When Adam Pollaks mother Ingred Lin passed away in 2009 after a long battle with breast cancer, the popular dressage shows shed revived at the White Fences Equestrian Center in Loxahatchee were left without a leader. Pollak stepped up and took the reins, even though he was not an equestrian himself. Under his guidance, the Welcome Back to White Fences series has grown and held its own alongside the new Global Dressage Festival in Wellington.

I went to school for engineering, Pollak said. I have a mechanical and aerospace engineering degree. I like running the facility and the shows. Horseback riding itself isnt my thing, but I dont think it factors in that much. Sometimes, because Im not involved and Im not a horse person, I have a different view. People tell me that Im a great horse show manager. I think its partly because I have no vested interest in the shows.

White Fences Equestrian Center offers the friendly, easygoing atmosphere of a community horse show along with dressage tests all the way up to fourth level. Many trainers hack to the show with their students from farms in the White Fences neighborhood. The White Fences shows give amateurs and trainers trying out young horses an alternative place to take dressage tests that isnt as formal as what theyd find in Wellington.

I think its important to offer a variety of venues, Pollak said. Weve kept the prices the same or lower than when my mom first started the shows. Its a community atmosphere. There is a house here and its my home. It carries that feeling throughout the facility. It feels like a personal place, not just an impersonal show facility.

The White Fences shows are well known for having free lunch, snacks and drinks. Pollak has continued that tradition. He thinks food is a great way to bring people together and create camaraderie amongst all the competitors.

There is no such thing as a separate VIP area here, he said. You cant be adult amateur-friendly when you have certain people sitting in a catered tent while others have to wait at a food truck. It creates a hierarchy and caste system where some riders dont feel as important. Here, everyone has free lunch together whether its the local backyard rider doing their intro test or the Olympian doing their Grand Prix test. Everyone is at the same level.

Theyre eating the same food and sitting together. It creates a friendlier atmosphere.

The Welcome Back to White Fences series fulfills a need for a calm place where amateurs can practice and pros can perfect their technique without expense and pretense, he said. The Global Dressage Festival has its place. Its often a goal for many riders to build up the confidence and skill to show in Wellington.

Global is a great facility, Pollak said, but its very intimidating and expensive for a lot of the riders. Its good to have a little variety.

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Son carries on moms legacy of dressage shows at White Fences

These R Te Facts-Over Fences August 2014
First ever 2 #39;6" division for Roper at her 2nd trillium show.

By: quarterhorse1227

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These R Te Facts-Over Fences August 2014 - Video

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. If good fences make good neighbors, as poet Robert Frost famously wrote, a number of nice-looking examples delineate property lines in neighborhoods on the borough's North Shore.

From the historic Greek Revival cast-iron fence enclosing the perimeter of Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden in Livingston, to the classic split-rail fence outside popular Adobe Blues restaurant and bar on Lafayette Avenue in New Brighton, a variety of styles offered more visual interest than utilitarian chain-link or white vinyl panels.

Snug Harbor's cast-iron fence dates back to the 1840s. The city Landmarks Preservation Commission protected it in 1973, with an official landmark designation.

If you have or know of a particularly interesting fence --especially a hand-crafted one -- sharing the information in the Comments section below, with a photo if possible.

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'Good neighbor' fences: Attractive boundaries on Staten Island

Sitting on a rocker on the front porch of my older brother's house in Michigan, smoking a cigar, watching his dogs play (the size of which might cause you to confuse them with small horses) as the summer sun set over the tall pines, I was struck by something.

He has trained his dogs (as many folks have) to stay within bounds of the property using an invisible fence. This is a device that includes a collar for each dog and, when a dog strays past the invisible fence line, it is given a shock of electricity -- the purpose of which is to keep the dogs from running off, doing what they might want or to keep them out of trouble on the street. It is a control device so you can let them seem to roam free but really not allow it.

The interesting thing about these invisible fences for dogs is that, at some point, the dog has been so conditioned by the shock that you can actually take the collar off the dog and it won't ever venture past that imaginary fence line even though a shock isn't coming its way. It has now been drilled into the dog's very being that crossing that line will receive some punishment whether it is true in reality or not anymore.

So many of us have these invisible fences in our heads, trained in the past at some point (as far back as childhood, for some) through negative experiences, messages or even trauma. At the time, we might have developed them as a real protection from a fear or troubled situation, but so many of us now have the collars off and are free to roam in different ways. However, because this "training" earlier runs deep, we still believe it exists. We still believe we will be shocked if we do something that ventures past the invisible fence line.

Most of the fears and inabilities we bring to relationships come from some past shock or trauma and it hampers us in our desire to have a free and healthy interaction. We think if we love someone else we will get hurt or lose them, so we pull back and stay in an old pattern. Or we think the professional chance we might take to do something we love is bound for disaster or failure, so we keep doing what we always have done even though it is without much joy or fulfillment.

We repeat the pattern of past decisions and relationships because we are hampered by these invisible fences that we think are true, and we don't realize the collar fell off long ago (if it ever really existed, for some of us we were told things about the world and this became a verbal collar). It is only after we realize the myth of many of these control rules that we begin to venture out in new ways or try new dynamics in our interactions with others. And for each step when we are not "shocked" we realize what we have been missing and reestablish our own sense of freedom. Most people who operate as victims in their lives bear with great weight a collar which is attached to an invisible fence in their head.

The same is true for our politics and the interactions of many of our leaders within this country and around the globe. Many politicians won't venture to solve problems and compromise because they have bought into the myth of being shocked in elections. As one looks at the results in the past few years, the folks who have lost didn't lose because of bipartisanship, but because they became disconnected from their constituents. They lost not because they tried, but because they took voters for granted.

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Invisible Fences of Our Lives and Politics

MKEC BE 90 Regional Final XC Fences 7-10
Part of our XC course at our first regional final.

By: Meg Ratcliffe

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MKEC BE 90 Regional Final XC Fences 7-10 - Video

India has erected too many non-tariff walls, in the process pushing Bangladesh to explore the China market

On paper, India provides tariff-free access to almost all Bangladeshi products. That should make Bangladeshs giant neighbour its biggest market as well.

In reality, though, it seems Bangladeshi manufacturers and exporters are not comfortable penetrating the large market of their next-door neighbour. Rather, they are happier with China, tapping the benefits of the preferential trade arrangement offered by Asias biggest economy.

This is starkly reflected in the latest trade figures. For the first time ever, in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, Bangladeshs exports to China overtook its exports to India, that too by a huge margin.

At the same time, exports to India actually declined significantly. Official statistics, released by the Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), also show that Bangladeshs exports to China are growing at a much faster rate and increased fourfold within four years.

In contrast, after getting the duty-free access to the Indian market in November 2011, Bangladesh exports to India dropped in FY12 by 5 per cent from FY11. Exports surged by 15 per cent in FY13 and again declined by around 19 per cent in FY14.

The bilateral trade balance has always tilted heavily towards India, leading to the perception that India doesnt want Bangladeshi products to enter its big market. Over the last decade, Bangladesh, however, gradually increased its exports to India.

Responding to Bangladeshs longstanding demand, India announced tariff-free access for nearly all Bangladeshi products during the Saarc summit in the Maldives in November 2011, except a restricted list of 25, which includes alcoholic products.

The then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced reduction of the sensitive list of goods for South Asian Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to 25 from the earlier 480, providing zero duty market access for 99.7 per cent of goods from South Asian LDCs including Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives.

On the other hand, China has allowed tariff-free access to 4,888 products for the LDCs since 2010, which covered around 90 per cent of Bangladeshi exportable items.

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Lets mend fences with Bangladesh

2104 AQHA Select Equitation Over Fences
Karen Bruce and Out Of Vogue win gold in equitation over fences August 30 at the 2014 Adequan Select World Championship Show. Earlier in the week, Karen and "Denver" won hunter hack. Find out...

By: AQHA Video

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2104 AQHA Select Equitation Over Fences - Video

Vancouver, BC (PRWEB) August 30, 2014

QS Fencing, a renowned Fencing Company Surrey, has recently announced that it will now be offering security fencing solutions for commercial clients. These gates and fences are made from robust materials like steel and aluminum and are designed to keep trespassers and robbers out. Many commercial clients want to install fences and security gates that would protect their inventory and staff. As a result, QS Fencing has introduced a wide array of security fencing options in Surrey that would offer the best performance at a reasonable price.

While ornamental gates and fences work to increase the beauty of the property, the security fencing range is primarily designed to provide top-notch privacy and security to the commercial property being worked on. Previously, QS Fencing has been providing commercial fencing products, such as ornamental fence panels and gates in steel and aluminum. Other commercial products by the company include safety railings, bollards and barrier arms. The new range of security solutions revolve around products like security gates, commercial chain-link fences, privacy fencing, fence panels and electronic gates.

If you are looking for a commercial fence or a commercial security gate in Vancouver, QS Fencing offers quality commercial fencing and gate products at a great price, states a company representative. Whether you want to enhance the beauty of your commercial property by adding a fence, install a security gate, commercial fence, or install a privacy fence to protect your valuable staff or inventory; QS Fencing can help with any security fencing solution.

About the Company QS Fencing is a fencing company Vancouver, with a prime focus on quality and customer satisfaction. The company is licensed and insured and all their employees are WCB insured as well. They are also an accredited business on BBB Vancouver. To know more about QS Fencing, log on to the website at: http://www.qsfencing.ca.

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QS Fencing Now Offers Security Fencing Solutions for Commercial Clients

ARROWS - Fences feat. Macklemore Ryan Lewis - Auf Deutsch!
Lyrics/Songtext: http://alextv.de/alexibexi/?p=659 Facebook: http://fb.me/alextv Twitter: http://twitter.com/alextv G+: http://gplus.to/alexibexi ...

By: AlexiBexi

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ARROWS - Fences feat. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Auf Deutsch! - Video

Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) August 29, 2014

Reflecting on their position as the superior provider of wrought iron products, Strictly Doors and Gates now offers ornamental iron fences in Las Vegas. The company plays a prominent role in manufacturing beautiful ornamental iron fences. With them, one will get fences which are suitable for all purposes. They cater to commercial as well as residential requirements of iron fences in Las Vegas. They hold a huge stock of ornamental iron fences and offers on demand customized designs. One can place their own design and specifications, and the company will deliver the customers exact wishes. Strictly Doors and Gates offers durable, eye catching, protective, and practical ornamental iron fences.

The company also offers durable and protective solar screen in Las Vegas. In addition to the solar screens, the company also offers rolling shutters, patio covers, plasma cutting designs and iron gates & doors.

Talking more about their products, one of the representatives from the company stated, Whether it is a question of the security of the home and family, or a commercial property, no one can deny the instrumental role of Doors and Gates. These items are the first to stop an intrusion. We, therefore, resort to strict quality measures to make sure that each of our products has a strong, sturdy and highly-resistant structure for complete safety. At the same time, doors and gates are also the first impressions of your home.

About Strictly Doors and Gates Strictly Doors and Gates is a small, family-owned business located in the Las Vegas Valley, dedicated to providing excellent customer service to both homeowners and management communities. Strictly Doors and Gates specialize in customized service. Whether a customer is looking for repairs or maintenance, Strictly Doors and Gates can keep their community looking and functioning its best. They have a mobile, on-call crew that can take care of any customer concerns, any time of day. No job is too small for Strictly Doors and Gates. With a mobile welding crew, they can repair customers iron on-site. Their professional estimators also assist customers in designing their new gates, fences, courtyard entries, security doors, window guards, patio covers or solar screens. For more information, please visit- http://strictlydoorsandgates.com

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Strictly Doors and Gates Now Offers Ornamental Iron Fence in Las Vagas