A week ago Sunday, we went to Stepping Stone Farm to practice cantering & jumping [Juggling]. Last Friday was Falcon Hill Farm for a jump lesson. More on this once the media is ready. Sunday was Full Circle Horse Park to get reacquainted with the dressage arena and get acquainted with the new covered arena, above.
At FCHP. we rode in heavy mist/light rain. Been awhile since I’ve ridden out in the elements [Team Awesome]. Milton didn’t seem to care about the weather. As long as the footing was solid, he didn’t mind what was happening above it.
Rodney’s been hanging at home, stomping through the mud.
Milton motivation on Spotify.
Created by G-Dog.
Coming to you straight from the 80s.
Update: Songs to be adjusted as we discover what motivates Milton. Our songmeister thinks Milton may be more Katy Perry/Lady Gaga/Beyonce.
More Update. The above is a screenshot. To play the list, you need to have/sign up for an account at Spotify.com. It’s free, or at least doesn’t cost money. I assume such companies are profiting off us in some way. TANSTAAFL. But I digress. Once you have an account, find the search bar. Enter “Milton Psyche”. That should work, at least that’s want I did. Thus exhausts my knowledge of Spotify.
As I was shopping, a horse jumped into my cart. Since he was on sale, I let him stay, particularly once I looked at the conformation under the holiday trappings, Nice horse, says I to myself. I was right. Winter is made on the Totalis mold, Identify Your Breyer: Totilas.
Why do people shop? Why do we buy clothes we don’t wear, books we don’t read, food we don’t eat?
Is it wishful thinking? Will this be the time I read The Economist cover to cover, or at all? Is it the act of shopping itself? The act of buying?
I have no answers, only more questions.
The day I went off to pick up my possibly pointlessly re-tailored show clothes [All Dressed Up And No Place To Go], this came in the mail.
Why did I buy yet another MEPSA Annual? I have no idea.
Does it have anything I have seen in other years? No.
Does it have articles and pretty pictures? Yes.
Could I learn from the articles and use the winning photos as inspirational examples? Yes.
Given my level of involvement in the hobby, did three years of books I already have contain sufficient examples? Yes.
Was I supporting the show? Not really. I have bought items to support artists before. OTOH, I don’t photo show, so my desire to support the nice folks who run the shows is a slim connection at best.
Did I use a blog post as an excuse to do what I wanted to do anyway? Most definitely.
Is it possessiveness? A desire to build up my horde in dragon-like fashion? Possibly.
Will this be the prompt that finally gets me to start futzing with model horses? I doubt it.
The day before the show [Up & Down], I picked up the clothes I had fitted at the previous show [Riding Vs Showing: Meet-up In A Hotel Room]. I’m not used to this high living.
Vest
When I would put on my fancy, custom vest [New Clothes] at shows, I would think, ‘Hmmmpf, this doesn’t fit any better than my last-minute, non-custom vest [Important Questions].’ By contrast, I loved the shirt. When I tried the vest on at the fitters, I couldn’t remember what I disliked about it. However, the nice man found a few places to take it in anyway.
I may have made a mistake getting measured at end of a show day, when I was underfed and dehydrated. The result is well-fitted, bordering on snug. Which is fine, except that I’m currently at the low end of my weight range. I try to stay between 140 to 150. I’m at 143 lbs. Not a lot of wiggle room. Nothing for it but a few sit-ups & always remember to bring my non-fitted vest.
Yes, to me overweight means not fitting into my show clothes. We knew this [Diet Progress 2014].
Pants
As I said, I had planned to buy pants. Turned out the nice ones I already had could be lengthened.
Rachel Kelley Photography
This was the picture that made me realize I needed new pants. Should drape down over the heel of the boot. Photo from NEGA 2016 [Show Photos, Presentation]
Overall
From the way the vest and pants feel, I can tell I look très spiff. I have not looked in a mirror. There must have been one at the fitting appointment, but I didn’t see it/forgot to look. No full-length at home. I mostly put on the clothes and wait for more knowledgeable people to sign off.
Now to find occasions to wear them. Not sure when that will be. Last year, I rode in 7 saddle seat shows. Three were local, i.e. small, and one was in-house, i.e. very small. I only pulled out the full outfit three times. Did okay with the unmodified versions.
This year, I have even less of a plan. I’m sure (Lord willing etc.) that I will ride in the local fun shows. I have no idea about the fancier shows. There is even a potential conflict that could keep me from Nationals. Gasp! Clutch pearls!
Oh well. When the opportunity arises, I will be dressed and ready.
26. Academy Driving – 1st of 1
With Whiskey Throttle.
Thank you to Courtney Huguley.
Fourth Class: Into The Thunderdome
The show was moved because Heathermoor has an indoor ring. It’s a lovely ring. It’s not a big ring. The size is fine for schooling or for small show classes. Put in a big horse pulling a jog cart at an extended trot and suddenly you are racing around a paperclip. Whiskey was a star about it. I had to be reminded not to lean around my turns like I was running a Road Horse at Louisville.
The Other Class That Wasn’t
While we debated the possibility of a Hunter Hack class, some genius suggested using Milton for my Academy Driving class. He likes SSF. We could hitch in the ring. I would be the only competitor.
Still no cart. Therefore, no practice. As with the other class, we ended up not being at home anyway. There was no way I would have coped with my show nerves, Milton’s show nerves, in a cart, at place where he’s had proven trouble with marble retention [Victory!: Warmup]. It’s not clear how well I would have coped with the original idea. Talk about derailing my brain for the rest of the show.
Coda
And so, another Winter Tournament comes to a close. My placings at the three of the four shows lead me to believe that I will have a pleasantly acceptable time at the awards banquet. Which is the polite translation for my inner competitor who is running about screaming Ribbons! Loot! Big fluffy ribbons! Prizes! Ribbons!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1. Advance Horsemanship WTC Adult – 2nd of 5
2. Advanced Equitation WTC Adult (Pattern) – 3rd of 5
With Sultan’s Miracle Man. Thank you to Courtney Huguley for Sam.
7. Pleasure Horse or Pony WTC Adult – 2nd of 4
With Jazz In The Park. Thank you to Natassia Gardner for Parker.
First Class: Show Your Horse
I’m proud of this one. After the last show [Riding Vs. Showing], my eyes-on-the-ground pointed out that I often don’t get it in gear until the second class. This time, I was determined to ride hard out of the gate. I tacked up as soon as possible and sashayed into the ring.
I knew that Sam had a long day of toting littles on his schedule, so I kept the actual work to a minimum. Lots of walking and standing, the occasional brief trot. Basically, what worked to warm him up at the summer show last year [Getting The Band Back Together].
Second to a fancier horse with a suit rider. Go us.
Second Class: Walk of Shame
Sam rocked it. Me, not so much.
After abbreviated rail work, we lined up for the pattern. Numerically, I went first. No problem. The first movement was to trot down the long side with two changes of diagonal. As I came around the corner, I realized I was on the wrong diagonal. I switched. Then did my two required switches. Wasn’t sure if my bad diagonal counted against me. It wasn’t good, but technically the pattern hadn’t started yet. Maybe.
Nailed the canter circle. Halt. Trot back to the line-up. Rats, I’m on the wrong diagonal again. Switch. No, phooey, I was right the first time. Switch back. I was pretty sure this time counted.
It’s a bad sign when the judge talks to you as you leave the ring.
Judge, chuckling: something, something diagonal. I didn’t get the exact words, but the sense was, You know you screwed up your diagonals, right?
Me, nodding and pointing to Coach Courtney: Yeah, and I’m about to get yelled at.
Coach Courtney: No, you are about to get shamed. (Points to outgate.) This is the walk of shame.
There is no excuse. Diagonals are 100% rider. As a feeble explanation, the deep footing changed Sam’s way of going just enough that I had trouble feeling it. Seriously. I had to stare down at this shoulders to get a clue.
I guess this proves it’s hard to be good for two classes in a row.
Third Class: Whiny Little Princess
I want to ride Saammmmm. At all the shoooowwwwws. Waaahhhhhh. What do you mean that’s not possible?! Foot stomp.
At my last lesson, Coach Courtney asked me to try an almost new-to-me horse, Parker, show name Jazz In The Park. I’d ridden him once, years ago. Alright, sure, fine. If I have to. Since Winter Tournament is the time to try new things, I offered to show him in the third class, but only the third class. That way, I could try a new horse, would still have Sam for the Horsemanship Class as planned, and, if Parker and I had a Whiskey-style meltdown [Report], it didn’t affect ALL of my series awards.
I sound so reasonable, don’t I? Let’s be clear. I did not want to ride Parker. I did not want to show Parker. However:
1) I need to get comfortable with other horses in general
2) If I plan to show at the big shows this year, Parker is likely to be the available ride.
3) The last time Coach Courtney asked me to try a horse, it was Tigger. That worked out okay [Elusive].
The second place was nice. I was mostly pleased that I got through the class without clutching at him, or at least not too badly, and not riding like a hyper-defensive sack of potatoes. There was even one moment when I asked him to move on and he zoomed down the long side in proper ASB style. I will deny this if quoted, but I can see why people might like riding a game horse. It was nice to use the accelerator pedal without prompting a debate.
The Class That Wasn’t
Earlier this year, there was vague discussion of adding Hunter Hack class for Milton and one of the ASBs who shows in hunter. The “Hack” means that after the group WTC, the entrants line up to take a jump or two! An alarming thought, but what better way for Milton and me to make our jump debut? A familiar environment, a supportive crowd, and total control over setting the jump.
I don’t know if we would have been ready, but we definitely were not after taking two weeks off in January [Dunno]. As it turned out, the show wasn’t at SSF. Not worth hauling Milton and the hunter ASB over for one class.
Well, it woulda been interesting. Woulda derailed my brain for the rest of the classes.
Virtual Brush Box 