PDF/Feb 2009 Newsletter

The Kin Krest
February 2010
Konnection
In This Issue…
President’s Perspective…….…....page 1
Medieval Times Recap…………..page 2
Equine Colic Fact Sheet…….…...page 3
From the Editor….
Calendar of Events……………....page 4 Welcome to 2010! With the new year, Kin Krest
Saddle Club would like to introduce a revamped
newsletter format. Please view this newsletter as
an opportunity to showcase your photos or writing talents as well as an addition to the Kin
Krest brochure as an advertisement for our club.
In coming issues, I hope to provide the Kin Krest membership with educational articles,
useful hints and tips. If you have any special requests for articles or would like to submit
an article, photos or helpful tips, please do not hesitate to contact me.
As a newer member of the club, I look forward to meeting many of you at upcoming KKSC events!
Happy Trails!!!
Tammy
President’s Perspective
2010 State of the Kin Krest Saddle Club
The New Year is upon us. It is a time to reflect back on the past year and look forward to the coming year. In 2009, there
were lots of laughs, plenty of good times, and an overall feeling of kinship and camaraderie. We had an eventful year at
KKSC, full of activities, events and speakers. Outside Speakers make our meetings more meaningful. In 2009 we reached
out and opened up our educational speakers to the equine community. We had Dave Kluge, an equine clinician from Colorado, teach us about “Leadership for the horse.” Rhonda Gildersleve, a UW Extension grazing research specialist, discussed
managing our pastures for the health and welfare of our horses. We also had Kelly Hill talk about equine nutrition, Shelly
Oelhafen discussed horse vision, and Pam Talsky taught us about competitive mountain orienteering.
Officers
President: Jayne Henderson
[email protected]
Vice President: Chip Mazurek
[email protected]
Treasurer: JoAnn Schmidt
[email protected]
Secretary: Tracy Discher
[email protected]
Newsletter: Tammy Carlo
[email protected]
Many people stepped up and volunteered their time and energy to make this year a
great success. A huge thanks to all of you! This allowed us to get together and enjoy each others company at many different events and activities, including: bowling, Midwest horse fair, American Dressage, the Great Circus Parade, Camp Quad
picnic, auction, Fun show, Northern Kettle Moraine dinner dance, and the Christmas party and square dance.
We also had numerous trail rides and four overnight rides. Our open show did very
well, in a large part because of all of the Kin Krest members who volunteered their
time and expertise to help.
For 2010, Kin Krest is in a very strong position. Our financial health is sound, with
over $4,000 in savings, a 32 % increase over last year. We also have experienced
leadership in our executive and working committees. Kin Krest has many good activities and events with good participation, including a successful open horse show.
Our most important strength is our members! We have a great variety of warmhearted people, with many talents and abilities, who are willing to work together for
each other and for KKSC.
Medieval Times Trip Recap by Patty Potvin
On Saturday January 30th new Kin Krest Saddle Club member Tammy Carlo hooked us up with an excellent Club outing. It was a
great day. It started out with 16 members from the club, meeting at the Jackson park and ride to carpool to Schaumburg Illinois to partake in the Medieval Times Dinner Theatre. We left at 10:00 in the morning. Our first stop was at the Wild Berry Pancake house and
Café in Libertyville, where we all enjoyed a delicious lunch. After lunch we went just down the street to the Libertyville Tack Shop for
a bit of shopping. They had a lot of stuff on sale and many of us picked up some great bargains. It was a very nice store. And the staff
was very friendly and helpful. Then off the Schaumburg.
Just off the highway at the intersection of I-90 West and Roselle Road we could see the castle. It was a large and impressive looking
building with a colossal stone tower. But the view from the out side gave little hint as to what was going on inside. Once inside we got
a real feel for being back in the 11th century during the time of Kings and Knights. Upon entering the building we were greeted by
Staff dressed in authentic period clothing. They gave us each a card which determined our seating arrangements for the meal and the
show, as well as a crown of the same color as the Knight we would be cheering for during the tournament. Next we enter a room where
your group had a picture taken with a nobleman (available for purchase later on of course). From there we enter the Hall of Arms. This
hall was decorated with suits of armor, throne chairs and many medieval style painted designs on the walls and ceiling. You could also
buy souvenirs there, even a real sword if you wanted one. There was a bar where we got drinks and other refreshments. There was also
a viewing area where we could see the horses in stalls getting ready or waiting for the show to begin. Before we where shown to our
seats in the Celebration arena there were a few entertaining announcements and several birthday knightings by the king. Once seated
inside the arena our server introduced herself and began bring the first of four courses of food. Tomato soup, broasted chicken (which
she called baby dragon), BBQ ribs, and broasted potato. All of this we was eaten with our hands as there was no silverware. This made
it difficult to take pictures. But the food was great.
When the show began I was amazed at the beautiful and very authentic looking costumes worn by both man and horse. They were so
colorful. I enjoyed the story as it unfolded. In the show we saw knights dueling with swords that threw sparks when they hit. We also
saw a falcon fly around the arena swooping down just over our heads. During the jousting tournament nets were dropped from the ceiling to keep splinters of wood from flying into the seat when the lances shattered. It was really a something. But the part I liked best
was the horses. Many of them were gorgeous Andalusain stallions with long flowing manes and tails. It was just beautiful to see them
under the lights doing all the fancy dressage maneuvers to music. It was really a spectacular site watching the knights and other riders
doing the riding routines and patterns. I tried to take as many pictures as I could but it was difficult. It was pretty dark in the arena most
of the time and there were so many flashing lights and spotPresident’s Perspective Continued
lights moving around. They were also moving pretty fast.
But I did manage to get a few. However pictures just cannot
As we look forward, our goals should start with continued excelcapture the full experience of the event.
After the show we got to tour the stables and check out some
of the horses. That was pretty cool. It was very very clean.
Thanks to Tammy We got to visit with Mario Contreras who is
the Master Trainer at Shaumburg Castle. Mario is one of the
premier trainers in the Midwest. He is a professional dressage
trainer and instructor. He also does advanced trick training
and riding. He let us visit with two of his beautiful stallions
while we ask him questions and took pictures. Tammy has
known Mario for about five years since she boarded at a stable
in Illinois where he trained. She has also taken lessons with
him. It was very interesting. Mario was very nice and has a
good sense of humor. We are hoping Mario will have time to
do a clinic with Kin Krest Saddle Club this year.
lence in the number and quality of activities, speakers, and
events. KKSC is primarily an equine social club, and we need
quality social activities to bring members together. It is also important to give back to the outside horse community, while inviting others to enjoy the benefits of KKSC. Last year we saw a 19
% increase in membership in 2009 (on top of a 15 % increase in
2008).
Increased membership is an area we need to continually work on.
New members will make this club stronger by bringing in new
ideas, new energy, and by having more people to participate in
events. The participation in committees and events has been awesome, and we hope for even more involvement in the coming
year. More hands make hard work a whole lot easier and a whole
In conclusion I have to say we had a most excellent adventure.
lot more fun!
It was one of Kin Krest's best Club outings ever. I would
highly recommend that you check out The Medieval Times
Dinner Theatre at Shaumberg Illinois. If you like to see beautiful well trained horses and great riders in colorful costumes
you have to see this. It is great for all ages and is even more
fun if you go with a group of friends.
Kin Krest is all about kinship, camaraderie, and working together
for the benefit of all. This club belongs to everyone, and it’s success depends on everyone getting involved and helping out.
Vince Lombardi once said: “Individual commitment to a group
effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a sociIf you are interested in more information about Medieval times ety work, a civilization work.” I will also add that individual
you can check out the website at www.medievaltimes.com/
commitment to a group effort is what makes KKSC work. Lets
findcastles/schaumburg/ If you are interested in learning more
about Mario Contreras you can check out his website at www. work together as a team to make Kin Krest Saddle Club the best
that it can be.
mchorsetraining.com
Photographs on page 3.
Jayne Henderson
President of Kin Krest Saddle Club
Continued on page 4
Helpful Hints
Upcoming Events
February
7– Dodge County Horseman’s Association Tack Sale, Juneau, WI
8– KKSC Meeting at Heidel’s 7pm
20– Horse Emergencies Seminar @ UWM
28– Bowling Outing @ Kettle Moraine Bowl
March
8– KKSC Meeting at Heidel’s 7pm
21– Sixth Annual Washington County 4-H Tack Sale at
Washington County Fair Park
He knows when you're happy
He knows when you're comfortable
He knows when you're confident
And he always knows when you have carrots.
~Author Unknown
•
Budget Bandaging Tip
Recycle worn-out tube socks by cutting off the feet and
using the calf portion as a soft, conforming, security
layer for the horse's lower leg bandages. Roll one up,
slip it over the horse's hoof and leave it at the pastern
while the bandage padding is applied. Then unroll the
sock over the padding.