Virtual Brush Box

In Which I Reblog Myself

… what should i do in New York City … this looks like fun … this restaurant looks good … a lot of these recommendations come from New York Cliché … i should see if she’s free for a blogger meet-up … wait, i can’t ask a total stranger to meet … can i? … genius idea. She’s an actress. i’ll ask if there are any performances we can attend … that sounds less stalker-ish … silence … she’s in this New York Cliché, Drunk Restoration Comedy Presents: Meaneth Girls or the Tragedy of Regina George, but it’s not playing while we are there … i tried … that was a fun trip … email from New York Cliché… didn’t see letter-sorry to miss-hope you had a great time-did i have any stories-would i like to guest post? … guest post? guest post? cool … i can talk about this, and this, and this … wait, a story is narration, this is exposition … well, it’s what i got … if she doesn’t use it, i can … she likes it! she likes it! … maybe this will be my breakout post … the one that gets Freshly Pressed, and goes viral, and gets quoted years from now by other bloggers [Blogging Goals] … but without the nasty side effects of fame, The Everywhereist: My Post About Feminism Went Viral. Days Later, My Twitter Account Was Hacked … is it out yet? … no … is it out yet? … no … is it out yet? … it’s out! New York Cliché, Guest Post: Born and Raised a New York Native….But Now? … my first guest post written to purpose! … i’ll post the link here and here and here … how sweet … comments! … that was nice of her to say … and … nothing … no fireworks stats … no global recognition of my brilliance … the world moved on … how dare it … i wonder if this is how if feels to write a book, sell a nice number of copies, and then have it fade into the sunset … i can reblog it … reblogging myself, is that meta or next-level narcissism? … at least i got a blog post out of it.

This is a screenshot. For the rest of the post, please click on the image or visit New York Cliché, Guest Post: Born and Raised a New York Native….But Now?

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Foto Friday: Wall Street Sunrise

Random vacation snap or clever foreshadowing?

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Show Photos: CAA 2017

Driving Thursday

Utility Vehicle Reinsmanship, Victory Pass

With Milton on injured reserve [God Laughs] and no saddle seat shows [Do It All], not much driving going on. Instead, here are some belatedly ordered photos from the CAA Carriage Festival last year [Show Report]. (You may notice that MY photos get ordered right away – the good ones at least – while Greg’s get ordered eventually.)

Greg drives Bliss WH. Double Jeopardy passenger is Coach Kate. Presentation Drive passenger is me. All photos by & purchased from Casey McBride.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Road to the World Cup: First Team Practice. Guest Post

Saddle Seat Wednesday

Stepping Stone Farm rider Reagan Upton is on the U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team. She is sharing her story. Welcome Reagan.

