The Mane Event: 2013

The Saturday (27th) after Jingle's Birthday, Myself, Sarah, Laura and Brigitte headed up to Red Deer to partake in the "Mane Event", a massive event of clinics held by world famous clinicians and a tradeshow filled with everything horse-related you could ever want.

We stopped on the road and got a delicious breakfast at Humpties. Did you know Humpties offers a side of perogies with their breakfast food? uhm. yum.

The first clinician we caught was what many would refer to as the king of jumping, George Morris.

He did not disappoint, his one-liners are incredible... I will list some here... Hopefully some of you have seen videos or seen GM live because then you can imagine his very strange accent.

GM talked a lot about keeping your hands high if your horse has a tendency to be a "stargazer"

"What is a stargazer, you as me? Well obviously a horse that is constantly looking at the stars..."

The first part of the clinic was flatwork, and he made the riders oscillate their elbows at the walk and canter, but keep their elbows more rigid at the trot. There was a lot of screaming, "OSCILLATE DAMNIT, OSCILLATE"

"I love driving you crazy, I am very expert at that" - GM

He also got on one of the riders horses, he was quite impressed with the big warmblood and even refused to give the horse back, saying, "People pay me for this, [riding a horse], i'm keeping him, you stay on the ground and watch."

He picked on one rider in particular, a girl on a massive black warmblood, who was particularly chargey and bracey in his flatwork, but an astounding jumper. At first he told her she "looked like a bleating sheep" and after a nice round when the audience attempted to clap, he yelled "DO NOT CLAP, we do not clap for disasters." At the end of the clinic he admitted she was "the most improved, but we still will not be clapping for improvement today." Ouch, GM.

He was particularly annoyed with his jump girls, telling them "don't practice being dumb" and telling the crowd "I like them, but they are useless." Finally, with a laboured sigh he expressed "Modern youth, helpless creatures" On the topic of ladies he told the female riders, "I like you ladies but i'm suspicious of you..." and then finished with, "not Beezie though, never Beezie." Apparently, in a day of the life with GM, dropping Beezie Madden's name is a very casual thing.

To a male rider he said, "You are a disaster, but a baby... don't take it personally."

To another rider he exclaimed, "If you don't break your ankle with too long of stirrups, I will break it for you. Atleast you have a choice in the matter."

Of course, he was full of wisdom, even stuff a little 'ol western rider like me can bring to my riding. If you pick up contact, raise your hands, as you lower your hands release. Riding, and asking for contact should be a constant push and pull of hands and contact. For my jumper readers he had them jumping interesting lines to keep the horses alert, aware and ready for anything that different shows could throw at them. He would have them jump a line and then immediately turn their horses in the fence, he said this would establish a good stop anywhere on the course. Finally, he had them jump the jump in the above photo (which isn't the best photo, I know - sorry!) it was angled with two separate bushes so that the horse had to take off a stride before the jump, quite a few of them got caught up on this jump proving GM's point that you have to keep it fresh!

As George Morris would say... NEXT!

Next up was Steve Roth whose clinic was on overcoming difficult trail obstacles. The two girls that were riding with him during the clinic that I saw were not exactly having "difficulty" with obstacles, which should make for a boring clinic. However, Steve Roth is 1 part clinician, 1 part showman-comedian, holy heck the man is funny!

The horse Steve was using was named Professor, an absolutely ADORABLE liver chestnut that I fell pretty hard for. He brings along two horses - one a seasoned show horse and a younger, more inexperienced horse to the world of clinics and shows, so that he can better demonstrate issues on his own mount. This photo is him explaining how to get a horse over an obstacle they don't want too - make the horse rather be on the obstacle than on the ground by constantly moving their feet.

Steve had a really holistic approach to training a horse, and the fact that he is funny as heck didn't hurt.

Here is Steve at the end of the night, during the "Equine Experience" demonstrating different riding disciplines (seriously funny) and his own horses skill on his seasoned show horse, Shiner.

It was a long day, and Brigitte got a little sleepy while watching on of the "Trainer's Challenge" trainers, who kept clucking to his horse.. over.. and.. over... and.. over.. and... zzzzzzzzzzzz

It's hard to fit everything in, but we got the chance to watch Wylene Davis, one of the trainers taking part in the "Trainer's Challenge" twice, and let me tell you - that woman is drop.dead.amazing. I became overly obsessed with her. The filly she drew for the challenge was quite flighty and sensitive, not to mention a little pushy and lacking of respect. Wylene had some interesting techniques, she is a proponent of lying a horse down (a pretty controversial technique), but she never ended up laying this particular filly down. She also tied the horses rein to her tail to get her to independently learn to bend, but also soften at the tail, which was an interesting technique i'd never seen before.

When she eventually got on the filly, it was a total show - the filly bucked and reared multiple times and Wylene cowgirl'd her... hard. It was amazing to watch this beautiful blonde lady, all made up and glitzy (her chaps were cheetah print) riding a bronc like a serious bronc buster. She had my vote!

Unfortunately, we were informed by friends that the next day, at the Trainer's Challenge finale, where the trainer's have to ride their horses around a large arena with different obstacles, at different gaits, Wylene had a hard time getting her sensitive pick to respond, and ended up not winning. Too bad, girl is pretty awesome. I got all girl-power about her, I must admit, felt like I was a kid watching the Spice Girl's again! :)

Here is the crew's boots, Brigitte, Sarah, Laura and Myself! Darn those stupid benches hurt... ugh.

Not to be topped by the clinics, we got some wicked stuff at the tradeshow.

This was a chandelier that I fell in love with... I didn't bring it home, but check out the concho details on the sides - LOVED that idea. The Mane Event was FULL of drop-dead gorgeous western decor.

We stopped at the Western Horse Review booth where I picked up a Barbara Schultz video of cutting, and then we found out they were offering a show special of a three year subscription for $75, and you get a free pair of SMB's! Of course we did that, especially since i'm already subscribed to the magazine, and now Jingle has a new pair of white SMB's ;)

Finally, the shocker of the tradeshow, earlier in the day we had stopped at this booth and saw this Peppermint Equine Leg & Muscle rub. Originally the company had started out with humans, and made this lotion which is much more potent for horses. My friend decided to buy it for herself, and I thought she was a bit nutty... then I tried it on my sore back. Oh.my.lanta. I had to get some. It is amazing, I put it on after a grueling lesson the other day and was barely sore when I woke up. Score! Jingle may never get to see this particular new potion.

Finally, we headed back to our friend's, Garry and Sandy's wonderful home, and stayed up much too late, swapping, remembering and sharing stories. It was a wonderful day.

Round table chats are the best. =)

Carrots & Champagne: Jingle's 9th Birthday Celebration

Friday was my last exam - if anyone is interested it was a final level course in American Civil War history, I'm not quite sure why I took it, but it marked my very last exam I will ever take as a University of Calgary student! As of June 11 (Convocation) I will have obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Social and Cultural Anthropology!! Crazy!

So, what did I do to celebrate? Called up my best-friends and headed out to the barn to celebrate my horses 9th birthday, and our first of his birthdays together! I deemed the event "Carrots & Champagne" :) but it was more of a beer-fest, as it always is with us.

Warming up in the outdoor arena for the first time this spring. I am also wearing a Miller Chill hat that a clerk at my local liquor store gifted me for my celebrations - thanks sir!

Leah and Laura posing with the birthday boy! (Notice that everyone got hats for the event, what a great liquor store clerk!)

To begin the celebrations Laura suggested a drinking game race, Caron, Brigitte and I participated on Quiz, Mac and Jingle. Clearly we are a) refusing to grow up, b) slightly dangerous as Jingle barely stopped and Mac gave a couple solid bucks because he was left behind. Madness!

After a "real" ride in the indoor, we brought Jager (Jingle's most favourite bestfriend) in to play with Jingle, but Jingle was having none of it and attempted to bite Jager multiple times. Apparently someone is a bit of a priss on his birthday.

Jingle & one of his adoring fans.

Celebratin'

We attempted some Birthday photos with a "Birthday Boy" hat Brigitte bought him, but he was having none of that hat. Look at those eyes... "That iz a scary hat!"

"Mahm, this hat is stupid, I dun wanna wear it."

"Fine, I will wear ze hat, but I will not like it"

"Okay, I kind of like it since I am ze most handsome boy of all... right?"

Jingle's "cake" was carrot cake, peppermint cookies and carrots...

...he didn't like it much haha.

Mac was a true sport and actually wore his hat... party horse for sure.

Jingle not liking his birthday treats resulted in him slobbering all over me as I attempted to hand feed him... 

Carrots EVERYWHERE, and one unimpressed horse.

Birthday Celebrations!

Brigitte needed a photo with her god-horse, and her own horse, of course.

Bosely and Ace (and Heather) also came to enjoy the festivities... Ace (on the right) was the only horse that wanted any part of the carrot cake. Picky horses, I tell ya!

Finally, we had to sing "Happy Birthday" to my big man, and toast him with some champagne...

All-in-all it was a wonderful evening, it's hard to believe my little baby with the big wild eyes is nine, and it's a wonderful feeling that I finally get to spend a birthday of his, with him. For his birthday he got a new set of black professional's choice bell boots and I decided to splurge a bit and got him a hackamore - pictures to come once I receive it!

Riding Diary - 53

Ride: So, I snuck out to the barn on wednesday when I should have been studying (bad, bad Louisa) but honestly I was going pretty stir-crazy. When I got there a lesson-group was warming up and I asked my trainer if I could sneak in - yipeee, she allowed me, and it was a barrel-racing focused lesson. I was pumped. Jingle and I have been working on barrels alone, in anticipation for the upcoming gymkhana season that I want to dip my toes into, but the second I ask him for any sort of speed.. bye-bye-pony.

For not being ridden for a week, he warmed up like a star. "Yes, those of you who remember my horse running me into walls, look how wonderful my horse is now, look at his beautiful headset, suck on this." Then my trainer asked me if I was going to allow her to ask me to lope again, I gave her one of these faces "-__________-" we we're working on slow stuff, ooooo-kaaaayyyy, and told her that yes, she had permission to allow me to lope again. I am a bit of a brat, I tell ya.

Jingle picked up his right lead perfectly and away we went around the arena, he was actually being really nice and listening to my checks and leg.. which is impressive as his right lead generally turns him into a fire breathing dragon of "fun". I've mostly been trotting the pattern but a couple of weeks ago I had Jingle trotting 1st and 2nd and then loping to third, breaking down before the barrel into a trot, turning it, and then loping home. He was actually doing it marvelously, so my trainer thought we should try that to see how he was. Well, it wasn't as marvelous as it had been before, he wouldn't break down into the trot right away, which caused a half-loping mess around 3rd... that's not pretty! regroup.

From there, we attempted 1st barrel, lope to 2nd, lope to third, attempt to break it down, or if not, turn the barrel twice and lope home. After a couple of attempts, including my trainer handed me a crop so I could lightly pop his shoulder when he attempted to take too-wide of a berth around third, my horse turned into that dizzy mess he often does when speed is introduced. My trainer was just laughing and said that we'd lost Jingle's brain again, and that it was time to go back to slow, because clearly we needed to work on the slow stuff before we could ask him for speed. (story of my life) We broke it back down to a nice jog or trot and worked at the pattern from there, and he did really well by the end of it. I was able to regain control of his pea-brain, and he was able to figure out how to pick up his shoulder and nicely turn a barrel. Despite his "Hey mahm, I've seen barrel horses enter the arena sideways from the alley and then gallop off, maybe I should do that across the entire arena?!"

My trainer left me with some homework For Next Time she wanted me getting Jingle's nose following my hand, especially when we were loping, because he does it perfectly at the trot. She told me that first off, when I'm loping the rail, at every corner in the arena she wants me to come off, lope a small, tight circle, and then lope away, at every corner. Second, she wanted me loping half the arena and then coming straight down the centre, and then off again, because Jingle still has a hard time carrying himself very straight at a lope, and needs practice.

Today I went out to see my boy with this homework in mind. My horse was a freight-train at the lope. excellent. but I was determined to keep going. See, with all this slow work and time i've spent on Jingle my horse can now move off my leg pretty damn nicely, we have our pivots, turn arounds, sidepassing, rollbacks.. all of that, is pretty much down, but only at the slower gaits. Now that he knows how to do that, I feel as if we can leave Kindergarten and welcome him back to the world of speed in a nice, calm way. Yep, No, Jingle don't play that game. Jingle is a cyclone, intent on ripping up the arena from within.

It was hard work, I think both of us kept looking at eachother like "WTF are we doing?!" I was sweating buckets and so was he, but by the end of the day, my speed-demon was loping around my hand in the corners, and not being too much of a strung out idiot about asking him for more speed. I was happy.

We left the barn and ambled down the road (I was in my T-shirt, hurray! is this spring in Alberta finally?!) Jingle's birthday is tomorrow and in my family, the tradition is that my mom always tells my birth story to me on my birthday. Well.. Jingle, I'm not your "real" biological mother so I don't know that story (I'm sure it goes... somewhere out in a field during a shitty day in April, you managed to survive the birthing process) but I found myself telling Jingle the "story of us". I am a sap. I know. As we ambled down the road I got to the part of this last summer where he had gone missing and was nowhere to be found and completely choked up and burst into tears. There was a lot of petting and his ears were cocked back and he kept looking back at me. haha poor boy has a psycho for a mother.

Anyways, as I was sobbing and telling my horse how much I loved him and how much he meant to me, two massive dogs came bolting up to the fence line and scared the shit out of both of us. He turned on his haunches and jumped right out of his skin and away from that fence line. It took me a bit of time to get him slowed down and stopped. Great metaphor... As is our life together, one part sappy love story, one part hysterical ridiculousness.

A Love Letter to Camp Counsellors

My friend, Sarah, posted this article by the Globe & Mail on her Facebook yesterday, entitled "Why being a camp counsellor is great training for becoming a Prime Minister" by Joanne Kates, it instantly caught my attention. Why? because, of course, I was the ultimate camp-kid, my first day-camp experience was when I was 6, then a stay over camp from 8 until 15, counsellor from 16-18, riding leader & "barn boss" from 19-20 until the very sad closure of my camp after this last summer... my summers from age 16 on were camp, nothing else.

The premise of the article is that the Conservative government is attacking Justin Trudeau in a series of ad campaigns that show his many jobs that render him unsuitable to be prime minister - one of them is his time spent at Camp Ahmek in Algonquin Park as a late teenager. Now, perhaps the baby Trudeau won't make a wonderful Prime Minister, but is this in part due to his time as a camp counsellor? I highly doubt it...

The Author states that the Conservative's have made a mist-step, since being a camp counsellor is an important, and high-skill job. She then goes on to list the qualities each camp counsellor has to have, and where those qualities and lessons are created in a camp setting. These examples are ones that every camp counsellor knows well... "Put 10 young kids in a cabin for a week or a month. It can be a powder keg. Sure, camp is fun and 99 per cent of children adore it; but there are inevitable - and sometimes intransigent - struggles." and "Maintaining order and discipline without descending to authoritarianism requires walking a fine line. How do two counsellors put ten children to bed, teeth brushed, faces washed, kindness reigning, all in under an hour?"

Performing a skit at Camp-fire

Well.. I can answer that, at my camp it was the fine balance of bribery, sternness and love. I fondly remember moments of, "Girls, if you are in bed in less than 5 minutes, I will read you two horse stories tonight, instead of just one!" but there was nights too where the kids crossed the line and went from hyped up on sugar, and restless, to plain disrespectful and rude - mob mentality of 12 year olds - and I can still remember the sting of my own counsellors saying to us kids, "I'm really disappointed in you guys, I've decided that there will be no nighttime activity tonight because I am simply too sad, and hurt. Please go to bed now." The lights would flick off and we'd all sit under our sleeping bags whimpering... disappointed...? The word "disappointed" is perhaps one of the most effective words in the English language. Of course, I (as a counsellor), and my counsellors of old, would then go spend time with their counsellor-friends, not being sad, or hurt at all, and by the next evening, the kids would all be little silent gem's, sparkling on their pillows, waiting for a bedtime story. Where else can you learn how to handle a group of swirling dervishes as effectively as that?

At my camp, half the day (and 90% of most little kids minds), focused on horses. I don't know if Justin Trudeau ever had to deal with kids plus horses, but the equation sure is an interesting one. During any morning we could have up to almost 40 kids huddled in the aisles, petting, brushing, saddling and taking out their horses getting ready to ride. Then throw in inexperienced young counsellors. Sometimes, it was mayhem, but it was always fun. Animals, especially horses, in my opinion, teach kids patience, respect and kindness. Our old crotchety mares would let the kids know when they were displeased, kids had to learn to watch out for little nips here and there, kicks and thumps, kids had to learn how to be aware. Such an important lesson. The horses also taught kids how to listen, and how to communicate. It wasn't rare to wander around the barn and hear a little camper whispering to their horse, sometimes it was sweet, "I love you, you are MY horse!", sometimes it was them sharing with their horse, "Today at lunch we had Mac and Cheese!" and sometimes it verged on sad, "Mac and Cheese is what my mom makes me when I'm sick, and I kinda miss my mom this week", and sometimes it verged on scared, "Please don't bash me into a tree today, okay?"

Just as horses taught kids, kids around horses taught us. A counsellor had to be patient, kind, and slow at explaining tough concepts. A counsellor had to be calm, assist when necessary, and let kids do as much as they could on their own. It was a tightrope, with a big horse on one end, and a itty-bitty-little fresh-faced 8 year old on the other, and you had to always walk one line, or another.

So, just as the author says, camp counsellors learn key concepts, lessons and qualities at their time at camp. This article really sums up for me why we did it, we we loved it, and why we'll never forget it. I always tell parents that camp is the BEST choice for kids - for me, especially stay-over camp, allows kids to learn how to be "independent" while still being taken care of and watched over. It forces them to make friends, but the counsellors are there to facilitate friendships with other campers if they struggle. It teaches them who they are, without parents, family, or the outside world that they know almost too well around.

For me, truly and honestly, being a camp counsellor completely changed my life. By the time I went to interview to become a camp counsellor (at my highly competitive camp, that is exceptionally hard to work at), I was taking steps down a bit of a murky, dirty path. Once I got the job, Camp picked me up by the back of my neck and swung me right onto another life path and it thumped me right down and said, "you're going to do well, but you better pick up on this stuff real quick, the kids come tonight." 

I am forever thankful for the lessons I learned there, the qualities that camp has given me and the life-long friends I am made.

Stud-aze

I am all hunkered down studying for my last finals of my last year of University, and I'm really missing this guy...

Why does "life" always come in the way of horses? One day, life will be horses, I tell ya. 

Sometimes it strikes me how much my life has changed this last year because of him, how can one life be so wrapped up and intertwined in another. Love ya Jingle.

In that train of thought, one of my most favourite songs is Corb Lund's "She Won't Come to Me", only Corb Lund could make a song about a wild mare, sound like the most beautiful love song. Of course, I couldn't find a video for the darn song, but look it up - it sure is nice.

"She won't come to anyone whose frightened to be free

She stiffens and she shivers

and she wheels and lopes away across the unfenced sections,

I won't catch that mare today.

So as I roam the prairies for a chance to try again

Behind me through the grasses drag, the braided leather reins..."

I am sure am a sucker for some melancholy western music... So, I'll leave ya with another great Corb Lund song, (that I could find a video for on the 'ol youboob) :)

Tack Issues & Where We Are Now...

When I brought Jingle home, I also brought home a brand new saddle - a Jeff Smith Cowhorse, that I really, really liked. It was a bit too much money, but it was good quality, and it was pretty, and I thought that me and my boy deserved it! I also purchased a Classic Equine ESP pad.

Shortly thereafter, I decided against the ESP pad - way too thick, and didn't conform to his back at all. This was when I first noticed "slipping" of my saddle, I contributed it to the pad, and purchased an SMX Professional's Choice Contoured Pad, seen below.

It was at the same time that I was riding Jingle in a D-Ring, Three Piece Snaffle with Copper Roller, and a noseband, to try to get through his wicked head tossing/mouth chomping issues. It didn't seem to work. So we moved into the sidepull.

His first Sidepull was Weaver brand with a rawhide nose-piece that I wrapped in red vet-wrap, to match his Red Professional's Choice SMB Elites, and his Black Bell Boots. Very quickly we found a happy medium in the sidepull - my horse was stomping his hoof down, he's bitless gosh-darnit!

Yet, I was still feeling that "slipping" issue, and proceeded to take thousands and thousands of these types of photos...

This would occur right after I took Jingle's saddle off, uneven hair, odd dry-spots.

I contacted Frontier and was informed that with winter-hair coats, sometimes the sweat doesn't have a chance to soak through the entirety, which causes these "dry-spots". Uhm. No. You are wrong. Thanks for playing. My saddle wasn't fitting right, and so I found a lady that specializes in cowhorse saddles, but also takes a lot of trade-ins, I figured I would find a used cutting or reining saddle from her. But, once again, my "spend more for higher quality" mentality kicked in and I ended up with a very nice saddle indeed... too nice...

It was a Don Rich cowhorse saddle, but I discovered I still felt that "slipping" feeling, compound that with the fact that the fleece lining underneath was uneven... I quickly returned it, and got a second, even nicer one, as an apology.

what an awkward stance my horse has going on in this shot...

So nice. so dang nice. I loved it, it was beautiful. However, it was "slipping" too, always on Jingle's right side, I could just feel shifting. My trainer wondered if I'm so used to the feeling that now I over-compensate for it, and try to adjust before it actually does slip. My massage therapist commented that my right side is tighter. Jingle's massage therapist commented that his back is uneven, especially in musculature, and slightly lowered.. you guessed it... to the right. 

Add to that, Jingle actually has a nice normal back, except just behind his shoulders/withers there is a slight dip, causing those dry-spots and uneven places.

I knew I needed something almost a bit too wide, and something that would accommodate my horses funky back as we tried to get him back to being evenly muscled, and working properly. All these saddles I had been trying were just too narrow and sitting right up on his withers, even though EVERYONE and their dog told me they were all fitting fine, I knew that it wasn't. 

During this time I found a lady via Facebook that make's very nice bitless attachments for bridles. I purchased one from Amanda's Halters, and it works wonderful, not only is it attractive, it's made out of parachute chord so it's tight and has a bit of a bite if I need it. Finally, I was tickled pink because I finally had my horse back in one of his pretty bridles, not those ugly plain sidepulls i'd been dealing with. Now, my next plan is to bling up the Sidepulls I have! 

The Lady I had been working with found me a nice saddle, a Don Rich, but more of a Ranch Cutter/Cowhorse, it was a bit wider so it could sit right down on those darn withers, and it fit me really nicely. We had to ride in a demo, and then finally, mine came. She even oiled it two-tone, especially for me. I love it.

Looking a bit dirty here after a couple months of riding - the only downside to roughouts is how quickly they show use, but I love roughouts, and don't think I'd go without one now.

I am also riding Jingle in a Professional's Choice Air-ride with the built up shoulders. These pads are hard to find because Prof. Choice has been phasing them out in replacement with the contoured pads, which I don't like as much. The only built-up pads you can get right now are generally stupidly expensive, ugly, or round-skirted for barrel racers. This pad has been perfect.

Jingle also got new black SMB's, as his red ones were falling apart, and I need to get them re-stitched. I think they look quite nice on him, I really like the contrast of all the browns, blacks and whites with his tack right now. 

& of course, I had to throw in some bling... a pretty little saddle cross I picked up at Lammles.

Finally, I'm riding him in a professional's choice neoprene cinch. I don't love neoprene, infact I have quite a few very nice (read:expensive) mohair cinches I'd prefer to ride Jingle in, but the fact of the matter is Neoprene sticks, and with a hard to fit horse, that's what you need. I may switch back into mohair for summer trail riding, but for right now, neoprene is serving us very well.

Jingle says, "How crazy do you think my mahm is? I think she'z at a 10 for sure. Rumour has it she bought me a bosal for my birthday. She haz a problem."

So, what's the point of this post? I guess that I am a nut-job and completely, totally addicted to shopping for my horse. Holy moly.