Driving Thursday
Mid-South Spring Premiere
Saturday, May 27, 2017
Northeast Alabama Agribusiness Center
Rainsville, AL
65. Academy Driving
1st – Greg & Memory Lane’s Spice Girl (Posh)
2nd – Katherine & HB Whizbang (Snippy)
Thank you to the Kasparian and Alvis families for their wonderful horses.
Official Photographer: Jane Jacobs Photography
Previous years [list of posts]
Lived Experience
We were equal in the regular trot and the flat walk. The difference was the extended trot. Greg threaded the line between getting the extended trot and keeping Posh from cantering. Me and Mr. Whizbang, not so much.
The extended trot is about power as much as speed. Of one fails to hold the front end, the horse will either run off or completely ignore you. Or both.
The first way, we nailed it. Strong, powerful trot. Beautiful reinsmanship on my part. I was congratulating myself on how wonderful I was (Need to stop doing that! [Report:Flub]), when I realized we were cantering. Ooops. It was a few steps in a back corner. Dunno if the judge saw.
The second way, I never got nuthin’. I was holding. I really was. I thought I was. Let’s go to the tape.
Photographic Record
First photo, awesome entry pass. Sitting up. Nice contact. This is the photo I bought. Over the course of the class, Mr. Whizbang slowing talks me out of more and more rein. By the last pass – when I was trying so hard to get the second extended trot – the reins are floating along his back. I’m still sitting up in fine style, but I have thrown the reins away. I’m basically saying, ‘Go Horsie Go’ and hoping the extended trot fairy wafts by.
While I thank Mr. Whizbang for a lovely drive, it appears that he still has my number.
Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott
Virtual Brush Box 