I left the balmy warmth of Florida  and arrived in Columbus, Ohio last Thursday to a dreary, cold day.  My dad had somehow managed to time his arrival by car (he traveled from his worksite in North Carolina) to meet me at the airport and we headed immediately off to the Ohio Expo Center at the Ohio State Fairgrounds to commence the horsing around.  Thursday was the day that Sharon Camarillo was doing a series of clinics on improving barrel racing horsemanship, and I was desperately hoping to make it in time to watch some of them.  Fate was once again on our side and we managed to get to the Fairgrounds, find parking, purchase our tickets, and make our way down the long, long stretch to the Cooper Arena just as the announcer finished his introductions.  Perfect timing! 

Food vendors lined the streets at Equine Affaire

 Thus began our four day weekend filled with clinics, seminars, shopping, and visiting with old friends.  As I’ve mentioned before, Columbus was a frequent horse haunt for my family when we lived in Pittsburgh.  The Quarter Horse Congress, as well as the Equine Affaire, were regular yearly trips where we stocked up on items we needed for the barn.  You can literally find anything horse related you could possibly want at these events.  As soon as we stepped through the gates, I was right back there.  The long road lined with food vendors welcomed us to the event, and the sights and smells continued to draw us further in.  It didn’t take long for us to find the vendor behind one of our fondest memories – the cinnamon bun stand!  I can still remember savoring a warm, gooey cinnamon bun while watching a class at the Congress or even while relaxing after one of my own classes during the years we had the App Nationals there. 

Young riders perfect their technique

Once we made it past the food vendors, the fun really began.  There were clinics and seminars going on simulataneously in no less than eight arenas at a time.  The hardest part was choosing just one to watch.  Throughout the weekend, we caught clinics taught by Sharon Camarillo, John Lyons, and Tommy Garland and presentations on caring for senior horses and equine photography among other things.  There was an entire building devoted to representing various breeds of horse and  I enjoyed wandering through and learning about some horses I’d never seen or heard of before.  The trade show was spread over several different buildings and was just as expected – exhausting and exhilerating.  Any horse person would probably agree that the smell of a tack store is one of the defining aromas in the horse world.  This trade show was no exception – the rich leather, the tang of fly spray, the heady pine shavings.  I was in horsey heaven.  One of the things I love so much about Equine Affaire’s trade show is that it caters to horsepeople, not stock horse people or horse show people.  You can wander through tack stores with draft halters big enough for an adult to step through and peruse the tiny, glittery headstalls that are designed for the always adorable Minis.  Every breed, every discipline, and every horse person is represented there; and for someone like me, that means an awful lot to observe and learn about our four legged friends and the people who love them. 

Wood carving was just one of the crafts on display

Over the next week or so, I’m going to share with you some of the tips and tricks I learned in the clinics, talk about some of the cool new products I saw, and discuss the super exciting Extreme Cowboy Race that we watched.  That spawned some fantasies about a career change for Tiny and I, it looked like so much fun!  In addition, I will be sharing a lot about the BlogPaws convention that was being held simulataneously at the nearby Westin hotel on my other site, The Slobber Dog.  All in all, this was a fun and productive weekend and I’m so glad my dad and I had the opportunity to attend.

With all of the excitement buzzing around the Pets Blogroll launch, I dropped the ball on this fantastic opportunity to learn more about western pleasure.  Lucky for me (and all of you!), the folks at Winning Horse Training decided to make this online clinic available to view for a few more days.  The clock is ticking, though, so if you’re interested, sign up right away because I don’t know how much longer it will be available. 

So what is this clinic all about?  It is a revolutionary new way of teaching and learning new riding skills via webcast, right from the comfort of your own home.  Participants were able to email in questions to be answered by one of the three trainers participating in the event live during the webcast.  These trainers are the biggest draw for this particular clinic.  Anyone who is involved in western stock breeds, such as Appaloosas, Quarter Horses, or Paints and has any interest in western pleasure will know these famous trainers:  Shane Dowdy, Rusty Green, and Cleve Wells.  They are some of the top Western Pleasure trainers in all breeds and have some of the winningest records of many trainers out there.  The opportunity to learn from them, even via webcast, is priceless.  And at only $20 for the replay, it’s more than worth it!  You could never attend a hands on clinic (even as an auditor) for that price.  Even if you’re just interested in learning more about the discipline, it is worth the cost.

Here is a little more about the trainers involved.  Shane Dowdy is a well known western pleasure trainer and clinician that has won numerous World Championship titles.  His approach focuses on creating a responsive, solid, well rounded horse and he has been known to achieve this by including cattle work in his program.  This unique approach speaks for itself, with a long list of successful horses in his winner’s circle.  Rusty Green is another world caliber trainer, with multiple World and Congress championships to his credit.  In fact, he is the reigning AQHA World champion for 2009 in the highly competitive 2 year old Western Pleasure event.  Cleve Wells, in my opinion, is a legend among western pleasure trainers.  I worked with Cleve many years ago, as I was fortunate enough to have him train my western pleasure mount, Zippo Par Three.  He is a genuinely nice and extremely talented rider and his record speaks for itself.  He has won numerous titles at all the big breed shows, he’s an international clinician, and has a line of books and dvds geared toward sharing his knowledge with others. 

Don’t miss out on this last opportunity to catch the webcast before it’s too late.  Sign up at Western Pleasure Training for only $20 and watch the replay of the event.  As of Monday, the video is still available online but I don’t know how much longer it will be available for download.  At the same link, you can sign up for a free mp3 interview with Cleve Wells, where he discusses some of the great horses he’s ridden.

Once again, it’s time for Thankful Thursday! I hope this post inspires you to consider the things in your life that you are grateful for. If you have a blog, consider posting about it there and link back here. If you don’t have a blog, please feel welcome to comment here on what you are grateful for in your own life. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing, then just take a few moments to reflect on all that you have. If you’d like to tag other bloggers that participate, feel free to do that.

Just one drop can change everything…

Photo courtesy of maddogmarquis, Photobucket

Back in October ‘09 I did a series of Thankful Thursday posts titled “Nostalgia” (you can read them here, here, and here).  I guess I’m feeling a bit sentimental again, because this week I have been thinking a lot about someone who made a big impact on my life many years ago.  He was the man that I credit with developing that competitive fire in me and showing me the fun and social side of horse shows. 

I don’t even remember how my family came to be involved with “Vern,” but I remember our first business meeting with him back in 1990 at a little restaurant in Ohio.  He agreed to bring his burgeoning training operation to the brand new horse farm that my parents were building in southwestern PA.  In a sense we started off together, although Vern had been an assistant trainer for several years and was involved with some very high profile people in the Appaloosa world.  Vern was really the one that steered my family, and me especially, into the national and world arenas of competition.  He was the one that found Tyler for me, the white wonder horse that made me fall in love with riding.  He was the one that brought Icy and Seeker to our show string – two equally dynamic, well known, and talented horses that my sister and I were very fortunate to have the opportunity to show.  I could even thank him for Tiny – because he was the one that chose Super (her dam) to be my very first game horse.  Vern introduced my family to so many people and because of him we got extremely involved in the horse show world.  We became active members of the Appaloosa Pleasure Horse Association, regional Appaloosa clubs, and 4H.  One of my favorite memories was when he and my parents brainstormed and created this incredibly huge Appaloosa show for the now-defunct Pennsylvania Appaloosa Association.  They had jackpot barrels and pleasure classes with money added, sponsors, you name it.  Back in the early 90’s it was quite a feat for a regional club to have such a successful show.  I truly believe that Vern was the catalyst that took us from casual horse lovers to serious and actively involved competitors, and he got the whole family involved in some fashion.  He even spearheaded an effort to have challenged riders classes added to show lists at all the shows so that disabled riders like my youngest sister could be involved too.

We spent five very exciting and productive years with Vern before he moved on to other things.  I wish I could say that I’ve kept in touch with him over the years, but as so often happens we have drifted away to separate lives.  I recently met up with an old friend of his at the Quarter Horse show in Tampa and he told me that Vern is healthy and happy and has a beautiful farm in the Pittsburgh area where he continues to coach youth riders and maintains a successful breeding operation.   I hope to reestablish contact with Vern, if for no other reason than to thank him for being such a great trainer, coach, and friend to me and all of my family during our formative years in the Appaloosa business.

Happy Thursday to all and please visit these other sites that frequently participate in Thankful Thursday:

Akal Ranch, Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch, The Pony Expression, and Tired Dog Ranch.

Gulf Coast Quarter Horse show in Tampa, Florida

Recession?  What recession?  At least that’s how it appeared to this first time visitor to the Gold Coast Quarter Horse Show series held at the Florida State Fairgrounds.  The Gold Coast is part of the Winter Quarter Horse Circuit, consisting of the Gold Coast, Gulf Coast, and Fox Lea Winter show series.  TWENTY AQHA shows held between December 27, 2009 and January 17, 2010!  Talk about a horse lover’s dream! 

Trainer Rob Meneely taking a break from warming up his mount.

I stopped by the show this year to check it out as I’d never before gone.  Not knowing what to expect, I was shocked when I pulled into the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa.  Row upon row of horse trailers, trucks, and cars.  Numerous vendor trailers displaying their wares; western attire laden with enormous crystals sparkling in the sun, saddle pads in all the colors of the rainbow, horse tail extensions bundled together like a wigmaker’s dream.  Horses and exhibitors in various stages of preparation meandered through the golf carts, dogs, and spectators.   I couldn’t believe the magnitude of the activity taking place.  Trainers admitted that entries were down in comparison to previous years, but this was by far the biggest horse show I’d ever been to in Florida.  Shows were run on a two day system – Day 1 consisted of hunter events (over fences and flat), cattle classes, and trail.  Day 2 was halter, western pleasure/horsemanship, western riding, and trail.  Each show repeated 3 times for the circuit, so exhibitors were alternating daily between hunter and western events.  Numerous awards were given out including overall high points for various divisions for the combined circuits, high points for individual circuits, and circuit awards to the top two in each class for each circuit.  Fees were steep though, with all day fees and office fees priced per judge, and drug testing fees priced per circuit.  An amateur showing one horse in the all around (typically at least 5 classes) would incur over $350 in entry fees, plus an additional $200 stall fee just for the Gold Coast.  These costs would repeat for the Gulf Coast and Fox Lea series and don’t include feed, bedding, trainer’s fees, etc.  As you can imagine, this resulted in an elite level of exhibitors and horses being presented.  The very best Quarter Horse trainers, exhibitors, and judges were in attendance and it was fun to observe and learn for the day.  Exhibitors were courteous and gracious and I saw no poor sportsmanship or mistreatment of horses while I was there. 

Vendors line the streets at the horse show

I enjoyed wandering between the main show arena where the western pleasure was being held, and the indoor trail course where horse and rider expertly navigated a series of obstacles, including a gate, bridge, and multiple lope- and trot-overs.  Outdoor practice areas were filled with hunters bounding over fences and western riders effortlessly changing leads.  Spurs jingled and it was Christmas for me all over again!  I was like a kid in a candy store, not knowing which way to turn next.  I spent the whole day there and would have gone back the next if I had been able.  If you enjoy horse shows, especially stock breeds, and are even slightly close to the central Florida area, I would recommend putting this event on your calendar for next year.  It’s a great place to meet people, see horses, and stock up on supplies, and you can even make a vacation of it.  Maybe I’ll see you there in 2011!

Scenes from the Gold Cost QH show

I have been debating about whether to post on this topic or not, as Billie has done such a fantastic job of covering the issue on her site Camera-Obscura.  In the end, I decided to mention it as I know I have some readers that don’t generally follow blogs and so may have missed the story.  I really believe that more people need to become aware of the issue and the resulting flurry of activity, and hopefully join the legions of people that are calling for change.  Please visit Billie’s site for all the details and for the excellent coverage that she continues to provide on the subject.

I’m no expert in dressage and I’m not going to pretend to have a complete understanding of the topic, but here is my attempt at a brief overview for those (like me) who are relatively new to the idea of rollkur.  I would like to invite those who are more educated to jump in and correct/add to my explanation.

Basically, rollkur is a highly controversial training technique that is increasingly common in dressage style riding.  It is also called hyperflexion, and consists of the horse being ridden for extended periods of time “behind the bit” – often to the point where the nose/mouth is held to the chest as the horse is driven forward.  Proponents of the technique claim that it stretches the horse’s back muscles.  Opponents say it’s horse abuse.  From what I’ve read, I certainly tend toward the latter sentiment, but I’m no expert and encourage you to educate yourself and formulate your own opinions.  If you Google “Rollkur” you’ll get no shortage of information and images to study.  Either way, riders who utilize the technique are apparently winning at high levels in dressage competition, which makes it difficult to enact change.

What I do know is this:  the current frenzy on this topic originated after Epona TV aired a video of Patrik Kittel riding a horse during a warm up period for a show and utilizing this technique.  The video goes on for what feels like forever, and shows the horse’s blue tongue lolling out of his mouth, as he rides around and around in this restricted position.  You can watch other riders casually going by, no one giving this guy a second look despite the obvious distress his horse is exhibiting.  Due to the public outrage following the release of this video, a firestorm of petitions has made its way through the system and people are calling for change.  Although I am not a dressage rider, I feel that this is important because it makes a statement about winning at any cost.  I think that many of us who compete at a high level in any discipline have witnessed questionable training practices that result in winners.  We all know how hard it is to compete against an ideal that is not natural and is not naturally created.  This is our chance to take that first step towards encouraging healthy, fair competition that does not result in or encourage animal abuse.  Even if you are not a “horse person” I ask you to check out Billie’s site and educate yourself.  She has tons of information and multiple ways to get involved, including online petitions, Facebook groups, and contact information for organizations that can enact change.

In August I had the chance to visit one of my old stomping grounds – the Ocala Equestrian Complex, located in Ocala, Florida.  The Central Florida Appaloosa Horse Club was hosting their Fun in the Sun show and I thought I’d drop by to check it out.  Although the weather wasn’t too cooperative, it was still a great day in Appaloosa country as exhibitors from all over Florida engaged in friendly competition.  The show marked one of the last opportunities for competitors to gain the points needed to qualify for this year’s 2009 Appaloosa World Championships. 

Covered arena; view of arena from outdoor holding area

This showgrounds is right in the heart of horse country.  If you’re looking for convenience, this is one show facility that’s hard to top.  Access is extremely easy from I75, which is the main artery from Georgia all the way to Naples.  Hotels, gas stations (with diesel), and food options are plentiful and close by.  Another bonus is the large number of feed and tack stores right in the proximity of the grounds.  Need some hay or bedding?  Break or forget a piece of equipment?  Less than a 5 minute drive from the grounds are several options.  Another perk of the location is that there are several horse trailer dealerships, as well as a repair shop for horse trailers within a 5 minute drive.  I wasn’t kidding when I said this place was convenient! 

As far as the facility goes, there is ample parking with plenty of room for big rigs.  The covered arena has a concession and lots of bleacher seating for spectators.  There are three outdoor arenas and a large outdoor holding area.  There is also a narrow, covered holding area attached to the covered arena that is frequently used for longeing and show prep, especially in inclement weather.  The restrooms are clean and well kept, although I don’t recall seeing a shower on the premises for overnight campers.  There is an indoor barn and plenty of temporary type stalls under a permanent enclosure. 

Outdoor arena and view of one barn; Trailer parking after severe thunderstorm

There aren’t many cons to this facility, but there are a couple of areas worth mentioning.  Trailer parking is FAR from the barn areas.  It is well worth getting a tack stall, especially if you show in all around events.  In addition, access to the barns with trailers (especially large ones) is limited.  There is room for a trailer or two to unload at the same time, but there are often backups to get close.  Also, if you’re not comfortable reversing your trailer in tight spots, you may want to avoid unloading here.  I always find it easier to just unload in the parking area, put my gear in the truck and haul it over to the barns that way.  Another point worthy of mention is that one of the outdoor arenas has some sort of mulch type footing.  It’s probably fine for most events, but App shows tend to run the speed events in that ring and it can be a little slick.  Also, there are lights for the outdoor riding areas, but they are paltry.  At a show that I attended in March, they actually postponed the last few events of the day until the following morning because it had gotten so dark and the lights were not bright enough to ensure safe runs. 

