Read Hard

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Don't be a Flake Contest!

Okay ya'll--you've heard of Bake Sales, but in response to the many horses in need due to the flooding in Washington a couple of amazing organizations are throwing a "Flake Sale" (more detail below) and since I've been super-duper excited about the release of Jessica Burkhart's horsey series Canterwood Crest and it's finally released today--well why not combine the two events somehow? This is what I've come up with:

For everyone who comments (tell me if you've had a memorable horse experience or other animal if you've never been around a horse OR OR OR purge your soul and tell me something you've totally flaked on) I will donate $1 to the Flake Sale (so 100 comments = $100) PLUS you will get entered to win one of 3 Take the Reins (Canterwood Crest) books +Plus a super cute plush horse. Can't beat that! (Deadline midnight Sunday January 18, 2009)


When Sasha Silver and her horse, Charm, arrive on the campus of the elite Canterwood Crest Academy, Sasha knows that she's in trouble. She's not exactly welcomed with open arms. One group of girls in particular is used to being the best, the brightest, and the prettiest on the team, and when Sasha shows her skills in the arena, the girls' claws come out.

Sasha is determined to prove that she belongs at Canterwood. Will she rise to the occasion and make the advanced riding team by the end of her first semester? Or will the pressure send Sasha packing?

More info about the Flake Sale:

"In early January 2009, Western Washington experienced torrential rains resulting in devastating flooding in many areas. Over 18 counties declared a state of emergency, as a combination of heavy rain and previous snowfall caused a number of rivers to break their banks. 40,000 residents had to evacuate their homes, many with their pets and livestock. Over 300 horses are being temporarily housed at area fairgrounds.

As the waters recede, residents are returning to find that their winter’s supply of hay and grain has been destroyed by the rushing water. With hay prices at an all-time high, the flood damage has created a severe crisis for area horse owners.

To help the horses and owners affected by the floods, Second Chance Ranch, in partnership with HorseReunions.com, has established a Flood Relief Fund. This fund will provide emergency feeding grants to help Washington horse owners meet their horses’ immediate needs as they begin flood recovery efforts.

What is the Flake Sale?To fund this effort, we are holding a virtual “Flake Sale”. Just click to buy a virtual flake of hay for a horse in need via Paypal with your credit card, debit card or checking account. You can buy as many flakes as you like – just $5 will buy a virtual flake (in real life, it pays for enough hay to feed one horse for one day!) :


Official Website: http://flakesale.com/

25 comments:

Stephanie said...

This sounds really awesome that it'll help provide food grants to help Washington horses. I love horses even though I only been on a horse twice. I don't live by any ranches or farms. I wish, horses are so pretty! I do have a dog though named Patches and she's old and a little blind. One time she walked into a glass door it was so funny, but i still felt a little bad for her.

GreenBeanTeenQueen said...

Flake Sale-that is an awesome idea.
My most favorite horse memory is when my whole family went horseback riding over summer vacation and my brother, who was six at the time and obsessed with being a cowboy, dressed from to toe in cowboy gear, complete with chaps and a hat. It was so cute and made the horse riding so much more fun, because he was having a blast. (Plus, now that he's older, the pictures are good blackmail!:)

Amy said...

Super cool idea!

I was NOT one of those "into horses" girls. I was TERRIFIED of them. The one and only time I was around horses was when my family did an afternoon horse ride--I stayed behind and helped the rancher's son feed the pigs.

Anonymous said...

What an awesome idea!!

Anyway, I'm a total horse addict, despite the fact that I've never actually BEEN on one.

Back in fifth (maybe 4th or 6th) grade, my best friend had a horse. It was a bay quarter horse mix and they called him Shiloh. He hadn't been ridden since she was born (so for about 12 years) and no attention was really paid to him. So she decided to "give" him to me. I couldn't take him home so what I did was looked at all my training books and went over to her house after school. We made treats and got him to lead and everything. We even got out his records and found out that his real name was "Sacred Dream".

Now I'm not really close to her anymore so I don't go there but man, I loved that horse.

Diana Dang said...

That is a cool charity. =)

I never been around horses very much. The last time I was near one was behind on a wagon like thingie, being toured around the street once for Christmas.

Yea, none too exciting. Lol.

jocelyn said...

I'm actually kind of scared of horses, but totally willing to help them from far away...My mom's friend had a pony when I was little, though, and I liked to ride him; not so tall!

Shooting Stars Mag said...

Awesome!! And I've never ridden a horse in my life, though my sister has. I have an aunt that has some and in my high school, a lot of people had them or had ridden on one...I live near the country. lol

-Lauren

nadine said...

I'm all about charitable events! Here's to another dollar.

Sarah Woodard said...

I live in Washington and the flooding was horrible.I live on a hill, luckily. My sister has a pump for her house and didn't have any flooding. I mean I-5 was closed in many areas.
My third grade teacher owned a farm. She leased room for 5 horses and then had 3 of her own. We got to take a filed trip and ride the horses. It was scary, but amazing.
Also like three blocks away, I used to give them apples... until I got yelled at.

Anonymous said...

