I’ve just arrived home from Just Horsin Around 2010 and inaugural horse expo put on by volunteers in Nanaimo, BC to raise funds for SPCA horse rescue efforts.  This show grew from ideas tossed around last February when 27 horses were seized and rescued from near Vernon, BC.  At the time I was working with Cathy Cross on the sale of a horse and she convinced me I should make the trek.   Now on the otherside of the trip…oh, mama… that’s a long way to go.  I was gone a full week and am on day 2 of the recovery phase.

I had an amazing time and met some wonderful people, starting with overnighting with Cheri & Joe at Barriere (I found them from their ads on Kijiji and really appreciated their hospitality).   It was a chance to show some of our products to Islander’s that never make it to the Mane Event.  Starting with the ferry over, I met Glen from G&H Horse Transport, who works parttime as a deckhand on BC Ferries.  I’m looking forward to some reciprocal business with him.  It was late when I finally arrived at Ferris’ (Ferris Fencing).  I had brought with me a mini/shetland cross pony I found Ferris’ purchased for their granddaughter.  So Thursday we put the little guy through his paces.  I also drove Goldmine, as he was supposed to give a demo at the gala on Saturday night and has only been in the shafts twice previously.  If you know me, …, you know about my good intentions and how I’m always scrambling to keep up. 

Friday, I was late moving into the show, as I had used the day to drive again and clean my truck/trailer.  A stop in Nanaimo for groceries and last minute copying saw me move in about 8:00.  There I finally met show organizers Jacque, Shannon and Pat, along with Kevan Garecki from W4 Horse Transport.  I was cooked and elected to set up in the morning.

That was a mistake, as our product line and display has become way more than a 1 person job.  Shortly before show opening I was seriously threatening to pack someone in the Bale Buster Hay Steamer and bury them in my composter when I got home.  However, although I didn’t see much, the show was amazing and all done by volunteer instructors, clinicians, saddlefitters, nutritionists, etc.  If anything they had too much going on with a lecture center, 5 round pens and two instructional arenas.  They raised over $8500 for BC SPCA Horse Rescue.

I had taken Goldmine and Joey with me to showcase the Caspian Breed at the Gala, Saturday evening.  I didn’t have a clue how weather dependent the venue at Beban Park was, but despite some light showers and cooling temperatures a large crowd remained.  I got Goldmine out way too early and he was upset about leaving Joey at this point.  So, and I know I am the only person crazy enough to do this; I got Joey and ponied him from the cart until it was time to go in.  I basically just gave the history of Caspians while trying to drive Goldmine and used Joey as an exemplar of the breed.  I couldn’t have been happier with Goldmine.  He drove coming down into the bridle, negotiated serpentines around cones, did hard turns both left and right, backed up and worked into a canter; not bad for a very greeny, his first time in an arena.  I got some very positive feedback on Sunday about our demo.

Sunday was a nightmare after the show.  I had truck trouble.  I had tons to pack.  I ran over two stacked tables driving out of the arena.  I took the ponies for grass and Joey got away and after trying to outsmart him for 2 hours left him out overnight.  On Monday, I drove right past Duke Point to Ladysmith trying to catch the ferry.  But I met a great guy on the ferry, a trucker for CFB Comox and he taught me a lot about our new truck and how to maintain it for longer life.   I stopped at Milner Downs to meet Natasha, a contact Cathie had set up for me.  Then I tried to make another call on a client and got hopelessly lost on the backroads between Ft. Langley and Abottsford.  I think its definitely time I invested in a GPS.  The Coke was wet and slippery, but we made it.  I had a place to overnight in Clearwater, but cratered at Kamploops and overnighted the ponies on board at the Husky station.  That sucks because you’re awake when they are.   Tuesday was jusst long and I got home around 9. 

So this weekend, I run the place while Glen goes to Fami Camp.  Next Wednesday, we leave for overnight in Cochrane, a business call, a pick up for Kathleen Rawls of Mr. Dragon Stud in Oregon and we’re off to Walla Walla, Wa for the Western National Welsh Show.

The Grandmaster Himself

In January, I booked myself into a Josh Nichol clinic for right after The Mane Event (which was a great show, as usual).  My thought was if I had any money it would be after the Mane Event.  It seemed like a good idea at the time.  But last Monday, when I was trying to follow up on The Mane Event and get ready, I had to wonder what I had been thinking.

But as usual, it turned out to be the right decision.  A week away just absorbing the atmosphere at Eagle’s Wing Ranch and the hospitality of Josh’s mother Cathy, makes everything worthwhile.  I camped in the trailer and it maybe wasn’t the best decision with the wind, rain and frost, but it was enforced relaxation.

Josh is a master horseman and should have a doctorate in pschology, as everything he relays is bang on and usually deals with life issues, not just equine ones.  You always return home feeling like a better person.  This was my first riding clinic, as I’ve been working on ground work, so I came home feeling a little stiff as well.

Josh’s main philosophy is that self carriage begins on the ground, even when leading and when picking up the reins the horse should just naturally assume the need to carry itself.  It turns everything I”ve ever learned inside out.  But he is truly able to instill the ability to ”feel’ within his students and the confidence that “you will get there”.

It was a great group of people, some of whom I’d met before and some whom I met for the first time.  But Josh seems to attract like minded people, so whatever the mix, it’s always a great one, with all participants being on the same wave length.

All of us were within spitting distance of ”Freedom 55″, as are most of Josh’s students.  I swear that man must be more of an expert on menopausal women than any man alive.

I took Lacey because I thought she would be easy and give me the most opportunity for learning.  While she did give me opportunity for learning, she certainly wasn’t easy.  When I got her from Wendy Kadar, her summary had been “in 28 years of training racehorses, she’d never met one that wanted to run less”.  Lacey had a huge block about moving forward and shut down when any demands were made on her.  This would have greatly influenced her racing career, as you could force her into a gait, but there was no energy.  We finished by being able to do a forward trot on the circle in a balanced cadence, not quite self carriage, but moments of…which had seemed impossible even on Friday morning.  She’s a really nice mare and now I have to evaluate if she really is one we should be keeping because of her kind attitude.

Helen and Silver

Debriefing

Josh working with Kelly for an outside bend

Josh on Kelly's Horse

Kelly on her own

Josh demonstrating outside bend on Max

Now you know why there are so few pictures accompanying my blogs.  Unless I can find someone else to take them, they are pretty pathetic, but it was a great week; lots of learning, lots of laughs and new friendships.

We just arrived home from National Bank Financial Open Free Jump Challenge in Olds, AB.  Illusion placed 4th in the 4 year old class.  At least he’s consistent; that’s where he placed last year as a rising three year old.  But this time he had 15 Sport Type horses, all over 16hh to contend with, many of them rising 5 year olds.  The course was set on horse strides with the final fence being a 1.15 triple bar with a 1.15m spread.  Not bad for a guy who only measures 130cm and had his 4th birthday yesterday.  The event was judged this year by Albert Kley, Riding Master at Spruce Meadows and Judy Wise, owner, Fairplay Farms, Langley B.C.  They both have infinite experience at evaluating youngstock, so we are again over the moon with our young stallion who scored a “9″ in temperament.  We tried to video, I even had other people do it because I’m such a techno idiot, but … video coming soon to Youtube, thanks to Barry Freeman who videoed every horse. 

I have managed to get a Facebook page for “The Innovative Horsekeeper” and managed to get our events up.  But I have no idea how to manage THE WALL.  Our son Greg is coming tomorrow, so maybe with a little luck….My intention is to blog the business there and keep the farm news here.  We’ll see how that works…I’m sporadic at this at the best of times.  I had also managed to get an ad, but in trying to navigate my way around Facebook managed to duplicate it with no upper limit to the budget and $.40/click.  YIKES!  I did manage to delete it, but also deleted my other ad, so back to the drawing board as you can’t repost ads after they’ve been deleted.

We were at the Farm & Ranch show last week.  Glen ran the booth on Saturday, the busiest day while I took Alberta Farm Animal Care’s inaugual course to get my “Horse Hauling Certificate”  He always seems to do better at trade shows than I do. …Hey, maybe, I can arrange to “network’ at the Mane Event and not have to be in the booth as much.  That’s murder, when you’re as attention deficit as I am. 

Oh, one more exciting thing.  It should be on Facebook, but,… our hard surface cleaner Accel from Anivac Cleaning Systems has just been named “Official Disinfectant of WEG2010″

Now, a glass of wine, some TV and to bed, to start all over tomorrow.

Someone once told me that if you were born in 1955 or prior, your chances of ever becoming completely computer literate were slim to none.  You know what; I’m ok with that.  But its becoming increasingly apparent I need to put myself on facebook.  I’ve been trying for the last two months to figure out what to put on there, going to different business websites.  I have a facebook account but I have it only so I can see my kids’ photos.  I managed to deactivate my personal account today in order to set up my business account, but it won’t let me set up a business account, so I’ll wait until this evening, when its had time to whirl through cyberspace. 

Here’s my thinking and I sure would appreciate feedback.  I’ll try to keep the blog up with what’s happening at the farm and keep the facebook page for what’s happening with The Innovative Horsekeeper.  Those of you who know me, know that I have rather strong opinions.  What I think would be lots of fun is to open controversial discussion threads and/or share maintenance tips.  I’ve been told that could hurt me as a business, but I don’t know….I”m up for feedback. 

And what the heck is Twitter/Tweet;?  I thought it was a bird.  No, I’ve got a pretty good idea, but watching me text is just plain painful.  My cell phone is in a stage of dying; it doesn’t always ring before it goes straight to message.  I’m trying to put off buying a smart phone, because I have an awesome plan and I own this phone, but the world continues to evolve. 

In any case lately it seems I’ve been so busy chasing my tail that I’m afraid I’m in danger of disappearing up my own a**.

At least the mares think so, they are shedding like crazy.  I always use that as my “spring” meter.  This whole winter has gone by in a blur and I don’t seem to have accomplished anything.  We have added a number of products and are now calling ourselves “The Innovative Horsekeeper”.  It seems just keeping up with the acquisitions and updating the website has been very time consuming. 

Illusion is jumping twice a week at Gorsline Stables where Greg trained and is a star.  He is ready for his first cross poles show and will be going to the Free Jump Challenge in Olds again this year.   If you check our calendar of events you’ll see we have a busy summer set forth for us and that doesn’t include breeding season. 

I’ve been getting a few more horse hauls and that has kept the wolves from the door, as well as establishing my reputation.  I will be taking the new Alberta Farm Animal Care Horse Hauling Certificate in April.  I tried to get out and do some stable visits earlier in the year, but somehow that just got stalled.

We spent some time trying to present horses to potential sales clients, but most of the sales have fallen through.  So the past 3 months have really been a roller coaster of emotion for us. 

I’m back in the saddle after a many year absence, as “needs must” dictates it.  Nothing fancy, as the footing and my body can’t take it; but we’ll get there. 

It looks like we will be getting a working student this summer, we’re quite excited about it.  She is a high school student from Quebec who is passionate about horses and wants to improve her English (which from her emails is already tons better than my French).  So that and the girl down the road who wants to ride with me will keep me more focussed on the horses instead of being a workaholic on the place.  Hopefully it will all get some attention. 

I’m contemplating (and avoiding because of my techno limitations) putting The Innovative Horsekeeper up on Facebook and Twitter, if I can ever figure out what a twitter is besides a birdsong.  I’d like to open a discussion page too, as those who know me, know I hold strong opinions and it might be kind of fun to air them and let the chips fall where they may.