Riding After Dark - Help Me Light My Way

I need help.

I am struggling with the onset of another season of early darkness impacting my already sparse riding time.

Having to ask the barn owners every time I need the lights turned on in the riding ring makes me feel powerless and forces me into a specific time that I have to be there.

I wish I could somehow safely illuminate my path, just so I could manage a 20 or 30 minute walk/trot ride in a safe way without bothering anyone.

I found this item on Amazon but know nothing about it. I wish there was a way to "try before you buy" something like this but of course, there isn't.

LED Horse Breastcollar

Anyone out there have any real-use suggestions for this? I just need enough light to see where we are going in the enclosed riding arena. I know plenty of people ride after dark with no light but that's not for me. Keep in mind, I'm a 53 year old rider who is experienced but in order to keep riding as long as I can, wants to minimize my risk of having a horse spook in the dark at whatever and cause me a wreck.

Help?

Hurricane?!

I am not handling this whole hurricane Irene situation so well. I'm probably not well prepared. I'm looking cross-eyed at 3 big trees around my house and hoping they stay where they are and don't decide to give up the ghost and crush my home.

I'm worried about Joey. They want to move him from the big old barn he's in to the smaller shed row barn behind it because they are worried about the roof on the big barn. I have 2 options available, to move him to the smaller barn or have him sent to a barn further east with a newer building and he'll ride out the storm there. I don't know what anyone else is doing at the barn. I'm going to opt for the shed row because my budget can't handle shipping him and paying to hold him at another facility but I'm still uneasy. UPDATE: Barn manager says horses are all staying put.

Dear God, please protect Joey. We have only just found each other. Give us the chance to have a long, healthy lifetime together.

Please protect all my friends in the horse blogosphere that will be touched by Irene in the coming hours. May everyone be safe!

This IS Bad Riding

I can't take credit for finding this video. I was reading the Bad Riding Blog and it was the first entry today. But it made me grit my teeth enough that I decided to share it over here, too.

Where do I start? The horses in this video are simply magnificent animals. The riders - not so much. Not only are they not the greatest riders but they obviously aren't the brightest, either. We could make a contest out of spotting how many things are wrong in what's going on here, ending with their decision to take the jump.

When the first rider jumped her horse, I cringed. But when the second rider, the one using DRAW REINS approached the jump I kept saying, "No, no, no, no, no he's not - not with draw reins," well, you'll see where that got him in the video. The poor horse couldn't extend his neck to balance for the jump and almost has a nasty injury.

I watch stuff like this and ask myself, why is karma like this? I have a green, grade horse that I'm taking the tiniest of steps with and then you have fools like this, riding elegant, athletic, well-bred horses and treating them like a drunk driver behind the wheel of a Ferrari.

Good riding is more than sitting well and having soft hands and a good release, it's making good decisions too. If this is your "first time jumping" as the video title indicates, this is not the way a good horseman attempts it. Sorry.

Just, wow.

And for those of you who may say, "I've jumped with draw reins before" well, so have I but only over gymnastic cavaletti pole to small fence exercises. I'd never use them under circumstances like this and always with a trained professional to guide me. I've attached some links below for further reading and discussions about the proper uses for draw reins as this seems a good time to add that subject as well.

Using Draw Reins and Side Reins

Discussion on Draw Reins and Jumping

Can I Improve my Horses' Jumping Style?

Question: Draw Reins - Good or Not?

Things that are not Marketed to Horsemen but Should Be

Happy day after Christmas to all!

So if any of you were given money as a gift and are looking for more goodies to buy, I'd like to give a personal endorsemant to two items that are not marketed to horsemen but should be.


The first is the ROAD I.D. bracelet. Originally designed for road bicyclists and runners who might be miles from home and alone while training and in the event of an accident may not be carrying a wallet with enough I.D. to get them the proper help quickly. This is a great looking wrist band with velcro closure and sturdy nylon webbing that holds a slim stainless steel nameplate, laser engraved with all your vital information. They come in numerous colors, many sizes and the company has excellent customer service.

My husband bought one and got many guys in his bicycling club to order one as well. He bought one for me because he felt when I was out trail riding and so far from the stable, if anything happened it would be good to have reliable I.D. with me.

One of my friends at the barn noticed it and asked me what it was. I explained it and she liked the idea so much she bought two bracelets, one for her to wear and one she attached to her horses' tack. She figured if she got dumped off the horse in the park and someone found him, he'd have I.D. too!

The band and plate are water friendly. You can ride in the rain, slog through mud or wash your horse while wearing it with no ill-effects. If it gets dirty, just wash with mild dish washing soap, rinse well and air dry. If you want a different color band from the one you originally bought, they sell the bands by themselves and it's easy to change the nameplate. The same goes for changing the information on the plate. Get a new phone number? New name? New address? No problem, just order a new plate by itself and replace your old one.



The next item is the Survival Straps paracord bracelet. I have one on order for both my husband and myself. I love the idea behind this item. These are hand made in America. The basic bracelet design is composed of up to 24' of military spec 550# paracord. The company's policy is : if you unravel it in an emergency situation and deploy the paracord, they will replace it. FREE!!!

How cool to have extra, heavy duty paracord handy when working around horses? If you are on trail and a strap on your tack breaks or you need to tie something to your saddle or truck you have that cord on hand including the marine grade stainless steel clasp! Ever have a horse-related emergency that involved wasting time looking for a lead shank or rope? Never again if you have one of these on your wrist.

The possibilities for equestrian use are endless! They are really cool looking bracelets. They are available in over 1,000 color combinations to choose from. Survival Straps also have belts, wristwatch bands, dog collars etc. all made from varying lengths of cord. The best part is, they are very supportive of our troops and even offer soldier care packages. You can buy bracelets and donate them to our troops. Buy one for yourself and send one to a soldier. Great idea!

That's That.

Aww, thanks for the comments on the posts about my weekend trail drama, you guys. My friend and I were starting to feel bummed about the carrot gesture with all the other fallout after this. I'm glad you saw it as the simple act of thanks we intended it to be!

I also thought the comments we were hearing at the time on the fallen rider's condition didn't jive with having her airlifted to the hospital. I'm sure it was much more serious than we were told.

I stopped at the barn last night to see Monty and the vet who owns the stable where I board was just pulling out of the driveway with his son. We said our "hellos" and then he told me, "you know about her not allowing any outside riders on her property."

I said, "yes."

He said, "I heard she had a pretty bad wreck up there on Sunday."

I smiled and said, "yes, with the helicopter airlift and everything."

Then I asked if the owner had ever considered having waivers for riders from our barn to sign. This woman has a friendly business relationship with the vet, she brings horses from her place to his if there are problems. The vet told me that his office had even offered to work up the forms for her and set up the same kind of liability safeguards he has in place at his farm but she just thanked him and never pursued it.

I have a call in to my farrier for those caulk holes in the front shoes. Hope he will do it and that I have the right road studs in my collection. I can always write an interesting post about proper use of shoe studs!

The section of road we now have to ride on has a slight shoulder but it's a paved shoulder, there are hills on either side of the bend and it's a "blind" bend, to say that as you drive around it, you can't see out of the bend until you come to the top of the hill. Drivers always go way beyond the speed limit there and my fear is to have 2 cars pass us at the same time on the bend. Not much room for that! The other problem is the turn outs for the horses from the big stable all back up to the bend in the road. Sometimes those horses start acting up if they hear the clip-clop of hooves on the road. We all know what can happen to even the quietest horse when horses in turn out start getting rowdy. And a skittering steed on a busy road is not my idea of fun!

Helmets, Dammit!

Since it was a riding accident that has caused us to lose our access to the stable down the street. I think it's a good time to post about riding helmets. Do I wear one? Yes, always. Do I like wearing one? No, not always (especially now, as with summer and sweating my helmet gets stinky too fast between cleanings) I am amazed at the riders who don't wear one and all their stupid (yes, stupid) excuses why. I especially like the ones who have the biggest opinions about riding, training and safety where others are concerned but when asked why they don't wear a helmet, they get all defensive. Guess what? Unless you practice what you preach, your lofty opinions are suspect, too.

I found this on About.com and I think it's the best I've read on the many excuses riders give for not wearing a helmet. I think if more of them actually had that talk with family members as in reason #1, they might change their mind.

Top Reasons People Don't Wear Helmets While Horseback Riding And Why They Are Poor Excuses
By Katherine Blocksdorf, About.com

There are a lots of excuses for not wearing a helmet when you ride. But there is no good reason. The quietest, most well trained horse can cause injury if it is startled or hurt. Ask anyone who has accidentally ridden over a nest of ground wasps, or were riding calmly along when a car backfired. A helmet won't make you invincible, but it will help protect the one part of your body almost impossible to fix -- your brain. Please don't use these excuses and do use an ASTM approved riding helmet every time you ride.

#1 - It's my head, and I'm willing to take the risk.

You might think, it's my head and I'm willing to take the risk. But, what if your head meets an arena wall, fence post, rock or hard ground? Head injuries can lead to permanent debilitation. And while it may be your head, have you decided who will spend their life looking after you if you can't look after yourself due to a head injury? If you think you don't need a helmet then you should look your son, daughter, spouse, or friend in the eye and tell them: I don't need a helmet, but if I am wrong it will be your job to care for me. See what THEIR answer is.

#2 - I can't wear a helmet in the show ring without being penalized.

Dressage riders, western riders, and other folks who compete might feel they will be penalized if they wear a helmet in the show ring. I can understand this from the judge's point of view. When comparing two equal riding performances, with one rider wearing a hat, and one a helmet would you consider the helmet a negative? Might it be a disrespect of tradition or a indication of insecurity of the rider? Or is the helmet wearer just showing good sense? I wish judges would reward the later, but unfortunately this often isn't the case. There is no justification for valuing fashion and tradition over safety. Shame on any judge or association rulings that penalize helmet use.

#3 - I know how to do an emergency stop and dismount.

Emergency dismounts and emergency stops are useful skills to learn, but they don't replace a helmet if you take a fall. Falls can happen so quickly that you don't know you are going to come off, leaving you no time to prepare.

#4 - Helmets give me headaches.

The solution to this problem is not to avoid using a helmet, but to find one that fits. Also, I find I get headaches when I'm out all day with my horse. The problem I discovered (it took me years to realize this) was not the helmet, but dehydration. Riding is a sport and like any athlete you have to care for yourself properly, especially when heat and stress can take their toll.

#5 - It will mess up my hair.

I have one young friend who can take off her helmet and look like she just walked out of a shampoo commercial as she flings her locks in the sunlight. The rest of us have helmet hair. While a good shampoo and blow dry can do wonders for fixing your hair, brains are a little trickier to fix.

#6 - I'm a very experienced rider.

A study conducted by a team of Alberta researchers found that riders who reported an injury had an average of 27 years of riding experience. New riders had a relatively small incidence of injury. Alberta Researchers Study Equestrian Injuries

#7 - Helmets are hot and uncomfortable.

With the number of styles and fits now available there should be a helmet to fit everyone. Many are adjustable for a custom fit. Troxel, Tipperary, IRH are just a few of the manufacturers you can choose from. All have a slightly different fit and are different weights and styles. Try lots of helmets on before you buy. Ask your friends what they like. With a little research you should be able to find a helmet that will keep you both more comfortable and safe.

#8 - It's not traditional to wear a helmet when you ride western.

No, it's not. But consider what the traditional hat of the cowboy really was. It was a form of protection. Cowboys wore gloves to protect their hands, chaps to protect their legs, sturdy boots to protect their feet, and a bandanna to protect their face. Extra cinches, deep seats and tapadaros (hoods) on their stirrups, where all forms of safety protection. Their hats were primarily functional--protecting them from the elements. If the cowboy of yesteryear had the knowledge and technology we have today, I have no doubt a helmet would have been part of their gear. Tradition, like fashion, is not a justification for ignoring safety. Even cowboys knew that.

#9 - Helmets are ugly looking.

Again, there are helmets in many different styles, like the Troxel Sierra and the Troxel Cheyenne. If you don't like the way the shell of your helmet looks put on a funky helmet cover. This a great way to personalize your look.

#10 - Helmets are expensive.

ASTM approved helmets cost as little as $50, sometimes less. This is a small expense compared to the amount you could spend on hospital costs or long term care. International Equi-Lite Dial Fit System Schooling Helmet is just one example of several schooling helmets that are under the $50 price mark.

#11 - I wear a helmet--but it's made for another sport.

Riding helmets are made specifically to withstand a fall from a height or a blow to the head by a hoof. Bicycle, hockey, baseball and other helmets are not made to protect the head from these incidents.

If you want to read this entire list with ALL the related links, click here: Reasons Not To Wear A Helmet

And my own personal experience with helmet safety came at an early age. I was about 11 or 12 years old and went trail riding with my dad and another boarder at the first barn I rode at. We were cantering out of the woods in single file when her young horse bolted ahead of us, made a sharp right turn at the end of the trail, stumbled and the woman riding went right over the mare's head. The mare took off for the barn, my dad stopped to help the inert woman and he told me to get help from the barn. I galloped off in the direction the mare went and found her trotting slowly ahead of me. She stopped and let me catch the reins and I ponied her back to the barn, hollering for someone to help us.

The barn manager jumped on one of the trail hacks (it was a rent-a-horse trail barn in addition to a boarding facility) and took off back to where I told him the fall was. Another worker phoned for an ambulance (this was way back in 1975 B.C. - B.efore C.ell phones!) The woman had to be hand carried on a stretcher out of the woods (nope, no A.T.V.'s either back then) And it turned out she had a broken nose and severe concussion.

Was she wearing a helmet? Yes. Granted it was one of the old-school fiberglass shell helmets we wore back then. But I'll never forget when my dad showed it to me. He had brought it back with him as he followed the emergency crew back to the barn. On the back of the helmet was a perfect imprint of a horse shoe. Where her mare had stepped on her head and shoved it into the ground. I can't imagine the outcome of that fall if she hadn't worn the helmet that day. I don't want to.