Month: March 2020

Well guys, this corona thing really spiraled quickly didn’t it? Things look a lot different today than they did a week ago, or even just 4 days ago. USEF, USEA, and FEI have cancelled shows for now, and everything is coming to a screeching halt. Whether or not any of us contracts the virus, this is definitely going to affect all of us in some way.

Over the weekend I have to admit that I was very disappointed to see the people on social media who wanted to keep horse showing in the coming weeks despite all this, and the organizers who wanted to keep offering schooling shows because riders asked for them. I’m not sure why some of us seem to feel exempt from what all the experts are recommending, and what our societal obligation demands. The time to buckle down is now, and there is nothing special about us that exempts us from that.

Look, I get it. Being sidelined sucks. All horse people know what that feels like. For some people this is going to be dreamcrushing (especially if the Olympics gets cancelled). For organizers it could end up being a huge financial hit that some may struggle to recover from. For professionals who make most of their living selling horses or on coaching fees, this is going to hurt for sure. For vendors like mobile tack shops and photographers, this is a massive blow to the bottom line and could put them out of business. I understand all of that. But the fact of the matter is, there is no choice anymore. The global pandemic has happened. The horse show industry continuing to go against the recommendation of the CDC (no gatherings over 50 people for the next 8 weeks) or the current US administration (no gatherings over 10 people) is asinine and senseless, and, quite honestly, reeks of privilege. Please, let’s not be part of the problem. This is a global pandemic that will kill thousands, if not millions. Be a good human and do your part.

If the “human life” aspect isn’t enough to sway you, also consider that the sooner we get this under control, the sooner we can start going back to normal life, the sooner the economy can recover, and the fewer businesses will have to shutter. Isolating ourselves as much as possible right now is in everyone’s best interest, including horse people’s. Please follow USEF’s recommendation and stop holding shows and clinics and workshops. Riders, please for the love of god stop attending these things. I know it absolutely sucks to have to come to a screeching halt just as you were coming into peak season, but we have to. If you don’t opt to do it on your own, soon the government will force you. Don’t be part of the problem. Just stop. We are not entitled to keep traveling to horse shows and holding events when people’s lives are at stake. Think horse shows don’t have the same risk for transmission? I ask you to please read this. You will not die from a lack of horse showing, I promise. But people could die because you were too obstinate to fulfill your societal obligation. This is so much bigger than us right now. Let’s all just hunker down for and while and we’ll get through this together.

So – since this is happening whether we like it or not, the next thing to ask ourselves as horse people is “what do we do now?”.

If you have a business that will be or already has been affected by this – a mobile tack shop, a photographer, a sales horse program, an event facility, a small business, etc – please leave a link to your business in the comments so that we can try to help.

If you’re a rider that is no longer able to show for the forseeable future and you’re in a stable enough place financially to afford it, please consider patronizing these business. Order yourself a little something from a vendor, visit your favorite show photographer’s website and buy a photo or two from a past event. If you know organizers that are cancelling shows, send them an email and ask if you can pre-pay for a few XC schooling fees.  If you entered a show that cancelled and you can afford to forfeit your entry towards their lost costs, consider donating it. If your trainer’s business is taking a hit, inquire about pre-paying for a chunk of lessons or signing your horse up for training rides. Getting some cash in their hands now could make a world of difference. Check on your hourly-wage and service industry friends who are likely to be affected by this and see if they need anything for themselves or their horses. If we have the means, let’s do what we can to help take care of our own.

If you’re a horse industry professional that is suddenly much less busy than usual, this could also be an opportunity. Is there something you’ve always wanted to learn more about that you’ve never had time for in the past? Course design, breeding, officiating, etc? Maybe now is the opportunity to start looking into and learning about those things and expanding the professional portfolio. If you now find yourself in a tough spot financially, consider offering facetime lessons, or video lessons, or online horsemanship classes. If you need ideas for how to do any of those things, please contact me and I’d be glad to help however I can. This could also be a great opportunity to update websites and social media (or learn about sharpening up those social media marketing skills) so that when things do settle down, your business is in a prime place to take off again. Put together really good videos of all those sale horses, catch up on your bookkeeping, and please don’t forget to take care of your staff as best you can.

Facility owners who need to keep their doors open at least a little bit for as long as possible, consider something similar to Flying Cross. This option may not be feasible for many or available for long, but it’s an idea.

For those that aren’t going to feel as much financial pain, maybe this is a good opportunity to reconnect with our horses again. To let the day to day bustle and the pressure fall away and remember why it is we do all of this in the first place. Do some ground work, go ride bareback (alone or in very small groups please), or just enjoy time with your horse. Or hey, maybe you’re feeling a little burned out from the horses and want to spend a little time with your family instead so you can come back refreshed and refocused. Do it guilt-free.

If you’re one of the unlucky people that is already on lockdown from the barn and unable to see your horse – I’m sorry, that really sucks. I can only hope that other people will isolate themselves as much as possible to help control the spread of this virus so that you can be reunited with your horses sooner rather than later.

The news of Kentucky being cancelled yesterday, while not surprising, is definitely a huge disappointment to a lot of people. Did you know that the organizer of the K3D is a non profit? If you can afford to donate your ticket refund to them, please consider it. They have said they will also be allowing people to roll over this year’s tickets for next year as well, so maybe we can help make 2021 their best year ever.

If we look for opportunities and ways to help, there are so many, even when it might feel like things are crumbling. This is a hard time, emotionally and economically, and it’s going to get worse before it gets better. Most of us alive today have never lived through a moment in history like this, and it can seem surreal or impossible. Please though, let’s take this very seriously as a community. I challenge you: be a helper. Let’s look for what we can do to help. Maybe it’s as small and easy as just staying home as much as possible. Maybe it’s in the form of financial support. Who knows what it may look like for you, but all of us can do it even in a small way.

Have more ideas for ways to help or know of things we can be doing? Please drop it in a comment! Stay safe out their friends, we’ll get through this.

GUESS WHO’S OFFICIALLY A THREE YEAR OLD TODAY?

I’m not sure a Presto birthday will ever go by without me getting a little emotional about it. This day could so easily have been one of tragedy instead of triumph, and even 3 years later it still feels raw. It’s so easy to look at him and feel immense gratitude, especially on “milestone” days like this. He had to tolerate a very long, slightly blubbery hug from me this morning while he ate his breakfast. He’s used to my insanity by now I think.

So how did Presto spend his pre-birthday weekend?

Ya know, doing Presto things. Like yoga.

And playing bitey face with Henry. Which… he’s starting to have a real height advantage on Henry for that game. It’s hard to bite a giraffe in the face.

He also got his second ride on Saturday. Hillary came out again to be my ground person, and Presto was out back having a hardcore play session when I went to get him. He was real mad that I interrupted. REAL MAD. Life is hard when you’re 3.

Since he was having toddler tantrums we did a lot of groundwork before I got on, and he lunged for a little while at the walk, trot, and canter until he removed the stick from his butt. I did lots of transitions to get his brain engaged, and finally he settled into the inevitability of his life. I mounted up, and we basically repeated the same things as the first ride. We started off on the lunge line, did some walk and trot, and then did some walking on our own. I added more turns and transitions this time, and the steering was a little better.

Despite the fact that he’s done a good bit of ground driving, he seems naturally more responsive to seat and leg than he is to rein aids. He’s still just a little fussy about the bit at this point, which we’ll revisit more on the lunge line. So we worked on the idea of whoaing from the seat, and moving away from the leg, and just thinking “forward”. So far I think he’s very much going to be a thoroughbred type of ride, which… thank god. That’s what I was hoping for. I much prefer a sensitive horse that has it’s own motor.

Even though he was a bit put off about having to leave his play time to come “work”, it was a good learning day for him. He sort of pouted his way through everything, but he acquiesced. It’s all part of him figuring out what his job is and developing his work ethic while the lessons are still short and simple and easy. I’m thinking of the rides more as opportunities for feedback, to see what we can still be working on from the ground in between.

We’ll see what we get done this week, if we can dodge the rain. For today, he’ll be getting some special birthday treats and probably a few more blubbery mom hugs. Poor Presto.

I’ve been using these since December, but I was really waiting for some hotter weather to give a complete review. It’s easy to be an ice boot in the winter… it’s harder to be an ice boot when it’s hot.

They are the Mayk Equipe Cold Compression Ice Boots, and I got them from Riding Warehouse. I’ve been on the hunt for a good ice boot for years, and haven’t been particularly pleased with any of the ones I’ve had or tried in the past. Most just didn’t get that cold, or didn’t stay that cold. Using real ice on a regular basis is a bit of a logistical nightmare though, so the ease of an ice boot has always been really appealing. When I saw that Majyk Equipe came out with these, I really wanted to try them. They looked rugged and heavy duty, and I liked the added optional compression factor.

My first impression is that they were way heavier and more substantial than I expected. Most of my ice boots have been pretty light (bordering on flimsy, if I’m honest) and these had some real heft to them due to the substantial inner ice pack. They come in a carrying case to make them easier to transport, which is really helpful for toting them to lessons or schoolings or shows. The velcro is very heavy duty and secure, and the outer material (meant to reflect sunlight to keep the boots cooler) is extra rugged as well. I lovingly call these things the Space Boots, because they legit look like something NASA would make.  They’re also longer than other ice boots I’ve had, covering everything from the knee to the hoof, and you could position them slightly further up or down depending on your needs. This is a big perk for me with a horse that has a slightly lumpy right knee.

The ice pack liner, which covers the ENTIRE inside of the boot, is removeable if you’d like to just toss them in the freezer or ice chest to reduce space. You can also throw the whole ice boot in there if you want, a nice perk for those of us who are lazy. The liners are easy to velcro in and out though, if that’s your preference. They suggest to cool the liners/boots for 3-4 hours before use. The ice packs get quite cold, but still stay very flexible and easily mold around the leg.

The real question though – do they work?

I’ve been using them on Henry after more intense conditioning days and harder jump schools. I just put the whole boot in the freezer, then after I ride I hose him off and slap the boots on for 20 minutes. Every time, without fail, his legs are cold when I take the boots off, and the boots are still quite icy themselves. No other ice boots I’ve tried have still been this cold by the time I’ve taken them off, and with most of them his legs weren’t particularly cold either.

I have used the compression feature a bit too. I do pump up the boots at least a little bit every time, because they are a one-size fits most (15h to 18h) and I think he needs a few pumps to help them stay snugly in place. I’ve gone a little further with the compression a few times too, adding more pressure – Majyk Equipe suggests 18-20 pumps for compression, but you can stick a finger in the top to check that you get the pressure just right for your horse. I don’t think you’re going to get a ton of compression from these, if that’s the feature you’re after, but the option to add some is nice. The hand pump is attached to the boot and stores in a little pocket on the outside, behind the knee. It’s easy to use and quite straightforward.  Pump up to add air, press the valve to release it.

Overall I’ve been really pleased with these. They definitely stay colder than any other ice boots I’ve tried, and I love the ease of being able to just throw the whole thing in the freezer. Definitely worth a closer look if you’re in the market for ice boots!

Boy does it feel like shit is starting to hit the fan with the coronavirus. SXSW here in Austin got cancelled, the Houston rodeo got cancelled, NBA is postponed, 30 day Europe travel ban, Road to the Horse postponed, talk of postponing the Olympics (or not), and uh oh, not Tom Hanks.

While I am admittedly not super worried about the virus when it comes to my own health, I’m concerned about what a widespread pandemic could mean for the elderly and my immunocompromised friends, especially if our medical system were to become overwhelmed (ala Italy – which is a heartbreaking situation). The government’s response so far leaves a lot to be desired and the lack of readily available testing could prove especially problematic.

The potential economic impact is frightening too, for everyone, especially since we’re already seeing the trickle down in that department. My company makes equipment for the oil and gas industry, which was already struggling and will likely continue to struggle especially if people aren’t traveling. Some of our biggest customers have already changed their budgets in response. The potential overall trickle-down effect from this throughout many industries (except maybe toilet paper manufacturers…) is huge, and definitely a little scary. From the health side of things, there has been some company-wide discussion of possible work from home protocol if it gets to the point where that seems prudent. But since our particular group is hands-on, and it isn’t really possible to work from home, we would have to continue to come in.

On the equestrian-specific side of things, it’s starting to get reaaaaally interesting. What does the Europe travel ban mean for the World Cup, set to take place a month from now in Vegas (a city that already has confirmed cases)? Many events in Italy have already been cancelled, Saut Hermes in Paris was cancelled, and Longines in Hong Kong was cancelled. Land Rover says that as of right now they’re still a go, but in the end it may not be their decision to make, especially since Lexington already has the virus and has been cancelling “large gathering” events left and right. Even the Olympics is starting to look like it could be on shaky ground, and they’ve put forth a 2-year postponement as their back-up plan (and then backpedaled on that idea, so… who knows). That would really toss things up, especially considering WEG.

USEF has said that they’re “monitoring the situation” but for now I haven’t really heard of any regular horse shows or events being cancelled. Organizers do seem to have stocked up on hand sanitizer and are encouraging a lot of hand-washing and caution, but I assume at some point the liability may become too great if the situation doesn’t become more contained, and travel to bring in judges/staff may become quite difficult.  It kind of makes me glad I didn’t have any grandiose plans for the year.

It’s definitely going to be interesting to see how this continues to unfold, both in the short-term and long term, and what kind of effects we start to see within the equestrian industry. Even just totally putting the health aspect aside, the financial one could potentially be quite profound. The last recession had effects on the industry as people stopped spending money… not as many people buying horses, or property, or going to shows and events. Not to mention the impact that these big event cancellations has on local economies and a wide variety of businesses.

Have any of you started to see any first-hand impacts from the virus yet? Has it changed any of your plans for the short-term?

So far I think the worst part of all this is that someone showed me this stupid video and now I can’t get this song out of my head for the life of me. All the hand sanitizer and toilet paper in the world can’t get rid of it.

The grass is green, the wildflowers are blooming, Cadbury mini-eggs are back on the shelves at HEB… spring has sprung for real in Texas, y’all.

And by spring I mean pre-summer.

I am not ready for this shit again yet. And apparently neither is Henry, because I went out to get him yesterday afternoon to ride and he was like “I cannot, I am dying of heat stroke” so instead of riding we body clipped. The front half of him had shed out pretty well, but from his saddle area back was still fuzzy. He grows an insanely thick and coarse coat, and since I only clipped him once last fall, there was just too much hair left. Combine that with the fact that he doesn’t handle heat and humidity well anyway, and yeah… it needed to come off.

Of course I wasn’t planning to clip at all, so he was dirty and I didn’t really have time to bathe him and let him dry, nor did I have my supplies prepared. I went digging around in my clipper bag and came up with three different semi-dull blades – a 10 and a T-84 for my Andis and the medium on my Listers. Oh well, it didn’t have to look perfect.

Between the three blades I managed to get the job done (with some artful blending required) and 45 minutes later he seemed much less miserable. Granted, now I was the miserable one, with sweat rolling down into my eyeballs and horse hair stuck all over me.

I hosed Henry (and myself) off, sprayed a little Unicorn Grooming Spray on his coat, turned him back out, and went to clean up my supplies.

At which point I found a new T-10 blade buried in the bottom of my clipper bag that I had totally forgotten about. Dammit. I struggled through 3 different dull blades for NO ACTUAL REASON.

Then I looked up and saw Presto standing at his gate, also looking hot. He’s been shedding, but not as fast as Henry.

You know where this is going.

I restrained myself from giving him a full clip, which I really wanted to do. His coat is longer but so much thinner and finer than Henry’s, so he’s really quick and easy and satisfying to clip. And although Henry is very well-behaved about clipping (as long as you don’t do his legs or ears) Presto is even better. Well ok he tries to eat the clippers when you do his head, but otherwise he just stands like a rock for all of it. Makes sense considering his first bodyclip was at 3 months of age (thanks rhodococcus meds).

I started with just the little strip on his chest/neck but then dear god his head looked even BIGGER, so I clipped the bottom half of his head too. The hair on his jaw was so long. Now he’s rocking what can only be described as a modified mullet… a little business in the front, but a whole lot of party in the back.

It’s still possible that I might cave at some point and clip the rest of him, since it sounds oh-so-satisfying, but for now at least he’s a little cooler. Which is good, because it’s supposed to be even hotter today. Stop it Texas.