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Lake Washington Saddler
February, 2015
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Editor: Caroline Callender
New Logo!
As mentioned last month, there are changes happening to our club. The most visible will be our new
logo. We hope to have it on some pretty cool stuff in the coming months. Here it is!
Bridle Trails Classic
One of our biggest shows of the year is the Region I (B-rated) USEF
competition “Bridle Trails Classic”, held May 1st to May 3rd, 2015. For
more information on the show, and how you can become a sponsor,
check out this link!
http://www.lakewashingtonsaddleclub.org/forms/BTC-sponsor2015.pdf
Dressage
Last month we advertised for a volunteer to take on the position of Dressage Show Manager. Usually,
it’s hard to get folks to volunteer for things, but this time, we had a tremendous response! How
wonderful is that? Anyway, many thanks to all who “applied” and the selection will be announced in
next month’s Saddler.
Western/Playday
We are still in need of some special person to take on the management of this show. For 2 years now,
Anne Hill has done this job. She’s ready to hand over the reins. Thanks, Anne, for all your time and
work! Anyone want to ride this buckaroo?!
Trail Tally!
(New section!)
Some of us are “just trail riders”. We don’t compete or show. We ride the trails. There is no “show”
for us, so let’s start a friendly competition here to see who rides the most! Now, we can’t really post
distances, since some folks ride an hour at a walk, and some an hour at a trot, and it’s hard to know how
far you’ve ridden. So, let’s start tallying up the HOURS ridden, and we’ll offer some kind of a nice prize,
at this year’s awards banquet, to the rider with the most hours.
We’ll keep a running tally, based on the honor system and you all letting me know how many hours
you’ve ridden each month. You’ll need to send in your monthly total to the saddler email:
[email protected]
Nature’s Diary February
Winter is still here, according to the calendar, but a walk through the woods will see signs of Spring here
and there. The earliest plant to leaf out is often the Indian Plum. My last ride in the Park saw some
nice half inch long buds, nearly ready to unfurl. I always say, look to see the first green leaves in the
understory of the park by Valentine’s Day, but this year, it could be earlier. When the flowers come,
they are food to Anna’s Hummingbirds, and when the berries come, later in the summer, they feed
other birds or rodents. The fruits are edible to humans, but not particularly tasty. Look out for this
wonderful native shrub next time you ride buy and just see a bunch of twigs and branches.
That hummingbird I was talking about, the Anna’s Hummingbird? I bet you’ve seen one from time to
time, but, I bet you’ve heard them many times but did not know you were hearing a humming bird.
These hummers stay in our area all year, so you can even hear them out in the woods now. There aren’t
a lot of flowers in the woods, not in the traditional sense, but there are trees and shrubs that “flower”
and produce nectar and pollen for these hardy little birds, even in the dead of winter. The Anna’s
Hummingbird even will catch insects out of the air!
Male
Female
Here’s a sample of their call: http://wn.com/anna%27s_hummingbird_song
Everything you want to know about this utterly charming
bird,:http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Annas_Hummingbird/sounds
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Tidbits
Last month a squatter was found living in the park. He was asked to leave by the park rangers, which he
was none too happy about. Should you come across anyone who is “camping” in the park, please let the
rangers know as soon as possible. Program this phone number into your cell phone:
Park Ranger Scotti: 425 417-7871
And, should you ever need to call an emergency vehicle to the park, and the operator is not sure under
which jurisdiction is the park, it is part of “unincorporated King County”.
Passages
Last week we posted about Jenny Hambleton’s mini horse Tilly going over the Rainbow Bridge. Here is a
wonderful and touching memorial to her that Jenny wrote:
The Time We Share
Time: we waste it, we love it, we use it, we need it and we lose it. Time is
fragile and sacred in ways we, as humans will never truly understand. Day
by day and hour by hour we live in this fragile world controlled by time.
Eighteen years and time has never meant more to me then it does now.
Eighteen years and the thought of an era coming to an end never once
crossed my mind. To many this story will be a small tiny woe of a small
tiny voice and is not worth the waste of time, but I know that the few will
listen. And those who choose to stay and read on will most likely listen
the same way Tilly did for eighteen years. Little Miss Tilly touched the
hearts of everyone she was around. Countless hours putting up with little
girls and boys pulling at her, and she never once wavered from what she knew was her job. She did
everything from starting off my riding career to teaching young girl scouts how to care for a horse. No
task was too large for this courageous mini horse. I learned true horsemanship from Tilly and she started
me down the path of horses from which I would never look back. Eighteen years of watching me grow
and she always stayed by my side, allowing me to share her kindness with hundreds of people. But, like
with all great things they eventually come to a close and we are all forced to say goodbye. Goodbye to
the ones that touched our hearts and raised us up to touch the stars. They start us off and teach us how
to live and love. My heart aches due to the fact I was not able to say goodbye in person to my sweet
little girl, but I know now that she is safe and can watch over me from above. I will love you forever and
with all my heart Tilly and I will miss you as you go on beyond this time constricted world. And I promise
to try and remember that life goes on. We all die, and the goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create
something that will. Thank you for all of the memories, I will cherish them always and forever.
Love, Jennymac
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Horse Sense
Some thoughts on horse safety . . . . .
Recent concerns as to horse safety in the park remind us to always consider if our horse is ready to ride
out in the open trails, especially in winter, when horses can be a bit “friskier”. Opinions vary about how
to best prepare a horse so that the chance of accidents is reduced, and it seems likely that approaches
need to be tailored to specific animals. But there seems to be general agreement that working your
horse in advance of riding on trails can help to calm a horse. If you can't get your horse calmed down
sufficiently, you might consider postponing your ride for a later time. You don't want to be thrown, and
no one wants to deal with the risk of a loose horse.
Be safe out there!
Below is an article written by a long time member, Alice Prince, regarding traffic and horses, and how
we can coexist safely. Don’t we wish EVERY driver understood and respected this!?
Horses and The Bridle Trails Community
Bridle Trails was first established as an equestrian community more than 60 years ago. Neighbors who enjoyed
riding their horses here petitioned the Legislature to make Bridle Trails Park into a State Park. Since 1945 Lake
Washington Saddle Club acted as stewards of the park, clearing land and building the horse show facilities we still
use today.
Our equestrian/pedestrian park is one of a kind in the U.S. Among its 130,000 visitors each year are walkers, dog
walkers, runners, orienteers, birders, berry and mushroom pickers, and -- of course -- horses. Besides the horses
that trailer in from several counties, over 400 horse owners live or board their horses near Bridle Trails. Most of these
riders have to ride on, or across one or more roads to get to the park, the only safe place to ride around here -- away
from cars, motorcycles, and bikes.
With neighborhood traffic steadily increasing, it has become more and more dangerous for equestrians to get to the
safety of the park. Over the years several horses have been killed by cars; even more have been injured because of
them. Although some are just plain inconsiderate or are in too big of a hurry, most drivers simply don't know how to
drive around a horse they see on the road. We hope the following tips will help prevent death or injury to a rider or a
horse or the occupants of a car.
COMMON HORSE SENSE:
First: Horses are big, strong animals. They can startle or be spooked easily by speeding cars, motorcycles and
bicycles or loud noises (like radios, weed eaters, etc.), and when scared, their flight instinct takes over. When in the
flight mode, they head for open space – usually, the middle of the road rather than a narrow shoulder with a fence,
ditch or other confinement next to it.
Second: Consider trying to keep your balance when walking on ice – that’s what it’s like for iron-shod horses on
pavement. That’s why we equestrians try to walk our horses across the road – not because we’re trying to tick-off
some impatient driver.
DRIVER EDUCATION
what to do if you see a horse along or in the road:

