Awareness of the outside world. “The evidence review revealed that for LGBT individuals and same-sex couples, their children, and the general U.S. population, the benefits of access to legal marriage for same-sex couples are unambiguously positive.” Rand: Twenty Years of Legal Marriage for Same-Sex Couples in the United States, Karney et al, May 13, 2024.
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Alternate Title. How Do You Want Your Disappointment Served?
This is less about me being grumpy & more about the different personalities of the two horses.
A few weeks ago, I posited three levels of horse performance. [Cumulative Effect]
Well, that sucked pond water!
Hey, you weren’t horrible!
What a star!
Over the years, Rodney and Milton have had their share of both type 1 and type 2 activity reports. Milton favored type 1, moments when the wheels came off.
Even now, looking back, we can’t see how we could have prepared him any better for this first – and so far only – driving show. Learn to drive, even though Thoroughbred is not a traditional driving breed? Sure. Go to a different barn for a driving lesson? No problem. Go to a third barn for a pleasure drive? Piece of cake. Go to a show? Aggggggggggggg!!!!! [I am not back. This is not a post.]
We aren’t talking about mild discomfort that we could perceive with our discerning eye and knowledge of the horse. Milton went from ‘I got this’ to complete comeapart.
Similarly, our Academy show. [Hanging With The Saddlebros]
I wanna be a Saddlebred!
I wanna be a Saddlebred!
No! No! No! I don’t wanna be a Saddlebred!!!
So he gets in deep and has more moments to suck pond water.
On the other hoof, Rodney has had more type 2 outings. More times of, Well, it could have gone worse. This is due to his having a higher resting anxiety level. He makes it clear that he is NOT on board without thorough preparation, tiny steps, and a well-worked out approach.
“Adjusting to all of this is a function of getting out and about.” [Not From Around These Parts, Schooling Report, Southern Sunday Barrel Association]
“We planned our work; worked our plan.” [Words, Show Report, Dressage, Full Circle Horse Park, August 2019]
The okay moments wouldn’t be so bad if the tiny steps led to overall progress. As is, both horses pretty much ended up in same place. Through different paths. Which I found interesting.
Onwards!
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 
That’s an awful lot of work.
Jane
I don’t mind the work. It’s the lack of result that grinds me down. Not just horse shows, but result in general.