Monday, March 26, 2012

FEEDBACK: Jeff Morse Clinic ~ Paola, Kansas



Jeff,
 
On behalf of the Carriage and Driving Society of Greater Kansas City, I want to thank you for  a wonderful weekend.  Not only was it educational, it was  inspiring to us that drive.  You definitely have way in  getting us hard headed people to understand how to make our horses better and for this, we cannot thank you enough. 
Thank you for sharing you gift of teaching with us. ~ Judi Adams





Jeff Morse Carriage Driving Clinic 
Somerset Lake Stables, Paola, KS

Jeff Morse has been training horses and people for carriage driving since 1992 at Green Meads Farm in Richmond, Massachusetts. He has bred, trained and competed Morgan horses since 1974. Jeff is a member of the USEF Carriage Pleasure Committee, and the Director and Chairman of the ADS Pleasure Driving Committee. He conducts carriage driving clinics and seminars nationwide and webinars for the American Driving Society. We are very pleased to have him coming to our area. Of the 22 lessons offered, only two are still open as of this writing. These individual one-hour lessons are $100 each, including audit privileges. Please note: this clinic is for equines that have been driven previously, NOT as a training clinic for first-timers.

GOOD NEWS! We have plenty of room, and welcome auditors for $15/day or $25/weekend. Clinic sessions will start at 8:00am with a one-hour break for lunch. Included with the clinic and audit fees is admission to Jeff’s Thursday and Friday evening talks that will begin at 7:00pm at the Paola Inn and Suites. Topics will include “Bits and Bitting,”and “Retraining a Show Driving Horse to Carriage Driving.” On Saturday night at 7:00pm we’ll have a dinner at Beethoven’s Restaurant, (913) 294- 3000, 110 West Peoria Street, Paola, KS 66071. Great German food!

 For reservations or more info, contact: Judi Adams, 913-441-3723 adamsjudi@sbcglobal.net or Mary Lu Norland, 913-533-9923, ygonefarm@gmail.com
Additional info and the schedule will be posted on our website www.cdsgkc.org

Directions 
Somerset Stables 5525 303rd St., Paola, KS 66071, 913-557-9277 — halfway between Hwys 69 and 169 in Kansas.

If going via 69 hwy, exit at 311th St. (next exit past Louisburg), go West 4 miles to Somerset, and turn back North to 303rd St. Stable is on the right (east).

If going via 169 hwy, exit at the Paola exit (Baptiste), and turn East towards Hospital. Follow curve to T intersection. This is 311th. Proceed 4 miles to Somerset Rd. which is just after Oak Grove Rd. Turn north and proceed 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 mile. Location on right (or east).

Directions to Paola Inn and Suites 1600 East Hedge Lane Court, Paola, KS 66071 Phone (913) 294-3700 (Southwest corner of 169 Hwy & Baptiste).

Saturday, March 10, 2012

When not to use WD-40



Details here:  http://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/6226/when-should-i-not-use-wd-40 

I know some drivers use WD-40 to de-squeak and lubricate carriage parts, particularly springs. As you'll read in this web site, WD-40 is not really a permanent lubricant. It's too thin for that purpose plus it *attracts* dirt. 


What it*is* good for is as a penetrant to unstick parts (although there are more effective ones like Kroil) and as a temporary lubricant to get you and your equipment to the time and place where you can use a more permanent, more appropriate lubricant. 

So far, for me, I find good quality spray silicone lasts fair long and does NOT attract dirt or even leave any visible trace (i.e. good for use on high quality polished carriage parts.) I mainly use it to quiet carriage leaf springs.







That said, I find most squeaks occur between metal and wood parts rather than metal on metal. In those cases, if practical, I make a washer or spacer out of a piece of polyethylene milk bottle or oil can plastic , loosen or separate the metal and wooden parts, slip the spacer in and re tighten any bolts or screws.


Usually this fix last forever....well, I can't actually swear to that since I haven't lived that long.