Brigita's Blog: January 2008

Here's an exercise program for the equestrian that is guaranteed to give you a good workout, build your strength and muscles, and maybe even get you to lose weight in the process. It goes something like this:                                                                                                  

• The first one is called "Catch Me If You Can".  In this exercise, you carry the halter and lead rope high up on your shoulder so that the lead doesn't drag on the ground.  This will build your chest and upper back muscles.  As you near your horse, he will slowly pull away from you as soon as your as within a couple of feet of him, and then stop to graze some more.  This continues a few more times.  After you have warmed up, your horse will start to trot away from you and eventually gallop around the field.  You will continue chasing him until you are at your limit, at which point you will stop and start throwing sticks and whatever you can find at your horse.  Here your arms get a good workout, but be sure to rotate the arms for an even workout.  Another version may be to throw the halter to the ground, walk quickly, bend down, pick it up, repeat.  When your horse has tired of this game, he will stop and allow you to catch him.  Thus ends part 1 of your workout.
• The next exercise gives your upper body a workout.  This is the part where you groom your horse and he is caked with dried mud.  (Horses just love to roll in the mud.)  In an effort to remove the mud from his coat, your biceps and triceps will get a good workout.  As an added bonus, the dried mud will stick to your face giving you that much needed facial.
• Following the grooming, the horses feet must be picked out.  Here you do your bending and stretching.  Bend over at the waist, pick up the horse's right front foot.  As he stomps it back down to the ground, jump back to avoid being stepped on.  Repeat, this time maintaining your grip as the horse attempts to pull it away as your are cleaning the dirt out the hoof, which tends to be like cement.  Repeat the entire process with the remaining 3 feet.
• Now stand up straight.  It is now time to apply the insect repellent from a spray bottle.  It will go something like this: squirt - circle - circle; squirt - circle - circle, until the whole body of the horse has been squirted.  Note:  This exercise is only done in the summer months.
• The next workout is called "Saddle Me Up".  This part builds your strength and is also an aerobic exercise.  As you try to place the saddle pad on the moving target repeatedly, your feet keep moving.  The weight lifting comes in after the pad is in place and you attempt to place the saddle on top of that.  This is the ideal exercise to tone up your shoulder muscles.
• The final exercise is mounting the horse.  Here you get to work on balance.  Place your left foot into the stirrup, and as your horse moves around, hop along with the right leg.  After several tries, switch sides and place your right leg in the stirrup and repeat.  Once you have exceeded your pulse rate and breathing, find a bucket, bend over, pick it up, place it upside down next to the horse, wait for the horse to move away, then repeat the process.  (You may substitute a hay bale for the bucket if you want to include weight lifting.)  Once the horse has tired of this game, he will actually allow you to mount.  By this time you will be too exhausted to ride.
• Dismount, untack the horse (this is where the horse will be more than happy to oblige) and turn him back out.

Once you have completed this daily workout, grab a beer or a glass of wine, sit and relax.  In the meantime, your horse will thank you for an amusing and entertaining time.  He may even give you a good horse laugh.

NOTE:  This exercise program works well only if you have the right horse.

Many of you have been reading my posts and noticed that about half of them pertain to horses.  I'm one of those "horse crazy" people and that is partly why I got into selling horse properties.  Let me turn back the hands of time and tell you why and how I got into it.

My husband and I were looking around for a place of our own with a few acres.  We wanted to keep a couple of horses and maybe a couple of other animals like goats.  We were working with a real estate agent.  Now this agent was good at selling homes, but did not know what was required to keep horses.  Since I have experience with horses for over 30 years, I knew exactly what kind of property was required.  I tried to explain to the agent what sort of property we were looking for.  It seemed that the only thing he understood was that we needed acreage with the home. 

He showed us a number of properties with several acres, but none were suitable.  Some were rocky, some swampy, some were even the side of a mountain.  Just because there are several acres included with the home does not mean it is horse friendly.  My husband and I were getting rather frustrated.

The one evening, my husband and I were discussing our unsuccessful search for a home and property.  I don't know how, but somehow the conversation switched to my getting into real estate.  A light went off in my head and I realized that there are many horse people out there that are probably going through the same thing we are, working with agents that have no clue about horses and what is suitable for them.  Hmmmmm.  I have many, many years of experience in many aspects of the horse world including teaching, so why not make real estate a career with horse properties as my expertise?  I like diversity, enjoy working with and meeting people and helping others, so why not??  Sounds like the perfect job and I am certainly qualified for it.

So, that is how I got my Real Estate career started.  It is such a good feeling helping others find suitable real estate for not only their horses, but any farm animals and any rural property of any sort.  Just seeing the faces light up when they see the perfect home and property gives me satisfaction.

Mansion for sale in the Lehigh Valley, PA area! 

This mansion is the home of Michael Andretti, son of Mario Andretti, and is currently on the market.  It is located on 10 acres overlooking the beautiful views of the Lehigh Valley.  It includes a full size tennis court, USGA spec golf course, a naturalized pool area, along with plenty of garage space.  The inside of the home has outstanding craftsmanship.  This 12,226 sq. ft. home has 6 BR and 6.5 baths.  Oh, by the way, the property is zoned for horses.

The property is priced at $3,400,000

"Nazareth, PA?  Where the heck is Nazareth, PA?"  I have heard this from a number of people from out of state.  So, to help give you an idea, I will do my best to explain the area and give you a quick overview.

Nazareth, PA is a nice, quiet, little town, located in central, eastern part of Pennsylvania.  It is part of the Lehigh Valley, north of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, PA.  New Jersey is only 20 minutes away.  New York City and Philadelphia are only 1 1/2 hours away.  Even though Nazareth is a small town, it is close to major routes, shopping and malls, and recreation.  For those of you that are into NASCAR, it is home to the Andretti family. 

Nazareth has many things to offer, especially if you are a history buff.  On Main St., in downtown Nazareth, there are quaint little shops that offer friendly service.  These shops are located in historic buildings, dated from the late 1700's to 1800's.  One store that is great to spend an afternoon in is Nazareth Furniture   Nazareth Furniture used to be a hotel years ago and the owners have tried to keep it as original as possible.  It offers different types of furniture set up in the original hotel rooms.  Some of the rooms even have the original old style phones on the wall. 

The Nazareth area is packed full of history and many things to do.  It has the Whitfield House and Museum, the Gray Cottage, Jacobsburg State Park  C.F. Martin & Company (better known as Martin Guitar) and many historic homes to name a few. 

Nazareth holds many events throughout the year.  For example, in June you have the Nazareth Carnival, assorted parades throughout the year, walking tours, tree lighting and arrival of Santa the first Thursday after Thanksgiving, car show, go cart races, etc. 

Nazareth is also well known for an excellent school system.  Many move into the area just for the schools.  My children have attended the schools, so I am speaking from experience.  In addition to offering a good education, they also offer many after school activities and clubs for the children to get involved in.  Nazareth HS is known to have an excellent orchestra and band and drama club.  Nazareth Band is consistently in the top 3 places in competitions.  The drama club offers great plays and musicals.  Many throughout the Lehigh Valley attend the numerous performances and usually have a full house.                                      

Nazareth is a great area to live.  The people are friendly, you know your neighbors and they tend to help each other out, plenty of activities for all ages, and full of history.  Even the churches have some history to them.  There is even an assisted living facility. 

So, if you are tired of city living and are looking for a better life for your family with a small town feel, you will find it here in Nazareth.  You will not regret the move.

Love horses?  Want to see them and learn more about them?  Then, the 6th Annual Pennsylvania Horse World Expo is an event you cannot miss.  It will be held on February 21 - 24, 2008, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA.  It is open to the public and there is something for all.

Educational seminars, mounted demonstrations, stallion avenue, breed demonstrations  are just some of the many scheduled activities.  There will also be a trade show consisting of hundred of vendors selling a variety of horse products and services for all ages and every discipline.

Some famous and knowledgeable horse people, such as Josh Lyons (son of John Lyons) and Richard Shrake, will be speakers and doing the demonstrations. 

"Theatre Equus, A Musical Equine Revue" will be held once again this year in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Horse World Expo.  It will be held at 8:30 PM on February 22 & 23.  It is a professionally choreographed performance that everyone will remember.  It includes:

• Bridleless Dances
• Death Defying Tricks
• Dancing Andalusians
• Comic Antics
• Spinning and Sliding Horses
• Fiery Fanatics
• Amazing Acrobatics
• Mounted Sharp Shooting
• Native American Dancing
• A Finale you will never forget

Admission to the Expo is $12 for Adults, $6 for children ages 7-12, and children under 7 get in for free.  "Theatre Equus, A Musical Revue" requires a separate admission ticket.

A new additions to this year's Expo is the Wind Rider Equestrian Challenge.  This is a Cross Disciplinary Competition that is growing in popularity in the US.

Don't worry about the cold, because all of this is held in the warmth of the indoors.

So, if horses are your thing, or even if they're not, come out and see and learn about the horse.  It's an event you will always remember.

Click here for more information on the event.

I came across some horse quotes that you may enjoy reading. 

1 -  "There is something good about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man."
                                                                      Winston Churchill

2 -  "Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people."  
                                                                      W.C. Fields

3 -  "Riding: The art of keeping a horse between you and the ground."
                                                                      Author Unknown

4 -  "It is not enough for a man to know how to ride; he must know how to fall."
                                                                      Mexican Proverb

5 -  "The wagon rests in the winter, the sleigh in the summer, the horse never."
                                                                      Yiddish Proverb

6 -  "Many people have sighed for the 'good ol' days' and regretted the 'passing of the horse', but today, when only those who like horses own them, it is a far better time for horses."
                                                                      C.W. Anderson

7 -  "No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle."
                                                                      Winston Churchill

8 -  "People on horses look better than they are.  People in cars look worse than they are."
                                                                      Marya Mannes

9 -  "Horses and children, I often think, have a lot of the good sense there is in the world."
                                                                      Josephine Demott Robinson

10 - "It's always been and always will be the same in the world:  The horse does the work and the coachman is tipped."
                                                                      Author Unknown

11 - "Heaven is high and the earth wide.  If you ride 3 feet higher above the ground than other men, you will know what that means."
                                                                      Author Unknown

12 - "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

13 - "The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears."
                                                                      Author Unknown

If you look at these quotes carefully, you will see that they tend to be true and are applied to everyday life.

Jacobsburg State Park is located about 10 minutes outside of Nazareth, PA.  It has about 1,168 acres and offers many recreational activities to satisfy anyone and everyone.

Jacobsburg State Park has the Bushkill Creek  and Sobers Run Creek running through the center of it.  This offers fishing to those that enjoy catching fresh trout, which is stocked regularly.  The habitat ranges from fields to woods, which support many types of growth from seedlings all the way up to mature trees.  You will find many oak trees within the park. 

The park contains many recreational trails (18.5 miles), which wind through fields and woods.  You can hike, bike, cross country ski and horseback ride on the trails.  Along the trails, from time to time, you may even be lucky enough to spot some wildlife. 

Jacobsburg State Park is also full of history.  It is home to where Henry Rifle was manufactured in the National Historic District.  You can also take a scenic hike in Henry's woods in the historic area.  You can tour the Henry gun factory during the warmer months.

The Park offers many educational and environmental programs and activities for everyone from the young to the old.  They also offer nature walks and bird watching.  You can even just take it easy and sit by the creek and enjoy the outdoors. 

So, if you ever come out to Nazareth, PA, go out and visit Jacobsburg State Park.  You won't want to leave the tranquility.

Click here if you would like to get more information.

In part 1, "I'm Ready for My First Horse, But Wait . . . .", I spoke about having financial commitment, dedicating time and learning about the horse before even considering getting one of your own.  Now, what kind of horse is the right first horse?

The best type of horse for a first time horse owner and beginner is a quiet horse.  One that will not spook at everything it sees.  I always hear from people that they don't want a "dead" horse.  They want one with spunk.  I have news for you.  Until you learn about the behavior of horses, safety, handling horses and get confident working around horses,  you are better off with a quiet horse.  If you are afraid of the horse, it will sense it and take advantage of it.  Then you have big troubles on your hands.  Usually the best breed to consider would be a quarter horse or a grade (a mutt in the horse world) horse.

Another thing I have heard from parents getting a first horse for their child is "I would like to have both the horse and the child grow up together" and look for a young horse.  WRONG!!  This is a disaster waiting to happen.  How can someone with no knowledge train another with no knowledge?  It is like an 8 year old trying to teach a 4 year old how to drive.  A young horse can be too much horse for a beginner to handle.  It still needs to be taught it's lessons.  The best type of horse for a beginner is an older horse.  An older horse knows his stuff and will take care of the child, or any beginner for that matter.  You can't beat having a school master for a first horse.  You will also gain plenty of confidence with the older horse.  A good age to consider would be 15 years or older. 

