Clinics Come and Go

You know what's difficult in this genre?  Getting people the service they want. 

A couple of months ago I looked at my calendar.  2 free weekends between then and mid September!  And more people contacting me daily to ask about booking more and more clinics.  I'd love to help, but there has to be a bit of time for me in between, so I turned people away. 

Then, a week ahead of time, one clinic cancelled.  It was a distance away and I had a time booking dates with them.  They decided they couldn't make the minimum and had to cancel. 

This morning, another clinic from out of town - one of the first to book this season, cancelled.  Not enough commitment. 

That's 2 weekends I could have had open to give to another group who was interested and committed that I had to send away.

That's another show or three that I can't send my horse to, and a conference I can't attend, because the income is now not going to be there to provide for it. 

The horse industry is a really tough one, no matter how you slice it.  It's incredibly competitive and impossible to please everyone.  When you have a unique service, you try to help as many people as possible.  Unfortunately people have wonderful intention but often situations come up where life happens, someone is sick, a horse is lame, just crappy timing.  So, instead, you start charging nonrefundable deposits to cover yourself.  And people take offense. 

Round and round it goes.  It's very disheartening.  It's frustrating.  But that's the name of the game.  Throw in the towel or keep trying.  What I've learned from all of it is to simply redirect and keep moving forward.

Happy Horseing. 

Beaumont Parade

As much as I can, I'm trying to do new things. 

My silly Standardbred is wonderful.  But he will never be a dressage horse.  I'm ok with that, all sorts of ok with that.  He's Mr. Dependable and I can do so many other things with him like schooling out cross country, going for a hack, hauling to a barn to work on trail obstacles, whatever! 

Last weekend was another new experience.  We rode in the Beaumont parade!  A friend of mine is organizing a fair that will adopt the Battle of the Breeds formerly run by Spruce Meadows.  Unfortunately I won't be able to be at the fair (Brooks that weekend) but I was able to join in the parade with Mr. Superpants! 

To say that it was a BIG environment would be a true understatement.  Poor fella was a little out of his skin starting out but, while waiting to start moving, I worked with him on the ground, like we always do.  He relaxed, I mounted up and off we went! 

In all fairness to my colour coordination, the fair's colours are purple and red so I was dressed perfectly. 

JJ was excited.  He doesn't love walking slowly in a crowded area but he did his utter best.  An extra ad-lib rear or two got a lot of response from the crowd but I decided that since it wasn't helping him relax, I would dismount and work with him on the ground instead.  Besides, we do a way better wave and Spanish walk in hand. 

The crowd gathered was approximated at over 4000 this year and JJ made himself memorable. 

Set up for a perfectly timed shot.  Yes, this was on purpose, I was cuing him from on the ground.

Good days.  Good times, good new adventures!

Happy horseing!

Picture Day!!

Everyone needs a friend with a really good camera and really good timing to go with it! 

Fortunately, I have a wonderful friend who is both excellent with timing and has a lovely camera.  She also has exceptional taste in friends and ponies hehe... 

 

First up are pictures of Lirio!  

Yes, she really is that nice.  Sorry Renate, well, not really sorry...  Just maybe you don't want to come out and meet her and find out she's just as sweet as she is pretty?? 

Next, little miss Niveus!  She's just learning to be brave and run around instead of sticking like glue to her mama all the time.  She really is lovely and she's getting stronger and filling out better every single day.  I'm hoping that her full-brother's mom will want this one as well.  Washington would sure have a pair of stunners!

Next up, Mr. Growing Up All Sorts of Wonderful, Billy (California Beach Boy).  He is so bold and friendly - an absolute character!  He and the fillies are just beginning to play now and it's such a riot to watch them.  I adore the personality and the upright nature on this colt.  So coo!

And what's a picture day without Ritchie?  Well, an incomplete one when he's on the property anyways.  He'd been in the breeding paddock for a month already and I pulled him out for these shots.  Now, at 6 years old, I couldn't be more delighted with the mature horse he's become.  

 One in a million doesn't even come close... By the way, I swear he's not THAT tall...  Or I'm not that short?  I'm 5'6".  His withers are at my head!  When did that happen?! 
Regardless, I love the championship and reserve championship ribbons and I'm glad to have had the opportunity to get them in a picture with him.  Good boy Itchy! 

Never dull.  Love them all.  Until next picture day....

Happy Horseing!

EAADA Recap Windhaven Clinic

I’ve always been a dressage enthusiast but I came to the realization long ago that gold medals in Olympic rings was simply not going to be in my life path.  Certainly, I’ve had far more adventures and opportunities with my trick horses than I have in the 20 x 60 – and that’s wonderful in itself.  But when I received a text message from one of my favorite coaches and dressage riders, Sharon Merkle-Beattie, inquiring about hosting a Horseplay and Harmony trick-horse clinic at Windhaven, the word “nervous” wasn’t even close to describing the lump that made itself at home in the pit of my stomach!  However, I’m so glad I agreed and had a wonderful weekend with delightful ladies and their clever horses. 

What is dressage?  It comes from the French word for “training”.  Truly, it is the epitome of willingness and acceptance of the rider and working through their aids – in the tack.  I love trick-horse training because, for me, it extends and compliments the performance under saddle.  Trick-horse training allows the horse to engage, offer behavior, express themselves and willingly be a partner in training.  It also causes the human to be the leader and quickly makes itself evident when that is not the case.  Not unlike attending a dressage clinic, one needs to be ready to look in the mirror at themselves when entering the arena for a trick clinic. 

