When/Why to Clip

Cuna in 2012

For those lucky folks who haunt the aisles of show barns, clipping is so basic that it doesn't need explaining. For the rest, sometimes it helps to get a basic rundown.

Why We Clip

A horse in work is going to sweat. In the summer, we just hose them off and call it good. In the winter, they grow more hair and it's way too cold to use a hose. Even if you have a indoor, heated wash rack, the hosing will get them very wet and the hair takes forever to dry. (Also if you have one of those, don't talk to me). A wet horse is a cold horse. Moisture on the skin can cause funk. Getting long hair to dry frequently takes longer than the ride itself.

So we clip.

That said. If your horse doesn't sweat during your winter rides, by all means, LEAVE HIS HAIR ALONE. There are many cool properties of equine hair and it's best utilized when actually on the horse.

First full clip of the 2012 season

What We Clip

First things first--if you are in a program with a trainer, whether boarding at their barn or hauling in on a regular basis, please ask the trainer what they prefer. You are representing their program and they have worked hard to be where they are. Some don't care. Many do. If you are committed to the trainer's philosophy, show your respect by honoring their wishes here, ESPECIALLY if you will be showing over the winter.

If not, think about your horses's lifestyle and workload. If your horse is in a warm stall in a barn, you can take lots of hair off. If your horse is turned out a lot or lives outside, I'd make a note of where he sweats the most and then limit my clipping to that area. The more hair your horse still has, the warmer she's going to be. Here is a link to a great list of different types of standard clips.

What That Changes

Courage rocking the sheet

If you have removed your horse's natural line of defense against the cold, you are now responsible to replace it with something equally warm. Please, please, please think about this before you even turn the clippers on. I know this varies according to your local climate and your horse's particular biology, but be aware that horses can get very cold. Not only does this mean they eat more, it is miserable. They don't get to go inside your warm house and take a hot shower, so be aware of what you're doing.

Cuna runs hot--he's a big horse and he really isn't a fan of blankets. Courage runs cold and has very fine hair, so he takes a lot more coverage. For Cuna, I had a cotton sheet, a waterproof sheet, a medium weight blanket, a neck cover, and a 200 g liner. For Courage, I've added a heavy weight blanket into the mix. I layer up according to the temperatures.

Modeling the heavy

Not only do I have to keep the boys warm, but it's also important to keep them from overheating. A horse trapped in a too-heavy blanket for the day is at best uncomfortable and at worst, a huge colic risk. Plus there's the "I sweated under my blanket and now I am cold" problem.

This is a lot of maintenance. If you are in a full care situation or keep your horses at home, that's not a problem. It is something to be aware of if your horse is boarded out, though.

It's Worth It

Tommy, a cute client horse

As long as you supply the proper blankets and take care of your horse, clipping is awesome. I don't love the furry horse look and I can't stand waiting around for two hours for my horse to dry. With a clipped horse, you rarely even have to use a cooler! Just hop off, quick brush, and re-blanket. Voila!!


Who clips their horses? How do you decide which clip to use?

WE RIDE!! (and it is so bloody cold)

ALL THE ENERGY!!!

I know at the beginning of the week, I said I'd only go to the lesson if I got to ride Monday and Tuesday, since C-rage has done nothing for three weeks. Instead of clearing up, the fog got thicker and the ice got slicker and Courage did nothing. And then Wednesday morning came and Redheadlins and I were like "screw it, we're going" and we stuffed the ponies in the trailer and headed off to the trainer's barn.

I did warn the trainer that it was most likely going to be terrible and that Courage was just coming to get out of the ice, so we weren't doing the lesson, just lunging in the arena.

"Please don't embarrass me"

We had to go to an arena Courage had never seen before, complete with tiptoeing across packed snow and ice to get there. He had an epic spook at "something" while we tried to chill out along the rail.

He was sort of keeping it together, so I threw on his bridle and clipped the lunge line on.

Looking so calm

It was foggy and about 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Courage hasn't been able to trot around his field in three weeks.

He's had crazy eyes for the past week and a half.

Oh, and the arena was full of other greenies coming from similar work schedules.

Showing off for the only non-greenie in the arena

It was really more like flying a kite.

I was actually impressed--we had a couple of leaping/WHERE R MI LEGZ moments, but mostly he stuck his head straight up in the air and trotted. And trotted. And then trotted some more. I got him to canter a little bit, but he wasn't losing his mind trotting and I knew he needed to blow off steam.

As long as he wasn't going to be crazy, I wasn't going to push him. Trotting is great.

So fancy

Frankly, he was putting on the best kind of show. I had warned everyone in the lesson that he was going to be horrible and a nut and all manner of bad things. I even told my co-workers that I was going to get bucked off.

And this is what he gave me. Gorgeous, animated, suspension. He whinnied a couple of times, but since his supermodel girlfriend was along, he was actually pretty settled.

Looking pretty relaxed

I hand walked him around the arena once and he was really good. He was a little damp from all the trotting, so I knew I either had to throw his cooler on and call it a day or get on and keep him going.

So I got on.

Little man was foot perfect.

We walked around and stayed out of the way of the people jumping. He didn't flinch. I was having some serious "oh THIS is why I love this horse" moments, not gonna lie.

Extra careful

We picked up the trot. Instead of sticking his ears up my nostrils and flailing his legs around, Courage reached his neck forward and down and stepped out. BAM! I was beyond impressed.

We even sort of joined in on the exercise. We started out trotting some poles. He canter/leaped them the first time, but then trotted through like a champ. I couldn't believe how calm and collected he was.

Why is the crazy lady wearing my clothes?

Then the instructor directed us to trot the poles, go around the corner, and jump a little box in the snow. Courage trotted in, then halted politely in front of it.

Wasn't his fault I asked him to cross the great wall of China, haha.

We did a little circle, then he let the instructor lead him over the tiny box. A light bulb flashed on. Not the great wall! A jump!

He's got this

And guess who is the best at jumps?

Courage.

He didn't even hesitate after that. Once he understood the question, he trotted right in, snapped his knees up over it, and landed cantering.

The last time through our instructor played "Eye of the Tiger" for him and he shook his head when he landed. Little dude was so proud of himself.

We even got invited back to ride as long as the arena is good. I am so.excited. It was beyond awesome to be back in the tack. This little horse is going to be so awesome.

Christmas Time!!

I've spent the past week being anxious/depressed/generally annoyed because I hate winter. Then Wednesday I got my first ride this month (more on that later) AND my blogger secret santa present. Thank you so much to Amanda over at An Eventful life!!! I just found her blog (and like it) and I am super excited to use the soap. :-D Plus it's perfect timing since I just dirtied my tack.

Also thanks to Tracy at Fly on Over for organizing the exchange. :-) This day makes me so happy.

I think I can deal with a few more weeks of fog and cold and snow now that I have beautiful soap to try out and sniff.

Ponies in Snow

On my way to work

It's decision time. Courage and I got invited to go play in a lesson on Wednesday, but the little man hasn't been ridden since Thanksgiving weekend due to ice and snow. We don't have an indoor and he's wearing shoes, so snow is a no-go for us.

I wasn't out this weekend, but my BO is optimistic about the arena. If I can ride him today and tomorrow, we will do the lesson. If not, I just don't think it's fair to him to try and accomplish anything.

He wants to do something

The high for the week is supposed to be 35f and it's cold and foggy now. I'm crossing my fingers.

I've been working a ton, which is great from a money perspective.

It also means that I've been spending way too much time shopping for bridles for the little guy. I can't believe I've had him almost five months and he only has one bridle.

We can't all be this fabulous

This handsome man is retired and still has three of his own, one of which he hasn't even been ridden in since I bought it post-incident (but pre-Courage) this summer.

He actually had six bridles before I started thinning the collection when he retired. Since he was only active with me for about a year, that's one bridle every two months.



I know. I have a problem.

It's a problem that would be fixed by getting some actual saddle some. Wish me sun!!

Ammy Hour: Meet Sarah!!

It's that time of year again!! Let's celebrate the hard working adult amateurs that are the backbone of equestrians sport. They pay the trainers, the show fees, the board, and the rest of the dues. They are a remarkable set of people with big challenges to overcome. Here's how Sarah from Eventing in Color hands life in the irons:

D'aww

1) You’re at dinner with work colleagues. How do you introduce yourself?
 Hi, I'm Sarah. I have a husband, 2 dogs, and a horse. No, no kids. Yes, I do ride my horse. What color, you ask? He's bay, meaning brown with black legs and hair.


