Not so Little Piper went to her new home yesterday. Her new owner has considerable experience training horses and working with cocky mares, so I am sure the two of them will do great together! Piper seemed destined for the jumper ring or even eventing, so keeping her as a dressage horse didn't make sense...and it was time for Coregel to say good bye to her sister.
The offer on her came at a good time; I was finding it harder and harder to think of parting with her as she IS a lovely mare...just hard to justify having the two three year olds when we really need a horse to replace Tango.
Coregel on the other hand thinks that Piper must have been eaten or swept up by a Tornado and is completely beside herself. Good thing today was not only windy, but also her farrier day....fortunately both horse and farrier survived unscathed, and Coregel seemed to settle a bit when I put her out on grass beside Tango.
With Piper gone I will have more time to spend with Corgel and plan to start her back under saddle as soon as she seems over her anxiety attack.
In trade for Piper came Gode. I pronounce it Godey, but his former owner called him Gawdy, so take your pick.
Don't worry Joan, he IS a chestnut, so the balance has not been disrupted.
Gode is here to replace Tango who is off indefinitely with her suspected Impar ligament issue. She will get the winter off to recover and we will see how she is come spring. Hopefully Gode isn't as opinionated, spooky, or as likely to pee while trotting as Tango is....
It will be a while until he will be available for lessons as he is coming back from some time off and needs to be reconditioned. He currently resembles one of the big puffy leather coaches that you can buy at Abercrombie and Fitch. I haven't ridden him yet, but plan to get on him tomorrow for the first time.
Gode is 6 years old, likely a bit over 16 hands, liver chestnut, and a Selle Francais, Hanovarian cross. He has competed (lightly due to his age) in hunters, jumpers and dressage. I/we are very lucky to have the opportunity to get such a nice horse to add to our programs, so thank you to Linsdey at LRM Equine Services for making it possible!
Hopefully Coregel forgives me soon for letting her sister go.
Karen
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
WELCA
I am sure a few of you have seen the "WELCA" billboard, or even the TV ads being run, with no apparent agenda. Their programs are full with a waiting list (according to their information, there is a 2 year waiting list for regular lessons, and I am sure the disabled riding is also in high demand), so why advertise?
Then Rob sent me this link:
They are running a TV and billboard advertising campaign to create public awareness about the facility...so that they can then ask for money to rebuild it.
I learned to ride at Whitemud, and it wouldn't be far fetched to say I grew up there. Our house was a 7 minute drive, 15 minute bus ride, 20 minute bike ride, and 1 hour walk away from the barn, so it was easy to find my way there when I had spare time.
I don't know how it is now, but back then there were a bunch of kids that would hang out, helping with lessons, or creating jumping courses for us to jump (without the horses), or just plain being annoying to the office staff. Rich kids and not so rich kids bonded by their love of horses all hanging out and having a good, healthy time. I am sure my childhood would have been very different had there not been a Whitemud Equine Center.
Even back then the facility was falling apart. I can remember getting off the horse to have frozen toes hit the hard dirt...rushing to get the bridle off so I could stand in the warmth of the tackroom. Or trying to hear the instructor while rain pounded on the tin roof. Or waiting for the snow to slide off the tin and the horses to all bolt from the sound. Or sweeping the flood waters out of the barn alley.
Good times.
So I fully support Whitemud being rebuilt. I agree that their plans to have two indoor arenas, classrooms, stalls, an office, and handicapped friendly washrooms. I agree that it should be heated and all wheel chair accessible.
What I DON'T get, is their proposed budget.
Yes, they will need to do some landscaping, and eventually tear down the old facility (I am assuming they are smart enough not to build at the bottom of the hill like the old one was built...hard to not be flooded in the spring!), and I am sure they will want to build it to last, so with steel. But, they don't have to pay for the land (it is city owned, and leased to the facility), so a big savings there.
So, what do you think is a reasonable number to build up a functional facility? 2 million, maybe 3? Maybe 4 million if they are also going to rebuild the show grounds.
But what are they after? 15 MILLION dollars. Most of that government money...according to the news article, the organization only needs to raise 4 million dollars, and the rest will come in the way of grants.
$15,000,000.00
Are the stalls going to be made of gold?
Or is it that they are paying out big wages to the committees? Or did they not properly tender out the project?
If they want me to support their fund raising, I want to see their numbers; where the money is going and how it is going to be used.
After all, the only service that they offer that I can see should be subsidized IS the disabled riding. The other services; lessons and board, should be ran for profit just like the other boarding stables...and their rates certainly are comparable to other area barns.
So, if anyone gets information on what exactly is going on with "WELCA" and their plans to rebuild, let me know...I would like to get behind them, but not if they are just throwing tax payer money away...or syphoning it for their own benefit.
Karen
Then Rob sent me this link:
They are running a TV and billboard advertising campaign to create public awareness about the facility...so that they can then ask for money to rebuild it.
I learned to ride at Whitemud, and it wouldn't be far fetched to say I grew up there. Our house was a 7 minute drive, 15 minute bus ride, 20 minute bike ride, and 1 hour walk away from the barn, so it was easy to find my way there when I had spare time.
I don't know how it is now, but back then there were a bunch of kids that would hang out, helping with lessons, or creating jumping courses for us to jump (without the horses), or just plain being annoying to the office staff. Rich kids and not so rich kids bonded by their love of horses all hanging out and having a good, healthy time. I am sure my childhood would have been very different had there not been a Whitemud Equine Center.
Even back then the facility was falling apart. I can remember getting off the horse to have frozen toes hit the hard dirt...rushing to get the bridle off so I could stand in the warmth of the tackroom. Or trying to hear the instructor while rain pounded on the tin roof. Or waiting for the snow to slide off the tin and the horses to all bolt from the sound. Or sweeping the flood waters out of the barn alley.
Good times.
So I fully support Whitemud being rebuilt. I agree that their plans to have two indoor arenas, classrooms, stalls, an office, and handicapped friendly washrooms. I agree that it should be heated and all wheel chair accessible.
What I DON'T get, is their proposed budget.
Yes, they will need to do some landscaping, and eventually tear down the old facility (I am assuming they are smart enough not to build at the bottom of the hill like the old one was built...hard to not be flooded in the spring!), and I am sure they will want to build it to last, so with steel. But, they don't have to pay for the land (it is city owned, and leased to the facility), so a big savings there.
So, what do you think is a reasonable number to build up a functional facility? 2 million, maybe 3? Maybe 4 million if they are also going to rebuild the show grounds.
But what are they after? 15 MILLION dollars. Most of that government money...according to the news article, the organization only needs to raise 4 million dollars, and the rest will come in the way of grants.
$15,000,000.00
Are the stalls going to be made of gold?
Or is it that they are paying out big wages to the committees? Or did they not properly tender out the project?
If they want me to support their fund raising, I want to see their numbers; where the money is going and how it is going to be used.
After all, the only service that they offer that I can see should be subsidized IS the disabled riding. The other services; lessons and board, should be ran for profit just like the other boarding stables...and their rates certainly are comparable to other area barns.
So, if anyone gets information on what exactly is going on with "WELCA" and their plans to rebuild, let me know...I would like to get behind them, but not if they are just throwing tax payer money away...or syphoning it for their own benefit.
Karen
Monday, September 26, 2011
Back!
Rob and I made it back safely from our trip to Jasper, and everything appears to still be in one peice despite our absense! Many thanks to Christine, Kaitlin and Laureen for looking after the cats and horses in our absence! Rob's parents looked after Ginger, and I think they spoiled her as she didn't seem to keen to go home with us...
We had a great trip in Jasper and it was nice to get away. This was our first trip since 2004 when we built the arena and took in boarders!
Our stay at the Jasper Park Lodge was fabulous; their attention to detail and high level of service has spoiled me. Not sure about some of the food though...squid ink? Really? Just kidding it was all great, with some fantastic weather to go along with the lovely scenery.
Don't tell Ginger and the cats, but it was nice sleeping on a bed without pet hair....
We took lots of pictures and I will have to post them later in the week.
Now of course it is back to work to get ready for the Harvest show this weekend! Can the weather possibly hold until then?
Karen
We had a great trip in Jasper and it was nice to get away. This was our first trip since 2004 when we built the arena and took in boarders!
Our stay at the Jasper Park Lodge was fabulous; their attention to detail and high level of service has spoiled me. Not sure about some of the food though...squid ink? Really? Just kidding it was all great, with some fantastic weather to go along with the lovely scenery.
Don't tell Ginger and the cats, but it was nice sleeping on a bed without pet hair....
We took lots of pictures and I will have to post them later in the week.
Now of course it is back to work to get ready for the Harvest show this weekend! Can the weather possibly hold until then?
Karen
Friday, September 16, 2011
S'Argent's new adventure
(above photos is S'Argent as a baby)S'Argent left for his new home last night. He was sold on Wednesday and supposed to leave on Sunday, but the buyers had a change of plans and came to get him last night while I was teaching, and before Rob could come home.
Fortunately S'Argent loaded like a super star and seemed quite happy in the trailer...I was a little worried about how he would load into a strange trailer as he doesn't have much trailer experience.
I did get a little teary eyed as I said good bye to him. As much as I am confident he is going to a suitable home where he will get the attention he so desperately wants, it is still hard to see a horse Rob and I brought into this world go to a new home. Part of the reason we stopped breeding is that feeling of accountability and responsibility to the lives of the horses we bred for. I felt badly that Rob could not be there to see him off, but then I think I would have really cried.
None of the horses seemed to really notice his absence last night, but this morning Zander was looking around a bit and calling and poor Dexter is beside himself; whinnying and galloping. S'Argent and Dexter have had each other for friends for such a long time and had so many unique games they would play, including the one where S'Argent would entice Dexter into grabbing his tongue. (my horses are weird).
Good luck S'Argent. I miss you more than I thought I would.
Karen
Saturday, September 10, 2011
I like that my students all seem to ride because they genuinely like horses. I like that my students have compassion for their mounts, and want to make sure they are treated with consideration.
On the flip-side though, this sometimes leads to riders being overly passive, wishy-washy, or ineffective.
Being effective doesn't mean being cruel, but it does mean setting a reasonable expectation for the horse, and being consistent and clear about that expectation.
Effective = clarity
It is important when riding at any level, to consider how horses learn: they don't learn by reading books, listening to me yammer in the middle of the arena, or watching youtube, they learn through trial and error. So if the horse gets a push to get going, and the rider does nothing when the horse doesn't go, then the horse is learning that the push to get going is meaningless. If the rider uses the same intensity of aids repeatedly in hopes the horse will for some reason decide to respond differently to the same command, then the rider is just reinforcing the lack of response. Riders also have a tendency of allowing their positions and aids to get ugly before using a crop. Do you think the horse likes being kicked or having the rider fall back on their kidneys?
It makes far more sense for this process to take place:
1- Rider squeezes legs to ask horse to trot. Horse stares off into space and doesn't so much as flick an ear.
2- Rider realizes they don't have the horse's attention, so takes a bit more contact, and bumps the horse with their leg to ask them to trot. Horse now flicks an ear, and speeds up the walk.
3- Rider notices the horse is now listening, but still not responding correctly, so asks again quietly with the legs, but adds the additional cue of a cluck/tap with the crop or such. Horse sighs, then trots.
4- Rider reinforces the aids for the transition by trying the transition again after half a lap. Again the rider asks nicely with the legs, and this time the horse listens. Subsequent transitions go equally well.
As opposed to this:
1- Rider asks the horse to trot by squeezing with the legs. Horse stares into space and doesn't so much as flick an ear.
2- Rider asks again for the horse to trot . Horse yawns. Repeat 3 times.
3- Rider is tired of asking for the trot, so lets horse walk a bit hoping I don't notice. Horse's eyes droop and horse has labeled rider as a push over.
4- Rider sees me watching so gives horse a big cowboy kick, which does get the horse trotting, but the big cowboy kick has thrown them off balance, so they fall back in the saddle roughly, and the horse (sensibly) goes back to walk with ears pinned and glaring at me in the middle.
5- Finally the rider uses the crop to get the horse trotting by lightly tapping the horse or even the saddle (as horses respond to threats well) and horse trots off. Each subsequent transition takes the same 5 steps, and the horse gets grouchier and grouchier about step 4.
So in the first example the horse gets one tap of the crop, learns to respond to the correct aids and that it needs to pay attention to its attentive rider. With the second example the horse is actually punished for trotting (by the rider loosing their balance by kicking) and so needs to be threatened into trotting for each transition and so the whip is used multiple times.
Which do you think is the kinder method of riding?
Karen
On the flip-side though, this sometimes leads to riders being overly passive, wishy-washy, or ineffective.
Being effective doesn't mean being cruel, but it does mean setting a reasonable expectation for the horse, and being consistent and clear about that expectation.
Effective = clarity
It is important when riding at any level, to consider how horses learn: they don't learn by reading books, listening to me yammer in the middle of the arena, or watching youtube, they learn through trial and error. So if the horse gets a push to get going, and the rider does nothing when the horse doesn't go, then the horse is learning that the push to get going is meaningless. If the rider uses the same intensity of aids repeatedly in hopes the horse will for some reason decide to respond differently to the same command, then the rider is just reinforcing the lack of response. Riders also have a tendency of allowing their positions and aids to get ugly before using a crop. Do you think the horse likes being kicked or having the rider fall back on their kidneys?
It makes far more sense for this process to take place:
1- Rider squeezes legs to ask horse to trot. Horse stares off into space and doesn't so much as flick an ear.
2- Rider realizes they don't have the horse's attention, so takes a bit more contact, and bumps the horse with their leg to ask them to trot. Horse now flicks an ear, and speeds up the walk.
3- Rider notices the horse is now listening, but still not responding correctly, so asks again quietly with the legs, but adds the additional cue of a cluck/tap with the crop or such. Horse sighs, then trots.
4- Rider reinforces the aids for the transition by trying the transition again after half a lap. Again the rider asks nicely with the legs, and this time the horse listens. Subsequent transitions go equally well.
As opposed to this:
1- Rider asks the horse to trot by squeezing with the legs. Horse stares into space and doesn't so much as flick an ear.
2- Rider asks again for the horse to trot . Horse yawns. Repeat 3 times.
3- Rider is tired of asking for the trot, so lets horse walk a bit hoping I don't notice. Horse's eyes droop and horse has labeled rider as a push over.
4- Rider sees me watching so gives horse a big cowboy kick, which does get the horse trotting, but the big cowboy kick has thrown them off balance, so they fall back in the saddle roughly, and the horse (sensibly) goes back to walk with ears pinned and glaring at me in the middle.
5- Finally the rider uses the crop to get the horse trotting by lightly tapping the horse or even the saddle (as horses respond to threats well) and horse trots off. Each subsequent transition takes the same 5 steps, and the horse gets grouchier and grouchier about step 4.
So in the first example the horse gets one tap of the crop, learns to respond to the correct aids and that it needs to pay attention to its attentive rider. With the second example the horse is actually punished for trotting (by the rider loosing their balance by kicking) and so needs to be threatened into trotting for each transition and so the whip is used multiple times.
Which do you think is the kinder method of riding?
Karen
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
IKEA harbouring serial killer...
Does anyone else have the latest IKEA catalogue? Check out page 40-41. Yes, the page with the grey haired old lady whose hair style matches the lamp shades. Now look at her towels. "THE HEART IS HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS HOME IS" and "HOME HOME" written in lettering obviously done by a deranged psychotic. The only saving grace is that the letters are black and not a dried blood red...
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
I have been lazy about blogging lately, and about coming up with lesson plans. I plan to smarten up for October when the fall lesson program starts. Make sure you are on the schedule; I have openings for jumping and advanced beginners on Saturdays, and also openings on Wednesdays. Apparently Tuesday and Thursdays are in hot demand!
Planning on doing some theory classes on Saturdays this fall/winter as well. Things like boots and bandaging, tack & tack cleaning and so on. Maybe once a month or something, so keep that in mind.
Our next horse show is Heads Up! on the 17th, so let me know if you would like to attend for either hunters or jumpers. After that it is Amberlea on October 1-2, and then maybe Gorslines in October (for jumpers).
Karen
Planning on doing some theory classes on Saturdays this fall/winter as well. Things like boots and bandaging, tack & tack cleaning and so on. Maybe once a month or something, so keep that in mind.
Our next horse show is Heads Up! on the 17th, so let me know if you would like to attend for either hunters or jumpers. After that it is Amberlea on October 1-2, and then maybe Gorslines in October (for jumpers).
Karen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
