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Ready or Not, WEG is Here!

By will.groom.for.food. on Sep 28, 2010 4:39 pm -

With the eventing portion of the World Equestrian Games just a few days away, all of Lexington is ready for one of the biggest eventing competitions in history. Ok, well maybe half of Lexington is ready…so mostly just the horsey people really. But who cares that my professors give me blank stares when I ask to rearrange exams around the WEG schedule or my friends think I’m crazy for spending THAT much money on tickets to watch a bunch of horses run around? The World Equestrian Games are finally HERE in our backyard!

The unhorsey people, or “muggles” as I like to call them, are largely unaware of the magnitude of what is taking place–they have seen the billboards and heard the ads, but they don’t understand (see Visionaire’s FAQ post for a typical conversation with a muggle). An important step of improving eventer-muggle relations is to help understand what might deter some of the the muggles.

The only reasons I can think of that the muggles wouldn’t want to come to the Games are:

1. They are petrified that we will clog up downtown with our huge trucks.

2. They won’t be able to get into their favorite bars and restaurants because we are better at partying and having a good time than they are.

3. They too have been hit by the economy, but they unlike us aren’t crazy enough to blow their lifesavings on going to WEGs.

4. They can’t bring their own alcohol (or anything for that matter) onto the grounds.

5. They are scared of the sharks at the petting zoo.

The perfect cure for any muggle’s concerns is to meet a good-natured eventer. So, if you meet a muggle during the Games, be sure to smile and strike up a conversation. In just a few minutes I’m sure their concerns will be assuaged as you explain to them that we in fact drive our huge trucks very fast, love partying with everyone, don’t worry too much about being broke, keep our own alcohol by the barns, and finally, who has time to be afraid of sharks when there’s a cross-country course to jump?

In reality, everyone in Lexington is very excited to be hosting the Games even if all the muggles don’t know exactly what that means. The downtown looks wonderful (as does the Park itself) and eventers and muggles alike will see Kentucky hospitality at its finest. Everyone in Lexington is hoping that visitors will discover Kentucky’s beauty not just our beautiful horses. For those of you coming from afar, we can’t too see you and we hope you have a safe trip. For those of you who can’t, keep up with WEG coverage and we hope you’ll come to see us sometime anyway!

And remember, the muggles are more scared of you, than you are of them.

How To Keep Riding In College

By will.groom.for.food. on Aug 31, 2010 4:00 pm -

At some point most of us have an intermission of sorts in our riding careers, or at the very least a minor “hiccup” where we are horseless for a time. For many, this happens during college or during our debut into the “real world.” (I still haven’t discovered what constitutes the “real world.”) Below are some ideas to keep you in the irons and prevent you from going crazy.

1. Be ridiculously amazing and have a bunch of sponsors. This way, you’ll always have lots of horses and money. And friends.

2. Ok, so the first one didn’t really pan out, but that’s why we have enablers, like parents. Just promise to keep a ~~3.3~~ 2.75 GPA and they’ll pay for your precious pony to attend college with you!

3. Well, studying is hard and your Underwater Basket Weaving professor hated you for no explainable reason, so scratch plan two. But that intercollegiate riding team always sounded like fun, right?

4. Who knew that riding new horses at every show wasn’t a blast? Or that you have to be reasonably responsible and attend meetings…whoops. That’s okay, you’ve got friends that have horses, especially greenies that need to be ridden.

5. So trying to drag the 4 year old away from his friends and into the barn was more work than actually riding. Settling to be the exercise-rider-while-owner-is-on-a-ridiculously-expensive-vacation isn’t looking so bad now, is it?

6. Be an Equine Major.

How have you managed college, or any horseless time period in your life? Wearing my tall boots around and pretending I have something to ride can only placate me for so long. And its getting me weird looks at the grocery store.

Are You Smarter Than A Pony Clubber?

By will.groom.for.food. on Aug 26, 2010 10:11 am -

How well do you know your bits? See how far you can get before you miss one!

1.            2.          3.
4.              5.      6.
7.    8.        9.
10.       11.           12.

13.

Answers

1. Loose Ring Snaffle                         2. Egg Butt Snaffle

3. Baucher                                          4. Dr. Bristol Half Spoon Cheek

5. French Link Egg Butt Snaffle          6. Rugby Mullen Mouth Pelham

7. Magenis                                          8. Scourier or Cornish Bit

9. Citation Bit                                     10. Full cheek Waterford

11. Dexter Ring Bit                             12. Chifney

13. Butterfly Bit Attachment

How’d you do?

