Virtual Brush Box

Words

Now is hard.

Having trouble figuring out how to approach the Now page. [State of the Now, New Feature, Same News]

If I write about Now as in ‘right this moment’, that’s no different than a regular blog post.

If I recap of the previous month with a list of links, it’s a rerun. While I am not above recycling material, doing it so soon sounds boring even to me.

If I say how I feel on a standing page instead of in a daily post, the whining lasts all month.

For example, the current Now page, “Horses taking the winter to investigate progress that can be made with ground-driving.” [Status Quo Equine, State of the Now]

Greg is long-lining/ground driving both horses. I am helping to get them ready. I’m thrilled that the horses are gaining strength & confidence. I’m not thrilled to be sidelined in my own barn.

Yes, I could learn to work horses from the ground. Will do so eventually. For now. 1) Greg is way better at reinwork than I am. 2) Milton does not like me working with him at all. 3) We are trying to get Rodney to relax into his work. Causing relaxation in others is not my forte.

Anyway, the point is, how much of this should go onto the Now page? I chose none. Didn’t want to sound grumpy all month, again.

Also, to follow up, on last month’s Now page I said, “November has a few possibilities.” Did not pan out the way I was hoping. Did not mention on this month’s page. Another example of not wanting to sound grumpy all month, again. [Losing the Light]

I aimed for overall trends, hoping the result wasn’t too vague.

[STOB Archives]

Onwards!
Katherine

Fit To Ride

Tai Chi

Have added tai chi back into my exercise mix. Had stopped when I torqued my ankle. [I’m Bored Already]

The online group I virtually attend does the first third of the form three times and then the entire form twice. For now, I am doing the three intro pieces and then signing off.

I am starting small to rebuild the habit. No matter how unmotivated I feel, I can do 10 minutes, right?

It’s not me being lazy. Or, not only me being lazy.

The point of a form is to know the pattern so well that you can flow through the movements with your body while your mind relaxes and centers. This does not happen if you are spending the entire time thinking, ‘You put your left foot in. You put your left foot out …’

I was having no luck learning the entire form. So, biting off one chunk and learning that.

Walking

Daily mile most days. One new place, Coach Kate’s gorgeous backyard, complete with water feature. Otherwise in pasture with Rodney.

5K for November was Magic City. Walk done. Walk report scheduled for next Friday. Spoiler – I finished.

Admin

I didn’t even last a month. I had resolved to walk without obsessing over the details. [Rearranging the Admin]

When I started drafting this post, I was annoyed that I couldn’t say for certain if I’d walked anywhere other than the pasture and Whip Hand Farm.

So. Back to keeping track. Keeping it simple. Where? How far? If pasture, did I walk by myself or with a horse? Not worrying about time or tenths of miles.

Links

Virtual Miles [Biking and Walking Virtually, Mississippi River, Part One] Minnesota

Last Month [Rearranging the Admin, State of the Fitness]

Onwards!
Katherine

Riding

Updated Now page

+++

State of The Now, 27 November 2022

Horses taking the winter to investigate progress that can be made with ground-driving.

I hope to take lessons and investigate what to do with all the energy that usually goes into riding.

Overall, Milton happier as a driving horse than he was a riding horse. Rodney about where he has always been.

Until next month.

+++

Last month [Losing the Light]

Onwards!
Katherine

Riding

Note. No ASB since the fun show. Intend to stay with it, at least on a casual basis. However, things kept coming up this month. So, here’s a thought from summer. [Finishing Out The Year]

Background. All Saddlebred classes start the same way of the ring.

Courses for Falcon Hill Farm Jumper Night. Go in. Once around the outside. Next class. Once around the outside the other way. [Crossrail Contender]

Or as they told the kids, white-white-brown-brown, brown-brown-white-white.

Or, as most people would say, clockwise, counter-clockwise.

Or as I thought of it, second direction, first direction.

Onwards!
Katherine

Working but not Riding

Both horses are on ground-driving program. Milton possibly permanently; Rodney temporarily, we hope.

Milton

We are seeing how Milton feels about being a driving horse instead of a riding horse.

Fitness walks up and down in the pasture. Lunging circles at walk and trot. Steering exercises around barrels. All done with (driving) saddle and long lines.

So far, so good. [Milton Rises To The Occasion]

Rodney

Worked with Milton. Let’s try with Rodney.

Rodney will never hitch. He’s too claustrophobic about things touching his flanks. Given the foot-long scar on his side, one can’t blame him. [Why Rodney Will Never Be An Outstanding Obstacle Horse]

Long-lining allows him the opportunity to sort himself out without a rider. Or maybe it just gives us something to do with him until the weather warms up. He is such a summer vegetable.

Rodney gets double sessions with a hand walk later in the day. Easy duty but gets him in a working frame of mind.

Onwards!
Katherine

Horsekeeping

Awareness of the outside world. Family shit going on. Second time in two months. The outside world can take care of itself for a while. BTW, different branches of family tree. Not same group twice.

~~~

Went to a well-known outdoor clothing store prepared to spend serious money for a winter coat. No luck. Everything was either fleece or waterproof. Neither would work in a barn, at least not in my barn.

Fleece is fuzzy, which is a magnet for hair & hay & shavings.

Rain gear is fancy, lightweight technical material, which makes crinkly noises. Since Rodney is a sensitive soul, I keep my clothing quiet.

I found a pair of gloves at a second outdoor store, but that’s it.

Husband and I went to a well-known farm clothing store. We found coats for both of us, plus three turtlenecks for me and more items that might be useful in the future. I wasn’t even looking for a coat when we found one for me.

This never happens. Both of us are the opposite of clothes horses. I wear garments into the ground partly because I’m cheap thrifty but partly because I hate the idea of shopping for replacements.

I’m being vague about brands because the point is not the specific stores but the difference in types.

An outdoor jacket is worn up mountainside, so I hear. If not being worn, the jacket still has to be carried. Weight is a concern.

A farm jacket is worn into the pasture. I’m never more than a few yards from my truck or a building. If I don’t need the jacket, I can take it off and come back for it later. Weight is not a concern. Weight can even be your friend, for example heavy canvas sleeves are useful when one is trimming back a thorn thicket.

Farm versus outdoors. Both outside; totally different places.

Old jacket. Photo was almost two years ago. Still worked, but worn through on most extremities. [Show Us Your Ugly Coat]

New jacket in top photo, from Magic City 5K. That’s why number is pinned to my leg. Didn’t want to poke holes in it after owing it less than 24 ours.

While wearing new coat got called sir again two days later. At this point, I think it upsets them more than it upsets me. [Hello Sir]

Onwards!
Katherine

Images

Awareness of the outside world. Fashion & Textile Museums.

~~~

Pom poms created by weaving wonder woman Jan Priddy, who blogs at Imperfect Patience.

The green ones are left overs from a pair of shawls with Canadian merino yarn by Koigu. The red ones are blanket with mostly handspun from NW and Canada. All hand dyed. The shells are from a genus of limpet that the artist finds onshore.

The pom poms are hanging by my front door. I enjoy them each time I walk out. I am wearing one of her shawls as I type.

Yay for handmade art!

Shawl Posts
[Useful Art for Everyday, New Shawl]
[Introducting Shawlene, Handmade, Wearable Art}

Onwards!
Katherine