Checking Out Arena Driven Dressage

View From The Back Seat

 

B.B. King and Megan Wallace Bridges perform ADT Training Level Test 1.

Driven dressage takes place in a 40×80 meter arena. Ridden dressage takes place in a 20×60 arena. Since there are many more ridden dressage shows than driven dressage opportunities, drivers have figured out a way to squish the former into the latter.

Adjustments include starting in the ring to – I assume – avoid a funky turn to enter and using the diagonals instead of the center line for distance and for avoiding the tight turns onto and off center line. In addition, most shows schedule driven dressage at the end to minimize the opportunities for the ridden horses to freak out.

Over the weekend, we went to show the flag for the driven dressage class at a local dressage show. The driving minis were adorable and obedient. At least two ridden horses took exception to the minis or the carts &/or both. It’s a common response. Even our driving horse thinks minis in carts bear close watching [Milton Does Demo Duty].

Arena driven dressage. It’s a thing.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Where Everybody Knows Our Name

Training Journal

 

 
When we take the horses out for schooling, we find ourselves going to Stepping Stone Farm more often than not. It isn’t the closest. Falcon Hill Farm is ten miles closer with superb all-weather footing and a full jump course. SSF doesn’t have the most facilities. Full Circle Horse Park has a dressage ring, a large covered ring, show jumps, a cross-country course, and the largest area in which to hack.

It’s the place we fit in the best.

We know the barn routine. If we want quiet, we know when to go; if we want busy, ditto. When we arrive, I don’t have to ask for the schedule. I can look at the board to see who is riding when. I know the pattern of the lessons. I can look at a group lesson in the big ring and say, ‘yeah, they’re almost done.’ I know the horses. I was reluctant to walk Rodney along the driveway and around the rings. I didn’t want to disturb the lessons in progress. Then I looked at the horses being ridden, Sam and two other old hands. Nope. Nothing is going to bother those guys. Off we went.

And so we end up schooling at a saddle seat barn, when a hunter/jumper barn or an event barn would be a more logical choice.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

The Ups And Downs Of Walking

Training Journal

 
Quiet side: It is wonderful to be walking our horse.

Competitive side: Yes it is. When are we going to trot?

Quiet side: We trot. And canter.

Competitive side: Pffft. A few minutes on a long rein is not trotting. Well, technically it is trotting. But it’s not working. Circles. Contact. Basic stuff. Canter more often than once a month.

Quiet side: It’s all about anxiety management. He knows how to do everything already. As soon as his brain is online, the body will follow.

Competitive side: Interesting how the sensitive horsemanship answer is the same as the weenie answer.

Quiet side: That’s rude.

Competitive side: Yup. And may I also point out that he is 20 years old. That’s a whole new level of starting late.

Quiet side: May I point out how how far we’ve come.

Competitive side: Jumping. Remember jumping?

Quiet side: —

Competitive side: I thought so. Ain’t gonna get ready for jumping by walking around on the buckle.

Quiet side: Festina lente.

Competitive side: Lots of lente; not so much festina.

Quiet side: It takes the time it takes.

Competitive side: Life is short. Yolo.

Quiet side: We are smelling the flowers.

Competitive side: We are wandering around aimlessly.

Quiet side: Potato, potahto.

Competitive side: We have the chance to own a fantastically talented horse and this is what we chose to do with him?

Quiet side: Are you trying to help or trying to crank up the guilt knob?

Competitive side: Whatever it takes.

Quiet side: Be quiet. It is wonderful to be walking our horse.
~~~
And there you have my brain.

Discussing the Dichotomy
[Is Your Horse A Dog Or A Sailboat?]
[Split Personality]
[Countdowns]

Does anyone else’s brain send mixed messages?

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Why! Are! We! Waiting! Schooling The Hurry Up & Wait

Training Journal

 

 
We’ve all been to shows where you get ready and then wait, and wait, and wait. Yet, we never practice this at home. At least, I don’t. Get on. Ride. Get off. That’s the general routine at home. Then we go to shows and expect the horse to be good with a different paradigm. Most horses are.

Since we have been blessed with a pair of princess cupcake snowflakes, I am now schooling things I used to take for granted. As an example, Rodney went over to Stepping Stone Farm to hang out under saddle. We stood in the middle of the ring to watch a lesson. We did a little bit of work. We watched this lesson. We went over to the other ring and watched that lesson.

In the beginning, he thought it was odd and a touch concerning to have horses swirling around him. Then in the middle, he stood still but started stretching his head down and doing weird things with his tongue. In any other horse, I would have interpreted this as obedient but bored. This horse never gets bored. At home, we’ve stood for 20-30 minutes while he quietly gazes at the world around him [Switching Horses]. By the end, he was was all, ‘Okay. They work. I watch. Cool.’

Does anyone else school this?

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Inktober Word

Discovering Art

 

 
Week 2 [Inktober Cat]
Week 1 [Inktober Horse]
Inktober
#inktober
#inktober2019
“Note: you can do it daily, or go the half-marathon route and post every other day, or just do the 5K and post once a week.” Rules

Process
The plan was to have the I slanting down, the K slanting up, with the N criss-crossed in the middle. Then I drew the lines the wrong way on the I and had to adapt. When I tried to make another one, the outlines of the letters never got right. I am trying to envision the result as a happy little tree.

Materials
Pen: Zebra fountain pen. Is there a better celebration of ink that the fountain pen? These Zebra pens are disposable, which is not environmental but so convenient. A gateway to real, i.e. refillable, fountain pens.
Paper: Canson Mix Media, spiral bound, 98 lb
Digitization: cell phone camera
Post-production: resized, border, & watermark in GIMP
Retouching: None.
~~~
Speaking of words, I have found a new way to describe my approach to Inktober. Fun Art. This concept comes courtesy of the post Not Fine Art…But Fun Art by Artistcoveries: Discovering the joy of art. The concept is self-evident. As the author says, “I’m going for entertainment, amusement, and enjoyment.” Sounds good to me.

This is not an excuse for my poor draftsmanship, or at least not just an excuse. In the post, another speaker says, “We can’t get too crafty.” If there is a divide between fine art and craft, I come down with solid thud on the craft side. Craft can be both useful and beautiful. Fine art is … Well, the nature of art, the relationship between art and craft, and my feelings on same is a ponderment for another day.

Meanwhile.

Fun Art.

Wheeeeeee!

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Canter Collage, Show Photos, Alabama Charity 2019

Adventures in Saddle Seat

 


 
To keep himself entertained when not holding my paw, my stellar groundperson bought our camera to the show. For some reason, ASB show photographers never have pictures of the horses cantering. To remedy that oversight, I present Sam at the canter. [Show Report]
 

 
I find the feet fascinating. So many different configurations.

Update
Does a horse have feet or hooves? Both. A deer has two hooves on each foot, so hoof and foot are slightly different things. “Some odd-toed ungulates (equids) have one hoof on each foot.” Wiki: Hoof

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott