Author Archives: Katie

How to spend your money – part 1 & (not) counting

17 Saturday Sep 2011

Posted by in How to Spend Your Money

≈ Leave a comment

My favorite movie is The Palm Beach Story, a B & W screwball comedy from 1942 written by Preston Sturges and starring Claudette Colbert. Crooner Rudy Vallee plays John D. Hackensacker III (think “John D. Rockefeller”), who has a small notebook in which he writes down all his purchases and expenditures. As he confesses, “I write them down, but I never add them up.”  Or words to that effect.

Sounds like someone with horses, doesn’t it?

In the spirit of John D. Hackensacker III, I’ve decided to start a list of things to buy, all horse-related, that I hope will be of use to you.  I have no intention of discussing costs or, even more horrifying, adding them up.

Continue reading →

A party for horses

16 Friday Sep 2011

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

There’s a party coming up on Saturday, October 1st in East Haddam, Connecticut that will be fun for everyone and great for the rescued horses and donkeys and the animal-assisted therapy program at the amazing facility called Ray of Light Farm.

For the silent auction, I’ve donated a c. 1940s red enameled horse head pin from my collection of Vintage Equestrian Jewelry.

Hope to see you at the party, at the only barn I know where a zedonk’s in residence.  This one’s named Fancy Pants.  I’m not sure she’ll attend the party (she does have a mind of her own), but she’s ready to receive visitors most of the time, always in her striped outfit.

Continue reading →

Jaded

14 Wednesday Sep 2011

Posted by in Training

≈ Leave a comment

This morning, I’m thinking about how easy it is for trainers to get jaded — and how important it is not to let that happen.

We’re fixers by profession.  We like to fix problems and improve the lives of horses and riders.  We need to do so quickly, and we can never do it fast enough, in a realm where serious improvement only happens with time.

When it comes to fixing horses that come with a warning label — the horses we call “problem horses,” or “remedial horses,” or “horses with issues” — all of us are used to seeing problems where owners don’t see them.  Oftentimes, the problems are with the owner, caused by the owner and reinforced by the owner.  This happens so consistently that many trainers decide that all horse owners are, in fact, the problem.  So they stop listening to anything horse owners have to say.

Continue reading →

Jacqueline Kennedy on riding

14 Wednesday Sep 2011

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

I just finished watching ABC News’ broadcast of Jacqueline Kennedy – In Her Own Words.  Here’s a bon mot from the tapes, delivered in Jackie’s whisper (I couldn’t rewind to make sure, but I think these are her words):

“Daddy always said, ‘Keep her riding and she’ll always be in a good mood’.”

Jackie’s Daddy certainly had it right.  I know what he said is true for me, and my guess is that it’s true for you…if not always, at least most of the time.  Am I right?

Continue reading →

A debt of gratitude

13 Tuesday Sep 2011

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Belatedly, which in this case means only a few hours, I realize I owe a debt of gratitude to Bill Steinkraus.  The title of my newly minted blog sounded just right to me and I went ahead and published it without a second thought.

When I realized that the title of my blog is similar to a book I have in my library — Reflections on Riding and Jumping by William Steinkraus, I immediately went to my blog dashboard to change the title to something else.  Not possible.  I can delete my blog and develop a new one.  Or I can keep it and express my thanks to Bill Steinkraus personally, for the first time.  That feels better to me.

Continue reading →

Check the number…

12 Monday Sep 2011

Posted by in Training

≈ Leave a comment

“The number you have reached is not in service.  Please check the number and dial again.”

I think that any time we ride a horse, we’re having a conversation.  It’s nice when it’s a two-way conversation rather than a one-way and it’s really bad any time our horse hangs up on us.

When we get a hang up, it’s usually our instinct to immediately hit redial.  Or to press the buttons a little more strongly.  Or both.  Because our horse isn’t listening.

Continue reading →