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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 14, 2019)
LOCAL Wallowa County Chieftain A8 Wednesday, August 14, 2019 Trick riding workshop comes to Joseph By Ellen Morris Bishop Wallowa County Chieftain Last year the specialty act at Chief Joseph Days was a spectacular trick rid- ing performance by Madi- son McDonald that included riding while suspended from the horses side, riding while standing up, head-down “death drags,” and jump- ing horses through fi ery hoops. That performance, and also watching an abun- dance of trick riding videos, inspired Joseph resident and 4-H horse show sensation Carissa Yaw to learn more about the sport. Trick riding is a tradi- tion that may have started with the Cossacks as a strategy during battle. And it seems to have been no stranger to many Native American horsemen. Today, trick riding is most gener- ally done as a rodeo spe- cialty act, and sometimes performed as part of a circus or other equine event. The sport includes many basic or classical moves, includ- ing standing on the horse, and hanging off the horse’s side. Roman riding is done by a rider standing atop a pair of horses, with one foot Standing up on a moving horse can be a bit tricky, even when your feet are locked into the footholds on the saddle. Photos by Ellen Morris Bishop Looping your body over the saddle is another basic trick riding skill. on each. As luck would have it, Carissa’s mom, Carrin Yaw, met professional trick rider Kansas Carradine one day in Joseph. Carradine, who hails from Quebec, Canada, and has more than 20 years experience in trick riding, was taking a vacation break from her trick riding sched- ule, and heading, horseback, into the Wallowas. But she also agreed to provide some lessons in trick riding for Carissa. Fast-forward to this sum- mer. Carradine agreed to put on a two-day trick-riding workshop for youngsters, again at Yaw’s spread north of Joseph. And this year, there are fi ve kids learn- ing the basics of trick riding on Carradine’s experienced horses. “We start on the “bar- rel” trick horse, “ she said. “That way kids can learn the basic moves in a safe envi- ronment.” The lessons on a real horse begin with learn- ing that balance is the most essential thing in trick rid- ing—including letting the horse adjust to a rider who may be standing, laying off of one side, or in a variety of other positions that make it diffi cult for a moving horse to balance properly. The fi rst thing the young riders tackle is how to bal- ance on the side of a horse, with just one foot in the stir- rup. Next, riders learn to do an “around the horn,” rotating around the special, long-handled metal horn of the saddle to switch from facing forward to facing backward. Then, it’s stand- ing on the horse, using trick saddle’s secure footholds near the front of the saddle. In only one day, Kansas Carridine transforms most of her students from good riders to enthusiastic trick riders. The second day of the workshop builds more skills. “It’s something that you either love and have to do, or you just don’t like it,” she said. “It builds a spe- cial kind of bond, of trust, with your horse. It’s about as close to fl ying as you can get.” WeCare group helps and supports senior caregivers, seniors rial, and information about yoga, gym memberships and acupuncture. “We have to keep our caregivers healthy,” she said. She added that one thing that people who may be strug- gling with senior care don’t realize is how much WeCare can help. “I don’t think people real- ize the amount of informa- tion we have to give them,” Taylor said. She explained that WeCare initially started off as a support group that got together for caring and sharing. Eventually, through hosting forums, etc., the By Steve Tool Wallowa County Chieftain With the average age of Wallowa County citizens ranking among the highest in the state, WeCare, a local support group is ready to help both seniors and senior caregivers. WeCare sponsored a pub- lic event at VFW Hall 4307 earlier this summer that explained some of the assis- tance that’s available. The event included four presen- tations as well as a num- ber of staffed display tables of senior-related mate- group obtained enough information that when a caregiver has a question, they can point them in the right direction to obtain the information. Anyone with questions about seniors and senior care is welcome to call WeCare at: (541) 432-0419. Taylor said that many people are caregiv- ers who don’t even realize it because they don’t think tak- ing care of a husband or child counts. WeCare meets at Com- munity Connection from 3-5 p.m. on the fi rst and third Tuesday of each month. From muddy pets to super dirty kids, you need a carpet that stands up to the XTREME chaos of outdoors…inside. “We have a lot of informa- tion,” Taylor said. “It’s just a matter of getting it out to the public.” That includes help with estate planning. La Grande attorney, Glenn Null, who spoke at the forum, said that when clients come to see him regarding estate planning, their biggest error is that they haven’t done anything in regards to planning. Not that it can’t be fi xed — most of the time. “I would say that 70-80 percent of the time we still have time to work with and get things prepared,” he said. About 20 percent of the time it’s too late for pre-planning, so planning goes into crisis management. “Crisis man- agement is harder than pro- active management,” he said. Estate planning is a two- fold process. The fi rst is that every dollar you spend pro- actively probably saves 10. The second is to make sure you have good communi- cation with whoever you’re working with because it helps to develop a plan that meets your specifi c needs. Null suggested that well- rounded estate planning includes consultation with fi nancial advisors, caretak- ers, doctors, an attorney, etc. Jennifer Olson is the executive director for Wal- lowa Valley Senior Living, which offers both assisted living and memory care. According to Olson, one of the biggest misconceptions people have about WVSL is that it’s a nursing home, which it is not. She also noted that people don’t real- ize how busy they keep their residents. “It’s not just a place to go to live out your fi nal days,” she said. “It’s a place to be active and have fun and engage in social relationships.” Olson suggested that any- one coming to inquire about WVSL keep an open mind about what it has to offer. She said WVSL is very good at matching people up with community resources, and if living in a community setting is not the best fi t for them, they will help them fi nd a safe fi t. Olson cautioned that peo- ple considering WVSL as an option do so before a crisis happens. “That way they know what to do before they reach the crisis mode,” Olson said. She suggested preparing for the possibility of residency 10 years before it’s needed. “Do your estate plan- ning,” she said. “Make sure it’s all laid out and taken care of.” Kathy Ganung, senior services manager for Com- munity Connection, said that many inquiries about senior care focus on in-home care. Housekeeping is another major concern and some- times the organization can help with that. “But we’re not a maid ser- vice,” Ganung said. The Meals on Wheels program also gets a large amount of queries and is in need of volunteers, particu- larly in Union County. Ganung said that Com- munity Connection pro- vides almost any senior ser- vice one can think of. People seem unaware that the orga- nization can offer help in fi nding resources to help pay for medications. They can provide seniors a food box so they can use money set aside for food to pay medication expenses or do the same with a power bill. Community Connection also works with the Walla Walla, Wash. and Boise, Idaho VA to provide in-home care for veterans, even helping the vets get connected with the program. “If you think you have a need, call us,” Ganung said. “We may provide the service or know who does.” Contact Community Connection at (541) 426-3840. 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