With all of these great bonuses and fairly minimal complaints about the facility, it’s definitely worth checking out.  There are a number of events that they host and they get some really large barrel races there.  I have also attended a few clinics and even a haunted house!   Ocala is a great place for horse lovers so come by, enjoy a show, and check out the town!

Photo courtesy of Dee Q8, Flickr

As September rolls on, I have observed a great deal of excitement about the fall season.  Excitement about fall traditions, like cider and local festivals, is contagious.  Mother Nature is giving us her own signs:  lower humidity and cooler nights, just the slightest tinge of red in some of our leaves, fall produce starting to hit the market stalls.  While most of the country is rejoicing with the arrival of fall and all it brings, I have some bittersweet feelings about it.  For me, this season isn’t represented by typical fall customs.  For many years, fall was the season of horses and preparation for the Appaloosa World Championship show.  This prestigious event is held every year in late October in Fort Worth, Texas and the months of September and October were always dedicated to training and preparation for the show, which has a qualification deadline of  August 31.  As most of you know, my horse show adventures pretty much came to an end 5 years ago when I started graduate school but this year I was able to get back into the scene a bit, and even briefly entertained hopes that I might be able to attend the World Show this year.  Unfortunately, as the year evolved I realized I wouldn’t be attending the show this time either.  However, last week I received something very special in the mail:  my World Show qualification information. 

 For many people, this might not be a big deal.  In fact, it wasn’t really a big deal for me 10 years ago – it was a given.  I’d worked hard all year, attended many shows, and was generally well over the number of points required to participate.  This year was different:  my horse and I  haven’t worked with a trainer in over 5 years, we attended very few shows, and we haven’t had the opportunity to make practice runs.  We pretty much winged it, doing groundwork and suppling exercises at home and working the barrels and poles at the shows.  Qualification became even more difficult because the game classes at the Appaloosa shows have been very small, making it challenging to get points – we pretty much had to win 1st or 2nd in a class to accrue points.  Combine all that with the extremely limited number of events that we’ve done (4 shows in the past year) and you can understand my pride at qualifiying for the Appaloosa World Championships in 8 events – we actually qualified in every single event that we show in.  It’s a bittersweet pill, because it’s a reminder of how my time competing with Tiny is winding down.  She’s 15 this year and who knows how many more competitive years she’ll have?  While I’m excited and proud to have been able to achieve qualification status, it hurts that I can’t participate with her while she’s still healthy and strong.  So for this fall, at least, I will have to join the masses of “regular” people enjoying their fall season at the arts festival sipping on cider, but I’ll be doing it with a twinkle in my eye as I think of the hundreds of Apps preparing for the World Show next month.

If you want to excel in equitation classes, you must first master the pattern.  In stock horse breeds, equitation classes are commonly judged by individual pattern work or a combination of patterns and group rail work.  In either case, the pattern is your chance to shine.  All eyes are upon you and it is up to you to make a stunning impression on the judges.  Here are my top ten tips on distinguishing  yourself from the rest of the riders and making the judges take a second (and third!) look:

