Christmas Pick: Pottery!

 Morris Pottery on Etsy offers this lovely triad of horses running in neutral/earth tones. The horses on this plate are slip trailed in black over a variety of colors on a gold to brown background, on e plate just under 12" wid.. The foot can be fitted with a wire for hanging display. Food and dishwasher safe!

 Horses Running $25

Two Horses $25

Where's that Suga Daddy already?

I love love love this ring, but the price is as stunning as the item. I'll have to win the lottery big to get this one...

$4,200 (dollars) from Sundancecatalog.com

Ribbons and trophies: Musing on winnning

Okay, it's time for True Confessions.  This year I was lucky enough to get some above average schooling show scores, in no small part due to the judges seeing Ri's potential and good attitude.  I've submitted them for some year end awards (two GMOs).  I hate waiting for the results! The temptation is to cull through the newsletters and see the likelihood of getting  in the top six ribbons -- but it's kind of unsavory, isn't it?

I've resisted.

One thing that's helped maintain a bit of perspective on the whole business is reading this wonderful post by The Dressage Curmudgeon. She writes about the amateur's elation at winning the coveted blue ribbon...

"It is hard to be objective when you arms are bundled with carrots and leadshanks and shampoo, and you are basking in the glory of kicking the ass of other sweating middle aged women on their sweating middle aged horses..."
-- The Dressage Curmudgeon

This passage made me laugh out loud. Maybe the image of the fifty-something woman bouncing around the ring isn't strictly true--there are a lot of talented juniors and very fit, accomplished riders out there competing. Winning does mean something. I'm just not sure if it means what I want it to mean. Skill is a big part of winning -- but so is the quality of the horse, and the support of a trainer, and just plain  luck (weather, who shows up that day, who's judging).   Truth to tell, I doubt that my accomplishments in the ring merit the grandeur of the ribbons and the trophies.

Doggone it, I want them anyway :-).

Christmas Pick: Dressage Diva pride

NOTE TO BTB READERS: Remember guys, enter to win the cool horseshoe earrings -- drawing is soon!

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I love Tempi Designs stuff -- especially the dressage diva line. For the price point (cheap!), Cafe Press products are of unusually good quality, and the graphics come out crisp and professional-looking. As a lover of fonts and typeface, all all that can be conveyed through them, this is a divine logo worthy of a t-shirt, beverage cup, bag, or mobile device accessory.

Iphone case, under $19

About $27!

Awesome riding: What a seat!

Check out this eye-popper of a riding sequence, posted by Stal Bosman and shared with me by Becky Boydston of NC. While it's a near-emergency situation IMHO, and you can't hold anyone accountable for acting in the moment, the trainer on the ground does no good at all by shouting through the entire episode. That said, I would probably have started crying.

Stal Bosman Herman Koorman en Elmondo - Zadelmak maken & voor de derde keer erop.

Full English Breakfast: British humor (love it)

This has to do with the Olympics 2012, so yes it is old news, but oh how I love British humor...

Christmas picks: Night night , night light

This is just a lovely little item, isn't it? The price is a nice surprise. As always, if you are buying online try not to buy onesy-twosey so that you don't spend all that money on shipping. Fortunately this site has a lot of nice stuff...

At only $15, this looks like a great gift to me! From Horseandhound.com.

Christmas picks: Horse holiday earrings

I want a pair of these myself, and I don't normally wear earrings much. Adorable.

Holiday earrings from Back in the Saddle - about $20. I also like the enameled horseshoe necklace.

All tied up! Stock ties

Etsy.com never ceases to amaze me -- it has some of the best stuff! Here is a stock tie that would be much-loved by some horse lover in your life. From alltiedup stock ties. At $52 it is more than a stocking stuffer, but it's competitively priced.

I hope Bob sees this.

See many colors and options. I think the piping is fab.

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm so grateful for...

Well, I'm loving life right now so I need to be thankful for everything I've got going. But on the more superficial note...

I just got our tix to Rolex 2013 -- and for the plane, hotel, tix (general admission and stadium jumping), and rental car, the total cost was just under $800. My one vacation every year is affordable -- something to be grateful for, yes? Anyone who wants to meet for a meal, pipe in. Last year I met up with Becky and Courtney, Heather, Paige and David, and a few others I think. Very fun.

Was Burghley a pipe dream?
Bob is rethinking his commitment to go to Burghley in September 2013. This last bit of crappo weather occurred while we were travelling and getting back home was a little dicey, not to mention expensive.  I see his point, but we've never been anywhere off the continent. This is as good a time as any.

I have a reservation at the Stamford Lodge that I can back out of, and if I can't a) convince him to go or b) find a travelling partner I suppose I'll cancel. I guess it's a win-win in some ways, I'd be glad to go but also glad to save the money.  The first ticket check puts the flight alone at about a grand.

My good luck earrings: A Giveaway and discount code!!!

These earrings look expensive--but they aren't

In the photo I took yesterday of Harv, I was in work attire (in my rush to see Harv I didn't change clothes). I happen to be wearing a cool pair of horseshoe earrings. This was unintentional but serendipitous.  I was planning to blog about the earrings I'm wearing in the photo anyway. These will forever be my good luck earrings.

Discount code from Pinklette!
My earrings are from Pinklette, and Pinklette is kindly offering a giveaway and a 20% discount code to BTB buyers. Just enter behindthebit at checkout for your discount. I'm eyeing several bracelets right now. 

At just $29 the earrings are a great gift price point, and I love how classic they are. Pinklette has an equestrian collection that is super versatile--you can go classic or funk it up.

Win a pair of earrings!
Post a comment a) on this blog post and b) the pinklette facebook page describing your ideal outfit which would include these earrings.  If they're a gift describe why the recipient would love them. Make sure to include some form of contact information, a facebook page, blog page, or email, in case you win.

Enjoy your shopping discount (and post to Pinklette when you use it)!

Harv's thanksgiving day

Harv has had a rough few days, and Sunday night I thought I might not have him in my life for much longer. He colicked Sunday afternoon, and while I have not seen many colics, this was moderately bad -- and for an old horse, it was serious.

I walked Harv in from the field at 2:30 Sunday, and when we got back to his stall I threw some carrots in his feed bucket.  Maybe a half hour later, one of the workers reported he was pawing. He had not eaten the carrots and refused food. We acted quickly with the standard meds for colic and called the vet. Within an hour he was pawing, groaning,  and trying to lie down.

The vet came and checked his vitals:

• normal heart rate or just slightly high
• unsteady,wobbly hindquarters
• elevated respiration
• flared nostrils
• pale gums
• some gut sounds initially (later they stopped)

The vet noted he has a significant heart murmur too. She vet did a rectal  (nothing remarkable). She tubed him and gave him more banamine. No real change. She predicted he would not have a good night, and her overall prognosis was guarded. She left us some sedative with painkiller. We made arrangement for her to come back in the am.

For those who may wonder, I did not want to take Harv to a facility (it was suggested). It is not about money. I have given this thought well before Sunday. Harv is 26, and he is elderly. Moving him while he is sick would be traumatic. If he is going to pass, I don't want him to be surrounded by strangers in a strange place. I asked the vet what they can do for him at a facility, and her response was better pain management and hydration (not sure about the latter, I've seen horses with IV bags at barns). Whatever happened, I didn't want Harv to face some drawn-out ordeal.

I watched Harv till about 10pm, and he was checked every few hours through the night (I got text updates). At one point he must have thrashed around or fallen because he got some scrapes on his head and neck. At 3am, I got my miracle text: "Harv looks ok in this moment." At 6am, he still looked okay and he was pooping. He has steadily improved. Tonight he looked tired, but he has been hungry, and pooping.

Now he has to drink more, and I'm looking for that mineral oil in his poop. No sign of it yet. But last night he looked pretty good. Think good thoughts about my old friend. He's been in my life since I was 36 years old (I'm  52 now). I don't need to tell any of you what he means to me. 

Christmas stocking stuffer f

From VTO Saddlery, this strap an inexpensive and useful item for lungeing and storage. As someone who is tall with Loooong leathers, this is a nifty item. Big thumbs up!

Holiday gift pick: Christmas stocking (plain bay wrapper)

Readers, it's time for the holiday gift giving suggestions that I make every year. Here goes...

I love this Christmas stocking from horseandhound.com. $29 is not too-too bad. The catalog has quite an assortment of dog breed stockings too.

Foundation: Hanoverian stallion

Pretty fancy! He is by Fidertanz and owned by Paul Schockemöhle.  From the web site: "Foundation passed his 30-day test in Schlieckau with excellent scores: Twice a 10.0 for trot and canter in the final test, 9.5 each for character and willingness to perform as well as 9.25 for rideabiltiy: Foundation finished his test with an average score of 9.13 for inner values, 9.57 for trot and canter. We are very proud and glad that he is meeting all our expectations!"

Mirror mirror: Mares and mirrors

I have noticed something interesting about mares, and forgive me if it's a bit of a gender stereotype. Have you ever noticed that they are more mindful of mirrors? I don't mean spooky, I mean... Well... Vanity? Self-regard?  Maybe just self-awareness?

I've seen mares on the loose take time from their wild running-around to stop and "check their look" in the arena mirror. Here is a mare that is transfixed by that gorgeous new herdmate she sees -- and then doesn't see. It's not the fastest-paced funny video, but I love watching her try to figure this mystery out. You can just see her wheels turning...

Sezuan: New mental image of canter

Sezuan, a newly approved Danish Warmblood, received three tens and a 9.5 at the Danish stallion approval recently. Because I'm a Eurohorse junkie (watch a lot of videos) I was not wowed until I saw the canter. Man, check out this canter! Expressive, no? This may be my new mental image of the ideal canter.

Details on the stallion are available from this Eurodressage.com article.

On the subject of canter, Riley's canter is improving dramatically with a little trainer intervention.  Under the wing of our new trainer, I'm getting a good "feel" for how he should be going.  He'll be in a big name clinic in December, and I hope to get some insight on our progress.

New training move: Black Bug Down!

Adelinde Cornelissen, dressage rider, decided to step up her game in getting into shape. She worked with a personal trainer who specializes in gymnast training (read article here). In this video she shows us her tough training regimen in this Youtube video. I was mostly struck by the first ab move. To me, it looks like a struggling bug, and when you watch the coach do it, it looks like you could really hurt yourself. More power to'em? Better them than me? Somehow I'm not inspired by that particular exercise -- it looks more like a cautionary tale about "the lengths people go to."  Aren't there safer ways to work that muscle group? What say you all?

Olympics 1920: Equestrian sport way back when

Although this fellow looks quite dashing, there are a few moments in this footage that look "pre-Xenophon" (see 1:02 minutes) to be sure.

Gangnam Giddyup: Pop culture bewilderment

There are more than a few equestrian references in the video...

Insulated from teen pop culture as I am, this meme (circa summer 2012) is old news by now. Why is this post-worthy? Because:

1.  many of you may have missed it as well.
2.  it does sort of have an equestrian theme

Therefore,I bring you: my Gangnam style blog post. Gangnam style started as a video (check it out.)

The music is not my taste, and the dancing is not exactly Thriller--but there's a lot to like about a video that looks like it was fun to make and contains no violence or graphic anything. It does not try to be cool. There have been a lot of parodies of this video, which is funny because I thought the original was a parody. Here is the signature dance move which is repeated throughout the video. Many of us have performed this dance move, albeit in our childhood, and I guess the Korean word for this move is something like "ride a horse." Now that the election is over, I guess horse dancing is something we all now know about.

 

"The mass appeal of the music video has been attributed to its signature dance move known as
'the horse-riding dance,' which combines the stylistic elements of shuffle dancing
and hand movements resembling the posture of a horseback rider."

Ri update!

LVDA Championships -- photo Terry Wetzel

So Ri and Harv have settled in at the new barn -- all is going well. Ri's program has been altered pretty dramatically, and it sits well with him. It's clear that I need to work on improving my seat and position, and Ri's gotta move to the next phase of his training, which is less push and more lift.

I'm hearing the same advice from all points, and my last show of the season was a recognized show. Judge Heather Mason gave some super comments -- positive but not mincing words. I feel we're on the right path, and being in a more structured program is benefitting Ri and I both. Managing his feet and dealing with all those lost shoes was for the birds. So much has been lifted from my shoulders...

Horse Farms featured in local "stylin" magazine

Lehigh Valley Style did a big feature on the horse life in teh Lehigh Valley. Itdid not seem to get a lot of attention in the local equestrian community. Here it is! [pdf file of the article].

A local stable called Wentz Stables is featured prominently, as well as a few others including a farm I boarded at when I first moved here. The pictures show off the area farms to advantage. I could quibble over the fit of some of the rider apparel (breeches are oddly baggy) but the clothes are definitely "haute" and fun, so long as no one comes to the conclusion that nothing like this is actually worn anywhere near a barn.

Black Caviar for Christmas

Sure, sex sells, but so do horses! Here are two pretty girls -- the model, who appears to be a rider, and the mare, Black Caviar. Thanks to Jessica of fourteencarrots for this idea.

"Australian horse racing champion Julia Nobis graces the December 2012 issue of Vogue Australia. For the cover photo she pose alongside her race horse Black Caviar. Benny Horne’s lens capture her wearing a gown from Alexander McQueen. Read more about it in the Herald Sun article..."

Christmas Bling: Gift in search of an audience

Sure, I'd love one of these from equestrian jewelry. But at $1800 I wonder who the target audience is. Most U.S. horse owners aren't too interested in breed registries, and how many breeders would be able to afford something like this? I guess you wouldn't need to see too many at that price. Here is a less extravagant thoroughbred pendant...

Looking ahead to Christmas...

Ebay has this super-wonderful pony video -- gotta watch it!

So, I'll be beating the bushes for Christmas updates and tips, but here is one:

Classicdressage.com

I have been coveting a certain very expensive European blanket for quite a while. Mid-weight is $219. Well, guess who went to classicdressage.com (a UK-based tack shop) and got it for less than $150 including shipping.  It was not on sale. I have heard that amirashop.co.ukhttp://amirashop.co.uk also has a lot of things cheaper than you can buy them in the states. It's worth a try!

Scented tack soap -- it's about time!

I was able to test this at Devon -- it's wonderful stuff. It smells great, it's the right consistency (not too thick or runny), and it feels gentle. I lingered for a long time near the test soaps, trying to decide if I should buy soap when I have a lot of unused soap at home. In a rare moment of frugality, I chose not to buy right then. But the citrus/basil scent is in my future...

Non-traditional horse alert! Shiwon Green and Gosh

How did I miss this interesting story of the New Zealand rider Shiwon Green and her Grand Prix "blended horse," Gosh? Green describes Gosh: "He's a crossbred, by a thoroughbred out of [a] trotting/clydesdale/arab crossbred mongrel mare that you wouldn't try to breed a horse out of." (Waikato Times). If he was not bred for dressage, you wouldn't know it from this footage.  Love this horse. To see how his Grand Prix work has progressed in just one year, watch both videos. I thought the difference was most striking in the half passes and canter pirouette...

2010        A year later, 2011    And for fun, here is their freestyle..  He's reportedly a difficult ride. She bought Gosh to be a lower level dressage and event horse. Green herself is pretty impressive, a part-time nurse and mom who also happens to train horses to Grand Prix and compete at a high level and oh, yeah, she supports THINK, a helmet-promoting organization in her home country. I hear her story and hang my head. She shows us how much we can accomplish if we try...

Trails and vistas

Haven't yet taken Ri out for a trail ride, and the weather is turning now, but I sure can appreciate the view from our barn...

Barn cats

They may not all have a great life -- but ours do. Here a gray kitty sleeps in Harv's stall while he is on turnout...

The moments we live for...

This may be one of my favorite photos of all time. The little girl won first place in a class of over 29 riders.

Caroline on Pondview Pure Elegance with her trainer Katie Lewis Yereance from Sea-Vu Farm
winning the walk-trot pleasure class out of 29 kids at the Morgan Grand Nationals.

Photo Courtesy of Photos By Dave & Andy, LLC

Like the pony, love the rider!

The pony is lovely -- but my eye is drawn to this young rider's position and the fluidity of her seat/upper body. Really pretty picture overall, for both subjects.

CYOA: Create your own auction

Okay, so you're at an auction in Germany or somewhere else in Europe, and these are your choices. Which one do you bid on, and why?

Ampere - Gribaldi


L'Espoir - Sandro Hit
Ampere - Damon Hill