Carilogic

Fitting A Wade Tree Saddle

2011-08-10T13:58:00.000-06:00

No matter what type saddle you will be using, it is imperative that the saddle fits you and your horse. A poorly fitting saddle will result in saddle sores for your horse (and perhaps you) and a general dislike for riding or being ridden.

You want to buy your saddle in light of what it will be used for - its intended purpose. If you are going to rope, buy a roping saddle which is designed just for that purpose. Buy a wade tree saddle that is designed for what you will be doing. Next, buy a saddle to fit your horse. And last of all; buy a saddle that fits you.

What type saddle you buy, whether it is for roping, or barrel racing or trail riding or dressage, your saddle needs to fit first your horse, and then you. So first you must determine what tree size would fit your horse best. (The tree is the skeleton over which your saddle will be constructed.)

We recommend that you use a 42cm (about 16 ½") long flexible piece of wire, such as solder, electrical wire, or perhaps a coat hanger to measure your horses' withers. Bend the wire in the middle and place it two fingers behind your horse's shoulder blade, which is also where you should be placing your saddle. (If you walk your horse for a few steps to see the rotation, or feel for the heavy bone below the withers, you can easily locate the shoulder blade.)

Bend your wire over the withers, right at the edge of the shoulder blade. Once you have measured the "V" shape over the withers, pressing the wire firmly into shape (so it doesn't spring open when you take it off your horse's back) then carefully lay the wire down, and measure the distance between the two ends of the wire. This is the width you need to get the proper size saddle for your horse.

Web Design, Redesign and Web Maintenance

2011-07-14T20:19:00.000-06:00

Complete Web services at small business prices.

Webpage design, web site hosting, website development, marketing materials created with great design and content using the most effective marketing strategies. We work with your business to provide you full service at small business prices.

No guessing. No hidden costs. No surprises.

If You Need Help, Don't SCORE

2011-02-03T11:08:00.001-07:00

Have you ever been to the Small Business Association's (SBA) website? If not, check out http://www.sba.gov. There are lots of great resources here. They walk you through, step by step, on starting and managing a business. The SBA also has resources for funding your business, becoming a government contractor and more.

I was thrilled to see the SBA had an area for counseling and training. I clicked on an area called SCORE when I last visited the website.

SCORE claims they are "“Counselors to America’s Small Business” - a nonprofit association comprised of 11,500 volunteer business counselors throughout the U.S. and its territories. SCORE members are trained to serve as counselors advisors and mentors to aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners. These services are offered at no fee, as a community service.The following lists some of the ways you can get in touch with SCORE and start getting the business advice you are looking for:"

They even offer mentoring. Wow, that would be great - to have a local business person mentor you as you learn your own business. Don't you believe it! I called the phone number for my local SCORE office (which happened to be out of someone's fly fishing business) and was connected to an old grouch who had nothing nice to say. I told the 'gentleman' that I was looking for a mentor. He responded that mentoring was for life coaches and that he was here to give prospective business owners a dose of reality. He pretty much told me that I was stupid for getting into business, especially in this economy, and that I should just hang it up and go home.

Wow. Luckily, I didn't listen to him. I knew he was wrong. Especially in this economy. With so many people out of work and jobs hard to find, this is the best time to go into business for yourself.

Now here I am 1 year later and going over my business tax return (ugh) and I am looking back on the numbers, the customers and the personal growth I have attained over the past year. I am so glad I took the plunge. Check out my website with web design, web hosting and online printing.

My advice for anyone wishing to start their own business: Definitely utilize the Small Business Association's website. Most certainly seek out a mentor - it helps you through the humps. Just be careful when you choose to SCORE.

Oh, and if anyone is interested, I would be happy to be your mentor and cheerleader.

My Blackberry Is Not Working

2011-01-19T18:23:00.000-07:00

I saw this on YouTube and I loved it so much I had to put in on my blog. I hope you enjoy it too.

Women Who Look Like Willie Nelson

2010-03-20T17:57:00.000-06:00

Okay, I admit that I was bleary-eyed, but I thought I saw Willie Nelson at the airport. I think I was in Salt Lake City.... I'm not sure... it was a long trip. But as I got closer to Willie, it turned out that he was a she. Seriously. This lady looked like Willie Nelson; braids, hat and all. No guitar.

It all began one Wednesday morning about 2 weeks ago. My husband, Keith, had left the house at 6:30 am to drive from Missoula, Montana to Jefferson City, Missouri. He was on his way to attend his father's 75th birthday celebration to be held that Saturday. I wasn't going with him because I had just opened up a graphic design firm in Florence, Montana and had planned my grand opening for the following Monday.

My father-in-law was taking it very well. He even suggested that my husband not make the drive until a later time when I could go with him. Which, of course, would never happen. Keith made the trip.

So, around 9:00 am I began feeling guilty. I mean, honestly, how important is a grand opening compared to keeping family happy?

So I called Keith to find out how far he had gotten. My plan was to fly to a city en route to meet Keith and finish the drive.

I managed to get a ticket out of Missoula going to Salt Lake City, to Minneapolis and then to Sioux City, Iowa. I'm pretty sure it was in Salt Lake City that I spotted Willie girl. I didn't stop to confirm because I was rushing to my next plane.

I made it to Minneapolis okay and got on the plane to Sioux City. Actually, we were 20 minutes outside of Sioux City when the pilot announced that we had to turn back due to weather. Back on the ground in Minneapolis, I called Keith to give him a "heads up."

Turns out that he was still in South Dakota about 90 miles west of Sioux Falls. So, I talked to the folks at the Delta counter and convinced them to fly me to Sioux Falls. We would get in around midnight. Keith would pick me up and we would stay at a hotel for the night before continuing the drive.

On the plane to Sioux Falls, South Dakota all was going well. Until we were about half way there, when the pilot said we had to turn around due to weather. Oh my god.....

So I spent the night in the Minneapolis airport. We were due to fly out to Sioux Falls at 7:00 am and arrive around 8:30 giving Keith time to sleep in before picking me up.

As I was sitting there waiting for the plane to load - oh... the plane that hadn't arrived yet. So the Delta agent lets us know that the plane from Duluth was delayed due to weather. Funny, the weather in Minneapolis this whole time was beautiful and sunny. Eventually, the flight was cancelled because the runway lights in Sioux Falls were no longer working.

At this point, I was tempted to go home. But, I went back to the Delta agent and explained to her what I was trying to accomplish. As I was explaining my saga to the agent, I realized how crazy this whole idea was. Timing was everything. So the Delta agent suggested I head to Omaha, Nebraska. I called Keith. He said that if he started driving right then, he would make it to Omaha as I was landing. So - Omaha it was.

This time the plane made it all the way. As I was walking out of the airport, Keith came driving up. Talk about timing! My hat is off to the Delta folks at the Minneapolis airport. They were not only amused by my crazy plan, but very supportive and helpful, too.

So seven hours later we pull up to my father-in-law's house in Jefferson City. He was thrilled and surprised to see me. I didn't realize that I mattered to him. After all, I'm just one of his daughters-inlaw. He is such a sweet and funny man. I'm so glad now that I went to all that trouble.

The party turned out great. Apparently, I made "brownie points" with the rest of the family for making the effort to put family ahead of business. Cool.

Too bad Keith will never let me live the entire episode down.... "You could have saved us $500 if you had made up your mind 4 hours earlier." Oh well.