Virtual Brush Box

Awareness of the outside world. AMNH: Museum Researcher Names Lizard Genus After Tolkien’s Dragon Smaug, 2011. Hat tip LTU&E: Oh no!

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Razzy
Hunt seat lesson
The Hunter Place
7 September 2025

Razzy and I jumped a course.

Well.

Actually.

I jumped a course. Razzy trotted around the ring over two crossrails and a low vertical while wondering what I was getting all excited about.

First course in the newest version of my jumping career. [Setting A Jump Record, Sorta]

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Yahoo!News: Scientists create compact, room-temperature fusion reactor that fits on a tabletop, Shavit, September 7, 2025. Some of us remember the 1989 kerfuffle. “Cold fusion became a taboo topic in mainstream science … formed a peer group to re-investigate cold fusion under strict, modern conditions.” ibid. The interesting bit here is the approach. “While this experiment didn’t achieve net energy gain, it does show that the path to usable fusion energy may not require billion-dollar machines.” ibid.

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Caption. The latest in fun flex bandages. TSC.

Milton has graduated from having his hind foot wrapped. [The Foot Extravaganza, photo]

He is sound on a straight line and will trot voluntarily. We have not asked about sound on a circle. Mostly because we suspect we know the answer. We are all waiting to see what level of damage the abscess hath wrought on his hoof. It tends to be dramatic. [The Year of the Foot Continues 2025 & Milton’s Foot Diagnosis Develops 2020]

Update. Upon reflection, I think I am conflating two events. Any lingering bad steps are probably from the hole in the foot healing over/growing in. When the hoof damage finally manifests, it is startling but generally long after Milton has gone sound.

Not using these wraps. Yay! Saving for next time. Boo! Note starter tabs on rolls. [Hack from the Manufacturer]

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Whatever: 20 Years of “Being Poor”, September 3, 2025. Whatever: “Being Poor,” Ten Years On, September 3, 2015. Whatever: Being Poor, September 3, 2005.

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Has feed changed?

We can’t seem to get the feed right. Seems we are always fiddling. In the past, we bought a bag & fed it to our horses. Maybe Cosequin for the ex-racehorse, but mostly easy peasy. These days, we have been having problems settling on the right feed, and when we do, we have to add all kinds of adjustments & supplements.

Everything in the English world is tuned to Warmblood these days.

I know this.

I have objected to this in the past.

Driving. A 16.3 hand Thoroughbred has cob-sized tack because he does not have heffalump shoulders.

Saddles. Optimized for Warmbloods. We had to go old school and buy a 20+yo Stubben to fit Milton.

Horse clothing. “Bought Cob (bell boots) rather than Full size for my 17-hand horse, because the industry standard is no longer Thoroughbred. Grumble. Grumble.” [Tennessee Travels, Shopping]

Shows. “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]

Why shouldn’t this apply to feed? Therefore, we are having to retune our feed back to Thoroughbred.

Which used to be the norm. But I believe I have already mentioned this.

Onwards!
Katherine

Art of the outside world. MoMA: Acrylic Paint. 6 works online.

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Beach Scene, or in my interpretation, Sea Monster Returns to the Ocean to be Greeted by Bats
Acrylic Painting Class with Chris Cruz
Class 1 of 4
Shelby County Arts Council
Columbiana AL, USA
7 September 2024

Instructor website, Chris Cruz Designs

Another art class? Think of it as doggy day care. I get out of the house. I run around. I bark at other people.

My table at the start and at the finish.

From me to instructor before class.

Message from SCAC about bringing brushes to the first acrylic class. Do I need to buy some? I do not own any. I will be pushing “No experience necessary.” to the limit. I have none. Zero. Also no artistic talent. It’s okay. I’m comfortable with that. I have other talents. I will be attending class to get out of the house & because it’s fun to experience new things. In a previous class, you seemed kind and understanding and that you would not mind me floundering about.

See you Wednesday. You have been warned.

Artistic tidbit for today. Golden Paint tubes have a dab of color at the top of each tube, see photo on website, Golden: Acrylic. The paint comes from that tube, so you see the exact color. Also, it is applied over three black lines, so you see the opacity. Cool.

L to R, instructor, other student, me.

Previous post, same instructor [Journal Workshop]

Onwards!
Katherine

It recently occurred to me that I have two types of posts.

The horse posts, Monday through Thursday, are reactive. I talk about what has been happening.

Have I had a lesson? [Discussion in the Shadows]

Any new purchases? [Hack from the Manufacturer for Felicitous Foot Care]

What is the home team been up to? [Rodney Celebrates The Foot Extravaganza]

The weekend posts, Friday through Sunday, are projects done explicitly for the post.

I will go over the fountain to get a post on water photography. [Splish Splash]

I will write words. [Attending a Science Fiction Convention with an Alien Disguise]

I will draw the next letter of the alphabet. [G is for Gold, G is for Goldwork]

Granted, a few of the posts are a mix.

Fantasy class, non-horse, reactive. I am taking the class. I might as well get blog mileage out of it. [What’s With All The Fantasy Posts?].

No Stirrup November, horse, project. “Did I do this for self improvement? To have something to blog about? For the finisher ribbon? These objectives are not mutually exclusive.” [No Stirrup November Begins]

Overall, the first part of the week is Que pasa? The second part of the week is What’s next?

At least for now.

I realize the off-topic weekend posts detract from this being a horse blog and probably give the blog a fractured vibe. Mox nix. I’m not trying to build a brand, or sell a book, or do anything other than yell into the abyss.

“You write the story you have to tell, then you look for an audience. So this is me, writing my blog, saying what I have to say, then looking around to see if anyone is interested in reading.” [Attitude Check] 2013

“Short version. I know how to write to order. Blog is me writing for me.” [Show Report, Hoof Picks] 2025

Previous Posts

Weekend plans [Weekends NOT off]

State of the Blog [Archives]

Onwards!
Katherine

Photography from the outside world. My Shetland: Northern Lights Autumn 2025.

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Fountain
Old Mill Square
Shelby County Arts Council
Columbiana AL
3 September 2024

Photo taken 3/4 of the way around the left side, facing the camera.

Technical Details

Phone camera. Experimenting with being artistic using unartistic equipment.

Previous fountain [Cool Water For A Hot Day]

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Phys.org: Did a single genetic mutation make horses rideable? Arnold, Clark ed, Egan rev, August 29, 2025.

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Ramsay
Stepping Stone Farm
September 2025

I have a question.

Why don’t more horse folks drive?

Activity for a young horse? Driving.

Activity for a rider with bad knees? Driving.

Activity that is fun for the whole family? Driving.

I just don’t get it.

Which is a roundabout way to say that I had a driving lesson this week.

Remember Ramsay, of show bridle lessons? [New Ears] & [Welcoming a New Skill]

He also drives.

He was – as with riding – a star. Steerable, amenable, happy to power around at the extended trot. I was reminded of something I learned with Alvin. “If dirt wasn’t hitting me in the face, we weren’t going fast enough.” [Team Awesome]

As with show/double bridle lessons, will I ever use this in the wider world?

Shrug.

Meanwhile it gets me off the farm and is most enjoyable.

Media. New-to-me horse to drive, so I grabbed an early photo for when I got all excited and forgot to get an in-process photo.

Onwards!
Katherine