25 Days Until Sun Circuit

Difficult to believe that we are ending the decade...wasn't it just the turn to the new millennium! More exciting, though, this means that it is only 25 days until Sun Circuit! A visit to Scottsdale brings some great things:

1. The weather in Phoenix is listed at 70 degrees this weekend...lets hope it holds out for the show!

2. Greenway Saddlery is only a skip from the show grounds and usually has amazing sales this time of year on high end hunt seat attire.

3. Ultra chic Sanctuary Resort with the acclaimed Elements Restaurant featuring Iron Chef winner Beau McMillan is a short distance away and offers amazing views and cuisine. Not to mention the spa is unbelievable.

4. Scottsdale Fashion Square is always a great destination...especially if you live in a retail challenged location.

5. Blue Ribbon Saddlery is located in Phoenix- fun to visit if you have never been to the store.

6. We hopefully won't have to wear 3 layers of long sleeves and sweaters and jackets to ride...I love Idaho, but I can't wait to get "sprung" from indoor riding!

Happy New Year!

K

Cold Weather Riding

This morning, Boise woke up to a temperature of 2 degrees farenheit making it the perfect time to write about cold weather riding.

Winter is my least favorite time to ride. Not only do you have to wear extra layer of clothes, but it seems to take forever to "undress" your horse, even in a heated barn. But there are a few things that can make riding during this time of year much more pleasant! For instance, your arms get a pretty good workout pulling heavy blankets over your horse's head! Here are a couple of other tricks that I have learned that make winter riding much more enjoyable:

1. First, I have an hour long drive to my barn so it is a treat on Saturday and Sunday mornings to stop at Starbucks for a skinny latte. It is an incentive to get out of my cozy bed and head to the barn. I also leave my riding boots at the tack room and wear warm Uggs to the barn making the drive more comfortable!

2. If you are practicing huntseat, either wear a shorter coat or a coat that is specially designed to raise into two point (i.e. it has snaps on the bottom). If not, your coat catches on the back of your saddle. Dovers and Stateline Tack both have a good selection of warm weather coats specifically designed for the huntseat discipline.

3. Invest in warm socks and a nice pair of winter gloves. They might cost a little more, but you can feel your feet and "non-bulky" insulated gloves allow you to feel your horses mouth. I have found that stores like REI have a great selection of socks and hats that are accustomed for winter sports activities.

4. Finally, I have learned to wear gators with my form fitting insulated running pants when practicing huntseat. The running pants keep you really warm while the gators allow you to still wear wool socks that usually don't fit under your tall boots. The running pants look pretty much like black breeches, less the knee patch.

5. Last, but not least, don't forget your horse's comfort. Invest in nice fitting blankets and liners to ensure that they maintain the proper temperature. The last thing you want is for your horse to be to warm or to cold. My horse tends to be a little problematic in the blanket department- he rubs his mane when he wears any type of full hood and nylon sheets rub his chest. To avoid these problems, I invest in body sleezie blankets and I couple them with a special blanket from Dovers Saddlery that comes midway up his neck. I find that Dover's has a great selection of unique blankets and coolers. Speaking of which, don't forget to pack a cooler to protect your saddle at shows in case you need to walk in the rain!

I am sure everyone has there own tricks, but these are just a few to get you going!

k

Horsehows, Holidays and Fitness

This Thanksgiving weekend has consisted of a relaxing vacation, sprinkled with a little work from my laptop, at our family's cabin on Idaho's pristine Payette Lake. We have enjoyed roaring fires, football games on tv, big laughs AND I have also been tortured by my teenage step children to indulge in plate size deep fried "cinnamon rolls" at the famous Mc Call pancake house. Luckily, as much as these butter and sugar coated temptations might be, I am now much the wiser than to fall into a trap that I will later regret (as well as my chap maker)!

Prior to my horseshow "sabbatical", I had an active lifestyle, but not as regimented as it could have been. Not to mention, your body in your twenties seem to be a little more forgiving of a donut or missing a workout, altough I can't say that my body has been that forgiving, after all I was definitely part of the "freshman fifteen club." The introduction of grad school and a full time career depleted any time I had for working out-or so I thought. Extra pounds arrived without me realizing it and my clothes became a little tighter (or a lot). I thus realized that something had to change.

A good friend of mine and fellow AQHA competitor, Kim Blyth, had told me a couple years before (as my life seemed to be turning upside down) that a marathon would be an excellent goal for confidence building and mental discipline. Instead of starting with a small workout plan, I set my goal for the New York marathon. I joined a running club, started running at 4:45 am before work and I trained on weekends. I learned to eat a balanced diet and six months later I ran my first marathon (as well as my first 10k and half marathon along the way). Friends and colleagues noticed a difference in my appearance and my confidence shot up. I had achieved a large goal that used an extensive amount of mental preparation, but more importantly I learned the benefits of a healthy diet with exercise.

Since that first marathon, I have integrated a more "balanced" running schedule and I cross train with hot yoga and riding. I find that the yoga helps my posture and flexibility in horsemanship and equ. I am convinced that some people have an easier ability to pull their legs back...I'm not one of them! I now bring my running shoes everywhere I go- horseshows and business trips included. I find that it keeps my brain clear and my clothes fit better. Not to mention, it gives me the added strength for riding.

So this holiday season, remember that an occasional treat is part of enjoying the gatherings with friends of family, but make smart choices and integrate exercise. You will be thankful come January, the first time you have to zip up those chaps or the announcer asks you to post without stirrups!

Horse Show Tack and Accesories

As much as I would like to think that a money tree grows in my back yard, I have regrettfully realized, as my age advances, that this is not the case. In the matter of horse showing, nothing is cheap....but there is VALUE (the "it" word of the recession). Such is the case with outfitting your tack and equipment for horse shows. One of the biggest lessons my mother taught me growing up was "money does not buy class" and in the case of horsemanship, silver does not buy first place ribbons. A high quality saddle is part of the foundation of a good ride, so you can avoid all the silver to cut costs, but make sure to purchase from a reputable maker and not get roped into a poorer quality saddle that has more "bling."

Last year, when I committed to showing again, not only did I have the expense of a horse and training, but also all of the equipment necessary. I am going to provide a cohesive list of some of the best resources to purchase show equipment. One point being made- no amount of silver can make up for perspiration and saddle sores towards accomplishing ones goals!

Show Saddles/Headstalls- In my opinion, there are only 2 options:

Blue Ribbon Tack:

I prefer to ride horsemanship in Blue Ribbon saddles. I have had several over the years and the all-around seat sits you properly. Family owned and operated, they fully stand behind the superior quality of their products. Being from the west coast, I also have a little nostalgia as they have been the choice of many professionals and top riders for many years. http://www.blueribbontack.com/ If you do not want to purchase a new saddle, Blue Ribbon often has a nice selection of used saddle in stock.

Harris Leather and Silverworks:

Another great saddlemaker. Harris also makes an exceptional quality saddle and their craftsmanship is of the highest caliber. Choosing your saddle is often a matter of trainer preference, but I do know first hand that the Harris family is wonderful to work with. I have purchased a few key items from them via phone over the years and I have always had the best customer experience. http://www.harrisleather.com/.

Saddle Pads:

An outfit is not complete without a high quality wool saddle pad, with a minimum width of 38 inches. When starting out, stick to a single color, preferably the color of your chaps. For more elaborate outfits, I have found that Woods Western makes a fabulous saddle pad at a great value. They have an excellent website that shows all of their designs to choose from. Details are important so don't forget the role a nice saddle pad makes in your over all presentation. http://www.woodswestern.com/

Used Equiptment:

While it would be nice to purchase everything new and custom to your specifications, buying used equipment is always a great option. Both Blue Ribbon and Harris usually have a good selection of used saddles in stock and I also like http://www.tacktrader.com/ for their selection of these two brands as well as used saddle pads. Your barnmates are also an excellent source for procuring used equipment.

Happy Shopping!

PR and Marketing

Attached is my ad to get ready for the 2010 schedule. My full time career is in the marketing and PR world so I have enjoyed pulling together our "identity". Although perception is reality, one needs to have truth as the backbone to any campaign.

Our PR strategy is based on communicating a statement that best reflects how people refer to my persona. The creative process I follow in any campaign begins with the overall message to communicate and using imagery to substantiate it. The logo we decided on integrates an "East meets West" look and we backed this up with professional images showcasing western apparel, western icons and pictures of Shiek. The heavy use of western imagery is backed up with a more elegant use of white space and a refined font.

All PR strategies must have an ROI- return on investment. In business, this is usually quantified in unit sales. Our end goal is exposure. Since Shiek and I are unknown on the AQHA circuit and our 2010 season is limited due to business obligations, we must use publications to maximize our exposure. We therefore have chosen to run the ad in both print and electronic formats to the appropriate demographic with the greatest circulation. After researching, we have chosen The Equine Chronicle and Go Horse Show Mag. We have also chosen to run ads multiple times because frequency assists in building a "brand". Hopefully the results we forecasted will follow our well thought our plan!

Fall Cleaning: Clean out your closet!

The fall shows are over for most and it is time to clean out the closet.

The cost of horse showing is immense, especially our show clothing bills. Luckily, with the help of the internet and horseshow consignment specialists, the job does not need to be so daunting. Here are a few words of advice I have learned to maximize value:

1. Don't hold on to items for sentimental value or the thought that you might use it again. Trends change and I tend to get bored with outfits. In order to recoup the most of your expenses, sale the items as soon as you are done with them.

2. Take extra care of your clothing. Do you ever get done with a class on a hot day and your instant reaction is to set your $3000 coat on chair in the tack room? don't do it! Immedietely hang your clothes in garment bags and wash the items as soon as you get home. Clothes that are in excellent shape bring the highest prices at resale.

Regarding consignors, I highly recommend Wendy at ShowMeAgain.com. She has a great website and vends many of the majors. She also has great advice about trends and showcases the top designers in the field. To my knowledge this is the most established e-retailer in this channel.

Happy Cleaning!

k

Hunt Seat Attire

I am a pattern person and I love the tradition of hunters and hunt seat equ. Prior to AQHA shows, I rode hunters. I rode a perfect (and ornery) little white pony that packed me around decent size fences. As my jr/youth years progressed, I switched to quarter horses, but I continue to take many of the lessons I learned in these early years with me. These lessons not only revolve around horsemanship, but also style and grooming.

While Equitation on the hunter circuit is much different, this discipline's style is second to none. I try to keep current on the fashions of the "A" circuit, especially on the East Coast. Standards in Equitation never seem to change, only slightly evolve. Boots must fit meticulous and be polished to perfection. Breeches are of a neutral beige color and most importantly, classic navy coats with white shirts are essentials at this level of competition.

When I entered back into the world of AQHA shows, I recognized that the brown coat I previousely wore with my hunter under saddle horse 6 years ago would never do, especially for equ. I found 2 reliable sources to help outfit me. If you are at the Sun Circuit, Greenway saddlery in Scottsdale, near Westworld, has an excellent selection and a great staff. They fit me in Ariat "Monaco" Boots. I was shocked to find out that custom boots were no longer necessary, but the price tag remains about the same. They also helped me with the new breeches that fit much looser and are quite a bit more comfortable. As for hunt coats, I have found an excellent online source with wonderful customer service. The Lexington Horse (lexingtonhorse.com) helped me find the perfect "navy" hunt coat by The Tailored Sportsman that is absoloutely gorgeous and does not need alterations. Their website is easy to use, but I always have questions and my experience was like working with a personal shopper! Not to mention, the package arrived at my door in a matter of a couple of days. I also have found my perfect "white shirt" for equ. at The Lexington Horse. I know that ribbon collars are a big trend on the QH circuit, but I have to say that I am sticking to the timeless classics of the East Coast.