More Banquet Thoughts, Where To Sit

Adventures in Saddle Seat

Enjoy the ride.

 

I stood in the middle of the room, attempting to look sauve, while madly casting my eyes hither and yon. I was looking for a place to sit at the annual awards banquet [AHSHAA]. If I recognized a person, the table was full. If the table had unclaimed places, the people were from other barns.

When I’m in extrovert mode, I have no problem plonking myself down at a table of strangers and introducing myself. However, the night was about celebrating with your own people. Not about making small talk with an orphan of the storm.

There was one spot. It was up front, so I would have a good view of the awards presentation. The faces at the table were all from my barn. The faces were all ones I knew well. Faces I could put a name to in every case.

It was the kids’ table.

I did another circuit of the room, under the pretext of taking another look at the silent auction.

Nope. No room at the inn.

Hmmm. Years ago, at an extended-family reunion, I was relegated to the kids’ table for the first time in my life. I was 16. I was appalled. I had a blast.

Well, why not? I don’t see any other options.

We talked about horses. We talked about shows. We compared notes about the effect of being coached from the side of the ring. I compete at the same level they do. I ride the same horses. I had a blast. The kids didn’t seem to mind the intrusion of grey hair and wrinkles into the middle of their party, or at least they were kind enough not to let on.

In hindsight, it’s not really surprising. I have more in common with the kids, who compete, than with their parents, who don’t ride.

What can I say. I am … ageless. Yeah, let’s go with that. Ageless.

Thank you for reading.
Katherine Walcott

What Riding Means To Me by Lizzy Plaia, Guest Post

Adventures in Saddle Seat

Enjoy the ride.

 
Every year, the ASHAA gives Outstanding Youth Awards. The application includes academics, extra-curricular activities, community service/volunteerism, and an essay (ASHAA > Forms > Outstanding Youth Application). The Junior winner ( 12 & under) this year was a rider from Stepping Stone Farm. She has agreed to let me run her winning essay as a guest post. Welcome Lizzy.

