Horses of the outside world. The 2026 National Horse Show will take place in Tryon NC. Tryon: Tryon International Announces Planned Hosting of The National Horse Show Beginning in 2026. Also NHS: Why Tryon?
1883 – 1988, New York City
1989 – 1995, East Rutherford NJ
1996 – 2001, NYC
2002 – 2007, Wellington FL
2008 – 2010, Syracuse NY
2011 – 2025, Lexington KY
Wiki: National Horse Show
Or possibly,
“After a brief stint at the New Jersey Meadowlands (1989-1992) and a return to a renovated Madison Square Garden (1993-2001).” Emphasis mine. Heels Down: National Horse Show
~~~
Brain not braining. Achy again. Nothing big. Last week was horse problems, mild illness, and a storm. That may have been more excitement than I could handle. Therefore, throwing my notes at you rather than wrestling them into a more cohesive narrative. (Mom. I’ll be fine. Just tired.) [Milton’s Interesting Leg & Taking a Break]
tldr. Two h/j lessons last week. Much flat work. Many thoughts.
Goldy
Rosewood Stables
7 October 2026
Kids
Lesson with beginner kids is a chance to get back to basics. For example, Coach Deana told the kids to get their heels down, really, really down. In an effort to show off … um .. set an example, I drove heels down to an exaggerated degree.
Turns out, it helped, particularly with my two point. My riding leg looks good enough that it might be hard to tell where improvement is needed. A bit more depth helped steady my upper body.
You can never have too much basics.
Hands
Worked on using my hands to get Goldy working on flat, i.e. round & listening. [Glitters of Goldy, leadership]
My hands are terrible. “My hands are basically floppy bits of flesh at the end of my arms. ” [The Goldy Touch]
This is not false modesty. I have never figured out what to do with hands. I either let go or hold on, treating the rein like leadrope. Somewhere in the deep dark past, I head Don’t! Pull! Back! I took it to heart. OTOH, I don’t do much of anything else with hands. I compensate with seat & leg.
Although there is movement, the idea is not busy, but fluid. I think I may have gotten a glimmer.
Jumps
Jumping was uninspired. Three possible reasons.
One. Paid for flat work with unmotivated jumping. Probably not, but that’s how it felt in the moment.
OR
Two. Jumps tiny, even for me. That’s okay. More basics, shoulders, stay straight, heels down, go away from the fence, etc.
OR
Three. Groom felt that since I was being a pilot on the flat, Goldy expected me to contribute over fences. Actually, the rot set in at the canter. Couldn’t coordinate hand & horse enthusiasm. So I bailed, metaphorically. Will work on that next time.
Hand Off
Gave horse to next rider. No horse to cool off. No tack to put away. Left. Weird.
In Other News
Coach Deana found a local horse for sale. How on earth am I going to try sales horses if I resist getting on new horses? I have no idea. I’ve never been great at this but I’ve had times when I am better than I am now.
Interim
Left hip ached after lesson. Often a bit stiff. This was to the point of feeling it when I walked. One the 2nd walk last Thursday, Milton did better than I did. [Milton’s Not So Interesting Laps]
Goldy bends to the right – outside – when we head left. I had to work hard to get straight, pushing him over with that hip. Eh well, horses often have a side that is more flexible than the other. Much like humans.
OR
I carry too much weight in my left hip, making it A) harder to push over & b) Bringing horse to left in the first place, I recall having had that revelation in the round pen at Stepping Stone.
Goldy
Rosewood Stables
11 October 2026
After storm on Friday night, jumps laid down, footing likely to be soggy.
Coach Deana: Would I like to hack, i.e. ride on own, instead of a lesson?
Me: I’d love it.
And I did.
Narratively, I’d like to stop there.
However, I have things I’d like to remember.
First off, Riding “on my own” includes groom, I can’t remember the last time either of us rode or drove by themselves. For support and safety.
To the surprise of no one, when I lifted my weight off my left buttock, Goldy went straighter.
I need to remember to lift my inside shoulder back around a turn. Every turn. Every time. Every annoying time.
Hands not pull. Fiddle. Not as in busy. As in move them. As in talk with horse. As in converse.
Deep heels. Lift weight off left. Inside shoulder back. Move hands. Magical moment. Collapse. Repeat.
Hands last on list. At least one time didn’t get to them. If I get everything else organized, hands become a secondary aid. At least that was feeling for the few strides we kept it together.
Groom said … I can’t remember. Will add if it comes back.
Goldy is a master buffaloer. Ya gotta convince him. Sometimes he convinces me.
WB conversation is different than TB conversation. WBs are more phlegmatic. TBs gonna tell you have they feel, about everything, all the time. When riding Thoroughbred you never lack for data. You may not know what to do with the data, but you will have it.
Onwards!
Katherine
