I haven’t been able to reevaluate Tori yet, so she is still at home getting fuzzy and not being ridden. Actually, the vet had called me back for another appointment, but it’s a lot of money and time to spend that I just haven’t done it yet. When I started adding up the $150 vet charge, the $100 fuel, and the full day gone from home, it didn’t seem like such a small detail anymore - especially for a horse that isn’t actually lame.

The good news for me is that Nathan and Elly and the family got home late this weekend. They have been gone for three weeks in Spain, and after being immersed in the Spanish culture and hectic cities for three weeks, they are sure happy to be home in quiet northern BC!

Both Nathan and Elly are good horsemen with a keen eye, and I hope that they will be able to help me with Tori’s check up. After all, they were the first ones to spot that something was wrong way back at the end of July! Perhaps on Tuesday, or maybe on the weekend, I’ll haul Tori up to their place and we’ll have a look at her. If she seems to be right, then I get to back to riding! Woohoo!!!

In the meantime, I started a little minor work with Kari this past weekend. There are things you can do with your two year old that cannot stress their bones or joints. I started with a halter and lead rope and tied the rope around to make a single rein.

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Photo credit: Chris Hassell

Luckily Kari is under 14 hands, and I am able to work both reins from her withers. I started asking her to drop her face in response to rein contact, and also to turn her head in both directions.

I then undid the rope, and used it to start teaching her a neck rein. Sounds funny to start neck reining from the ground, but it works if you know how to pull and when to release! She is also responding well to the cue to back up - I differentiate between the head dropping cue with a vibrating rein and a back up cue with a cluck asking for motion.

We’ve all heard the warnings against excessive longing of young horses, but many people discount the value of ground driving. I think that what I am doing with Kari now will stand her in good stead when I start ground driving her over the winter under Elly’s tutelage. I ground drove Jetta several years ago and really enjoyed the chance to work with a horse that was too small to ride. The more time you spend with your babies, the better they get!

And with that in mind, I’ll sign off for this week - looks like I have my work cut out for me! The fall cleaning continues, as do the usual club projects, and now I may be (finally!) adding working with the horses back into my routine. I will say I’m looking forward to being on a horse again!!!

Till next week,
~ Kristi :)

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From Dawn Park, Houston BC

Why did the cowboy get a dashound??

—-Some one told him to " GET A LONG LITTLE DOGGIE!!"

We will get right to the awards.

Jamie Bell, Avery Bell Kyle Bell, Kristen Mathews Ansolm Regatlli,and Tim Harris.

Jr D: High point award goes to the young lady with 83 points:1st place: Brittany Ewald,2nd place: with 57 points, Merissa Delege,3rd place: with 48 points : Jordyn Saretsky

JR C:

1st place with 67 points : Becky Dallaire,2nd place with 33 points: Nicole Ewald,3rd place with 28 points: Kim McLean

JR B:

1st place with 64 points: Kelly Park,2nd place with 60 points: Jessie Vandenberg,3rd place with 50 points: Angela Ettinger

JR A:

1st place with 29 points: Katie Park,2nd place with 9 points: Kristina Fennema,3rd place with 3 points: Cecilia Regattli

Seniors:

1st place with 35 points: Jenny Farrel,2nd place with 20 points: Terri Stewart,3rd place with 15 points: Teresa Galbraith

Masters:

1st place with 51 points: Kate Hepburn,2nd place with 36 points: Esther Larsen,3rd place with 32 points: Bill MacKinnon

Green Horse:

1st place with 33 points: Chris Hassell,2nd place with 25 points: Jessie Vandenberg,3rd placw with 9 points: Heather Harris

ATTENDANCE AWARDS:

Brittany Ewald, Amber Gregorowich,Merissa Delege,

Jessie Vandenberg,Jordyn Saretsky Angela Ettinger,

Nicole Ewald, Jenny farrell,Becky Dallaire, Kate Hepburn

Kim McLean, Bill MacKinnon,

If you have comments or suggestions along the way, please share with me at kristi@hiway16.com

Now on to some of the fun awards:

This year we had the pleasure to watch one particular person ride likeshe was in the old west. We decided to give her the most wrecks award for being bucked off twice in one gymkhana. So, Our Best Wrecks award goes to Kate Hepburn

You know, I think that we sometimes overlook some of our riders. There are a couple of riders in this club who show how the west was really won. These two men have spent more hours in the saddle than probably all of us here together. Whether it was breaking colts, breaking trail or as in Jerry’s case breaking hearts, they have always done it the cowboy way.

We want to take this time to honour our Rhinestone Cowboys who know all about True Grit.

Would Jerry Riddenour and Bill MacKinnon please come up to receive your award.

Would Avery Bell please come up. We would like to give this award for being our youngest rider this year.

We have a special award going out to a young fellow who didn’t have the best of luck this year. But, no matter how bad things got between him and pony he kept trying. So this year we would like to award the Persistance award to Cody Cupples.

Kate Hepburn Award: This award is presented to the person that Kate has watched all year show an excellent example of horsemanship, and enthusiasm. This years award goes to Jordyn Saretsky.

The overall hipoint Award:With 83pts, goes to Brittany Ewald

Most Improved Green Horse is tablulated by the difference in points from thebeginning of the year to the end. The most improved green horse this year goes to Chris Hassell.

Our Sportsmanship award is voted by all the members.This year it gives me great pleasure to award the Sportsmanship award to Merrisa Delege.

Our Most Improved is also voted by the members. It is really neat to see these young riders improving in leaps and bounds over a season! This years most improved goes to a very deserving Jamie MacKinnon.

Volunteer Awards: With many thanks for being our judge all year we give the Judge Dred award to George Ewald.

Bibs Dallaire, Annette Vandenberg, Dale Park & Al Todd Thankyou for all your help with all the gymkhana's. They recieve Key chains.

Debbie Ewald and Esther Larsen, the club owes you a huge thankyou for all your hours of help running the office end of things. So this is our thanks to you, they recieve a gift pen in a box.

We also give out awards for the fastest times of the year in each of the four events. For this year they went to two different people. For fastest times for keyhole and ploebending it goes to Terri Stewart. For fastest times in Barrels and Flagrace it goes to Kelly Park. Congratutlations to all the winners!

See you out there next year!

I also would like to take this time to thank the club for my wonderful placemats from Jan Ridennour. They look great!

Northern BC Horse is sponsored by local businesses who support equine sports in our area including:

• Baerental Ranch
• Burns Lake Building Supplies
• Griffin Crick Ranch
• Hoskins Ford
• Northern Horse Supply
• Ridennoure Paint Horses
• The Tack Store

Do you have a horse or equipment to sell? Want to buy a horse or equipment? Check the Free Classified Ads