Posts by Peggy
Overheard in the Wolfe House #157
Peggy: I don’t know what’s going on with Gus. He has been anxious for several days now. It’s the same kind of anxious he had when the batteries went out on the smoke detector. But we fixed it. Last night, he was so anxious, he couldn’t sleep. Today, he doesn’t even want to come in the house. I don’t get it.
Sam: I think the smoke detector in the office is about to go out.
Peggy: Really? How do you know?
Sam: I can hear it clicking softly when I’m in the office. Can’t you hear it?
Peggy: No. Only you and Gus can hear it.
Overheard in the Wolfe House #156
Sam: They are asking whether I’m registered for Selective Service.
Peggy: You are. You did that when you were 18. Do you remember filling out that card at the post office?
Sam: They need my SS number.
Peggy: Hmm. I guess you would have a draft number. (rummages through records)
Sam: Wow. I have another number.
Overheard in the Wolfe House #155
Peggy: An argument isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Sam: Yes, but arguments are suspenseful.
Peggy: What do you mean by that?
Sam: You don’t always know the outcome. Sometimes it’s good. But sometimes it’s bad.
Overheard in the Wolfe House #154
Sam: I’ve got a real busy day tomorrow.
Peggy: A real busy day can be a good day.
Sam: Let’s hope so.
Word Fun
Overheard in the Wolfe House #153
Paige: Sam, how do you do that side move on the horse?
Sam: It’s tricky, Paige. You have to pull your reins to your foot where you want the horse to go.
Belt Buckle Quality
(The work … not the video. More short and grainy stuff.)
Sam took first in showmanship in Class A today at Chisholm Challenge.
This event gave him fits when he was younger. If you are not familiar with showmanship, here’s what little I know. In many horse shows, competitors are showing the animal to the judge — just like a dog show, for example — so it can be evaluated for its conformation to the breed.
Showing an animal is complicated. You’ve got to get the animal to do things on your lead. People sometimes hire professional handlers to show their dogs. Being judged on showmanship is having someone evaluate your handling skills.
For kids with autism and other disabilities, showing an animal can be wickedly difficult. You have to stay focused. You have to follow directions with many steps. If your animal doesn’t behave as expected, you have to deal with it.
That’s gray-matter growing stuff.
I highly recommend it for kids with disabilities. Some stables will take kids at-risk. Michael rode for a year after he had surgery on his ear to help correct some balance and perception problems. Sam has been riding at Riding Unlimited since he was five. If you can volunteer or donate to a therapeutic riding program, you will be a big part of making amazing things happen in your community. Some volunteer programs will help you learn to ride, too.
Just one caveat: make sure the program, the instructors and the facility are certified by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, or PATH International. They used to be known as NAHRA.
Here’s Sam’s showmanship performance. Class A patterns are more difficult. The other classes do simpler patterns for the judge, just walking up, turning and coming back.
And here’s his buckle!
Here is video his performance in trail.
We haven’t heard how he did there. It takes a while for them to run the tallies. Sam was tired. We went home for lunch and rested.
Belt Buckle Quality
(The work … not the video. More short and grainy stuff.)
Sam took first in showmanship in Class A today at Chisholm Challenge.
This event gave him fits when he was younger. If you are not familiar with showmanship, here’s what little I know. In many horse shows, competitors are showing the animal to the judge — just like a dog show, for example — so it can be evaluated for its conformation to the breed.
Showing an animal is complicated. You’ve got to get the animal to do things on your lead. People sometimes hire professional handlers to show their dogs. Being judged on showmanship is having someone evaluate your handling skills.
For kids with autism and other disabilities, showing an animal can be wickedly difficult. You have to stay focused. You have to follow directions with many steps. If your animal doesn’t behave as expected, you have to deal with it.
That’s gray-matter growing stuff.
I highly recommend it for kids with disabilities. Some stables will take kids at-risk. Michael rode for a year after he had surgery on his ear to help correct some balance and perception problems. Sam has been riding at Riding Unlimited since he was five. If you can volunteer or donate to a therapeutic riding program, you will be a big part of making amazing things happen in your community. Some volunteer programs will help you learn to ride, too.
Just one caveat: make sure the program, the instructors and the facility are certified by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, or PATH International. They used to be known as NAHRA.
Here’s Sam’s showmanship performance. Class A patterns are more difficult. The other classes do simpler patterns for the judge, just walking up, turning and coming back.
And here’s his buckle!
Here is video his performance in trail.
We haven’t heard how he did there. It takes a while for them to run the tallies. Sam was tired. We went home for lunch and rested.
Bonanza is a Paint
Here are some videos from today’s ride. During English equitation today, Sam and Bonanza walked, trotted and cantered in Class A.
Sam took second. It was a wonderful ride.
Tomorrow is trail and showmanship.
Charging the battery tonight.
Bonanza is a Paint
Here are some videos from today’s ride. During English equitation today, Sam and Bonanza walked, trotted and cantered in Class A.
Sam took second. It was a wonderful ride.
Tomorrow is trail and showmanship.
Charging the battery tonight.