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Comment by vickie lawson on July 8, 2010 at 4:46am

delphi and i are going to a training show this sunday. level 2 or novice. her first attempt at a higher level. she is such a lovely, relaxed ride.

Comment by vickie lawson on July 8, 2010 at 1:39am

sounds super cindy! well done!! next you'll have to get driving those morgans! its a lot of fun too.

Comment by Cindy Jeffery on July 8, 2010 at 12:53am

Hey everyone! I got Level 1 Standard Western and Level 1 Standard English at the Certified Horsemanship Clinic I went to. I am especially proud of the english accomplishment. I have only dabbled in english riding and only jumped in my teens that's 42 years ago. The jumping was a blast and I really enjoyed it, but after being cramped in a plane for 2 hours and driving for 4 hours, I was pretty sore for a week after, could hardly move without ibuprofen. But I have to say the whole experience has me searching for a beginner english package for my wide shouldered morgans. What a blast! :-)

Comment by vickie lawson on July 7, 2010 at 6:06pm

thanks again jan!! i have discovered the great steffan peters videos on you tube. i love them!! i am budgeting to get a video camera, as i agree, i can do a lot myself with reviewing them. i also subscribe to dressage today and read it cover to cover. thanks again for your sage advice!!

Comment by Jan Jollymour on July 7, 2010 at 11:16am

Vickie:

A few more things: when you are able to get to a decent trainer, video your lessons and review them often; when you are able to watch others with a good trainer video and take notes and review both often; ALWAYS have your test rides at shows videotaped, and review those often. Good luck!

Comment by Jan Jollymour on July 7, 2010 at 9:47am

Hi, Elaine:

The humidity is more a problem than the heat. We routinely get temperatures in the high 30's in the summer months here in the southern interior of BC, but we have very dry air, so soaking horses cools them very efficiently. When the humidity's high, they just sit in the wet, and don't cool off. However, dampening their sheets and keep the fans going will cool them to some extent.


Our horses don't run from mosquitoes usually, but deer flies and horse flies really do make them run. Have you had a big mosquito hatch this year? We sure have! I feed apple cider vinegar in the summer when the bugs are bad, and use parasite wasps as well. The combination seems to work reasonably well, with no ill effects for anyone except the bugs!

Vickie: Read, read and read some more. There is a lot of great reference material out there. Subscribe to Dressage Online, and video yourself. If at all possible, video yourself monthly (at the least) and then compare your videos against what you've seen in books and online. You'll be amazed at what you can learn on your own. Watch the footage of Steffen Peters on YouTube (there're hours of it) to imprint on your subconscious what it is that you want to produce, and then tape it and evaluate it. Many of Barnmice's members live in isolated areas, without regular access to good trainers, so we have to be creative....

Comment by Elaine Flintoff on July 6, 2010 at 9:55pm

Appreciate your info Tracy. Thanks especially for the tip about wetting down their net fly sheets....I haven't been using them this year, but I think your suggestion about soaking them and putting them on would work well. Also, spraying their sheets for insects....I have 2 fans running in the barn and the horses seem quite happy with them....they are not wet with sweat, so they are doing their job....the humidity is atrocious !!!

Comment by vickie lawson on July 6, 2010 at 6:07pm

thanks for the advice tracy. unfortunately it won't work for me. i work full time, 1 hour away from home. i get up at 530 to feed and do stalls, and get home again at about the same time. then i have family stuff, dinner, working my horse etc. just not enough hours in the day to spend time at a trainers, unfortunately. but thanks.

Comment by vickie lawson on July 6, 2010 at 6:05pm

hi elaine: in the past in really hot weather we have hosed down the foals during the day to cool them. i think as long as you do it early enough so they will dry before bed it should be okay. also ride early or late so you don't add to the heat.

Comment by Shirley on July 6, 2010 at 2:14pm

My professional trainers told me not to put a hot 'wet' horse away because their soaked coat would cause a sauna effect so they should have the excess water removed as Elaine suggested. Others have told me the same.

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