Pinto show this weekend

Got to the show quick. Trailer all hooked up and ready for bed tonight. Maddie is already on her horse working with her awesome trainer. Mommy is at Costco getting pizzas. Great start to this weekend .

Pinworms what are they?

Showing horses doesn’t start in the arena it is a 24/7 commitment to yourself and you horse.  This includes exercise, nutrition and proper health maintenance. 

Within the last few weeks I have noticed a large amount of horses coming down with pinworms.  I know nothing about pinworms other than just the thought really grosses me out.  I decided I needed to educate myself on these yucky little creatures in order to possibly prevent our Indie from getting them. 

Here’s what I learned:

Pinworms have the most efficient life cycle of all the parasites that infect the horse. They don't migrate through any organ tissue, and they have developed a means of reproduction by which the eggs don't leave the herd of horses.

While the horse is relaxed or sleeping, female pinworms crawl out of the horse's rectum, deposit eggs and a sticky substance on the perianal region of the horse, and crawl back into the rectum. Infective pinworm eggs are ingested orally and, once in the colon, the larvae develop through various stages before becoming sexually mature in about five months. As horses migrate, they take the eggs and adults with them.

About the only damage that pinworms cause is itching of the tail head. This annoys the horse but doesn't threaten its life. Because pinworms spend their entire lives in the lumen of the intestine and don't migrate, they cause very little physical damage to the horse. Horses can have massive pinworm infections without exhibiting significant health problems.

To treat pinworms you will need to find a wormer with the active ingredients such as ivermectin, moxidectin, oxibendazole, pyrantel pamoate, pyrantel tartrate and fenbendazole.

To get an idea of what pinworms look like see the images below.

 

 

Humans cannot get pinworms, though you can spread them from horse to horse without proper washing.  Wash, wash, wash your hands as well as any other it items you have used between horses.  I currently have all my brushes in a bucket of bleach water soaking.  You don’t need to panic by all means just be aware of cross contamination.

A great article on pinworms can be found at:

http://www.parksidevets.com/news/article/54/Pinworms-in-horses.html

 

**I am not a veterinarian and all information I provided was taken from different web sites and books. If you believe your horse could have pinworms or any other health concerns always contact your veterinarian.

Getting those winter blankets clean and ready to store for summer

As winter is coming to an end we are all putting our winter blankets away and bring out our spring sheets.  We are thinking about getting them clean and how to store them until next year.  There are so many options for cleaning and storing blankets.  Me being a thrifty mom wants to get the biggest bang for my buck so I started doing some research on the easiest way to wash a horse blankets.  You’d be amazed at the different ideas on washing blankets.  Some take them in to professionals, others wash at home, some just brush off the dirt and shake out the hair.  There are also others that have different ideas on whether to use at home laundry soap or to get expensive stuff from the tack store.

With all these different ideas out there I wanted to give everyone a chance to decide for themselves.  Below are a few articles I found on this subject.  Some just make sense.  Obviously fabric softeners can cause irrigation to your horse skin.  Also if it’s not dry when you go to store it for the summer it will rot.  But I didn’t think about how soap can break down the waterproofing on a blanket.  I’d be curious to know if this is true.

 

http://www.petplace.com/horses/how-to-clean-horse-blankets/page1.aspx

http://www.beginninghorsemanship.com/?page_id=384

 

Now for how I do it (please note I hum the Mission Impossible song the entire time):

How to wash a horse blanket Summer style...

Step 1:

Wad messy muddy blanket into a ball of ick, put in back of my car.

Step 2:

Drive by laundry mat... scope out any witnesses.

Step 3:

Drive by again. Drop off  Maddie who will load the supersized industrial washer with needed coins.

Step 4:

Park, unload icky wad of smelly horse blanket... run to said washer and stuff it in. Have Maddie standing at doorway ready to fake an illness if spotted.

Step 5:

Hit Start, make sure it locks... and run back to car, go for 30 minute coffee.

Step 6:

Arrive 5 minutes before washer finishes. Have Maddie at car/doorway opening back of car.

Step 7: Once it finalizes the last Spin and unlocks... Grab damp blanket and run like hell! Stuff it in the car and DRIVE!

Step 8: Take blanket home, Toss over fence to dry in sunlight.

Giving Andis Clippers away while supporting a passion of mine!

I wrote a post on the Horse Showing Mom facebook page yesterday about how using positive reinforcement as a trainer can make a youth rider excel in their riding abilities.  I received so much feed back to support this way of training.  There was one though that stood out to me.  It opened my mind and heart to a whole new way of applying this idea to riding.  The message was below:

“Horse rehab for cancer patients:

 
Healing Reins is a national accredited horse-centered therapy program in Central Oregon.

The program helps more than 100 riders a week including those suffering with autism, traumatic brain injuries to even at-risk youth.

Now, add cancer patients.

The High Hopes Cancer Survivor Program started six months ago, through St. Charles-Bend.

The program helps patients who are six months to a year into their recovery.

The program has six riders this term, teaching them the basic level of grooming to riding.

"It's really exciting, because this program can help everybody," said Polly Cohen, Healing Reins program director. "Men, women, young kids -- even older adults can help by being in this program."

The 8-week session costs the program about $240 per rider. But for these riders, it's all free.

It's a way for the program to give back to the community, staff members say -- especially since just about all of us have been affected by someone with cancer.

If you would like to help contribute to the High Hopes program, you can donate by calling Healing Reins at 541-382-9410. Learn more about the programs of Healing Reins at http://www.healingreins.org/”

I was so selfishly thinking about my daughters experience while riding and I never thought about those whose lives are changed every day just by getting on a horse, touching them, caring for them, loving them.

Since I started my blog I have never said 100% I believe in this, but I will say I 100% believe in what these people are doing.  Because I do believe in what they are doing I am dedicating an awesome giveaway to help support them.  Andis sent me some pretty nice cordless clipper.  I will be giving these to one reader who sends a donation to this program.  It doesn’t have to be big.  If you can only do a dollar that’s ok.  For that dollar donation you can not only help make a difference in someone’s life giving them the opportunity to ride like we do, but you are have an opportunity to win the Andis Super AGR+ Professional Rechargeable Animal Clippers with Sensa-Charge. 

Here’s how to be entered to win:

1.)   Send your donation to:

Healing Reins Therapeutic Riding Center
60575 Billadeau Road, Bend, Oregon 97702

2.)   Either comment on the blog page under comments, email me at horseshowingmom.com or comment on the Horse Showing Mom facebook page.  Just let me know you did it.  (It’s the honors system.  No proof needed)

That’s it.  It’s that simple!

I will be closing the giveaway in one week.  It will run from 4/21/13- 4/28/13.

 

**I do not know the individuals who run this organization and the person who contacted me is not affiliated with them.  I hope someday they will allow me to spend some time working with them and to give them all hugs thanking them for what they are doing.  Prayers of thanks for the folks at Healing Reins Therapeutic Riding Center.**

How to get the white, white!!

I had the opportunity to speak with the founder and owner of Luck Braids.  I found Ruthann Smith to have a true passion for making your horse show at his very best through a proper grooming regiment.  Her knowledge was very in depth.  She gained this knowledge though extensive research on her products and by using them on the show ring.

As many of you have seen our Indie is a very white boy.  Keeping him white is a challenge.  When looking though the Lucky Braid website I found an article I think was written just for us.   It outlines exactly what to do to maintain you white and grey horses. 

Here's a link to the article:

http://luckybraids.com/edu/WhiteLies.pdf

We could learn something from our horses

I was at the barn last night helping Maddie get Indie ready to ride. One of the other boarders came in looking very sad. I asked her what was wrong and she told me she had just lost her daughter. She was 36 years old. How difficult it must be to lose your child at such a young age. She had come to the barn to hug her daughters horse. Its amazing how our horses can bring such comfort in our times of need. He was just eating his hay, but just his presents meant everything to her. Maybe we can learn from our horses. When someone is hurting we don't need to say anything we just need to be there.

It's Q and A time. Let me find the answers to all your horse questions

My blog has primarily been about my questions, but I bet there are questions out there I haven't even thought about.  So what are your biggest horse questions?  What have you learned recently you know others would benefit from.  No questions are to big or small and remember like we have all been taught no question is a dumb question.

Some examples could be:

What bridle to use for what riding discipline?
How to pick the perfect horse for your needs?
Feeding to get the best from you horse?
Breeding to get a potential winner?
How to save money when spending money on your horse?
Why all the bling when showing?
How to get the biggest bang for your buck when buying a trailer?

You know whats so cool about my blog and reaching out with social media. Myself and all of you have hundreds of thousands of expects at our finger tips who all love their horses and want to see each one of us be our best. These are been there done that people.

What do you want to learn?  I'll take all the questions and dedicate a post to each of them over the next few weeks until we get all your horse questions answered. 

Truck for sale

We are so blessed to have the oportunity to lease our Indie from a pretty awesome lady.  I could never repay her for letting us use her baby.

She is trying to sell her truck and putting it on my blog is the least I can do for her.

Check it out and lets see if we can get it sold.

http://salem.craigslist.org/cto/3715468737.html

Who needs a gym when you have a horse

If you’re anything like me you have no time to hit the gym.  Between two kids and the horse I feel like I’m lucky to go to the bathroom alone.  I was looking for a way to erase two things off my list at the same time.  Why not combine something I love like riding with something I hate like hitting the gym.  I started researching how to do the two at the same time.  I came up with this amazing article on how to exercise while riding at horseriders.org.

One thing I took away was this “As a rider, you should always be ahead of your horse's fitness to ensure you never have to hold the horse's training back on your account”.  I never thought my own health could keep my horse from working to his full potential.  It makes sense when you think about it, but until you hear it you don’t think about it.  I always figure my horse needed to be in top shape to carry me around not me be in shape for him to carry me around. 

When I started researching I was only thinking about taking two things off my list at the same time, but now I realize my health can impact my horse and I owe it to him to be the healthiest I can be for him and me!

To read the full article and get tips on staying fit while in the saddle visit:

http://www.horserides.org/get-fit-horse-riding.html

Saddle pad's, you might just be shocked

I was researching saddle pads tonight and came across an article that every horse owner should read,   Saddle Pads and What Manufactures Don Tell You, by Mike Easton.  There is so much information that you may find yourself reading it more than once. 

I have heard all the latest fads on saddle pad…hey that rhymed.  But when it comes to choosing just the right one I’m lost.  I would have thought the newest were the best.  By now you would think with technology someone would come up with the perfect saddle pad, but after reading this article I realized the old times had it right the first time and there was no need to change it.

A few highlight from his article that stuck out to me were:

“The primary materials used in saddle pads today are open and closed cell foams, synthetic felts, needled felts, pressed industrial felts, woven blankets, gel packs, synthetic cloth, and air bladders. What is interesting about all of these materials is NOT ONE of them was ever originally designed to be used as a saddle pad.”

“Gel Pak Pads are simply heavy mill vinyl/plastic bladders that are filled with a non-hardening gel material. The intent behind development of this product system was to find a material base that would lessen severe impact from a sharp force. In other words it would gradually give with the impact. Evaluation of this material when used in saddle pads works fine when used for only a short time period (30 minutes). But with any movement after that period of time they will bottom out. This leaves no compression protection below any pressure points that might exist in a saddle. This happens because the gel is pushed aside.”

“The most important of all the pad attributes to look for is compression protection and cooling. How does the purchaser know whether the manufacturers label and claims are true? Answer: They don’t without careful investigation and lots of costly trial and error in purchasing pads.”

“Closed cell foams and synthetic based materials will not wick. Try mopping up five gallons of water with a neoprene or synthetic pad. So a good question to ask oneself is, “If my saddle is fitting correctly and no air flow or water can penetrate between back and saddle, how can I cool the saddle back area with a neoprene or synthetic pad?” Answer: Not Possible! Another good question to ask is “Would I wear plastic or foam underwear or socks?” Answer: Not on your life! The argument that a sweaty back lubricates and is good for the animal is shear ignorance.”

“The only true method of cooling is by using a pad material that will wick. In today’s equine market the only two materials are wool or cotton. Wool is the winner here. It will absorb up to 3 times its weight in water, cotton will only absorb its initial weight, and wool has compression protection six times that of comparable thickness of cotton.”

 

These are just a few of the points that stuck out. I think the number one thing was when he stated if you wouldn’t wear it as underwear why put it on your horse.  Wow!  So true!

You can read the full article at: http://5starequineproducts.com/research-articles/saddle-pad-research/

I’m excited to see what stuck out for you.  What got you thinking?  Do you think his research is valid? 

 

 

 

My baby and her baby!

Techniques on how to buy, sell and market your new/used horse tack items

Hello All,
Summer from Horse Showing Mom asked me to write a blog post on some tips and techniques on how to buy, sell, and market your new/used horse tack items.

I started my consignment business on Facebook back in October when our barn owner was cleaning out her tack room and was going to toss out boxes of used horse tack. I looked at her and said simply I bet I could sell that! Well months later I am her go to girl to sell her tack items and now have a few more people sending their tack to me also.  I knew Facebook would be a great place to start because it is a huge market with tons of pages and groups to share my page on. Before I knew it I was getting people buying things and wanting me to sell for them more than I had room for their stuff and I even ran low on boxes to ship with.
Now for the tips to successfully sell items online and Facebook.
I go by the writing less is more ... All you need is the basic info.

1. NEW or USED
2. Size / Measurements
3. Color / Designs
4. Price ( Open to offers or possible trades )
5. State if shipping is included or not in the price ... You don't want to be stating that at time of sale.
6. Condition ... Even a new item might have something wrong with it.

If selling on eBay or Craigslist ( Which I don't use often )
eBay charges a listing fee ... If your item does sell then your out money.
Tips I have found to use eBay are as follows: please pick a price you would buy these items yourself. I do not use the RESERVE option because most often than not people will only bid once and never get past the RESERVE price because they think they never will. I do however put a starting bid near the price I am looking for but not HIGH.. And I use the buy it now tab. Make sure the pictures show everything, don't cut off parts of the item... Make sure the pictures are well lit, and have a good backdrop behind them. I post pictures of all sides but remember eBay will charge you extra for more than 1 picture. ALSO Make sure you describe the item well, and mostly important state in the ad... No shipping out of the US if you're not planning on shipping out of the country, it will not be cheap.. Also if the item is USED make it KNOWN write in the post USED ITEM SOLD AS IS... It might come back to bite you later if you do not.

Craigslist I have found I get more spam email then real people
Craigslist... Make sure you describe the item well, including price, location, how you want to be contacted ( IE; Phone number, email address est. ) I think after 30 days your post gets pulled down so be aware of that also.

One last thing that I feel is the most important !!
Used tack items loose value ... Do not expect to sell something you paid $60 three months ago for $55.. It just won't happen... I pick prices for our page by going to eBay typing in the item then I click the tab completed listings .. This shows you what the items has sold for in the past 30 days ( Maybe longer )
If something cost $60 I usually price it at half that... Or less depending on it's condition...

I hope these tips were helpful, I am not a writer by any means but I think it's a very important for the horse world to know how to sell stuff and maybe make some money at it.

Thank you! Tanya McBurney ~ https://www.facebook.com/TanyasConsignmentShop

Winners of ShowSheen Try-Pak

I am so, so, so excited to announce our winners of the ShowSheen Try-Paks.

Connie Evans

Marianne Gomez

Amy Hartswick

Dianne Boothe

Teresa Gann

Please send me an email including your email address and contact information.  I will forward this on to the Absorbine rep and he will be contacting you.

Send email to horseshowingmom@gmail.com

Thank you to everyone for entering.  I have a lot of fun giveaways in the months to come so keep checking back.  You can enter even if you’ve won before!

One more hour left before the ShowSheen Try-Pak giveaway ends

Make sure you comment on the ShowSheen post.  This will me you eligible to win one of the five ShowSheen Try-Pak.  Giveaway ends in just over one hour.  So hurry up and enter to win!

Understanding tail extensions with the help of our friends at Southend Tail Extensions.

Michele Hansen from SouthEnd Tail Extensions took a few minutes out of her busy day to help all of use get a better understanding on tail extensions.  Thank you Michele for your knowledge.  I'm sure we'll all have tons more questions in the future!

 

Here's what Michele had to say:

 

"Tail Extensions have become very popular in the show ring.  Finding the right color or weight might seem like a daunting task but hopefully I can make it easier.

Color matching is as easy as taking a few good pictures of your horses tail.  Take the pictures outside in natural light if you can.  If you have to take the pictures indoors, do it where there is lots of light so the images don’t come out too dark. I like to have a picture of the entire tail from top to bottom so I can see the shape and color.  Then take a picture from the side. To see what is in the middle layers of a tail, fan the tail out.  Sometimes there is a variation of color in the back of the tail so if you see this, take a picture. 

Deciding on a weight for a tail extension takes in a few factors. What kind of shows will you be attending? If you plan on showing at open or 4 H shows then a 1.5 lb tail is probably good enough.  If you plan on going to some  breed shows like AQHA, APHA, ApHC,  then you can use anywhere from a 1.5  to a 2 lb. tail.  If you have a smaller breed horse like a POA or Welsh Pony, I usually suggest a 1 lb. tail so that the tail extension doesn’t overwhelm a smaller horse.

What classes will you be entering? For both Western and English classes, an all around weight would be 1.5 lb. If you like to do halter classes a 2 lb. tail is going to show off your horses hind quarters a little better than a lighter weight tail.

Do you like the layered look of a tail or do you like the blunt end style?  This is where pictures come in handy even if you have a horse with a black tail that doesn’t need to be matched.  If your horse has a short tail chances are that a layered tail is going to blend in better.

Sometimes the weight of a tail comes down to personal preference. Don’t hesitate to ask your fellow exhibitors what they think might look good. 

When customers are ordering a tail, I need to know approximately how tall the horse is.  Or you can also measure from about a third of the way down the tail to where you want the tail to end.

 I always recommend that you try on your tail before a show.  You will be able see where the tail has to go and if you need to trim the bottom so it doesn’t get stepped on when you are backing up."

Check out Michele's website at http://www.southendtailextensions.com.  You can also find her on facebook, Southend Tail Extensions.

 Southend Tail Extensions specializes in custom made tail extensions. The owner, Michele Hansen, lives near Rockglen, Sk., where she ranches with her husband and three children.   She has been involved with horses most of her life and has had the opportunity to show in both English and Western events.

 

 

Saving money while traveling to shows

I look for any way to shave some money off our showing expense. I have found traveling to shows can be a huge expense.  We found a solution to our problem.  We partner with another person traveling to the shows.  They haul the horses and we take our travel trailer.  Then we all stay together.  It has worked out perfect. It saves us on a hotel cost as well as eating out.  We can make all our meals right there at the show and we can eat as healthy as we choose.  My daughter also gets great sleep.  When there is down time we can head back to the trailer and just pop in a movie.  It been a wonderful alternative to buying a living quarter trailer and has saved us a bundle.  We also have  tons of fun having others at the show stay with us.  Maddie learns so much just hang out and chatting with others.
How do you save money when traveling to shows?

Here's how we roll!  It sleeps 11.  If you need a place to stay "Hotel Donily" is always free!

Fake Tails

I'm in the process of collecting information for everyone on fake tails.  I know many struggle with finding just the right fit.  I emailed a few manufactures as well as put it out on facebook in hopes of getting everyone some great information to help them make the best decision for this show season.

Maddie and her highpoint headstall!

practicing broken toe and all

such a dedicate kid.

HORSES ARE DANGEROUS

Our Indie is about the most laid back guy in the world.  He would never hurt Maddie on purpose.  Remember I said on purpose.  Last night Maddie had him outside eating grass at the barn we board at.  He was perfectly content just grazing away. I was talking to some parents while their kids were burning off some energy.  Indie could have cared less what they were doing until he got scared. The 2nd grade daughter hid in the tall grass about 20 feet from him.  She was hiding from her brother.  Being only 8 she never thought about what jumping out would do. We could all see where she was, but Indie was so busy eating he never paid attention to where she was.  She jumped up out of the grass and Indie went into flight mode.  He jumped sideways then took of forward running Maddie right over with his 1300 pounds.  He landed right on her foot.  She was standing off to the side of him which is where she should have been, but when he jumped sideways then ran forward she couldn't get out of his way.
She wasn't hurt badly, thank you Lord, but she did get a broken toe out of it and it scared her really bad.  Scared mommy too! 

I wanted to remind everyone that horses are dangerous.  They could be broke beyond broke but one little thing like jumping out of grass can set them off and it can become dangerous very quickly.  Always be alert to the things around you.  As parents we need to be alert for our children.  I should have thought forward to what would happen if he spooked, but I became to content just visiting.  Horses are animals and they ar very unpredictable.

Safety first every time you are with your horse!! 

One more thing.  Never, never ever wear flip flops or no shoes around your horses.  He would have crushed her foot if it wasn't for her boot! 

Who wants to win a ShowSheen Try-Pak??

I am so excited to announce my first giveaway.  Absorbine is offering their limited edition ShowSheen Try-Pak to five of my readers.   The ShowSheen Try-Pak offers 4 oz. travel sizes of their best-selling ShowSheen Hair Polish, plus ShowSheen Stain Remover & Whitener and 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner.  The Try-Pak will be available in stores beginning in mid-April.  You’ll be the first of your friends to try this awesome Try-Pak.

Absorbine is now offering another great product, JoJo Sox Boot Socks.  What’s with the boot socks? Absorbine is offering these with the purchase of a gallon of ShowSheen polish this season. Here is a link to the mail-in-rebate details: http://www.absorbine.com/assets/downloads/coupons/ShowSheen_BootSox_mail-in_certificate.pdf

Entering to win one of the five ShowSheen Try-Paks is as easy as leaving a comment on and sharing the Horse Showing Mom Blog at horseshowingmom.blogspot.com/  or commenting and sharing  the Horse Showing Mom facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/HorseShowingMomBlogPage?ref=hl.  In your comment I would love to hear about you.  Where are you from and what is your best tip for saving money on horse products?  I will randomly pick five people which I will announce the winners on Monday, April 15^th at 10:00 Pacific Time on horseshowingmom.blogspot.com/ .    

I can’t wait to see who wins and hear from all our amazing readers.  This is going to be the beginning of some pretty awesome giveaways.  Stay tuned for more giveaways in the following weeks.

Andis clippers

I got the best email today. Andis Clippers is sending me a few of their products to review on my page. I'm taking them to the pinto show for everyone to try out.  After the show I'll do a give away. Keep checking back to see what clippers I get and what I'll be giving away.

Advice for a mom with a shy daughter

I love it when I get emails and messages from people following my blog.  Today I received a message from one of my readers about their daughter.  Lets all give her some great advice and help her kiddos show like a rock star this year!


Here's her message:

"My daughter who is 10 is shy and has a hard time when people she doesn't know is watching her.

She has gotten better lately do to some great horse people around her. We rode with some people on here and they really helped by being nice and also ignoring her. LOL. Meaning just riding and talking so she could get comfortable.

She takes roping and other cow work with Byron. For the first couple of months she could not practice if other people were around. Byron was great with her and got her to do it and not care if others were around. She actually learned, thanks to great people at the barn that they loved watching "that little girl who is better than them". LOL. She's 10 and tiny.
...
Now what I'm posting about. LOL

She's in 4-H this year. I'm afraid she will get to fair and "shut down". She did shows from 5-7 yrs old and did fine.

I told her to pretend it was Byron in the arena that was the judge even if there was more than one. To pretend it is the people from his barn watching and the people who was at our house to ride that is sitting in the arena watching. She really liked that.

What other things would you recommend for a shy child when it comes to doing something big like the fair?

Summer Donily please feel free to blog about this. You can get advice from the people who following your blog. :)"

Maddie and Indie!

Alternatives to using a trainer

Horses are expensive.  Lets face it the horse is the cheap part.  It's everything else that will bury you.  Training and lessons are one of those costs you just don't think of right up front.  We have been lucky enough to have a trainer for our daughter, but we still limit the amount of lessons due to the cost. 

For all those who show and just can't afford a trainer what other training/lesson options do you use?  Do you watch videos?  Go to clinics?  Read books?

What are some of your biggest tips for saving money in this area?

When does it become to much?

I was doing my normal cruising around the internet on different horse show sites and noticed we could do a show every weekend for the rest of the year if we wanted to.  It got me thinking....when does it become to much?  How many shows are practical?  What's to much for your horse?  I know my daughter and she would show every weekend if my time and finances allowed, but what about poor Indie.  Being new to the show scene I'm not sure how often people show their horses.

This question came to mind.  How often do you show? 

Saddles, saddles, saddles

I love it when I get a phone call from a friend asking me to put a question out to my readers.  They see what great advice I get and need some of their own.

Saddles?  A friend of mine has a saddle she purchased about 4 months ago.  Her horse started acting really sore in her back a few days ago.  The barn trainer is pretty sure its the saddle not fitting correctly and now its starting to make her sore. 

There's a two part question to this post.

First it was suggested she get a custom saddle made for her horse.  When she called our local saddle maker he stated he starts at $3,000.00.  UGH!  She's a mommy on a budget like me.  Is there any other cost effective solution for her?  She is a single mom doing an awesome job by providing the opportunity to ride for her two daughters.  But $3,000.00 is a bit out of budget.  I know you can get your horse measured for a saddle, but it also comes with a pretty big expense.  Any suggestions would be great!

Second once you have a horse with a sore back from a saddle what are some tips to help the soreness improve?  Are there any home remedies you have used to help with the pain and to make the recovery speedy?

Thank you in advance to all my readers for your suggestions. She will feel very blessed by your responses!

From the view point of a judge

I posted this morning about being a ring side show mom. One of my awesome blog followers gave me this link to a article written by a judge.  This is worth the time to read if you are involved in the show world, whether it be a parent, trainer, other competitor, judge, ect.  I learned a ton and will have it in the back of my mind at shows as well as during practice.


Here's the link and I have copied and posted the article below. 

http://openhorseshowjudge.blogspot.com/2012/01/narrator.html

"One of the most important pieces of advice I'd like to give to parents and trainers who just cannot seem to keep themselves in check along the rail of a flat class....
Refrain from yelling change diagonals; change leads; sit a step; look up; smile; blah blah blah.....
The only thing yelling from the rail does, is point out to the judge (that's me), that your student or child is doing something wrong and I, the judge (that's me), should look to see what they are doing wrong.
This is my opinion and other judges may differ on opinion but for me (and many other judges), I will not count off for a wrong diagonal if it is changed within a stride or two. I will not count off for a wrong lead if it is immediately corrected unless I need a tie breaker for placings. I may write the back number down on wrong lead pick-ups in a canter/lope if they change directions and I want to see if they can 'cue' for the correct lead/the horse picks up the correct lead, but at a schooling show for sure, I may note it, but it doesn't mean I'll completely kick you out of the placings if you post on the wrong diagonal for a stride or two picking up the trot. It would have to be a dead heat with another rider in contention for placing for me to worry about a stride or two off the correct diagonal at the trot in an equitation class whether it's a medal or short stirrup division.
So my advice to trainers and/or parents yelling from the rail during a flat class.....

• think twice about whether the rider needs your advice
• remember this is a show (schooling or otherwise) and not a lesson
• will your commands be heard by the rider or the judge?
• maybe this could be a good learning opportunity for the rider (short stirrup and the like division).
• how much does my voice carry?
• will the world end if this rider does not win the blue?
• does the tri-color ribbon mean more than the lesson to be learned by the rider?
• are you more obnoxious than an entry that makes the judge wait 10 minutes for your trainer to be done in the other ring?
• do wheaties get soggy in whole milk or skim milk?

Yep, that last one will really tell you if your yelling, is just hurting your rider more than helping regardless of the type of show.... schooling show and/or rated show and/or breed show and/or any show. Schooling show just means it is a show that is not sanctioned by a higher governing body. It doesn't mean every (or any) class, is a 'lesson'. Yes, it's a learning tool but as the 'rail yeller', please ask yourself

• does the judge need you narrating your riders mistakes?
• are you helping that rider or just pointing out their mistakes to the judge?

It's really not a big thing. It's a horse show; it's a ribbon; it's a title; it's series points; it's zone points; it's points towards an ROM or whatever; it's points towards a scholarship....it's what it is...a show. Let those students make mistakes and SHOW what they have learned.

Safe rides and best of show to everyone!!!"

Get some duck tape for that mom!

Ugh!  I'm having the hardest time keeping my mouth shut.  When Maddie is riding I am constantly correcting her riding.  Last night I swear I told her what to do with her reins a million times.  They were to short, to long, uneven...ect.  She wasn't using her legs to move him or slow him down.  I sounded like a  crazy person.  But I know she can ride.  She's very good at it.  She just needs some guidance.

For all those parents who have riding experience, how do you watch your children ride without controlling the way they ride?  I find if I don't give her direction she complains the entire time that he won't listen to her.  So how do I just zip it and let her figure it out.  I hate sounding like crazy show mom.  I swore I'd never be the mom on the side lines coaching my kids, but I am!  Help!  I don't want to take the fun out of her riding, but I want her to ride right when she is practicing.

Balancing family and showing

I have two children.  Maddie which is ten and Brysen who is four.  I'm finding it really hard to balance between the two.  Its very difficult to take Brysen to the barn when Maddie rides because he wants to get into everything and also he doesn't sit for very long.  Taking him to a horse show is a real job.  I can't keep track of him and help her at the same time.  It can become very unsafe.  Our family has become divided since Maddie started showing horses. She and I head off to horse shows while Brysen and daddy spend the weekends at home.  I love the one on one time I get with Maddie but I'm starting to miss family time.

How do you balance your time between showing horses and family?

Horse shows at the Oregon State Fairgrounds

I have a bunch of parents wanting to get more exposure for their children at the Oregon State Fairgrounds before they have Marion county 4-h horse fair in July.

Does anyone know of any shows coming up at the fair grounds???

Down time

As a show mom I know we spend most of our time doing something involving my daughter and her horse.  There are those days though that you don't have anything horse related to do. 

I'm a very creative person.  I feel the most myself when I can creating something.  Whether is be painting, general crafting, sewing..ect.  I also love spending time with my family.  My daughter doesn't have a horse show this weekend so we are laying low.  She currently is play Wii with her younger brother and dad.  It nice to see her have some fun!

 What do you do on your off time?

Best trainers

Here's a chance to brag about your trainers.  We have been blessed with two amazing trainers. She started riding first under Laura Ragon in Keizer, Oregon then we moved on to Kenny Strohecker in Salem, Oregon.  They have both been outstanding to work with.  Maddie has learned so much from each one of these individuals.

Kenny is our current trainer whom we travel with to breed shows.  He, Sharon and the rest of his training team have made showing a true joy for Maddie.  From the moment we started riding under him Maddie has been supported not only in the arena, but also out of the arena.  She is fully prepared to enter any class she rides in.  Kenny makes sure she has all the tools to be successful with her horse.  As a mother its hard to trust others with my children, but he is almost a better parent to her than I am at times.  The positive affirmation in which he encourages her with makes even a bad ride good.  If you've had a chance to have him as a trainer, judge or friend you can completely understand when I say he is one of a kind and you just don't find them as good as he is.

Here's your opportunity to tell all my readers about your trainer and the difference they are making in your life!

Oregon State Fair concert list is out

Just got an email from the Oregon State Fair.  They listed the concerts for this year.  When I was a kid I saw the Oak Ridge Boys there.  Guess who's coming back again this year.....Oak Ridge Boys!!  Woohoo!  There a few others I would love to see.  Check out the link below!

http://www.oregonstatefair.org/concerts

Trail riding wins

I had asked this morning how to balance between practicing and just having fun.  The majority of my reads agreed trail riding is the best way to take a break yet be able to still give your horse some exercise and maybe learn a thing or two out of the arena.

How do you ride??

My daughter is a very driven rider.  Every time she gets on her horse she rides like shes in a show.  I would love for her to just have fun sometimes.  Not every ride should be work.  I understand she needs to practice, but I want her to see how having a horse can be tons of fun too!

How do you balance between practicing and just enjoying a ride??

Leaving a comment

I can't tell you how many times I get a facebook message that someone couldn't post to my blog.  Below is a quick tutorial on how to comment on a post. 



Leave comments on a blog

If someone has comments enabled on his or her blog, then you can usually find a "comments" link at the end of each post, like this:
If you click this link, you'll see the comments that other readers have left, and the option to leave your own. The link might open a pop-up window, depending on how the blog owner configured their comment settings.
>Beneath the text field for your comment are the identity options. (The list might have other options, depending on the blog's settings.)

Great website if your wanting to make your own show clothing or looking to buy custom clothing

I am the queen of saving money.  I have have some great ways to save on a limited show budget.  One of the best ways is to make my own show clothing.  I have been using Suitability.com as my go to for all my pattern needs.  Recently found another website that is a one stop shopping from the patterns, to the fabric and then on to the embellishments.

www.showclothesunlimited.com

I asked the own to send me a little something about her business.  All her information is below.


My business originated because I had three daughters showing western, hunt seat, saddle seat, gymkhana, etc. etc. Along with that, my son was riding 4-H rodeo events. I made almost all of their clothing. As time went on, people noticed the outfits and I began sewing custom clothing. My business has expanded to include not only custom clothing, but all of the supplies needed for the home seamstress to Sew Their Own Show Clothes.

I offer sewing patterns, rhinestones, fabric, lambskin, ultra suede, shirt and chap zippers, glue and hot affix applicators and other sewing supplies. I teach sewing lessons - private and group with special discounts for 4-H groups. I have written four books about sewing equestrian wear (#5 in the works) and produced two instructional sewing DVDs - one for making chaps and one for sewing a rail shirt.

You can find me online at www.showclothesunlimited.com, at multiple trade shows (Equine Affaire - ohio, Midwest Horse Fair - WI and Pinto World in OK). People are welcome to call me directly with their sewing questions and supply needs. If I don't carry something, I am more than willing to search for it. 8110-346-2305  showclothes01@hotmail.com

Let me know if you need any more information

Searching for a lost horse

I was given a link to a facebook page for a stolen horse.  Having been a horse owner my whole life it would break my heart if someone stole one of my horses.

Please, please take a look at her page.  Really study the pictures and lets see if we can bring this baby home!

https://www.facebook.com/HelpBringSnidelyHome

Tanya's Consignment Shop

When I was first starting my show mom journey I had nothing. I mean nothing!  So I hit all the facebook forums to find the things I would need for my daughter.  One of the very first vendors I used was Tanya's Consignment Shop.  She was amazing!  The items I bought were quality.  They arrived very quickly.  She is priced right.  It was a wonderful experience.  She now is not only my go to girls for all my tack and clothing needs, but quickly becoming a close friend and mentor in my show mom life.  She offers more than just consigned tack for buys and sellers, but a wealth of knowledge and a every friendly yet professional approach to her business!

She is running a very fun contest I'd love to see everyone get involved in.  Who couldn't use something free.  Besides you get to brag about your children and their horses!!

Check out her site at http://www.facebook.com/TanyasConsignmentShop

See details below for her current contest!

Contest Rules
1. Photo per person
2. Photo's must belong you to you! ( No borrowing friends or googling )
3. Photo's must include the following things to qualify; Kids & Their Pony ( Horses )
Can not have a adult pictured... Just the child and the horse.
4. Photo contest entries must be emailed in by Saturday April 6th by 4PM
Voting will start April 7th at 6AM ( Pacific Standard Time )
5. To enter email your photo in at Tanyamcb09@gmail.com with info about your horse and child... Name, Age, Breed.
6. Voting will run till Wednesday April 10th @ 6PM
Winner will get
1st Place Free Shipping on any ONE item under $20.00
2nd Place will get a Jewelry Set ( made by me ) Of your color choice.. Will send a picture of my colors.
3nd Place will get a bag of horse treats with their order.

Supporting fellow horse businesses

As a blogger I get opportunity to help others in the horse world promote their businesses as well as fun contests, promotions and give aways they doing.

If you would like to have you business featured on my blog please send me your business information including your website or facebook page.  If you're having anything special you'd like me to promote send me that information as well.

Can't wait to start supporting my fellow horse business's and friends!

Don't leave a horse blanket in a hot car

I am your typical mini van mommy.  I haul everything in that van.  This included the horse blankets that need to be washed.  With all the warm weather my car is starting to small like the elephant pens at the zoo.  Oh my!  I really need to get those to the cleaners.  When my kids roll down the window the minute they get in the car you know its bad.  LOL

Plain show shirt

One of my awesome facebook friends just sent me this article.  What do you think??

http://thehorseaholic.com/what-do-you-think-of-plain-show-shirts-for-horsemanship-trail-pleasure-and-western-riding/

I make my daughters show clothes!! Here's here showmanship and riding outfits

Another tough question

When I was at the show this last weekend there was a lady there who was loaning her horse to a friends daughter.  The horse was a sweet girl, but not show quality compared to the other horses.  The lady came into the stands and asked some others if the look really mattered.  She said back in her 4h days everyone wore a white shirt and black jeans.  This way they were being judge on how they rode and not how they looked.  The ladies she asked replied by stating the look doesn't matter.  The lady then asked why then are the girls with the total package always at the top and the girls like hers at the bottom.  They didn't have an answer for her.  So it got me thinking how are they being judged?  Does the total package matter?  Will you be noticed if your just in a basic outfit and non matching saddle pad?  I know we all have our own opinions on this topic but I think its good for new show parents to see what is realistic in the show world. 

I have my own ideas on this question but I'm wanting to know what you think.

I blog to learn

Wow I never thought admitting my faults would bring about so many heated discussion.  I know as a show mom I will fail time and time again. The only thing I can do is learn from my mistakes and move forward.  I hope that people will respect me for admitting when I blow it and cheer for me when I rise above them. 

I am grateful for every ones input whether it's good or bad.  I think the best people to have in your life are those who are honest with you and will tell you when you need to rethink what you're doing.

How to understand a class schedule

This has stumped me since I've read my first entry form.  So crossing over!  What exactly does that mean.  Using the entry form below, taking into account that my daughter does only walk trot classes, she has a paint horse, won blue only in classes where she was the only one entered and is 10, which classes can she enter.

http://www.oregonfamilyequestrian.org/calendar/2013_crazy_ribbon_schooling_series.pdf