Before getting that first horse, do research on each horse.  Don't just pick it by it's color.  Make sure you have an experienced horse person with you to help you find the right horse.  You will be glad you did in the long run.

In Part 3, I will talk about how to get to know your new found equine friend.

Aaaahhhhhh!  Horse ownership.  It would be so great to own my very own horse and be able to ride whenever I want to.  Just saddle up and go! 

First of all, owning a horse is more of a luxury these days.  I'm sure you've heard jokes about how horses will eat up your money.  Don't laugh.  It is true.  Before you decide to embark on horse ownership, there are many more things to consider than the convenience of riding.  It takes lots of, not only money, but time, to own a horse.  It is nothing like owning a cat or a dog.  The cost of horse ownership has dramatically increased, in time and money. 

Statistics show that 80% of first time horse owners will give up horse ownership within 2 years.  It's sad, but true.  During our present economy, Horse Neglect Is On the Rise   This is possibly due to many factors, one of them being that people just don't understand how much time, money and energy it takes to become a true horseperson.  Plus, many are inexperienced. 

Boarding a horse at a facility is not cheap, nor is it keeping it on your own property.  Horses need lots of food.  The prices of grain and hay, along with everything else, is continuously rising.  You also have maintenance of your barn, fences, pastures, etc.  All this costs you time and money.  If you are constantly running your kids to their different activities, when will you fit in taking care of your horse? 

Then you have veterinary fees, fees for the farrier, dental bills (yes, the horses see a dentist, too).  It all adds up.

Next, is horsemanship.  Are you knowledgeable about horses?  Do you know how to ride?  Just because you have ridden at one of the many stables that offer trail rides, where the horses follow each other, and have never fallen off, does not mean you are capable of riding.  Those horses are different from one you would own.  Real horses have minds of their own and you need to learn about how the horse thinks.  It takes many years to learn about horses and to ride.  Inexperience will only give you an unpleasant experience and may land you in the hospital.  There is a saying among the true horse people: "It takes a minimum of 3 times to fall off of a horse to be a true horseperson." 

If you are serious about getting a horse, go ahead and get one.  Make sure you have the time and energy, plus a long term financial commitment to owning a horse.  Spend some time learning to ride, care and communicate with horses.  This way you and your horse will have an enjoyable experience.

Stay tuned to Part 2, where I will explain what to look for when acquiring your first horse.

Nazareth, PA is home to C.F. Martin & Co., which is celebrating it's 175th Anniversary this year.  It is the oldest surviving producer of guitars in the world and currently the largest manufacturer of acoustic guitars in the United States.  The company is known for making some of the finest, quality instruments, and introducing standards in the music products industry.  C.F. Martin & Co. was started by German immigrant Christian Frederick Martin, Sr. in 1833 and was founded in the U.S.  It has been family owned and operated for 6 generations. 

The company will kick off it's year long celebration in honor of the acoustic guitar, which has been played in all types of music, from classical and country, to blues, folk and acoustic rock.  Special events will include an auction of exquisite Martin prototypes to benefit the Martin Foundation in late 2008.  In addition, the company will introduce a line of limited edition guitars, publication of several books, a CD featuring performances of Martin artists, an in-depth online photo gallery showing the company's history, as well as the copmany's accomplishments and cultural contributions throughout the world during the last 175 years.

C.F. Martin & Co. has survived many economic, social and political events, such as the Civil War, post war turmoil, immigration, World War I, the "Roaring 20's", the Great Depression, World War II, the Vietnam War and the technological revolution.  Not only did it survive through it all, it also improved and increased.  Recently, Martin has set company sales records even with the down economy.  It has crafted it's millionth acoustic guitar, has undergone renovation and expansion of the factory, plus, it unveiled a new museum and visitor's center in Nazareth, PA.

Over the years, Martin started producing mandolins in the late 1800's, and becoming the top producer of ukuleles in the 1920's.  In 1970, Martin acquired Darco String Company and are also now producing quality guitar strings.

Christian, better known as Chris, Frederick Martin IV took over the company in 1986 and is the current Chairman and CEO.  Under his leadership, he has increased sales and production, maintained the level of quality, introduced new technologies and expanded the factory to nearly 3 times its prior size.  He has also introduced many affordable guitars.

If you are ever in the area of Nazareth, PA, be sure to stop and visit the museum and take a tour of the factory.  You will be totally amazed at the craftsmanship that goes into manufacturing a guitar.