2) But what you really meant to say was this:
Asking me to work late in fall or spring is not going to work for me because there are limited hours of sunlight and I need it to ride!


3) Tell us about your horse: 
Bohemian is an 8-year old thoroughbred ex-racehorse who was used in production of the HBO TV series "Luck". He's tall, dark, and handsome. Very laid back personality and loves to cuddle. He's extremely smart and hard working and a brave yet careful jumper.

And hugs!!

4) How did you meet him/her?
I adopted him in April 2012. We met in a box stall for about 5 minutes, then I signed the paperwork. The first time I saw him move was as he was being walked to the trailer. Yes, I do know how crazy that is.


5) What have you done together?
We've done a fair number of small, local schooling shows, a couple of XC schoolings, and we completed two horse trials this year. Also, lots of cuddling, trail riding, and learning to go bareback.


6) Where are you going together?
We are looking to move up to BN next year, and continue on from there. I'm in no hurry, and have no lofty competition goals. I just want us both to have fun and be safe.

Addicted to cute

7) How do you finance the addiction?
Well, both my husband and I work full-time, and we constantly communicate and re-confirm our financial priorities with each other. The horse is up there with our mortgage and insurance in terms of monthly cost, but both have agreed that enjoying life by spending money on a pet and hobby is worth it for us.


8) How often do you ride?
Generally 4 to 5 rides per week. I ride 3 evenings a week and at least one weekend day.

Plus being sassy

9) What’s the single biggest thing that helps you achieve your goals?
Having modest, attainable goals. Which is a double-edged sword because sometimes you achieve them...but you don't feel very accomplished. But having realistic expectations and focusing on effort rather than results helps us to get the most out of every opportunity.





10) If there was one thing you could say to people getting ready to join the ranks of riding (or re-riding) adults, what would it be?
Firstly, it's not too late to try a new type of riding. I grew up doing saddleseat and switched to eventing as an adult. Getting lessons and learning new disciplines has been a wonderful enrichment to my horsey-life. Secondly, get the support of your significant other from the get-go. It's crucial. Thirdly, don't buy el-cheapo tall boots. Just don't.


11) Bottom Line:
We are so blessed to have horses in our life - be grateful every day for what you have, and be open to the universe bringing you horses or trainers or friends that you didn't expect to have into your life. It's all for a reason. Enjoy!



Many thanks to Sarah for participating!! She and Hemie are a fun team to keep up with and she is very honest about their struggles and successes together. I'm rooting for them!

Are you an adult amateur with a story to share? Do you know someone who should be featured? Contact me through the comments or via and email! I'm always looking for interesting people willing to share how they make it work while balancing horses and all that other stuff we have to do.

Body Clippers Rundown

I've had a couple of requests to do posts on clippers and clipping, so here goes. If you have decided to clip your horse, you then have to choose what you are going to clip with. I've clipped a lot of horses with a lot of different clippers, and here are my thoughts:

Oster Clipmasters (Variable Speed and Not) 
Smartpak $280

You know all those horror stories your hear about clipping and how horrible and itchy and awful it is? THESE CLIPPERS ARE WHY. I hate them. I HATE THEM. MAY THEY BE BURNED WITH THE HEAT OF A THOUSAND FIERY SUNS.

Ahem. Just below the head of the clippers (the black part), you will note two black slits in the casing. This is the fan that keeps the clippers cool BY BLOWING HAIR DIRECTLY INTO YOUR FACE.

I am not even kidding. I have probably clipped 5-10 horses with this model and it is every bit as bad as you might think. Tiny pieces of cut hair get into every crevice of your body.

They're loud. They're heavy. They break a lot. I don't think they get hot any faster than any other clipper, but if I never use these again, it will be too soon. DO NOT BUY THESE CLIPPERS.

I mean, if you get a steal of a deal and you only clip one horse once or twice a year and you have an unhealthy dose of self loathing, by all means, buy these. If, on the other hand, you don't hate your self, try ANY of the other options below. Seriously. ANYTHING is better than these.  You may think I'm exaggerating, but this is precisely how I feel about them. They do get the job done, but you will hate yourself for doing it.

Noted: this seems like a fairly simple engineering issue to fix. I have no idea why it hasn't been addressed. I have used old models, mid range models, and brand new models and they all suck(blow) equally.

Andis AGC Super 2 Speed with T84 blade
Smartpak $170

This petite little clipper was recommended to me and I found a new set on eBay for $120, so I snapped them up. It was a deviation from my usual tack whoring, but I feel passionately about clippers. I used these to clip C-rage this year and then used them as back up on a couple others.

The clipper body is actually just normal little clippers, basically. Stick a #10 or #15 blade on these suckers and bam! Face clipper. The T84 blade is wide enough to make body clipping not a bad deal.

Clipped with Andis

Here's the thing though: They aren't fast. The point of the ginormous body clippers is that they basically clip as fast as you can move your arms. These clippers clip at their own speed. If you're working on a twitchy TB fresh off the track who has no hair, these are THE SHIZ. Courage fell asleep while I used them and I sort of think he couldn't handle full on body clippers yet.

That said, I used them to back up my big clippers on a drafty cross and it was zero fun. ZERO. They were getting the job done, but it was going to take forever and the drafty didn't mind the big ones, so we just used those. I will say that the blade doesn't hold an edge as well as I would like--after doing a trace on Courage and a couple spots on the drafty, they really need to be sharpened before they can be used again.

So. If you have one fine haired horse, BUY THESE NOW. If you have a hairy horse and want a multi-purpose clipper and either only do an occasional trace clip or are ok with having multiple blades and taking way too long to do your body clips, also buy these. I'm quite impressed with their versatility for the price.

If I had a hairy yak, they would not be my first choice. That said, they will eventually get the job done and your nose will not be full of hair. Winning!

Star

Lister Legend Clippers (and Lister Star)
Legend: ValleyVet $290
Star: ValleyVet $240

A barn buddy got the Legend clippers last year, and it was love at first clip for me. These things are incredible. They are fairly loud. The blades are not interchangeable with the Andis/Oster models and their system to grading the blades is a little confusing at first. Noted: you body clip with a medium blade. Not the coarse or fine. Found that one out the hard way, haha.

The blades are also more expensive--$50 instead of $20.

That said.

OMG.

BUY THESE CLIPPERS NOW.

Legends

They are workhorses. Last winter, I think we clipped FIVE FILTHY, DISGUSTING horses on one set of blades and they were still going strong at the end. These clippers must have a fan but it has never, not one single time, blown hair into my face. They basically take all the unpleasantness out of clipping and just leave you with the time and comfort to finish your horse out properly.

Clipped with Listers

I have not used the Star models, but my research indicates that they are basically the cheaper Legends. That means they aren't designed to do multiple horses a day, so they heat up a little faster. Oil/lube frequently, give them quick breaks (while you brush the hair off the horse), and clip away.

I actually intended to buy the Lister Legends when I set about getting my own clippers this fall. They are that good.

If I were planning to just clip my one or two furry horses a couple times a year and maybe help out a friend here and there, I think I would buy the Stars. They are cheaper than the hateful Osters and they do a great job.


Andis Heavy Duty Corded Horse and Cattle Clipper
Amazon: $350

I was all set to pull the trigger on the Listers when these beauties came along on Tack of the Day. Andis' site lists them for $650, but Amazon always seems to have them for $350. I paid $300 on Tack of the Day. Regardless, they were well reviewed and I wanted to try them out. They came in a hard-sided carry case with cool gadgets. (Well, oil at least.)

I've only used them once so far, but it was on the drafty horse. I was very impressed. They are quieter than the average body clipper and not super heavy. The grip is easy to hang on to and the instructions for use are easy to follow.

That said.

They have a fan. It blows straight in front of the clipper, which usually clears the hair out in front of where you're working and is ok. Then you do the flanks and you have to clip straight up and yeah, it blows in your face. Not great, but not the worst design. I do like these clippers. They held their edge well, they got the job done, and they work great. That said, if I had it to do again, I'd probably buy the Listers.

These are 1000% better than the Osters, but they don't inspire the same love and devotion in me that the Listers do.

Courage has approved this message

So there you go. Clippers! I'm (obviously) pretty passionate about clippers. I think I'll do a post about the hows and why of clipping, just because it's fun and I've done it a lot and it's still too cold to ride.

Anyone else? Who wants to argue in defense of the Osters? What other clippers should be on this lists?

Winter

Too cute! 

We're hopefully at the tail end of a deep freeze that started the weekend of Thanksgiving and curtailed all horse activities. The boys are doing well.

Cuna is in his hoof boots and off his pain meds now. He's doing better than expected, but it's still very day to day.

Too cute! 

Courage is wrapped up in a heavy with a liner. I took this pic before we got inundated with snow.

I do think he's reconsidering his new lifestyle choice. His race trainer is in Phoenix, which is hella warmer than here.

What can a guy do?

Anyways. Super busy on my end. Hoping to get some new posts up soon!

Amateur Hour

Catch riding in high school

In honor of kicking off the next round of Ammy Hour interviews, here are my thoughts on amateurs and professionalism.

I'm still not quite sure how I feel about having stars clipped on C-rage's butt. It's something I've never done before. I came through the ranks of tidy, professional horse people and I appreciate all those things. So when someone I respect told me that clipping shapes on horses and wearing bright colors was "cute when you're 12, but dumb after that", I had to stop and think.

I didn't have a horse, but I had a sweet winter coat

What about those of us who didn't have a horse when they were 12? I got my first horse at 20, and I realize that's a lot earlier than many of the amateurs out there in the blogosphere. Yeah, if you had horses as a kid and got to show and play around and do all that fun stuff, cool. I'm sure you're ready to grow up and get serious and accomplish your goals, and I'm happy for you.

Going BN on the OTTB

If you're me, you worked your ass for for well over a decade on lesson horses, catch riding, and then feeling like a lottery winner because your parents let you half lease a green OTTB when you were 15, provided you paid for it. If you're me, you never got to show very much because there just wasn't money for it in my family. Forget NAJYRC--I couldn't afford to join USEA, so going novice was out of the question. I showed out of state one time, at dressage championships. I borrowed a lovely mare to go and another mother from my team paid my entry fee. God bless her.

My $2 show coat from the 4H tack sale

I never had the coolest, nicest, or fanciest anything. I'm not complaining--I know I was luckier than most kids, even kids that live in first world countries. I had a great time. I learned a lot about hard work and gratitude. I can be proud of the things I did and the horses I brought along. I certainly don't regret my childhood, but I never got to do a lot of the things I really wanted to.






So I guess I don't have a lot of patience with the "only cool if you're 12" argument. I'm not a professional. I don't want to be one. My goal is to be a happy amateur, and I'll be damned if I'm going to skip over doing new things just because some other subset of lucky people got to do more things when they were kids than I did.

It's a statement

It's not about money or resentment or reliving my childhood either--I have horses for me to enjoy. It's about having fun. As much as I respect tidy professionals with well turned out horses, if I want to clip stars on my horse's ass, then I have no remorse. It's amateur hour!

Equestrian Christmas List

It's that time of year--I get absolutely flooded with emails and catalogs from equine companies wanting me to purchase more horse stuff. Unfortunately, my family does not believe in buying horsey anything for me and I'm spending my money getting gifts for other people (and buying feed. Next time, I'll get native ponies. TBs eat so much!)

If I was going Christmas shopping for myself with an unlimited budget (hey, that whole sentence is unrealistic), here's what I'd be getting:

IT'S SO SHINY I COULD DIE!!!!

One K Helmet Defender with Bling - list price $399.00
Ok, I haven't actually tried these on yet. That said, my local tack store does carry them and the cheaper models are worth looking in to. They're a new look with all the same high tech goodies and I just want to try them. As long as it's a hypothetical Christmas list, I want the sparkles. ALL THE SPARKLES.

I'd be the coolest at everything

Dublin Pinnacle Boots - list price $199.00
I have loved these boots for like two years. I really, really want them and would wear them all the time. That said, there isn't a parallel universe in which I can see myself paying $200 for muck boots. Not even really cute muck boots that I could wear around town or ride in. Still. A girl can dream.

So classy

Kerrit's Coach's Coat - list price $199.00
I love coats. Not only would any color of this coat look awesome with my above helmet and boots, but all I'd be so warm and dry and chic and layered. I've never owned a long coat like this, but I'm sure it would make me look all svelte and model-y.

Because I love leather

Higher Standards Leather care - list price ~$15-20
I have wanted this stuff since I first heard about it. I've entered two different contests to win it, but no luck. My money has gone other places the past couple months, but maybe I'll be able to snag some early next year. Regardless, it sounds glorious and I want it all.

To fit a tiny Courage face

Ovation Fancy Stitched Wide Noseband Bridle - list price $164.95
I'm still flirting with my hunter dreams for Courage. This would get us going on the local circuit. If we wanted to go to A shows, I'm pretty sure I'd need an Arc De Triumph, but until then the Ovation would do nicely. I'd probably want a matching standing martingale, too.

Might help if I looked like her

Under Armor base layer top and bottom - list price $49.99 a piece
I hate being cold and something like this would be amazing for the cold winter months. I could use it for running and riding and be slightly less cold than I am usually.









Ogilvy Equestrian half pad - list price $239.00
I just want one.

Who wouldn't?








All the pretty things. I know I have lots to be thankful for and my life is plenty full without all the coolest and nicest things, but it's fun to look. What's on your dream wishlist this Christmas?

And Lesson #3!

Lessons are what sport horses do best

I somehow went from not having a lesson since May to have three lessons in one week. It was glorious, let me tell you. I've built up a little credit with S, so I have two more lessons coming eventually. :D

I love lessons.

Fancy canter

On Friday, a new friend came out to ride. She does love OTTBs and is -lovely- on a horse (and off, but who's counting?). After our wild adventures before Thanksgiving, I expected Courage to put on a show. Not so. He was dead lazy and his new friend Jess had to pick up a whip. She put him to work and had a good time, and he looked like this at the end of her ride, so yeah. I'm a fan.

Another shot of the ride with Jess

That brings us to Saturday. Our last lesson with S was explosive.Courage learned how to leap and flail, but hey, I learned how to ride it, and it pretty much just makes me laugh.

I focused on keeping my body quiet while getting him forward off my leg in warmup, and was rewarded by S showing up and being totally blown away by how great we were doing. I did have to admit that we were mostly just coasting on what Jess did the day before, but hey, it was fun.

And then to work! S had me really focus on making a difference with my leg. Ask nicely, then back it up. She pointed out that he doesn't know when he's ignoring me--I have to teach what the proper responses even are. We also addressed the crookedness in his body by fixing my position. He tends to twist his head and get behind my leg. Solution: hold my hands level, reins even, and insist on forward. Voila!

This horse would never bug out his shoulder

He was still bugging out his shoulder on a left circle, so we broke it back down to the walk and introduced a little bit of turn on the haunches/baby counter bend to teach him what responses I was looking for and give me some tools.

The specific exercise for the day was first to trot over three poles in a row and allow Courage to learn to use himself and spring off the ground while pushing from behind. Rock. Star. What can I say? We did a couple reps each direction, but the little dude nailed it.

And then we cantered! I made it a point to keep my heels not and not be apprehensive. If I look where I'm going and ride to it, he's actually been very good. For the canter poles, we focused on doing two on a circle. I had to generate the energy and set the pace, then settle the last three strides and let him make his own mistakes. As S pointed out, we want him to screw up at this point, especially over poles. Instead of trying to save him, I just have to let him learn to figure it out. We had good moments and less good moments, and THEY ARE ON VIDEO.

They aren't earthshaking or incredible, but if you watch about ten seconds, you will see his lovely to-die-for canter. This horse=win. The right lead was a non-event. I worked on riding better and he responded so well. This was the lead with all the leaping and flailing, and he was foot perfect on Saturday. I was so proud of both of us.

We were having some trouble with losing him out the corner, so S threw down another pole as a "fake arena wall" and then had me exaggerate the turn with my body so I wouldn't disengage him by pulling on the reins. Magic! 

Then we did the left lead. This video is a little more fun, just because he goes through the poles, then slips, then is mad that he slips and flails away. I just sat chilly and he figured it out.

Regardless. I am just loving watching the little guy move. He's really start to get it. His body is changing, his stride is changing, his brain is changing. I think the horrid weather up coming (rain and ice, yay no riding) will actually be good for him because I think the mini vacation will only help us out at this point.

Some homework from our lesson:
1) Introduce the turn on the haunches in hand so he can learn the footwork a bit better.
2) Raise my inside hand. I drop it both directions and it's not helping his straightness.
3) I need to worry a little less about the quality of his gaits right now and focus more on the simple response to leg. The quality will be very easy to address once he is forward.


I think there was more, but this is my first chance to sit down and write about it, so I hope I'm not missing too much.