Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Quote of the day...
"Don't short change the future because of fear in the present." President Obama 4-1-2008 Summit
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Empathy, tolerance, understanding, pushing oneself & fun!! Ride & Tie
Ride & Tie - Two People, A Horse and an Exhilarating Race
Although the sport of Ride & Tie has been in existence since 1971, it is a relatively unknown sport that combines trail running, endurance riding, and most of all, strategy. The object is to get all three team members (two humans and one horse) across a 20-100 mile cross-country course by alternating riding and running. Sounds simple enough. One team member starts out running, the other starts on the horse and rides down the trail as far as they think their partner can run (or walk) and still keep up a decent pace. At that strategic point the rider stops, dismounts, ties the horse to a tree or fence post, and continues down the trail on foot. The team member who started on foot gets to the horse, unties it, mounts, and rides to catch their partner up ahead. When they get to their running team member they can either stop and exchange, or ride further up the trail and tie the horse and then continue running. When, where, and how a team exchanges is up to them, and this is where the strategy lies. Every trail runner has their strengths and weaknesses, and the same is true for horses. Factor all the strengths and weaknesses of two runners and one horse, along with weather conditions and the topography of the course, and you can understand why Ride & Tie is as much mental as physical. This is why such a growing number of runners and riders are joining the sport of Ride & Tie. It's fun!
Trail runners find the sport exhilarating. The horse adds an interesting and at times an unpredictable element. It has a mind of its' own. It thinks and reacts, but not necessarily how you think it should. One cannot be a mere passenger, nor can one treat a horse as though it were a machine. It is flesh, blood, and spirit. It is a herd animal, and you and your partner are the herd. It is competitive, and remarkably aware of how the "game" works. Its' camaraderie and willingness to compete along side its' human partners as a team is amazing. It can pick you out of a crowd and identify you from a distance. It acknowledges your arrival by whinnying and is ready to do its' job as soon as you get a foot in a stirrup. Experiencing a horse giving you all his power, agility, and heart so willingly is truly inspiring.
Endurance riders find Ride & Tie challenging. They have asked their horses to carry them for countless miles over rough terrain. They have asked their horses to be tough and continue on in spite of minor aches, pain or swelling, in heat, humidity, cold, rain, snow, wind, and darkness. They have asked their horses to travel miles without eating and sometimes drinking. Now they are the ones on foot, experiencing just a little of what they have asked their horses to do all along. The result�empathy, appreciation, and an entirely new respect gained for one's horse. The endurance riding motto is "to finish is to win", and Ride & Ties are the epitome of this thought. Why run when you can ride? Because one day you may have to and it will help your horse perform better. If a rider is out of shape, the horse must work harder. Riders seem to need motivation to get themselves in shape and having an upcoming Ride & Tie as a goal seems to help. The thought of their horse and a good friend depending on them to do their part is enough to motivate any rider. The real reward, though, is the sense of accomplishment when you finish a Ride & Tie. In spite of your self doubts, you endured. You are tired, sore, and probably a little dehydrated, but the only thing that matters is that you finished�and that feels GREAT!
Beyond the physical challenge and mental strategy of Ride & Tie is the out and out "rush" of a Ride & Tie start. Picture an open meadow with as many as 100 horses, riders, and runners warming up, stretching, waiting anxiously for the shotgun start. The electricity of anticipation in the air is the unmistakable excited and nervous anticipation in horses and humans alike. Both participants and spectators will admit to goose bumps and butterflies as the warning, "one minute to start", is announced. When the "Ready, set, GO" command is given, the butterflies are immediately replaced with a adrenaline rush as the herd of horses, once standing 15-20 wide, and 5-6 deep, flood across the meadow at a flat out gallop. "Riiide & Tiiiie!" is heard over the thundering hooves and a "YeeHaa!" is almost impossible to resist.
All teams have the same strategy for the "start". It is simply to survive it. Riderless horses at times can be seen racing to catch-up to the galloping herd while their dumped riders run after them. Although serious injuries are rare, the majority of mishaps occur within the first 1/2 to 3 miles. A well-known truth to veteran Ride & Tie pariticipants is you won't win a race in the first three miles, but you can definitely loose it. This sobering fact keeps the majority of teams "bridled".
With limited visibility from the haze of dust, the runners quickly maneuver the meadow in hot pursuit of their mounts. Most are well prepared, with bandannas covering their noses and mouths, and glasses to protect their eyes from dust and flying rocks from the speeding horses in front.
As the trail narrows into the woods, horses tied to stout trees dot the sides of the trail. Decorated with brightly colored ribbons or strange or unusual grease pencil markings to distinguish them from other horses, they wait, standing in a cloud of steam from their own body heat. Their flanks rapidly pumping air through their flared nostrils acting as a radiator to help cool them, their eyes are wide with excitement as they search down the trail for their human partner.
For the first couple of miles, the trail is crowded with runners and horses each dodging the other. The unspoken rule of the road is to pass on the left, so runners try to keep to the right, leaving as much room as possible for upcoming horses. Some horses are tied, some are being ridden, and some�are loose. "Loose Horse" is the call for anyone and everyone to look out, not just the runners but the riders too. A loose horse usually settles down after a bit, and is easily caught. Usually.
At about mile five, the crowd begins to thin. Horses settle as their team gets into a riding and tying rhythm. With the worst miles behind (or the best depending on how you look at it) but many more in front, it is time to put their race strategy to work. There is only one constant in Ride & Tie, and that is that nothing is ever constant. Every mile and every tie has another set of circumstances to deal with. A team must be focused, recalling many details from the maps, rider meeting, and pre-riding the course to anticipate what lies ahead, and quickly make adjustments to their strategy to maximize all three team members to the team's advantage. Although every team has a different strategy, all have the same goal in their minds�get to, and especially out of, the vet check.
Midway in the race is a mandatory check point called a vet check. Every Ride & Tie has at least one vet check, and usually two or three. It's purpose is to protect the horses from being abused in any way. The horse must meet a predetermined pulse and respiration criteria, then be examined by veterinarians for signs of fatigue, sickness, dehydration, and lameness. Any horse in question will not be allowed to continue.
The last part of a Ride & Tie, is more like multiple mini-races within a race. Equally matched teams will tend to group and spread out from other groups of equally matched teams, creating competitive skirmishes amongst the four or five teams in the group. Although the competition is great, all know that the real competition is the course itself and the weather. Both can be amenable, or relentless, and both must be considered in combination.
Finishing a Ride & Tie is both humbling and gratifying. You are not there by your own efforts, but by the efforts of all three team members. Your partners, one two-legged and one four-legged, have given to you as much as you have given to them�everything. To most participants, a Ride & Tie is not won by the fastest team. It is won by those who have the will and fortitude just to finish.
Ride & Tie: two people, a horse and an exhilarating race! Go Ride & Tie!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Found this fun... Black Sienna by Painter Mark Rothko
In healthy people, creativity is a wonderful way to keep stress at bay and to promote relaxation. By adding different creative elements it will definitely improve an individual’s quality of life. Colour therapy is another trend from ancient times which is being revisited. Watch television or read a magazine and you will hear from interior decorators, fashion stylists or makeup artists talk about the psychological effect that colour has on an individual. For instance yellow is said to work well on patients with Seasonal Effective Disorder (SAD), red is called the color of love and the famous expression someone is green with envy is commonly used. Listed below are both the positive and negative traits of each colour. Give them a try and see what works for you.
Colour
Red-Positive:passion, strength, courageNegative:anger, violence, agitation
Blue-Positive:peace, creativity, relaxationNegative:depression, lethargy
Yellow - Positive :happiness, optimismNegative:stubbornness
Green - Positive:harmony, growth, renewalNegative:jealousy, insecurity
Orange - Positive:stimulation, happinessNegative:agitation
Purple - Positive:spirituality, idealism, commitmentNegative:domination
Brown - Positive:stability, nurturing, groundingNegative:depression, dullness
Black - Positive:power, self-knowledge, discernmentNegative:tyranny
White - Positive:simplicity, purity, innocenceNegative:rigidity
Start by wearing a certain colour or add accents to your home in order to create the atmosphere you desire.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Double Bash today.... one more LOOOONG run until race day!
