Ok - shoot me I didn't post more at the Richmond show

Hey y'all

Soory I pooped out on ya at the Richmond Show and didn't blog anymore. Friday night Tempy and I ordered room service, we were totally indulgent and ordered way too much food.
It was our own personal slumber party and it was great fun. Sat night we went to dinner with Joe of the awesome Equissentials, Van from Farmlines, Sandi from Western Horseman, Pinot from Leather Therapy, and Vicki O'Hara from HorseTradeShow.com . Y'all I walked on the wild side and ate Sushi ... the raw kind! I feel so cosmopolitan now! I have to say, it was "ok" ... not on my list of things to eat in the near future. The salmon had wasabi ... so I didn't taste the fish.

The show was awesome and there will be tons of cool stuff in upcoming issues.

Bella Sara ... if you have a daughter under the age of 12 go to www.bellasara.com ... what positive wonderful inspiration for our girly girls.

Sabona Magnetic Bracelets - Ted and Darryl from Sabona are awesome guys and we are thrilled with the results from wearing these products. They are not only stylish but the help with pain. Tempy's helped her hand, mine helped my shoulder ... Ryan Gingerich ended up wearing one but I haven't asked him how he liked it yet.

Ryan's "Me" grooming products ROCK by the way. He is awesome too!

Leisha's ROCK n ROLL tack will be featured from Alamo Saddlery. Leisha is the CEO of Alamo, so come on ladies and let's support our sister in horses. You wont regret any piece of tack you get from Leisha, she is a stand up gal!

Phyliss Le Blanc from Harbor Sweets is my new best friend. Wanna know why? Cuz Phyliss makes devine chocolates! Better yet, they have horse themes on them so you can give your friends horsey chocolate! YUMMO

There are lots and lots more things you are just going to have to pick up or subscribe the magazine to see. I promise you ... you'll not find content like you get in HorseSouth in ANY other publication.

I'll have several things to tell y'all about in the next few days so check the blog often!

Blessings,
Tess

First day of the Richmond Wholesale show

So I am at Richmond at the Omni for the AETA / IEBA Trade show. Don't worry about organizations just know this is where all the new stuff comes to your tack store owner's attention.
I am wore slap out! Close to 300 booths at this event!
Names like Ariat, Montana Silversmiths, Kerrits, Devon Aire, Twisted X - they are all here selling to the tack / western wear stores.
I am roomin with my dear friend Templeton Thompson www.templetonthompson.com - I got lost last night with Vicki O'Hara from Equine Extravaganza. A freak thunderstorm left us in the dark at Best Buy!
It was a blast still.
I met the fellows from Sabona ... that's the magnetic and copper bracelets. Y'all those are the nicest guys ever! If you don't have a Sabona braclet. You gotta get you one. www.sabona.com
Leisha from Alamo Saddlery has the purdee-ist blingy headstalls ever put on a horse. What a gracious lady and what totally awesome awesome stuff.
Shannon at Petafour ... good golly miss molly! Shannon makes these insanely good and gorgeous treats for animals and for people! She lives in my home town of Cumming Ga.
Pat, if you are reading this beautiful lady ... everyone loves your shirt!! Y'all please go see Pat Wages awesome shirts at www.neighsayers.net
The new fall Kerrits stuff is awesome ... there is much to see and it will be a hard call on what gets space in the next issue.
More tomorrow.

Hugs y'all
Tess

Details ...

Ok, I am refreshed with a good night's sleep in my own bed. I've had a cup of MY good coffee from Harry's Farmer's Market ((YUMMO))
The final leg of yesterday's trainer challenge was the most interesting. Terry Myers had a new horse, a pretty buckskin gelding that he only spent an hour with. Admittly Terry told us his horse was a bit further along than the other two horses. Still his colt was pretty spirited. He was riding, loping in both directions and had the horse going fairly well ... his horse tired and finally bucked in objection to the work asked and Terry after riding some very hard bucks for at least the 8 second minimum came off. He didn't get hurt thankfully, only reopened some rope burns.
He did ride the colt again and all was well. He later admitted that he pushed the horse too far.

Scott Purdum's horse was fairly compliant about riding. Scott was a bit concerned with her balance issues. He spent a good deal of time trying to work those issues out. He too rode his filly at all three gaits ... He could crawl all over, stand on and wave whips in the air around his girl. She wasn't bothered by much at all. Scott told us that the filly had a lot of energy at first but then when pushed instead of bucking or bolting she'd just checked out. He said he'd have done thing similiarly but maybe used her energy levels to a better advantage.

Tommy Garland remarked that it's difficult to get in the pen and try to read a horse so quickly and grasp at straws to see what works for him and what doesn't.

Ed's horse was nervous and not happy about his new role as saddle carrier. He kept turning to Ed for support. Julie Goodnight moderated the entire challenge and was very clear in her accessment that Ed had the most difficult horse. He was very sensitive and bothered by little things like Ed's hat falling off as he tried to remove his mike. Ed rode his horse cautiously but didn't push him. When he asked him to trot, Lil Bucky said NO ... Ed rode out a bit of bucking fest. But the horse calmed quickly. After that Ed elected not to push the horse and over stress him. Ed told us during his 5 minutes of free time that it was his understanding that the challenge was "low stress" and he was doing his full level best to keep a very fractious horse calm.
When asked what he'd do differently Ed said he'd like 60 or 90 days with this horse to help him through his issues. He thought the horse was sweet and would make someone an excellent horse. He just needed a lot time to get over hurdles. He commented that this horse would always be a teacher and make his owner a better horseman. Which after all the bucking got a bit of laughter from the crowd.

The scores where added and all three trainers where within 5 points of a possible 400. They all did a great job and really deserve tremendous praise for their efforts.

Other than the trainer challenge, the show went off great. Good crowds, fabulous vendors. Everyone left with a bag or two of goodies. Everyone had a great weekend!!

Make sure you make plans to attend the VA Extravaganza in OCT ... http://www.equineextravaganza.com

ED DABNEY WINS THE 1st phase of the EAST COAST TRAINER CHALLENGE

I just got home and it's 1 am. I'll post details in the morning. Ed won the event. The NC Equine extravaganza was a success!!
more tomorrow ... I promise. My bed is calling my name ... I must go to it!

Blessings,
Tess

Day 2 of the NCEE and the East Coast trainer challenge

WOW ... day two was packed with folks!!
It's soo hot in Raleigh NC ... I think it's hotter than GEORGIA asphalt!
guy's I just don't have time to attend clinics and demos but I am making time to attend the trainer challenge so that I can be a good reporter and give you all the 411.
Today Terry Myers colt was pulled from the competition at Dr. Hougland's suggestion. He was a little sore and stoved up and Dr. H thought that while exercise was the prescription the unique challenges of colt starting would not be the medicine needed.
Terry worked with another colt after today's challenge to get caught up and will proceed tomorrow with this new colt. It's undetermined how this twist will really work into the competition.

So Scott and his buckskin beauty got along famously today. I have to say that had Scott thrown some floats and pool toys in the round pen I might have thought I was watching Clinton Anderson. I mean that as both a complement and a little bit of a tease. Even Scott's riding style, his horse's headset how he handled his horse today, he sorta climbed all over her staying in positions of "quick escape". She was calm and not at all distressed. He did a good job overall. Couldn't fault him if I tried.

Ed's colt got a review of bridling and saddling, handling and such but When Ed cinched up the girth, his colt got a little upset. He bucked, he hollared, he squealed and because Ed had made such good friends with his colt the colt turned to him for help, Ed had to back the horse off of him for safety reasons. He bucked a round or two and settled down when Ed's pony horse "Duke" sorta gave him the "what the heck is wrong with you" body langauge. The colt calmed down and his trust in Ed was apparent as he navigated obstacles like a champ. The dreaded blue tarp, even a sizable piece of plywood "bridge" ... after those the pole was a breeze. Ed's method of getting a horse ready to accept a rider is to set on the top of the round pen to get the horse acculmated to seeing a rider high in the saddle. Ed was going along well with this when Scott advised that he was planning to use a bullwhip ... so Ed climbed down and continued with ground work until Scott finished. He got a leg over, pressure on the stirrup, even his bottom against the saddle all from the safety of the round pen panel. The final leg is tomorrow at 12:30 but since I am checking out of the hotel early and there is no internet connection at the Fair Grounds ... you'll have to wait till I get back home late tomorrow night.
I've said from the beginning that I thought Ed would win this challenge based on experience ... today Scott showed us a lot but I still feel Ed will pull it out! I think his consistant methods and he careful consideration of the horse has made a lasting impression with the judges.

Blessings,
Tess

The Smokin' North Carolina Equine Extravaganza!!

Sittin in Raleigh NC exhausted from a full day at the Equine Extravaganza. This is the best show I've been to in several years!
There are rows of AWESOME vendors!! There are clinicians from every discipline and horse niche you could think of!
My friend Vicki O'Hara puts this show together and what a fire cracker and gorgeous lady!
The trainer challenge was awesome today. HorseSouth's own Ed Dabney with a little sorrel gelding that seemed to take to him right away. Scott Purdum with the only filly in the group ... a beautiful little buckskin that hooked on to him fairly well in the first session. Terry Myers had the second sorrel gelding, a smaller guy with great conformation but a lot of spunk.
Ed stayed to true to the methods he teaches. He broke things down in bite size pieces, gained his horse's trust, kept things easy going. Saddled his horse and put a bridle in his mouth right away!
Scott did a fair amount of round penning at liberty and on the lead too. I saw some flexing, some desensitizing and some respect being gained.
Terry Myers is an ambitious fellow, he was the first to saddle his horse. His little horse was spunky and had a bit of tantrum about the saddle thing but Terry seemed to calm the fight right out of him. It'll be intersting to see how this little colt reacts to things ... he not the easiest horse of the bunch.
None of these horses are easy however, they are fairly closely matched gaining respect and trust as always is going to be the determining factor in not only the winner but in who has the least issues in the saddle!
Stay tuned!!

Blessings,
Tess