Equine First Aid Army Style!

Giving back is something that's always been important to me.  My husband, whom I love and adore, spent several years in the army.  No small part of us meeting was because of the time he'd spent in "Mounted Troop". 
Mounted Troop is a group of soldiers attached to the armoured corps of the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians).  They are Canada's last and only active cavalry unit.  These soldiers are fully deployable, active members and nearly all of them have had little to no horse experience prior to joining the troop. 

Anthony and I had spoken previously about what we could do to support the troop and help to educate them.  I'd approached the troop's Sergent about having the troop certified in equine first aid a few months ago.  The proposal was very well received and we set up a date to run a clinic for them. 

Yesterday, we spent the day certifying the troop in equine first aid.  I had the pleasure of having my most handsome husband as my assistant. 

The troops were fantastic!  They had fun, the horses were very cooperative and really enjoyed the extra attention.  It was one of the most rewarding clinics I've ever run. 

Happy Horseing!

We're BAAAAACK!!!!

With the support of the most wonderful friend, Ritchie and I made it back to the dressage show ring last weekend at the PAADA Dressage Daze 1 show.  We rode two first-level tests (TOC which we rode test 3, and test 1).  I don't know when, how, why my confidence got shaken, but it did happen.  Taking the time away from the horse and successfully reintroducing myself to him has been very positive.  I'm enjoying him and we're having fun!  Blessings and so many thanks to Renate for taking the horse out, clinics, shows, trail rides, schooling, and doing more with him than's been done in the last year plus! 

Poor girl was NOT feeling well at all when I arrived to pick Ritchie and her up to head down to Ponoka.  Have I mentioned how incredibly fortunate I am?  She came anyways.  Feeling like a huge amount of poo, she still came with, rode the horse for me (I'll give you more on this in a minute), organized us, did some lovely braids and otherwise was my rocking support.  I know how much poo she felt like, I came down with it on Tuesday! 

I've found something that works for me and my confidence issue.  Renate gets on the horse (cold, no lunging) and works him around for 5 - 10 minutes.  A little WTC, rides him in the scary corners and generally just goes around with him.  After she's been on him, I feel confident that I can climb on and be in charge and successful.  If I have to get on first, without her, I'm kind of a wreck in my head!  Strange, I know!  Anyways, it works, we are continuing forward and reaching success!! 

Ritchie's got a new name, Kind Richard, and periodically in the tests, Kind Richard goes on "crusade", which is to say that he's no longer waiting for me to give him direction but is rather sure of exactly where we're going next and is leading the way...  This lead us to a couple of mistakes in the TOC (test 3) test we had first.  The single loop/counter canter ended up having a half change, trot steps, uneven shape and then the simple change of lead at X ended up being nearly on the second quarter line before he came back to trot!  The remainder of the test rode fairly well with him in an over-rolled behind-the-bit frame.  I picked him up and made more of a conscious effort to ride him UP for test one and was much more pleased with the results.

Pretty Red Ribbons for King Richard!

In the end, pony's scores were just where we'd left them; 62.6% for first test 3 and 67.7% for test one.  Two pretty red ribbons, honestly earned.  The big surprise was, after I was nearly back home again, I got a text from my old friend Katherin, who was show medic, that Ritchie and I had won the Adult Amateur Silver High-Point CHAMPION!!! 

So Purdy!!!!!

This is the very first time I'd won a championship with a horse that I'd bred and trained and shown myself!  Tears were in my eyes reading that message.  I'll be meeting her this weekend to pick up my purdy ribbon. 

Can not wait for next show! 

Happy New Year, This Was NOT A Trail Ride

This winter, Jose and I have had the pleasure of boarding at the Edmonton Garrison Saddle Club.  It's been wonderful being part of a very eclectic club again.  On January 1, I got an e-mail early in the morning inviting all the members out on a "New year's ride".  Oh heck yes!  I thought it would be a great time to take Jose out of the arena and hack around the big pastures with a group. 

This is not a trail ride.

Jose was fantastic!  The weather was pretty mild except for a wind, but we had a wonderful time being out.  I posted some pictures I took on the group's facebook page with the caption "hack out".  They all tease me cause I do NOT trail ride.  That's dangerous.  I also do not jump, but I will school obstacles periodically.  Regardless, it was a wonderful way to start the year! 

I also have the most generous and fun friends in the world.  No, seriously, I do, yours may be great, but mine are better.  This was my Christmas gift from them! 

Yes, BuckWild Breeches (seriously, go get a pair, you will LOVE them!!!!)  They got me the red pair with zebra-stripe full seat.  OMG, they know me so well! 

Yesterday I sent in my memberships for Equine Canada.  I opted to get my Gold dressage membership so we can take Ritchie anywhere we want, and I also got my Eventing membership as Renate is set on taking the pony eventing this year.  I'm glad I'd already gotten my AEF membership as Equine Canada cost over $200 itself!  I'm told that I still have one more membership to get for the eventing side of things... And we haven't gotten to our first show yet! 

Le sigh.  The good news is, at least we're going SHOWING this year!!!  :)

Happy Horseing!

