Virtual Brush Box

Time Out for Routine Maintenance

Last week was weirdly full of appointments for horse & human. All routine. Dentist. Farrier. Eye doc. Vet. Everyone’s fine. Between house rules (day off for shoes), travel time (dentist & eye doc) and recovery time (eye doc & vet), not much got done.

That’s okay.

Rodney’s one tiny jump [!] will carry me for a while. The Coggins tests [Names] means that now, finally, we have all the pieces to move forward with Milton.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Show Names

Vet has come. Blood has been drawn. Names have been chosen.

Registered Name: Major Conn [Real Name]
Stable Name: Milton
Show Name: Monochrome Rainbow

Registered Name: none
Stable Name: Rodney
Show Name: Double Solitaire

Despite my love of data, I am not doing a retrospective of Rodney’s aborted show names over the years. I am looking forward. This is will be the one that matters, the one that gets used. Onwards.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Letter Art: Flowers for Mother’s Day 2017

Hi Mom!

Happy Mother’s Day

~~~
Mother’s Day Posts
[Mares and Foals in Mexico, Mother’s Day 2016, Guest Photos]
[Text Art: Names of the Rose] 2015
[Text Art: Happy Mother’s Day] 2014
Skipped [Face Off] 2013
[Rodney’s Mommy?] 2012

Lettering 2017

[Zebra Stripes]
[Wallpapering with Light]
[Winter Tournament Letters]
[Watercolor]
[Daylight Savings]
[Connect The Dots]
[Pen & Pastels]
[NYC 2016]

Previous Lettering
[2016] [2015] [2014] [2013]

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

USDF Interview: Beth Beukema, Intercollegiate Dressage Association

“Behind The Scenes: Beth Beukema, Intercollegiate Dressage Association”
USDF Connection
May 2017
United States Dressage Federation

A short interview with the IDA president.

Previous Posts [Behind The Scenes]

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Foto Friday: Piece of the Past

Amazing what percolates up out of the dirt.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Sudden Switch

Driving Thursday

Switching in a hurry from driving to riding makes Alvin mad. The only time I have felt Alvin threaten to mutiny was at a Dixie Cup show when our riding classes immediately followed his driving class.

In numerous shows, Alvin drove first and then was ridden a few classes later. He was fine. In fact, I was of the opinion that the driving loosened him up and put him in a good mood for riding [Report]. Just don’t ask him to do it back-to-back.

The switchover can be hard on riders as well.

Between the driving class and long-lining Milton, I have been holding my reins for driving more than for riding lately. It took me half-way around the first trot to mentally switch back. MSSP 2015

At Dixie Cup this year [Report], I didn’t have to suffer the switch. Mr. Whizbang did. After the victory pass in Academy Driving (!), folks swarmed him like NASCAR pitcrew. Harness came off. Saddle & bridle went on. One lap around warm-up. In we went.

Either Mr. Whizbang was of the same opinion as Alvin, or I had gotten myself into a state thinking he might be of the same opinion as Alvin. Whoever was the originating culprit, I clearly felt a deep breath go through the two of us halfway through the class.

Like my Mama says, It’s not the ups and downs. It’s the sudden changes of direction.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Show Report: Dixie Cup 2017

Saddle Seat Wednesday

Timeline. The activities below occurred and were written up on Saturday before our inadvertent jump school on Sunday. Hence the mood-swing back to the dark side. IRL, I’m still basking [Jump!]. (I don’t usually write up a show immediately, but I was attempting to process.)
~~

Show Details
Dixie Cup Horse Show

Georgia International Horse Park
Conyers, GA, USA
Saturday, May 6, 2017
With HB Whizbang
301 Academy Equitation WTC – Adult, 1st of 2
302 Academy Showmanship WTC – Adult, 2nd of 2
321 Academy WTC Championship, 4th of 5
Thank you to the Alvis family for the wonderful Mr. Whizbang.

Show Report
I decided to go at the last minute. Pro-AM was so awful [Report], it was deemed that I could use as much practice as possible.

Didn’t help.

I had some good moments. I had some bad. I ping-ponged between them like a demented pinball. Occasionally, Mr, Whizbang and I ping-ponged around the ring. The middle class was going the best, until I made an adjustment in the canter, overadjusted, and we broke into a trot. I can’t remember the last time that happened.

With apologies to Casey McBride Photography, I am not ordering a photo from the show. Again. I’m all for supporting show photographers. Part of me wants to buy one to document the horses that I show over the years. OTOH, there is no reason to own a photo when I can’t bear to look at the proofs.

I can’t win every class. Well, I’d like to, but it ain’t gonna happen. Ultimately, it’s not about how I place. I have no control over that. It’s about how well I ride. If I lay down my best trip and someone else has a better round? Fine. Go home and work harder. If I continue to make mistakes that I can’t feel and don’t know how to fix? That’s when I go home and write self-pitying blog posts.

In the not-you-it’s-me category, Mr. Whizbang had a full day. After suit equation in the morning, he did the full run of Academy in the afternoon: driving, walk-trot-canter, and walk-trot. He was Champion with his young owner. Smart Snippy!

GIHP show reports [list]. My best day at Conyers was my first [Report]. After that the wheels came off to varying degrees.

And Now For Something Completely Different
Part of my justification for going to the show was to stop in Atlanta afterwards for anniversaryesque activities [Village].