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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Bye, Bye Daylight

11/6/2012

 
Very big sigh. If your arena doesn't have lights, you know what I am talking about. JL has lights so lessons will continue, but my after work rides at my barn are going to be really short for the next couple of months. After last night's lesson, I walked home and untacked in the dark

In anticipation of the end of daylight savings time, I have been practicing streamlining my afternoon barn visit. It looks something like this:
  • Get out of car with barn bag and grab Sydney's dinner.
  • Balance dinner in arm as keys and iphone slide to the ground.
  • Squeeze through the pass-through door without dropping barn bag as hay falls down my shirt.
  • Toss barn bag in barn aisle so that my hands are free to shove hay into Sydney's Freedom Feeder.
  • Return to hay stack to retrieve iphone and keys.
  • Scoop fallen hay from ground and toss to Speedy G who feels left out.
  • Turn on Sprinklers.
  • As I return to the barn through the back door, scoop beet pulp and soak.
  • Turn Speedy out (or Sydney, depending on the day) and move sprinklers out of the way of galloping feet.
  • Clean stalls while Sydney eats.
  • Groom and saddle Sydney.
  • Turn off sprinklers and retrieve Speedy G.
  • Tighten girth and then change into riding boots and half chaps.
  • Tighten girth again.
  • Retrieve helmet and bridle.
  • Ride.
  • Unsaddle.
  • Return Sydney to his stall.
  • Turn sprinklers back on. Return through back door to mix rice bran into feed.
  • Continue through tack room with feed buckets.
  • Pour feed into the correct buckets and then rinse.
  • Return bridle to tack room door. Stop in tack room to log today's riding notes. Sit and remove boots, helmets, and chaps.
  • Continue through back door to put buckets back in feed area, and close rear tack room door.
  • Grab barn bag and close front tack room door.
  • Just before exiting through pass-through door, sweep cross-tie area.

I never go anywhere in the barn now without carrying something, rinsing something, grooming something, or leading something. I've also cut back on some of the barn chores in an effort to save time. I sweep and rake and groom a whole lot less. Right now, I simply sweep the brush over tack areas and knock loose anything that appears stuck on.  Who cares about being shiny when there's no sun to reflect?

Here's to efficiency in the dark!
Heather
11/6/2012 04:14:49 am

Me again --

Barn efficiency, an ongoing challenge for all of us. So here's one suggestion. Do you know those really inexpensive "collapsible" laundry baskets (they are mesh and kind of "pop" open).

They make the BEST carry-handfuls-of-stuff-around-the-barn "tool" ever invented -- and that stuff can include hay flakes, etc..

Since the "baskets" are mesh, much less dirt, hay, etc. accumulates inside of them in the first place. And since they are mesh, they are really, really light. And, they stretch to accommodate odd shape items. And best of all, they are really cheap!

Also, I (hands down, absolutely) understand you know your horses best, but just a final thought on my bitless bridle suggestion, I didn't mean to imply he minded the bit (or any of the related issues). Instead, I thought it might help to simply take one element OUT of the equation.

But best of luck!
Heather

Karen
11/7/2012 09:24:50 pm

Heather - thanks for sharing! My barn is super well organized and efficient which really helps shorten chore time, but your basket idea sounds really functional! I wouldn't mind trying a bitless bridle, but I have two concerns: brakes and the cost for just a demo. :0)

Val
11/6/2012 04:27:22 am

I hear you. We have arena lights, but my barn feeds much earlier when the days are short. So I might be able to ride, but the rest of the barn is getting fed, which means that I will most likely ride lightly and for a much shorter time than I would like. I also have to stay later, because I will have to feed my horse and wait to for him to finish his dinner before turning him out. There is also the issue of his buddy eating all the hay if my guy takes too long to get to the paddock. Not cool. I do not like daylight savings. What are we saving exactly?

Karen
11/7/2012 09:26:46 pm

That's a tough one, Val. Can you hang a feeder in his stall for the hay he doesn't eat? Are they allowed to eat their hay in the stall? I know you really like Harley's turn out buddy, but it's too bad you can't find a slower eating partner. :0)

Kelly link
11/7/2012 01:48:58 am

Hate when daylight savings time ends! I have quite the OC personality and it is so hard for me to change up my routine...but my desire to ride outside before the sun sets trumps it. I hurry like crazy to get Riva tacked up and outside to get in even a half hour ride - then I spend lots of time grooming afterwards.

Karen
11/7/2012 09:28:00 pm

I hear that, Kelly. I hate changing my routine. I had fun riding really early on Wednesday. I, too, do whatever it takes to find riding time even if it means before dawn!

Sarah link
11/9/2012 01:39:23 am

Your list is the story of my life. Only in addition to hay falling down my shirt, I somehow always get a schlop of beet pulp on myself somewhere, and some water over-spray when filling buckets. My solution lately has been to wear high-collar or turtleneck shirts. And waterproof jackets.

Karen
11/10/2012 11:06:34 am

The splash hasn't been a big deal until lately, but with the temperature dropping, I've decided to be more careful with the hose and sprinklers!


Comments are closed.

    About the Writer and Rider

    ​I 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.
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    About Speedy G

    ​Speedy 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.
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    About Izzy

    Izzy 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.
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  • Home
  • About
  • Horses
    • Horses
    • G Ima Starr FA
    • Imperioso
    • Sunshine
    • Nakota and Gideon
    • Corky
    • Sassy
    • Montoya DSA
    • Mickey Dee
    • Sydney
  • Dressage Organizations
    • Dressage Organizations
    • Memberships
    • 2019 Dressage Tests
  • Show Results
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
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  • Education
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