Virtual Brush Box

State of the Blog, Change

Words
Blogging About Blogging

Awareness of the outside world. Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event XC today. Watch live on USEF Network with free fan membership. KTDE: Live Streaming
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The blog has a new theme. That is the WordPress term for the overall appearance of a blog.

This unlooked for change came about because WordPress changed to a new editor. Since I am using the free .COM version, all I can say is ‘Thank you, Sir. May I have another.’

It got me thinking about about types of change.

Some are better. Linking to a previous post is now drag-and-drop rather than a multi-stage process. Useful if I’m including a long list of past posts, as I did on Thursday. [Pre-show]

Some changes are lateral. The fancy new Block Editor all but forces me to use WYSIWYG. This has been an option for a while, but one I have been avoiding. Now the HTML version is so annoying that I use their preferred version. Seeing the formatting on the fly is admittedly easier, as long as one is in line with the programming assumptions, see drag-and-drop above. OTOH, there are times when it just won’t do what I want. Then, I have to open the code editor to properly explain myself. A mix of good and bad.

Some changes are worse. If I hurry the save/preview process, the new program gets stuck. Something in my work flow causes it to get stuck often. I have to type a letter, erase it, and save again. So I am learning to wait for it to digest. Minimal, but annoying.

Some changes seem bad because it’s not the way I am used to. The new editor no longer put photos on the landing page of the blog. All I had was a boring list of titles. Hence the new theme. All of the options were a long scroll of posts. No theme that provided a list of summaries. Not good or bad, but not what I had.

And now I shall bitch. Because venting is fun. My nitpicking list of other changes, a mix of bad and lateral. Time will tell if I get used to these, if they continue to bother me, or if I find that they work in my favor.

It jumps to the end of the file. Annoying in a really long file. Yes, I have discovered that I can use the home key to get back to the top. Still annoying. [LEJOG]

The *&*@ block menu gets in the way of reading the text above what I am working on.

Can’t always see where the cursor is.

It wants to insert blank lines all over the place. I have to remember to shift-enter if I don’t want to move into a whole new zip code.

Occasionally the link text shows up in the url box, meaning I have to erase text before I paste the address. Why? What purpose does this serve? It’s not consistent, so I can’t tell which keystroke pattern to avoid to prevent this from happening. I can’t rely on auto-pilot. Some times it’s there; sometimes not. Small but annoying. I use a lot of links.

WYSIWYG links are hard to punctuate around. The period or the bracket gets sucked into the link. I have to type the required glyph and then backspace it to where I want.

WYSIWYG links don’t show the url. Can’t sort a list of links by date.

Speaking of dates, drafts no longer show their dates on the main editing page. The date only shows up when the post is scheduled. For drafts, I have to look at each one individually. Not useful when one is planning a week’s worth of posts.

It no longer accepts 00:01 as a time. I have moved the posting time to 01:01. That’s why it’s been coming out an hour later recently. Probably not a problem in the US, since most of us are asleep. In other places, I may now miss someone’s coffee hour.

The Table of Contents widget is gone. This maybe a function of the theme. Gaa. It took so much clicking to pick this one. Nevermind, found it. Had to customize. New skill.

There is no Quick Edit function. Tweaking a title means opening the post in a new window.

The media library no longer lists where the photos have been used. I find this hugely annoying. When I reuse a photo I include a link to the previous post. Now I have to click over to get the name of the image, use the search box, and hope the name shows up in the search.

Alternatively …

All these things may still exist. I may need to figure out how to do it under the new format. Word count is still there, but has moved from constant display under the text box to a request button up top.

Bottom Line
I am not an early adopter. Of anything. I prefer to think of myself as Old School. I am comfortable with the term Curmudgeon.

State of the Blog [archives]

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine

My Horses Are Weird, Separation Anxiety Version

Horsekeeping

Awareness of the outside world . WBUR: I’m Not Celebrating The Chauvin Verdict, by Pelton, April 22, 2021. Counterpoint. The Root: Black People Don’t Need Reminders That Chauvin’s Guilty Verdict Doesn’t Mean the Fight Is Over. It’s OK to Celebrate Small Victories, by Linly, April 21, 2021.
~~~
Pause for regrouping.
~~~
The Equine Amateur Dramatic Society is now in session.

Setting
For the FCHP show, Rodney went by himself. Milton stayed behind. Neither one has shown the ability to stand quietly at the trailer while the other one works, particularly if that other one goes out of sight. We will wrestle that greased pig in the future. Too many other issues to concentrate on at the moment. For now, solo showing. [Show Report]

Rodney
When we left for the show, Rodney was convinced, utterly convinced, that he was leaving, never to return.

Rodney has lived with three owners and four residential trainers. I don’t know if that is a little or a lot for the average horse. For Rodney, the lifestyle had left him with the conviction that every time he got on a trailer he was moving somewhere new. It took us trips over many months to convince him that we would always bring him home.

Shipping in company undoubtedly helped.

Now he was getting on the trailer all by his lonesomeness.

… this is it … I was right all along … all those other trips were an aberration … this time is for real … I’m outta here … new stall here I come … I wonder if I will like the new place … I doubt it … where am I? … where is this that I now call home? … oh, here … I’ve been here … I go home from here … oh … okay.

Milton
When we left for the show, Milton was convinced, utterly convinced, that the three of us were leaving him, never to return.

Milton’s resume includes the track and two owners. He doesn’t seem to have the departure demons that Rodney has. Milton wants everyone to be together. His favorite time is team meetings, when the four of us stand around grooming, and puttering, and chatting. His least favorite time is when Rodney goes out to the ring or around the field without him. When we leave, he stays in the stall to contain his anguish. In contrast, being the stay-at-home horse bothers Rodney not at all. [Gold Star]

… where are you going? … why are you leaving MEEEEEEEEEEEEE?!?!?! … you’re back … it was so long … I had such a tough day … I’m so tired.

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine

Pre-show Thoughts, FCHP Schooling Show, April 2021

Riding Journal

Awareness of the outside world. Earth Day.
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First horse show since 2019. [Dressage, Jump]

I had thoughts.

Negative
I had my second vaccine the Tuesday before the show. This is relevant because I chose not to take any aspirin/ibuprofen/whatnot in the subsequent days. I was told it was okay, but why risk compromising the vaccine response? Unfortunately, I have collected sufficient aches & pains that no meds for four days left me cranky and irritable. Easy prey for negativity.

Negative 1. This shouldn’t be this hard. A small class at a small show should not require months of preparation.

Negative 2. There is no up side. If it goes badly, that’s bad. If it goes well, it’s still only a tiny class at a tiny show that took me 11 years to accomplish.

Come the day, my happy emotions overrode my grumpy rational objections. As they do.

Miscellaneous
As I loaded the trailer, I kept thinking, ‘I am FINALLY getting back to a horse show.’

The implication was first show since Previous Horse a decade ago. In the meanwhile, I have done half-a-dozen shows with Milton and dozens of ASB shows. Those are different. I’m not sure why.

I shall have to unpack this thought at some point.

Practice
All the travel to practice paid off handsomely. Rodney was relaxed in the ring. I got over the lack of halt. I figured out a warm up that would work, i.e handwalking to start, lots of walking, some standing, a tad of trotting.

Speaking of standing, I tried something new for the entrance. Instead of trotting around the ring, I trotted the long side – mostly because I felt I had to trot somewhere – walked to A, then stopped and waited for the bell. This wasn’t a halt. This was standing at ease until the judge was ready for us. Rodney’s brain is so busy that standing gives him time to slow down and process. Odd, but it worked for us.

Prep Links
[Ears In The Arena, Let The Acclimatization Begin]
[A to X to Where?!? Weirding Out Over New Dressage Maneuvers]
[Playing Marco Polo In A Dressage Ring]
[Protocol Will Be Respected]
[Finish Your Pass, um, Corner]
[Checking In On Three Phases]

Jump Class Considerations
Much in-house discussion preceded our entering the crossrail class.

Con

Really? Crossrails? CROSSRAILS?!?!

Pfft. Call me when we are jumping something interesting.

Long wait between classes.

We have not schooled two sessions in one day.

One crisis at a time. Our first WTC dressage test was enough to worry about.

Rushing Rodney never works. He gets overwhelmed by life.

Pro

Gotta start somewhere.

Waiting until the time is right risks becoming never the right time.

He was fine with double sessions at the barrel race. [Not From Around These Parts]

He’s 22. The calendar is not on our side.

Decision

See how it goes and enter on the day.

He coped so well in dressage that I considered going home right after. Since we where there, we gave him a chance to stand around and snack.

Why not, we’re here.

Result

As it turned out, crossrails was an excellent choice. Since the height was negligible, we could work the mental angle. We could walk over them if needed, and did on one occasion. It was a hair bigger and longer than we had been practicing, but our prep paid off. He kept the sproings under control.

Overall
In retrospect, I would not change anything about our lead-up to the show, or the plan we had for the day itself.

Well, I’d change a lot of things, if I had my druthers, starting with the fence height.

That is not a peace-inducing train of thought.

Give the horse we have and his history and our history, I would not change anything in our lead-up to this show.

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine

Conversations With My Horse, Jump Class, FCHP Schooling Show, April 2021

Riding Journal

Awareness of the outside world. Dentist update. Onlay, as suspected. I’m usually a cheap drunk, but needed three shots to get the tooth numb. Does anyone else get their ass kicked by the epinephrine?
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Day Two. It took 11 years, but I finally got my fancy, mid-life crisis horse into a jumping class. [Show Report, Day One]

Doctor Whooves, Class 23: Cross Rails

Warm Up

Rodney: Big walk! Gotta Move! Gotta be on my game!

Me: You can slow down. No need to be big.

Rodney: Oh. Okay.

…

Me: These are actual crossrails. They are bigger than the piles of poles you have been doing. You got this.

Rodney: (hop)

Me: Eyes up. Heels down. Stay trotting. Stay trotting.

Rodney: (hop)

…

Rodney: That’s a mare. Over there. That horse. That’s a mare.

Me (hauling on horse head): We are going to walk to the other side of the ring now.

…

Rodney: Oooh, look.

Me: That’s a gelding.

Rodney: So?

Me: Well, At least I know you’re not worried about the jumps anymore.

Class

Me: Here we go. Eyes up. Heels down. Stay trotting.

Rodney: !

Me: (Rodney gets an eyeful of white poles. ) We’re trotting and we’re trotting and we’re trotting.

Rodney: !

Me: Look at the jumps, not your fan club on the rail.

Rodney: .

Me: Okay, we calmed down to a walk. That’s fine. You can step over this.

Rodney: .

Me: (Course is colorful. This fence is brighter than the rest. Puts leg on.)

Rodney: !!

Me: Didn’t like Auburn colors? Maybe you’re an Alabama horse. (Heads toward green and white fence) Don’t mess up the Dartmouth fence.

Rodney: !

Me: (Reminds self to praise horse) You are doing great. You are handling all of this really, really well.

Rodney: !

Me: Now where did they put fence 8? Over there. Eyes up. Heels down. Trotting.

Rodney: !

Me: Whoops, 9 came up quickly.

Rodney: !

Me: (To self, maybe we should try cantering over the last jump? No. No. Remember what happened the last time we cantered a crossrail. Plan is working. Stick to the plan.) Trotting. Trotting. Trotting. [Recent Jumps]

Rodney: !

Me: Yay! Brave horse. Lots of stuff in there to look at. You were a star. Applause for Rodney!

