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

Learning about Chris

Sorry for the delay in blogging about my convo with Chris Cox. It was short but turns out, we didn't need it to be long. I talked to him about HorseSouth and how its not typical and that we wanted to learn a little more about him outside the round pen. Turns out he was already thinking along those same lines and told me that he planned a whole talk for later that night at his VIP party.
I'll talk to him more but he's in Columbia now riding the president's horses! So here is what I found out about Chris ... he is shy. Those of you that feel he's got a big ego are probably seeing his shyness and mistaking it for something else. I don't think he's full of himself or anything like that. I do think he likes to be in control ... with his horses and with all that he has swirling around him. But get as well known as he has become and I bet it wouldnt't take much to feel as if you are spinning out of control. He likes to have a handle on about every aspect of his business. Honestly, there ain't nothin' wrong with that.
Whatelse ... hmmm ... Chris is a cowboy poet and he does a pretty good Johnny Cash impression both in the "Hi, I'm Johnny Cash" dept. and the "I hear that train a coming" too ... he can sing a little! Who knew?
He told us about growing up in the wilds of Austrailia and coming back home to America with a dream. He recanted some of his more memorable struggles in getting where he is today. Turns out his family is from Georgia (we will claim him!) and Tennessee. His uncle and some other relative type people were present at the party. My impression of Chris is not much different than it was when I first met him at Road to the Horse. He's a nice guy. He's pretty funny, he ain't hard to look at, he's honest and he's pretty humble. AND there is no doubt the man has skills ... with horses that is. I am sure he has some other skills but you younger, single, pretty girls will have to catch up to him on your own for that. Note to girls thinking of hookin' up with Chris. Don't wear shorts when you ride, he thinks its silly. He's a practical man. Probably don't cook him any pork and rice dishes ... just a guess there.
There will be a lot more in the next issue of HorseSouth about Chris. I still have to spend a little time with him on the phone. If you can get to one of his tour stops, I'd highly recommend it. For only $25 you'll learn a hell of a lot from a very knowledgable man. If you go to the VIP dinner (if they have one) you might even get to hear him sing!

Blessings,
Tess

Off to meet Chris

Evening all,
I am excited to report that we will be heading up to Murfreesboro, TN this weekend to interview Chris Cox for the Dog Days issue of HorseSouth. I was able to talk to Chris a little both before and after he won Road to the Horse back in March. He came across as a really humble guy that's maybe even a bit shy ... maybe not conventionally shy but shy in his own way.
I look forward to chatting with him. Do know that from July 16th thru Oct 1st, we will be giving $4 from ea. subscription order (full orders only) to 4H Equine programs. Chris picked 4H to recieve the big check he won for charity at RTTH, so we will see what we are able to contribute as well.
Plus my mom worked for the GA Cooperative Extention Service for many years and we have pretty strong ties to all things extention. As most of you know Extention agents are most often the 4H directos.
Be sure to check the blog early next week, I'll share tidbits from my interview.
Oh and Kent and I have lost our minds and have decided to ride the motorcycle to Texas in September. I need to take pics and interview Martha Josey and it seems like fun to take the bike. We will take several days to do the trip. Plus Martha lives at the TX / LA state line. So its about 650 miles. 6 hours on the bike ea day is totally doable. Yes, we have rain suits! Yes, we are nuts.

Hugs til later
Tess

Finding the time ...

Whew ... whirlwind city!
So busy lately but trying to keep everyone up to date on happenings etc.
Magazine going to press NOW. Helping folks promote their events. There sure are a lot talented people out there.
I hope I can teach my kids to recognize the talent and beauty IN people and to learn from what others have to offer earlier than I did.
There are a few exceptions but it seems that we are all rather like Ostriches ( head in the sand) until we get to a certain or level of maturity ... maybe it's the idea of proving yourself ... by yourself or something that kicks in. Dunno?

I encourage you all to take time to sit in the sun and in the shade to appreciate the beauty in both. Remember to take deep breaths and to stretch your muscles. Drink lots of good water and rest when you grow weary. Hug those you love, smile at strangers and laugh when the fancy strikes you.

Blessings to you and yours!

Tess

Look out, cool thingz cometh!!

YEE HAW ... what a great week!! (Warning ... this post contains massive rambling!)

Well there was that lil spill I took off Terra ( y'all saw my horse on the cover of the winter issue with Ed Dabney right!). Well the ground is still hard, so don't go pullin my tricks and stay IN the saddle.
Jody and Dawn are down at the Southern Cross Ranch relaxin and soakin in the quaint atmosphere. Y'all have fun ... go to www.southcross.com to learn more about Noel's place down there in Madison, GA.
Kent and I spent the weekend with Templeton and Sam, doing our interview and gettin pics for Tempy's cover. In the words of the now re-incarcerated Paris Hilton (tehehe) ... it's going to be "hot"! Y'all will have to get it and read it.

We have a new advertising rep, some of y'all know the awesome and beautiful Georgiana Norcross. If you are a horsey business owner be expectin' a call from Georgiana!

We are doin' a feature on female farriers ... so if you know any Sheshoers send 'em our way. We will feature 10 from around the South!

We will also be workin on a feature called "The 50 most influential horsewomen in America!" I am SOOOO excited bout this! Y'all gotta help me, because you DO NOT have to be famous to be included! We have a list of famous - semi-famous folks but I really want to mix it up with some people that are really out there making a difference! Like my friend Sue Vetsch. Sue ain't famous ... but boy howdy she is influential!! Rosemary Spence ... again ... famous? A teeny bit, she did win a big AQHA award. But more influential than anything. Hmmm ... who else? Cheryl Flanagan ... of www.savethehorses.com and Debi Metcalf from Netposse.com ... those gals deserve medals!

OH ... whew - wait til y'all check out the "Ya Gotta Have" section in the magazine. We used to call this "The product paddock" ... but not no more. We changed it ... duh. Marienne Morrison from Smooth Stride sent me some riding pants and now I can't wait til my shoulder and ribs get better so I CAN ride again. These are awesome pants! Dawn's got hers with her at the So. Cross ... they are TEE NINY ( as Tempy would say ) ... but Dawn is TEE NINY. Mine are not so tiny ... lol, oh well ... can't have everything. You'll see Dawn's TEE NINY butt in Marienne's awesome britches in the next issue. I am sayin' britches not breeches ... Marienne does have breeches or a brand of them. But Dawn's pants aren't breeches.

As I type this Miss Vicki ( O'Hara - EquineExtravaganza.com ) is out in CAL EE FORN NI A at the Western States Horse Expo, she's laughin it up at dinner with Kathy from Valley Vet! Y'all have fun! Geez, everybody is somewhere but me! My youngins are watchin Air Buddies - Air Bud, remember ... he's procreated!

Check the hot blog a lot ... Robbi and Cindy from Flashpoint are gonna be bloggin about the Atlanta Summer Classic Hunter Jumper show and Grand Prix! That's comin' up real soon. Here in GA we affectionately call that show "The Bob Bell" ... are you feelin' the love Bob?

Check back ASAP ... there will be lots to tell!