Extraordinary Times Call for Extraordinary Measures

Keeping cool in the HM office!

On Wednesday, we were asking ourselves if it was possible for it to get any hotter here in Lexington, KY, and on Thursday, we had our answer - Yes, in fact, it could get worse.  Much of the country is engulfed in a record-breaking heatwave, and Lexington became an absolute sauna.  When I left my nice, cool hotel at 5 am to help sweep and clean the Rolex jog lane for Show Jumping jogs, and it was already 85 degrees, 65% humidity, I had a feeling a it was going to be a long, hot miserable day.  Something had to be done to protect our competitors, horses, and volunteers.
One thing the Ground Jury realized right away is that there is a culture in Pony Club in which members and parents perceive that it is expected that competitors remain in the stable area from barns open to barns close.  While at many rallies, this might be necessary to get everything done (or at least seem that way), with record heat, we had to work hard to push an immediate culture change.  Competitors were encouraged to just do what they needed to keep their horses comfortable and then leave to go somewhere much cooler than the very hot tack stalls.

I have to tell you, this was initially met with disbelief from competitors and parents.  Many of the kids were like, "Really?  You're only checking our horses for turnbacks and then we can leave until feeding time?"  Parents approached me asking, "Suzie Q told me that Horse Management said they could take care of their ponies and leave for a few hours - is that true?  I don't want them to get in trouble or get points off, but it is really hot..."  It actually saddened me that on a day in which the heat index hit 110 that parents and competitors really thought there was an expectation that competitors would have to boil in the tackrooms, but in the end, our efforts to keep competitors cool seemed to be much appreciated. 

Using bungee cords to make bandage racks

Rolling quilts around bandages to save space in the Equine First Aid kit

I took some time to help Show Jumping finish Required Equipment checks and wanted to share two ideas for storing your horse bandages that I thought were really cool.  One team used bungee cords to make a bandage rack on the wall, while another saved space in their Equine First Aid kit by rolling the bandage quilts around the leg wrap and then securing with a rubberband.  Pony Club members always amaze me with their clever solutions!

Eventing Vet Box

Over in the Eventing barn, competitors had to tackle the heat AND the cross country course, and I have to say, all the competitors - particularly the Stable Managers - were absolute rockstars!  Everyone worked hard to keep riders and horses cool, and awesome teamwork on the part of the HM staff resulted in a very in a very efficient Vet Box.

Shrimp, potatoes, mushrooms and corn...courtesy of Deep South Region!

The Deep South Region closed out the very hot, hot, HOT day with my favorite part of Champs - the Shrimp Boil!  As always, they were gracious and generous, bringing over 100 pounds of Gulf shrimp to share with the volunteers.  A Quiz tent was converted to a party tent, and a lot of us enjoyed an evening of eating, dancing, and catching up with old friends.  I absolutely CAN'T WAIT to see what they will have in store for us at the 2012 Annual Meeting!!!  If you've never been to a USPC Annual |Meeting, this is probably one that you will want to put on your calendars!!

Grady thoroughly enjoyed the Shrimp Boil and can't wait until Annual Meeting!

Sweatin' to the Standards!

Grady posing at the KHP Gate

Phew!  Can't believe we've made it through Day 1 of the competition!  I'm a bit behind on blogging because I've been busy, so I'll give you a quick update from Tuesday's activities and today...
If you haven't heard, it's hotter than you could even imagine here in Lexington.  It's even hot when I leave my hotel at 5 am.  Yes, THAT hot.  But all of the competitors have been wonderful sports and the Operations Team (OPS, not OOPS!) has been awesome making sure that all of our water jugs are filled with nice, cool ice water.  They have a lot of practice working in this kind of heat, as most of them are from the very steamy Deep South Region, but even they are hot!  If you see members of the OPS team (you'll know them by their red suspenders) - please thank them for their hard work!

Grady and Tampa Bay Ray - the Voice of Championships!

Tuesday was busy with briefings - I went to Show Jumping and Dressage, while other members of the Ground Jury covered Eventing, Tetrathlon, Games and Polocrosse.  I also attended the Show Jumping and Dressage jogs.  Can I just say WOW!  Those Show Jumping competitors can put on a show for their jogs - they did AWESOME!  Good thing, as they are jogging again tomorrow morning at 6 am so that they can get a 7 am start to try and beat some of the heat. 

NJ Region Teamwork!

Today is what we Chiefs call "Paperwork Day."  Lots of HM judging - Turnout (formal) inspections, daily sheets (safety checks and turnbacks, along with general work in the barn), and required equipment checks.  To make the Required Equipment judging go faster, we employed the "abbreviated check," in which every team was checked for their Equine First Aid kit, Extra Equipment kit and Feeding Equipment, as well as 2 other kits of each Chief's choosing.  Turnouts took up most of the day for Dressage, Eventing, and Show Jumping, but I have to say that the first day of Champs competition is always my favorite just because the competitors and horses always look so darned nice!  They look great on subsequent days, but man, something about shiny boots, well-oiled tack, and a horse groomed to the nines just makes me a happy girl!

Grady makes a very special delivery to competitors!

Grady and I spent most of the day speeding around the Horse Park in our "Gnome Mobile" (my very fancy golf cart), running errands to make lives easier for HM staff and help wherever needed.  As you can see by the picture, some of our errands were a bit unusual, but very necessary for the comfort of our competitors!

OH!  And yesterday Grady and I were lucky enough to be interviewed about Festival Fashion by Glenn the Geek at Horse Radio Network.  You can listen to our interview here.  Grady got a little shy and didn't say much, but he did look pretty awesome in his pink sunglasses.  We also went to the Opening Ceremony.  We loved watching the parade of teams, but especially enjoyed the joie de vivre of the Deep South float (Grady caught some cool green beads!)

Tomorrow should be less hectic for the HM staff, but still very hot.  Eventing will have a looooong day with 9.5 hours of cross country, but after a great vet box briefing, I know everyone will kick butt!

Okay, off to help with night checks!!!

Grady visits with Aidyn, his youngest fan!  (His mom, Krista, is an AHMJ in Eventing)

Bluegrass State of Mind...

Soon, these boxes will
be competitor packets!

Okay, this post could be interesting because I haven't yet had my morning caffeine!  Good morning from the Pony Club National Office, where I have set up camp to prepare for Day One of Championships move-in!  In the Board Room, there are boxes and boxes of information just dying to be stuffed into competitor packets.  The Bookstore is being packed up to move to the Trade Fair area in the covered arena.  Wayne Quarles is trying to talk to 4 different people at the same time using 4 separate phones to relay early arrival stabling information.

Festival has arrived.

Officials will have a briefing at 10 am today, so I'm pulling together my last notes for the discipline Chiefs to make sure that Horse Management judging is as uniform as possible across Championships.  It's these last few hours of pre-rally preparations that always seem to make me jittery...

"Did I forget something?"
"Do the horses seem to be happy?"
"Oh no, oh no...those are NOT flip-flops in the barn!"
"Oh geez, what if I don't know the answer to a competitor question?"
"Where are the keys to my car??"

Then something happens...kind of like when I kick my horse out of the cross-country start box and I just ride.  I realize that, yes, in fact I *do* have a reasonable answer or solution for most questions, that yes, most of the horses and people are happy, and OH!  My keys are in my pocket.

And if there's anything that I can't fix, well...there's always duct tape.

Festival officially begins in 28 hours.  NBD.

Perk of the "Overall" job - pins for ALL Disciplines!

Making The Cut



My first Championships!



So I will be leaving for Kentucky within the next couple of hours (still packing!!!  GAH!), but as I was making my final sock selections (15 pairs are making the trip to Kentucky from my collection of ~250), I realized that my process of selecting my socks was a bit like a qualifying rally.

"Hmmm...No...wore those at last Champs."

"Eh...don't have a polo shirt that really goes with those."

"Halloween theme in July?  Nah."

and the most frequent one...

"Just...not...bright enough."

So even though I have a lot of socks from which to choose, only a few get to come with me to "the big show."  Now, the fact of the matter is, unless I make multiple costume changes during Champs, you will only see about half of those socks.  Add to that the fact that I will be modeling the new Pony Club knee socks during Champs, and even though 15 pairs of socks were deemed "awesome" enough to make it into my suitcase, half won't see the light of day at the Horse Park.  Thank goodness socks don't have feelings! (or do they?)

Okay, I know, this is a weird story about socks, but I have a point.  You've all gotten over a HUGE hurdle by qualifying for Champs.  You get to represent your region and strut your stuff at the Kentucky Horse Park.  Some of you will have the rides of your life, while others may just be meh.  Of course everyone wants to go to Kentucky and do well, and if it goes your way - WOW!  Icing on the cake!  But don't get so wrapped up in the competition that you forget to enjoy yourself.  Have fun with your teammates and trade pins with competitors from other regions.  Make new friends.  Take a moment to just sit on your horse and remember that you are riding and competing at one of the most famous venues in the world.

Believe me, you've already won.

See you in Kentucky!


Festival 1992



Festival 1995  - I'm on the right!



Get Your Learnin' On During Champs at the Horse Management Seminar!

Okay, so maybe you're not riding at Champs, but you don't just want to hang around and do nothing, 'cause that would be totally boring...If you're interested in getting a "behind the scenes" view of the action, I highly recommend that you consider signing up for the Horse Management Seminar that will be running during the Championships portion of Festival!  Should you sign up?  Take this little quiz...

Are you…

•  Relatively new to Pony Club and interested in learning more about how the Horse Management program is implemented at rallies?
• An experienced Horse Management judge looking for the opportunity to hone existing skills and maybe learn a few new tricks of the trade?
• A current Pony Club member wanting to learn more about how Horse Management works from the OTHER side of the clipboard?

If you answered “Yes!” to any of these questions, the Horse Management Committee has an opportunity for YOU!

Just in case you missed it in the Gold Book, there will be a Horse Management Seminar running during the Championships portion of Festival (check out page 24) that will provide participants with 2 ½ days of hands-on Horse Management training.  Never helped with HM before?  NOT A PROBLEM!  Curriculum will be tailored to the experience of the participants.

How do you take advantage of this AWESOME opportunity?  Well, if you signed up as part of the normal Festival entry process – you’re all set!  But, we are still offering the opportunity for you to sign-up on-site through TUESDAY, July 19 at the main Horse Show Office.

Questions?  Check out page 24 of the Gold Book for details, or contact seminar organizer Therese Coad (tcoad823@hotmail.com or 206-914-4145).

I'm really, really, REALLY excited about Festival, but have SO much to do, so I better get going!

TWO DAYS UNTIL FESTIVAL MOVE-IN BEGINS!!!

Sockin' it to Pony Club!

Have you heard?  Have you heard?  Pony Club released it's latest, and in my opinion, GREATEST new clothing item today...PONY CLUB BOOT SOCKS!!!

Can I tell you HOW freakin' hard it's been to keep this secret???  I am SO excited about this new item, and I have my pre-order of all four colors (burgandy, magenta, periwinkle, and black - I couldn't choose!) awaiting my arrival at the Kentucky Horse Park on Sunday.
I have a feeling this are going to be pretty popular, so be sure to stop by the USPC Bookstore Booth EARLY to get your pair(s)!!!!

Getting excited for move-in day...just 3 days now!!!

Packing for the Ultimate Road Trip!

Alright, by now you're all probably getting REALLY excited for...Harry Potter?

Okay, so after you've gotten some sleep after your midnight screenings of Harry Potter, the next thing you're all undoubtedly excited about is FESTIVAL!!!  Whether you are traveling to Kentucky for the Championships portion, Educational portion, or sticking it out for both, everyone has quite a bit of packing to do to keep their horses happy and comfortable while looking your best.

By now, you should all know who will be on your team (the teams lists for all disciplines are located here) and you should have worked out who is bringing what.  If you're as lucky as my friends here in the Capital Region (which is pretty teeny-tiny), you may have even been able to get together to assemble your kits as a team and work on your stall cards and feed charts.  If not, well, you have SO many ways to communicate - email, Facebook, Skype, texting, and phone calls. 

Since I was a small Pony Club, I frequently found myself on scramble teams at regional rallies. Also, since Tri-State covers a lot of territory, we were rarely able to get together to prepare for Championships in person.  I know a lot of people panic when they realize they will be on a team with kids from 3 or 4 other regions, but let me tell ya, I've found that the scramble teams tend to do really well because they've taken nothing for granted - no one wants to be "that kid who forgot all the kits and ruined the championships experience for the whole team."  Or at least no one will openly admit to it.

Below are some of my thoughts for "Packing for Success!"

1)  In addition to divvying up the Required Equipment and other items you will use to set up your tack room, you should clarify who will be arriving when and figure out how that will affect tack room and feed room set up.  For example, you guys want to put down an ah-maaaa-zing carpet in your tackroom, but the person bringing it isn't planning on arriving until 11:53 am on Tuesday...you can't really set up until the carpet is in the tack room, so you might want to explore other options for floor coverings or send the carpet with someone else.  You should also determine who's trailer will be used for the feed trailer prior to arriving in Kentucky, as all non-feed trailers will be parked in Timbuktu once unloaded.

2)  Pack your trailer in reverse order of use, meaning pack the stuff you won't have to use right away FIRST, but make sure the stuff you need right away to make your horse comfortable upon arrival - water buckets, snaps, twine, etc. - are readily accessible. 

3)  Everyone should have a mini-utility kit.  Mine is in a red and black tool box (naturally), and contains a hammer, screwdriver, baling twine, double-end snaps, duct tape (zebra, red, and Hello Kitty--the essentials!), masking tape, zip ties, scissors, and a few Sharpie markers (black and silver).  This way, you have pretty much everything you need to get set up, even if you're not responsible for bringing the whole Utility Kit for your team.  But if you're feeling weird, you can throw a couple extra Pony Club pins in there so you feel a bit more legit. 

4)  Make sure your stuff is labeled as you're packing.  If you have questions regarding what is expected in terms of labeling, check out HM Rule 12d (page 21 of the HM Rulebook).  I'd also recommend labeling your hay bales with a duct tape label before you go, too.  The less you have to label on site, the better.

5)  Have you ever seen that person who seems to pack their stuff in like 50 gajillion plastic bags, or even better, just kind of piles everything into the trailer?  Don't be that person!!!  Packing your stuff in storage boxes will really expedite unloading (and you will have a very limited time to unload upon arrival).  Even better - label what is in each box on the outside.  If you have too much stuff in the tack room, you can always take it back to your trailer later.

6)  We don't expect you to wear your paddock shoes during your entire journey to Kentucky, but once you're in the stable area, Pony Club attire and footwear guidelines are in effect.  Make sure your paddock shoes are readily accessible.  Bonus points if they are clean and polished!

7)  Keep an "Important Papers" folder in your towing vehicle.  Upon arrival to the Horse Park, you will have to show health paperwork (negative Coggins and health certificate) for every horse on your trailer.  Have all of this ready to show to officials.    I would also recommend throwing in a basic stall card for each horse(every horse needs a stall card displayed on their stall upon move-in).  If someone else is bringing your "fancy" stall card later, well, at least you have basic information available for those of us keeping an eye on the barns.  If your horse is on medications that require a veterinarian's note, keep a copy of the note in thsi folder, too.  Finally, I'd throw a copy of the Gold Book in here so that it can be quickly referenced.

8)  Make sure your team has a bike lock or other method of locking your tack room at night.  Your tack and tack room equipment must stay in your team's tackroom from competition start to end.  Although it will seem like USPC has taken over the Kentucky Horse Park, it is still a public facility, so you should take care to lock up your tackrooms when barns close for the evening.  You will need to give your lock combination or extra key to the CHMJ (in case they need to get into your tackroom before you've unlocked it in the morning).

9)  If you are contemplating using a fan for your horse, be sure to check out HM Rule 11g  for proper hanging guidelines, and 11e for proper materials.  All fans must be plugged into a 3-prong extension cord.  Also, no powerstrips are allowed - one item per outlet (Kentucky Horse Park rules.)

10)  If you forget something, unless it's something like you're riding boots or saddle, it's annoying, but usually not the end of the world.  You can always pick up items at Wal-Mart and Home Depot, located very close to the Horse Park, and there are plenty of vendors to help with horsey items. 

Speaking of packing, I guess I should get back to my own...if I were to leave right now, I'd show up in Kentucky with my laptop, gnome, and 30 pairs of knee socks...not gonna cut it!

Only 4 days until Festival move-in begins!!!

Please Send Championships-sized Birthday Wishes To...

WAYNE QUARLES!!!  Even on his birthday (I hear it's #25, but that could just be a rumor), Wayne is hard at work making sure Festival 2011 will be a HUGE success!!!

Happy Birthday, Wayne!  And THANK YOU for all of your hard work!

Cruel Summer

Alright...so, I wish when I told my friends that I was moving to Washington, DC over 7 years ago that someone would have pointed out that it is freakin' hot as Hades in this joint in the summer!!! And of course, I spend most of my "professional" day in a suit, followed by a couple hours in boots and breeches...man...I am just a sweaty, disgusting, smelly mess! So when Bananarama's 80's classic "Cruel Summer" came on the radio during my drive home, I knew just what to write about today...

(Above: Me and my parents at Progressive Field, home of my beloved Cleveland Indians, when jackets were clearly not waived by the Ground Jury)

Waiving Jackets and What it Really Means.

Rules relating to preventing heat-related illness and waiving jackets reside in Appendix A of the USPC Horse Management Handbook and Rules for Rallies 2010. Appendix A is also known as the "Uniform Officiation Rules for USPC Rallies," (UORs) and while they are developed by the USPC Executive Committee (NOT the HM Committee), they reside in the HM Rulebook because you are required to have the HM Rulebook and all appendices for all mounted competitions and this saves adding them to all the different discipline rulebooks. Nifty, huh? If you've never given the UORs a read, I highly recommend it!

I want to focus on UOR A7 - Preventing Heat Related Illnesses. Let's face it, for most of the country, all of our rallies seem to happen in the months of April, May, and June, maybe squeaking into July. And it can get REALLY hot in some places (*ahem* Washington, DC) during those months. So rally organizers, Chief HM Judges, and you as competitors need to be prepared to deal with the heat and the potential for heat-illnesses.


The big factor isn't so much the actual temperature - it's actually the combination of this magical thing called "Heat Index" and the "UV index." Heat index looks at the combination of the actual air temperature and humidity. For instance, today it was 97 degrees in the District of Columbia, but it was over 50% humidity, making the "feels like" temperature around 110! YUCK!!! It is also important to keep an eye on the UV index - a high UV index means that there will be little to no cloud cover and the sun will be extremely intense. Result - increased possibility of heat-related illness.

So how does this all relate to you, the awesome Pony Club member? Well, let's face it...who REALLY wants to traipse around in a wool coat in 100 degree weather? (actually, apparently I do, because I have never competed without my coat, but then again, we all know I'm a little loopy...) Yes, the coats look nice, but they look much better if you're not passing out off of your horse from the heat! There is always some confusion about what you can or cannot do once jackets are waived, so I'll try to break it down for you.


When coats are waived because of temperatures/heat index in the "danger zone" (see chart on p. 67), the following rules apply:

1. C1s and above still need to present in proper full formal or informal attire. This means, yes, you need to wear your jacket to turnout inspection.



2. Everyone is required to warm up with their jackets off. No ifs, ands, or buts.
   


3. Riders DO have the option to choose to ride their test with their coat on. If they want to wear their coat for their ride, neckwear needs to stay on. If they decide that they do not want to wear their coat during their test, neckwear should be removed, shirt collar opened (to maximize airflow) and helmet covers on vented helmets removed.



4. Remember, shirts must have a collar and long or short sleeves (no sleeveless). T-shirts are not acceptable.
   

Beyond the question of "Coat or No Coat," you and your teammates should look after each other should it be a scorcher of a week in Kentucky. If a teammate says they are feeling ill, such as feeling dizzy, nauseous, shivering even though it's 100 degrees, or unable to sweat - have them sit still and GET HELP! Even if you're all doing fine and dandy, you should work as a team to make sure everyone is drinking enough water (as usual, there will be coolers of cold drinking water in the barns and at the riding venues) and eating food other than Skittles (although I am personally convinced that The Rainbow *is* a food group.)

And since I'm a cancer biologist by training - please be sure to apply and RE-apply your sunscreen while at Champs, even if it's a cloudy day. And if you run out, you can look for the glowing white orb wearing funky knee socks (that would be me and my reflective paleness) - I always have sunscreen in my bag!

Stay cool and see you in Kentucky in 6 short days!

Hungry, Hungry Horses!

Getting caught up from yet another busy weekend...Saturday was spent competing Twix the Super Pony at the Maryland Horse Trials (where he finished 5th in a very competitive Novice division and jumped double-clear despite me riding like a monkey in SJ!) Sunday I returned to the horse trials to volunteer as a dressage scribe. So if you competed in Ring 2 on Sunday and don't understand your comments, just shoot me an email! I really enjoy working as a scribe - it's helped me really appreciate the showmanship involved with throwing down a good test. And, as a Chief HM Judge, I feel totally validated when the judges make comments about horse and rider pairs who are wonderfully turned out!

Anyway, I was all set to go riding after work when Twix's owner called and said the main highway that I take to get up there was closed in both directions because of a gas line break. Eek. Traffic up to "my boys" is already pretty horrible, so I can't imagine how it was with over 6 miles closed in both directions. So early night back in DC...hanging out with my guinea pigs, Chuck and Mortimer (apartment-sized herbivores!) and figuring out what I should write about to best help you prepare for Festival, and I came up with "Feeds and Feeding."

Here in the Capital Region, and similarly for some of the other Pony Club regions in this area, we host predominantly one-day rallies. Gates open at 6 am, the briefing is usually at 7:15 am, and the first turnout inspections are at 8 am. Depending on our numbers, we can be done as early as 2 pm, or as late at 7 pm. The main reason why we have one-day rallies is that although we are in the heart of horse country, it is very difficult for us to procure an affordable facility that has sufficient stabling and riding areas. So while I know my Pony Club members are pretty awesome in the one-day rally format, I always worry a little bit when I ship them off to Championships because they are not used to a lot of the extra judging that goes on at an overnight rally.

One of the big things we miss in the one-day rally format is the opportunity to set up a feed room/trailer, and unfortunately this is one of the areas that I see as being the weakest across the board at Championships, particularly for regions like my own who are not as experienced in the multi-day rally format. So I wanted to talk a little bit about the "common mistakes" we see with feed rooms/trailers.

1) The Feed Chart. The HM Committee is always looking for ways to provide better guidance on how to put together a useful feed chart, but I think it's best to look at the purpose...Just as Iwas not able to get to my horses today because of a gas leak that closed the highway, it is possible that something could happen that would result in you arriving late to the Horse Park to feed in the morning. Thus, the purpose of the Feed Chart is to effectively communicate to anyone, not just a teammate, WHAT and HOW MUCH your horse eats, and WHEN he/she eats it. The information on the chart (and labels on the actual items) should be descriptive enough for an AHMJ to readily identify who gets fed what. Everything should be listed in weight, rather than volume (e.g., "6 lbs of Timothy hay" or "1 lb of Senior Sweetfeed"). You can list a conversion of your "scoop" (such as "4 quarts scoops = 1 lb Sweet feed"), but the chart must have some sort of weight listing. The feed chart should also list all supplements and medications to be administered and with which feedings they occur. Supplements and medications do NOT need to be listed in weight.

2) Hay. The biggest mistakes I see with hay are a) not labeling your hay with a simple duct tape label, and b) not tying it up after you've taken what you need at feeding time.

3) Grain/Concentrate Storage. So this is always a little tricky, and trust me, HM judges don't want to make it tricky. Basically, storage containers need to prevent the grain from getting moldy, but also prevent any animals (usually horses, but we all know that random small rodents mill around the barn late at night!) from getting into the food, eating it, and possibly getting very sick from eating too much at once. Horse trailers as feed rooms are considered "secure" and thus, you don't need to worry as much about horses getting into the storage bins (unless your horse is REALLY proficient at opening the side doors of a trailer or the ramp!) If you end up in with a feed STALL, however, you do need to secure the lids of your storage containers as described in HM Rule 13d. I strongly recommend pre-packaging your grain (making sure each meal properly labeled), unless all of the horses on your team eat the same feed. And I always recommend packing an extra day's worth of meals...just in case! And remember - plastic baggies are NOT acceptable for grain storage!!!

4) Top Off Buckets. Crazy old people like me may still call these "fire buckets" (like we could put out any sizable fire with our 5 gallon buckets! And geez, don't we require legit fire extinguishers??) Basically, every night before barns close, you need to put out labeled bucket of drinking water for us to use to top off your horse's water buckets during night checks. And yes, we do night checks. And yes, if you forget to put out a bucket, we will find a way to make sure your horse gets water, but make it easy on us and just put the bucket out every night! In the morning, you should empty the top off buckets and store them in the tack room. If you leave them out all day, the water inevitably gets gunky and gross. One of the biggest problems we see here is buckets that are too small. Top offs need to be 5 gallons, or two buckets that combine to be 5 gallons. You can use an extra "traditional" water bucket, "pickle" or "paint" buckets (like those big buckets they sell at Home Depot) or a combination of two small 2.5 gallon buckets. Please note, Cosequin buckets are NOT 5 gallons, so if you use them for top off buckets, you should probably use two.

5) Showing Up Late in the AM. You might be thinking, "what does this have to do with feeds and feeding?" Well, the reason why we have official "barns open/closed" times is to try and make sure horses are fed at approximately the same time, preventing a lot of kicking, fussing, squealing, and general shenanigans that can ultimately result in injury. The whole team can arrive together to do morning chores, or just one or two team members can come early to get the horses fed, but they must be fed within a reasonable timeframe of "barns open."

Alright, all this talk of feeds and feeding has made me hungry...

7 days until the official start of Festival 2011!!!

Eek! One Week...

...'til Champs move-in officially begins!!! Are you ready???

8 days 'til official start of Festival 2011!!!!



(only one week until USPC Activities Director and Grady the Gnome are reunited!)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

All the Roads in Lexington are Paved in Gold(books)!

Okay, have you started getting at least a little excited about Festival yet? Or are you kind of freaking out at the concept that yes, in fact...

FESTIVAL IS 10 DAYS AWAY??!!

Egads. Where has the time gone?

But I digress. Today's topic for a blog-tastical adventure is (drumroll) THE GOLD BOOK. Isn't that swanky how I made the font gold? My mother always said I was too creative for my own good...anyway. What is The Gold Book? Do you need to read it? Why is it called "The Gold Book"? These are life's little mysteries that I aim to resolve in today's blog!

First of all, if this is the first time you're even hearing of THE GOLD BOOK, here's the link. I recommend that you download it and/or print it out and READ it before you even start packing your horse trailer for the trip to Kentucky. In short, THE GOLD BOOK "includes vital information that will help you prepare for Festival 2011. It will help you prepare for the Championships activities and the Educational programs and will answer many of the questions you might have." Got a question on whether or not stalls need to be stripped and checked by staff after Championships? It's in the Gold Book (and the answer is yes, or else you forfeit your $50 deposit.) Are we using Feed Rooms or Feed Trailers during Championships? You got it...it's in the Gold Book (and the majority of competitors will be in Feed Trailers.)

I could regurgitate much of the information in the Gold Book here in my ever-so-witty prose, but really, it's something you just need to sit down and read. I recommend printing out a copy and keeping it with your horse's health papers. The Gold Book represents the "Standard Operating Procedures" for Festival Participants, so you might even want to have a copy to share as a team (you can tuck it in with your Rulebooks!)

I do need to make a very important correction to the information on page 5 of the Gold Book, under the header "Other Horse Management Information." Item #1 says that screw eyes may be used for hanging items in the stalls. This is incorrect. Kentucky Horse Park rules indicate that nothing may be done to the stalls that will permanently alter the materials, so driving in screw eyes, nails, etc. to hang stuff like racks and buckets is NOT allowed. You may get creative with other hanging materials, such as baling twine, chains, rope, C-clamps and latticework to make your tack room a cozy little home away from home. Please refer to HM Rule 11 for more information about fastening materials and requirements for breakaway capabilities.

So, why is it called "The Gold Book"? Well, when I was in Pony Club, back before there was this fancy thing called the internet and "google" wasn't a part of daily lexicon, Championships information was sent out as an insert in the USPC News magazine. It was printed on yellow (gold) paper so that readers would know to pull it out and save it. Not only was it printed on gold paper, you only got one copy, so you treated it like it was gold! No one wanted to misplace their Gold Book!!

OK. Moral of today's story is READ YOUR GOLD BOOK! Capice?

10 Days Until Champs Move-In day!! :)

Exceeding the Standards...

(The always impeccably turned out Roger Rabbit - I love my greys!)

Hey Everyone! Hope you had a fun and safe Independence Day weekend! I actually enjoyed a very quiet weekend - it was the first weekend I had "off" since the first weekend of May, so it felt good to just be lazy and have some time to myself, especially with Festival on the horizon...

Speaking of Festival...Do you realize that exactly TWO WEEKS from today is what Chief HM judges call "Paperwork Day"? In non-Chief language, it's the first day of mounted competition, which means it's Turnout Inspection day! Turnout Inspection day is the day when you and your horses and ponies look your absolute most fabulous best, but I know it can be a bit stressful getting everything together to have that picture-perfect look, and it only gets harder as you move up the ranks. Since turnout inspections have always been one of my most favorite parts of Pony Club, I thought I would write down a few tips I've learned over the years. So, here it goes!

Tip 1: BE ON TIME. There is no faster way to sink your team's morale than to show up late to your turnout inspection. As a judge, it breaks my heart to see a kid who has tried so hard end up getting deductions for being late, but it's a very important life lesson. Your turnout inspection is your Pony Club job interview; you have to show up on time. In that same vein, there is such a thing as being too early. Making your horse stand in the waiting area 20 minutes before your scheduled time is a bit silly, and usually ends with a very antsy-prancy horse when you're actually being judged. The ideal range is 5-8 minutes before your scheduled time.

Tip 2: Practice your horse's ground manners before the rally! Yes, I know a rally is very exciting for a horse, but it's not an excuse for your horse to trample all over you or me. Just as you need to practice your jog out skills, you should also practice making your horse stand for a turnout inspection. Having a horse with good ground manners will not only keep you (and your judge) from getting trampled, but will also make your turnout inspection go faster! For those of you who *hate* turnout, this is a good thing! Also, it will make a super impression on your judge!

Tip 3: Make sure you know whether your attire is correctly formal or informal. I usually start every turnout inspection with the question, "how are you dressed today?" I think it's a good ice breaker to get you guys talking (and if you're talking, you must be breathing!), but sometimes the reaction I get makes me feel like I've asked you to explain how a space shuttle works! If you're unsure about anything relating to attire and whether it's formal or informal, check out HM Rule 7i (you'll find it on page 11).

Tip 4: Make sure you know the attire and tack guidelines for your discipline. Without fail, it seems like I encounter some tack or attire "issue" at a rally. And by issue, I don't mean fit issue. I mean, stuff that just isn't allowed! Make sure you review the attire and tack rules for your discipline so that you KNOW your equipment is on the up-and-up BEFORE you get to Champs. And no, the excuse, "they let me use it at every other rally," is not an acceptable inquiry. Period.

Tip 5: Don't use saddlesoap to clean your riding boots. One of the easiest ways to get an Exceeds Standards as a D or C1/C2 is to have super-shiny boots. Unfortunately, one of the most common missteps I see is Pony Club members cleaning their riding boots with saddlesoap -egads! Riding boots, particularly fancy tall boots, are made with a much finer grade of leather than your saddle, and typical saddlesoap products are waxy and dull the shine. Therefore, the best thing to use is shoe cleaner (I use a product called Kiwi Leather Lotion, a bottle of which costs about $5 at Wal-Mart or Target). It's like a really refined leather cleaner conditioner - you apply a thin layer, let dry, then buff with a brush. If I need to touch up the polish, I usually use a thin layer of cream polish, let dry, buff, then shine with an old pair of pantyhose. Trust me - your boots will be mirrors!

(Left: Roger's sparkly browband!)

Tip 6: Polish your metal with an actual metal polish. I have been obsessed with brass clincher browbands since they first became popular with the eventing crowd (which, yes, was before most of you were born.) In fact, the brass clincher browband on my beloved Roger Rabbit's jumping bridle is...um...17 years old. And it is always blindingly shiny. My product of choice - mainly for effectiveness and ease of use - is Nevr Dull (no, I didn't misspell Never), and a tin will last you a ridiculously long time. I also like Simichrome polish, but always go back to Nevr Dull mainly because it makes the least amount of mess and I get all my brass polished in a very short time. Just wiping your metal (particularly brass) with a rag is insufficient - the polish helps take the residue that dulls the shine off. Just don't use the polish on the mouthpiece of your bit.

Tip 7: It's never too early to deal with a dandruff "situation." If your horse has a dandruff "issue," you should probably start dealing with it now. Start with a human dandruff shampoo (I use Head and Shoulders Soft 'n' Silky on the greaseball pony, and have also heard good things about Suave Dandruff for Men from Pony Club members). Okay, that didn't work? Try a couple of consecutive days of treatment with Listerine (you need to try and pull the flakes out as you apply the shampoo and/or Listerine - none of the treatments will magically dissolve existing dandruff!) Listerine not working? Try MTG shampoo. If you start in advance, you should have "the situation" under control.

Tip 8: Don't wait until the last minute to clean the "unmentionables." Yes, sheath and udder cleanliness is still on the standards, and judges will at least attempt to check (although do let your judge know if they are at risk of getting their head kicked off!) A funny thing to note - this year, I've actually seen far cleaner sheaths than udders, which I find absolutely mind-boggling. I mean, udders are pretty uncomplicated to clean, but they can get just as gunky as a sheath. In terms of cleaning, you can use plain water, water with a touch of Ivory soap, or commercial sheath cleaners. If your horse is pretty dirty, you may want to use baby oil to help soften the smegma and make it easier to remove, but do realize that the oil will attract dirt if not rinsed out.

Well, I think that covers most of my "big deals," but if you have any questions about how to ace your turnout inspection, feel free to ask them in the comments section!

13 days until Festival 2011!!! Better get crackin' on that dandruff!!! :)

(Roger Rabbit expresses his opinion about getting yet ANOTHER bath...oh, the curse of being a grey horse!)

Clipboards and Vet Box and Smoothies, Oh My!

The Capital Region is very fortunate to be located in the heart of the US Eventing Association's Area II, and our eventing rally was held in conjunction with the always well-run Seneca Valley Pony Club Horse Trials two weeks ago. Seneca Valley Pony Club hosts two recognized events each year, and it is one of my favorite events. The Maryland Region ran its eventing rally at another awesome Area II event - Waredaca. I mean how cool is it to have riders like Boyd Martin, Karen O'Connor, Phillip Dutton, etc., etc., at your PONY CLUB RALLY??? Pretty awesome, I think.

(Above: I try to be incognito at these horse trials, but apparently I can't escape HM!)

We usually run two rallies on the SVPC HT weekend, but our numbers were low for the Training/Prelim day, so we only held a rally on the Novice/Beginner Novice/Starter day on Sunday. Since I had Twix the Super Pony entered in a novice division, I took care of my HMO duties earlier in the week. One thing I've noticed in my three years as HMO is that clipboards seem to be a hot commodity! I *know* I started the season with 12 clipboards, and by the time we got to our third rally of the season, we were down to 6! Are you kidding me? Just goes to show you that you can label everything and it STILL won't get returned to you! Luckily, Target had some funky fruit patterned clipboards in the dollar bins (I'm addicted to the Tar-jay dollar bins!) and I added those to our HM kit, labeled, of course!

(Above: Capital Region's newest HM clipboards!)

(Right: The Capital Region's Informational Booth at the SVPC H.T. The Region also hosted a silent auction, which was quite successful!)


(Left: Grady checks in with Eventing Rally CHMJ, Elizabeth Young)

Because our rally is at the mercy of the horse trials' entries and schedule, it was a rather long day for everyone - grounds opened at 6 am, the briefing was at 7:15 am, and the first turnout was at 8 am. The last rides (the starter division) completed around 5:30 pm, and I think everyone was able to roll out around 6:30 pm. So kudos to the Capital competitors and parents for sticking out a very long day! We're already looking at ways to run the rally in two segments for next year so that our starters don't have to be there alllllllll day. I stopped by after my rides were completed and I'd met with our RS and SJ rally organizer about THAT rally the following week, and everything seemed to be going smoothly. The most popular feature of the rally were the vouchers for free smoothies from Fruit and Ice Connection (aka "Smoothie Lady)! Smoothie Lady is a LEGEND in Area II! They are the BEST smoothies, and so refreshing on a hot day at a horse trial! My favorite flavor is Berry Blend (strawberry, raspberry, blackberry), and a lot of the Capital kids get their smoothies as "parfaits" (whipped cream layers). I think I consumed at least 5 smoothies over that weekend...

(Far Left: Grady enjoys a Berry Blend Smoothie while visiting the Capital Region Booth...hey, wait...he never paid me back for that!!!)

(Left: Smoothie Lady teaches Grady how to Dougie, I mean, make a smoothie!)

So while I'm on Eventing Rally, let's talk Vet Box. What's the point? Well, since Pony Club is heavily rooted in eventing, the original intent of the vet box at rallies was to prepare you all for upper level eventing and the vet box at traditional full-format 3-day events, which while popular at the training level, are rapidly disappearing. The point is to help you learn about how your horse recovers from the effort of cross country. Vet box staff take a lot of time to record your horse's vitals, and sadly, I find that many competitors don't bother to ask to see the sheet to see how they recovered. I've also found that many lower level competitors are a bit unfamiliar with how to get a horse to cool a horse down after exerting exercise - yes, walking helps, but what REALLY helps is getting nice, cold water at arterial points (i.e., where you see veins popping out, like the throat and between the hind legs.) The cold water absorbs the heat from your horse's body, so you need to then scrape the now hot water off (otherwise, it's like a big wet blanket). At events like Rolex or Fair Hill, you'll see grooms set up stations that look like "horse washes" (a bucket at each corner.) The goal is to get the water on, have it absorb the heat from your horse, scrape it off, rinse and repeat.

The other part of the vet box is getting your stuff up to the box and back. This is where labeling becomes very important. I can't tell you how many times I've seen riders get off at the end of cross country and not know where their stuff is, or realize that something, usually the halter and leadrope, is missing. So work with your stable manager to develop a plan for the vet box, and make sure they or another member of your team can help you. Once all the tack is off, it is important to make sure you keep it all together. In many cases, you will pack your stuff up in big LABELED garbage bags to transport back to the stable area. I've also seen laundry baskets and big duffel bags. But in the end, it is up to you to make sure everything is labeled and organized in a way that YOU get it back at the end of the day (after all, you need to clean most of that stuff for turnback, right?)

My last pet peeve before I clean my boots and go riding on this beautiful day is the common water source in the vet box. I'm going to keep it simple:

1) Do NOT let your horse drink from the common troughs!

2) DO only dip into the tanks with designated buckets!

We want all the horses that come to Championships happy and healthy to go home the same way!

Oh, and if you were wondering how Twix the Super Pony did at SVPC - he was 3rd in a 19-horse division. Needless to say, I was very proud of the Little Monster!! :)

(Finders Keepers, aka Twix, braided and ready to go to SVPC HT! Competing at last fall's SVPC HT - photo courtesy of GRC)

17 days until Festival 2011 begins!