Are You Smarter Than A Pony Clubber

By will.groom.for.food. on Aug 10, 2010 5:45 am -

So…this week really isn’t related to pony club, but it is a quiz, so lets delve into the mysterious and elegant world of the life aside.

1. Is it legal to compete in ponyclub competitions side saddle?

2. What are all the parts on this thing?!

3. How do you fit a sidesaddle?

4. How do you get in this thing?!

5. Ok, you’re on, now what?

6. What is “appropriate” attire?

Answers

1. No clue, but I’m going to find out next summer at Midsouth Mega Rally.

2. I’m just going to post some pictures and let you guys figure that one out on your own…

3. Fit for a side saddle is pretty much like fitting a normal saddle, except it is even more important for a sidesaddle to fit than an astride saddle. There should be clearance above the withers but not create the appearance of clearance by being too narrow and “perching” atop the back. The points of a sidesaddle are longer than on an astride saddle so you should also check that they don’t pinch the shoulders (or in my case, Mack’s side fat).
Fitting a saddle to the rider is a little more difficult, especially when you consider that the best saddles were custom made for a person (and their horse) 60 to 100 years ago. First measure the distance from your seat to the back of your knee while sitting on a hard surface. Add about an inch to that measurement and it should match the distance from the cantle to in front of the horn. While sitting on the hard surface mark where your left and right hips are, then measure that. Add a little wiggle room and that’s the measurement for the width of the seat. These are the two most important measurements, there are others to insure a perfect fit…but more than likely you won’t ever find a saddle with those exact dimensions..and fits your horse.

4. I still haven’t found a good way. Most people will tell you to get on astride and then swing your leg over. This takes some amount of grace. My flapping and or shrieks of fear, make me look like a prehistoric bird trying to take flight. Mounting blocks and really tall fences also help because many of the saddles (especially the older ones) have ingenious quick release stirrups…that release with ANY amount of pressure (I probably shouldn’t make a blanket statement, so MY stirrup releases with ANY amount of pressure.) So I guess I just can’t ever fall off if I would like to get back on.

5. RIDE. Ok, so that’s harder than it sounds. Your hips and shoulders should be square. From behind, a lady (never thought that word would describe me) should appear to be astride but simply missing a right leg. A whip is VERY helpful until your horse begins to learn one-sided cues (still helpful after they’ve learned too). The fixed pommel is your best friend, especially when your horse beings to get spunky. By pushing your knee and thigh out, against the pommel, and your calf and foot in, against the horse, you have locked yourself into place. It’s uncomfortable and shouldn’t be held for long periods of time, but you are VERY secure.

6. Modern attire for dressage, eventing, or hunt classes is typically a skirt, or now a days an apron, with whatever you’d normally wear for the class. Period costumes are a little different and require more research. A good rule of thumb is to match your outfit with the period of your sidesaddle.

Well, I hope you know have more information than you ever wanted about sidesaddles! I hope to see you guys around aside!

Are You Smarter Than A Pony Clubber

By will.groom.for.food. on Jul 26, 2010 3:23 pm -

This week we delve into the mysterious conundrum of colics. Anyone who’s ever had to stay up an entire night or ship a horse off to the hospital for a bout of colic knows it’s not a fun ordeal. So, get out your Pony Club manuals and see how much you know.

What are five types of colics?

What are some symptoms of colic?

What do you do if your horse colics?

Answers

Types

1. Spasmodic colic: this is caused by cramps or spasms of the bowel.

2. Gas colic: this is caused by a build up of gas in the intestines. Eating spoiled feed or grass clippings can result in fermentation, which produces gas.

3. Impaction colic: this is caused by indigestible material collecting and blocking the bowel. This can be caused by swallowing sand, lack of water, or enteroliths. An enterolith is basically a stone that is found in the intestinal tract. It typically starts with a foreign piece of material and then minerals (that are found in feed) form around it to produce a rock.

4. Thromboembolism: (this is fun to listen to Pony Clubbers try and pronounce at their rating) this type of colic is caused by worm larvae that invade blood vessels that supply the intestines. A clot can form and block off blood supply to part of the bowel. (Part of why a consistent de-worming routine is important.)

