Happy Halloween

If you've ever been to one, you know that holiday parties at the barn are a lot of fun! (Especially when there are costumes). Horses and ponies must get into the spirit of the holiday as well, why else would they let us dress them up?? Here are some great photos, from the LEC Haloween party, courtesy of Sandie McConnel. Sandie, and her mare Onya came as a couple of witches.















Alyse Hunt and Poet came as hippies. Alyse did an excellent job designing our dressage trail course. It was both challenging and fun!
















Caroline Kilday and Reggae were Mummies. Did you know ancient Egyptian horses were traditionally wrapped in Vetwrap?

















Cheri Harker, and her sport pony Sam were victims of a nasty spill at the Hunt. Kudos to Charli Harker for doing an excellent job on her mom's make-up. She looked really REALLY bad!
















Kristin Feese got in touch with her inner child by dressing Celbrity (Britt) as a My Little Pony. Swat, I was told, is the key to this costume.
















Libby Pollack and Cappy were the winners of the Junior Costume class with their CUTE Bunny outfits. Both the pony and the girl had fluff ball tails. It should be noted that Libby rocked the trail course also!



Margaret Harre put everyone else to shame as the Queen of Halloween. A simply fantastic costume. Her husband could be heard bemoaning the early arrival of the full moon, as apparently his costume comes and goes. An odd rental policy indeed!


If you have photos of you and your horse (or dog/cat) in Costumes please send them to me at margndob@hotmail.com I will post Halloween shots until Friday!!

Out of Season

Dear Horse Catalog Senders:

ENOUGH ALREADY WITH THE CHRISTMAS CATALOGS!!! Seriously, I've gotten 5 of them since last Friday, and I just can't take it anymore....I'll order I promise, just give me another 2 weeks free of holly berries and adorable horse gifts!

Happy Halloween!
Margo

Parntership Through a Lens

Dream of Black





Me!


Margo & Dobby on a lazy Sunday




Dobby checking the treat pocket


Yes I kiss my horse!

A very special thank you to Donna and Caroline Kilday for all their work with us on Sunday afternoon. I will cherish the results forever!

Donna will take event photos and portraits as she is available. Check out the rest of her work at www.djkphotos.com!

Thinking of you

To Horse Owners in Southern California that are facing the scary and daunting task of evacuating you and your horses:

Please know that we are thinking of you! You are in our thoughts and prayers! There is a large horse community out here just waiting to help if you need refuge.....even all the way in Nebraska!

Some truths in the horse world

WHAT DO YOU DO ...

To induce labor in a mare?
Take a nap.

To cure equine constipation?
Load them in a clean trailer.

To cure equine insomnia?
Show them in a halter class.

To get a horse to wash their own feet?
Clean the water trough and fill it with fresh water.

To get a mare to come in heat?
Take her to a show.

To make sure that a mare has that beautiful, perfectly marked foal you always wanted?
Sell her before she foals.

To get a show horse to set up perfect and really stretch?
Get him out late at night or anytime no one is around to see him.

To induce a cold snap in the weather?
Clip a horse.

To make it rain?
Mow a field of hay.

To make a small fortune in the horse business?
Start with a large one.

The Other Man

Like the good friend I am, I've been babysitting Durango for the past couple days while he stays at LEC. I feed him, take him for walks, groom him, clean his stall and assure him that his mother (Jamee)will be coming back for him on Monday.

The one bad move I may have made over the course of the past couple days was to put Durango in the stall next to Dobby. Dobby, is well, a bit spoiled and I maybe dote on him just a little bit. The notion of me talking to, grooming, walking feeding and assuring another horse is horrifying to him. I'm his lady, he doesn't want to share.

So Yesterday morning I went out to feed, and was greeted with nickers in stereo. When I was in Durango's stall, Dobby glared at me, when I went to Dobby's stall Durango gave me the evil eye. I can't say hello to one, and not the other. If one guy gets an apple, then the other must too...and on and on we go until finally I proclaim that both of them are acting like total babies, and walk off.

Multiplying my issues is the fact that Dobby and Durango also LOVE each other. I'm reasnably certain Dobby and Durango bonded over a mutual love of automatic waterers. I walked by their stalls, and they are both eating their hay under the waterer, or taking a nap, side-by-side. It was really cute until I took Durango out for a walk, and ended up in the middle of call and answer between Dob and Durango. Pathetic. Vice versa when I took Dobby out for Sunday Spa day.

It's funny how quickly horses form friendships, but then again Jamee and I hit it off right away when we met, so there should be no reason that our horses (who are reflections of our own personalities) wouldn't also get along. Durango leaves LEC tonight after his demonstration ride for Purnia Mills. Maybe when Durango hops onto the trailer he'll miss his dopey warmblood buddy just a little bit. I know Dobby will miss Durango. It's always nice to have your friends in town and sad to see them go.

Learn to Fly

If by chance, you're looking for something fun to do with your horse this weekend, you should come to LEC on Sunday for it's very first Combined Training show. Dressage and Jumping, two great disciplines that go great together!!!

LEC is offering Dressage classes in the morning (Intro - 1st) and Jumper classes (micro x-rails to 3'3") starting around 11am. Though the entry date has passed for CT classes, there are a VERY limited number of ghost times available for late comers who want one last dance in the Dressage arena this year. Day of entries for jumping classes are both welcomed and encouraged. You can sign-up in the morning, or as you're walking into your jumping class.

The jumps will be set in the large outdoor arena, and because of the predicted rain, dressage will be done in a small arena, indoors. Warm up will be in LEC's outdoor dressage ring (which has had footing removed since the Almost Summer Galas)

I encourage all of you to come out and join in the fun. Get your jumper to come through, and behave himself in a dressage test, challange your dressage horse to fly. Dip your toe in a different style of riding!! This will be a no pressure, fun day! And maybe if you're lucky you'll catch a glimpse of me and Dobby hopping over micro x-rails!

Regionals: A BIG DAMN DEAL!

USDF Region IV Championships will be held this Friday thru Sunday in St. Louis Missouri. Many of our fellow NDA members and friends have qualified to ride in the championship this year. I'd like to take a moment to congratulate all of them for achieving that goal.

In order to qualify to compete at USDF Regional Championships, a rider must earn a qualifying score from two judges, at two separate USDF recognized shows riding the most difficult test from a given level (Ex: First level test 4) A rider must enter into a special USDF Qualifying class, the qualifying classes generally cost an additional $10.00.

Qualifying scores are different depending upon your level, and division. For example the current standards for Training, First and Second are:

Training level: Open-68% AA-63% Jr/Yr-63%
First Level: Open-66% AA-62% Jr/Yr-62%
Second Level: Open-64% AA-61% Jr/Yr-61%
(click here for full detail on qualifying scores and regulations)

Once you've gotten your scores, you submit your tests along with membership cards for you and your horse (both horse and rider MUST be members of USDF & USEF) to the show management and start working. A person may ride the same horse at two different levels (ex: Training and First)in championship classes. You can also ride multiple horses in the same championship class. However, once a horse and rider combination has won a Championship at a particular level, they are not eligible to compete in the same championship class again.

Whew! Are you still with me?

Having in my past, ridden in several Regional Championship Shows, I can tell you the pressure of the event is great. A whole year of showing comes down to one test, ridden from memory without your whip (those are the rules). It is nerve wracking! All the other riders in your class have made it here, so you know you're up against the cream of the crop. A win at Regionals is a great accomplishment.

Again, I congratulate all who have qualified for this weekend. I wish you the very best of luck!

A Bright Shining Light Amid The Fog of Dressage

Reinbow equestrian center hosted a clinic by Jan Ebeling this past weekend. For the first time in years I was able to participate in the clinic, and I was thrilled. Nervous at the outset, but thrilled with the results.

Jan has one of the very best qualities a clinian can have. He is able to break down your problems to the most elemental parts and work with you until you can solve them. He gives you simple steps you can take at home, that are within your abilities to improve your own horse.

All the participants I spoke with seemed very pleased with their lessons. Virginia Mattson rode her lovely gelding Floyd on Saturday, and came back Sunday to audit. She exuded happiness "Lighbulbs! Lots of lightbulbs!" she could be overheard saying.

Heidi Basler rode her stunning mare Stella and a few of her client's horses. The mare is such a nice mover my dressage neophyte boyfriend commented that she "seemed to float." He also thought it was fun to watch all the different horses move.

Jamee Amundson-Folmer brought her gelding, Finale. They have really developed into a lovely pair. It is amazing how much can be achieved in one year. In one of the sweeter moments of the weekend, he asked about his favorite spotted horse with no tail. Durango, sadly had to stay home, so his partner can focus on the next generation. He was missed.

All of the riders in the clinic should be proud of how well they rode. I saw improvement in all the riders who I had a chance to watch. I learned a great deal from not only riding, but also watching everyone work. Way to ride ladies! I left the clinic on Sunday feeling happy and inspired. Lots of work to do this fall and winter. I can't wait!

Special thanks to Sharon Tepley for providing her lovely facility for all of us to use, as well as the great care she gave to the visiting horses. We apprceciate it!

TD Talk-Competition Evaluations

As a competitor at USEF/USDF shows, you have the ability to "score" show management and competition officials after the show. It's your turn to judge the judge or rate the management. After all....dressage shows are a customer service business and you are the customer.....therefore your opinion matters!!

USEF publishes two evaluation forms on their website. These evaluations for show management as well as show officials are available here. Then click on the Evaluation Forms.

PLEASE fills out these forms when you get home. It doesn't take long. Don't feel like you have to fill them out ONLY when there was a big problem. Fill them out when things are bad, fill them out when things are mediocre and fill them out when things are wonderful. USEF does not have the ability to police each and every show and/or official. They need the help of competitors to know how things are going. If you felt a judge did a great job, write that on your evaluation. If you felt like the TD was an over-bearing fruitcake, write that on your evaluation. Without feedback from competitors, USEF has no way of knowing about rogue judges or exceptional judges. They have no way of knowing that a competition's license should be reconsidered.

You pay a lot of money at a recognized show. Be sure that your voice is heard!!

More Press for FOBB

Traver DeMaranville is an FOBB. He is the son of NDA secretary and Hilltop Ranch and Tack owner, Janelle Stelk.

Traver is very supportive of his mother's dressage endeavors and is a kind soul and a wonderful helping hand.

He runs a horse drawn business that was featured in this article in the Trade West Newspaper.

Keep him in mind for your weddings, anniversaries, funerals, special occasions and parades!!

The Clinicians Are Coming!!

October 6-7 will be another busy weekend for dressage enthusiasts!

There is a Jan Ebeling clinic at Reinbow Dressage Centre. Debbie Sedlacek's barn is hosting Brad Kutchall this weekend as well!

If you get a chance, try to check out one of these great clinics this weekend. A rider can learn a great deal simply by auditing a clinic. It doesn't matter what sort of horse the participants are riding or at what level, many times simply watching others ride is a good learning experience. You may find yourself inspired by someone's great seat, or feel comforted that someone you admire has struggles in the saddle as well.

In my experience as both a clinic rider, and auditor, a good clinician is always willing to answer pertinent questions from auditors. If you've always wondered about the mechanics behind the half-pass a clinician is a great person to ask. He or she may even have the rider demonstrate the answer for you. Clinics are learning experiences for everyone involved, so when you go, whether it is this weekend or future clinics, be an active auditor!