MEC HOOF LINE

BOOT THE BOOTS! It seems that some of you have forgotten our BOOT policy. Boots and other personal articles are to be stored in YOUR locker, not in a heap at the clubhouse door. Any improperly left items will be confiscated and sold back to you for work credits. The clubhouse is for everybody to enjoy, but please pick up after yourself.

ET PHONE HOME but don t forget to pay! If you use the MEC phone for any calls, the charge is $.20 for local calls not requiring you to use a zip code and $.50 for calls that require you to use the (248) or (810) area codes. All long distance calls must be made with a credit card or collect. All Collect and Toll- free numbers also have a $.20 charge. MEC has a commercial line and is charged for EVERY call made! There is a jar for phone money at the concession. We will be forced to use a very expensive pay phone if people continue to forget to pay for their calls. NO outside calls can be made from the phone near the feed room. If you need to make a call you must get permission from your instructor.

WAYNE Du PAGE EVENT RESULTS from July 19 - 20 in Chicago Illinois. Despite the torrential rains that delayed the show and blew down the dressage arenas, trees, port-a-johns and small people we had a great time. Did I mention that I was in one of the port-a-johns that blew over just minutes before it happened? Renee on Gwen and Kallie on Slam pulled off clean rides in the Preliminary Division to come home with a Second Place ride for Renee in Division B and a 7th place for Kallie in Division A. The divisions were very large and the competition was fierce. Renee had a wonderful dressage ride that moved her right to the top where she stayed there with clean stadium and cross country rounds. Kallie and Slam had to work their way up the ranks with clean rounds and worked their way into the ribbons when the rest of the division crumbled with rails in stadium. Thanks to our very diligent groom, Lauryn Best, who worked tirelessly to keep us punctual and spotless.

BOH RESULTS from July 26 at the Bloomfield Hunt Club. Four MEC troopers, Melissa Motsinger on Poko, Dana Jones on Henry, Melissa Kelly on Ice, and Lindsay Best on Ember had a great time competing on the beautiful grounds of the club. All had fantastic dressage rides and clean cross country rounds except for Lindsay. Ember decided that Lindsay s spurs were to big and pitched Lindsay, who weighs slightly more than a rag doll, right over her shoulder on approach to fence 3. Not seeing this, but hearing an announcement on the PA for an ambulance at fence 3, sent Kallie and the rest of the MEC gang frantically running the 1 mile (OK it seemed like a mile) distance to fence 3 only to find Lindsay and Ember were already reunited and on their way. When asked later, Lindsay replied I wasn t hurt, I was just sitting there trying to figure out what happened? Thank you Lindsay for my Fitness run for the year! The stadium went great for everyone and everyone brought home a ribbon with Melissa Kelly and Ice taking the 2nd and everyone else close behind.

STONE GATE RESULTS from August 9-10 in Hanoverton, OH (right near the Pennsylvania border). A full trailer load consisting of Kallie and Slam, Dana Jones and Henry, Lauryn Best on Bo, and Lindsay best on Ember packed into the rig and set off for Eastern Ohio. The divisions were very large and again the competition was fierce. Most noticeable in dressage was Lindsay Best who put in a near flawless 3rd place performance. The stadium was treacherous but all came out well with a clean round for Lindsay moving her up to 2nd. The 2nd day was cross country and everyone was pleased with their performance. Clean rounds for Kallie and Slam and Dana and Henry moved them up in the division with Kallie ending up on 5th. Lauryn and Bo had one of their best rounds with only one refusal at a Boat Jump when the turn came up too quickly for the line to be correct. Lindsay came in a little too fast to the water jump and missed the entrance and had to go around a log to enter and got penalized for a refusal but otherwise did great. It is quite an accomplishment that All 4 riders successfully completed all three phases of a very difficult event.

HUNTERS RUN RESULTS from August 25-26 in Metamora. As usual the Hunters Run event was completely filled on the opening day and sadly many of our MEC students did not get in. There were 150 exhibitors this year including MEC riders Kallie on Slam, Renee on Gwen, Dana Jones on Henry, and Cindy Eskuri on Friday. Dana put in her best ever dressage ride and sailed clean through cross country. Even with an unlucky rail in stadium she still got a hard fought for 5th place. Cindy also had a spotless cross country and an unlucky rail in stadium and ended up coming in 5th. The preliminary x-county course that Kallie and Renee faced is by far the most technically challenging imaginable. Both Kallie and Renee jumped clean and Kallie pushed hard and made the time. The stadium caused almost every rider rails with only 3 of 40 jumping clean and only 2 of these made the time. Out of all 40 riders in the prelim division only Kallie and Slam jumped clean and made the time in both jumping phases. They finished in 2nd and got some very handy prize money. Renee's strong performance was also rewarded with 7th place.

