Tomorrow Is The Day

Here's a hint:

Dover Circuit Elite, purchased in 2000. Not a bad-looking ride at all (I have always gotten compliments) and pretty comfy.

Is this not the very BEST kind of mess to have on one's kitchen floor??? *big cheesy grin* As you might guess, all of this was out because I'm getting ready for my first hunter lesson in at least five years, and it's taking place tomorrow afternoon. GULP!

I am never happier than when wallowing in leather, Neatsfoot oil, Lexol and all my riding goodies, especially my saddle. You can catch of a glimpse of my lovely carrying case for that on the floor behind it. It's fleece-lined and hunter green, with navy straps bordered in burgundy and my initials in burgundy. I luuuurv it and it's done a good job taking care of My Precious while that has been out of use. As a strictly lesson-student rider when I was a kid, my secondary dream to having my own horse was at least having my own saddle. That was deemed too expensive and unnecessary, so finally acquiring one was a really big thing for me. This one is actually my second, but I'll write about my first saddle another time.

I oiled up the new stirrup leathers I got and they're still pretty stiff, but I guess I'll try them. They don't match the saddle terribly well, either but I expect nobody will notice. And hopefully not because they're busy laughing at Yours Truly!

I did go ahead and splurge on a new pair of half chaps. I went to the tack shop with the intention of purchasing some inexpensive faux-leather Ovations, but those didn't fit too great, so the sales girl said, "Why don't you try the Elites?" They were twice as much money but definitely are better-made real leather, and they fit well. I wore them Wednesday to ride LiRoi and they worked pretty well. I have some little bruises on the insides of my knees, but I think once these break down in the ankles a bit all will be fine.

I thought about getting some other things (like a new saddle pad) but have convinced myself to wait and see what the barn provides. So much fun and so tempting, browsing through catalogs and online...

Wish me luck and all that because I know I'm going to be horribly rusty during my lesson, and one hurtin' puppy by Monday (two days later is always the worst after unaccustomed exercise). I'm very nervous but also can't wait! I'll be here blogging about the lesson as soon as I have time, providing my fingers still work. :-)

Maclay Comments

I got very busy last week helping my DD with her college applications (which, BTW, are making me a nervous wreck for a number of reasons), so I wasn't able to come here and finish up my Maclay 2011 ramblings. You didn't think I was going to let you go without comments regarding horses, clothing and riders, now did you? :-)

HORSES

Apparently there is a Big Eq Horse factory somewhere cranking out large, brown or bay-with-no-markings Warmbloods, because I swear that about 75% of the horses in the Maclay class fit that description. It was truly amazing. It's a good thing there was an announcer because you literally could not tell them apart! I felt like standing up and cheering when a horse of a different color came into the ring (especially a grey, of course). When I was watching the warmup on Saturday night I was astonished to see a red roan trotting around out there. Boy, would I love to show up with a flashy Pinto or Appaloosa... that would shake things up.

Well, what do you know, look what I found on the Bigeq.com website. They do exist!

This fella is a Belgian WB, billed as a 3' Eq horse or Jumper. I don't see why he couldn't go into the Hunter ring as well with those lovely knees! $40K and probably worth every penny, much-loved by a family of daughters.

This is just a pony, but what a doll... and I like his young rider's riding very much.

I have to say, though, despite the endless parade of brown horses being a little dull to look at, those eq horses (of all colors) were good eggs. Every one that I saw had his/her ears pricked and a real can-do, sporty attitude. "Okay, Mom, just point me where you want me to go and I'm there!" And it seems that they don't all cost the earth, either. Looking at the Big Eq website I am pleasantly surprised at the prices listed there. Oh, sure, some are in the stratosphere ($70,000) but there are plenty for under 20K. Of course, I bet like in every other aspect of the horse world, prices are down right now due to the economy. I remember when a friend was shopping for a Big Eq horse over 20 years ago, and her trainer couldn't seem to find a thing for under 20K.

RIDERS

I think the Brown Horse Syndrome is doubly amusing because heaven knows, the riders themselves are fairly undistinguishable. Same old, same old Tailored Sportsman breeches, dark coat, light shirt. Yaaaawwwwn. Really the only variation is in helmets and boots. With the helmets, a few years ago the "skunk stripe" GPAs were all the rage. Now it's Charles Owen GR8s or GPA Speed Airs. Thanks to a COTH Forum thread I read yesterday I have learned that Antares is in the helmet business now, and that some of the kids like those, too, but I wouldn't know one if it bit me. The uber-spendy Samshields are also picking up steam, but again - from my seat in the Arena all I noticed was the usual two suspects. Here are some course walkers modeling the GPAs:

Nope, shiny with holes just doesn't do it for me in the Equitation/Hunters (I didn't think much of the skunk-stripes, either). I greatly prefer the traditional black velvet of the COs, or even a plain matte-black finish without giant vents. Oh, well, I guess I can stand them for as long as they are in fashion, which ought to be only a couple of years, LOL. (As an aside, here's what I think I'll be getting next, if it fits me and looks okay: Ovation Deluxe Schooler. Smart-looking, appropriate and cheap!)

Some of the boots were kind of interesting. This pair belonged to a young lady who washed out after the first round and was sitting near me in the stands:

They had embossed fake (?) crocodile skin cuffs at the top and bling-y little doodads on the swagger tabs. Hey, I guess if you've got the bucks you might as well sneak a little fun into your outfit. I have no doubt that GM would NOT approve, though!

As far as the riding actually went in the Maclay, for the most part I was suitably impressed in the first round. Most every rider put in a workmanlike trip with good to great results. I saw a few who must have come from the "easy to qualify" regions: one with legs shooting forward over every fence, another who was jumped loose every time, with noodle-y legs and heels up (that could have been partly nerves - I know my lower legs practically lose sensation in the show ring, I'm so wired from crise de nerfs). The riders who moved up to the flat phase and then especially the second round were uniformly excellent, effective horsepeople. The fact that some of them didn't look so pretty bugged me... and you know by that I mean those boys. Regarding this issue, I read someone's comment on COTH where she said the boys "lead with their shoulders" - exactly. Maybe this is something they can't help? But they didn't all do it...

Anyway, if you will allow me a moment of further political incorrectness, we all know that certain rider conformation lends itself to success in equitation. Basically, if you have legs the length of a giraffe's, thighs like twigs and the BMI of a supermodel, you're going to be favored. I was gratified to see that not every rider fit into that mold. This is a good thing. Girls today have enough problems with body image and they don't need to be discouraged from riding if the family genes have rendered them less than svelte. (Take that, George!)

Here is one thing I noticed a few riders doing: posting at the canter. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but nope, that is exactly what they were up to. I forget where I saw it, if it was during the flat phase or in opening circles, but I know I did. The only other time I have seen this is on the polo field. All the players do it. For the life of me I couldn't figure out why I was seeing it in the Maclay ring (for that matter, nobody has been able to tell me yet why they do it playing polo). COTH thread to the rescue, again: supposedly this is to "help establish the quality of the canter." Hmmpf. I just think it looks weird.

AFTERWARDS

As soon as the Maclay ended, which also signaled the end of the National Horse Show, I made a beeline for the NHS merchandise table. My hunch was correct: everything had been marked down 50%! I bought a pretty enamel pin with the NHS logo on it for $3.00, which I thought was a pretty good price for a souvenir. It joined my WEG pin on one of my horsey hats.

Then I made another clandestine trip "backstage," with the specific aim of finding Sarah and congratulating her. Once again, all the barns were deserted. I moseyed around, petted some noses and admired the gorgeous horseflesh, and then went into the warmup  area/tunnel of the Arena. I thought it would be fun to see. I encountered absolutely no one... until I heard some shrieks of laughter and a young voice saying, "Don't drop the champion!" I peered around a corner and there she was, Sarah and two friends. One was a boy who had picked her up and was swinging her around. I waited until they had calmed down and were walking to the barn and then approached. I told her that I'd seen her win in St. Louis and had been rooting for her and she did a simply terrific job. She could not have been more gracious, thanking me and saying she appreciated my support. I thought about being a total fan-girl and asking for a photo with her, but it was pitch dark and I didn't want to embarrass Sarah (or myself) any more, so I skipped it. But I felt good getting to speak to her - what luck that I found her, out of everyone there!

Use Yer Noggin

"In the United States, the record is particularly dismal, with use by fewer than 1 in 8 riders."

Hmm, to what do you suppose this quote from Wikipedia is referring?

If you're guessing "wearing a helmet," you are correct. How's that for a crummy statistic? (Link to full article) I know I am a bit late to the party with this post, since the helmet safety campaign put on by "Strap One On" was a couple months ago, but it's a topic I feel strongly about, so here goes.

I always, but always, wear my:
Riding Hat
Hunt Cap
Hard Hat
Brain Bucket
ASTM-Approved Safety Device
HELMET.

Recently on one of my favorite blogs (Fugly), a debate raged between commenters regarding helmet use. I was left scratching my head. I'm sorry - in my ever so humble opinion, there is not ONE good reason/excuse/explanation/validation for not wearing a helmet when riding a horse. None. Period! (For those of you who say "nothing fits," well, keep looking - someone else in the world has your size head and I guarantee there's a manufacturer who's thought of it) I simply do not understand why anyone would be willing take a risk when the solution is so easy. Preventing a drunk driver from T-boning my car? Impossible. Preventing a fence post from caving in my skull? Possible. I'll take control of the things I can, thankyouverymuch.

This whole subject frustrates me in the same way that my dad would make me so angry when I'd beg him to stop smoking. "Gotta die from something," he'd say cheerfully. Even when I was about ten years old I'd be thinking, "Well, does it have to be from something YOU CAUSED??!?"  (Note: Dad is gone now, but unless smoking contributed to the brain disease that killed him - and thus far I've not heard of a link - it actually wasn't from his unfiltered Camels. Nevertheless, I firmly believe I would have lost him by now anyway to lung cancer because of his pack-a-day habit.)

As a kid riding back in the '60s and '70s, you can imagine what I sported on my head during equestrian activities (actually, you don't need to - just look at the blog masthead photo of me on the Pally pony). They were just like this "vintage" helmet advertised on eBay:

We called them "hard hats," they were required apparel at my barn, and I'm pretty sure their purpose was to show you rode English. Lord knows how much protection they actually offered and thank you to the same Lord for never making me find out. I fell off any number of times, but as far as I can remember - hah! - never directly onto my head, into a wall or into the path of churning hooves. I guess they were better than nothing, though what good a plastic thing with a useless, stretched-out-elastic chin strap was ever going to be is debatable.

I can tell you that even as a kid I was very, very good about wearing my helmet properly (combination of a strict mother and ingrained "listen to your elders" mentality at work). My most favorite story relating to this is the time I won an over-fences class simply because I was the only 4-H rider who had remembered to put her chin strap down. Never mind that the jumping efforts were the ugliest things imaginable and I barely completed the course - I was awarded a nice blue ribbon because I followed the rules. Nothing like a little positive reinforcement! :-)

I got serious about helmet-wearing when I was riding for a brief time in my mid-twenties. Suddenly, protecting my brain seemed to be very important, and a head cover wasn't just a fashion statement anymore. I went to the nearest tack shop and bought this:

I haven't a clue as to what brand it is, but I still think it's pretty!

At the time, it was state of the art and at $80.00, the most expensive helmet the tack shop had to offer. That was a lot of money to me (still is!) but I was glad to have something nice-looking that would also help me not become a vegetable in the event of a fall. I remember that I thought it fit too tightly but the tack shop owner convinced me that it was correct. Now I know she was absolutely right, because I tried it on before taking that photo and it still fits perfectly.

I am wearing this helmet in my avatar photo, which was taken in 2000. When I showed up in 1999 at the barn for my first riding lesson in 10 years, I proudly brought it with me. Little did I know that the English hunt seat world was on the brink of being seized by "helmet fever," and the kind of helmet you had was going to fast become "the" symbol of your conformity/wealth/what have you. What happened to spark this? I honestly don't know. Perhaps advancements in materials? Clever marketing? The willingness of famous riders to finally start wearing approved helmets in Grand Prix? Beats me. All I know is I have followed the evolution of the helmet industry with great fascination ever since, especially the skyrocketing prices. Nowadays one can drop in excess of $600 on a brain bucket!

In 1999, when I suddenly realized that a certain kind of helmet was "in" and others were not, the one to have was a Troxel Grand Prix Gold. Everyone who showed AA had one. Ergo, I wanted one, even though my ambitions ran no higher than a championship in an academy show. Unfortunately, when I tried one on it a) looked stupid as h*ll and b) didn't fit. I stuck with my faithful black velvet. Then came summer riding again, and as I looked around and saw more and more people sporting helmets with air vents, I decided it would be smart to move to ventilation and lighter weight. Furthermore, after plowing through many catalogs I realized that there were some helmets that were ASTM-Approved and some that were not. Hmm... what was mine? No question, it had to go.

I wound up buying this, I think in 2003:

Here's a look at the inside of both helmets. Easy to see the differences: closed-cell vs. open-cell foam padding, for starters.
At least both do have a decent harness. 

This Aegis at least is still "black velvet," but it also is light, has tons of ventilation, fits me extremely well and uses a dial system that's handy if I want to wear earwarmers in the winter. I love it. (If you like it, sorry, they don't make it anymore for grown-ups, just in a Jr. model. Wonder why?) I do not think twice about putting it on before each and every ride, and it goes with me on paid trail rides, too. Does it look dorky? Maybe, but frankly, I don't care. I looked a lot worse in the GPA Speed Air I tried on at the Bit 'O Britain booth at the WEG, believe me. On the other hand, the Charles Owen GR8 looked just loooooovely, fit and felt great, and if I had nothing else to do with almost $300 you can bet I'd be getting one... not needed right now. Here's me grinnin' like a fool modeling it (I also took a shot in the Speed Air but I'm not sharing that one - even my family cracked up!):

The Bit O' Britain store was un-be-lieveable. Jam-packed with people, I mean where you couldn't get through the aisles, and stacked with delicious high-priced goodies. I saw lots of people staggering away with armloads of merchandise...

For now I'm still wearing my Aegis. I have recently learned that it, too, actually ought to be replaced despite the fact that *knocks very loudly on wood* it has not suffered the least small bang (the one time I have come off in recent years, from an 18hh Percheron, I landed on the other end). Apparently you're supposed to get a new one every five years, because of the advancements in helmet-building materials (or, as my cynical side says, the desire of manufacturers to sell you a new one).

Someone wrote this during the Great Helmet Debate over on Fugly and it really resonated:

If you don't wear a helmet, it's for any/all of these three reasons: laziness, vanity or ego. Either you're too lazy to put one on, too worried about how you look in it or how your hair will look afterwards, or you're egotistical about your riding ability and/or your horse and think, "THAT will never happen to me."

I know you've probably seen one or both already, but just in case: Courtney King-Dye forgot her helmet one day, and wasn't too worried since "all" she was doing was riding dressage. These two videos should be viewed back-to-back.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/9ccUuVowyEQ

http://youtu.be/awJDYBhBPzk

And here is an excellent website with some other eye-opening stories: http://www.horse-sense.org/stories/

Thanks for listening!

What On Earth (or Horseback)???

I opened email on my phone this morning to find this message from Beval Saddlery LTD (I entered a drawing at their WEG booth and now they have my address - it's not like I've ever bought a thing from them):

I was still half asleep when I looked at the photo, so when I saw half a saddle, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. I looked again: nope, I wasn't nuts, this new saddley-thing was in fact only half a saddle. What the ----? The copy says, "The ultimate riding tool to assist the rider in obtaining the perfect position through balance and building core strength."

I clicked on the "Learn More" link and found this enhanced photo:

Along with this ad copy: 

 The Butet offers advanced designed capabilities combined with the finest materials and top European craftsmanship, which appeals to anyone who can only accept the absolute best!

The Practice saddle is a great tool for teaching riders of every level how to hold the correct position, the correct balance and will help build the strength they need to maintain it. Used by top trainers to help their students understand and promote the fundamentals of maintaining proper balance and building their core strength.

The saddle is supplied with custom girth and saddle cover.

Gosh, the latter is so awfully nice of them, considering that they are selling this HALF A SADDLE for the low, low price of $2,995.00. >.< Here's the link if you want to look for yourself.

Sarcasm aside, what do you think of this? I'd say it's an interesting idea, and I wouldn't be surprised if it does help strengthen your leg, but it seems to me you could get the same benefits riding in an old flat saddle, like the Crosby Prix de Nations that is currently serving as decoration in my bedroom. No kneerolls/blocks, no padded flap, just a couple of thin pieces of leather between your leg and the horse. Maybe I should list 'Ole Faithful on eBay for a couple thousand bucks under a tag line like, "Same Results As New Butet/Lower Price." HAH!  

Also, is it just me or does the saddle in the photo appear to be used? When you click on the website photo for more pictures, it tells you "Product images coming soon." Maybe that photo is of the one and only Butet Practice Saddle in existence, and they are just waiting to see if anyone is willing to cough up the dough before they build more. It does say "used by top trainers" but I have to wonder... I have the feeling, though, that some of the fancy H/J trainers, with clients whose parents have more money than Bill Gates (like that chick from the Hunter Derby with five horses in it... still getting over that) will probably sign right up for it. Some people are definitely impressed by the latest gimmick. Personally, I think that as long as it doesn't hurt the horse, they are welcome to have at it. I'll be the one over there dropping my stirrups to strengthen my legs and core. ;-)