Part 1 [Road to the World Cup: Have Saddle, Will Travel]
~~~
Like any other team sport, the U.S. Saddle Seat Team has practice. Before I went to our first practice at Cascade Stables in New Orleans, LA, many people would ask me “what exactly do you practice?” That was a question I had asked myself. What would we practice? We all know how to ride, so exactly what would we be doing?

In my opinion, practice is more for the coaches because they have to learn each rider’s strengths and weaknesses. At the World Cup competition, the team will draw 6 horses and it is up to the coaches to decide which rider will ride which horse during the competition. The coaches will have to evaluate the horse and determine what rider’s strength would fit that horse best in order to get the best scores. So at our team practice, the coaches had us ride multiple horses to evaluate what type horses we look best on and which ones we get along with the most. I rode a total of 3 five-gaited horses and did a pattern on each.

The coaches also did individual interviews. I was asked what I believe my strengths are and if I would rather rider a lazy horse or a game horse. I explained that I am an aggressive rider (could be a strength or a weakness) and a lazy horse compliments my riding style more.

When I was a kid, Jennifer Fernambucq of Heathermoor Farm, was my trainer while she and my mom had a barn together. I also rode with Desiree Clausen of Cardinal Farm for a year. This is where I got my equitation training. Other than that, I’ve had my mom as my trainer. So I had to adjust to other coaches. I am obviously not as comfortable with them as I am with my mom. When I feel something is not perfect, I can stop and pick my mom’s brain on how to make it better. With the coaches, I have to figure out how to make it perfect on my own. I guess that is because that is how it will be at the World Cup Competition.

I am extremely comfortable on a new horse. I am confident (maybe a little cocky) that I can jump on anything and ride it well. It’s hard to show the coaches this since I don’t know them well. I guess this is something that was awkward for me and maybe a little internally frustrating. I don’t know how to tell two strangers to put me on anything and I promise you can count on me.

Practice also encouraged team bonding. Although the competition is individual, we all feed off of each other’s energy and need to build trust. They want us to encourage each other and give each other feedback on the horse we are riding because your teammate might end up competing on that horse. So if I tell someone a horse I practiced on likes steady hands versus busy hands then they will trust that information to help them succeed.

We definitely bonded! We would stay up together in someone’s hotel room talking and playing games. We played the game What Do You Meme, which was a fun way to learn everyone’s personalities. We have a group Snap Chat going and we all communicate every day with one another.

All of my teammates are younger than me. I am 6 years older than the next oldest; 9 years older than the average. Although I joke about being the grandmother of the team, I don’t feel an age difference when it comes to the competition and horses. I only feel the difference when we are all hanging out at the hotel and they start talking about school or boyfriends. Then I feel like an old married lady.

We also had play time. We played horse soccer. The objective of horse soccer is the same as regular soccer, get the ball in the goal and score the most points, except the ball we used was massive. We had to use the horse to kick the ball (we basically used their bodies to move the ball around the arena) and score goals. This was probably the most fun horse game I have ever played!

Reagan, center, displays her competitive drive while playing horse soccer.

God Laughs

Okay, who told Milton?

What happens when you begin to consider the eventual possibility of maybe one day showing your horse [Schedule]? He takes a month off.

Remember when I said I can’t seem to manage things that come easily to others [Laugh or Cry]? Here we are again. Greg works Milton for 6 months; everything goes great. I have one good ride; Milton goes lame.

But seriously folks.

Greys get bumps. We knew this. Milton came with bumps. We knew this. One of the bumps would wax and wane, settling into a slightly larger size with every iteration. The time would come when we would have to deal with it. We knew this.

Now is that time.

Technically, Milton has three bumps: an internal one near his boy bits, a tiny one on his tail, and one on the inside of his right gaskin. All have been deemed harmless, until such time as the mass interferes with Milton’s activities of daily living. Our vet has been loath to do anything because the bumps would just come back.

The bump in question is the one on his leg. It has gotten big enough to cause a second look to be sure he is a gelding. Ungainy. Ugly. Stinky. But not a problem. Until recently.

The bump is still the same size and grossness as before. The leg that attaches the growth has swollen. Infection? The weight of the bump straining a muscle? We don’t know. Milton is on a week of antibiotics to address/rule out the former. Then, to the vet clinic for a trim. Then, two weeks to heal.

From a horse health point of view, winter is not a bad time for this. He can heal without worrying about heat and flies and sweat. There will be plenty of cold, rainy days when he would be standing around eating hay anyway.

From human convenience point of view, now is not a bad time either. We will sit out a lot of ugly weather. Despite my excitement, we are not missing anything major. No championships. No destination events. Barring complications (cross fingers, cross fingers), our plans get pushed forward a month. No biggie.

From a whiny, self-involved point of view, I feel as if the universe said, ‘Oh, hello there. You were experiencing a moment of optimism? Let me fix that.’

Man plans …

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Rodney’s Schedule?

With all this talk of logistics [Milton’s Schedule, Saddle Seat, Driving], do I have a plan for Rodney? Yes, the same one I’ve had for years. Keep plodding forward and hope for a miracle [Sidney Harris]. I’ve identified two mini-miracles that might almost count as steps. Not goals. I don’t do goals [Not].

1) Restart trailer acclimation sessions. Go slow. See if one day we can get him shipping locally either to the enclosed spaces of Stepping Stone Farm or to restart dressage lessons [Leg Yield]. The last time we tried standing Rodney on the trailer, he panicked so hard that he injured himself despite having his lower legs covered with wraps the thickness of mattress padding [Dubious Future].

&/or

2) Find an instructor who can come to the farm. I’d still have the footing and facility issues but at least we would be creeping forward.

What about shows? Pfffft. If eventing is not on Milton’s horizon, shows are not even on Rodney’s planet. If this doesn’t sound as positive and uplifting as last week’s plans for Milton, there is a reason for that. Stay tuned.
~~~
Above photo: inspiration for including part of the tack in an earpic came from Modern Equestrian on Instagram, View from the top. Rodney displays a suitable lack of excitement about doing his stand exercise in a new part of the pasture.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Letter Art: Letters in Darkness

Process notes: 100 GIMP%. Too simple to drag out Inkscape. Props to my friend Sara for providing both a guest post & my theme for the weekend. [Friday] [Saturday]

Illustrations by Sara Light-Waller on RS