Virtual Brush Box

Latest Batch of Postcrossing, October 2016

If you send a postcard, you will receive one back from a random Postcrosser from somewhere in the world. Postcrossing

Postcrossing July 2016 Russia stamps

The rest of the Russian caption is covered with text, which Postcrossing requests not be displayed. Photographer/photo source are illegible/in Cyrillic.

Postcrossing Main Page
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RS Postcard Gallery & Posts

There’s Just No Pleasing Some People
Milton for the Moment
Postcrossing
Burchell’s Zebra
Pretty Postcard

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Show Photos, Alabama Charity Championship 2016

Alabama Charity Championship Horse Show
October 15, 2016
Celebration Arena
Priceville AL, USA

Greg & Callaway's Sweet Daddy — Greg & Callaway’s Sweet Daddy

Katherine & Callaway's Sweet Daddy — Katherine & Callaway’s Sweet Daddy

Alternative title for last photo: Resting Zombie Face.

Web images purchased from Terry Young Photography.

Previous Posts
Show Report, Alabama Charity Championship 2016, Driving
Show Report, Alabama Charity Championship 2016, Riding

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Show Report, Alabama Charity Championship 2016, Driving

Alabama Charity Championship Horse Show
October 15, 2016
Celebration Arena
Priceville AL, USA

96. Academy Driving
Katherine & Alvin Ailey, 1st of 2
Greg & Callaway’s Sweet Daddy, 2nd of 2.

Thank you to the Wamble family and Courtney Huguley for their divine driving horses. (Alvin went on to win both 9-10 WT classes and the 10 & Under WT championship with his junior rider. What a star!)

What is it like to compete against one’s spouse?

One of the SSF entries was an adorable white pony named Miss Sugar Plum Fairy, barn name Sugar (Terry Young Photography, ACCHS, #53 & #91.) In warm-up, she made eyes at a fine looking pinto who was also waiting for the class.

Sugar, ridden by Reagan Upton, flirts with Fat Albert, ridden by Brett Neale. Photo by Courtney Huguley.

She gave him the full treatment: ears up, eyes wide, neck arched. In the ring, she trotted as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth. Then, passing her erstwhile suitor, Sugar expressed her extreme displeasure at his existence. She gave him the full treatment: disappeared ears, mare glare, teeth bared.

It’s like that.

In warm-up, I offered what tips I had for driving saddle seat style. When the class was called, I was all lined up to storm in first. I had to stop for a tack adjustment. Once his tack was adjusted, Alvin was ready to GO. As a result, I ended up right behind Greg and Iggy. On the downside, it is silly to have a traffic jam with only two in the ring. On the upside, it gave me a target. When the extended trot came, I made sure to go fast enough that I passed Greg. Both ways. You want extended? I’ll give you extended. Alvin, being the consummate showman, was all in. Greg said he & Iggy felt hunted. Good. That was the plan.

Like I said, angry mare face.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Show Report, Alabama Charity Championship 2016, Riding

Alabama Charity Championship Horse Show
October 15, 2016
Celebration Arena
Priceville AL, USA

With Callaway’s Sweet Daddy
100. Academy Showmanship WTC – Adult, 3rd of 5
101. Academy Equitation WTC – Adult, 1st of 5
104. Academy WTC Championship, 4th of 10. Highest placed of 3 adults
Thank you to Courtney Huguley for the incredible Iggy.

Commentary
In warm up, I was all over the place after zooming around in the driving class (more tomorrow). Wheee! Go horsie! Deep breath. Sit back. Contain self. Contain horse.

First class. Held too much, or too tight, or too something, resulting in a crooked horse, resulting in whacking my stirrup into the side of the arena, resulting in an almighty clang.

Second class. Less clang, more ribbon.

Third class. To stand out in the bigger class, I focused on overall attitude rather than specific technique (i.e. my shoulders). However, I stayed in the same place relative to the adults who showed back, so who knows if it was an improvement or not. I do know that I need to work on traffic management. I’m getting marginally better at riding and equitating at the same time, although I can still forget where I am and look down when thinking about the horse. Riding and equitating AND steering overloads the circuits. There were a few bumper car moments.

I think I know what is needful to improve. Unfortunately, I have run out of practice shows. Nationals here we come.

Photos
Terry Young Photography > enter email > 2016 Proofs > U.) Oct. 12-15 Alabama Charity – Decatur, AL. > Saturday, Academy Session > Class #100.) – Academy Showmanship WTC Adult, & Class #101.) – Academy Equitation WTC Adult, & Class #104.) – Academy WTC CHAMPIONSHIP. [Photo rant]

Helmet watch
I had the only one in my adult class. A few more in the kid WTC class. Spotted two, or the same one twice, on a suit rider. It was a kid/kids, rather than an adult. When helmets come to saddle seat (or western) they will come first on kids, as they did in hunters. I’ve never understood why adult skulls are deemed less likely to go splat. But I digress. I’ll take any progress on offer.

2013
Reign of the Swan Princess
Show Report: Alabama Charity Championship, Decatur AL

2014
Show Today: Alabama Charity Championship
Show Report: Alabama Charity 2014
Show Tweets: Alabama Charity 2014

2015
Show Today: Alabama Charity Championship 2015
Show Report: Alabama Charity Championship 2015
Show Tweets: Alabama Charity Championship 2015

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Motivating Me

What gets you going?

A friend of mine tells stories about a trainer who would ~~yell at~~ challenge his students, causing them to dig deep and excel. This would not work on me.

If yelled at, I collapse like wet toilet paper.
If likely to be yelled at, wet toilet paper.

Back in the dark ages, I was a working student. I was a terrible working student. At the end of my stay, we had an small, at-home, jumper show. Everyone assumed I would enter 2′ 6″, the lowest level. I rode in the 3′ middle level & won second with a stellar jump-off. Whereupon the BNR asked incredulously why I hadn’t ridden that way in the preceding months. Well, possibly because we had one lesson where you ranted at me so hard you lost your voice. In fairness, I can see why it happened. I was a hot mess. However, justified or otherwise, it was not an effective strategy.

A month later, I was back home at a basic boarding barn. The frog/pond ratio had altered dramatically. The little girls were in awe of my fancy horse. Suddenly, I was jumping four feet.

Stand in the middle of the ring and tell me I’m terrible; I will believe you.
Stand in the middle of the ring and tell me I’m wonderful; I will believe you.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Hilly Going

A while back (last year? year before? It all blurs. I digress), I tried riding Rodney up the hill in his pasture. Within 2-3 strides, it was clear that he was not going to tolerate uphill with weight on his back. Brain going offline. Meltdown/come-apart looming. I stopped.

Last week, we walked halfway up the hill & back down.

We made the task as easy as possible. It was small section of his regular walk loop. We only went halfway. I had Greg walking alongside for moral support. (Did that the previous time, didn’t help.) We pre-walked the trip in hand before I rode it. One cannot make the learning steps too small for this horse.

The hill was steep enough that I could feel him working on the up and balancing on the down. I let him sort himself out going down. I’m a big advocate for installing a fifth leg.

Tiny victories.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott