Show Tweets: MTCC Driving Derby 2017

 

[Show Report]

Tweeted from the cart. We were sent out to the back 40 for a stroll while we waited our turn.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Show Report: MTCC Driving Derby 2017

MTCC Driving Derby
Whip Hand Farm
Franklin, TN, USA
Saturday, September 9, 2017

Bliss WH. Greg driving. Katherine navigating.
Preliminary Single Horse: 1st of 4.
Preliminary Division: 2nd of 7.

We came. We saw. We ran around like idiots. A good time was had by all.

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Slide show photos by Kate Bushman. More photos of competitors on the MTCC Facebook page. She makes all of us look good.

An athlete prepares.

[MTCC Derby 2016]

Update
Show Tweets: MTCC Driving Derby 2017
Foto Friday: MTCC Driving Derby 2017

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Outing Report: Full Circle Farm 2017 Fall Schooling Show

Milton attended his first practice show.

Full Circle Horse Park, in Cropwell, AL, had a dressage, combined test, and lower-level three-phase schooling show last Sunday. We took Milton over to look around. He was fabulous.

Look at that. And that. And those horses over there.

As soon as he got off the trailer, he greeted his 15 new best friends. Although he stared at everything, he failed to dance and fuss. He was a bit distraught when Greg walked him down to the XC, away from the new friends. Note to self, Milton doesn’t like to be alone. I wonder how this will play out in competition.

Milton’s first showground warm-up.

Milton behaved so well that Greg harnessed up and did groundwork off in a corner. The original plan had been to go to SSF to hitch. We decided this was equally valuable experience.

After working, Milton was over the novelty of it all.

The only misbehavior was going home. He stared at the step-up into the trailer as if he couldn’t figure it out. ‘It’s too hiiiiiiigh.’ and ‘I can’t lift my feeeeeeet.’ Being stymied by height is not good news in a jumping horse. Not such a big deal in a driving horse. We gave him a few tries and one ‘Seriously, Horse?’ He got right on.

The new paradigm seems to be “portable” jumps strewn about an open field.

Full Circle Horse Park is a new facility that plans to be both a boarding barn and a full-service competition venue. Right now they have a ring, a jumping area, and Amoeba & Tadpole cross-country. Bigger courses and more facilities are in the works. Gonna be a nice resource to have close to home.

And me? How did I survive surrounded by tall boots, jumping horses, and cross-country fences? Shrug. I’ve given up so hard it doesn’t even hurt. Much.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Checking the news feed.

New Equipment: Rodney Tests The Vest

Vests for our CDE debut.

Greg gets the short vest since he sits. I get the longer since I stand. Plus I might, someday, possibly, in a fantasy world, use it on cross-country.

Overall, Rodney has done little this summer. Once his ankle was almost deswollen [Dubious Future], he got a small scuff right under the saddle. Thanks Milton. Once that was healed and growing hair, I took him for a brief walk, pictured here.

Afterwards, I found a cut on the inside of this lip. Although small and nowhere near the bit, for a horse who is already hyper-sensitive, it is enough of a pea under the mattress to warrant yet more days off. [Images here, if you want the not very gory details.]

None of this has been serious. All of it has kept Rodney out of work. Do they plan it this way?

As for his trailer issues [Trailer Training], Precious Prince Snowflake Cupcake will load and stand, but is clearly miserable and panics at the first hint of confinement. I’m pondering our next step.

Sigh. Or is the sigh implied when dealing with Rodney?

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Letter Art, AlphaBooks: S is for Severin

 

Crusader: By Horse to Jerusalem
Tim Severin
Hutchinson 1989

S Authors on Rodney’s Saga
Stoneridge [From the Shelves I]
~~~
This Year

[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

USDF Interview: Charles Tota, Dressage Specialty Retailer and Designer

“Behind The Scenes: Charles Tota, Dressage Specialty Retailer and Designer”
USDF Connection
September 2017
United States Dressage Federation

A short interview with the owner of The Dressage Connection.

©2017 United States Dressage Federation. Used by permission. Reproduction prohibited without prior written permission of the publisher.

Previous Posts [Behind The Scenes]

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott