I brought out a sample of jackets as possible Hillside Logo wear. These are a little better quality and fancier than the previous ones. They are more weather proof, better fitted, and don't have the velcro and toggles that horses so like to destroy! They are a little higher end though, at about $90.00 with the logo and your name embroidered, but I think the quality makes it worth it. I will put them in the stall across from the stairs if you want to take a look or try one on. Just please keep them clean! The samples are fuchsia and pale blue, but they come in many colours. I know most logo gear is the club colour...but it is too hard to find nice green stuff, and I would rather people buy something they look good in and will want to wear, then buy something so we all look alike.
I am also planning to order more polo shirts. I really like the ones we bought previously...again they come in a variety of colours and are high quality.
Take a look, and let me know if you, or anyone in your family would like one and I can put together an order! If you have something else you want with the Hillside Logo, such as a saddle pad, just let me know, I am open to ideas.
Karen
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
In or Out?
It looks nice outside. I want to teach outside, but they keep hovering over me with a risk of thunder storms Today, tomorrow and Thursday! I don't really want to build two courses, but I may have to...stupid weather that keeps changing.
This week in lessons I am working to help rider's find a connection with their horse, both on the flat, and to an extent over jumps. Advanced riders will work on an "In Hand" release, which keeps a connection to the mouth in the air, but does not pull back or overly restrict the horse. This requires the rider to make sure their balance is independent from their hands. The easiest way to learn to do this is to jump an obstacle that requires the rider to turn in the air, so that is what advanced riders will do.
The beginner/intermediate jumpers will work on selecting the most appropriate length of crest release for the jump in front of them and switching between short and long releases as needed.
I am also optimistic we can have a fun show Saturday afternoon. I am thinking 1ish. Class list and info will be posted in the barn. Classes are $1 each. let me know if you can come or can help out!
I am also looking for entries and for volunteers for Ride for Red which is coming up! Info in the barn or check out: http://www.rideforred.webs.com/
Entry forms can be downloaded right from the website!
Karen
This week in lessons I am working to help rider's find a connection with their horse, both on the flat, and to an extent over jumps. Advanced riders will work on an "In Hand" release, which keeps a connection to the mouth in the air, but does not pull back or overly restrict the horse. This requires the rider to make sure their balance is independent from their hands. The easiest way to learn to do this is to jump an obstacle that requires the rider to turn in the air, so that is what advanced riders will do.
The beginner/intermediate jumpers will work on selecting the most appropriate length of crest release for the jump in front of them and switching between short and long releases as needed.
I am also optimistic we can have a fun show Saturday afternoon. I am thinking 1ish. Class list and info will be posted in the barn. Classes are $1 each. let me know if you can come or can help out!
I am also looking for entries and for volunteers for Ride for Red which is coming up! Info in the barn or check out: http://www.rideforred.webs.com/
Entry forms can be downloaded right from the website!
Karen
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Fish rescue
Now that our dug out has become a viable ecosystem Rob and I took on a rescue project. We have rescued not one, not two, but thirty feeder goldfish. Gold fish that without our intervention would have become food for a bigger fish, or would have been squished into a tiny bowl to have its growth stunted and its poor little fishy life shortened.
Instead these lucky fish have now been set loose in a giant pond, with mosquito larva, duck weed, and other scrumptious edibles.
Of course we likely won't see them again for while...not the most sociable creatures, but apparently they can grow up to a foot long, so hopefully we will one day see them again...and hopefully the birds don't find them and eat them before they get to grow up.
I was amazed at how quickly they seemed to adapt to the "wild", particularly considering that they were raised in empty tanks and would never even have seen so much as a fake plant....yet as soon as their baggy went into the pond they swarmed towards the green.
So if you are ever bored, go hang out by the pond and look for little orange fishies...just don't fall in!
Karen
Instead these lucky fish have now been set loose in a giant pond, with mosquito larva, duck weed, and other scrumptious edibles.
Of course we likely won't see them again for while...not the most sociable creatures, but apparently they can grow up to a foot long, so hopefully we will one day see them again...and hopefully the birds don't find them and eat them before they get to grow up.
I was amazed at how quickly they seemed to adapt to the "wild", particularly considering that they were raised in empty tanks and would never even have seen so much as a fake plant....yet as soon as their baggy went into the pond they swarmed towards the green.
So if you are ever bored, go hang out by the pond and look for little orange fishies...just don't fall in!
Karen
A little more effort please!
Each week I put effort in to read books and websites to improve my teaching skills and to come up with lesson plans. All I ask in return is for my students to put in a little effort in return. So imagine my disappointment this week when my Thursday lessons did not know if Peru was north or south of the equator. Come on people! A little effort please! Is it too much to ask that you come prepared for your lessons? Sheesh, next I will find out you don't know the life cycle of arthropods. I don't know why I bother to try to teach a group of underachievers. We will never get to the Olympics this way.
Karen
Karen
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
back on grass
I decided to let the horses go back on grass today. Ideally the grass would have been left for a day or two to dry and grow before putting the horses back out, but I thought they needed a break from the mud, and the paddocks will dry better without hooves digging them up.
First to go out was Shawn and Magnus. I led them both together, but decided to let Shawn loose first, figuring he was just going to put his head down to eat right away...nope! Off he went with a buck and a fart up the hill! This of course got Magnus excited, so I waited for him to calm down before letting him loose, but off he went doing laps around Shawn, doing his best Black Stallion impersonation!
Percy and Kokanee weren't much better...both tore off at a mad gallop. You would think they had been stuck in a tiny cell for the last week rather than a decent sized pen!
The fillies on the other hand were well behaved and set straight to eating as soon as they got into their pen.
I will have to coat myself in bug spray to go get them though...
oh, and be prepared for MUDDY horses.
Karen
First to go out was Shawn and Magnus. I led them both together, but decided to let Shawn loose first, figuring he was just going to put his head down to eat right away...nope! Off he went with a buck and a fart up the hill! This of course got Magnus excited, so I waited for him to calm down before letting him loose, but off he went doing laps around Shawn, doing his best Black Stallion impersonation!
Percy and Kokanee weren't much better...both tore off at a mad gallop. You would think they had been stuck in a tiny cell for the last week rather than a decent sized pen!
The fillies on the other hand were well behaved and set straight to eating as soon as they got into their pen.
I will have to coat myself in bug spray to go get them though...
oh, and be prepared for MUDDY horses.
Karen
This week in lessons
I am thinking lessons will be inside all week; it will take a while to dry up and more rain is in the forecast. So this week we are going to work on different releases. The three we will work on are short, long and (for advanced riders) in hand releases.
The short crest release puts the riders hands up on the horse's crest, just enough that their hands are about 1/4-1/3 up the neck. This gives the horse the freedom to jump the jump, but still leaves the rider some control. With the short crest release, the rider uses the neck for balance.
The long crest release requires the rider to reach further up the neck; 1/2 way or more. This release gives the horse complete freedom over the jump, and is mostly used to show off fancy hunters, or to give a horse complete freedom over a wide oxer or drop fence. It is important that the rider moves their hands forward, and not their entire body!
The in-hand release requires to the rider to have complete control over their body and hands in the air as they cannot use their hands for balance with this release; instead their hands reach down and forward towards the horse's mouth, following the horse's stretch over the jump. The goal is to maintain a light, following contact, without restricting the horse mid air. This type of release is for advanced riders, but is also useful for less experienced riders when learning to guide the horse into a turn mid-air.
To this end, I will have some sort of grid, as well as an inside turn option, so we can practice how to do the various release types.
Karen
The short crest release puts the riders hands up on the horse's crest, just enough that their hands are about 1/4-1/3 up the neck. This gives the horse the freedom to jump the jump, but still leaves the rider some control. With the short crest release, the rider uses the neck for balance.
The long crest release requires the rider to reach further up the neck; 1/2 way or more. This release gives the horse complete freedom over the jump, and is mostly used to show off fancy hunters, or to give a horse complete freedom over a wide oxer or drop fence. It is important that the rider moves their hands forward, and not their entire body!
The in-hand release requires to the rider to have complete control over their body and hands in the air as they cannot use their hands for balance with this release; instead their hands reach down and forward towards the horse's mouth, following the horse's stretch over the jump. The goal is to maintain a light, following contact, without restricting the horse mid air. This type of release is for advanced riders, but is also useful for less experienced riders when learning to guide the horse into a turn mid-air.
To this end, I will have some sort of grid, as well as an inside turn option, so we can practice how to do the various release types.
Karen
Monday, June 20, 2011
Yikes! http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-pets-livestock-for-sale-Pony-Training-or-exercising-W0QQAdIdZ291816663
14 year old kid who: trains horses to rear, jumps without a helmet...goody!
I also like the saga on Kijiji; little pony was stolen a few days ago...but now it has been returned but is in the neighbours feild...because the pony didn't just get loose.... Now they want someone to come rope their 10 hand tall pony because they can't catch it. Now if they can't catch it, how did someone steal it?
14 year old kid who: trains horses to rear, jumps without a helmet...goody!
I also like the saga on Kijiji; little pony was stolen a few days ago...but now it has been returned but is in the neighbours feild...because the pony didn't just get loose.... Now they want someone to come rope their 10 hand tall pony because they can't catch it. Now if they can't catch it, how did someone steal it?
So it's just a tad on the muddy/flooded side here. Dress appropriately and fully expect your horse (and its hooves) to be absolutely disgusting.
The paddocks actually have more standing water than they did during the spring melt, and our dug out is at its deepest ever.
The show yesterday went well, and the weather Gods seemed to smile on us; I don't think any of the Hillside crew was left out in the rain waiting to go. It did come down in a thunderous downpour just as Pony and I started our first test, and driving home was a little frightening, but other that that, the weather wasn't too much of a factor.
The horses all did well, with improvements seen in the tests for each of them. Scores didn't really improve over the past shows, but the scoring in general seemed to be lower than the last two shows, with Pony's 63% being the highest score by the time we left. I look forward to their next show!
The next show on our list is Ride for Red, followed by either the Amberlea development show or the Heads Up hunter/jumper show. Heads up has the advantage of being closer and less expensive. Amberlea has the advantage of being more than one day, bigger show ring, and stabling. We will discuss this week and come up with a target.
karen
The paddocks actually have more standing water than they did during the spring melt, and our dug out is at its deepest ever.
The show yesterday went well, and the weather Gods seemed to smile on us; I don't think any of the Hillside crew was left out in the rain waiting to go. It did come down in a thunderous downpour just as Pony and I started our first test, and driving home was a little frightening, but other that that, the weather wasn't too much of a factor.
The horses all did well, with improvements seen in the tests for each of them. Scores didn't really improve over the past shows, but the scoring in general seemed to be lower than the last two shows, with Pony's 63% being the highest score by the time we left. I look forward to their next show!
The next show on our list is Ride for Red, followed by either the Amberlea development show or the Heads Up hunter/jumper show. Heads up has the advantage of being closer and less expensive. Amberlea has the advantage of being more than one day, bigger show ring, and stabling. We will discuss this week and come up with a target.
karen
Saturday, June 18, 2011
July 2, 2011
So, if it is dry enough by July 2, would you guys be interested in doing an inbarn fun show? Thinking 10 classes or so, with $1 per class entry fee..with half the entry fees going to the winner (the rest to me for putting up with you guys... :) ). The classes would be timed or scored, so no judge needed, and would be set up so that there are classes for a variety of levels so everyone can participate.
Thinking classes like:
1) walk/trot barrels
2) Barrels and cross poles (barrel pattern with cross poles between barrels)
3) Match the stride (riders have to do a certain number of strides between two jumps)
4) Make your own course jumper....fastest clear round wins
5) 4 bar competition
6) Ride and lead: ride over a line of jumps, then dismount and lead your horse back over tte line of jumps...fastest one wins
7) Obstacle course?
Not sure what else, but ideas welcome...let me know if you guys would want to participate.
Karen
Thinking classes like:
1) walk/trot barrels
2) Barrels and cross poles (barrel pattern with cross poles between barrels)
3) Match the stride (riders have to do a certain number of strides between two jumps)
4) Make your own course jumper....fastest clear round wins
5) 4 bar competition
6) Ride and lead: ride over a line of jumps, then dismount and lead your horse back over tte line of jumps...fastest one wins
7) Obstacle course?
Not sure what else, but ideas welcome...let me know if you guys would want to participate.
Karen
Rain
The torrential rain we have had in the last 36 hours disrupted our plans to go to Still Meadows today; it was decided that standing (and tacking up) in the rain was not going to be fun, and I didn't want our horses milling around with a herd of unknown horses in the hitching area. It was the right decision, but I really wanted to see Pony and Percey at their first shows with their new riders!
Still planning to show Dressage tomorrow. The rain has some advantage for us there as it has prompted them to clean out the small barn so that we can have stalls instead of pens! Yippy!
The rain has kept me indoors for most of today, so I have been working on a website for the Ride for Red horse show: It is still under construction, but let me know what you think!
http://rideforred.webs.com/
Still planning to show Dressage tomorrow. The rain has some advantage for us there as it has prompted them to clean out the small barn so that we can have stalls instead of pens! Yippy!
The rain has kept me indoors for most of today, so I have been working on a website for the Ride for Red horse show: It is still under construction, but let me know what you think!
http://rideforred.webs.com/
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Phone etiquette
When I was young, I recall being taught something about when it was ok to call, and when it wasn't. Basic things, like don't call during dinner time, don't call after 9:30 pm, and don't call before 9:30 am on weekends, or before 8:00 am during the week. In my world, if you call outside those times,, either you know my schedule well enough to know I should be available, something urgent has come up, or there is a family emergency.
Yes, I am up and in the barn by about 7am every day, but that doesn't mean I want to talk to anyone before 8am. I like to get the horses out and fed before dealing with humans, and the horses seem to appreciate being a priority. When I had a day job, early morning calls disrupted my getting ready schedule, which was timed so that I could maximize my time in bed.
And of course I am up past 9:30 most days, but it still gets my heart racing if I get a call from an unfamiliar number after 9:30...right away my brain figures someone is in the hospital or in a ditch.
So getting a call at 10:48 last night to talk about a horse someone had for sale...well, it was really hard to be polite...although I think I managed it....better than when I got a call at 6:30 in the morning to discuss the possibility of taking on a new student.
Am I out of date? Is phone etiquette out the window? Should I be attainable 24/7?
My favourite was a former employee texting me at 6:45 in the morning to confirm she was going to be in that day so I could have the morning off as pre-arranged. So much for finally being able to sleep in....
Of course as much as my phone annoys me, I do have a minor panic attack if I realize I do not have it with me. I managed to survive close to 20 years without a cell phone, but now I don't want to drive to the mail box without it.
Maybe I just need a happier ring tone...
Karen
Yes, I am up and in the barn by about 7am every day, but that doesn't mean I want to talk to anyone before 8am. I like to get the horses out and fed before dealing with humans, and the horses seem to appreciate being a priority. When I had a day job, early morning calls disrupted my getting ready schedule, which was timed so that I could maximize my time in bed.
And of course I am up past 9:30 most days, but it still gets my heart racing if I get a call from an unfamiliar number after 9:30...right away my brain figures someone is in the hospital or in a ditch.
So getting a call at 10:48 last night to talk about a horse someone had for sale...well, it was really hard to be polite...although I think I managed it....better than when I got a call at 6:30 in the morning to discuss the possibility of taking on a new student.
Am I out of date? Is phone etiquette out the window? Should I be attainable 24/7?
My favourite was a former employee texting me at 6:45 in the morning to confirm she was going to be in that day so I could have the morning off as pre-arranged. So much for finally being able to sleep in....
Of course as much as my phone annoys me, I do have a minor panic attack if I realize I do not have it with me. I managed to survive close to 20 years without a cell phone, but now I don't want to drive to the mail box without it.
Maybe I just need a happier ring tone...
Karen
Rain rain rain
Well on the plus side we are no longer in a dust bowl...all the pens and paddocks now have little ponds and hopefully the grass in the pens is also recovering. On the negative side there is a Tornado warning in effect! Rob called to tell me about it; I would have thought I would have heard something on the radio, but apparently not. The warning seems to be more north east of us, but still in the general area so please check the weather before driving out for lessons tonight!
Karen
Karen
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
This week in lessons
Well, it looks like we are going to be riding inside this week. We needed the rain, but I don't want to be teaching inside again! It looks like rain is in the forecast all week other than Saturday, which we need for the grass/hay, but still annoying.
Not sure what we will be doing...some no stirrup stuff of course, but I think we will do a course to help get the horses and riders that are showing this weekend ready.
I will have to think of something exciting to do....
Karen
Not sure what we will be doing...some no stirrup stuff of course, but I think we will do a course to help get the horses and riders that are showing this weekend ready.
I will have to think of something exciting to do....
Karen
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Went out to get Zander in for the farrier...and noticed something odd about S'argent's ankle...what is that? Hay? Grass? Nope...porcupine quills. Over 40 of the things in the back of his ankle and heel...40! in a space the size of my hand. Interestingly he wasn't really sore...until he overreached and bent some of them...apparently that hurt.
Ryan came out and tranqued him, then froze the leg before removing them one and a time. He will have to be on bute and antibiotics for a while to make sure it doesn't get infected.
Now, what on earth did he do to get the quills at the BACK of his leg? Did he step over it? Paw over it? Although what surprises me the most is that he was the one to get them rather than Zander or Dexter...two horses that really don't seem to know where their noses don't belong. Rocky would be too scared, and Rocket wouldn't be interested in anything that was non edible.
Naughty horse...
Karen
Ryan came out and tranqued him, then froze the leg before removing them one and a time. He will have to be on bute and antibiotics for a while to make sure it doesn't get infected.
Now, what on earth did he do to get the quills at the BACK of his leg? Did he step over it? Paw over it? Although what surprises me the most is that he was the one to get them rather than Zander or Dexter...two horses that really don't seem to know where their noses don't belong. Rocky would be too scared, and Rocket wouldn't be interested in anything that was non edible.
Naughty horse...
Karen
Monday, June 6, 2011
So what happenned to all the forcast rain?!? It sure didn't make it out this way other than for maybe 5 minute cloud bursts, and boy, do we need rain!
This week in dressage lessons I am hoping to be outside, and I want to work on lengthening at canter and trot. It is important to understand that lengthening is not rushing or speeding up, but rather it is asking the horse to reach farther forward with its stride, which requires the horse to stretch out through its back and neck. The rider must stay up to help the horse maintain its balance.
We are also going to do some leg yield work; while keeping the horse straight we are going to see how far down the track we have to go, in order to go 10 meters to the side. In First level test 2 and 3, you have 24 meters to go 10 meters across...which is tighter than it sounds!
In jumping this week we are going to jump some boxes and fill and work on a simple course...if we are outside. If we are inside we will work through a grid and practice different releases and the whys behind them.
Karen
This week in dressage lessons I am hoping to be outside, and I want to work on lengthening at canter and trot. It is important to understand that lengthening is not rushing or speeding up, but rather it is asking the horse to reach farther forward with its stride, which requires the horse to stretch out through its back and neck. The rider must stay up to help the horse maintain its balance.
We are also going to do some leg yield work; while keeping the horse straight we are going to see how far down the track we have to go, in order to go 10 meters to the side. In First level test 2 and 3, you have 24 meters to go 10 meters across...which is tighter than it sounds!
In jumping this week we are going to jump some boxes and fill and work on a simple course...if we are outside. If we are inside we will work through a grid and practice different releases and the whys behind them.
Karen
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
So I got on Lindy for the first time today. Of course I waited until the gale force winds picked up so that the arena was extra spooky. Lindy wouldn't want to waste calories on an actual spook fortunately, so a few ear twitches and a higher than normal head were the extent of it. (where is all this wind coming from though?!?)
I had the mounting block pulled up beside her and was tapping on the saddle and such, then I reached my left foot into my stirrup...and the spot my left foot vacated was immediately filled by a certain black cat. Lindy then curled her neck around to look at Charlie...although did not move a single hoof...so I aborted the attempted mounting and instead we chased Charlie out of the arena.
So then I went back and this time got all the way on...and then Charlie comes in making a bee line for the mounting block. I wasn't worried about what Lindy would do if Charlie just jumped on the mounting block...but I was worried he may take it further than that and really did not want to be doubling with a cat! Fortunately she listened to my requests to walk off and poor Charlie was left on the mounting block alone crying his woes....better him crying his woes than me crying "Whoa"!
Rode Brie outside after that thinking the wind would take the bugs away...I was wrong. This is some super brand of mosquitoes with super stick legs. Nasty! Bug spray highly recommended if we ride outside this week.
Karen
I had the mounting block pulled up beside her and was tapping on the saddle and such, then I reached my left foot into my stirrup...and the spot my left foot vacated was immediately filled by a certain black cat. Lindy then curled her neck around to look at Charlie...although did not move a single hoof...so I aborted the attempted mounting and instead we chased Charlie out of the arena.
So then I went back and this time got all the way on...and then Charlie comes in making a bee line for the mounting block. I wasn't worried about what Lindy would do if Charlie just jumped on the mounting block...but I was worried he may take it further than that and really did not want to be doubling with a cat! Fortunately she listened to my requests to walk off and poor Charlie was left on the mounting block alone crying his woes....better him crying his woes than me crying "Whoa"!
Rode Brie outside after that thinking the wind would take the bugs away...I was wrong. This is some super brand of mosquitoes with super stick legs. Nasty! Bug spray highly recommended if we ride outside this week.
Karen
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