August 2020
Hello from blistering hot North Cackalcky! July has come in with a vengeance it seems. But with the heat, came some good news in the form of easing of some of the COVID restrictions, coupled with bad news of rising numbers of COVID cases. Yet, some competitions and clinics have started to hit our calendars again and for that I think most of us are grateful.
It is a strange new world that we live in. Many of the changes are going to be with us for a very long time. Many favored and famous events have been cancelled. Devon, Camp leaping Horn, many county fairs, the Triple Crown. And that is just horse related events. In many areas, children will not return to school this fall. We will be required to wear masks for the foreseeable future. But you know all of this. So what have you been doing to pass the time and to comply with new regulations? How has this effected your horse life?
I for one have found more time to ride and have used that time mostly to trail ride and try to relax from the daily struggles that seem to never end. I have found a few clinics to attend and have tried to approach my horse life with an air towards fun and building a better relationship with my horses.
ISSO has used the time to engage in some new activities – we have completed our first Virtual Show and it was a blast! Thanks to our Secretary, Tammie Conway, we had some beautiful ribbons to ship to the winners, and many thanks to our Judge, Heidi Opdyke for the time she spent in judging the event! Look for another opportunity to enter our next Virtual Show in August!
ISSO also garnered our 5000th member! You can read about her in this issue.
ISSO has announced a Mileage Challenge. We will be giving awards for
50, 100 and 250 miles ridden aside! I have really enjoyed tracking my
miles this year – there are so many good apps out there and it has been
fun to see how much I can do, and how much I can do aside. The goal for
this program is to get your butt riding sideways! Any time in the
sidesaddle counts – it doesn’t matter what you are doing – goofing around
or competing. So why not get rewarded for doing it?! Get some bling!!
Another project the ISSO Board is working on is the Sidesaddlery. The
Sidesaddlery is undergoing some much needed re-organization. This has
proved challenging given the travel restrictions, but we hope to bring
exciting changes and will announce those soon. For the time being, The
Sidesaddlery is closed to allow us to make these improvements. Many
thanks to Carloyn Penna for her tireless work at The Sidesaddlery over
the last few years!
While the world adjusts to this new way of living, I sincerely hope that you can find some relief by spending
time with your horses, and perhaps putting in some miles riding sideways, maybe try riding in a Western
sidesaddle if you never have, or ride aside on a trail ride when you have never ventured out before. Or take
some time to go through all of your old photos and enter our next virtual show!
Enjoy this issue of Aside World! And keep checking the web site for announcements and current point
standings!
Yours aside, Laureen
Laureen Bartfield, DVM CVA CVSMT