Why white? Why not? Since we are sharing the driving bridle at the moment [I Ride Milton!], I wanted a color that would not get confused with Milton’s black [Reins] and red (eventually, for marathon) driving reins. Since driving reins are removed when unharnessing, the potential for a tangled heap of reins is high. At least we will be able to sort by color.
So they get dirty. They are schooling reins.
Schooling reins that I will use to school my horse!
Schooling reins that I will use to school my horse who I rode again on Sunday! (Although getting on was harder than it should have been, or more accurately, harder than I wanted it to be. I will prevail! Eventually!)
I’ll stop! using! exclamation marks! at some point!
I am lettering 26 horse books for my Sunday posts again. It combines drawing letters with hunting for horse books. Win-win. This year, backwards.
Have nothing: N,I,G,F,E,D,& C
Have book but am open to other suggestions: Z,X,V,R,Q,P,O,M,& J
Will take recommendations on all letters, particularly obscure books/authors and the less populated letters. Since I’m going reverse alphabetical, I need the later letters sooner.
Process notes: Not in Inkscape [Goals]. I tried. Will continue to hit my head against a wall try to learn software from online tutorials. Colors from New York Cliché, which I have been binge reading over the holidays & while hiding from the cold snap.
Thank you for reading and for recommending,
Katherine Walcott
Recap courtesy of 2017 Best Nine. Previous Year Top Nine [Instagram: December 2016]. The lead post both years was a ribbon photo. Y’all know what’s important to me. Robert & an SSF Christmas bow repeat in the top nine.
I’ve been saying all along that I wanted someone else to ride Milton first. Come the day, I decided I could do it myself. We were a) in an enclosed space, b) in a place Milton knew well, and c) Coach Courtney was right there making useful suggestions, such as “Maybe loosen the grip on his mane and pick up your reins.”
To recap: Milton’s record with us under saddle is not good [Universe, Boomerang, Progress] Recently, we had lunged Milton at home with saddle to indifferent results [Blinkers]. At SSF, it was NBD. The first day, Coach Courtney put weigh in the stirrup. I could see that she was this close to throwing a leg over, but decided against it. Next time, I stood on one stirrup and let him carry my weight a few strides. The next step was to get on.
I was expecting to walk a few steps on a lead. We – it was most definitely a group effort – ended up letting me walk and steer solo. Coach Courtney thought we were ready to trot. We decided to declare victory and go home. Pushing the envelope has not worked for us in the past. Festina lente.
Yes, I’m wearing my vest [New Equipment]. No, I was not expecting a bronc ride. Otherwise, I would not have been on. Since they are bulky, both vests live in the dressing room of the trailer. Since we had it ten feet away, why not use it?
Yes, he’s wearing his driving bridle. We wanted them for the blinkers, and also because it’s what he is used to. Same tack. Same ring. Same people. Only difference is that he is giving the old lady a pony ride. Seriously, tell me that’s not his expression.
Milton’s response to all this? Okay, everyone is tense. Why is everyone tense? Oh well, their problem, not mine.
Good! Boy!
One shouldn’t need photographic evidence to make an event real, but I haven’t stopped looked at these yet. Photos by Rachel Wamble.
Coach Courtney’s daughter, Reagan Upton, is a (the!) leading saddle seat equation rider. She is the first adult to win the saddle seat triple crown: United Professional Horsemen’s Association Challenge Cup (Reagan won in 2015, 2016), USEF Saddle Seat Medal (2016, 2017), and the National Horse Show Good Hands Trophy (2017, held at The Mane Event for adults).
Her most recent adventure has been to qualify for the World Cup Team. In the spirit of the old Road To Rolex posts, I’ve asked her to share her story. Step one: getting there. Reagan and her mom flew to Missouri last December for team try-outs at William Woods University. The horse were supplied by the organizers. Usually when you need a saddle, you also need a horse. How do you ship a saddle when you aren’t taking a trailer?
Welcome Reagan.
~~~
Traveling with saddle:
I am 28 years old and have been riding for virtually my entire life, but have never encountered the issue of how to fly with a saddle. I’ve never had my luggage lost before so I figured I was due for it and this would be the weekend it happened. I had my suit, hat, boots, gloves, and everything for horse show hair in that bag. Everything else that might get lost could be purchased at a Missouri Walmart.
How I’m dragging it through the airport.
I have it wrapped around the handle of my rolly bag.
Safety pinned the handle to keep it wrapped up.
I am a person that plans EVERYTHING in advance and had to make sure I had all the minor details worked out prior to getting to the airport. I decided that I most certainly will be carrying on my saddle (by far my most precious cargo), but what would TSA think of me trying to get the chunky, bulky piece of leather through security?
So I Googled “how to carry on a saddle”. There were multiple forums on the subject that were very helpful. A few people had experienced issues with the stirrups. TSA had believed they could be used as “weapons” and required they be checked. I decided to roll the dice and believed I could get them past security.
Once I got to the airport, I checked my luggage and descended upon the dreaded TSA checkpoint. I had my saddle in a bag with the flaps fastened to each other to make the saddle appear smaller and to make it easier to roll through the security scanner. I sat the saddle down on the conveyor belt and nervously watched it roll away. I don’t know if I was just paranoid and expecting the worse, but it felt like the security guy stared at it for a lifetime.
At this point, I just knew they were going to search my saddlebag and begin arguing why I couldn’t carry it on. Another moment goes by and out pops my saddle. No questions asked or even any odd looks towards my direction. I picked up my saddle (with stirrups attached), placed it on my roller bag, and off I went to my plane.
Virtual Brush Box 