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine

Back In The Ring, Dressage and Jumping, Show Report, FCHP Schooling Show, April 2021

Riding Journal

Awareness of the outside world. Dentist today. Been expecting this. Managed to hold off a good long while. Tooth finally cracked two weeks ago. In other news, within the last week, I’ve had vaccination, show, and dentist. That’s a lot of people-ing for someone who doesn’t get out much. [Same, Same, Not Happening]
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FCHP Schooling Show
Full Circle Horse Park
Pell City, Alabama
Saturday, April 17, 2021

Doctor Whooves

Class 14: USEA TOC. Beginner Novice Test B. 1st of 1. Score 29%. Hi-score, 8 for halt, movement 16.

Class 23: Cross Rails. no placings, completion ribbon. For the record, time was 2:27. Other times 1:47, 1:48, & 2:07.

10q to FCHP.

DRESSAGE

What I thought would happen
Would break into a trot on the left canter. Left circle is a work in progress. Would picking up a canter instead of a trot for transition at M. Yes, he will canter when I want him to trot and trot when I want him to canter. Meh. The resulting gaits are calm and smooth. It’s more about him doing what he finds easier at the moment.

What happened
Nailed both. Go us. Came around the turn for the walk across the diagonal. Got excited to show off Rodney’s walk. Punched it. Got trot steps. My bad.

What I thought he would look at
The judge’s booth. Because they all do. I even made a point of feeding him a treat from the ledge of the booth in the morning before the show.

What he looked at
Cars belonging to the judge and scribe, parked outside of the ring. I think we inverted the C-to-M corner every time, see comment on movement 6. He wasn’t spooking. More like, ‘Oh look, cars.’ Traffic fascinates him. [Where Are We Now?]

What I did
Finished my corners and arcs. One of my circles was too big, instead of a shrunken diamond, movement 7. [Finish]

What I didn’t do
Keep my mouth shut. I know I asked him if he was ready to canter, both directions. Ground crew says there were at least three instances. Judge was kind enough to leave room for doubt. There is no doubt. I talk to my horse.

I blame saddleseat.

I blame driving.

After schooling in these disciplines, we now actively use voice commands to communicate with both horses. They also appear find it soothing to have their rider maintain a steady stream of chat. If I don’t say anything, Rodney assumes the worst.

Called it. Check out the judge’s comments in the collective marks. [Why Wup?]

To read the fine print, Beginner Novice Test B, download.

Covid Compliance
Our understanding of the rules was ‘Masks on unless mounted.’ We interpreted that to mean not on a horse and not hanging out at the trailer. We treated our work space as an extension of our bubble. As soon as we ventured forth, we donned masks. We were not alone in mask wearing, but it was not universal.

I see three reasons for a lack of mask. 1) Outside. 1a) Outside with natural social distance. Mostly one is nodding and chatting with folks en passant. 2) Vaccinated. When I was standing around – at a social distance – with friends, it turned out all four of us had gotten our vaccinations. 3) Red state.

JUMPING

So what about the jumping?
Tomorrow. Yes, I’m spreading out the posts. First horse show in 18 months. I’ll probably go on about it for the rest of the week. If not longer.

Update. Show name added. After posting, realized I forgot to note Rodney’s show name or even which horse was showing. Not so much an oversight on my part as too obvious to mention. [Doctor Whooves]

Update II, Show Links
[Conversations With My Horse, Jump Class, FCHP Schooling Show, April 2021]
[Pre-show Thoughts, FCHP Schooling Show, April 2021]
[My Horses Are Weird, Separation Anxiety Version]

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine

Team Liberty Work

Non-Riding Journal

Awareness of the outside world. Atlanta. Boulder. Indianapolis. We use to have time to be horrified after each horror. Now I can’t even keep track. CNN: The US has reported at least 45 mass shootings in the last month, by Holcombe, April 16. 2021.
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