Blog Posts

Speaking of Tack

1/8/2020

This is turning out to be tack week ...

I've had a lot on my mind lately, damn you, middle age, so I spent a lot of time with my tack over the weekend. Cleaning tack is one way for me to organize my thoughts and process "stuff." Vacuuming does the same thing.

After installing a new saddle cover and padding my saddle rack, I realized my saddle was looking a bit dusty and grimy. Saturday was warm and sunny, so I hauled my saddle outside and set to work. With a funky playlist setting the mood, I worked on removing the gunk from my saddle and clearing away some mental cobwebs.

Clean enough.

A clean saddle wasn't enough though; middle age gives you a lot to analyze, so I pulled out Speedy's double bridle. Even though I've had it for nearly two months, I hadn't yet given it an initial conditioning. It took so long to get it to fit correctly that I was reluctant to take it apart to clean it. Knowing how long it took to put together, I realized that unless I wrote down each buckle's placement, it was safer to clean it without taking it completely apart.

One buckle at a time.

First, I dropped both bits with their reins. The curb bit has beta reins, so that whole section went straight into a bucket to soak. The snaffle has Thinline reins, so I only soaked the bit, and later wiped down the Thinline portion with a damp cloth. Then I took all of the buckles out of their keepers. I unbuckled one buckle at a time to clean it, but then I re-buckled it immediately. It's a much longer process than than just laying everything out, but this bridle has too many parts for me to remember on what hole everything goes.

I wish my camera could capture the sparkle of those Swarovski crystals.

When I was finished, I stepped back to admire how pretty this bridle really is. It's not a fancy pants bridle, but it sure looks nice when it's all cleaned up. Even after unbuckling and re-buckling 400 straps, my mental housekeeping still wasn't done, so I dragged out Izzy's bridle.

That browband sure does make this bridle look fancier.

I will never again complain about cleaning a snaffle bridle. After tackling Speedy's double, this thing was a breeze to clean. In fact, it was so quick that the next day I did my other two bridles - Speedy's snaffle bridle and Izzy's bridle with the correction bit.

4 bridles in 2 days.

My tack certainly looks better, and I felt better for all the work, but damn, middle age is a real pain in the butt.

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A Saddle Mattress?

1/7/2020

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Yes, it is exactly what it sounds like, a mattress for your saddle. I saw this on Facebook, and was quite intrigued.

Photo from their website.

I use a pretty standard saddle rack, the kind that you can carry easily to shows. I keep it padded with two old saddle pads.

Somewhat padded.

After reading about the Saddle Mattress, I decided to look at my saddle closely to see if there were any pressure points.

Yep. Right there.

Both sides of my saddle have an indentation where it rests against the saddle stand.

Fortunately, the pressure points hit my saddle just below the saddle's panels, but still, the pressure points can't be healthy. I have my saddle's flocking adjusted at least once a year, and so far, the fitter has never mentioned the "indentations." Over the weekend, I asked her about the Saddle Mattress, and she loved the idea. She also suggested padding the rack with fleece or pool noodles, which I had already planned to try.

Saddle Mattress photo

The Saddle mattress is a great idea, and using one can only be a healthy option for your saddle. As soon as I saw the product, I knew I wanted one, but at $100, it's kind of pricey for what is basically a piece of foam covered nicely in cloth. In the meantime, here's what it looks like with a pool noodle instead.

Much cheaper than $100.

I sent my saddle fitter the above photo. I asked her to evaluate the width and overall efficacy of my cheaper solution. Her response was very positive. She thought it all looked great.

I sliced the pool noodle with a pocket knife.

I use pool noodles a lot for P.E. with my students, so I have had some experience in cutting them to size. I simply measured the length of the saddle rack to determine how much noodle I needed and then sawed off the desired length with a hacksaw. I took a pocket knife and sliced down through the pool noodle so I could slide it onto the saddle rack. I thought I might need duct tape to secure the noodles, but so far, they fit snuggly without sliding around or falling off.

They slid on easily.

While I really like the idea of the Saddle Mattress, and I may eventually just get one, I thought I'd try this out for a while to see how it holds up.

New cover and better padding for my saddle. Now it just needs to be cleaned.

We have a pool, so I buy new pool noodles every year anyway. Now I have a use for last year's pool noodles. Out of curiosity, has anyone tried a Saddle Mattress, and if so, do you like it?

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LeMieux Saddle Cover

1/6/2020

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My saddle cover was a nice one. It had a soft, fleece liner, sturdy polyester fabric on the outside, and it had velcro openings in the side to allow your stirrups to come through. It's no longer nice.

Back when it was brand new.

I was actually embarrassed by it at the last show I did. You can see why.

I think it's time to retire it.

I have been looking around for a new one for quite some time. I know there are even some bloggers who make custom saddle covers. The thing is that I am not that great at dealing with too many choices. If I can't even pick out a browband by myself, how am I expected to custom order a saddle cover? I can't, so I didn't.

I am not even sure where I saw the ad, probably on Facebook, but LeMieux makes a saddle cover that checks off all my boxes. It's made of a durable polyester outer with a soft fleece inside, it has an adjustable elastic drawstring, and as an added bonus, it has a sleeve to store the girth. And it's black which means no agonizing over a color choice. My birthday was coming up, so I sent a link to my husband.

Photo from the LeMIeux website

Guess what I unwrapped over the weekend? At right around 35 bucks, it was a win-win for everybody. My husband got off pretty light, and I got something I've been wanting for a long, long time. It is just as nice in person, too.

The edges are really stretchy, so they enclose my saddle perfectly. As the elastic wears out, there are drawstrings up near the pommel to make it fit more snugly. I also love, love, love the sleeve for the girth.

It's only a sleeve, not a pocket, so a longer girth will fit as well.

For every day use, I hang my girths on the pull handle of my other saddle stand. At shows though, my girth is forever sliding off my saddle as I tote it back to the trailer for storage. I am too poor to get a tack stall, so I schlepp my saddle and bridle back and forth each day from my trailer to my stall and back again. That ingenious little sleeve is going to make that task a whole lot easier.

The inside of the saddle cover.

While I don't have a lot of experience with the LeMieux brand, I do like the one pair of breeches that I own, so I expected the saddle cover to be of at least equal quality. It does not disappoint. The fabric on the top feels very durable, and the fleece on the underside is soft and smooth.

The cover has an added feature that some might find helpful, but I can't see that I'll use it much. There is a lower slot through which you can run your billets. I suppose that for traveling, it will help secure the cover to the saddle, but for day in and day out usage, that would be a bit unnecessary for my barn. My tack is very secure where it is with no one bumping my saddles or sliding theirs past mine. For carrying my saddle back and forth to the trailer, this might be a handy feature, otherwise, not so much.

A place for your billets.

Overall, my first impression is that this saddle cover earns an A+ for both quality and value. I can't say how long it's going to last, but my guess is that it will be around for a while.

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A Lesson in Parts

1/3/2020

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With winter firmly unpacked and having taken up residence, lessons have been a bit sporadic. Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, was finally able to make it into town for a lesson this week. Since I do the daily riding, she usually leaves it to me to let her know what we need to work on. I had a list.

Our Third Level game face is getting better!

The Half Pass
Okay, but when isn't that going to be on my list? Probably never. I feel about half pass like I did about the stretchy trot circle - hate it. Of course, stretching down is all he wants to do now. Maybe once Speedy is a Grand Prix horse, the half pass will seem easy. For now, it's our nemesis, especially the half pass right.

Think "Piaffe"

The half pass right is our harder direction because Speedy resists bending so completely. You put him in a straight line, and that boy is s-t-r-a-i-g-h-t. And when I rev him up correctly in the corner, he can really push through. That's why his mediums and extensions are pretty good.

I am not even going to apologize; he is CUTE!

Bend to the right AND push? Um, let me think about it. That'll be a nope. Says Speedy all day every day. No matter what he thinks about it, he still has to do it though, so Chemaine had me approach it a little differently. As we approached the corner, she had me work on half halting him while flexed. He can half halt when he's straight, but getting a half halt while bent around my leg is a new idea. For both of us I think.

Lots and lots of suppling

If I got him bending before the corner at A, it was easier to bend him toward the letter, H or M, as we started the half pass. It was also important to have him in front of my leg, with energy. That's the solution to everything though, isn't it?

The thing that really resonated with me was that Chemaine separated the half pass into several moments: bending with the outside hand open and back in the half halt phase and then let him carry himself forward. The second he wanted to fall in on the shoulder, half halt with an open outside rein to draw the shoulders in front of his hips and bring the rein back to sit him on his haunches so he can carry himself. That was pretty much the one thing she repeated all day: LET HIM CARRY HIMSELF.

Curb Rein or Snaffle Rein?

No, you do not get to bolt through the change.

Now that I (mostly) have control of both reins, I am learning when to use each one. Sometimes it's obvious, like in a flying change that has gone wild. The curb rein is really helpful.

Well, now, that's a little better!

For the most part, I've been relying on the snaffle rein except for when I really need him to sit and push. Like in the medium trot. The curb really helps me set him up to collect, but near the end of the diagonal, Chemaine pointed out that he was over-flexing in the front, like this.

Curb rein ...

As soon as I switched to the snaffle, his nose shot forward, and we finished the medium looking like this.

Snaffle rein just a stride or two later.

Carrying Himself
We spent the rest of the lesson on this. For Third Level and beyond, Speedy has to be in self-carriage ALL. OF. THE. TIME. It's hard, and I've let him rest on my hands for too long. It wasn't on purpose though. It's hard to know what light feels like until you really feel it. So we did a lot of half halting with taps of the whip when my leg didn't work.

This might be my new favorite picture.

With a horse like Speedy, one who likes to fake you out by curling behind the vertical, it's challenging to keep pushing him up to the bit without letting him dive onto my hands. It's a lot like riding a teeter totter. Or as Chemaine described it, towing a trailer: if the trailer's not connected (the hind end), it gets left behind. Keeping the "trailer" attached requires Speedy to really lift his back, drop his croup, and PUSH.

He looks great when he's carrying himself.

Our hey, that's nice! moments are getting longer and closer together. The show season starts in March, so we have two more months to improve his self-carriage, my control of the reins, and that bleeping, bleep half pass.

Hey, that's nice!

For today, I'll just focus on this particularly nice moment.

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Riding a Turtle

1/2/2020

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I realized I haven't said much about the big brown horse lately. His story just hasn't been as interesting of late. It's a lot easier to write about Speedy and our trials and tribulations at Third Level. Double bridles. Flying changes. Canter half passes. Those are topics you can really sink your teeth into. Izzy's last few months have been rather boring.

As with any horse, he's had a few little ... moments. He tried to gouge out his eye a few weeks ago. I showed up to find half of his face swollen with gunk oozing out of what looked like a puncture. Another inch to the right and ... Fortunately he's not dumb enough to actually poke out his eye. At least not this time.

After having healed for a few days.

While he didn't enjoy me squeezing and cleaning it, he wasn't too terribly bothered by it. I rode him anyway while it healed. His pain tolerance is really high. Not much bothers him physically. Mentally, now that's another story.

I never have a plan when I ride Izzy. I work on what he brings. Some days, it's simply working through tension. I've discovered that no matter how fresh or well ridden he is, cloudy, oppressive days are not his jam. I don't blame him as I hate that kind of weather myself. Those are the days when I just work on stretching and relaxing.

Maybe I should try bringing the rabbit up to the arena to help with relaxation.

Izzy is now to the point where getting a long stretchy topline is pretty easy. He's mostly delighted to just trot around in a long frame doing trot to canter to trot transitions. He's getting better and better at transitions within the gait as well. We do a lot of think big thoughts, think small thoughts. That's what I tell him as we lengthen and compress the stride.

I finally realized that he's now ready for a shorter frame. He hasn't been such a fan of the concept. Instead of rounding and pushing, he gets round and leaves his hind end trailing behind. I can't add enough leg to encourage his butt to join us. On those days, I have to actually take my legs off and WHACK him with my heals. Over and over.

For a week or so, I got tired of it and brought out the whip. Izzy hates the whip and is actually a little afraid of it. Without even needing to use it, he engages his hind end instantly, but then he tighten his back, sucks in his neck, and figures traveling at supersonic speed is the answer. Suddenly, his 12 foot long frame is closer to 6 feet, and not in a good way.

And he has a lot of neck!

I usually end up dropping the whip, but then I have to go back to dramatic half halts to get him to let go of the dang bit. But it's happening. Little by little he's learning to carry himself in a boxier frame. He's learning that he can lift his back, tuck his pelvis, and still push forward.

He now has a forward thinking leg yield, a rhythmic trot half pass, and his canter to trot to canter across the diagonal is pretty balanced. In fact, he can do all of the movements from First Level Test 3. On the days where I can get him in front of my leg AND relaxed, we school the simple changes and canter half pass.

He's definitely getting more and more mature.

For so long I felt like I was riding a rocket on a string. He was often nearly uncontrollable, and I never felt safe riding with someone else in the ring. I couldn't guarantee that we wouldn't body slam them as we careened around the arena pumping the brakes. Now, I feel as though I am riding a turtle. He can get his back nice and round, but he's not in any hurry.

That's okay, because I am not in a rush either. I am having fun with him, and I know he adores me. He's a regular love bug. He's bitten off more zippers than I can count; he loves to slide them up and down, and he thinks it's quite hilarious to gently grab the back of my breeches and snap them. I also get a daily neck and shoulder rub. Occasionally I have to remind him that there is skin underneath those clothes, but he's usually pretty careful.

Speedy's the horse that I can drive toward a goal. He can handle the mental pressure. Not so with Izzy. He's my take it day by day horse. I am happy, and they're both happy. We make a pretty happy threesome.

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Hello to 2020

1/1/2020

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I've been looking forward to this date, January 1, 2020, for more than a decade. Y2K, an ominous year if there ever was one, started off as a year predicted to be filled with disaster. On the other hand, 2020, as a metaphor for perfect vision, has always seemed a year destined to bring clarity, opportunity, and a road paved straight and smooth. Will it? I don't know, but I like how things are shaping up.

Over the past week, I've been planning my show year. I've also spent hours and hours and hours working on things for our chapter of the California Dressage Society, the Tehachapi Mountain Chapter. As Vice-Chair, I've taken my job pretty seriously. Public service is not necessarily what gets me going, but I felt it was time for me to start giving back.

With "giving back" as my motivation, I've been working on a number of projects for the chapter. The first was making our chapter a lot more visible. I revamped the chapter's old website in favor of something a little fresher and then changed the web address; www.tmcdressage.org was the result. I am not a web designer by trade, so it is what it is, but I think it suits our needs.

A snippet of our home page.

Next, I launched our new Facebook Page. I am just going to say, I have trouble managing my own social media. Suddenly, I am the one responsible for keeping up on three pages, my own, a group I belong to, and now the Chapter's page. I'm turning into one of those people who's always checking her phone. But really, check out our Facebook page and give us a "like," especially if you live in California.

"Like" us!

The thing with being on a board is that the group represented has to have a reason for being, and the board has to bring to life that reason. For us, the sole purpose of the chapter is to put on shows. We don't have enough members, nor do we draw from a large enough pool, to put on USDF-rated shows. Our summer series of shows are CDS-rated which is a big attraction for our local riders.

Scores from CDS-rated shows can be applied to a lot of programs, all of which I've talked about many times. Your scores count for CDS Plates (which go on a plaque), rider awards (my Ruby Rider award is over there on the right), Horse Performance Awards (Speedy has one), the Regional Adult Amateur Competition, and the CDS Championship. The reality is that our members can do and earn a lot of things without ever having to participate in the pricey USDF shows.

11 pages of details.

Our chapter, which is based in the mountains of Tehachapi, is hosting 5 shows this year; we added a new show for here in Bakersfield. Well actually, we're reviving an old show that was run by someone else. They've agreed to join forces with us. Since our show manager retired, and we freshened things up, a new show premium had to be created. I volunteered.

Holy moly, was it ever a lot of work! It's nearly done, but it has gone through at least 2 dozen edits, and it seems that we keep finding things to add. I will never look at a show entry the same way again!

Where will we go?

Besides planning and organizing our Chapter's shows, I've also planned out my own show schedule. Although you know how that goes, "You make your plans and you hear god laughing." Even so, I need a direction in which to start, and since this is the year 2020, a year of clear vision, I am hopeful.

My plan is to get our last Bronze Medal score in the spring. That's certainly not a guarantee, but again, it's 2020. After that, I plan to take Izzy to all of the TMC shows and Speedy to the summer's USDF shows. We'll see how long my money lasts, but that way, I might have two horses qualified for the Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) in August. Izzy got his toes wet last summer. He's ready to start doing his job.

"Cause this hunk needs to start earning his keep.

I've been reading The left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin, and last night something jumped off the page that really seemed appropriate for this new year. In response to something Estraven has just said, Mr. Ai responds, "I felt as he did. It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."

Truer words could not be spoken. Happy New Year!

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Goodbye to 2019

12/31/2019

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I am not one to do year in review posts. Not anymore, anyway. Way back when I first started blogging, I did a few. Frankly, they're just too much work. I do feel a need to bid adieu to the old though as we welcome in the new. With that, I decided to choose my three favorite (equine) things about 2019.

#1 My Health

Left to right: my husband, me, and my dad

In 2018, the migraines that I had battled since childhood reached unmanageable levels. At one point, I had a migraine for 6 straight weeks. It became so severe that while at the doctor's office, my neurologist had me admitted to and treated in the ER. Shortly after that episode, I decided to lose weight. By the end of 2018, I had lost 40 pounds, and the neurologist was getting the migraines under control.

In 2019, I kept most of the weight off; I think I've gained back 5 pounds over the holidays, and the migraines are now mostly controlled with medication. I take two daily prescriptions, and once a month I give myself an injection of a third medication. I still have the occasional headache, but they're easily treated.

It has been so much easier to ride with that weight gone, and my head is clear. For so long I rode with a head throbbing in pain or fuzzy from medication. 2019 was the first year in a long while that I felt healthy while riding.

#2 Third level

October

I say this every time Speedy and I advance to a new level, but showing at Third Level was something I only secretly aspired to and certainly never thought we'd ever achieve. It's been a real thrill to take my well-bred, but not dressage-bred, Arabian up the levels by myself. Yes, I have had wonderful trainers and clinicians coaching me along the way, but I am the one who does the daily riding.

I say this because it proves that anyone can "dressage". You don't need to board at a fancy training barn - I certainly don't, and you don't need a big fancy warmblood - you all know Speedy's an Arabian. You don't even have to show at Third Level. I was having just as much fun as an Introductory Level rider. I always wanted to get better, of course, but for me, First Level was always the big goal. So to be where we are now at the end of 2019 only makes my heart swell with pride. I love this horse.

#3 Breaking 60%

60% or Bust!

If you've been reading my blog for more than 10 minutes, you know that scores are important to me. For me, they're proof of improvement. Scores below 60% say we're not there yet. Scores of 60% say we're getting close. Scores in the mid-60s say we have a chance to win.

I wouldn't be so happy about Third Level if we hadn't managed to earn a few scores of 60%. Three of them were earned at CDS only shows, but they're still important to me. Those scores helped me earn my annual "plate;" with those scores, Speedy will earn his Third Level Horse Award - we need one more score; those scores will qualify us for the Regional Adult Amateur Competition and the CDS Championship Show - we need a few more; and if we make it to Fourth Level, the scores will help us earn the CDS Sapphire Rider Award - I already have the Ruby Rider Award.

More importantly though, those scores are what we need to earn a USDF Bronze Medal, and we just need one more. We had to work really hard in 2019, but I am proud of what we were able to achieve. We're definitely still struggling at Third Level, but now I know we can break 60%.

That's It?

Bros and Frenemies

Well, no, but I did limit myself to my favorite three things. I could really go on and on since 2019 was filled with great things. Speedy is much happier since we moved him to a new field. Izzy is definitely happier. I got a new truck. Izzy went to a few shows and even earned 60% himself. He now goes in a dressage legal bit 95% of the time. Without looking back at every post, I can still say 2019 was a good year. I had fun with my horses, and I think they had fun with me.

It's hard to ask for too much more than that.

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My Five Things: Catching Up

12/30/2019

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Things have been impossibly hectic, yet when when I take a moment to ponder what to write, I realize nothing is going on. Which is not the truth or else I'd have spent the past week binging on Netflix. I didn't, ergo, plenty is going on.

#1 Speedy's Blanket

Speedy has worn a blanket more days and nights in this past month than in all the 12 years I've owned him put together. Since moving to his new field, there's no shed or roof to stand under when it rains. There are plenty of trees, which are awesome for our 9 months of summer, but naked trees don't offer much protection from the rain. None of the other horses seem to mind, especially Izzy. There are mornings when steam is pouring off of him. Even in the 50s he stands there damp and sweaty.

Speedy's a bit of a hot house flower this past year or so. We think it has something to do with his Cushing's Disease. Although, with his thick coat, you'd think he'd handle the cold better. Nope. So, on the nights when it's goin to rain, he wears a blanket. I don't know if he sleeps better, but I sure do. I did find it interesting that on Saturday night, when he went without a blanket, he didn't lay down to sleep. It was cold, but very dry and calm. The night before, which was warmer but wet, he was blanketed and laid out flat as a pancake. I could tell by the mud that covered his face, neck, belly, and thigh.

We only average around 6 inches of rain a year so he doesn't need to be blanketed very often, but we're having a wetter than usual winter. I don't worry about Izzy (yet), but I have found that I am much happier when Speedy is blanketed.

#2 Another Abscess ...

An old photo

Before you panic, it's not Speedy's or even Izzy's foot this time. Thank goodness. Instead, it's the TB mare who lives at the ranch (she's standing next to Speedy in the photo above). Hers popped up literally as she was being groomed. One minute she was fine, the next, she walked off lame. Ten minutes after that she stood in a pen pointing her toe like a bird dog. The vet came out and tried to work on her, but she was in so much pain, he had to sedate her. He poulticed her hoof and directed the ranch owner to give it 48 hours and then see where she was.

By Sunday, she was much sounder and bearing weight. Since I am now the resident abscess expert, I pulled the old poultice off and got to work with my hoof testers and trusty knife. It looked as though the abscess had migrated from the bar to near the toe. I dug out some sole, particularly along the whiteline, and then repacked it with a Numotizine poultice. We'll have another look at it tomorrow, and then the farrier is scheduled to come on Wednesday. Since she was already much happier on Sunday, it looks like she'll heal quickly.

#3 San Fransisco

We went to San Fransisco a week or so ago, but I never got around to sharing. We did all of the things that were on our list, but then we managed to squeeze in a few extra things, one of which was the Legion of Honor, a fine arts museum. The collection includes some fabulous pieces by artists you would actually recognize.

While those works were quite fascinating, two others caught my eye because they were equine related. The first was the sculpture pictured above. I can't remember who the sculptor is, but what I liked was the draped rein. Yes, the horse's mouth is gaping, but his ears are pricked, and he looks to be in self-carriage.

Another piece that caught my eye was this painting. What's not to love? He's bridle-less for one thing, he has a mane and tail to die for, and he looks as though his canter pirouette is right there, waiting to be asked for.

#4 The Double Bridle

Speedy's not much of a talker, but since he hasn't chimed in, I'll speak for both of us when I say, LOVE IT! Don't get me wrong, we're still struggling with the half passes, damn those things, but I am finding that we are communicating better than ever. The double has given me a whole new feel. I can get him softer so much quicker, and I am finding it MUCH easier to push him from behind up to my hand.

With just a snaffle, adding leg often just had the effect of driving him onto his forehand. Now, I can ask him to come through from behind while LIFTING. It also helped that Chemaine did the "follow me with the whip" lesson. That helped both of us understand that he could drop his croup without launching forward. And finally ...

#5 Nesting

Before ... Ugly peach door.

This is a horse blog and not a fashion or design blog which means you're not here for design tips. That's good because I don't have any. On the other hand, I can tell you a lot about garage doors. We've replaced at least four of them over the past 25 years.

Not too long ago, my garage door opener malfunctioned, lifting the door just high enough so that when looking out my rearview mirror, it appeared as though it had gone up as usual. It hadn't, and when I backed up, it scraped the roof of my car, ripping off my antenna and causing quite a lot of damage to my roof which had to be repaired and then repainted.

Much to my husband's relief, the garage door seemed okay. Last month it finally fell off the cable though and became inoperable. There must have been more damage than we originally thought. Fast forward to last week. After waiting for nearly two months for the door to be built and delivered, we finally have a brand new door that looks 10 bazillion times better than the old one. We've hated that peach door since we moved in, so maybe I hit it on purpose.

After!

I did not hit it on purpose, but if I had known how much better a new door was going to look, I would have. This door was fun to pick out because I got to select not just the window design, but the color and the hardware (which you can't really see, but it includes the handles and the "hinges"). My design tip would be to spend the extra money on a custom door. It looks so much better.

I can only hope that this week is less hectic than last week was. I need a break!

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Ho! Ho! Haas?

12/27/2019

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Well, Christmas came. Christmas left. Did you get what you hoped for? If you're anything like me, your Christmas wish list probably had at least several equine related items. My list was small this year; very small. There was only one thing on it: the Haas Diva Horsehair and Lambswool Grooming Brush.

It's a thing of beauty.

Since I am holding it in my hand, it's clear that Santa (aka as my husband) came through for me. It's as lovely as I knew it would be. I have two other Haas brushes, so I knew what kind of quality to expect.

Left to right: Diva, Parcour, and Fellglanzburste

While these brushes are a little more expensive than your no-name brand brushes, the Diva more than the others, the quality is worth it. They're well constructed and actually do what they say.

Same order as above.

Having used the Fellglanzburste in both summer and winter, I can now say that these are brushes you can actually use year round. In the past, I've had my summer brushes and a separate set for winter. Now, my grooming tools are getting fewer and fewer. I use a human brush for manes and tails, a hoof pick, and my Tiger's Tongue for faces. I still have my grooming gloves for shedding season and my jelly scrubber for scraping off the mud, but after that, the Parcour or Fellglanzburste do the rest.

In hindsight, which only comes with experience, the Parcour (dark bristles) and the Fellglanzburste (white bristles) are essentially the same brush. They both have short, medium-stiff bristles. They're the same size, shape, and have the same handle. The only differences really are the color of the the bristles and the body. Even so, I like them both equally.

The Diva

The Diva is very different from the other two brushes. I wanted it specifically for shows when Speedy's coat is at its thinnest. In the summer, when he's show clean, his coat is particularly fine and silky. The Diva will just help smooth and polish his already fine coat.

Nothing but plush.

I've brushed the dog's face and my face, but it hasn't yet touched Speedy. He's a polar bear right now, so brushing him with this would only serve to get the brush dirty with Speedy looking exactly the same. No, I am saving it for this summer when he's shed out and looking glamorous.

Haas Schimmel

Next up on my list is the Haas Schimmel Body Brush. Neither of my boys are fans of stiff brushes, so this would strictly be a dead of winter brush. Right now, both horses have super thick coats that are difficult to brush out when they're damp, particularly after riding.

Hass Fellburste Noir

I am also considering the Haas Fellburste Noir Grooming Brush to replace my very old finishing brush. It's at least 20 years old. The Fellburste has 2" long horsehair bristles which is nearly exactly like my old one. I am hoping this one might work a little better. That one should complete my set. Because really, how many brushes does a girl need?

Wait. Don't answer that.

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Horse Are Expensive 3.0 - December

12/26/2019

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This is the final Horses Are Expensive 3.0 report of the year, and I have to say good riddance to bad rubbish. The first year I did this, I learned a lot about my spending habits and how I could control them. The second year that I reported my equine expenses, I learned that the lessons learned in 2012 had stuck quite firmly. For this go round, I can't say that I learned a single thing.

At this stage in my life, I am an expert at budgeting and sticking to it. I sacrifice when required, I pay my bills, and when possible, I stick what's left into savings. With that, here's my last ever report on how expensive horses can be to keep in California.

December 2019

Nothing dramatic happened in December, so my expenses were average. I took a few lessons, but the show I wanted to do got cancelled, but not before Speedy abscessed, so I wouldn't have been able to go anyway. With nothing standing out, I decided to compare my annual spending from 2018 to 2019 to see if I noticed any trends.

2018 vs. 2019

This report is far more interesting. Even though I switched my supplements from Platinum Performance to Horse Guard which cost 57% less, I still spent $3,551 more in 2019. Putting front shoes back on Izzy increased my farrier bill, and Blue Truck needed a few repairs. Other categories rose by small amounts, but two areas in particular stand out as money pits: Tack or Gear and Veterinary Costs. Apparently I indulged in some retail therapy while Speedy was recovering. Out of curiosity, I ran a report to show exactly what I bought that ran me $1,259.

A little of this and that ...

For future reference, spending a little here and a little there will add up to a hefty sum. Given that my vet bill was 83% higher than the year before, I also ran that report.

Abscesses, the tooth, and the chiropractor

The three grand wasn't from one big injury or illness. Instead, Speedy just kept needing things. He abscessed four times - I took care of the last two without the need for the vet. He sliced open both front legs. He knocked a tooth loose which we tried to save by wiring, but then it ultimately needed to be pulled anyway. Both horses needed their annual vaccinations, and both felt the need for body work off and on throughout the year. I am hoping for a cheaper 2020, but in the meantime, I need to get out to the vet to get my wall calendar. It's free, and it's a good one.

Just why?

It's a good thing that I really like these guys because I could be living a fancier and cleaner life with a better padded retirement account without them.

Forget it. I'd just blow it all on therapy.

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About the
Writer & Rider

I am a lifetime 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.

Photo by Lori Ovanessian

Email Karen

About Speedy G

Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. We're currently showing Third Level for the 2019 show season. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.

August 2018

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 schooling and showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.

March 2019

Bakersfield Dressage approved!

FOR THE SMALLER EQUINE ATHLETE

I love her stuff!

National Awards

USDF Second Level Rider Performance Award - 2018

2nd Level Rider Performance, 2018

USDF First Level Rider Performance Award - 2015

1st Level Rider Performance, 2015

USDF Training Level Rider Performance Award - 2013

Training Level Rider Performance, 2013

State Awards

CDS Ruby Rider Award - 2018
CDS Second Level Horse Performance Award - 2018

Ruby Rider Award, 2018

2020 Show Season

Show Rating
(***) CDS/USDF/USEF
(*) CDS
(s) Schooling
(c) Clinic
(r) Ride-a-Test Clinic
(Q) Must Qualify

2020 Pending …
3/7-8 El Sueno (***)
3/22 Fresno (***)
4/11-12 El Sueno (***)
4/26 TMC (*)
5/9-10 El Sueno (***)
5/31 TMC (*)
6/13-14 El Sueno (***)
6/28 TMC (*)
7/11-12 El Sueno (***)
7/26 TMC (*)
8/8-9 RAAC (Q)
8/30 TMC (*)
10/24-25 SCEC (***)

2020 Completed …
10/26-27/19 SCEC (***)

Qualifying Scores for 2020

Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC)
3rd Level Qualifying
3 Scores/2 Judges:
Score 1: 60.405% Atkins
Score 2: 62.432% Atkins
Score 3:

CDS Championship
3rd Level Qualifying
5 Scores/4 Judges:
Score 1: 60.405% Atkins
Score 2: 62.432% Atkins
Score 3:
Score 4:
Score 5:

Working Towards:

CDS 3rd Level Horse Performance Award
3 Judges/3 Shows:
Score 1: 63.514% Lindholm
Score 2: 62.105% Lindholm
Score 3: 63.243% Wadeborn
Score 4: 60.405% Atkins
Score 5: 62.432% Atkins
Score 6:

CDS Sapphire Rider Award
Third Level: 63.514%
Third Level: 62.105%
Fourth Level:
Fourth Level:

USDF Bronze Medal
First Level - 70.179%
First Level - 72.600%
Second Level - 62.879%
Second Level - 61.970%
Third Level - 62.432%
Third Level -

Speaking of Tack

A Saddle Mattress?

LeMieux Saddle Cover

A Lesson in Parts

Riding a Turtle

Hello to 2020

Goodbye to 2019

My Five Things: Catching Up

Ho! Ho! Haas?

Horse Are Expensive 3.0 - December

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