Virtual Brush Box

Riding

Note. No ASB since the fun show. Intend to stay with it, at least on a casual basis. However, things kept coming up this month. So, here’s a thought from summer. [Finishing Out The Year]

Background. All Saddlebred classes start the same way of the ring.

Courses for Falcon Hill Farm Jumper Night. Go in. Once around the outside. Next class. Once around the outside the other way. [Crossrail Contender]

Or as they told the kids, white-white-brown-brown, brown-brown-white-white.

Or, as most people would say, clockwise, counter-clockwise.

Or as I thought of it, second direction, first direction.

Onwards!
Katherine

Working but not Riding

Both horses are on ground-driving program. Milton possibly permanently; Rodney temporarily, we hope.

Milton

We are seeing how Milton feels about being a driving horse instead of a riding horse.

Fitness walks up and down in the pasture. Lunging circles at walk and trot. Steering exercises around barrels. All done with (driving) saddle and long lines.

So far, so good. [Milton Rises To The Occasion]

Rodney

Worked with Milton. Let’s try with Rodney.

Rodney will never hitch. He’s too claustrophobic about things touching his flanks. Given the foot-long scar on his side, one can’t blame him. [Why Rodney Will Never Be An Outstanding Obstacle Horse]

Long-lining allows him the opportunity to sort himself out without a rider. Or maybe it just gives us something to do with him until the weather warms up. He is such a summer vegetable.

Rodney gets double sessions with a hand walk later in the day. Easy duty but gets him in a working frame of mind.

Onwards!
Katherine

Horsekeeping

Awareness of the outside world. Family shit going on. Second time in two months. The outside world can take care of itself for a while. BTW, different branches of family tree. Not same group twice.

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Went to a well-known outdoor clothing store prepared to spend serious money for a winter coat. No luck. Everything was either fleece or waterproof. Neither would work in a barn, at least not in my barn.

Fleece is fuzzy, which is a magnet for hair & hay & shavings.

Rain gear is fancy, lightweight technical material, which makes crinkly noises. Since Rodney is a sensitive soul, I keep my clothing quiet.

I found a pair of gloves at a second outdoor store, but that’s it.

Husband and I went to a well-known farm clothing store. We found coats for both of us, plus three turtlenecks for me and more items that might be useful in the future. I wasn’t even looking for a coat when we found one for me.

This never happens. Both of us are the opposite of clothes horses. I wear garments into the ground partly because I’m cheap thrifty but partly because I hate the idea of shopping for replacements.

I’m being vague about brands because the point is not the specific stores but the difference in types.

An outdoor jacket is worn up mountainside, so I hear. If not being worn, the jacket still has to be carried. Weight is a concern.

A farm jacket is worn into the pasture. I’m never more than a few yards from my truck or a building. If I don’t need the jacket, I can take it off and come back for it later. Weight is not a concern. Weight can even be your friend, for example heavy canvas sleeves are useful when one is trimming back a thorn thicket.

Farm versus outdoors. Both outside; totally different places.

Old jacket. Photo was almost two years ago. Still worked, but worn through on most extremities. [Show Us Your Ugly Coat]

New jacket in top photo, from Magic City 5K. That’s why number is pinned to my leg. Didn’t want to poke holes in it after owing it less than 24 ours.

While wearing new coat got called sir again two days later. At this point, I think it upsets them more than it upsets me. [Hello Sir]

Onwards!
Katherine

Images

Awareness of the outside world. Fashion & Textile Museums.

~~~

Pom poms created by weaving wonder woman Jan Priddy, who blogs at Imperfect Patience.

The green ones are left overs from a pair of shawls with Canadian merino yarn by Koigu. The red ones are blanket with mostly handspun from NW and Canada. All hand dyed. The shells are from a genus of limpet that the artist finds onshore.

The pom poms are hanging by my front door. I enjoy them each time I walk out. I am wearing one of her shawls as I type.

Yay for handmade art!

Shawl Posts
[Useful Art for Everyday, New Shawl]
[Introducting Shawlene, Handmade, Wearable Art}

Onwards!
Katherine

Words

Awareness of the outside world. Rotten Tomatoes: The Best Thanksgiving Movies.

~~~

Writer: Hello, Muse. Here we are. It’s that time again. [Creating A New Classic]

Muse: What time would that be?

Writer: Time to think about next year’s movie.

Muse: Thanksgiving?

Writer: Yep. While everyone is burping turkey.

Muse: What is your first thought?

Writer: Any holiday lends itself to a repeating plot device. Thanksgiving meals over the years. Kids grow up. New spouses. Empty seats at the table. Same bat time. Same bat channel. See you next year.

Muse: But?

Writer: It’s too predictable. Time passes. People change. Yeah, yeah. It’s just telling people what they already know.

Muse: The point of story-telling is to tell people what they already know.

Writer: Okay, so it’s telling people what they already know in an overly-obvious, uninspired manner. It’s also sad. Tempis fugit and all that. It’s too maudlin.

Muse: Stories are allowed to be be sad.

Writer: Point. The problem is that maudlin is easy to do; it is hard to do well. Plus, I’m not feeling it.

Muse:

Writer:

Muse: Focus on the individual?

Writer: Hmm. … follow one person … instead of one place … gives us possibilities for changes of scene … family one year, in-laws the next … friendsgiving one year … have to work over the holiday … comedy or drama … frame as flashback so you know the main character lives … we can introduce the historical dilemmas of the holiday without turning it into sermon …

(Sounds of rapid keyboard clicking.)

Muse: I’ll see myself out.

Writer: hmm-mm

Muse: Happy Thanksgiving.

~~~ curtain ~~~

Driving

Awareness of the outside world. “The First Thanksgiving is often portrayed as a friendly harvest festival where Pilgrims and generic, nameless “Indians” came together to eat and give thanks. In reality, the assembly of the Wampanoag Peoples and the English settlers in 1621 had much more to do with political alliances, diplomacy, and a pursuit of peace.” Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian: Rethinking Thanksgiving Celebrations: Native Perspectives on Thanksgiving.

~~~

Milestone!

Milton hitched at home!

We have now hitched three times in the backyard.

First time, a week ago, much concern on everyone’s part: header, driver, & horse.

Second time, last weekend, smooth as silk. Strolling in the park.

Third time, also last weekend, went so well that there was a small hint of work being done. Milton was a star about it but he did stress eat cookies after.

For some reason, both of these horses have always found working at home to be more worrisome that working away. Hence all the trailering to other barns. Maybe the footing. Maybe the rings. Maybe the attitude of the people.

The facilities are more basic chez nous, but we can work more often if it doesn’t mean shipping every time we want to hitch.

Photo is screengrab from video I took to show the driver how the harness was fitting.

Onwards!
Katherine