Virtual Brush Box

Primitive Trailer Camping, Us at Mid-South 2018

Home Team, Combined Driving

This was a test of concept. Many places that have enough space for cross-country or marathon courses are a long way from civilization, or at least the nearest cheap hotel. With a half-hour drive, checking on a horse after dinner becomes an hour-long project.

Set-up was simplicity itself. Pulled up next to a spigot. Attached the hose we brought. Rinsed the back. Inflated the air mattresses with our electric pump plugged into the truck. Lay them down. Threw down sleeping bag/blankets. Done.

Food was a combination of eating out of coolers and eating at restaurants. Still a work in progress.

We had a blast this time. We’ll see how it goes.

Pro
Location. Being able to check the horse early & late. Napping for a few minutes after lunch. Getting up early. Sleeping in.

Money. Saved.

Weather. We totally lucked out.

Packing. Everything is always with you. No unloading at the hotel. No deciding what comes with you to the show & what stays in the hotel. When you leave, no repacking. Simply shove everything back in the trailer.

Independence. We didn’t have to move lockstep for eating, sleeping, or horse-checking.

Con
Lights. The parking lot lights stayed on until 12:30 am.

Electricity. Battery operated lights for living. The problem was charging our devices. We had to remember to do so during the day.

Weather-preparedness. We had none. Hot. Cold. Rain. Our main back-up plan was to scamper to a hotel. In fact, we had purchased the air mattresses for Milton’s Tennessee driving show [Not a Post]. Then we found out the forecast was for below freezing. That’s a big nope.

Meh
Things that should bother me but don’t.

Sleeping where my horse poops. Meh. I’ve slept in worse places.

Walking through the barn in my PJs to the shower. Meh. T-shirt & sleep pants. While the outfit was obviously sleepware, it was as decent – and cleaner – than what I had worn the rest of the day.

Seeing other people sleeping on the grounds in fancy RVs. Meh. Good on them. A separate rig would mean two drivers. Coming home on Saturday evening it was nice to have two people in the truck. Particularly when we finally lost the rain lottery and Greg found himself piloting a trailer, in the dark, late at night, in a downpour.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Credit Where Credit Is Due, Show Report & Photos, Mid-South Spring Premiere 2018, Driving

ASB Pleasure Driving

Skill ranks below mood.
A happy horse drives easy.
Look like a hero.

Mid-South Spring Premiere (Facebook)
Northeast Alabama Agribusiness Center
Rainsville, AL
Saturday, May 26, 2018
[Show Report]

65. Academy Pleasure Driving All Ages, 1st of 2

HB Whizbang (Snippy)
Thank you to the Alvis family.

Official Photographer Casey McBride

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly, Show Report & Photos, Mid-South Spring Premiere 2018, Riding

Adventures in Saddle Seat

Mid-South Spring Premiere (Facebook)
Northeast Alabama Agribusiness Center
Rainsville, AL
Saturday, May 26, 2018

66. Academy Showmanship Adult WTC, 1st of 4
67. Academy Equitation Adult WTC, 1st of 4
70. Academy WTC Championship, 2nd of 11(?)

Sultan’s Miracle Man (Sam).
Thank you to Courtney Huguley.

Official Photographer Casey McBride

The Good
I adore this horse. We reach. After months apart, it takes us about five strides for me to say, ‘Hi Sam, it’s me’ and for Sam to say, ‘Oh, you. Well, okay then.’ On the plus side, he’s a reliable lesson horse with a dreamy canter (pictured above). On the down side, he can be a curmudgeon to the little ones. Sometimes the conversation goes, ”Hi Sam, it’s ME.’ to which Sam replies, ‘Oh. You.’ and off we go.

One of Sam’s foibles is to act up during the victory pass. As if to prove that he still has a mind of his own after being good during the class. He has spooked [Show Report Georgia 2014], has reared [one of the Mid-Souths], and has bolted with me more than once. One of the NE GA classes has no picture of the victory pass, b/c the bolt lasted the entire length of the ring.

Sadly, the saddle seat show photographers stop shooting when horses misbehave. Why?! Those are the best shots. Since I was working the booth [Photo Minion], I told the photographer that if anything happened (knock wood), I darn well expected him to catch it on film. Et voila.

Sam staged two protests before settling down to a proper show trot. Coach Courtney thinks I’m the one who gets him revved up. Could be. I’ve always been a sucker for a victory gallop.

The Bad
Outside assistance is allowed, nay expected, at saddle seat shows. Every time I rode past the ingate, Coach Courtney would yell, “Up! Up! Up!” like a demented pogo stick. Apparently, my posture on horseback remains inconstant.

The Ugly
A horse I like to ride. A place I have shown multiple times. You would suppose that I would be cool, calm, and excited. You would be wrong. I remain a hot mess.

Before class: Why? Why do I do this? Never again.
After: ALL THE SHOWS!!

[Show Reports, Rainesville & Priceville]

Update
My Weekend as a Photo Minion, Me at Mid-South 2018
Here for the Experience, Milton at Mid-South 2018
Show Report, Riding
Credit Where Credit Is Due, Show Report & Photos, Mid-South Spring Premiere 2018, Driving
Primitive Trailer Camping, Us at Mid-South 2018

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Here for the Experience, Milton at Mid-South 2018

Home Team, Combined Driving

I got in the big metal box. I drove for hours and hours and hours. (Only 2. ed.) (You go stand in a rattly metal box and then come talk to me about *only* two hours. Horse)

I went to live in a home-away-from home for 4 days. All by myself!