5. Obstruction: this type of colic is caused by a twisted bowel, or when it “telescopes” on itself (intussusception). Lypomas are often a concern as well. A lypoma is a fatty tumor that is connected to a thin fibrous tail, the tail can then become twisted around parts of the bowel and cut off blood supply.

Symptoms

When horses are just beginning to colic the symptoms are usually relatively mild. They may start to look at their barrel, stop eating, or begin to act restless. They may also start to paw, curl their upper lip, stretch out as if to urinate, or lie down and get up multiple times. Pulse rate will be slightly higher.

As the pain becomes more severe, the horse can become violent, progressing from simply laying down and rolling, to thrashing. The horse may begin to look anxious, paw, kick or nip at his belly, and break into a sweat. Some make it really easy and just lay lateral and groan…loudly. Pulse rate will also elevate, as will respiration rate.

Your horse’s mucus membranes (gums) can tell you a lot about his condition. A normal color is pale pink; some horses will be slightly injected (meaning you can see smaller darker veins). If his gums are bright red this could indicate mild shock or toxicity. If his gums are slightly blue it could indicate severe shock. Normal saliva is runny and slippery; a sick horse will often have thicker, sticky saliva on his gums.

Knowing your horse’s capillary refill time is helpful also. If you firmly press a finger to your horse’s gums for 2 seconds (long enough to create a white mark), how long does it take for the color to return? A normal time is 1-2 seconds. Any longer could indicate dehydration or shock.

Gut sounds. If you have a stethoscope, use it. Place the stethoscope behind the last rib and listen for sounds. Typically a lack of sound is more indicative of a colic than an excess of sounds.

Every horse is different, so their reaction to pain will be different. It’s very important to know your own horse and his vitals. Some horses can be incredibly painful, but so stoic that their heart rate and respiration rates will barely change.

What do you do?

Record vitals (because I can never remember them) and call your vet. In cases of mild colic, Banamine will often be prescribed. Typically it’s best to wait until your vet tells you to give medication otherwise you risk masking the pain that could help diagnose your horse. While waiting on your vet, walk your horse slowly and record vitals periodically. If he starts to pass gas or manure and vitals seem to be improving you can put him in a small paddock or stall and continue monitoring vitals. If condition worsens, its up to you and/or your vet to make the call on a hospital.

How’d you do?

Are You Smarter Than A Pony Clubber

By will.groom.for.food. on Jul 8, 2010 1:57 pm -

This week’s quiz is about feet! Perhaps I was inspired by an enlightening conversation with my farrier, or the fact that this is the month that my poor horse’s feet start to fall apart. Either way, with out further delay, I present the (very late) Are You Smarter Than A Pony Clubber quiz!

Parts of the Hoof

Farrier Tools

Bonus Question: Name the 5 steps in shoeing a horse

Answers

Parts of the Hoof

1. Heels                                          5. Sole

2. Cleft                                            6. Wall

3. Bar                                              7. Frog

4. White line                                    8. Commissure

Farrier Tools

1. Shoe puller or pincers                 5. Clincher

2. Hoof trimmers or nippers            6. Clinch cutter or buffer

3. Rasp                                           7. Hoof knife or draw knife

4. Farrier’s Hammer                        8. Pritchel

5 Steps in Shoeing

1. Preparation – Excess foot is removed and hoof is leveled and balanced.
2. Forging – Shoe is manipulated to fit foot.
3. Fitting – The fit of the shoe is checked.
4. Nailing On – The shoe is nailed on.
5. Finishing – Clinches are tightened and made smooth. Clips are tapped into place and hoof is smoothed by rasping.

The best way to learn about feet is to be involved. Talk to your farrier, ask why something is done a particular way. Your farrier can teach you a lot, you just have to ask.

So how did you do?

Navy Horses

By will.groom.for.food. on Jun 22, 2010 10:32 am -

Could you ever imagine willingly giving up horses? Not just for a weekend, but for a minimum of 5 years? That’s exactly what Midshipmen Dulce Johnson and Bethany Carlson did when they were accepted to the United States Naval Academy.

The Academy is college, boot camp, and officer training all rolled into 4 years with only a few weeks of leave for the Mids. to go home and see their families. It’s hard work and takes a huge amount of dedication, but at the end, the graduates are commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corp, or as an Ensign in the Navy. Johnson couldn’t see herself anywhere except the Academy and starting working to get accepted during her Junior year of High School. She knew in 6th grade that she was going to be a Navy Officer and that she would attend the Academy located in Annapolis, Maryland (its harder than the movie).
After Johnson’s first year, also known as Plebe year, she realized that she just couldn’t live without her horses. Before attending the Academy, Johnson was an accomplished pony clubber who had successfully competed through Prelim, excelled at 3’9″ jumpers and was a heck of a games player. It was in the fall of ’09 when she and Carlson, a former hunter/jumper, decided that the Navy could really use an Equestrian Club.

By Spring of 2010 they had 74 members and 15 of those members were actively riding. Their goal is to have at least 15 Mids. compete in IHSA shows next fall. Currently they are considered an extra curricular activity, but are trying to gain “club” status. This would give their members excuses to miss evening meals, a few formations, and count for their intramural requirement. But most of all it would give them funding to pay for the farm lease and care of the club’s 4 donated horses, all of which is currently being paid out of the pockets of Johnson and Carlson.

Johnson, currently a second-class Mid (Junior), and Carlson, a first-class Mid (Senior), are great examples of how horse people never quit being horse people, they may simply go horseless for a time.

From left to right: Pirate, Bethany Carlson, Folie, Dulce Johnson, Emily Meyer, Molly, Maggie Herbert, Tigero, Natalie Colla

If you would like to know more about the Equestrian club you can contact Dulce Johnson at [email protected].

(Another) 5 Things I Learned This Weekend

By will.groom.for.food. on Jun 22, 2010 5:27 am -

Either this has been a month of extreme stupidity or I’m not as educated in the ways of the world as I thought I was. So, in a reoccurring theme, here are another 5 things that I learned this weekend during a pony club rating.

5. Location, Location, Location. It’s important that you’re in the place you need to be…and that the examiners are as well. Many times through out the weekend I was told that I was “borderline” or that they “weren’t sure if I was quite ready for my A.” I was fine with all these comments because I wasn’t taking my A, I was at my B rating.

4. Make a good first impression. Locking your keys in your truck after pulling in the way of EVERYONE to unload is not a great idea. It also doesn’t earn you many friends. Fortunately AAA was helpful THIS time.

3. HYDRATE!!!! I thought I knew this one, but apparently it takes blacking out to really get the point across. Needless to say I learned the lesson this time.

2. I have a NASCAR addiction. I was hoping to keep this one a secret from my family, but drafting off of semi-trucks must have given my away.

1. The Pony Club Standards must have gone down hill….since they actually passed me 🙂

In all seriousness I would like to say thank you one more time to the organizer, examiners, and our wonderful hosts!

10 Things I Learned This Weekend

By will.groom.for.food. on Jun 9, 2010 9:03 am -

On Saturday, a few friends and I were supposed to make a quick drive to pick up my new games pony. Instead of a pony, I got a broken diesel pump and an 11 hour tour of the local truck stop in Horse Cave, Ky. While being stranded hours away from home we decided we would have some fun and make a list of things we learned. (Hopefully we won’t repeat some of our mistakes.)

Things I learned that I should have already known

1. Check truck and trailer for general working order. Correct tire pressure, no weak spots in floor boards, no wasps, check electrical hook ups, make sure you have the correct sized ball for your hitch, get gas….

2. If borrowing a truck, get it’s history, especially if it’s know to break down. Sitting at a gas station for 11 hours isn’t as much fun as it sounds, and probably could have been prevented had we known that the Ford had already done this…twice.

3. Carry a first aid kits for both humans and horses. Luckily it wasn’t needed, but Molly The Dog did appreciate having some water in the trailer. Even if you think it’s going to be a short drive having a jug of water and some supplies is always good idea.

4. Try to get stuck in an area that has a big parking lot. It sounds stupid, but it was nice knowing that our 24ft gooseneck wasn’t going to flatten an innocent bystander when making a turn. We were really lucky not to get stuck on the highway, and since karma took some pity on us they even gave us a diesel mechanic (who wouldn’t work on our truck anyway) and a McDonald’s!

Nice and roomy!

5. Make use of the time you have. Since you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere you might as well use the new found time to do something productive. Knit a sweater, plan your show schedule (if you have a working truck), write an article…. or in our case, clean out the trailer!

6. Get to know your local law enforcement! We only broke the loitering rule about 11 times, but everyone was fairly understanding…except for one well meaning woman who tried to open the trailer to save our suffocating horse (too bad there wasn’t one in the trailer). An Officer even stopped by to offer us a place to keep the pony for the night if our rescuers couldn’t make it, and then offered to help us with the electrical hook up for the new Dodge truck coming to take the trailer home. We were very grateful for his kindness.

7. Have friends everywhere that have big trucks. It was a statewide effort to get us back home, but thankfully Sarah has many friends. We had a truck from western Kentucky to haul the trailer home, and another truck from central Kentucky to haul the truck home….AAA works too…maybe I should call them first next time…

8. Be creative. You’ll get bored, find a way to entertain yourself…update your facebook status every hour (my boss let me miss work because she thought they were funny and she knew where I was), take lots of pictures, buy out the truck stop gift shop, meet some Amish folks.

9. Have a valid reason for making the trip. While stranded we learned that the guy already sold the pony…even though we talked to him the day before to “finalize” plans.

10. Always have a sense of humor. So the weekend didn’t go exactly as planned, but who cares? I got to spend time with some horsey friends that I hadn’t seen in awhile, and everyone was okay (except the truck) . And you have to admit there was some irony in the fact that we got stranded in Horse Cave…

Have you had any disastrous trips? Share the stories and how you dealt with them!

Are You Smarter Than A Pony Clubber?

By will.groom.for.food. on May 27, 2010 3:36 pm -

How well do you know your drugs?

An unplanned excursion to the Equine Hospital earlier this week (for a severed artery) got me thinking about drugs. Well, really it was listening to the horse’s owner trying to pronounce the generic names that got me thinking about drugs…I mean medication.

Meds/”vet stuff” and I go way back. I remember the good ol’ days when Daddy Vet would take me on calls before school and during the drive I would get quizzed on different illnesses and effective treatments/medications. (please let me keep pretending this is normal) It was such a happy carefree time that I wanted to share a blast from the past with you….ok, really I’m sadistic and just like listening to people try to say these names out loud.

Correctly match the brand name (number) with the generic name (letter) if you’re a super smarty pants match it with its classification (some are used more than once). Have fun and no cheating!

1. Bute A. Ketoprofen Urinary tract analgesic

2. Domoso B.Omeprazole Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID)

3. Banamine C. Pentoxifylline Molecule “Carrier”

4. Lasix D. Oxytetracycline Diuretic

5. Gentocin E. Ranitidine Antibiotic

6. Zantac F. Clenbuterol Anti-ulcer

7. LA200 G. Imipenem Decreases blood viscosity

8. Gastrogard H. Ceftiofur Anti-anxiety/anti-seizure/sedative

9. Ketofen I. Metoclopramide Anti-protozoal

10. Valium J. Gentamicin GI Motility Stimulant

11. Trental K. Dimethyl Sulfoxide Gel Opiate Agonist

12. Naxcel L. Ponazuril Bronchodilator

13. Marquis M. Flunixin Meglumine

14. Regland N. Butorphenol

15. Primaxin O. Phenylbutazone

16. Torbugesic P. Phenazopyridine

17. Ventipulmin Q. Furosemide

18. Pyridium R. Diazepam

Answers

1. Bute – Phenylbutazone – NSAID – Please tell me you got this one right!

2. Domoso – Dimethyle Sulfoxide Gel – Molecule “Carrier” – If you want to mess with your vet ask them to explain this one. It is best known for allowing medication to pass through the skin (it “carriers” it into the bloodstream) but it can also act as an anti-inflammatory…or a carcinogen to you. But in all honesty, we really don’t completely understand DMSO (non-gel form) that well.

3. Banamine – Flunixin Meglamin – NSAID – Side note, Bute helps for skeletal or muscle issues, while Banamine is more useful for visceral pain (thanks Daddy Vet) which is why it is used for colics.

4. Lasix – Furosemide – Diuretic – mostly commonly given to racehorses that are “bleeders” or suffer from Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage, (EIPH) meaning that during intense work outs they bleed from their lungs. The diuretic lowers blood pressure either preventing hemorrhages or decreasing the severity.

5. Gentocin – Gentamicin – Antibiotic – LOOK! It matches…sort of

6. Zantac – Ranitidine – Anti-ulcer – If you take this for your own stomach problems remember to look up the dosing for humans NOT horses.

7. LA200 – Oxytetracycline – Antibiotic – This stuff is AWFUL to give in winter!!! It is super thick, so it also sucks giving it with small needles…hey Visionaire, did I every say thanks for giving it to my horse with an 18G needle? Thank you!

8. Gastrogard – Omeprazole – Anti-ulcer – IV Omeprazole is evil.

9. Ketofen – Ketoprofen – NSAID

10. Valium – Diazepam – Anti-anxiety/Anti-seizure/Sedative

11. Trental – Pentoxifylline – Decreases Blood Viscosity – It’s most commonly used on horses with laminitis or navicular disease.

12. Naxcel – Ceftiofur – Antibiotic

13. Marquis – Ponazuril – Antiprotozoal – Used as a 28 day treatment for EPM.

14. Regland – Metoclopramide – GI Motility Stimulant – The “Don’t Stand Behind” rule is especially applicable.

15. Primaxin – Imipenem – Antibiotic

16. Torbugesic – Butorphenol – Opiate Agonist – It makes sedatives work better. Lots of vet use it in “cocktails” to make horses go to Lala Land faster and longer.

17. Ventipulmin – Clenbuterol – Bronchodilator

18. Pyridium – Phenazopyridine – Urinary Tract analgesic – If you ever have to give this, be careful! When you crush it, it will turn EVERYTHING yellow and it NEVER EVER washes off….EVER

How’d you do? Leave a comment below…and make me feel like a productive member of Eventing Nation.

Are You Smarter Than A Pony Clubber?

By will.groom.for.food. on May 18, 2010 12:11 am -

As promised, this week is Quiz Rally. Quiz, as the name would indicate, is a knowledge competition for the ~~nerdy~~ really smart kids. Quiz is divided into 4 sections: Written Test, Classroom, Stations, and Mega-Room. You get a score for each phase and the highest score wins! (Not like golf) I don’t know why we pay money to go take tests, but I guess its a pony club thing. I think they get us hooked when we are young with the promise of really BIG ribbons. In PC’s defense, they have always fulfilled this promise..but then you’re stuck with a huge ribbon with Quiz Rally written all over it. To this day I am still too ashamed to hang my “Quizard” ribbon with the rest of my meager collection.

In an effort to one-up the system I went to Quiz last year as a “Guinea Pig.” A rather unflattering title, but it thought it would be fun. (I have no idea what I was thinking) I got to go down a day early and take ALL the tests from D1 through…the highest rated kid there. By the end of the weekend I was getting called Pig, Weasel, Rat and many other types of vermin. Below are some examples for Stations, Mega-Room, and a Written Test tie breaker. These are real questions from years past…and because of this I have a feeling that the pony club mafia is going to kill me for telling secrets.

Stations

You have two minutes to identify (correctly) the poisonous plants. Good Luck!

1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6.

Mega-Room

You have two minutes to match the numbers to the correct name.

A. Small colon          B. Small intestine    C. Salivary Gland    D. Tongue
E. Liver F. Stomach    G. Cecum H. Large colon
I. Pharynx    J. Molars K. Incisors L. Epiglottis
M. Esophagus    N. Pancreas    O. Rectum

Written Test Tie-Breaker

I believe this was the tie-breaker for the C3 test.

Name all the bones in the lower leg.

Answers

Poisonous Plants:

1. Poison Hemlock 2. Rhododendron 3. Oleander 4. Ornamental Yew
5. Deadly Nightshade 6. Black Walnut

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in Stations, its that if you argue enough most of the sleep deprived volunteers will give in and give you your points back(it helps if you’re actually right too…)

Digestive System:

1. L – Epiglottis          2. C – Salivary gland          3. I – Pharynx          4. M – Esophagus
5. F – Stomach          6. B – Small intestine         7. G – Cecum          8. H – Large colon
9. O – Rectum          10. A – Small colon             11. N – Pancreas     12. E – Liver
13. J – Molars           14. D – Tongue                   15. K – Incisors

Mega-Room is partly so challenging because the competitors can’t touch anything. You will get yelled at, threatened with disqualification and death if you touch the table or diagrams. I don’t know why they’re so much more special than stations…but they are. (Guinea Pigs will get hit with clipboards for setting coffee on tables.)

Tie Breaker:
Large metacarpal bone (front cannon)
Small metacarpal bones (front splints)
Sesamoid bones
1st Phalanx (long pastern bone)
2nd Phalanx (short pastern bone)
3rd Phalanx (coffin bone)
Navicular bone
Carpal bones (knee)
Tarsal bones (hock)
Large metatarsal bone (hind cannon)
Small metatarsal bones (hind splints)

Did you do any better this week? Worse? Keep reading! ~~I have no idea what’s next week~~. Next week will be a surprise so leave a comment below!

Are You Smarter Than A Pony Clubber?

By will.groom.for.food. on May 10, 2010 5:00 pm -

Visionaire and I were recently discussing funny Pony Club stories and the oddball rules that usually caused them when she decided that this would make a great blog, and so Are You Smarter Than A Pony Clubber was born! Come test your wits, see if you can outsmart the USPC system! Don’t feel bad if you aren’t, and if you are, well….congratulations! You have the knowledge of an average 10-year-old Pony Clubber.

This Week: ~~Stupid~~ Obscure Rally Rules

1. Spurs – When presenting for formal inspection (a very thorough check on cleanliness of horse, rider and tack) with spurs, the Pony Clubber must:
A. present with both spurs on correctly.
B. present with one spur on correctly and the other in hand.
C. present with both spurs in hand.

2. Helmets – Helmets must be worn:
A. at all times during rally.
B. only when riding.
C. whenever working around a horse.

3. Medical Armbands – Armbands must be worn:
A. at all times during rally.
B. when riding, even on the flat.
C. only for show jumping and xc.

4. Boots – True or False: At formal inspection Horse Management (HM) may judge the cleanliness of the bottom of riding boots.

5. Braids – When braiding at rally:
I.   Braids may not be completed the night before.
II. Braids must be taken out within one hour of last ride.
III. Braiding is not allowed for Pony Club competitions.
IV. The tail, along with the mane, must be braided.

A. III only          B. I & II          C. I & IV          D. I, II, & IV

Answers
1. Spurs – B. present with one spur on and the other in hand. Officials made this rule thinking that if pony clubbers wore two spurs we’d trip ourselves. I have only witnessed this once in my entire history of rallies. It also involved my teammate attempting to moonwalk. Chances of this happening in a “normal” situation…slim at best.

2. Helmets – C. Whenever working around a horse. D’s and younger kids “have” to wear helmets when grooming and whatnot, but it really depends on who you get as Chief Horse Management Official as to whether or not this gets enforced. However, it will always be enforced for riding, longing, and …jogs! That’s right, jogs! Of course we know several of our Rolex riders are Pony Club graduates so lets see them at their most fashionable….

3. Armbands – A. At all times. I was present at the Quiz rally that solidified this “amendment” into Pony Club Law. A couple of younger D’s were horsing around waiting for their turn in Classroom when one of them fell off her chair. She winded herself and was pretty scared, it probably didn’t help that she had 200+ volunteers, parents, chaperons, and EMTs standing over her checking for a head injury. It was this moment that Pony Club discovered that they really liked knowing your name and medical history with just a tug (ok, battle) of that helpful paper…and medical release…and name of chaperon. (Seriously, don’t forget the medical release.) Recently PC has even started giving out neon orange armbands as prizes. PC loves them because they can be spotted from miles away. They may be tacky, but you’ll never get shot at during hunting season.


4. Boots – True. Up until a few years ago kids would wear surgical booties or plastic bags while walking up to formals. Thankfully most HMs have banned this practice since more chaos was generally produced from the noise than what was gained in HM scores. Now most kids wear the rubber footies on the outside of their boots until formals…or their team carries them up there while the stable manager leads the horse.



5. Braiding – B. I & II. Braiding can’t be done the night before even if you have a 7am formal and barns don’t open until 6am. Good luck! Remember that all the horses need to be fed, bathed, and walked before you can start braiding….oh yeah, and all the stalls need to be mucked too. This was the case for most of the Prelim kids at championships last year. Luckily the HMs let us braid down the night before, but not pull the braids up…not very helpful if you were taught to braid by Visionaire. Keep in mind PC doesn’t let you braid while standing on buckets. A step stool or milk crate is mandatory, but BEWARE the milk crate!!! They will break and try to eat you. And everyone will make fun of you for getting a milk crate stuck on your foot. And so will the HMs when they have to come over to cut it off you. Braids also must be removed within 1 hour of your last ride even if dressage rings are 20 minutes away and your horse and tack must be re-cleaned within that same hour for turn-back inspections. Have FUN!


So, are you smarter than a pony clubber? Could you handle the time crunch? Next time you see a pony clubber, pat them on the back and say good job, it really is harder than it looks.

Read next week to see if you could survive Quiz Rally.

If you are interested in Pony Club or would like more information click on the link to take you to the United States Pony Club website — http://www.ponyclub.org

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