What's Next?

Did you know that I didn't show at all last year?  I know!  I feel the same way.  I really miss it.  But what do I want to do this year?  Ritchie boy is going to be joining my incredible friend (Grain Before Groceries) to try his talent in the eventing so I may well catch a class or two on him in the 20 x 60 again (ya hoo!!!) but I've got a couple of fillies who can use some time in the show ring in hand too.  And there's Jose!  I have a really fun friend who wants us to join them with their "Mongol Hoard".  Seriously, how fun will that be?!?!?!

But maybe a simple rail-class show or two.  I miss just being out and having fun with people.  Now that we're at the Garrison Saddle Club, perhaps there will be more opportunity to take friends and go have some adventures. 

Maybe going for a hack at Blackfoot (read THIS IS NOT A TRAIL RIDE) with a group or playing around at Beaumont again.  That was a riot last year! 

So many directions to go, just got to pick a few, or several, and go for it! 

Hm.... 

Select Foal Sale With RPSI

If you haven't seen her yet: http://rhpsi.hibid.com/lot/22265920/leia-organa-se---open-deutsches-sportpferd?tab=0

Our "Princess" Leia Organa SE is offered through the online RPSI select sale.  Right now, the sealed-bid portion is live.  Aside from our special girl, there are some stunning young stock available for consideration. 

Happy Horseing!

New Identity, Same Quality

Well hello there!!  Welcome to our new blog!  We're very excited to be re-launching the equine business under the new handle of Standards Equine.  It was important to us to keep the acronym SE (the suffex we use for our breeding program) but had a need for something a little more simple and mainstream. 
Standards signifies not only our mark of quality but also my love of Standardbred horses and their contribution to my breeding and trick-training program.  We were excited to have the opportunity to incorporate a Standard Poodle to the pack, but our beautiful girl suffered a fatal accident far too early in her life.  Nonetheless, the name has stuck and we're charging ahead!!! 

So what's new? 

We had RPSI inspection on September 19!!  I'm grateful for the generous help of one of my dearest friends who took her LaBamba SE colt (LePremieur SE) to inspection for branding and hauled out Lilyana (Gervantus II x Tango Selune) and Leia Organa SE for me.  I also took A Promise For You (As Promised) and her filly Latin Promise SE for inspection. 

Leia Organa SE (LaBamba SE) and her dam Lilyana (Gervantus II x Tango Selune)
 

 Lana and Princess were very well received at inspection.  Otto was very familiar with Gervantus II and gave Lana scores up to 7 for movement in trot and canter.  Princess, likewise, scored very well earning a gold-premium score of 8.0 for her movement!  We couldn't have been more pleased!  This fantastic filly is now consigned to the RPSI select foal auction running from October 25 to November 1. 

Latin Promise SE (LaBamba SE x As Promised)

We also wanted to have our "keeper" filly inspected so Promise and Chai were scored too.  Unfortunately Promise is what Promise is and did not score very well overall.  I understand that there is no score given for temperament, heart, brains or overall disposition because she would have scored 9's for all of them.  However, our Chai baby strutted her heart out, showing what her daddy gave her!  She scored just behind her full-warmblood sister to a 7.8 score for movement!  As I'd mentioned previously, this one is not for sale, we're keeping her. 

With two exceptional fillies now branded, weaning has gone well.  2 of the 3 broodmares are down in the pasture with no notice given by their fillies.  Unfortunately the third mare is suffering from a pair of nasty abscesses and is still up in the med-pen being treated.  Yes, filly #3, LaSamba SE is also doing very well.  Because her dam is unregistered, we elected to have "Tess" registered with the CWHBA.  This one is also available for purchase. 

LaSamba SE showing she's got the right stuff too!

Ritchie is doing really well.  We'd had some saddle fit issues earlier in the year but that seems to have been corrected with the help of a Kentaur dressage saddle.  I've started riding him again, one day a week, and have made myself a general nuisance around Sawatzky Equine Service's brand new facility on Thursday mornings.  Of course I'm kidding.  It's my favourite morning of the week, Thursday date morning with my boy <3 
Earlier in the season, we'd had the pleasure of having the lovely Allegra Hohm out to give the boy a try.  It was really neat to have her evaluation of him, where he is in training, and overall impression. 


I absolutely love that saddle pad!

 Jose is wonderful.  We have taken up residence at the Edmonton Garrison Saddle Club.  It's a great opportunity to become active in an equine community again.  It's a diverse place full of every discipline and experience level.  We're having fun refining some of our tricks and, no doubt, the LdSH Mounted Troop are enjoying the occasional impromptu performance as part of our unconventional schooling. 

Jose Jalapeno in full RCMP dress for a Stampede Parade

The coolest part of the summer for me, by far, was an event I couldn't even be at!  Jose was ridden in full RCMP formal dress for a Stampede Parade.  I think he looks terribly handsome.  I would LOVE to have him go on duty again in the future. 

So, there you have it!  Welcome back to speed.  From here, it's onward and upward - as always.

Happy Horseing!