This is AWESOME!! I know nothing about horses, but I have flaked many times myself. Once I was supposed to give a presentation for one of my senior communication classes in college but I called in sick. The teacher gave me an A anyway because she loved me :) Ok that wasn't a very entertaining story, sorry.

Keri Mikulski said...

Awesome contest! :)

I had a horrible experience with horse back riding during my one year in Brownies. We visited a ranch and for some reason, the horse I mounted and I didn't mesh. Anyway, he took off and I bounced and bounced and held on tight, until I eventually slid off the side. I think I shook for three days.

Never again. :)

Asylumgirl said...

I was thrown by a horse at my sister's house when I was about twelve or thirteen. I love looking at them but haven't been on one since.
My daughter would love this series and the plushie. She loves horses and we have tons of stuffed animals to atest to her plushie love as well. LOL

Deidre

Steph said...

I love horses! I can't ride them worth shit but I find them fascinating all the same. Sometimes I swear to God it's like they're humans watching your every move. Quite unnerving.

Steph

Alea said...

What a great idea! I remember riding on a horse only once, at a family friend's farm in junior high. I was a bit scared but it went ok. I have another friend that has several horses and it was really fun going to her home and meeting them a few summers ago, along with her very cute dog!

Liviania said...

I've only ridden trail horses, so I don't have great stories. Now, the last time I rode one was on senior trip. My advice: change your tampon between going swimming and riding a horse. I had to wear a friend's sweatshirt around my waist the rest of the day - including while playing Twister. If any of my friends noticed they were too polite to say anything.

Lenore Appelhans said...

My aunt and uncle had horses that I often rode, but these horses were fat and slow. Then I went on a horseback riding tour with a bunch of students who had never, ever ridden before so as the only one with riding experience, I got stuck with the horse named Diablo. My butt was sore for weeks!

Bookworm said...

I was born horse-crazy. I ride English-style hunter-jumpers and equitation and I own a large pony named Chunk who is 7 and whom I'm training. He is a bay and he loves eating oranges, it's kind of strange but he is such a cutie. (:

Great idea, by the way. Here's another dollar for beautiful animals!
Please enter me! I've been dying to read this one!

katayoun said...

no horse experience! :( but i used to have this great daschund (she's not with us anymore) and she had so much energy and love. what she loved when we were out drving was to sit on the lap of the passenger and put her paws on the window and put her nose out the window (ooh you should have seen the back window, very wet :)) so one time, we're in a traffic jam and she sees a cat and jumps right out of the window!! totally crazy, i had to run down two streets after her! but it was so fun and my mom laughed so much. that dog was one great lady.

Vanessa (whatvanessareads.wordpress.com) said...

Wow, you're so sweet giving away a dollar per entry. I am the 19th dollar.

I don't know much about horses. I've never been on one. I live in the city so we don't have many of them. My family isn't that much into pets but we do have three birds. Their names are Mike II, Napoleanna II, and I don't think we named the third one. I used to be a lot more caring for them, but as you can see by the II's in both the bird's names, we had two previous ones and they flew away. :(

darbyscloset said...

I love your commitment to help the horses!!! In fact after I leave your site I think I am going to go over to the flake site and feed a horse or two! Thanks so much for the info!! Okay my horse story...I have always loved horses and one day will have one of my own. Several years ago I was riding a friends horse and dirt bikes were zipping around near us. My horse reared up and I fell off, I was badly brusied, lost yet found my perscription sunglasses, lost and did not find my watch and I got back up on the horse and continued to ride for I have always heard that if you don't you won't.
Thanks again,
Darby
darbyscloset at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

The only type of animal I've had are sea monkeys. I was always terrible at raising them though, so they usually died. :( I have a friend that does rodeo, and I think that's super cool.


koalatees(at)gmail.com

wrigleyfield said...

I won a trophy at a debate tournament that was always held in Lexington, KY on Derby weekend, and therefore had a horse on it. I won many dozen other debate trophies in high school, but this is the only one still on display in my parents' house. My mother likes to pretend I was some sort of equestrian champion instead.
ewrigleyfield AT gmail DOT com

Reyna Meinhardt said...

That is so nice! Thank you for having this! I hope that you raise a lot of money for the Flake Sale!

I have a 3 year old Tennessee Walking horse. She is so cute! When we got her, she wasn't healthy and was super skinny and couldn't hardly get up from a roll. Now, after having her for a little over a year, she is healthy and strong! My Dad and I trained her together! I love her so much! Horses do so much for us :)

Paradox said...

My only real experience with horses (not counting pony rides) is when I went to a dude ranch with the girl scouts years ago. I was never horse obsessed like most girls are when they are preteens, so I wasn't exactly thrilled by the idea of riding a horse. In fact, I was terrified! Even though I only went on this trail at a walk with a bunch of other beginners, I just had to get the horse that WOULD NOT do what I wanted him to do. I have not ridden a horse since then.

I posted about the contest here: http://paradoxrevealed.blogspot.com/2008/12/official-contest-list.html

TJ Brown said...

I can't wait to read this book. I had a horse while growing up. A small Arab palomino with a beautfiul look and sour disposition:)
Teri