Virtual Brush Box

Training Journal

 

I come in the house. I get distracted talking about how the horses went. I look down. I am using a boot jack in an attempt to pull off my zip-on boots.

!!

Which got me thinking about other things the younger generations of riders have never done, or conversely have always done. Have you heard of the Beloit College Mindset List? Check it out, it’s awesome. “One reason we began the List was to remind faculty members and the general public that entering college students have a particular and limited range of experiences,” notes McBride [The Mindset Lists of American History].

It reminds us old farts about the reality of being 18. They’ve always had cell phones. They’ve never had the Soviet Union. And so on. In that light, I have started a version for the horse world.
~~~
If you are talking to a group of 18-year-old riders, they have ….

Never used a boot jack to pull off their tall boots.

Never competed at Pre-Training in Eventing. It’s now called Novice, and is no longer the lowest level.

Never had to worry about penalty zones on their cross-country courses.

Never seen a long-format Olympic Event. Short format was introduced in Athens 2004.

Always ridden with a helmet in hunters or jumpers. Yay!

Always had Warmbloods as the standard in hunters. They have never had a need for a Non-TB Hunter Class.

Always had Academy as an option in saddle seat. The first ever class was in 1989, per Saddle & Bridle: Whatever Works.

The Chronicle of the Horse has been in color since they were 6 years old.
~~~
I may be off on the dates here and there, but you get the idea.

According to Wiki, Beloit College no longer claims the list, “ ‘A poorly written compendium of trivia, stereotypes and lazy generalizations.’ ” Wiki: Mindset List. There’s even more vitriol in the full quote. I smell academic infighting. Marist College has taken up the mantle.

What do you have for the Boot Jack List?

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Adventures in Saddle Seat

 

Yesterday, I said that my life would be easy if I committed to saddle seat. So, why don’t I?

It’s expensive and I’d hate every minute of it.

Not riding or showing. I love the ASB attitude and showmanship. It’s the rest of the process that fails to appeal.

It’s expensive … Other people caring for your horse does not come cheap. Other people training your horse is an even faster wallet suck.

Let’s talk about showing. A new show outfit. A second suit if I wanted to do equitation. A show bridle. Fancy horse shoes. Show fees. Academy horses have several riders to share the costs. The show bill for my spiffy suit horse would be all on me.

… and I’d hate every minute of it. Someone else caring for my horse? No. Someone else making decisions about my horse? So much no. Someone else riding my horse on a regular basis? A thousand times no. I understand the paradigm. I know it works. Not for me. Not now. Not ever. Mine. Mine. Mine. Have I sufficiently conveyed my level of possessiveness?

If I had my heart set on ASB dreams, I would adapt. I would find a way to pay for it, as much of it as I could. I would come to terms with my control issues. If it was my dream, I’d deal. I just don’t want it enough. I don’t want it enough in any discipline. If the road to equestrian fame and glory means giving up the reins and being a guest on my own horse, I won’t go. I’ll keep my horses at home and stay a backyard hero.

I’ve said all of this six years ago, in my first year of showing saddle seat [Suiting Up]. Nothing has changed. Why repeat myself? I figured ‘Why not?’ was an reasonable response to yesterday’s post. So I answered the question.

One last note. Lack of barn drama is another benefit of the AOT life. Some barns have more; some barns have less. No barn is immune. The only sure-fire method to avoiding barn drama is the ability to walk away chanting, ‘Not my circus, not my monkeys.’ If I had a horse in training, at SSF or anywhere, I would be one of the monkeys.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott