Category Archives: kids

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Vicki’s birthday

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Today was Vicki’s 9th birthday.  She left with Anna early this morning to go to the Big E in Springfield MA for a dog show with Turbo.  There was a special 4-H class: Vicki got 4th in 8-10 year old showmanship.  They got to participate in an AKC agility clinic and a junior handling clinic.  They also watched some showing, obedience, and agility trials.

After she got home, it was time for presents.  Dinner was her favorite: venison steak and mashed potatoes.  And of course cake for dessert!  Enjoy the pictures

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Games and candy

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I work in the War Gaming Department at the Naval War College.  The topics covered in war games we produce are as diverse as the military missions.  Some are more conference like discussions.  Some are purely experiential for the players.  But occasionally, we play a game for the staff.

Every year, the staff plays a game based on the Battle of Trafalgar.  Families are invited to attend, however, since it is normally during the day, kids are usually in school. Since we home school now, Alex and Vicki got to play the Battle of Trafalgar yesterday.  Alex did a history lesson about the battle itself in prep for the game (in fact he knew more about the battle than most of the staff playing).

The kids had a great time and Alex actually won the cannonball award for the most kills in the battle.

In the evening, we went to the Voluntown Trunk or Treat.  It was nice because the kids got their fill of trick or treating (it was chilly) and we were back home before 7.  Alex spent almost 2 weeks making his costume.  He laid out a grid and painted every square on the costume.

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Alex as a creeper (from Minecraft), Vicki as a witch, and Amanda as Belle.
horse, kids, Uncategorized

Pony Club Horse Trials

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Every year, Mystic Pony Club and Shetucket Valley Pony Club put on a show together at Mystic Valley Hunt Club.  It is typically the end of October and one of the last outdoor shows in the area.  It was actually cancelled in 2012 due to snow falling the night before and covering the course.  This year there was no snow, but there was definitely wind.  It was in the mid 50s and windy today.

This was the first time Alex and Vicki did this type of show. The show included dressage classes, 2 phase (dressage and stadium jumping), and 3 phase (dressage, stadium jumping, and cross-country jumping).  Alex and Vicki entered in Grasshopper 2 phase which means they did a walk-trot dressage test and a stadium jump course of 10 jumps up to 18″ in height.  They both also did an extra walk-trot dressage test.  Alexis, Vicki’s friend and one of Anna’s students, rode in 2 dressage tests.

Alex and Nike got 2nd in 2 phase, and 1st in dressage.  Vicki and Devil got 4th in 2 phase and disqualified in dressage because Devil decided to exit the ring a little early.  Both of them rode a clear round in the jumping and had a blast.  Alexis and Huey got 2nd and 3rd in dressage.

 

kids, marriage

Assateague 2014

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The last week of September, we took our travel trailer for a family vacation to Assateague National Park, an island in Maryland.  Anna and I had been before in the late 90s, and we thought the kids would enjoy the wild ponies, bird watching, and beaches.  We were right.  As part of the home school curriculum, the kids did some bird watching lessons in preparation for the trip.  My parents rented a Class C motor home and joined us and my brother and his family also came.  We had 3 camping spots in a row for the week.  The mosquitoes were brutal the first couple of days, but it got better through the week.

The kids LOVED playing on the beach.  The water was definitely cool, and an hour was about the maximum they could handle.  Through the week, the waves on the ocean side got stronger and only Alex was big enough to handle them.  However, the bay side of the island was much more protected and the cousins were able to play there daily.

We had a campfire most evenings.  The kids made some camp bread (that didn’t turn out too well – but they had fun) and smores.  Mostly, they enjoyed hanging out and telling ghost stories.

We did a couple of walks to look at birds.  And of course, the ponies who would walk right into camp.

I couldn’t pass an opportunity to take a look at the hooves of the wild ponies.

There were sleepovers in our trailer, and in Grandma and Grandpa’s camper.  And there was just hanging out and playing together.

horse, kids

Lyme Hunter Pace 2014

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Anna, Alex,  and Vicki rode Dakota,  Nike, and Devil in the Lune Hunter Pace today.  King has been lame this week so we sat out.
It was 8.9 miles of gorgeous trails and fun jumps. The kids got to do a few jumps and everyone had fun. Vicki has been logging more time in the saddle and did much better at this one compared to the pace in June.
They didn’t place overall, but they did win the Don Siluk Memorial award that is sponsored by Mystic Pony Club.  It is an award specifically designed for pony clubbers and a parent/guardian. The kids are looking forward to a trip to The Paddock to redeem the gift certificate.

