Teach Me Tuesday: Registering the Grade Horse

For the first time in my life, I own a grade horse. That doesn't particularly bother me inasmuch as the traits I purchased her for are definitely ones that will help her down the line in the unlikely event she needed to find a new home.

<3

But to me, a registered horse just has one more layer of security--something to point to as a value add.

So tell me, people of the internet--are there registries that accept a pedigreed-but-not-papered performance mare? And if there are, are any of them worth the time and money?

Teach Me Tuesday: Currying is Back!!

I love grooming horses. So much. Courage always hated it, so we compromised--he kept himself clean and I only touched him with the softest brushes. 

YAS

ENTER ZOEBIRD. 

She thinks brushes are GREAT. 

She likes to lay IN HER OWN POO. 

She needs a curry. 

the current options

My curry brush selection is indifferent at best because SOMEONE hated them with a fiery burning passion, but I can totally justify getting a new one(s) now. Tell me horse people of bloglandia, what is your favorite curry? 

Teach Me Tuesday: Horse Treats

Alright, I'm curious. How do you feed horse treats? Do you trick train? Abstain completely?

I've known people all over the spectrum. I tend to give Courage a couple of carrots a day, but not at a particularly set for or for a fixed behavior because I don't want him to learn to anticipate them.

not an approved behavior

But there's so much more to treats than that. Do you make you own? Bake for the whole barn? How do you uses treats with horses?

Teach Me Tuesday: When Do You Clinic?

I'll be the first to admit I grew up riding in a pretty amazing situation--the trainer was kind and knowledgeable and encouraged us to get outside opinions as well as brought in clinicians that were complimentary to her training style. It was great.

It wasn't until I was an adult that I found out some trainers don't want their clients riding with other people and worse, not all clinicians are worth that much.

Then pile on top of that a horse who requires a VERY particular kind of ride and I find myself being increasingly picky about who I'll lesson or clinic with and even WHEN I'll do that lesson or clinic.

neither me nor my horse

So tell me, people of blogland, what factors influence your decision to do a clinic with an outside trainer? Are there times you absolutely won't? Do you hit every opportunity within reason? What's your happy middle ground?

Teach Me Tuesday: Equine Professionalism

A common denominator for people who make their living with horses is that their schedule is at least in part set by thousand pound animals who sometimes have nothing better to do than screw up your carefully laid plans. True confession: sometimes my horse is the one doing the screwing and to everyone else whose appointment was behind or cancelled, I apologize.

also this picture is awesome

That's why I accept it when a call back is slow or an appointment is late and it's why I generally put up with things I would NEVER be ok with in the non-horsey world.

But at the same time, good business practices apply across all worlds and if I'm paying good money for a service, I want to actually receive the service.

and now he gets lunged hard before every farrier appointment

So where do you draw the line? What levels of tardiness, non-communication, or other less-savory business practices do you put up with in the horse world that you would not accept from a normal business person?

Teach Me Tuesday: Best Saddle Pads

I recently purged a large number of old saddle pads.

newest ogilvy

I'm not so much a linen collector, so over the years, I have amassed a large number of saddle pads that people were giving away just to avoid having to buy them. But something happened.

A fellow blogger sent me the coolest gift of all time--a personalized Ogilvy baby pad. LOVE. It's thick enough that it doesn't bunch, thin enough it doesn't change my saddle fit, cut PERFECTLY to contour to my horse's back, forward enough for my jump saddle, and it didn't require a bunch of stupid hateful straps to stay put.

first dressage ogilvy

Then I got a dressage model. And wouldn't you know, it also achieves holy-(saddle pad)-grail status.

So I purged everything that wasn't ogilvy or super cute.

show ogilvy

I have found nirvana.

What makes your perfect saddle pad?

Teach Me Tuesday: When Do You Call the Vet?

I'm a pretty low-maintenance person, medically.

Like... uh... how do I say this. As an example, I have a close family member who nearly lost a limb because they neglected to put a bandaid on a wound which then got infected and scared doctors. And that close family member and I share a lot of philosophies.

and then we went to a football game

Which is to say, while I'm very proactive about Courage's management and training and feeding, I tend to take a lackadaisical approach to vet care. Courage gets vaccinations and teeth done on a regular basis. He also likes to blow his legs up on a regular basis and my response is always "ehhhhh it'll probably go down with work".

unrelated wildly attractive photo

And it does.

So I'm unlikely to change.

But I'm not all people and I know other people have different ideas. Tell me, blogland, what does your horse have to do to get you to make a non-routine call to the vet?

are you creepy BFFs?

Teach Me Tuesday: All By Myself

So many times, I tell people I'm working with Courage 95% completely on my own and they immediately say "oh but it will be so cool when he can do X and you know you did it yourself".

Will it?

I've only spent time on a made horse once in my life, and let me tell you, when we were soaring over giant oxers, I wasn't sitting there going "goddammit someone else rode him through his green phase".

No. I was 100% having a blast and loving every minute and it did not matter to me one teeny bit that he came to me knowing absolutely everything and that I didn't put a single button on him. Well, I did teach him to put his ears up for photos, but that was hardly difficult.

Obviously, it's been a different journey with Courage. We're going in a good direction now, but I sometimes wonder if we wouldn't be better off if someone else had ridden through his shenanigans. I'll never know, but it's something to think about.

So tell me. Does it matter to you whether you trained your horse or whether someone else does?

Teach Me Tuesday: Difference Makers

I'm sure we could all go on and on about people who have made a huge difference in our lives, but I would hate to try and break that down to a simple blog comment. Instead, let's talk about equipment!

i looked away so he got the rein over his nose

What's one piece of tack, clothing, or equipment around the barn that has been a big difference maker in your riding life?

It's my blog so I'll go first!

Years ago, I was given a cob size standing martingale. I threw it in the bridle bag and thought I'd never use it. Then I got a little bay thoroughbred horse who occasionally turns himself inside out and realized that martingales are magical.

Running martingales are certainly amazing tools in the right circumstances, but I love my little standing martingale for every day flat work and hacking. It has no action whatsoever until that critical moment and then it immediately goes back to neutral.

What piece of tack or equipment is a difference maker for you?

Teach Me Tuesday: The Purpose-Bred Horse

There are certain times I wish I had a more "suitable" dressage horse than a tight-backed OTTB who requires a zen master approach to life just to catch him in the mornings.

Then there are times where I see ads for those horses:

And I remember that there are 150,000 reasons I have the horse I do.

YES ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND. Omg.

I'm not anti-purpose bred horse because I'm not an idiot and I certainly recognize that the job would come more naturally to a horse that was literally born to do it. On the other hand, isn't half the fun learning to teach your own horse how to do things with you?

I don't know.

Sound off internet. Do you or have you ever had a purpose bred horse for your sport and how has that altered your enjoyment of it?

Teach Me Tuesday: Stable to Street

Marissa made a couple of posts lately about what being a horse girl means in her life and it got me thinking: how does your interaction with the horse world change the way you interact with the rest of the normal-people world?

I know it's changed me.

From Izzy, I learned that I was tougher and braver than I ever thought. I learned how to peel myself up off the ground, get back in the saddle, and just keep kicking.

I also learned when to say enough. I learned that it's better to be a little smarter and a little less brave than to just keep forcing something that's never going to work.

From Cuna, I learned that partners are there for each other, that life is supposed to be fun, and that a relationship means you take care of each other no matter what.

Courage is still with me and I hate to draw conclusions because that is just too ominous, but I will say that the relationships forged in the barn have proved over and over to be the strongest and most meaningful in my life. No one understands a horse girl quite like another horse girl.

So what about you--how have the people and horses in your life made you a better, stronger, or more interesting person?

TMT: The Best Deal Ever

Despite my recent stint of "moderation" and "binge selling" (which we all know was prompted by one thing only), I'm the consummate tack ho, always on the lookout for a deal. I've probably mentioned before how I picked up a $220 Sprenger KK Ultra for $40 on consignment, and I thought that was the deal of the decade.

yup

And then I don't know if I mentioned when I was bit shopping for my trainer and she wanted this weird giant old eggbutt snaffle made out of some bizarre metal that isn't even manufactured anymore. I found one for her for $10 and when I ran across another one for $10, I snapped it up for me. I dunno what those things originally cost, but I call it the magic contact bit and HOT DAMN am I glad I have one. So that is also a great deal.

also yup

But then Lindsey and Alyssa went to a tack sale/party that I couldn't attend and found not only the deal of the decade, but I venture the deal of the freaking century.

That $220 sprenger I was patting myself on the back for only spending $40 on?

$5.

OH YEAH.

and these ones are all mine

Apparently there were multiples. Now we all have one.

So tell me bloggy-folk, what is your best-ever horse supplies deal?

Teach Me Tuesday: Open Seasons

I acknowledge three (3) official seasons: Spring, Horse Showing, and Football. Obviously, spring is the worst because A) the weather and B) no horse shows or football. Also obviously, Sep/Oct is complicated around here because it's both prime Horse Showing and prime Football.

and sometimes we combine the two

In this climate, Horse Shows run basically May-October, Football is September-early February, and everything else is spring. 

I don't think my non-horse friends (or non-football friends) really get it. I certainly do things other than horse show in Horse Show Season, but shows get precedence. Same with football (and yes, game with my team>most horse shows unless there's a tri color on the line). 

def for a tri color

So how do you divide up your year? 

Teach Me Tuesday: Blogging?

If you're an equestrian blogger, the odds are you aren't rolling in the sweet, sweet cash that your hobby-turned-profession dumped in your lap. You aren't famous, you don't have a reality tv gig lined up, and aside from the people you already knew, basically no one knows who you are. Or cares. (At least, that's my experience. Ymmv.)

But still. Having a blog is kind of cool and it a little bit changes the way you interact with the equestrian world. I mean, if I didn't need blog content in December, there's no way I would have been shooting pictures of a how-to on wrapping liners for the blog when it was 9f.

I tend not to tell people I have a blog. I do have a blog facebook page because it's supposed to be a traffic driver (or at least, it is if you remember to update it). Once or twice a year, I write a post that I feel so strongly about that I will also share it through my personal facebook page. My personal friends all know about the blog, but I hardly go around introducing myself as a blogger.

And regularly, I'm surprised when people (who I know peripherally) come up to me and are like "hey loved your post on XYZ". To me, it makes sense that all y'all internet folks read blogs, but it's a little strange that real, actual people do too. I mean, it's not like strangers are recognizing me and I'm turning down endorsements over here or something, but the fact that anyone takes the time out of their day to read what I have to say is humbling. It's not like I'm a really cool person or something, you know?

pictured: much cooler person. my horse.

So how do you handle that in day-to-day life? Do your barn friends read your blog? Do you link to it on your personal facebook? Do you hide it and pretend you're totally normal? Do you expect people to read it and have conversations with you about it?

Teach Me Tuesday: Outside Aids

As I suspect y'all have figured out, Courage and I compete in dressage. (Omg I can actually say that and be like IN FACT YES WE GO TO SHOWS. Cool.) Anyways. There is no spectator assistance allowed, though at the lower levels you are allowed to have a test reader in non-championship classes.

Until this year, I'd never used one. I mean, the tests are published MONTHS (if not years) in advance of the shows and you know what tests you're doing going in and I used to think there was NO EXCUSE for having someone read something you OUGHT to have memorized. It's not like a jumper course where you get to learn on the go. It's literally available for free online for THREE YEARS.

But then there was all the chaos at the show and I only sorta half knew one of my tests and the other one not at all and THEN I found out that I'd been told I'd ride the tests in one order but not was riding them in the other order and so the test I memorized was now second and I had like 38 seconds to learn the test I hadn't memorized and CUE PANIC.

And then this lovely lady offered to read for me. (And they let me ride the tests in the original order, phew).

And wow.

That was really helpful. It was our first out of the year and I was so focused on giving Courage a tactful ride that it was really, really nice to have that little extra check on where I was going.

I'm still too proud to use a reader all the time, but what a relief it was that day.

So how do you feel about "outside assistance" in your chosen discipline? Do you take advantage? Frown on it? Try to get your competitors disqualified?

Teach Me Tuesday: Why This One?

Whether you horse shopped with a knowledgeable trainer or a pony just fell into your lap, you have a horse. But why do you have that SPECIFIC horse? Do you ever wonder that?

photo by Alyssa

I do. 

I'm the last one to judge someone for selling a horse that isn't a fit for them, but I also acknowledge that what a "fit" is varies from person to person. Let's face it: if I wanted to be a competitive eventer or jumper, Courage would not be a fit for me. If I want to reach the top levels of dressage, he's a total mismatch. If I want a horse I can trail ride bareback in a halter, he is definitely not that. 

So on paper, Courage maybe isn't the best fit. 

But there's more to life than paper, competitions, and lazy trail rides. Courage is a horse that landed in my lap at the perfect time. He's the horse I've been to hell and back with. He's the horse who makes me heart go pitter pat when he looks over the stall door at me. 

plus pink

Yeah, he's not easy and there are days I could just shoot him, but I thrive on a challenge and he thrives on challenging me. His vices don't scare me and his good moments make me happy. I enjoy chasing my dressage goals on him, but if I never make it to the upper echelons of the sport, I'm not concerned. I have nothing to prove to anyone and I enjoy this horse right now. 

So why do you have your horse? 

Teach Me Tuesday: Products for Perfect Tails

Full disclosure: my shampoo at home cost $4/bottle and I don't use conditioner. And I think my hair care routine is excessive. 

BUT. I am a big proponent of perfect tails, especially since I have a horse with kick ass tail genetics. I mean, let's be real, that's 90% of the tail battle anyways. 

#hairgoals #lifegoals #tarraisbadass

I've been picking Tarra's brain about hair products lately because let's face it: she deals with more hair than possibly anyone else in the blogosphere. I never thought this would happen, but she's actually changed me from my all-vetrolin all the time stance. Now I religiously follow her recommendations--wash tail, use Equifuse CitraCreme deep conditioner, let sit, rinse out, then finish with Equifuse Gleam. THEN put a squeeze of each into a spray bottle, mix with water, and use it as a daily conditioner for tails. 

You guys. 

This is magic. Courage's tail has never felt so amazing. I washed it ONE TIME in March and it's still just perfect. 

So tell me. What are your hair care secrets? 

Teach Me Tuesday: Under the Helmet

Kinda like this

As a kid, I don't think I ever did anything particular with my hair and a helmet. I wore a mushroom-head shiny Troxel that I fell off in a bunch and didn't know to replace and for shows, it got a fake velvet cover and I used one of those black hairnet/ponytail clip things.

George Morris would have been appalled, but all I know about him was the column in practical horseman and for some reason, I focused on learning what a "safe jumper" and a "base of support" looked like instead of turnout details. Sue me. 

Then I rode with a much stricter trainer as an adult and learned that we had to buy more expensive helmets (meh), replace them when we fell off (this is good. do this.), and always put our hair up under our helmets. It's a very polished look and I do appreciate it.

otoh this sparkle CO is amazing

But now I'm doing dressage and "the look" if you will, seems to be bouncing pony tail to school and bedazzled black hair net thing to show. 

Which sort of feels full circle to me? 

Regardless. I'm now on the fence about the hair-under-helmet thing because while it's fine if you have short or thin hair, thick-haired people are most definitely compromising their protection and since it's really not fair to them to be the only ones with their hair out, it seems to me that we should choose our safety equipment based on what is actually safest and not what makes Georgie or the O'Connor's or whomever most aesthetically happy. 

Because I'm most happy when I'm not sporting the latest TBI. 

So. What do you do under your helmet? Short hair? Buzz it off? Put it up? Hairnet every time? 

Teach Me Tuesday: Supplements

I give the whole supplement industry a healthy dose of side eye with an occasional addition of mare glare.

I mean, it's completely unregulated and as a general rule IF (a big if) the stuff you think you're paying for is even in the bucket, the odds of there being any research whatsoever that said ingredient is even bio-available to the horse in that particular form is something like zero. Don't even get me started on the other vagaries like assuming you have the correct ingredient in the supplement in the correct dose and it is bio-available to the horse, HOW THE HELL DOES IT GET TO THE JOINT? Like. Do horses actually eat glucosamine and then the body is like "hey don't need this here but let's fedex it to the right hock STAT?" Or you know. Does it just get peed out. Because that seems more obvious.

he's clearly suffering

And if you need hyaluronic acid in a joint, does feeding an HA supplement help at all or do you need to feed things that make HA or (light bulb) would you be money ahead just injecting in the first place?

Cough. So yeah. Not a supplement feeder here.

But I started Courage on cheap ass feedstore magnesium a month or so ago.

And I'm not saying I believe in it.

But he has been turning right pretty reliably and seems less sore through his shoulders and is more more tractable about certain things, which is interesting.

Possibly just correlations. Still interesting.

So tell me. Where do you stand on supplements? What do you feed and why?

Teach Me Tuesday: Volunteering

only one of these is paid to be there

It's no secret that most horse organizations are run through 95% volunteer labor. Some organizations require that participants put in some hours to make things work together--others rely on sheer goodwill of the community.

What do you do about this? Do you volunteer at shows? Work behind the scenes with leadership? Pay your dues and rides a bunch of horses at shows to make them worth putting on?