Help.. Need Your Expert Advice!

I am packing for the SASHA show. We are leaving early tomorrow. I am showing in an all breed Open sidesaddle class that will take place 2-3 PM and I cannot remember something... Do I wear a top hat or a derby? I want to wear my top hat.. but not if it is inappropriate!

I normally have to go by the ASB saddleseat dress rules..which only allow top hats after 6pm and only in certain classes but in this show and in this one class, the rules are different!

**Update**..per the ladies on Facebook the answer is 12 noon! Yeah - the top hat goes with me..

I will try and post pictures while we are there... but not sure if the historic inn we are staying in has Wi-Fi.

The Last Lesson Before the Show.

Two of my girlfriends came with me to my riding lesson today..so I armed them with cameras! Here I am getting on Oliver.

I love this picture..as you can see, it is taken down the isle of the stalls in the main barn...which by the way ..is the best set up I have ever seen for a training barn.

After I finished riding Oliver they brought up Jose. You can see him behind me.

Jose is named Jose because his registered name is Oh Say Can You See and one of grooms had trouble pronouncing it and would say Jose Can You See... so the barn name of Jose just stuck.

To give you an idea of how tall Jose is.. I mount Oliver using a 2 step block. Here I am mounting Jose standing on top of a 3 step block..and he was still higher than Oliver!

Jose is a really beautiful Saddlebred. He has a funny expression on his face in this shot.. but I think we were doing the last tightening of the girth while it was taken!

We started to walk. Even after only 1 ride I totally trust Jose.

I included this shot because it shows how the riding arena isle goes around the stalls and then comes out into an open area.

We trotted and this time I did post the trot. It just took some concentration.I also cantered Jose and then...

..and after all of my offering, I finally got Elly to try riding aside. Elly is a very experienced and elegant astride rider..so I knew she could easily ride aside too.The smile says it all. She gave me a huge compliment saying that she had new found respect for what I was doing. ...grin..

Tomorrow..

..2 of my friends are going with me to Bluebonnet Farms when I take my riding lesson. I am going to arm one of them with a camera and the other with a video camera! I hope I get to ride Jose too.

Now Don't Get This Mixed Up...

I show in several different shows.
TASHA - Texas American Saddle Horse Association
SASHA - San Antonio American " " "
NTASHA - North Texas " " " "

The show I will be going to next weekend is SASHA. However today in my e-mail I received a teaser e-mail about the next TASHA show in May. Here is what it has to offer:

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


TASHA SPRING CLASSIC HORSE SHOW
Show Dates – MAY – 19-20 2012
JUDGE
MELISSA MOORE- Versailles Ky.

●●●
May 18, 2012
--Friday evening Clinic with Melissa Moore--
$100 per rider (details to follow)
$50 audit fee (will be allowed in center ring with Ms. Moore during clinic)
●●●

$200 to the trainer that makes the longest drive to the show
$200 to the trainer that brings the most horses

Trainer Jackets –to the:
High Point Academy and High Point ASB Performance Trainers

Special AOT High Point Award

Surprise cash prizes for a few lucky exhibitors- $20 attached to random
place ribbons throughout the show – Don’t forget to check your ribbons

Paddock Club –
Open to all exhibitors for hospitality during the entire show-
Saturday Evening- food and libations during the show

Red Dress Class
TASHA will sponsor and host a “Go Red for Women”-
Red Dress Class with proceeds benefiting Heart Disease in Women
Horses, riders and family wear red for the cause.
(Class and info to be announced)

Performance schedule –
Saturday morning – 10:00am ● Saturday evening – 6:30 pm
Sunday morning – 9:00 am

Website: texasasha.info

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Now this sounds like a really fun show!!

Danielle Demers

Meet Danielle Demers.

I love to get to know my blog readers .. but it is especially thrilling when one of them is as talented as Danielle..and I get to introduce her to you! Just one look at this creation..and you will understand why I wanted to feature her.

Here is the interview in Danielle's own words:

I started drawing horses at a very young age because I grew up around them. My parents owned two horses that they used mainly for trail riding. One of their horses, Gemini, was originally bought for my mom when I was 5 years old, but I also rode him quite a bit because my parents' other horse Jessie was a spitfire.

From the time I began riding Gemini, I sort of claimed him as my own. He was owned by young girls before my parents purchased him, and it seemed that he was destined to always be a little girl's horse. It was because of my love of Gemini and riding that I drew horses so often. I would draw horses on the backs of the paper place mats at restaurants, on scrap papers, on just about anything that I could draw on using anything that I could find to actually draw with--crayons, golf pencils, ball point pens from my mom's purse, etc.

Danielle showing Gemini.

I was introduced to watercolor painting by my high school art teacher who also works mainly in watercolor. In high school I took as many art classes as I could fit into my schedule. My teacher was wonderful--she really took the time to show me how to use watercolors in a variety of techniques. Instead of stressing realism and more technical based painting exercises, she encouraged her students to paint in a loose and stylistic manner when first learning how to use a new material.



My art teacher also urged me to show my work. I sold my first horse drawing during my senior year of high school. Selling that piece inspired me to start my business. Luckily, I have a very supportive family! About one month after I told my mom that I wanted to start my own business selling equine artwork and clothing with my designs, I found myself actually selling my work at a local craft show.

Throughout my life, my passion for horses has played a huge role. I have created a business based on their beauty and spirit and my major hobby is riding.

As I mentioned, I began riding at five years old when my parents purchased Gemini. I rode western with (most likely very unrealistic) aspirations of becoming a barrel racer until I was 11 years old (Gemini was not very keen on becoming a barrel racer!). After being introduced to the english discipline at a summer horse camp, I saved up my allowance for about a year to purchase my own english saddle. I took lessons in hunt seat and jumping for the next two years, before finding my true passion: dressage. Since taking my first dressage lesson in 8th grade, I have never looked back. The longest break I took from riding was when I did not ride at all during my Freshman year of college. By my sophomore year, I had found the University Dressage Club, began taking lessons, and started showing on the Dressage Team.

Danielle warming up at one of the university dressage team "IDA" shows.

I currently own one horse and also ride my parents' paint gelding Boots. After Gemini passed away in the fall of 2010, my parents sent Boots up to a barn near me so that he would not be alone. I have a blast working with him over the past year. He is not the ideal dressage prospect, but he is such a sweet boy. Last week I adopted my first off-the-track Thoroughbred, Kidd, from the Kentucky branch of New Vocations Thoroughbred Adoption Program. He just arrived at the boarding barn yesterday, and he is such a laid back, handsome, and sweet gelding! He will be my dressage prospect. I am so excited to begin working with him!

I would also like to say, that I am very fortunate to have found a husband who is very understanding of my passion for horses and supports me in my business and my hobby 100% - that is so important to me :)

I specialize mainly in watercolor and ink paintings, but I have also worked in acrylics, oils, pastel, graphite, and charcoal. Creating silver jewelry has been my latest experiment. On my website, I sell prints of my artwork and the silver jewelry.

If you are interested in Danielle's art work, her web site is:
www.designsbydannie.com

The SASHA Show..

..is one of my favorites for so many reasons. First off, even though SASHA stands for San Antonio American Saddle Horse Association, the show is actually held closer to a town called Boerne, Texas.

Boerne is one of those cool historic towns with neat little boutiques and cafe's.

We are going to stay in a historic Inn called Ye Kendall Inn.

The horse show is held in a place called...

It is a nice facility that is VERY roomy. I will admit, it is not fancy.. but very comfortable and there is a great covered practice arena.

..and guess who owns the San Antonio Rose Palace?None other than the infamous George Strait!

I can't wait. I love this show. It is a dual breed show held with Arabians. This is the only Saddlebred show that has an all breed sidesaddle class. The after show dinners are amazing, but to make it even more special, my husband Don is coming to watch! We had to move mountains to make this happen. With all of our animals, it is best to just have someone come and live at our farm while we are away.

Here is just a bit of the history of the SASHA organization:
In 1973, the show organization changed to San Antonio Saddle Horse Association when TASHA moved to Houston. Incorporating in that year, our tradition of excellence continued on for 23 years.

In the Articles of Incorporation, the Purpose of the organization is fourfold:

•To promote the education of the people of the State of Texas in breeding, care, use, handling and development of horses and horsemanship..
•To encourage good sportsmanship and proper conduct among horsemen and horsewomen and to foster good fellowship among all persons interested in saddle horses.
•To encourage proper and humane handling and care of horses to prevent cruelty to animals.
•To assist and establish a horse show circuit in the State of Texas.
After a brief pause in horse show events, the return of Saddlebred shows was ignited by Terry Carter and Lisa Mountain, guided by Beulah Cates. A major reorganization of the San Antonio Saddle Horse Association rekindled the first show in half a decade in October 2001. Instrumental in this endeavor was Megan McAngus (Beasom), Lynnie Bunten, Judy Jordan, Michael Beasom, Marty Allen Wernle and Susan Wooten Wernle, Beth Jones, Nita Mountain, and Stace`Rust.

Today our goals are to support and fulfill the SASHA Purpose, and to attract the best in show horses from all over the country, to celebrate the Show Horse. Expanding our excellent horse shows, SASHA is again growing with the additional Arabian division.

Spreading The Love...

Over the last 3 years, the time in which I have had this blog, every single time I post on the "Equestrian Style", no matter if I am talking abotu home decor or fashion.. I get sevral emails and other positive response.. so I keep a collection of pictures to share with you.

It is interesting that our love of such a wonderful animal .. influences our likes in other areas. For this reason, I will be you will truly enjoy these pictures....so ENJOY!

This Week..

..is one of "those" weeks .. especially at work....sigh... I am in training all week long, separated from my beloved computer .. so my posts this week will be a bit random.

What I can tell you though is that we are getting ready to go to the SASHA show on March 1-3rd!!

We Own...

..every single one of these horses.....and a few more 'originals'.. That is Oliver in the middle.. except you would have to add another 10 zeros onto that price tag!

Today's Lesson

I am so excited about today's lesson, I could not wait until tomorrow to share it! I am sorry - I do not have any pictures to share..so you will have to use your imagination.

Today I rode 4 different horses. I stared out riding Sport, my young Saddlebred in training to be a 5-gaited show horse. Still learning, and that statement goes for both of us.. we worked on EVERY gait! Sport is young and inexperienced and tends to see "equus-eatus monsters" at every bend. He can shimmy when he gets nervous. Me - I don't shimmy as well as I once did! Sandy, the head trainer makes it look way too easy.

Next, I got to ride a lesson horse astride aptly named Hershey for his rich chocolate color. I need to start working on my astride riding skills as I have been riding aside so long..it is there that I now feel more comfortable. Hershey is a good and patient teacher. Sandy had me trot and canter standing in the saddle. It is a good thing I have tomorrow off. I may not be able to get out of bed!!

Next in line was Oliver. I have to lunge Oliver before I ride him. He forgets he is 16...and today he thought he was 3! The first thing he did when he reached the rail of the bull pen was to buck and canter simultaneously. Thankfully he is gentleman enough to leave such behavior behind when I get on him!!

Today Oliver was exceptionally spy though. All the "equus-eatus" creatures were still there when we rode aside. One scared him so that he stopped on a dime and spun about 365 degrees! I take pride in saying that I not only stayed on but stayed erect. No one was more surprised by it all more than me! I actually enjoy riding Oliver when he is in this frame of mind. His slow trots are more animated. He head set is more up right. BUT - the sacrifice I get from all of this energy is an almost non-existent flat walk.

4th..yes, today I had the pleasure of riding 4 horses!!! The most advanced lesson horse at the farm is a stunning and HUGE - 17HH - Saddlebred with the barn name of Jose. Jose is the horse I honored to be asked to try out as a sidesaddle horse. We saddled him in his stall as he stood in cross ties so we could see his reaction to this new and heavier saddle. He paid it no mind.

From this point on, Sandy did not leave my side.

We walked Jose out of the stall and down the isle to the 3 step mounting block..which was almost not tall enough for this tall drink of a horse! I gathered the reins in my left hand as I placed my foot into the stirrup. Sandy was at Jose's head and a groom was at the offside putting counter weight on the saddle. I mounted as if I was stepping into an astride saddle and I sat still for a few minutes while I stroked Jose's neck. I very carefully moved my right leg over his neck. I don't know why, but I was shocked at how easy it was. Jose acted as though he had been doing this for years. We tightened the girth one more time and walked out into the arena. Sandy walked beside me. Jose held his head extremely high and I feared he would have a case of Spring fever..as the other horses had.

We started to walk around the large covered arena. After getting 3/4 the way around Sandy told me to slow trot Jose. I did. It was so slow, I would liken it to a Western Pleasure jog. Going a bit further down the rail, I asked him for more. He gladly gave it. I noticed it was so much easier to ride Jose aside, but somehow more difficult to post the trot. Anyone have any ideas how this could be true??

After making 2 rounds about the huge arena..and by the way, Sandy was no longer running beside me, I asked Jose to step it up even more and he politely did...grin After a shot walk, I asked for a canter. Jose has one of those dreamy Country Pleasure canters that is so easy to ride. I could feel all 3 bumps of each stride it in the saddle, but it was very comfortable.

I was all smiles..that got even bigger when Sandy asked me to show him aside at a show later this year...YIPPEE!!

American Saddlebreds

Now I could write pages and pages about the history of the American Saddlebred, how they were bred, the general purpose they were bred for and famous people who rode them... but that is not what this post is about. I want to talk about the modern American Saddlebred.

While Saddlebreds have made their mark in many many disciplines of riding and driving, this post is specifically for 3 and 5 gaited show horses.

The next 2 pictures are the epitome of the American Saddlebred as a show horse.

When a show breeder sizes up their young horses they look for how they move naturally. Some Saddlebreds have a more up and down movement, sometimes referred to as sewing machine motion. They look like a square. Very upright, very animated in motion in both the front and in the hocks. Their neck is long and elegant like this 3-gaited horse.

Other Saddlebreds have a more forward movement. They have a natural propensity to amble and can easily be taught the 2 extra man-made gaits, slow-gait and rack. Essentially, these are almost the same gait, but at different speeds. A true rack is when the Saddlebred is supporting all of his weight on one single foot at a time, hence the term single-footing. If you look at this 5-gaited show horse, his body looks more like a parallelogram instead of a square. Notice that both horses in these 2 pictures are trotting .. but see how different they look.

..and here is my beloved Oliver (reg. Heaven & Earth). Oliver, although gaited is in my opinion a better 3-gaited (pleasure) show horse. He is classified as cute, bright, and while he may not be as animated as the above horses...my boy is worth his weight in GOLD!!Now, I am not saying that I would not love to try working a more animated show horse aside. If an opportunity came my way, well I am not one to shy away from a chance like that.. and will be sure to share it with you as well!

Post Cards from 1905 - 1940...

..Let's just call this eye candy!

Promoting Our Favorite Discipline...

..of riding. We all know that the more we ride aside out in public, at shows or just a fun hack and the more we share how much fun it is with as many people as we can, the more people will become interested in doing it themselves! After all, how many of us are riding sidesaddle because we saw another doing it? I know that is why I started!

We also all know that when one celebrity does something, tons of people follow.. so with that said, who would you choose to take up riding aside. It can be someone living or dead, young or old and celebrity in any form.

My choice would be Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy.


Although she was a beautiful equestrienne, I truly believe if she favored sidesaddle, it would have NEVER gone out of style and be included in every single breed show!

Who would you chose?