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Before the start

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After the finish

horse, kids

Introducing Nike!

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To celebrate Labor Day, we took the kids to Mystic Valley Hunt Club for a lesson with Maureen Pach.  The second reason for our trip was to pick up Nike.  Nike is joining our farm on a long term lease.  As you can see from the pictures, he and Devil will make a great pair in pictures.  Nike is a seasoned school horse and will help Alex advance in the arena work while Dakota continues training with Anna. In the pictures,  Alex is on Devil and Vicki is on Nike (they switched for part of the lesson).  You know it’s a good pony when the owner and 2 of his previous riders come to see him off to his new home!

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WGHA Hunter Pace #3

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What does 12 miles in 2:35 on a gorgeous Sunday get you?  1st place in the Trailblazer division for me and 1st place in the Junior division for Alex.  Today was our 3rd hunter pace of the summer and it was a fabulous day.  King and Dakota were rock stars, as usual.

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Alex is getting into the hunter paces and decided that we needed to match (I agreed).  So, we wore our khaki breeches, blue farm shirts, matching Mystic Pony Club saddle pads, matching pommel bags, and even our protective vests match.  While we aren’t setting any record speeds, I require the protective vests to instill good habits for the future when I expect he will want to jump a lot more than now.

 

 

Alex has also started to figure out it’s not always bad that there are not a lot of boys at the horse events…

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WGHA Hunter Pace #2

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Today was the second WGHA Hunter Pace.  Since we sold Calli, and Vicki didn’t handle the distance very well last time, this one was me (Rob) on King and Alex on Dakota.  We did the 10.3 miles in 2:10.  That was good enough for me to get 2nd in the Trailblazer division and Alex to get 1st in the Junior division.

Alex got to choose his prize for winning the Junior division; he chose a new chair.  Once he got home, he immediately set it up in the yard and shared the umbrella space with Amanda.

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Farm kid math

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Vicki came home from school this week with one of her assignments.  They had to create word problems for math.  Is it obvious she lives on a farm and is completely animal focused?  I think we need to work on logical arguments, but she seems to understand 3rd grade math.

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Our first family hunter pace

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20140601_101514Today Alex, Vicki, Anna, and I (Rob) rode in our first family hunter pace.  It was put on by the West Greenwich Horseman’s Association (WGHA) at Arcadia in RI.  For those not familiar with hunter pacing, it is a long trail ride with optional jumps along the way.  This one had 3 different divisions: Hunters (fastest group with lots of cantering), Hilltoppers (walk/trot with some cantering), and Trailblazers (walk/trot).  We entered Trailblazers, but did some cantering early on with lots of walking towards the end.

The ride was 11.5 miles long and it took us 3:15.  Here are the top 10 things we learned on our first hunter pace.

10. Make sure all the bridles loaded in the trailer have reins (luckily a friend/trimming client lived across the street and we were able to borrow some).

9. Leather braided roping reins stretch a lot when Calli pulls hard.  They now reside in the trash.

8.  Dakota is a ROCK STAR!

7.  Alex is well conditioned for the time/distance.

6.  Vicki is not well conditioned for the time/distance.

5.  Vicki will get really tired and be ready to give up about 6.5 miles into the ride.

4.  Vicki doesn’t like GU gels and won’t eat them to get her some nutrition.

3.  Calli doesn’t like horses with bells trotting up behind her.

2.  Easily accessible snacks are needed for Vicki (and Anna) on a long trail ride.

1.  Despite over an hour of melting down, getting upset with her pony, and wanting to quit (in the middle of the woods), after some lunch and sugar, Vicki can start planning for the next hunter pace.

Alex and Vicki got ribbons for 5th place in the junior division.  Ribbons always make a kid happy.  The next Hunter Pace is in July.  Vicki plans to do more 2+ hour trail rides to get ready.