Muck Boots – 2012

October 25, 2012

Horse people know the necessity of having a good pair of muck boots. It is important they keep your feet dry and are comfortable to wear for long periods of time.  A really good pair of muck boots is something I have been sadly lacking recently, and its something I’ve been wanting to invest.  I wanted them to be easy pull on/off, have some insulation, keep my feet dry and go up to my calves.  I also wanted them to be of a decent quality so they would break in well and last a good while.

I have always heard a lot of good things about Muck Boots from the Muck Boot Company, so I decided to give them a try.

I ordered the 12″ Classic Tack Muck Boot for right at $100. My understanding is that the different styles have more or less grip on the bottom.  I like the amount of grip the Tack style has.  It’s just enough.
I have only used them about a dozen time, but so far, they fully meet my standards.  They are warm and dry and comfortable.  The neoprene body of the boot makes for nice insulation  and is going to be fantastic this winter.  And with the way the boot is sealed all around the bottom and up the foot and ankle they are going to keep my toes nice and dry!  They are well made and well constructed out of quality products.  These boots are going to last a long time.

They only come in whole sizes so I ordered up a half size.  I also have particularly wide feet, as in WIDE. And they fit my feet great.  I can wear some nice thick socks and still have plenty of room, without them being too big.  They also pull on and off great.  My right ankle does not have a lot of range of motion, so this was a concern.  But the boot slipped on and off smoothly.

I give these boots my full approval.

This is them fresh out of the box before I put them on.

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by riderofchaos on October 25, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by riderofchaos on October 25, 2012

https://blueridgepony.com/2012/10/25/muck-boots/

Body Clip Time

Making the decision to clip your horse’s winter coat off takes some consideration.  How much do you ride, how hard do you ride and are you able to blanket properly are some factors that should be taken into account.

I do ride in the winter, and sometimes I ride hard.  I have a collection of blankets in varying weights to best keep my pony comfortable all winter long.  One of the biggest factors for me is that I usually ride just before dark in the winter and my pony is then turned out in a field.  So if he gets all sweaty he is being put out into the cold and dark with a wet coat.  Not cool.

I also really enjoy the ease in grooming a clipped pony brings.  Having had many not clipped ponies over the winters, I am well aware of how thick coats pick up and hold mud and dirt.  It takes time to clip a pony, but the amount of time spent grooming a long coated pony compared to a clean shaven and blanketed pony is more than balanced out.

So today was clip day.

My tools laid out.

Simon is sensitive and is generally very itchy after I clip him.  He also does not like his saddle area clipped.  So I leave a saddle patch.  To help me leave as even of a patch as possible, I draw it on with a washable marker (or a sharpie on occasion).

Pre Clip.

This year I tossed around the idea of doing a medium trace clip, which is basically a strip along he side of the pony, including the tops of the legs and part way up the barrel.  I also tossed around the idea of a modified trace clip with a much larger hump around flank.  I was very sloppy drawing it on, and changed my mind several times while in the process.

Yes, I should have had a solid plan going into the clip job, but come on.  Clipping a pony is sort of like art.  And I like my art to have a bit of ‘on the whim’.  So yeah, I winged it.

some of my indecisive drawing.

I was also indecisive if I wanted to just end the clip at the flank or continue it around to the tail so I didn’t draw the line to the tail.

I decided to clip the minimum of what I wanted to take off and see what it looked like.

sorry for the sun in the background.

Its a little hard to see, but I didn’t like how it came out.  So I decided to do my normal clip  job and took off the rest of the rump.

all done

I left the saddle patch, the head and the legs, and done.

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by riderofchaos on October 24, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by riderofchaos on October 24, 2012

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For Sale Ad Photos – 2012

I am still looking for a second pony.

I am looking for specifically a 13.1-13.3h pony with the right build.  Any shorter and I don’t have enough pony under me.  Any taller and I can’t reach things for games.  And since I need a pony to use for games, I need to reach things.  I am finding very few ponies that fit that range.  And it really surprises me how many *perfect* 14h ponies I have been finding.  And yeah, that one inch is a breaker.  13.3 is already pushing it height wise.  We are talking 13.3h with tall withers will just make the cut,  so a nice round quarter horse with a solid stocky build at 14 hands is just going to be too tall.

While shopping I am still seeing terrible for sale ad photos.

Now I realize not everyone has a quality camera or a good eye.  Or maybe they just do not understand what buyers want to see in sale ad photos.  But these photos make me wonder exactly what the seller thinks the photo is for in the first place.

And no, the ad was not for a lot of saddles and a horse. Just the horse (with a lot of saddles on it). I suppose this shows how calm the horse is? balanced? not sure.

Super helpful angle. And this was the only photo of the horse in the ad. I suppose we know he loads!

Not a photo, but you just got to love the “Welch” pony. I wonder if he is grape or strawberry flavored (haha get it, like Welch’s jam).

fantastic angle. You can see the color though! And yes, again, this was the only photo in the ad.


 

Not the worst photo, but the ad above it made me laugh out loud.

Another fantastic angle.  And again, the only photo in the ad.

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by riderofchaos on October 22, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Pony Stuff

Posted by riderofchaos on October 22, 2012

https://blueridgepony.com/2012/10/22/for-sale-ad-photos/

Being on a Team is Awesome

Photo: Genevieve of Equistar Photography 2009

I mention my mounted games team, Old School, a lot on this blog.  My Old School teammates are a major part of my life and I consider each one of them to be a special friend and part of my family.

Competition calls for high adrenaline and brings out all sorts of emotions including both fear and aggression.  Which means teammates learn about each other on an emotional level, and how to influence each other for the best.  The bond a close team develops is unique and extraordinary.

In a world where a rider works to bond with a horse to form a partner team, teaming up with other riders in the same way is not the norm.   Very few equestrian sports have a place for teams, and in the ones that do, a team competes independently.  Each teammate performances on their own and their score is combined with other team riders’ independent performances for a total score.

Mounted games is unique, requiring riders to work like a team in a more traditional sense.  Riders coordinate to select an order of rider and pony, to come out with the fastest race completion.  Riders hand batons and flags from one to the next, requiring the selection of ponies and riders that match up the best at the highest speed.  Deciding where to stick the steady and the speedy in race orders or who handles the start and the drag position pressure the best becomes essential to a cohesive and competitive team.  A teammate may navigate a race leading another teammate’s pony, or holding a rope linking one rider to another.

Blue Ridge Games September 2008
Linda on Bailey and Carol Ann on Zeke
Carol Ann’s very first time playing games!

A strong team learns each other’s physical and emotional weaknesses, how far to push each other to achieve a top performance, and what type of support each other needs.  Does a teammate that is messing up do better if they can sit out of a few races and collect their self?  Or does this time out make them insecure and ensure they fall apart?  Does a teammate ride better if you yell encouragements, or does hearing their name make them feel too much pressure?  If you instruct a teammate to ease up because they have the lead, will slowing down mess up their timing or will they over estimate your signal and slow down too much?

Krista on Osh Kosh and Carol Ann on Zeke
Mid-Atlantic #2 June 2009

Having a strong team bond can really improve a team’s performance, and give them the added edge they need to take it up a notch.  It is a special emotional state that not many equestrians get to share in with other equestrians, and its one of the things that makes mounted games such a special sport.

Guest Teammate Lauren on Niki and Kim on Jerico
Mid-Atlantic #2 2010
Photo: Genevieve of Equistar Photography

I have had team Old School as a central part of my life for four years.  We have ridden together through those years, with pony changes, guest teammates and an upgrade in our team gear.  We have traveled to at least eight different states to compete against an array of different teams.  We have had body parts banged up and broken both on and off the field.  And we have stood by each other through it all with high fives and smiles on our faces.

Krista and Osh Kosh
Mid-Atlantic #3 2009
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

When I reflect that it’s been four years, I think “really, only four years?  No way, it’s got to be more than that?”

Being part of a team is awesome!

Old School’s first competition
Carol Ann and Zeke, Krista and Osh Kosh, Linda and Ace, Guest Rider Cayla and Niki
Mid-Atlantic #1 2009
Photo: Genevieve of Equistar Photography

Monumental Mall Madness (on the DC Mall) ~ June 2009
Guest Rider Lindsey on Rose, Carol Ann on Zeke, Krista on Osh Kosh, Linda on CC, Guest Rider Michelle on Tease
Photo: Genevieve of Equistar Photography

Mid-Atlantic #4 November 2009
Krista on Maya, Carol Ann on Zeke, Kim on Jerico, Linda on Blue
Photo: Genevieve of Equistar Photography

Mid-Atlantic #1 2010
Guest Rider Lisa, Krista and Maya, Kim and Jerico, Guest Rider Tommy and Ace, Linda and Blue
Photo: Genevieve of Equistar Photography

MGAA Nationals 2010 – New Jersey July
Linda and Blue, Kim and Jerico, Guest Rider Genevieve and Pepper, Carol Ann and Zeke

Mid-Atlantic #2 June 2012
Kim and Gwen, Linda and Blue, Carol Ann and Zeke, Krista and Simon, Guest Rider Zoe and Cheyanne
Photo: Genevieve of Equistar Photography

Mid-Atlantic #3 August 2012
Linda and Blue, Kim and Gwen, Krista and Simon, Carol Ann and Zeke
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

Mid-Atlantic #5 October 2012
Kim and Gwen, Carol Ann and Zeke, Linda and Blue, Krista and Simon
Photo: Genevieve of Equistar Photography

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by riderofchaos on October 17, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by riderofchaos on October 17, 2012

https://blueridgepony.com/2012/10/17/being-on-a-team-is-awesome/

MGAA Mid-Atlantic Games #5

Tuesday ~ October 16, 2012

This past weekend my team, Old School, attended the Mid-Atlantic #5 competition at the PG Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.  It was the last competition in the series, and also the last big competition of the year. 

Team Old School: Kim, Krista, Carol Ann, Linda
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

I arrived Friday afternoon and set up camp.  Linda and Kim were not too far behind me and the three of us got in a nice little hack that evening.  Simon got out a few leaps and I got to loosen up my muscles.   I have said it in past posts, and it still stands true, the Friday evening hack really makes a difference for me and for Simon.  I am always happy when I am able to work it in. 

Simon chilling in his portable paddock

After the hack we grabbed a bite to eat and then socialized with our friends Nancy and Kelsey.  Friday night the temperatures dropped into the 30s and it was cold.  Daisy and I snuggled into our usual bed with the addition of an electric throw blanket.  It made all the difference.  I had to turn it off during the night because we were too hot. 

Picking up in the Bottle Shuttle Race
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

Saturday morning came on with nice crisp air and Linda whipped up a warm breakfast for everyone before we got mounted up for our first session of 12 races.  As usual we started with the Speed Weavers and 3 Mug Races which are not Simon’s strongest but the rest of the team made up our slow poke time.  Flag races are always good for me and we had a nice team run through 2 Flag and Twitter.  I was a bit apprehensive for the Bottle Race since I had a terrible practice with it on Thursday, effectively coming out of the practice with 0 to me and about a dozen to the bottle.  But we pulled it off smoothly.  And continued to ride as a clean and competent team through the rest of the session with Founders, Joust, Pony Pairs, Association, Stepping Stones, Ball & Cone and 9 Ring races.  We left the ring in the lead with 38 points and Time Flies holding second with 33 points followed by Red Solo Cup and Mischief Managed. 

Avery from team Mischief Managed
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

We spent some time assistant referring and working ring crew and then returned for our second session of the day.  We started this set of 12 races off with Flag Fliers and 4 flag, two excellent races for Simon and I, and my team kept up their momentum as well.  I started us off in Tool Box and although the race was clean, I really need to work on my toolbox placement (mental note). We kept it clean with Balloon, Litter and Hug A Mug Races.  But two teammates had some difficulty in Mug Shuffle (way to coordinate it into the same race!).  We tried switching up and putting me in 4th position for Sock Race, which proved to be a bad decision as I missed my double dunk, effectively killing us in that race.  We held strong in Pony Express, Quoits, and had a fantastic run through Windsor Castle Race.  But we ended with a sloppy Sword Race and a ring being knocked to the ground by a teammate.  Not a bad session all in all, but not as clean as our first session, and Time Flies got their act together and snatched up some points.  We came out of that session in second behind Time Flies by one point with something like 69 and 68 points.  Red Solo Cup was standing somewhere around the 55 point with Mischief Managed quite a ways behind perhaps in the 30-40 range.    

Masters Riders in the Flag Fliers Race
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

After the riding finished on Saturday we had our annual MGAA meeting and announced the election results.  It was a nice opportunity to meet up with some fellow members and have an official catch up discussion.  We followed the meeting up with a fantastic potluck dinner back at camp.  Linda prepared some pot roast and Joy prepared some chili and the rest of us supplied some sides.  We stuffed our faces and then ate mummy cupcakes by Linda, and chocolate cake by Carol Ann.  Annie pulled out a Jiffy Pop, which was semi successful, with tasty popcorn, but ended up on fire. 

 We spent the rest of the evening roasting marshmallows, which Carol Ann takes the blue ribbon at.  She even roasted me two to perfection, which I promptly made into a chocolate gram cracker smores.  Yum.

Carol Ann the marshmallow roasting master

Jiffy Pop with Annie and Linda

Saturday night was not nearly as cold, and we woke up ready to hit the field for the final session consisting of 15 races. 

Linda’s Mummy Cupcakes – yummmmm

Generally I start off my first session riding at my worst and improve as the sessions stack up.  One teammate seems to work on the complete opposite and starts off clean but ends with some bumbles.  We should try and get on the same page with that, because it would really help our points totals!  The other two teammates generally ride pretty evenly across the board, with very few mistakes spread out pretty evenly.

Kim successfully got this sock dunked in the Sock Race
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

I feel I pretty much held true to my typical and rode a clean, although not very speedy final.  My teammate opposite seemed to perform a lot cleaner than usual for most of the session, which is fantastic.  One teammate was having an off day, which left us with a few more mistakes than usual and was very frustrating for her.  We have all been there.  It sucks. 

Masters Rider Kelsey placing the ball in the Windsor Castle Race
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

We Started off with Simon’s favorite (not), Speed Weavers,  with a teammate taking pole.  Bottle and Twitter were fine, but in Carton, there was lapse in thought and we accidentally sent rider 4 out too early and had to recall her, which is an elimination.  I’ll take the blame on that one, as I was telling her to move up.  But we stayed strong through most of the session, playing Sock, 4 Flag, Joust, Hula Hoop, 3 Mug, Ring the Cone, Pony Pairs, 3 Pot Flag, Tool Box, Windsor Castle and finishing with Flag Fliers.  Time Flies kept  up the year’s tradition and crushed us for the blue.  We ended up in second, with 113 points followed by Red Solo Cup with 100 points and Mischief Managed in purple bringing up the tail. 

Linda and Blue
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography 

Mischief Managed had an excellent showing for their first competition as a team, and are going to be a rival next year when they get the bugs worked out.  I think I speak for the entire division of adult riders when I say that we are all happy to have them join us.  As always everyone in our division had a great time, lots of comradely, with hugs and waves at the closing.  I know at one point I got Simon to pick up some hoof and move out a bit on the way home, and it seemed like every team was cheering him on.

Mischief Managed rider Devorah dunking her sock
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

I love riding in this division, and although MA#5 was fun, it will be a long winter until we get to meet up on the field again for Mid-Atlantic #1 and the start of the 2013 season.

team Old School: Kim, Carol Ann, Linda, Krista
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

Masters Rider Annie and Bella
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

Pulling a flag in Flag Fliers Race
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

Masters Rider Claudia vaulting on her pony Galaxy
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

Simon is such a good pony
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

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by riderofchaos on October 16, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by riderofchaos on October 16, 2012

https://blueridgepony.com/2012/10/16/mgaa-mid-atlantic-games-5/

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