Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
My mom found a new gizmo for me. Regular readers will know that I like gizmos ... a lot. Gizmos are just those handy tools that make barn life run more smoothly. Over on the side there, scroll down a bit to see posts by topic, and you'll find a whole category devoted just to gizmos.
I wrote about the new barn not having electricity. We have battery powered lanterns, tap lights, flash lights, and even solar flash lights, but it's still pretty dark once the sun sets. My mom read about my lack of lighting and decided that the solution was one of those headlamps. I was a bit skeptical. Really?!? Yes. A headlamp? Yes. How does it stay on your head? Very well, thank you. Won't it slide down over my eyes? Nope. I tried it out on Thursday night and couldn't believe how totally cool, awesome, helpful, fabulous that thing is! The model my mom picked out for me has two brightness levels and a third setting that emits a blueish/purplish light that doesn't interrupt your night vision. The box said it was useful for night time fly fishing as the light makes the line glow(?). Not really applicable at the barn, but hey, you never know! The lamp itself also ratchets so that the light can be aimed more forward, up, or down. The thing that makes the headlamp so cool is that it is hands free! I know I can be a bit slow at times, but this is ridiculous. How could I have not seen the benefits of this sooner? Hands free at the barn? Insert eye roll. Of course that's a brilliant concept. Let's see, I was able to mix feed without the armpit flashlight grip. I was even able to carry both feed buckets at the same time without the aforementioned armpit flashlight grip. I was finally able to wipe down my saddle, something I do religiously after every ride, without guessing where the dust had landed. I don't know where my mom bought this headlamp so I can't provide the usual link and average price, but I am fairly certain they are widely available so I'll let you Google the thing yourself. And if the rest of you are using one of these, please feel free to let me know how much you like yours! Thanks, Mom! Click on the photos for captions and larger views. 11/21/2011 09:55:21 am
How handy! (Ba dum psssh!)
Judy
11/21/2011 10:20:50 am
Good idea Martina! Earl and I sure love ours. We've had them for many years. You can't beat them for hands free light. We use them all the time for feeding animals after dark, bringing in firewood, camping, scouting the dark for the glow of fox eyes as they sneak around our chicken coop..... 11/21/2011 11:01:27 am
Kelly RGF - A lot of endurance riders use the headlamps, so I was familiar with them. Doing hundred milers, and even some winter 50 milers, requires riders to figure out a night time light source. I liked glow sticks and mini flashlights. I just couldn't see a barn application for the headlamps - until now! I am sold. :0) Comments are closed.
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About the Writer and RiderI am a lifelong rider.
I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010. Welcome to my dressage journey. About Speedy GSpeedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
About IzzyIzzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
National Rider AwardsState Rider Awards
State Horse Awards
Working Towards:
CDS Sapphire Rider Award Third Level: 63.514% Third Level: 62.105% Fourth Level: Fourth Level: 2023 Show Season
Show Rating (***) CDS/USDF/USEF (*) CDS (s) Schooling (c) Clinic (r) Ride-a-Test Clinic 2023 Show Schedule
TBD 2023 Completed … Pending 2023 Qualifying Scores
Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) Qualifying Training Level 3 Scores/2 Judges/60%: Score 1: Score 2: Score 3: Archives
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