I talked my 200 new best friends. Mostly about being all by myself!

I got ridden twice, including cantering in the big, wide, open space of the show ring. Wheeeee.

I misbehaved the first time we hitched. That got shut down in a hurry. After that, they held my delicate, sensitive nose in a vice grip during hitching. I don’t know why, I was an angel.

I got hitched four times. I worked in the schooling ring. I worked in the warm-up ring. I worked in the show ring, with traffic! I walked around the barn. I went everywhere.

I had to work twice a day. Riding and hitching, or hitching and hitching.

I didn’t show, but I got out of my stall a lot.

I went for walks. I went for grass breaks. I went one aisle over to hang with my Saddlebred bros.

I ate a lot of hay, and cookies, and carrots.

I was ready to go. All my new horse buddies were leaving. I didn’t want to be left behind. I even had to get in the big metal box in the dark. It had lights, but still.

I am happy to be home. Boy, do I have stories to tell the brown horse.

I miss being the center of everyone’s attention. That part I quite liked.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

My Weekend as a Photo Minion, Me at Mid-South 2018

Adventures in Saddle Seat

This Week on the Blog
Over the Memorial Day weekend, we took a showcation at the Mid-South Spring Premiere. I wore enough different hats to fill five days of posts.

I worked the photographer’s booth, Monday
We brought Milton for schooling, Tuesday
I showed, Wednesday
I drove, Thursday
We slept in the trailer, Friday

Life as a Booth Babe
It was expected. This is our home show. All hands on deck. Two years ago I was the fly-by ribbon minion for a night [Show Report MSSP 2016: Volunteering].

It was a surprise. Casey McBride Photography needed a warm body in the booth while he took pictures in center ring. TPTB thought photography -> Katherine. I was flattered to be considered a photographer in any capacity.

It was simple. A trained monkey could do it. Every two classes, walk over to the side of the ring. Meet photographer. Take cards. Click this button. Load card here. Click that button. Wait. Check one of the monitors to be sure the photos loaded in the correct place. Lather, rinse, repeat. Photo experience was irrelevant.

It was confusing. Understandably, customers thought I was with the photographer. They kept asking questions. All I had was the price list, a handful of instructions, & Mr. McBride’s phone number. I would do an explanatory song and dance while I texted for an answer. Fortunately, Mr. M was responsive.

It was easy. Mr. McBride didn’t seem at all worried about how I was handling his business. As long as I recorded a phone number, he could sort out whatever hash I had made of the order.

It was hard. So many permutations. Does a mean b or c? Can he do x? Cue explanatory song and dance.

It was restful. On Thursday, I had all the time in the world to load photos, eat dinner, draw. Looking at photos was self-serve. No one was buying on the first night.

It was exhausting. Being! Perky! To! People! For! Hours! On! End! Or at least having to be ready to be perky. Even Saturday night wasn’t that busy. Apparently, a large part of his orders come via the website after the show. Some times months after [Show Photos CAA 2017]. However, even 1 or 2 customers an hour is more people than I usually see in a week. After show party? Show me the bed.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

U is for Underhill

Graphic Design, Alphabooks

Driving Horse-Drawn Carriages for Pleasure: The Classic Illustrated Guide to Coaching, Harnessing, Stabling, etc.
Francis T. Underhill
Dover 1989/2014
Originally published in 1897, back when carriages were the cars, trucks, & buses of the day. Recommended by Robin Bledsoe, Bookseller. For serious carriage enthusiasts out there, Bledsoe has, or had, a collector’s copy with with a gilt-stamped, suede cover. From the price, I’m assuming it’s the original, not the Dover reprint.
Non-fiction
Inkscape, spirals

On an unrelated note, do any of you read the author’s name & NOT think of Frodo dancing on a table at The Prancing Pony?

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Jumping on the GDPR Bandwagon, My Privacy Policy

Writing & Blogging

I have no privacy policy; conversely, I have a 100% privacy policy. I don’t ask for nor collect your email address. I don’t send newsletters. I don’t market. I don’t – I couldn’t – sell your eddress to others. Personally, I loathe newsletters. Say it on your blog or don’t say it. Stay out of my inbox. I might feel differently if I had products to flog. I don’t. No marketing. No monetization. No affiliate links. I write. You read. That is the extent of our exchange.

With a few exceptions.

If you win a book giveaway, I will need your physical address. I do nothing with the address beyond that. If I you were to win again, I’d ask for your address again. I believe there was one book to an EU address, before I realized the price of international postage. She seems cool with it. (Waves hi!)

I have contacted a few people I don’t know IRL about guest posts (Waves hi with two hands!). Since I don’t have email addresses, I find the contact over on your blog, or somewhere on social media. In other words, I use an address that you have publicly displayed. I try to keep such exchanges within the bounds of polite conversation. Again, no marketing.

The Follow-By-Email feature is handled by WordPress. Since I use the simple WordPress.COM rather than the more flexible WordPress.ORG, I have no access to the process. A few times, people have stopped getting email notifications. All I can do it look at a list on my dashboard and say, ‘Yup, your name is still on it.’ I couldn’t get the emails if I wanted to.

This has been my practice to date. I have no plans to change.

Automattic is the owner of WordPress
Privacy policy for users, i.e. me
Privacy policy for visitors of users, i.e. you

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott