Warning, More Whining

Saddle Seat Wednesday

Why? Because I’m sharing the journey. Because one day we will all look back on this and laugh?

Last week, I left the barn without riding.

I went over to Stepping Stone Farm. I watched Miss Courtney work a horse. Afterwards, she proposed two lovely horses for my lesson. The idea of getting on a horse appalled me. There was no looming horse show to push me forward. I went home.

I don’t understand myself. Riding fills me with dread. Yet, I can’t bring myself to walk away.

I had hoped Dottie would be the horse to help me find my mojo. Not so much. Turns out that whole run up to Nationals was an shining detour rather than a path back. As I sit here typing, thinking about riding Dottie makes me reach for the Pepto – and she is awesome.

Back to the whining drawing board. Onwards. (Not feeling it, but saying it anyway. Words have power. I hope.)

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

#bloglikecrazy

Hippity Hoppity

Fortunately this ended well.

During Greg’s most recent driving lesson at Stepping Stone Farm, we over-adjusted some of the straps, apparently. As soon as Milton moved off, he started bucking in harness. Not a sight one wants to see. Coach Courtney gave swift but calmly-voiced instructions. Greg handled it. In retrospect, it was a few bucks over a short distance. Milton recovered immediately. The rest of us took a while longer.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

#bloglikecrazy

Split Personality

I take a book out to the barn. I sit in the sun. I watch the green trees against the blue sky. I listen to the horses chew their breakfast hay. I drink my morning Coke. I pat the dog. I smell the hay, and wood, and grass, and dirt of a barn. My barn. It is enough. I am happy.

My inner jump rider howls in frustration.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

#bloglikecrazy

Letter Art, AlphaBooks: Y is for Young

Mister Ed and Me
by Alan Young with Bill Burt
St Martin’s 1994

Bought from Buyback Express via ABE.com.
~~~
This Year

[X is for Xenophon]
[W is for Wodehouse]
[V is for von Tempski]
[U is for USDA]
[T is for Tewson]
[S is for Severin]
[R is for Rubin]
[Q is for Queen]
[P is for Pace]
[O is for O’Connor]
[N is for Newsum]
[M is for McKinley]
[L is for Lewis]
[K is for Krementz]
[J is for Journal]
[I is for Ipcar]
[H is for Hatch]
[G is for Gray]
[F is for Francis]
[E is for Endicott]
[D is for Doty]
[C is for Cooper]
[B is for Brown]
[A is for Anderson]

Past Years
[2016 Alphabet] [2015 Alphabet]

Project explanation [AlphaBooks 2017]. Open to recommendations for the remaining letters. Which books would you choose?

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

#bloglikecrazy

The Weirdness That Is National Academy, A Blogger Non-Meetup

I’ve been to a lot of horse shows. National Academy is the weirdest.

First, the age level. Hundreds of kids and a handful of adults acting like kids. Us grown-up riders were not there in our capacity as mature human beings. We were there as students. Expected to sit down, shut up, and listen to our instructors. It’s hard not to feel 12 years old in that situation.

Second, the experience level. Academy is the beginner level of saddle seat. By definition, none of the riders have developed coping mechanisms for show stress. Even those of us who have been to other types of shows are new to this discipline. A build-up of novice nerves.

Third, the cut-offs. One-quarter to one-third of the entries are done after Friday’s classes. Another wodge are done after Saturday. Surviving to ride another day is a huge concern. This turns the tension level up to eleven.

Finally, the schedule. On Friday, we had five people to go twice (technically, me three times & the leadliner once). That’s ten times of getting ready, cheering on, acting as a spotter, coming back to the barn to congratulate/commiserate, and so on. The Stepping Stone Farm contingent was on the small side. Some barns had many more riders. Either you are riding, or someone from your barn is. There is never enough time.

A case in point. There is another blogger. She rides saddle seat. She shows Academy in the Adult division. Clearly, we are soulmates in the making. This year, her barn was at the other end of the aisle from us. I could see their stalls from ours.

Was I able to track her down to introduce myself? HA!

Either she was busy, or I was. Or both. Yes, we were often both busy because we were in the same classes. I FREAKING STOOD NEXT TO THIS WOMAN IN LINE UP. And yet I left Murfreesboro on Sunday without ever meeting her. That’s how weird Nationals is.

Maybe next year. (Twitch. Shudder.)
~~~
And thus we bring to a close this year’s recap of the National Academy Championship Horse Show. Best of times. Worst of times. It was Nationals.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

#bloglikecrazy