After the fact, Sharon tells me that she would have been happy for her gigantic, black, handsome gelding to stand on the box, but he certainly had more to give!  The horses and handlers started the first day off with engaging tricks like smile, touch a target and moved into obedience and movement tricks like standing on a box and waving.  We like to start with simple tricks so that the horses immediately gain a lot of reward and are encouraged to offer more and more effort. We taught wave, hugs, say “no”, and even had 3 talented geldings offer us gentle bows on their knees. 

Sharon and Donny demonstrating the pedestal

Teaching trick-horse clinics is a lot of work, but it’s one of the most rewarding ventures I’ve ever experienced.  To offer horses and their handlers a new level of communication, a foundation to build a more trusting and understanding relationship, never gets old!  The only thing that comes close, for me, is to add the experience of my equine first-aid certification clinics.  Life-saving information and knowing what to do when action and decisiveness matters most is invaluable! 

Are you interested in hosting or attending a clinic?  I travel!  Trick-Horse clinics are one or two days, equine first aid courses available for ages 5+, basic, advanced and disaster planning, between 1 and 3 days. www.standardsequine.com

Adventures!

If you would have told me 5 years ago half the places I would go with my $400 Standardbred gelding, I would have called you a liar. 

I have a very soft spot in my heart for the military, specifically the Lord Strathcona's Horse Royal Canadian Mounted Troop.  If it wasn't for the mounted troop, I likely would not have met my partner in life, Anthony.  Jose has been living at the garrison saddle club for the last several months and today was the mounted troop's season opener ride and BBQ.  We were invited to attend the ride from the first-aid clinic I'd done previously for the troop.  I offered them a little pre-show entertainment for their amusement, and they accepted! 

Jose and I opened the show with some fun tricks, a bunch of laughs and a great experience!  The Brigadier General was in attendance and I know I saw a few smiles and laughs come from him.  More important than that, however, Anthony and Ali were there to watch us too! 

Ali enjoyed the ride, played on the tanks and the LAV, enjoyed her hot dog and got a brand new L over lazy S T-shirt. 

Jose in front of "Catherine" the Sherman tank (yes, she runs!)

A fantastic day and a wonderful experience.  Thank you to the LdSH SMT for having us participate today.  It was a thrill for sure! 

Happy Horseing (and tanking!!)

Ba Da Bing, Ba Da Boom!

I knew if I complained loud enough, I'd get some resolution.  It's always the squeaky wheel...

Tuesday morning, I put Ali on the bus and got in the truck to head in to work.  My phone rang, it was my mother at the farm doing morning feed chores.  "Lana's giving birth!  One foot is out!"  Roger, turned around and made it back home in time to change quickly and get out just as the nose appeared.  I broke open the sac and helped Lana deliver her lovely filly Lirio SE (Rio).

She's so lovely, quite stunning. 

Wednesday evening I noticed that Fancy had fully bagged up but I did not see any wax at all so I didn't think she was quite ready. 

This morning, I woke up and looked out the window at Fancy.  No baby.  She was aggitated, running back and forth at the gate between her and Lana's pen.  No one else outside looked upset at all.  What on earth was Fancy on about?  She needs to just have her baby...  baby...  um, uh oh!!!

Sure enough, I get out in my pajamas and rubber boots and, in the corner of Lana's pen all frightened and COVERED in mud, a filly.  Fancy had indeed had her foal but she'd delivered her at a bad angle right against the fence between her pen and Lana's and the poor thing slipped right under to the wrong side!  Lana had been across the pen in the corner when I'd found her but she likely would have been right there during the birth and rejected the foal. 

When Fancy saw me coming, she came running to me to help her.  I opened the gate, brought her through, caught the baby (who was NOT impressed with me manhandling her) and put them back on their own side of the fence.  Fancy wanted her baby right away but the poor filly didn't have any understanding who this big horse was and just tried to run away! 

With some help, we got filly and Fancy working together, nursing and finally bonding.  Before leaving for work (late) this morning, they looked to have everything under control. 

Filly's name is Niveus, named to accompany her full brother Ravan (L'Image SE) from the Winter Chronicals written by Ravan's owner, Sharon Cramer. 

 It looks like Ritchie really has a program with his foals.  If we want colts, we need to breed late as his only two colts (the first born) were foaled in late June and late July.  The May foals have all been fillies. 

So far, everyone is now happy and healthy with straight legs.  I will have to add "born on the right side of the fence" to my mantra for next time...

In the mean time, happy horseing!

Keeping me Waiting!

While Billy made his appearance early, the next in line, Fancy, seems intent of keeping me right on edge.  She's full, soft and ready to go, just no wax.  Her "official" due date (335 days) is My 20 - so only 2 days from now.  Lana looks at nearly the same place and her date is June 1.  Mares! 

I was looking at my calendar this morning.  Last night, one of my favorite coaches contacted me inquiring about hosting a trick-horse clinic at her facility, which is literally just down the road from home.  My calendar tells me that I have literally 2 open weekends between now and mid August!  Clinic season is rolling out hard!  Oh well, I'll rest when I'm dead.  :) 

It also tells me that the majority of my show season has officially wrapped up, unless we want to look at something in September?  Could happen.  Then again, I'd be pretty happy to take Jose out, adventure to Beaumont again, experience the Brooks' Medieval Fair and call it a year. 

I have been getting more and more attention on Princess.  Had the pleasure of meeting a LOVELY lady from Calgary.  They really seemed to be an ideal fit for each other - in my eyes.  However, nothing is certain until it's certain.  I'll just keep my fingers crossed that this wonderful home does, in fact, want to bring Princess Leia home. 

That's all the news for today, I'm afraid.  When we have more action, I will be back!  Threat/Promise, take it as you will.  In the mean time,
Happy Horseing!