The Benefits of Friendship
"Friends can be our best weapon in times of adversity, as they strengthen our resolve. One study asked people to rate the gradient of a hill, and anticipate how difficult they would find it to climb. People who rated the hill in the presence of a friend saw the slope as less steep - and the closer they felt to the friend they were with, the easier the climb appeared."
Friday, March 20, 2009
Won't you be my neighbor?
"One kind word has a wonderful way of turning into many.” Fred Rogers born March 20th 1929- February 27th 2003
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood began airing in 1968; the last set of new episodes were taped in December 2000, and began airing in August 2001. The show has the distinction of being the longest running program on PBS; it ran for 998 episodes.
Each episode begins the same way, with Mister Rogers walking until he is coming home and singing his theme song, "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" and changing into sneakers and a zippered cardigan sweater.
In an episode, Rogers might have an earnest conversation with his television audience, interact with live guests, take a field trip to a nearby place such as a bakery or music store, or watch a short film.
Typical video subject matter includes demonstrations of how inanimate objects, such as bulldozers and crayons, work or are manufactured.
Each episode includes a trip to Rogers' "Neighborhood of Make-Believe", which features a trolley that has its own chiming theme song, a castle, and the kingdom's citizens, including King Friday XIII. The subjects discussed in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe often allow further development of thematic elements discussed in Mister Rogers' "real" neighborhood.
Mister Rogers often fed his fish during episodes. They were originally named Fennel and Frieda.
Typically, each week's episodes explore a major theme, such as going to school for the first time. Originally, most episodes ended with a song entitled "Tomorrow", while Friday episodes looked forward to the week ahead with an adapted version of "It's Such a Good Feeling." In later seasons, all episodes ended with "Feeling."
Visually, the presentation of the show was very simple; it did not feature the animation or fast pace of other children's shows. Rogers composed all the music for his series. He was concerned with teaching children to love themselves and others. He also tried to address common childhood fears with comforting songs and skits. For example, one of his famous songs explains how you can't be pulled down the bathtub drain—because you won't fit. He even once took a trip to the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh to show children that a hospital is not a place to fear. During the Gulf War in 1990-91, he assured his audience that all children in the neighborhood would be well cared for, and asked parents to promise to take care of their own children. The message was aired again by PBS during the media storm that preceded the military action against Iraq in 2003.
In February 1990, Rogers' car was stolen while he was taking care of his grandson. The thief apparently realized who the car belonged to after seeing papers and props Rogers had left in the car. The car was returned to Rogers, who found it sitting in front of his home about a day later. The only thing missing from the car was Rogers' director's chair. Rogers' car at the time was an Oldsmobile sedan.
Mister Rogers and PBS funding
In 1969, Rogers appeared before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Communications. His goal was to support funding for PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, in response to significant proposed cuts. In about six minutes of testimony, Rogers spoke of the need for social and emotional education that public television provided. He passionately argued that alternative television programming like his Neighborhood helped encourage children to become happy and productive citizens, sometimes opposing less positive messages in media and in popular culture. He even recited the lyrics to one of his songs.
The chairman of the subcommittee, John O. Pastore, was not previously familiar with Rogers' work, and was sometimes described as gruff and impatient. However, he reported that the testimony had given him goosebumps, and declared, "I think it's wonderful. Looks like you just earned the $20 million." The subsequent congressional appropriation, for 1971, increased PBS funding from $9 million to $22 million.
"I went into television because I hated it so, and I thought there was some way of using this fabulous instrument to be of nurture to those who would watch and listen."
- Mr.Rogers a hero! (He was red-green colorblind.)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Quote of the day...
"You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus."
- Mark Twain
- Mark Twain
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