing voice, talent for needlework or a pleasant demeanor. Wealth is an advantage, albeit not a natural one.

That was then, this is... my blog post
These days, advantages are something different. Intelligence. Wit. Athleticism. Toughness. And okay, a looking great. I was perusing an old horse magazine and saw the engagement announcement for Hillary Dobbs: accomplished show jumper, Harvard graduate this year, daughter of the famous and wealthy Lou Dobbs. And if you can believe the blurb, she sings. See what I mean? Advantages.

Admit it! Doesn't part of you just want to roll your eyes? I fought the urge. And as with most things, scratching even a little bit beneath the surface reveals a truer picture. Here's a really cool article where Hillary Dobbs talks candidly about what it's like to be affluent and especially how it helped her to succeed in the horse world. I admire that she tells us, in a roundabout way, what her five horses cost.  You also read about the plain old hard work it took to get her where she is. No shortcuts. As my husband says, the rich are rich for a reason (usually), and keeping wealth is a lot of work.

Another thought -- here's someone who could convincingly model riding apparel. Tailored Sportsman, are you listening?

Sidesaddle Puissance?

I have mixed feelings about puissance competitions but you've gotta figure this grey is into it, because the rider has limited influence. I love the way she floats over him, it is impressive to watch...

My bridle coffin: A new product idea?

Okay, so I need some help with a brand name. But the basic idea isn't a bad one...

A storage dilemma
My trainer travels to my barn to work with Riley, and she's very busy with many horses to ride each day. To help her save time, I moved my saddle etc.  to the area across from Riley's stall. The dust exposure is high. The saddle is on a stand in a heavy duty, fur-lined saddle bag. But what about the bridle?


The average bridle bag would get dusty too fast, and it's too easy for it to slip behind something. How to store it? I found the answer to my problem in the aisles of the local Target--a plastic box  intended for storing two pairs of shoes. Voila! It's airtight and my bridle and Gumbits fit in there perfectly. It's ightweight, easy to open/close, easy to clean, and easy to store.

Maybe I've watched too many Twilight trailers, but...
The box is vaguely morbid. Have you ever seen Lenin's tomb? Or the glass coffin of Saint Catherine Labouré (left)? That's what I think of when I look at the container. I referred to it jokingly as "the bridle coffin," and the name has stuck.

Paragon rocks the Gold Coast Opener CDI-W

I get updates from Heather Blitz via email. The most recent announcement gave me goosebumps... "International Grand Prix dressage rider Heather Blitz and her eight year old Danish Warmblood gelding Paragon won the Prix St George (75.746%) and the Intermediare I (73.5%) at the Gold Coast Opener CDI-W in their first show of the season beating strong fields each of 36 competitors."

Said Heather: "This was Paragon's best performance so far. He was as honest as possible and did exactly what I asked of him. I pushed for a bit more in the Intermediare 1 and he really responded well. The test was full of wow moments and things that gave me goose bumps!"