1st – Slow down. Cars are fast and often loud or make unfamiliar noises which cause a horse to spook -possibly right out in front of you or another car.

2nd – Stop if the horse is in the road or looks like he’s about to come into the road. A
rider doesn’t want to enter the road till it’s clear, but traffic can change a controlled situation to an out-of-control
one in the blink of an eye.

3rd – Young or inexperienced riders may trust too much that motorists will automatically give them the wide berth
their horse may need, and they may make a wrong choice. As with kids playing on a neighborhood street, it’s
our responsibility to be prepared for the unexpected. Even the experienced rider can have difficulty
controlling a horse in a fast/noisy setting, but it’s a hazard we all have to face to get to a safe place to ride.

4 – When you stop for a horse crossing the street, stop back a ways and stay stopped until the
horse has cleared the pavement. That extra few seconds you might save by driving behind a horse as
th
soon as he’s cleared your lane could end up costing you hours. Keeping the horse quiet and at a walk when
crossing the street is the goal of every rider, to prevent a longer delay or, even worse, injury to the horse, rider,
and even the motorist.

5th – Watch for danger signs: a.) A rider who appears to be having trouble may be able to give a hand
signal, but sometimes needs both hands to control the horse. b.) A horse who’s turning around, appears hard to
control or backing into the road. c.) And, heaven forbid, a horse who’s lost his rider and comes out of the woods
alone.

6th -- Within the individual housing developments where there is often no shoulder to ride on safely, you may
see horses being ridden in the road itself. Please, slow down and give the horse(s) a wide berth. The sight
or sound of a fast moving vehicle can turn a calm situation into one of uncontrollable panic in the blink of an eye.
If you don't want a horse as a hood ornament or you don't want to spend hours as the subject of an accident
investigation, take the extra few seconds to drive out and around at a reduced speed.

7th -- Keep in mind you are in an equestrian community and should expect horses on the road any
time. If you give us a break, we promise we will get out of your way as quickly as safety allows.
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Horse health: Vital Signs
Do you know how to gage your horse’s “vital signs”? If you ever have to call the vet because your horse
just doesn’t look “right , your vet will ask you for this important diagnostic info. Here’s a link to a video
that clearly explains how to take your horse’s vital signs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utDa_QLiJrE
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Classifieds
There have been numerous requests for a classifieds section. Well, here
it is! Send me info and photos of what you’d like to sell in next month’s
Saddle. ! I am going to start it off. . . . . .
For Sale: Size 9.5 (40 cm) women’s tall dressage boots. Quality, All
leather lined. Some wear on the front of ankle area. $40 OBO.
[email protected]
For those who read the whole thing, here’s a joke for you:
A cowboy ride up to the saloon and ties his horse outside so’s he can go
in and wet his whistle. After a few drinks, he goes out to leave and finds his horse GONE! He goes back
in and says to the other folks, which one of you varmits done stole my horse!?” Silence. A bit more
threateningly, he says, “I said, which one of you done stole MY HORSE!?” . . . . Stony silence.
He takes out his six gun and shoots off a couple of rounds into the ceiling. “Whichever one o‘ you done
stole my hoss better bring it back! I don’t wanna have to do what I done in Texas”, he says ominously.
A few moments later, he goes out to find his horse has been returned. As he is mounting up to leave,
the bartender comes over and timidly asks, “um, ‘scuse me, but I just want to know, what DID you do
in Texas?”
“Well”, says the cowboy with a long pause, “I had to walk all the way home”
January Board Minutes
Present: Olivier Arbey (), Rich Benson (x), Olinda Blackburn (x), Caroline Callender (x), Jennifer Duncan
(x), Letha Dunn (), Karen Hall (x), Liz Hambleton (x), Suzanne Kagen (x), Indra Krastins (x), Gail
Magnuson (x), Karen Perry (), Maggie Phillips (), Kate Sharkey (x), Sue Shecket (), Scotti
Stephens (x), Linda Treece (),Dannette Will (x),
Mary Wellborn (x), Chelsea (x), Jen Kniss (x)
Friend’s Agenda
1. Horse Safety – A concern regarding a runaway horse from the sand arena was posted on the Saddle
Club Facebook page. The board discussed the pros and cons of putting a gate on the arena so
horses could not run out of the ring if the rider falls. It was decided that gates could lead to more
problems and will not be installed.
2. Discussed the ongoing issue of unleashed dogs in the park and the dangers to horses and other dog
walkers.
3. Scotti will make a “shopping list” for equipment and supplies needed for park maintenance.
LWSC Board Agenda
1. Administrative Tasks:
a. Meeting held at Jennifer Duncan’s home. Meeting called to order at; 7:15 pm
b. Approval of Agenda: Approved
c. Approval of minutes of last meeting: Approved
2. New Business:
a. 2015 Budget Committee – Danette, Caroline, Maggie, Jennifer, Suzanne (?), and Liz
b. Show dates have been assigned and are on the website.
c. Olinda agreed to be the “swag” person. She would like to market to the younger riders.
d. Danette proposed a work party in the park.
3. Old Business:
a. New LWSC Logo – The board voted on and selected a new club logo.
b. Membership Data Base – In progress. Need to check by-laws regarding February membership
deadline.
c. Retreat
 Possible March 13st date?
 How many people attending?
 Suzanne poll board members for possible dates
 Optimum distance would be 2 to 2 ½ hour drive
d. Website – Carry Forward
4. Routine Reports:
a.Treasurer’s Report
b. Saddler Editor’s Report: Caroline to publish Saddler until further notice.
c. Membership Report – database/website in process
d. English Hunter Fun Show Report – No report.
e. Jumper Fun Show – No report
f. Dressage Show Report – Still need a show manager!
g. Play Day/Western Show – Still need a manager
h. Educational Outreach – No report
i. Volunteer Incentives – No report
j. Bridle Trails Foundation Report – Jim Erckmann will be new Foundation president in Jan.
k. Bellevue/Kirkland City Council Report – No report Adjourn: 9:55
Action items from 1/6/15
304
Indra to get new dressage letters for dressage ring
Carry forward
305
Scotti to come up with shopping list for park maintenance
complete
306
Suzanne to get Certificate of Insurance from Linda and give it to Scotti
Carry forward
Action items from 12/2/14
Liz and Scotti to discuss possibly taking barns down to spread donated
301
gravel underneath
Complete
Action items from 9/2/14
300
Suzanne to find options for facilitator and location for LWSC retreat.
Complete
Action items from 4/1/14
290
Tor to investigate cost of automatic gate for parking lot
Complete