1. Present Yourself – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, because it is that important.  If you are a judge that has been standing for hours, watching the same pattern over and over, what stands out?  A horse and rider that are impeccably turned out, with pleasant attitudes that look like they WANT to be at a horse show.  The pattern is your chance to sell yourself – learn to do it well.
2. Use Your Markers – Most pattern classes will utilize markers to define transition points.  These markers are there for a reason.  Use them consistently and accurately to score points with the judges. 
3. Clean Transitions – If you’ve watched many pattern classes, you’ll agree that this is one area that exhibitors commonly give away points.  Be sure that your transitions are on target – not early or late.  They should be smooth and effortless and your position should remain correct. 
4. Circles are Circles – Not ovals.  Not triangles.  Not oblong.  If your pattern calls for a circle, make it a circle – even and centered around your marker (if need be).   Furthermore, if your pattern calls for a figure eight or another circle combination, make sure your circles are evenly matched and round.
5. Don’t Look Down – This is one of the cardinal rules of equitation excellence.  If you are going to compete in pattern classes, you must be able to pick up the correct leads and/or diagonals without looking to check yourself.  Practice this until you are confident that you can feel what is happening under you.
6. Know Your Pattern – This might seem obvious, but it is very easy to second guess yourself in the ring, especially if an exhibitor ahead of you does the pattern incorrectly.  Run through your pattern several times, with the markers set up, until you are satisfied that you have it memorized.  It also helps to have someone watch and give you feedback, if possible. 
7. Stop Square – Again, another spot where exhibitors give up the points.  Stop on your marks and halt square and soft.  Don’t lean back excessively and definitely do not let your horse throw you forward upon stopping.  Practice pausing, so your horse doesn’t get in the habit of wandering out of his stop.
8. Know Your Turns – Know the difference between a turn on the haunches and a turn on the forehand (hint:  it’s in the pivot foot).  Practice doing fluid, smooth turns, and be sure your horse plants his pivot foot.  Don’t dawdle through the turns – it becomes painful to watch if it takes forever to get through it.  Likewise, don’t rush through either.  The goal is smooth and fluid.  
9. Don’t Stop Showing – From the moment you enter the ring until the moment you leave, the judge is judging you.  Don’t stop showing as soon as your pattern is complete.  The show ring is not the place to be chatting with other competitors or spectators in the stands while your class is competing.  And especially don’t ever correct your horse in the ring if your pattern is less than stellar.  Nothing is more unprofessional that the exhibitor that begins jerking and spurring her horse as soon as the judge turns his back.  They can still see you and can still mark you down if they don’t like what they see.  Not to mention that behavior like this will sour your horse on patterns faster than you can imagine.  Just don’t do it.
10. Be Confident!  This is your chance to shine.  Take it!  After all your hard work and practice, go in there and knock ‘em dead.  Keep your head up, shoulders square and remember to breathe.  If you have done your homework, you will soon start to love your patterns because you and your horse will be the team that people come to watch. 

Caspersen Beach, Venice

• Plenty of riding areas, including 2 large sand rings, 1 covered sand ring, 2 grass jump fields, 1 dressage ring, and lots of open grassy areas. 
• Footing in arenas is well maintained, frequently dragged and watered. 
• 

  Indoor arena

  Automatic sprinklers along fences in rings.

• Lots of trailer parking and plenty of room for turning around large rigs.
• Permanent bathrooms with showers.
• Many electric hookups for campers.
• Onsite food vendors with a screened in patio for dining.
• Covered pavilion for viewing both main sand ring and one jumping ring.
• Lots of bleachers for spectators.
• Dog friendly atmosphere.
• Shed row style barns with large stalls, plus one indoor barn with some stalls available. 
• Multiple wash racks (4 per barn).

   

  Main arena and Indoor Barn

• Turnout paddocks for horses (not sure if these are “officially” OK to use, but I have often seen show horses turned out in them).
• Onsite management staff and maintenance crew.
• Easily accessible – just off I75.
• Just minutes away from the beautiful beaches!

The Downside

• Barns and arenas are well spaced – makes for lots of walking through the deep sand all day.
• Indoor barn mostly used for boarding facility – there are folks that are riding and wandering around that are not affiliated with the show.  Not necessarily a bad thing, but there is competition for parking and some of the riding arenas are often reserved for boarders’ use only. 
• Our shows here are usually quite pricey…may reflect higher charges by facility than other showgrounds.
  

  Sand practice arena

• They are building up more around the area, but there is not a huge variety of hotels and restaurants.  Lots of fast food places, though.  You do have to drive about 15 minutes toward the beaches to reach the majority of the hotels/food.
• May be hard to find dog friendly lodging.
• Lodging is expensive in this area.

All in all, Fox Lea Farm is a wonderful place for a horse show!  It’s a perfect location to compete and then enjoy the fresh air and beauty of your surroundings.  Make a vacation of it and explore Florida’s Gulf Coast or just enjoy the show.  Either way, Fox Lea is a real treat.