Fiction of the outside world. I was this many years old when learned about the Magic Pony genre, “Where powerful magical beasts selflessly serve the whims of their human masters for no clear reason.” The Turtle Moves! Discworld’s Story Unauthorized by Lawrence Watt-Evans 2008. Chapter 3 The Color of Magic. Extensive preview available thru Google Books.
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Hunters
In the mid-80s, I remember trotting out into a pasture at a local show to jump a course. What we called an outside course. It was a lap or two around a contained space. It wasn’t quite cross country. You were definitely being judged on smoothness and style, but there were solid coops and terrain.
Hunter/Jumper
Jumps were measure in feet & inches. I still think that way. Haven’t jumped enough under the new system to make the conversion.
Eventing
My first event, in 1980, was at Pretraining, what is now called Novice. That was the lowest level. There were no beginner novice or starter levels. OTOH, there was more time & space for running around like idiots. By the time I got on course, I’d done enough trail riding to feel ready.
There were more backyard, unrecognized competitions. I recall jumping a few skanky fences. The were probably safe because they would have disintegrated in a crisis.
Saddle Seat
I have no back-in-the-day memories for saddle seat. I started in 2012. Academy began in 1989. There are many folks out there who watched the changes, to Academy in specific and to saddle seat in general. Wanna tell me about it?
The beginnings. Saddle & Bridle: Whatever Works: The genius of academy, Layos 2017. I had to laugh “It became a joke that all the utensils would need to be removed from the table before we got into the meeting” ibid. I think we’ve all been in those meetings.
Overall
I have less to say than I thought I would. I expected material for this post to roll out like a kitten with toilet paper. But no. Meager pickings, much of which I’ve already said elsewhere. I guess I would have to be more involved in the current (non-saddle seat) show world to see what has changed.
Previous Posts, Show Memories
“Never used a boot jack to pull off their tall boots.” [Problems That Younger Riders Have Never Had To Worry About, aka The Boot Jack List]
‘There used to be a place to show Thoroughbreds. It was called the hunter industry.” [Get Off My Lawn, And Take Your Warmblood With You]
Previous W2H Post
[Witness To History, Years Ago In The Emergency Room, With Apologies, Personal Non-Fiction]
Witness to History. There is nothing special about my experience, other than every life is special. I invite you to write down your own memories. Blog hop? Guest Post?
Onwards!
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 