CROSS COUNTRY NOTE For your safety, Schooling on the X-Country Course is ONLY allowed with permission and supervision of an MEC instructor.

MAKE UP COUPONS are no longer necessary for missed lessons. If you miss a lesson and have given at least 24 hours notice, you can make up the missed lesson anytime within 3 months. We keep records of all missed lessons in our attendance book. Simply keep a record of your missed lesson date and when you do your make up simply give us a note stating the date of the missed lesson that the make up is for.

PARKING RULES Please park on the left of the clubhouse or in the LOWER LEVEL parking lot. DO NOT park in front of the clubhouse because the cars are not visible to those backing up. It is OK to park in front of the gate near the Judges Stand. Please do not block the gate near where the horse trailer is.

ABANDONED ARTICLES at MEC will be collected and returned back to their owners for some work credit. Please avoid the penalty points and pick up after yourselves. Be good to a fellow student and retrieve their forgotten articles before WE find them. They will owe you a favor.

PENALTY & REWARDS We like our MEC facility to be Orderly, Safe, and Fun so Remember that MEC uses a Penalty and Reward point system to keep order and to reinforce safety. Careless Mistakes, forgetting to clean, safety violations, leaving things behind . . . will be penalized with penalty points which may be worked off. We also notice exceptional efforts and sportsmanship and we reward for this. These excellent points can be used to offset penalty points or to purchase MEC goods or services. Keep up the good work and obey the rules.

VELVET HUNT CAP LOST: Allison McIntyre has lost her helmet. If you have found a velvet helmet or have any information about it please let one of the instructors know. It was last seen in the lost and found box.

GRAND PRIX HUNT COAT: Size 8 or 10 adult, Navy Pinstripe, 100% wool. Like new! A very fine and appropriate hunt coat. $100 obo. Dana (248) 553-4863

OPPORTUNITY TO GROOM FOR KALLIE AND RENEE at out of state events. You must be hard working and willing to do all groom duties. See Kallie or Renee for details and job perks. Only a limited number of groom openings are available so act immediately if you are interested.

SUMMER WORKING STUDENTS if you are interested please provide to Kallie EXACTLY when (specific days and times) you are available and your compensation requests ASAP. Limited spots available.

SUMMER CAMP ASSISTANT TEACHER POSITIONS are available. See the sign up on the school bulletin board for qualifications and dates.

LOOKING FOR size 5-6 girls riding pants - for budding little equestrian. Call Nadia at 693-3918.

PLACING ADS If you have any ads for the newsletter please submit them in writing before the 15th of the month for the following month s issue. It is FREE!

** TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE **

True or false: Recent preliminary studies in England show a decrease in shoulder separations and clavicle fractures with the use of shoulder pads connected to protective vests. Answer in the next issue of Hoof Line

True of false: A helmet protects your brain by blow shedding and absorbing impact (crushing of the polystyrene foam liner).

CLOTHING There is used clothing, jackets, gloves, and other riding stuff for sale in the clubhouse. If you want to purchase something leave the money in an envelope with the name of the person the money is to go to and the item purchased written on the outside of the envelope. If it is cash please give to one of the instructors. If it is a check leave it on the arena window sill for the person to find.

EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING SALES We will be dedicating an area for clothing, boots, and other equipment sales. I m sure everyone has clothing and other stuff they no longer need. Bring in the things you would like to pass on and mark them with your name and price.

DO YOU WANT TO BELONG? If you are even thinking of eventing this year, you should become a member of the Michigan Combined Training Association (MCTA). Your membership will entitle you to an Omnibus which lists all the shows and has the entry forms. It also states the rules and other matters that you need to know about the sport. You will also get a one year subscription to the Equine Times. There are membership applications on the counter. Give them to Kallie when you are ready to join.

KEEP INFORMED! The student bulletin board is located at the bottom of the stairs at the arena door. Review it and the master planning Calendar on the wall in the same area to keep informed about our activities, job postings, lesson changes and any other matters that are important. Also keep checking the counter for brochures and announcements and the Clip Strip hanging at the window for any notes. Check these areas EVERY time you come.

NEWSLETTER NEWS If you have an article, anything of interest, or any classified advertising for the newsletter type or write it out with your name and put it in the payment slot on the file cabinet. Make sure you state that it is for the newsletter.

The CLASSIFIED ADS are not in this newsletter because this month s issue contained so much information. It will return in the next issue!