Meanwhile Back at the Ranch, Sept 2016

I’m sitting on Rodney. He’s wearing a bit. From a Rodney perspective, this is progress. When I consider that the American Eventing Championships were held at the beginning of the month, when I consider that I once had the plan of winning the AEC with Rodney, I feel stuck in mud. [Countdown]

Milton is doing great with ground driving. He’s been introduced to a proto-cart, which he thought was weird, but go over quickly. He took serious, airborne objection to the feel of the new crupper [Equipment]. We are told this is perfectly normal.
~~~
Gratuitous Guest Cat Photo

Saturday afternoon cat nap Photo by Michelle Duplichien
Saturday afternoon cat nap
Photo by Michelle Duplichien

More Kori: Not My Horses, Not My Barn

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Post #1700

Letter Art: R is for Reins

2016-letter-r

 

Driving reins, hence the length. [Zilco]
~~~
2016 Alphabet

 

Q is for Quote
P is for Polo Wraps
O is for Opinion
N is for Nature
M is for My Missing Motivation
L is for Leadline
K is for Knabstrupper
J is for Jenny’s Jodhpurs
I is for I Love You
H is for Halter
G is for Ghost Gallery
F is for Fence
E is for Eventing
D is for Do
C is for Carrot
B is for Brush
A is for Apple

2015 Alphabet

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

USDF Interview: Monica Fitzgerald, Show Secretary

usdf-sept-2016-cov

“Behind The Scenes: Monica Fitzgerald, Show Secretary”
USDF Connection
September 2016
United States Dressage Federation

A short interview with the secretary for Dressage At Devon and the Adequan Global Dressage Festival.

usdf-sept-2016-text

©2016 United States Dressage Federation. Used by permission. Reproduction prohibited without prior written permission of the publisher.

[Previous Behind The Scenes]

In The News

Driving Thursday

As promised, the hard copy of Greg’s article. [Life with a Blogger]

mshr-blanket

From the MTCC & MTPC Schooling Driving Event. [25 Years in the Making & Show Report]

PDF of article > Mid-South Horse Review > past issues > August 2016 > first inside page & page 22. Greg is driving the single horse, pink tie on table of contents, water jump in article.

With mandatory photo bomb.

mshr-blue

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Let The Blithering Begin

Saddle Seat Wednesday

Had my first 2016 boot camp double session. How did I do this four days a week last year?! [Let the Tune-Up Begin]

Last Wednesday, I had a saddle seat lesson in the morning, came home to do chores, went back for Greg’s driving lesson, and then rode a second time. The next day, I crept around the house as a pale imitation of a useful person.

On Friday, I had Stepping Stone Farm’s version of a lunge lesson [Leg Lessons]. Before I got on, I took the stirrups off the saddle. I don’t get to use them at the trot and I was pretty sure I could canter without them. Pretty sure.

Then on Saturday, we restarted the Tennessee driving lessons after our August break [Hunting Zebras, scroll down]. All I do is sit in a car, watch his lesson, then sit in a car. Why is that tiring? But it is.

Finally on Sunday, my stomach informed me, ‘Okay that’s enough aspirin for a while.’ It does this occasionally. I back off for a few days and we negotiate a truce. Nothing serious, just accumulated aches that keep me awake &/or make me cranky.

The pace will continue through September and October: driving lessons, driving shows, riding lessons, riding shows, capped off by Nationals at the end of October.

NACHS 2016

It’s all wonderful – perhaps not the aspirin embargo -, but an exhausting type of wonderful. I have already told two friends that I would love to see them … in November.

Previous 2016 post
Let the Madness Begin, Again

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

A Moment

When we go up to Tennessee for a combined driving lesson, we leave at o-dark-hundred, in order to get done before the heat.

Last Saturday, I was walking up to the barn in the dark, carrying the serving buckets. It was solidly nighttime. Nothing pre-dawn about it. The air was a comfy level of warm. The minimal rural traffic was quiet. All was stillness.

That’s it. No profound thoughts. Simply a moment to recall when the frustration overwhelms me.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott