Reining ring riding rules

Picture- DID ANYONE FEEL LIKE THEY WERE RIDING IN THIS LAST THURSDAY???

In one of my earlier posts, I published a list of rules for warming up at a reining show. After last Thursday's ride, I'd like to suggest we adopt these rules for our riding nights. With so many people coming out to ride, safety is important, and we want to make it comfortable for everyone to be able to ride without worrying about whether they are going to run into someone.  By adopting these basic rules, it gives everyone an opportunity to practice all aspects of reining maneuvers in an hour long ride. Since most people seem to show up around 6:00, I would suggest we spend the first half hour on circles (spins in the center of circles) and the second half hour on straight lines (rundowns, stops, etc). If the hour previous and after 6:00 follows the same rules, everyone, regardless of when they show up will have an opportunity within an hour to participate in circling and straight lines (fencing). The end of the arena closest to the entrance will be to circles to the left (facing the stands), and the other end for circles to the right. I will put a list of the rules at the entrance to the arena, but in the meantime, please read the details below, and if we all repect these rules, we hopefully will make our riding time more productive, and safe for everyone...AS always, I'm open to ideas/comments either on this site or by e mail, etc.

PLEASE NOTE THESE RULES ARE UNIQUE TO THE DISCIPLINE OF REINING, AND ARE NOT THE SAME AS STANDARD ARENA RIDING RULES. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THEM, AND IF WE ARE A "REINING" CLUB, ADOPT THEM AS OUR STANDARD PRACTICE WHEN WE RIDE!!

THE RULES

1. Heads Up!! Be aware of everything that is happening around you or else you will literally run in to trouble!

2. Always run your circles towards the judges chair (in our case towards the stands).Do not lope around the perimeter of the arena or in the opposite direction of the flow.

3. Spin during the circling phase, inside the circles that are being run

4. ABSOLUTELY no spinning at the center mark!

5. Avoid stopping at the center mark. Many other riders are trying to hit this spot, keep it clear!

6. Heads up during lead changes or counter canter changes of direction.

7. DO NOT suddenly stop or back up without checking behind you first.

8. Rest your horse in the corners of the arena, walk to perimeter to cool out.

9. Socialize with friends in the corners of the arena.

10. The fencing phase starts about half way through an allotted warm up time,

11. DO NOT lope circles when people are fencing

12. DO NOT fence your horse when people are loping circles.

13. If you are trotting, trot to the inside of the circles (people going fastest have the priority to the outside of the circles)

If you happen to enter the warm up pen and all the rest of the horses are fencing, do not start loping circles. This would be very rude and dangerous. Wait until the fencing is done and then join in the circling. 

The same is true during the circling phase, don't start fencing until the rest of the crowd is ready. Parking your horse against a wall, in rundown preparation, is usually sufficient hint to the rest of the riders that fencing is about to begin.

Lack of knowledge in the warm up pen can cause huge frustration for people who are trying to get their warm up done. If someone is new to reining, and obviously doesn't know the warm up rules, politely explain them!

Sherri Thomson Clinic

Picture (lft to rt) Kerri and "Maddie", Sharon and "Rein" Bella, "Jewel" and Casandra, Casey and "Nikki" (Casey had put his horse away), Sherri and 3 year old futurity prospect, "Trickshot", Kim and "Tyme"  missing-Ellie, who came out in the afternoon to help round out our group (click on picture to see larger image)

 
Thanks to everyone who came out and participated in Sherri's clinic. By all accounts everyone came away with lots of new ideas and were inspired by Sherri's knowledge and demos. We hope to offer more opportunities like this for the club, but in order to make these clinics financially viable, we need more member participation!! We have some ideas about format that we'd like to discuss with club members that will maybe improve turnout....

Sherri Thomson Clinic info

(Picture-Sherri and Nikki)

Just a reminder that we are hosting a reining/horsemanship clinic here on Saturday from 9:00-4:00 with Sherri Thomson. Cost is 125.00 and there are still a few spots available. If you would like to come out to watch cost is 25.00 to audit the clinic. Hope to see lots of you out! Sherri will be bringing 3 horses, Niki, who is a 5 year old mare that Sherri started and is now competing on, as well as 2 younger horses, that are currently in training with Sherri. Casandra will also be coming along with Sherri to help out for the day. Lunch and snacks will be provided. (for those participating in the clinic) If you want to learn about reining and see a finished reining horse in action, don't miss this opportunity!!

Member Bio-Elli Meinert

My name is Elli Meinert and me and my family have been living in Lac La Hache for almost 5 years. 
I am just finshing up my 2 year college program to become a certifie Equine Sports Therapist. After that I am going to travel in the states to learn from some reining trainers.
I have been riding since I was 10 years old and got into reining about 3 1/2 years ago.
I currently own 4 horses. One of them is a bay gelding, Dodge, which I have been competing in reining with for 2 1/2 years. I did a lot of work on him myself and now just have to add finishing touches. 
I also ride and show some of my mother's horses. 
I enjoy every aspect of life with horses and spent most of my time with them.
I am excited to get to know everybody from the reining club and hopefully make some new friends.

So there we go..
The picture I attached is Me and one of our geldings, Zips Deal is Dun aka Dealer

THANKS, ELLI!!

OK, THE GROUND HAS BEEN BROKEN-LET'S HEAR FROM THE REST OF YOU!! FIRST 5 TO E MAIL ME WIN A PRIZE!!

Fund Raiser Opportunity...

Here is an e mail I received regarding an opportunity for our club to help out with the garlic festival, and also raise some money for our club in the process. Anyone interested in participating? Please give me some feedback on this site, by email or in person, and I will let Leslie know one way or the other....

The Garlic Festival in it’s 10^th year and we are expecting over 10,000 visits over the two days August 29^th and 30^th at Centennial Park. 

We are offering non-profit groups a chance to earn a percentage of the funds from the gate fees in return for volunteer hours to put on the festival.  

The jobs are broken down to;

• grounds and site
• parking
• equipment set-up and takedown
• entertainment and contests
• The Kidzone
• gate

 If this is an interest to you and your group please contact me ASAP as we are operating on a first come first serve basis. Thanks, Leslie Brown 250-395-1281 or leslie@garlicfestival.ca. See our website at http://www.garlicfestival.ca. 

Getting to Know Each Other

Pictures 

Top-Bella, Phil and Casandra with horses, Josie, Jiminey, and Maddie (and dog, Maggie)

Middle- Bella and Jewel, with grandson, Mason and Foxy

Bottom- Bella and Phil

So as I was writing my last post, I was thinking it would be nice to get to know each other a bit better. We need to have a social get together (sooner than later) but in the meantime what I would like, would be for each of you to e mail me a little bio on yourself along with a few pictures, and I will post your info up here on the blog. That way, we can put faces to names when we see each other!!

You've already read and seen enough of me on here, but thought I'd go first just so you know what I'm kind of looking for....

So my name is Bella, and we moved up to the Cariboo about eight years ago from the coast. I'm a teacher, and so is my partner, Phil (although he just retired this year). We bought a beautiful ranch in the Interlakes, with a plan to breed a few horses. We named our ranch "Brushstroke Paint Horses". My daughter, Casandra (whom you have also seen a lot of on this blog), was getting into reining, and was working with our trainer Sherri. We focused our breeding on APHA horses, with performance bloodlines. Now that Casandra is done school, I've decided to focus a bit more on my own horse interests, and hence the involvement with the reining club. I've been around it now for years, so I have some background knowledge, but want to put it to the test on the back of a horse. Jewel is our APHA mare that Casandra competed on, so I have the luxury of riding a horse that knows way more than me! I look forward to developing my skills as a rider, and doing a bit of competing along the way...

We also enjoy the Cariboo lifestyle-trail riding, canoeing, fishing, photography, and all things outdoors!

Now it's YOUR turn!! Don't be shy!! E mail me your info, and I'll post it here!!

email-isabella.macquarrie@sd27.bc.ca

A little incentive -the first 5 members to e mail me will win a little prize!!

Another Great turn out!

Pictures 1. Dawnna and ??(Horses name?)

2.OK Now I Know! Mandy and ? (horse's name?)

3. Fans

4. Tanya and Monty, along with  Laura?? (am I right?) and Gerry

5. Shelly and Gambler
Here's some pictures from our last Thursday night. I'm still getting to know y'all, so post some comments here and help me out (People and horses names....) Great to see so many people out, and we have an audience too!! My camera doesn't like to take indoor pictures very well so most of the other shots are big blurs! I'll try again this week.

Doug Mills Clinic coming to 100 Mile!

Picture-Doug Mills (Taken from Doug's website)

Here is another opportunity for you to develop your horsemanship skills right here in 100 Mile, with acclaimed trainer/clinician Doug Mills. Doug will be offering his Level One-Liberty "Training Thru Trust" Clinic in 100 Mile on June 5-7.

Here is the link to Doug's website in regards to his clinic format,and specifically on the Level 1 Clinic:

http://www.trainingthrutrust.com/clinics.htm

CONGRATULATIONS TO DOUG ON HIS CONTINUED SUCCESS AT THE TRAINERS CHALLENGE, WITH HIS MOST RECENT WIN AT THE MANE EVENT IN RED DEER, APRIL 2009!!

WELCOME!!

A hearty new member welcome to:

Laura Sperling

Tanya Johnson

Elli Meinert

Shelly Cameron

We are thrilled to have you on  board and look forward to seeing you all out on our Thursday night rides. We welcome comments and feedback from all members regarding the club, what you would like from the club, and what your own goals are in regards to reining in 100 Mile House.

Riverslide 2009

(Picture-Thomson River Reiners Logo)

Application Packages are now available for our Kamloops Chapter Reining Show-Riverslide, June 12-14th. They are available off the WCRA website, http://www.wcra.info/off the main page. Dawnna, Tiffany, myself will be competing....anyone else interested? It would be a good idea to get your entry forms in early, as stabling is limited, and you may have to house your horse off site if you late enter.

A Call For Volunteers 100 Mile Rough Stock Rodeo

(Picture-courtesy of http://www.werodeo.com)

We are looking for volunteers from the club to help out on Sunday, May 17th with the 100 Mile Rough Stock Rodeo. If you are able to lend a few hours of your time, it would be really appreciated! If we can provide volunteers as a club, it will help us in the future when we host our own event and need assistance, so please, if you can lend a hand, let Randy know. (250-395-5175)