A Horse Cures All That Ails You

Wild

Did you notice how long that woman's hair is? It would be hard to miss Charlie in the show ring.

Kind Regards,

Michelle Blackler

Serendipity

www.hossbiz.com

Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.

A Bit On Bits

Carriage driving clients are always asking me if they should change their bit to help their horse's performance. If they are not using a mullen mouth Liverpool, I generally say yes. If they are using a Liverpool, I tell them to change the way they use the bit to improve performance.

Too few people understand how bits work and too many people resort to them as a method of control. I have seen too many horses pulling the vehicle with the bit and too many riders stopping their horses with it. "I need a more severe bit, my horse doesn't respect this one," makes me want to sob for the horse and throttle the owner.

Any bit is severe when it is operated by uneducated hands. That is why I always suggest a mullen mouth: it takes work to be severe. A snaffle can be so easily misused. It works like a mutcracker with the jointed end poking into the roof of the horse's mouth. A double jointed snaffle has two places to poke. The bar of the mullen places equal pressure all through the mouth, which reduces discomfort by uneducated hands.

Think about this. What do you use that bit for and why? Is it a valuable tool to communicate with the horse? Are you using it to help your horse or control your horse? Does your horse willingly open his mouth to take the bit or do you stick your fingers in his mouth and pry it open? If the latter is the case, I will suggest that the horse has no problem with respecting the bit. He has a problem trusting you.

Case in point: Don Pecos stopped willing taking the bit when he was bridled. I thought that was strange. I made him take it. We drove. We worked on correcting his counter bending problem with the whip. Over and over and over. All spring and summer. The last few days I have been focused on this bit idea. I concentrated on driving the bit instead of the horse. I used my shoulders to mirror the bit through turns. I felt Don Pecos, but I focused on the bit. We had lovely drives. Yesterday, Don Pecos opened his mouth and took the bit when I offered it to him. And he bent to the right. And he forgave me.

I hope this bit [you know me] of accidental sagacity will help you to understand and inspire you to listen to your horse. That is the key to improving performance. Always.

If you would like to schedule a Serendipity riding or carriage driving lesson on bits, contact me. Your horse will thank you.

Kind Regards,

Michelle Blackler

Serendipity

www.hossbiz.com

Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.

Driving Trial at Holker Hall on Horse & Country

Tim Maloy has done it again with a superlative program about the recent British Driving Trial event at Holker Hall in Cumbria that is available for viewing on Horse & Country:

Horse & Country - Driving back to Holker

Holker Hall is owned by Lord & Lady Cavendish and one of the few estates in England still family owned. The program highlights the local sponsorship of the event that is testament to how equestrian events can be relevant not only as a homage to our heritage, but as a unique marketing opportunity.

Maloy does an excellent job not only of presenting the beauty and dedication of the sport of competition carriage driving with his outstanding camera work, but also gives keen perspective from exhibitors, volunteers and sponsors with his excellent narrative. Kudos again, Mr. Maloy!

For more information on British Horse Driving Trials at Holker Hall:

http://www.horsedrivingtrials.co.uk/news/2010_home/01_holker.htm

For more information on Holker Hall: http://www.holker.co.uk/metadot/index.pl

Enjoy!

Michelle Blackler

Serendipity

www.hossbiz.com

Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.

The More Things Change

Not wanting to read any current and ultimately depressing news, I trawl through the New York Times Archives. Accidental sagacity found me an article from 1894 detailing carriage and horse sales, betting issues at racing association and results from a driving club race. With horse drawn vehicle sales recently at Waverly and Martin's and the close of harness racing at Prairie Meadows, I find there is nothing new on this earth but ourselves...

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9803EFDB1630E033A25750C1A9639C94659ED7CF

It is always a delight to read that a Morgan park gelding sold for $4,500 over a century ago.

Kind Regards,

Michelle Blackler

Serendipity

www.hossbiz.com

Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.

The Most Agreeable Howard Kietzke

Howard and Mo

[Imagine me, resplendent in cream, sitting next to Howard.]

It is impossible to look at Howard Kietzke without smiling. He is so full of good humor and agreeableness, the result is contagious. My favorite Howard story, so far, happened at Villa Louis Carriage Classic this year.

I was packing up in a hurry to get over to watch Concours d'Elegance of the 30th Anniversary Show because I knew it would be spectacular. Howard, who was stabled next to me, walked up and asked me if I would ride with him in his heavenly sporting gig for Concours. My heart did a flutter, I said I'd be honored in a shaky voice and then nearly cried I was so touched by the invitation.

We decided I should wear my cream jacket and hat. Howard's high gig is red, black and has a cream panel and floats. I have never felt more like royalty as I did riding next to Howard in that gig. Howard drove Mo, his big bay Friesian cross perfectly suited to the sporting vehicle and we glided into the arena.

Concours is judged as the most elegant turnout of the show. With more than 100 turnouts at Villa Louis 2010, it was a high honor to be in the ring. There is only one winner in Concours and waiting in the line up watching the turnouts called off, thanked and dismissed not hearing Howard's number called, I looked at him and said, "You might just have this!"

The very picture of humility, Howard said to me, "It is very difficult to beat a George IV." He was referring to Mary Jo Stockman's elegant, formal and also perfectly turned out vehicle.

In the end, it was only Howard and Mary Jo left in the arena. Howard was right. It is very hard for a sporting vehicle to beat a formal one and Mary Jo took the top prize. I was thrilled to sit next to Howard and hear the crowd's response with a roar of applause when his number was called. I think they disagreed with the judges.

Later, I had the opportunity to talk to Marsha Himler, who judged the show. I asked her about judging the Concours, being careful not to mention I was in the class with Howard. She told me it was one of the most difficult classes she had ever judged. In the end, it came down to the very trifling point that Howard was wearing a boater instead of a top hat. She could find no other reason for making a choice and that is what judges have to do: make a choice.

So, it came down to the difference between Ascot and Henley. Boaters are the mens hat of choice for Henley, but not for Ascot. A sporting gig would have been found at both events, but not the boater. It is all about elegance. Henley is as much a part of the social season as Ascot and it would be wrong to wear a top hat while lounging along the river. I am uniquely qualified to say this as I have been to both events many times in the past.

Still, no one was happier than I sitting next to a most agreeable man in a beautiful gig, driving along the Mississippi River at the 2010 Villa Louis Carriage Classic. Thank you to Howard for his second to none friendship.

Kind Regards,

Michelle Blackler

Serendipity

www.hossbiz.com

Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.

More Villa Louis Photos by Laurie Renda

Gambler's Choice with the Ferrari

First Place

Reinsmanship

Open Horse

Working Pleasure

Fifth Place Picnic Class with Lucy Fur

The Menu:

Bread, Cheese, Fruit, Cookies, Tea

Lucy had a bone, but preferred to help herself to the cheese.

She also sampled the picnic to our right and ran over to

Theresa Burns' picnic site to see if there was also better food there.

First Place

Working Pleasure

The Sublime

Martha Stover

and Tyngwndwn

Lovespoon

a.k.a. Lisa

Theresa Burns & Four In Hand:

Fancy, Moonbeam, Gus and Jay

Pat Hartell driving

Powerpoint

Open Horse Line Up With Villa Louis Mansion Peeking Through Trees

Thank you to Laurie for these fine photo memories!

Kind Regards,

Michelle Blackler

Serendipity

www.hossbiz.com

Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.

WEG Driven Dressage

Much to my delight, you can watch the WEG on 2010 Altech FEI World Equestrian Games either in live streaming or recorded: http://www.usefnetwork.com

Isbrand Chardon's test was near perfection and Chester Weber's horses are near perfection. I did feel Chardon's test was more technically correct than Weber's, although the two men tied for first place, which has never happened at WEG. Watching the competition it is clear these two men are far beyond their fellow competitors in skill and quality of horses.

The European turnout is disappointing low, but that does not surprise me. In fact, it is typical of them, in my humble opinion. Which does not keep me from being a Europhile, but vexes me nonetheless.

Looking forward to the Marathon tommorrow. Try to catch some of it if you can.

Kind Regards.

Michelle Blackler

Serendipity

www.hossbiz.com

Serendipity is an Accidenatl Sagacity Corporation company.

World Equestrian Games

For some excellent coverage on the driving competition, go to Jennifer Singleton's blog at the Carriage Association of America: http://carriageassociation.wordpress.com/

She has diagrams of the marathon obstacles, photos of presentation, which our very own Golden Boy Chester Weber won, with Jim Fairclough and Tucker Johnson finishing second and third respectively. A great start for Team USA, even though this is an optional phase of the competition and the scores do not count for the championship phase.

Weber drives dressage this afternoon with a score to beat of 35.97 by the reigning World Champion Isbrand Chardon of the Netherlands.

NBC is airing the Marathon on Sunday in their coverage of WEG beginning at 4pm, but check your local listings to make sure. I can guarantee it will be thrilling!

Kind Regards,

Michelle Blackler

Serendipity

www.hossbiz.com

Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.

End of Summer

Don Pecos pours it on at the 30th Anniversary of Villa Louis Carriage Classic

Now that the heat is gone from summer, the colors are fading along with the evening light, there will be more time for blogging. It has been a full speed ahead carriage driving show season from Columbus Carriage Classic to Skunk River Driving Trial to North Star Morgan to Metamora Carriage Classic to to Hickory Knoll CDE to Iron Horse to Villa Louis Carriage Classic and back home for New Moon Carriage Classic. The Serendipity Crew has fostered friendships, made some new ones and, of course, made memories at horse show auctions. In fact, I think Serendipity should start marketing the "unique auction skills," as Cynthia Lawrence waxed euphemistic.

Summer 2010 will be highly regarded as the Year of Lucy, methinks: Midnight Meanderings in Michigan, Tennis Ball Thief Apprehended in Broad Daylight by Technical Delegate During Carriage Show, Beagle Participates in 3 Picnic Classes at VLCC... If you have the excellent fortune to meet Martha Stover, ask her to tell you about the Lucy Chronicles and much hilarity will ensue.

Picnic Class

at Villa Louis Carriage Classic

Photo by Lori Schoenhard

For more fantastic photos of Villa Louis Carriage Classic, go visit Lori's Zenfolio:http://lorischoenhard.zenfolio.com

Time to start making plans for the future, watch this space...

Kind Regards,

Michelle Blackler

Serendipity

www.hossbiz.com

Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.

Juan Munoz Diaz and Fuego XII in Freestyle Dressage at WEG 2010

Not the best videomanship, but still an exceptional bit of what those of us not at the World Equestrian Games are missing...

Kind Regards,

Michelle Blackler

Serendipity

www.hossbiz.com

Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.