Rodney, The December Dismals

The relationship between Rodney and me has completely cratered.

It could be him. He’s been jumpy since his first massage back in October [Massage Day]. As if the bodywork stirred up physical issues. He was more accepting of his second massage – when he didn’t think it was ultra-weird – but still jumpy after. Or winter is coming. Rodney’s tension level always goes up as the temperature goes down. Or …

It could be me. I believe horses like to have a job. OTOH, Rodney is currently delighted with time off and isn’t coping well with the little bit of standing and riding that we do. He’ll run away when I go to catch him in the field. That’s new. In turn, I am not coping well with this change in attitude. I feel that I have put so much work into this horse and gotten so little in return. Maybe he doesn’t want to be near the scary, angry person. Or …

It could be both of us. Dark. Cold. A time of dormancy.

In the grand scheme of things, never riding your horse is tiny. It feels big to me.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Letter Art, AlphaBooks: Recap 2017

[Z is for Zecora]
My Little Pony: Welcome to the Everfree Forest by Olivia London
[Y is for Young]
Mister Ed and Me by Alan Young with Bill Burt
[X is for Xenophon]
“On The Art Of Horsemanship” by Xenophon
[W is for Wodehouse]
Aunts Aren’t Gentleman by P.G. Wodehouse
[V is for von Tempski]
Born In Paradise by Armine von Tempski
[U is for USDA]
Special Report on Diseases of the Horse by U.S. Department of Agriculture
[T is for Tewson]
The Fat Pony by January Tewson
[S is for Severin]
Crusader by Tim Severin
[R is for Rubin]
The Big Book of Hidden Horses, Hidden Horses 2, Horse Trivia, If Wishes Were Horses by Deborah Rubin
[Q is for Queen]
The American Gun Mystery by Ellery Queen
[P is for Pace]
Old Bones by Mildred Mastin Pace, illustrated by Wesley Dennis
[O is for O’Connor]
Life In The Galloping Lane by Karen & David O’Connor with Nancy Jaffer
[N is for Newsum]
Milton by Gillian Newsum
[M is for McKinley]
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
[L is for Lewis]
A Book of Narnians by C.S. Lewis, illustrated by Pauline Baynes, text compiled by James Riordan
[K is for Krementz]
A Very Young Rider by Jill Krementz
[J is for Journal]
The Brayer, Journal of the American Donkey and Mule Society
[I is for Ipcar]
World Full of Horses written and illustrated by Dahlov Ipcar
[H is for Hatch]
The Year of the Horse by Eric Hatch
[G is for Gray]
Horsepower by Patsey Gray
[F is for Francis]
The Sport of Queens by Dick Francis
[E is for Endicott]
Taking Up The Reins by Priscilla Endicott
[D is for Doty]
The Monday Horses by Jean Slaughter Doty
[C is for Cooper]
Pandora by Jilly Cooper
[B is for Brown]
A Good Horse Has No Color by Nancy Marie Brown
[A is for Anderson]
Horse Show by C.W. Anderson

During the year, I took notes on the books with the intent of discussing them at the end of the year, i.e. now. But the point of the project was visual rather than literary. I’ll summarize by saying that I was happier with some of the books more than others but I did not include any books that I disliked.

Did I read them all? No. Started well. Lost my grip somewhere around the middle of the alphabet/middle of the year. The ones I did not are in my To Be Read pile. We all know how that goes.

I had ideas that I couldn’t execute because my draftsmanship is not equal to what I see in my head. Insert Ira Glass quote, Advice To Beginners (Zen Pencils).

Special thanks to Robin Bledsoe, Bookseller, for having so many great horse books and for pointing me toward interesting titles even if she didn’t have them in stock.

Project explanation [AlphaBooks 2017]. Open to recommendations for next year. Which books would you choose?

Past Years
[2016 Alphabet]
[2015 Alphabet]

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Snow Day

If I lived in a place where it snowed more often, I would take fewer excitable snow photos. I would have fewer excitable snow photos all over my social media feeds.

If I lived in a place where it snowed more often, I would get better at working with my gloves on. I would not remove my gloves at the first sign of adversity.

If I lived in a place where it snowed more often, I would eat more soups and stews. I would drink more hot cocoa.

If I lived in a place where it snowed more often, I would have better waterproof boots.

If I lived in a place where it snowed more often, I would have an indoor arena. I would spend time in Florida.

If I lived in a place where it snowed more often, I would gravel the path to the barn. I would not have slick, stone steps leading to the front door.

If I lived in a place where it snowed more often, I would go cross-country skiing as a winter exercise.

If I lived in a place where it snowed more often, I would have an insulated water trough. I would use something other than a random stick to break up the ice.

If I lived in a place where it snowed more often, I would have a sleigh for Milton.

If I lived in a place where it snowed more often, I would not squeeze three blog posts [S(No), Snowrise, Snow Day] out of four inches of snow.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Milton’s Dressage in December

Driving Thursday
Milton is ready for his lesson.

I am the World’s Greatest Groom.

Saturday
I sit for 20, even 30, whole minutes in the passenger seat of the truck while we drive the carriage over to the lesson barn.

I stand at the foot of the ramp, nobly steering the carriage, while Greg simply lowers 400 pounds of carriage with his hands and a tow strap.

I drag the carriage the amazing distance of several feet to a parking spot.

I endure more minutes in our comfy truck.

Sunday
I trudge around making sure Rodney has hay in the stall and on the patio and laboriously fill the cookie ball, while Greg faffs about hitching the truck, loading the tack, catching Milton, and so on.

More truck sit.

We arrive.

I remain with Milton, attempting to convince him that being left with me does not constitute abandonment, while Greg amuses himself clearing the ring and moving the carriage.

Tack up. Lunge.

I play immovable object in front of Milton, while Greg runs from side to side attaching and adjusting straps.

Lesson.

I stand, peppermints at the ready, poised to leap into the ring if Milton needs to be headed.

Lesson over.

More immovable object, while all the previously adjusted straps are unbuckled.

I lead Milton all. the. way. back to the trailer. Start undoing the rest of the straps.

Milton is untacked and taken away to be washed. I check my mail.

More watching of Milton, while ring is put to rights.

Bored with Milton-watching, I load up.

We leave.

Milton returns home. I lug brushbox and assorted items from trailer, while Greg unloads tack, rinses trailer, unhitches, and loads winches & co into bed of trailer.

Yet more time in passenger seat, while we reverse the process to pick up the carriage.

I’m a freaking saint.

Rodney continues to be imperturbable when Milton leaves.

My horse is the World’s Greatest Lawn Ornament.

Previous
Show Report Driving & Lessons

A sign that one might need to work on straightness.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Winter Tournament (S)No Report

Today was supposed to be a show report. We did not have a show. We had snow.

Before anyone busts on the South for not handling winter conditions, allow me one word: Ice. Places that get lots of snow are places that stay cold. Snow continues to be snow. When we have snow, the temperature bounces back and forth across the freeze line. Snow becomes water becomes ice. Snowmageddon [Snow, Montage, Ice, Letters] happened when the warm roads melted the snow and the arctic air refroze it. No one drives well on sheets of black ice. Sending everyone out onto the roads at the same time to pick up kids from school? Okay, that was a poor choice. But I digress.

No horse show; no horse show report.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott