Finding a balance between working, family and riding – Alice MacKay
So I’m just sitting here contemplating my life, and thought I’d write something in the blog. I’m sure I’m not the only rider out there that struggles to find a balance between work, family and horses. Like many women that ride, my husband tolerates the horses but has very little to do with them. I’m ok with that – its my hobby and I’m happy to mend fences, walk collicky horses through the night, or leave a party early to make sure they get fed on time. Don’t get me wrong, if I asked, he would help in a heart beat, but I don’t ask. Its bad enough that a large portion of my paycheque goes to the horses. In the summer I event. I love it and look forward not only to the competition, but hanging out with my friends and living through everyone’s successes and struggles. We (my horse and I) moved up to Prelim level recently and I find that it is a real challenge to keep my horse in shape and I’m working hard to become competitive at that level, rather than just finishing. This means no days off because of laziness or bad weather. It means less time with my family in the afternoons after work, and it means staying close to home during the summer and no long weekends of camping. I have a hectic job, and at times it requires longer work hours and some days I’m just too mentally exhausted to ride. I know my friends that event, have families and work full time also struggle with this. I am fortunate that my daughter enjoys riding. Its not her passion, but she helps me with chores, and always comes to the events with me. It is trickier for my husband. He worries that I’ll get hurt, and doesn’t understand why I’ll ride in monsoon rains, or trailer for an hour to ride in someone elses field. I am fortunate that he’s supportive though – I can’t imagine how difficult it would be if he wasn’t. I’m 41 now, and I think it is unlikely that I will have another horse in my life that has the potential and mind that this one has, so I’d better take full advantage of it while I can. I don’t want to be saying ‘woulda, coulda, shoulda’ in the old folks home. I want to take it as far as I can while my body can still manage it. And besides, I’d be a miserable hag if I didn’t have riding as stress relief, it definitely benefits everyone around me!
Not equine, but another obsession
About a month ago I clicked on a link on the profile of a local DJ/friend. He’s often got lots of cool things to share, so I knew it would be worthwhile. I was immediately enthralled by the sounds and intensity of about 50 fifth graders from Staten Island, NY. Pheonix (the band) has been a favorite of mine for over a year now, and to hear a cover of theirs performed by these kids was amazing. The emotion that these kids (normal kids, most from families hovering at the poverty line) have when they sing is amazing. Since that day I’ve checked their blog several times a week, listening to new selections all the time. They’ve been blogged about by Perez Hilton and Ashton Kutcher, performed for Obama and Beyonce, been on countless TV shows and even on Passion Pit’s latest album. These kids are amazing, and I get teased all the time for being obsessed – but I just love the vibe and inspiration they give me!
Here is the song that started it all for me…
Shedding time!
You hear it time and time again “I’m keeping my horse blanketed so that he’ll be hotter and will shed more quickly..” It’s a pet peeve of mine because that doesn’t work, it just doesn’t make sense and yet people still believe it to be true.
Here is a study that PROVES that shedding only has to do with the number of hours of light a horse is exposed to per day, not the level of heat.
http://equineink.com/2008/10/29/blanketing-doesnt-keep-horses-from-growing-winter-coats/
Wisdom from Ruth Hogan Poulsen
Here is an article I wish I read years ago..
The Incredible Shrinking Leg and Why You Might Be Losing Your Stirrups.
Does this ever happen to you?
· Do you lose your stirrups in the sitting trot?
· Does your horse slow down in the sitting trot or when you work without stirrups?
· Does your knee come out over the front of the saddle when you’re in the sitting trot or canter?
· Does it seem that the more you use your leg, the slower your horse goes?
· Do you lean forward no matter how hard you try to bring your shoulders back?
· Is your bum smacking the saddle in the canter rather than sliding along your tack?
· Is it hard to get up into a standing or “2-point” position and keep your balance?
· Is it just impossible to keep your heels down below the stirrup bar?
All of these problems could be related to the following position issues.
1. Your pelvis is not in a neutral position.
2. You’re gripping or pinching with your knee.
Here’s how the cycle unfolds.
When your pelvis is NOT in NEUTRAL, it can’t work as a spring or joint to follow your horse’s movement. Most of the time with the problems described above, the pelvis is in a too closed or tight position. As a result, in order to keep your balance, you feel that you have to pinch with your knees to stay in the saddle.
This causes problems.
· When you pinch with your knees, your whole leg actually draws upward away from gravity (the ground) and shortens your contact with the seat in the saddle. (When I say “seat”, I’m not only talking about where you sit, but also I’m including your upper thigh all the way down to the top of your boot.) The less length of leg you have around your horse, the less stable you are.
· When you pinch with your knees (which also closes your thighs), you actually give an aid for your horse to slow down. Remember, your upper leg should close for downward transitions, and your lower leg should close for upward transitions. Your horse won’t know what to think when you close your ENTIRE leg! This is why when you grip harder in the sitting trot to try and stay balanced, your horse slows down.
· By now it’s a catch 22 because the slower he goes, the more you’re squeezing to try and speed him up. And yet the more you squeeze, the slower he goes! You’re squeezing yourself right off the top of the horse. (Like squeezing toothpaste out of a tube).
· Pinching with your knees with a closed pelvis also inhibits your body weight from dropping into your heels where it should be. With a pinched knee, you stop the ability of your weight to actually get to your heels. (It’s like putting a “stopper” at your knee like a stopper in the bath tub. Gravity can’t pull your weight down to your heels. The “stopper” at your knee is blocking the weight from going down to your heels just like the bathtub stopper keeps the water from running out of a bathtub.
· Pinching with your knees also leads to losing your stirrups. When your leg is not as long as possible, your weight can’t drop down to the stirrup bar. When your weight is not down on the stirrup bar, your heel comes up and you lose your stirrup.
So there you have it. When you get your pelvis into neutral and elongate your thigh, you’ll solve many problems. One of which is not losing your stirrups!
How cool is this!!
How cool is this! It’s a cross country helmet cam!
Yoga, not just for hippies
Have you ever wanted to get into better shape? Have you heard that Yoga is good for your core muscles, which are vital to being a good rider? Has the possibility of looking like a sissy or a hippie stopped you from trying it out?
Look no further. Cowboy Yoga is here. It’s sure to strengthen you, while maintaining your public profile.
Cowboy Yoga: A New Brand of Stretchin’ from Jason Houston on Vimeo.
Christi Kay – UnTackMe.com
Unstable … where are you?
Well, for a small Canadian show I feel like despite all of the drama UnStable, the CMT docu-drama, has created quite a following. Although the first season is over, they are still showing repeats of the show weekly. There have been hints dropped by the cast members that there will in fact be a second season, but to the best of my knowledge nothing has been confirmed by CMT publicly.
The witches (erm. I mean women) of Wendigo Farms continue to please their fans by posting daily on their Facebook page and also on Twitter. They do a great job of keeping everyone up to date on the happenings of the farm.
Unstable is definitely a guilty pleasure for me. While I watch it I can’t help but scold myself for wasting my time, but somehow every week I end up indulging in the drama, cat fights and scripted-ness of the show!
If you find your heart doing extra palpitations on Thursdays with no UnStable head over to CMT’s website and look up their Video Podcasts. It features interviews with the stars of the show, including resident evil barn manager, Megan.
Christi Kay – UnTackMe.com
Are you a twit? Do you Tweet? Come fly with me!
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Thanks!
Christi Kay – UnTackMe.com
Is an Appy a colour or a breed?
It’s probably one of the first things you learn in Pony Club, 4-H or from an intro to horses book.
An Appaloosa is a breed, and so is a Paint. Pinto and Palomino are colour registries. You can have a palomino appaloosa, or a paint with pinto markings. It’s hard to wrap your mind around at first but soon it becomes second nature.
The Appaloosa Horse Club (The International Breed Registry for Appaloosa Horses) is considering at their March 2010 meeting the possibility of allowing on a case by case basis horses of other breeds (such as a Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse or Arab) to be registered with the club if they display Appy characteristics.
Here is a section from the upcoming agenda:
Breeder’s Committee Agenda
March 2010
Breeders’ Committee Motion 02.02.09
o The Breeders’ Committee recommends Rules Committee and Board consideration of
an additional to Rule 204 (204.4) that would read: On a case-by-case basis, horses
registered with an approved breed association displaying i) an Appaloosa coat
pattern or ii) Appaloosa mottled skin and one other Appaloosa characteristic may be
considered for ApHC registration. Motion made by Jack Zuidema, seconded by
Laura Lyon. Motion passed.
**NOTE: this motion was tabled at the July 2009 meeting and requires coming back
through committee
I think this is a great step in improving the breed. If they can introduce quality animals into the gene pool I can only see this as a positive thing. If it gets passed I hope that they will be extremely strict with whom they let into the registry. What do you think about this possibility?
Christi Kay- UnTackMe.com
Today it’s raining, but yesterday the sun was shining
Yesterday’s weather had me all jazzed up for summer. I was at school early to shoot some video, walked around in downtown Victoria and finished the day by mowing the lawn and going for a run. It’s always easier to exercise in nice weather. It calls to me, and makes me feel good. A good friend of mine lent me some Blundstones last weekend, as you may remember mine were stolen. I haven’t ridden consistently for a long time, but plan to start again soon. Knowing that I can’t ride as much as I want it’s vital to my success and safety to at least be active while I’m not able to ride. I walk at least 5km a day, try and run when my arthritis isn’t acting up. Recently I found some fitness tips for riders. It’s interesting to have important target area’s pointed out. I really enjoy how they also add nutrition facts into each area as well. Check it out.
Christi Kay – UnTackMe.com
