Hey, that'd do it. Of course it'd cover up your house and your car and everything else that didn't move very fast within about a day and a half! They don't call it "The Vine that Ate the South" for nuthin! ;o)
>
| This thread has been locked, it will not receive new replies. |
| Locked on 08/07/2007 7:37:51 AM PDT by Admin Moderator, reason: |
Posted on 01/02/2007 9:57:39 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
We weren’t home when they spread the plastic on the first part of it, we were at the beach house. I imagine the horses did some snorting about that, but they’d settled down by the time we got home and ignore it now.
No, I don’t know that she interviewed anyone but the ride management. She went out on Sat. morning on a horse, with the drag riders, but I never saw her again, and forgot to ask. I heard that the drag riders had a lot of trouble, so I don’t know what that means either. I do know one had a horse that coliced, I saw them treating it. But other then that, I know nothing:)
Becky
Well, at least you HAVE something to mow! It’s so dry here that everything is just turning brown and burning up. We’re 12 or 14 inches behind for the year on our rain and no end in sight.
I’m glad to hear that you made it through the ride and back home with no mishaps. Mud that deep can really cause some problems if they don’t handle it just right, but it sounded like Harley did just fine. I sure hated that it rained on you like that and don’t blame you a bit for deciding to back out the next time if it’s like that. I’ve been doing more of that myself in the last year or so too. Like you say, it’s supposed to be fun, and if it ain’t fun anymore then why do it.
I think he still thinks the signs make a good privacy fence. :-\
Hey, that'd do it. Of course it'd cover up your house and your car and everything else that didn't move very fast within about a day and a half! They don't call it "The Vine that Ate the South" for nuthin! ;o)
>
Well, I’m sorry you’re so dry. That’s as frustrating as too wet. I heard on the news this morning that we’ve had over 9 inches just this month.
Becky
Yeah, everybody else seems to be flooding but us, so go figure! We seem to have this giant umbrella over us that just keeps the rain away. But we DO have some small chances of rain this coming Friday through Sunday, so hopefully something will come of that. My pasture is just crunchy!
The chart on the left tells how much distance is between each marker, and how much total time will pass at each marker. On the map itself, it's hard to tell, but the dotted line is the trail. Most of it is black, which is common trail, both Novice, and open ride it. Then at the top you notice at marker D there is an orange line that makes a loop,and comes back at point E. Then the same thing happens further down. That is the Open riders trail, the Novice trail on the map turns to a blue dotted line. On the trail it self there are ribbons marking which trail you are on. Common trail is marked with red/white/blue, Open is marked red/white, and Novice is blue/white. Also on the trails there are signs that say A, B, C, so on, and one that is the 2 mile marker (2 miles from the finish). So when you come to a marker on the trail, you can see where you are at on the map, and check the chart to see how your time is. At the ride meetings they tell us where good water is, so you can mark that on your map, where the P&R's are, so you can mark that. Becky
Interesting to see!
Tell me what the skill tests were again, and what was being judged. Then show us your scorecard, even if you aren’t happy with it... I’m curious about that aspect of it, if I ever try to do this sometime down the road.
The trouble this time of year is that when you get rain, you get it in buckets, right?
Next was judged mount, that we did Sun. morn before leaving camp.
Then we were going down trail, and they had a big log across the trail that the Novice horses had to step over with the front feet and stop, then the rider counted to 5, went on. On the other side of the log were two puddles side by side and we had to go between them.
Then along the trail the vet stopped us and checked the horses metabolics, hydration, cap. refill, gut sounds, etc. The rider stayed mounted, and the horse needed to stand still.
The next card is the horsemanship card. The middle section is the skill tests. The first was a ditch crossing, and down and up.
Then a back up.
Then a long climb up, the rider should keep the horse at a walk all the way up.
This judge was also at the mount, and watched us trot off from the mount, while the vet judged watched for lameness. This judge also watched the log crossing, and then was at a place on trail where there was a long downhill.
If there is something you can't read, and want to know what it says ask me. Also I should have (have it loading now), the back of the Horse Card has a lot of details about how the vet is scoring, so that will help. I'll post it as soon as it's done loading.
Becky
Looking at these cards, LOL, I'm even more aggravated at myself because there was NOTHING hard about any of these observations. I just chocked:) I've had to do a lot harder stuff in the past. It just wasn't a good weekend for me. But gives me things to work on before the next one in Sept.
Oh, and I forgot to add that on the log step over thing, the Open riders had to walk up to right in front of the log and stop and stand, not straddle it, to the count of 5. And on the counting, the riders do the counting, and I've seen some of them count really fast, and other count slower....IMO, the judge should count.
Becky
Yeah, it’ll come a flood for 15 minutes and then move on. The ground is so hard now that it mostly runs off. But I’ll take it any way I can get it. Beggars can’t be choosers!
What’s in the center block of the horsemanship card. I can’t make that one out... only that you got docked a couple points but I can’t tell for what!
Doing the standing for mounting test right at the start when the horses are the freshest is tough ;~)
What's the catch that I'm missing? I think stopping short of it is a lot easier than stopping them straddling it. Straddling it is counter-instinctive for the horse. Bay wouldn't like stopping with it under him.
I can’t read most of the score card stuff, but that may just be my eyes.
The difference in log obstacle between Novice and Open is interesting. I can see where the Open would be more challenging, because most horses when asked to approach a log are going to be thinking about getting OVER it, not stopping in front of it and waiting. I know that all of mine would be prone to fidget if asked to stop for a count of 5 before stepping over. Bob has the log straddle down pretty good though because that’s how I remount when I’m out on the trail. There’s a lot of 2’ high pine logs down at the break area and I make him straddle them so I can get on. Not that I really need to, but I just figured it was a good training exercise. But one time it really came in handy when I somehow managed to sprain my ankle really bad right before a ride and could barely put any weight on my left foot by lunchtime. So you never know when a seemingly useless activity might come in handy.
Center block says:
Sat.a.m Gulley Climb
Allowed horse to rush top of climb, -1
Overbalanced forward, -1
Sun. a.m. Mount & trot.
Mount-reins uneven -1
landed heavy -1
Trot- off center to left -1
The reins uneven, I’m assuming now, they do not want you to flex the horse to get on...I’m not sure why on that, but he walked off anyway even doing that so I guess it didn’t help. I’m going to try to find out why that would be wrong to do the flexing around. It worked great here at home, to keep him still. Everything else the judges were pretty right about, I’d agree with everything.
Becky
LOL...we all thought the same thing:). I heard the judge say, they thought they had been to easy on the Novice class the day before...
And on that mount at the start of the ride...I’m not making excuses but it was a circus. It was pouring rain, they had some plastic mounting steps we could use, a horse right before me, kicked the darn thing right towards Harley, which of course spooked and and several other horses, then another riders saddle slipped off sidewise as she mounted and the horse took off bucking a few laps:)...horses standing/moving around all over...it was a tough mount, and I’m always nervous as whore in church first thing in the mornings anyway.
Becky
OK! - Thanks for the details. :~)
I thought that might be the issue with the step over thing too.
Harley did pretty good I thought, he stopped astraddle of it, but fidgeted a bit. I should have settled him, and then started counting, but I said whoa, then started counting even tho he was fidgeting. I don’t count fast tho like some do, but I think if I would have given him a moment he’d have done better.
Becky
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.