Previous Essay Winners
[What Riding Means To Me: Christopher Wamble]
[Why I Ride by Rachel Wamble]
[Why I Ride by Katie Wood]
~~~
What Riding Means To Me
by Mary Elizabeth “Lizzy” Plaia.

Before riding I was afraid, anxious and scared. My doctor recommended riding so I went for it. Due to my illness I had little endurance or exercise tolerance. I couldn’t even ride my own bike before I started riding saddle seat.

When I first rode a horse, I was scared and nervous like what if it’s going to kick me off. As I took lessons, I started to get used to it and I wasn’t as afraid. I knew it was still going to hurt, but I could tell that my joints were going to feel better. Now I don’t have to worry about my joints hurting because they are normal. Riding now is fun and I don’t have to worry about my pain because it’s not as bad as it used to be. 

I also met so many new people because of riding. I made new friends pretty easy. All I had to do was to say “hi” and they became friends with me. I feel free with my friends  I like to hang out with my barn friends at competitions or just hang out at the barn. My favorite thing to do is spend time with my sweet horse who loves me so.

Saddle seat riding makes me feel stronger, free, and courageous. Which is not what I felt like before I got on that first horse.

Lizzy and Transformer on a victory pass.
Proud Mom Photography

Changing Of The Guard, ASHAA Banquet

Adventures in Saddle Seat

Enjoy the ride.

 

 
American Saddlebred Horse Association of Alabama Banquet
Stone Bridge Farms
Cullman AL USA
Saturday, January 25, 2020

Year-End Awards for 2019 Show Season
Academy WTC Adult Equitation: 3rd of 5
Academy WTC Adult Showmanship: 4rd of 5
 

 
For the first time in seven years, the length of time I have been showing Saddlebreds, I was not the Champion in my Adult divisions, nor the Adult Academy Highpoint. I handled it better than you might think, given my competitiveness and my oft-stated infatiation with show satin.

First off, I had to see it coming. I went to four ASHAA shows last year. This is not the schedule of which champions are made.

Second, the titles were won by a rider from Stepping Stone Farm. So I could happily cheer them on. Go Team!

Finally. I really want to be showing my own horses over in the jumping side of the world. Last year, Milton and Rodney and I took our first steps in that direction. This cut into my time to go gallivanting with the Saddlebreds. Ideally, I would have compensated for the decrease in year-end ribbons from the saddle seat folks with an increase in year-end ribbons from hunter/jumpers &/or eventers. Maybe next year.
 

 
Saddlebred? Alabama [back]? There are times I wonder about the turns my life has taken.

Update
What Riding Means To Me by Lizzy Plaia, Guest Post
More Banquet Thoughts, Where To Sit
Association Lettering

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Why Rodney Will Never Be An Outstanding Obstacle Horse

Horsekeeping

Lucky enough to have a horse.

 
We figured out why Rodney doesn’t like to be touched on the side. Well, my genius in-house diagnostician figured it out. I agree with him.

Years ago, long before he came to us, Rodney was gouged in the side by a doorlatch. The resulting scar is gnarly-looking, but there are no lumps, no adhesions, no stiffness, nada. The incident left no lingering physical effects, as far I can determine. [Remnant of Rodney’s Past]

Flash forward to our attempt to get Rodney to walk through pool noodles. He doesn’t like it. Oh well. He’s brave about some things, spooky about others. I file this under obstacles to work on and don’t think more about it. It’s normal to have reservations about walking through a press. That’s why it is on an Obstacle Challenge course. [ It Touched Me!, In The Ring]

Then, a while back, we stood Rodney between the shafts of the cart, as we have been doing with Milton [Holiday Rides]. Rodney will never be a driving horse. He would not tolerate all of the straps involved. I figured he’d be okay with this exercise as he would not be bound in any way. No reason to feel claustrophobic. If he started to get upset, I’d simply walk him forward out from between the shafts.

As the shafts came down on either side of him, I remembered that he doesn’t like to be touched by weird stuff on his side. I said as much. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, one shaft gently bopped him. Eeeeep. He jumped straight up in the air with all four feet.

When I lay it out like this, the conclusion is obvious. He has a strong, visceral memory of something reaching out to bite him on the side. He’s fine with hand, brush, leg, or saddle. He doesn’t tolerate odd, unexpected solid objects. It is not location specific. It is anywhere on either flank. Since the injury does not affect him functionally, I tend to forget about it. Rodney does not.

Duh.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Walking The Tests

Training Journal

If you’re riding a horse, you’ve already won.

 
Rodney walks to warm up body and brain. It takes a while. Why not use the time to practice my dressage tests?

We – the barn we – used jump standards and poles to lay out a 20×40 ring. Rodney and I walked UDSF Intro A & Intro B over and over and over. He strolled. I practiced my position and worked on my geometry, while holding as little rein as possible consistent with steering. I hope to continue this exercise through the winter. It’s a good one for muddy days.

He was fine but never completely bought into the program. Either he didn’t like being in the sandbox, rudimentary as it was. Or he didn’t like being ridden for an hour. While he never exerted himself beyond a few big walks across the diagonal, he did have to move his feet or stand around with me on his back for 60+ minutes. Or because it was 39o. My feet were certainly not speaking to me by the end.

Anticipation will not be a problem. Rodney is the sort of horse who will feel more secure knowing what comes next. Doing the test again and again won’t damage our competitiveness. Will it help? We’ll see.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Lunar New Year Stamps, The Undesirable Becomes Adorable

Celebrating Art

 


 
The stamps are cute in pictures. They are gorgeous in person. The crown and the forehead circlet are bright, shimmery gold color. Judging by the drawings around the border, this style will continue through the 12-year cycle. If so, we may have annual feature on our hands.

“The image offers a contemporary take on the long tradition of the paper-cut folk art crafts that are another Lunar New Year hallmark.” Postal Reporter: USPS to release Year of the Rat stamp Jan 11 2020

“Patterns based on Asian textiles are visible on the mask. The circle in the middle of the rat’s head symbolizes the new moon that heralds the beginning of Lunar New Year. Specifically, Lunar New Year starts on the second new moon following the winter solstice in December.” Linn’s Stamp News: New U.S. Lunar New Year series begins Jan. 11 with Year of the Rat forever stamp

Other 2020 Rats
Instead of overloading you with links, I suggest Googling “year of the rat 2020 stamps” > image, to see what other countries have come up with.

Previous USA Rats
2008 USPS: Celebrating the Chinese New Year PDF
1996 Smithsonian, Arago™, The online database of the National Postal Museum: Chinese New Year Issue: Year of the Rat
Slideshow Smithsonian, National Postal Museum, Virtual Exhibits: Lunar New Year Postage Stamps , 1992-2004 and 2008-2019.

VBB Archives
Year of the Horse
[A Colorful Quad]
[Pretty Pink Horses]
Year of the Dog
[Graphic Design: Year of the Stamp]
[Foto Friday: Year of the Dog]
List of Links
[Stamps]

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Have You Read This? Happy Lunar New Year!

From The Bookshelf

 
Series Intro
I know the feeling of finding a good book. I want to spread the joy. Not reviews. Imagine we are in a bookstore. I wander up to you, hand you one of these books, say ‘Have you read this one?’, then wander off. Whereupon you look at the cover, turn it over, look at the back cover, read the blurb, flip through the book, and decide for yourself if you are interested. It’s like that. Enjoy.

Scanner broken. All covers off the Internet.

Past Have You Read This? [Graphic Novel], [Travel], [Inspiration]

Post Intro
In honor of the year of the rat. Movie posters from the Internet.

Rats: Observations on the History & Habitat of the City’s Most Unwanted Inhabitants
Robert Sullivan, @RESullivanJr
(Bloomsbury 2004)

Robert Sullivan, In The Alleys With ‘Rats’, Interview on NPR, 2009
“In thrall to ratdom” Guardian 2005

Chess With A Dragon
David Gerrold
(Waker 1987)

They may be sentient rats but at least they are our kind of species.

The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern’s Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure
by William Goldman
(Harcourt 1973)

I drag this in by the tails of the R.O.U.S. as an excuse to plug the book. Even if you’ve seen the movie, give the book a try. There are significant sections that can’t be rendered on the screen.

Charlotte’s Web
E. B. White
Illustrated by Garth Williams
(Harper 1952)

I admit that while I remember the book, I do not recall Templeton the Rat from those pages. OTOH, I retain a vivid memory of Paul Lynde as Templeton singing, “A fair is a veritable smorgasbord-orgasbord-orgasbord.”

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

What do you have for me to read?

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott