Horses & Other Interests
Labels courtesy of corporate websites. While I was tempted to buy them all to photograph an arrangment, my A1C would not have appreciated the amount of product involved. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Chocolate Brand Lists
Chocolate Wikia
Wiki: Chocolate
Chocolate Sites
Rausch
Oh Henry!
Dove
Nestlé
Eat-More
York Peppermint Patty
Snickers
Scharffenberger
After Eight
Godiva
Almond Joy
York image from Chocolates And Chocolate Candy
“Behind The Scenes: Susan J. Stickle, Equine Photographer
USDF Connection
February 2016
United States Dressage Federation
A short interview with an equine photographer who specializes in dressage.
Photo Galleries: www.dressagephotos.com
Photographer Information: http://www.suestickle.com/
© 2015 United States Dressage Federation. Used by permission. Reproduction prohibited without prior written permission of the publisher.
Previous Behind The Scenes
I am committed to telling my story, warts & all. That means admitting to the tiny, tiny steps that count as progress around here.
Rodney’s groundwork has been half-field walks. There is a small hill involved. Otherwise, the loop is short and never out of sight of the barn. It is a ridiculously easy exercise. He grazes farther away than we walk. OTOH, there was a day when this simple effort was too much for him [Aftermath of an Explosion]. The goal is to create a series of small successes.
Our ridden work is equally low-key. After an adjustment to his noseband [View], we did our best set of weavepoles to date. Rodney was slow, quiet, and relaxed. One full circuit looping around three poles. Declare victory. Go home. If I was on for 10 minutes, I would be surprised. This also isn’t much, except that Rodney has had difficulties comprehending ridden weavepoles in the past [Headset].
Festina lente.
Do you want a little bit of crazy all of the time, or the occasional superabundance?
Lesson this week. Still watching Louisville videos on demand. I am fascinated by the ribbon ceremonies. Granted I’ve always been a sucker for a victory gallop/pass. I am also intrigued by the behavior of the horses.
In 1989, I had the opportunity to watch Big Ben win the World Cup for the second time. During the extensive ribbon presentation, the huge chestnut stood as still as a statue, soaking up the adulation.
The Saddlebreds I’ve been watching? Not so much. If you are winning at Louisville, this is not your first rodeo. Yet the horses hop and fuss. They stand still long enough for a photo. Then off they trot for the victory pass. Neither riders nor handlers appear perturbed at the attitude on display. I get that the horses are excited. OTOH, standing is not impossible for the majority of horses. (I’ve met a few who just. will. not. stand. Salinero took Olympic gold while finessing the final halt, “It just didn’t happen.” HorseTalkNZ. But I digress.) This sort of behavior is related to the precision I talked about last week [Riding Loose]. These horses don’t stand because no one finds it important to insist.
Saddlebreds go on the boil quickly but are capable of remaining at that level. They don’t – as a rule – continue to amplify to the point where the lid blows off the kettle. Thoroughbreds are lazier most of the time, but only need a microsecond to go from zero to insanity. I offer as exhibit A & B my two horses [Square One, Universe]. While Rodney & Milton may be special, they aren’t that special. Thoroughbreds, as a breed, are capable of Technicolor come-aparts. Therefore, I make the mistake of interpreting Saddlebred enthusiasm as a sign of the apocalypse. In a Thoroughbred, it would be.
My $0.02.
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Today is Ash Wednesday. Remember that you are stardust, and to stardust you shall return.
How are Milton & I faring with our do over? Very well, thank you. We are doing very little, but I’m very excited about it.
His ground-tie is a work in progress. He stays in place but is not immobile. We are at the stage where he moves a hoof, I move it back. He moves a hoof. I move it back. Ad infinitum.
He is undecided about grooming. He is the only horse I’ve met who will pin his ears and lick at same time. Weird dude.
He responds well to body work: sighing, yawning, head lowering, chewing, licking, and – when working on the rear half – farting. He responds quickly, which either means he is a surface horse &/or he does not have deep-seated problems.
We are talking the field walks that Mathilda and I used to do [My Two Horses]. He is mostly blase about the wandering about, but I use a halter with a nose chain. I want to be prepared in case we have a spontaneous discussion on the subject of respect.
Mainly, I look forward to working with him. That’s huge.
Milton is only in the stall for a few hours a day. Therefore, we do not often have to clean down to the bedsprings. Thank the Lord for husbands and tractors.
Virtual Brush Box 