Love & Shelter

There are few things I adore as much as snuggling Miss P into her blankies and tucking her in for the night.  There's something about her expression after a nice workout and big long grooming session that just radiates l-o-v-e and adorableness. 

I've had the "blessing" of enough down time from riding to constantly remind myself of all the other joys that Pia brings into my life aside from a simple ride - and while I still enjoy the riding part, it's always good to have "help" maintaining perspective...

That final snuggley-pat, complete with a beneath-the-blanket-scratch is one of those moments when I get to beathe deeply and leave the barn knowing that P is happy, safe, and warm.


(Warning... total TANGENT on its way..)

Recently, I've had the absolute joy of serving on the board for a remarkable women's shelter that provides an incredibly supportive community for Seattle's Homeless women and their children.  I can assure you that it is the most unique place I have ever had the pleasure of spending time.  Most of the women who utilize our services are homeless, and most of them have kids.  We offer one of the only shelters that allows mothers to stay with their kids and for both of them to cook their own meals (imagine how empowering that can be when you've gone years without a kitchen of your own), create resumes, gain job skills, see a nurse, let kids be kids in a gorgeously appointed play room and most importantly, take the steps they need to end the cycle of homelessness and leave feeling more empowered and loved than when they entered.

Mary's Place has come an extremely long way in the last couple of years.  Initially it began as a jail ministry started by a group of women who attended church together.  Since then we've grown into a secular day center that serves as a hub of resources and inspiration for all who walk through our doors.  We have grown an effective and exuberant board that has been charged with finding us three new homes (yes, our shelter was nearly homeless itself..) over the last 2 years, raising insane $$ and finding a way to grow as fast as our community has demanded.  In just the last 6 months, the number of ladies walking through our doors has TRIPLED.  TRIPLED.  Thankfully, many women who first use our services return to act as volunteers and mentors, so our energy remains strong, but our funds do not. 

Why am I wasting Pia's precious blog space on this? Because we are finalists in Pepsi's "good idea" competition which is awarding a $50,000 grant to the top 10 ideas (right now we are 148th).  All I need from anyone who believes that no mother or child should spend a night on the street is for you to click and vote for Mary's Place everyday in December.  See? mostly easy.

Why do I do it? because that warm snuggley, feeling I get everytime I leave P quietly munching her hay and grain pales in comparison to the feeling I get when I know I have helped offer that feeling to a mother who knows that both she and her child are safe, warm and secure.

http://www.refresheverything.com/marysplaceseattle

Please help us with your clicks.  And please hug your pony too.

(tangent over)

P was great yesterday.  Saddle fitter came out to check the Optimaxxxxxx, and all was well.  I'm shimming it up a little more than I would like to shim up a "custom" saddle that cost me most than a couple months of mortgage.. but hey.  We ordered it when she didn't have a topline and I didn't want to play around with it ever getting too tight..  Plus, tonight is the tack shop's "VIP shopping party" I think it should probably be called "a glass of cheap champagne for suckers who have spent their life savings in this store" party.  Or even "thanks for putting our kids through college" party. or EVEN "you spend so much money in here, even if we invite you to a "party" you'll probably spend more money" party.

All of them are true in my case. (oops).  I am planning to go, I am planning on drinking my well deserved glass of cheap champagne and I am planning on spending more money.  The thought of a "complimentary" 25% coupoun for the evening has had my mind spinning with thoughts of what we "need". 

A new girth
more back on track products
new polos
reins
and whatever else I can't think of but will need DESPERATELY once I see it.

buwahahaha.  Can't wait

Stay Warm, and please consider helping Mary's Place!!

Quite the Clammer

In attempting to learn more about the use of a "clammer" or even its historic training application I've been doing lots of google searches, and have had a really hard time finding much of anything (or anything at all really).  Makes me think that there must be another term out there for this particular little bit thing that I just have never heard of.

The back story on it for Pia is that it came from the BO and in turn was something she picked up while training with her super-fancy-national-champion-olympic rider.  SFNCOR suggested it as a method to keep smart/energetic horses distracted and playing, and also a method to lighten a horse in the hand without adding leverage or any severity to the bit currently in use.

I also know that BO was only able to obtain one up in Canada, which makes it slightly less than accessible, but I would think that unless the cannucks have gone completely crazy and disconnected themselves and the great white north from the interweb, that I'd theoretically be able to find one of these things online.

Anyway, I have no documented history, instructions, advertisements, suggestions, opinions or merchants for one of these, but I do have the BO and SFNCOR saying that they have "tried it" and it's "worked."

Frankly I don't much care what it is or where it came from if it makes the mare happy and it doesn't cause any pain. 

As I said before, It's basically a little baby snaffle that you just rest behind your current bit.  So, when it's on it's own and hanging from a tack hook it looks like this:

Those little open hooks slip around your bit ring, so that when its "attached" it looks something like this:

Essentially, it gives P something to clank around on, but it receives no action from the rein and applies no additional pressure.  Admittedly, she's gotten then thing unhooked and out of her mouth twice, but it doesn't seem to freak her out (or even bug her) when that happens, so I'm letting it ride.   Although yesterday, when she unhooked then unceremoniously spat the thing out, I just kept riding and she seemed to continue on as happily as she had with it in. 

Long story short, it seems to have really helped prevent her diving onto her forehand, and is helping Pia accept a little more contact without curling behind the vertical - but I'm not sure we "need" it.  If we're accomplishing half our ride (including the dreaded right lead canter) without the clammer, maybe it doesn't need to become a staple in our ever increasing tack assortment.

Yesterday, I tacked up with the clammer, and lunged the beast briefly before getting on.  She was slow to the point of pokey, which got my "oh crap, is she lame" thoughts spinning.  The answer is no.  I don't think so, since after about 10 minutes she opened up and relaxed a bit more.  But still, when the mare comes out with her head up and her stride about 8" long, it makes me think something is up... 

Our ride was lovely.  I had to have a few little conversations about how to NOT blow through my outside leg, but I didn't have to dismount and smack her, and I didn't get a big buck ever.  The real successes of the ride were that P held a nice tempo and frame for 90% of the time. She only got speedy and on her forehand when we were doing prolonged canter work.

BUT, the beauty of that statement is that we were doing prolonged canter work.  Something about either her cavaletti days, or the bit change or something, has reversed the mysterious refusal to canter and P was happily popping into her canter both directions, lightly and immediately.  Clean upward transitions, and decently balanced downward ones.  I even snuck in a bit of counter canter (well.. figure 8's) and did some nice, "shoulder-in, 10m circle, haunches it, straight, canter depart" series down the long sides.  I did minimal leg yields, but there were as soft, even and balanced as they have been in a while.  Her balance and tempo meant that we achieved some even, consistent movement with the always coveted "every step the same." from rail to rail.

Today, our saddle fitter comes back out to double check the fit of our new Italian crush, so Pia will get a nice light hack, and extra treats for being such a good lady.  Also, I got all inspired last night to make all the ponies at the barn some yummy cookies this weekend and hang little stockings on their stalls.  Anyone have a favorite made-from-scratch recipe?

Headed Home.

Settled back into my favorite exit row seat finally headed toward the mare (and home) for more than a one day laundry stop. I'm seriously looking forward to justifying a fridge full of groceries and an evening on the couch out of anything resembling a suit and heels...
P and I squeezed in a great ride on Saturday after changing the mare's bit to a single jointed loose ring with a 'clammer' attached behind it.

I've never ridden with a 'clammer' before, so for the rest of you who haven't heard or seen one of these things. It almost looks like a bridoon, but I stead of normal bit rings and an extra set of cheek pieces, it has open hooks so you simply hook it on behind your normal bit using the snaffle's own rings.

Essentially the idea is to give a dumpster-diving horse something to play with, freeing up your normal bit for normal bit things like maintaining contact, light steering and emergency breaking..

P adored it. She was foamy and frothy within minutes and although I had to have one major discussion about going forward, once we got moving she stayed more balanced and more forward with less blood sweat and tears from my end.

We got some great stretchy work in which is always my indicator that Miss Pia is happy and relaxed which finalized my stamp of approval on the bit change.

Apparently she continued the trend this weekend with the BO and managed to get herself into such good graces that she earned a much needed bath, complete with some sock whitening.

BO passed along this snapshot of a very tired, very clean mare and I just can't wait to get the wheels back down on the ground so I can go cover her little nose in kisses



I mean, if that's not a smooch worthy muzzle, I don't know what is..... Smooch smooch smooch smooch

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Consistently Inconsistent

Reporting in from a sparsely attended super fascinating waterworks trade show. Nothing quite like driving through snow and sleet storms to set up a booth showing pictures of our products which have had minimal technological advances since ohhhhh, the Romans.

Sigh.

So while I should be shaking hands, smiling profusely and chuckling heartedly as people realize that yes, my last name IS on the door and yes I AM the great great granddaughter of our founder.

(smile and wave. Smile and wave. Ignore the misogynistic old boys and continue to spout product info).

Instead I'm reflecting on miss pia (as always)

The upshot is that we are stationed in a Stunning old hotel that makes the winter weather particularly festive. Also that there are extensive breaks in which I get to sit down, eat more cookies and contemplate the continuing enigma that is Miss P.

Tuesday we had an ok ride. I planned on repeating our cavaletti fun and experimenting with a few more exercises. Ye mare was significantly more energetic than she was on Monday to the point that I was fairly certain I was actually sitting on a powder keg waiting for a sparked fuse.

We separated the cavaletti and used them as a way to break up otherwise basic circles around the ring. An attempt to keep moving forward and springy and relaxed. It worked ok, but apparently they weren't quite exciting enough as she started back to her diving and plunging through my hand and onto her forehand.

We did get some decent transitions, mediocre leg yields and some actual canter. So that's progress I suppose.

The BO ha had her for the last couple of days and reported pretty decent rides (hooray). Looking forward to returning tonight and squeezing a ride in.

But for now- more smiling and waving....

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone