On the net, daily.
Not going batshit crazy.
Life becomes story.
Process Notes
Because I can’t leave well-enough alone. In It’s All Just A Draft, Tobias Buckell talks about synopsizing novels & writing cover copy. In zooming through my 750 words later that day [A Place To Write], I came up with the marketing idea of creating a haiku for each (potential, future) novel. In addition to being a gimmick, it would be a way to see if I can condense the novel in to 17 syllables. Hmm, how would I summarize the blog in a haiku? And here we are.
The ‘bat shit crazy’ reference was in 2013 [I’m Baaack]. Still true today.
Reagan Upton [Barnshine, Road] nominated me a in a Facebook challenge:
Ten-day horse family challenge. Every day, select an image from a day in the life of owning, loving, driving and riding that has had an impact on you and post it without a single explanation and nominate somebody to take the challenge. That’s 10 days, 10 horse photos, 10 nominations, and 0 explanations.
So I made it a blog post. And I provided explanations. Because I want to. My blog; my rules.
As a retrospective, this list prioritizes current activities. That is what’s on my mind. That is what I have easily accessible photos of. This photo of Mathilda is for all of the horses, people, barns, trail rides, jumps, shows and so on, that came before Rodney and Milton and ASBs and driving and so on.
Writing From the Right Side of the Stall: Carefully curated musings (um, okay, rants) about the writing life, horses, bitterness and crushing career disappointment. Fun, right?
Tails From Provence: What happens when a horsemad Ould Wagon moves from Cork to Provence with 2 horses, 2 dogs and a Long Suffering Husband? Why, she gets a third dog, discovers Natural Horsemanship à la Française and starts writing short stories, of course… Update. Challenge Accepted. 10 Day Challenge
I attempt to drum up excitement about dressage. Photo by Courtney Huguley
On one hand, a horse and rider who needed to practice the Intro C dressage test in a ring. On the other hand, a group of home-schoolers coming to Stepping Stone Farm for their weekly lessons. Result, a dressage demonstration for the kids.
How To Give A Demo When You Don’t Know Dressage
I rode the test first, narrating as I went. Even with printed copies of the test and letters on the fenceline ‘Circle at B’ didn’t mean much to them. Then we had a talk about how Milton looked. Fast? Slow? Happy? Cranky? How about the rider? Elegant? Waving her hands like a mad orchestra conductor? I was trying to make the point that they already knew more about “dressage” than they thought.
Then I rode the test again, giving them a chance to observe what we did well and what needed work. The kids were very polite and reluctant to say anything critical. One finally loosen up enough to opine that my canter transition was less than prompt. 100% correct. I also said that what they saw constituted a big improvement for us. Judges, like them, couldn’t know that. A judge can only score what they see on the day.
Coach Courtney pointed out that the same thing happens in their riding. The person in center ring has no idea how hard a rider has worked to get to the show, or what struggles they may or may not have overcome. The judges has to go with what is in front of them.
Between a rehearsal run and the demo, Milton did 6 canter half circles. Mission accomplished.
How To Turn a Saddlebred Ring Into A Dressage Arena, Using Driving Cones And Jump Standards
Cones and standards in the corners. Homemade letters on the fence [Driven Dressage]. The measurements were approximate, but then so is my dressage.
Bathed horse with special gray horse shampoos (plural). Cleaned tack. Polished boots. I can’t ride my way out of Training Intro Level. I can put on a good show.
You call that a ribbon? Three short streamers and a narrow, single rosette with the world’s most lifeless ruffle? I’ll give them the customized button, that’s cool. Different buttons give a nice variety to a ribbon display over time. The sticky-out white streamer has the name of the show. Too little, too late.
This barely rates for a backyard, in-barn gymkhana. Such a poor show of acetate is particularly appalling for eventing, which only has to invest in one ribbon per competitor per weekend.
For this I am giving up the glorious, epic loot fest that is saddle seat?! I may need to rethink my priorities.
But Seriously Folks
All snarking aside, Intrépide and Sheila Palmer placed third in their move-up to Beginner Novice. Completing all three phases of an event is always an accomplishment to be proud of. At any level, to finish is to win. Ribbons are a lovely bonus. Show Horse, Sport Horse: Sidetrack – Meet LacyShow Horse, Sport Horse: Moving On Up.
The sea of legs is the line up from the group lesson at Stepping Stone Farm last Saturday. I counted 10 horses, others swear there were 11. Either way, lots and lots of horses in a little ring. One was excused after the trot, so we “only” cantered 9 (10) at once!!
Highlights
Milton cantered ever time I asked, including the time I got confused and asked for the canter from the walk à la Saddlebreds.
The same horse kept passing him. Milton didn’t like it. By the third time, he said, ‘Oh, it’s you.’
Milton stomped through sketchy footing like the mudder he is not. We even had to make a few tight turns in the mud to get past other horses.
We did a mass reverse at the trot (!). The kids handled the traffic brilliantly. Except for one little white pony who wasn’t having any of it. She refused to turn. We ended up face to face. Milton cut around and kept going.
Rider Flashbacks
The last highlight was a concern of mine. Previous Horse had the habit of rearing and spinning whenever another horse came at him head on. I was told it is a track thing. I was concerned that it would be a Milton track thing. Doesn’t appear to be. Cross fingers.
The odd part is that when the rear/spin would happen with PH, I simply rode it out and told him to get over himself. But then, Previous Horse had a dispensation for bad behavior that I don’t grant to other horses. It was that way from day one. When we tried him at a track barn, his three gaits were walk, jig, & buck. Didn’t faze me. Go figure.
Tortoise Steps (a slightly bigger turtle)
I am learning to tell when Milton is tight in his body &/or anxious in his brain. I don’t know yet if there is a difference between the two for Milton. Previous Horse could be one or the other. Mathilda was more holistic.
Milton is learning that when I tell him ‘it will all be okay’ that maaaaayyyybbbee it will, in fact, all be okay.
~~~
Post 2607. last Tuesday was 2600. We were busy with Art Week.
Remember when Rodney had a fit on the trailer [Dubious Future]? Then had submit to remedial loading lessons [Trailer Training]? At the time we didn’t find anything. However, months later, we found a wasp’s nest in the trailer. Now we wonder if there had been a different nest that we hadn’t found. That would explain the suddenness and the violence of his response. That would also explain why he didn’t want to get back into the nasty, stingy box.
Last Saturday, I was getting the trailer ready for Milton’s second group lesson (!) at Stepping Stone Farm. When I opened the rear doors, I found a bumblebee crawling on the floor, then saw a wasp on the outside of a window screen. I inspected every nook and cranny before we loaded.
There and back again without incident. Nevertheless, I always carry a can of bug zap in the dressing room.
How did Milton fare in a crowded ring? Stay tuned.
Update: Rodney now gets back on the trailer and goes places [What’s Been Happening]. He doesn’t do much when he gets there, but that’s a different issue. Turtle steps.
Virtual Brush Box 