Hello September

Allan Abbot Tuttle From Legacy.com
Allan Abbot Tuttle
From Legacy.com

September has arrived. Finally!

I hate August. Hate, hate, hate.

Eight years ago, my father died suddenly at the end of August. So, that sucks. Obit

Six years ago, Rodney arrived [Cast]. Two years ago, Milton arrived [Meet Milton]. Therefore, every August is a reminder that I have utterly failed to accomplish anything with them.

My father was never interested in my riding. I doubt he would have appreciated being lumped in with horse-related events. While he approved of writing and photography, I have no idea what he would have thought of the blog, or if he would have read it. But that is a psycho-social discussion for another day.

Good-bye August, and good riddance.

ONWARDS!

Dad posts on RS
Why I Drove a Beat-up Jeep to My Senior Prom
Cultural Commentary abbreviated version of the story
Spotted in Boston 5th photo

Related Posts
It is no coincidence that my blogging meltdown occurred in August, Hiatus.
In case you are wondering how the blog & I survived the meltdown, I’m Baaaaaack … With Camera.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Not My Horses, Not My Barn

Saddle Seat Wednesday

What is the proper etiquette as a guest at a barn?

While in the barn was happening in Louisville [2016], I went by Stepping Stone to turn out and brush. I made sure to go when someone else would be there. Partly safety, but mostly social paranoia. I do not want to overstep any bounds.

I have made that mistake in the past.

In high school, I did not own a horse, but I was fortunately to lease & board several in sequence. I was at that barn almost daily. I knew everyone. I had multiple offers of horses to ride. It was my ‘hood.

When I discovered that my college had a barn (my pre-college research was sketchy), I hied myself out there immediately. I bounded around the barn, secure in the knowledge that all of these new people were delighted to meet me. I overdid it. The head of the riding program found me so pushy, so annoying that she considered banning me from the barn. The horror!

Now when I deal with other people’s horses, I err on the side of circumspection.

Any guest barn experiences – good, bad, or ugly – that you care to share?

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Update I: To clarify, barn was closed while Coach Courtney was at Louisville.

~~~
Spotted hunting Pokémon with Sagira Kori. Photos by Michelle Duplichien.

Poke

Poke2

More Sagira

Spotted with a Friend
Boot Camp 2015, Progress Report 1

Michelle on Rodney’s Saga
Mardi Gras Parades
Driftwood Disaster Statue

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Update II: Wrong cat. Now that I look, the difference is obvious. In my defense, that’s a whole lotta black cat.

Rodney’s Straps

Rodney is deeply, deeply unpleased with Milton’s harness [New Equipment]. He thinks there are way too many straps for one horse. He’s convinced some of it will end up on him.
~~~
Unrelated Geekery
My fellow Americans, where will you be August 21, 2017?

eclipse book

 

“On 2017 August 21, a total eclipse of the Sun is visible from within a narrow corridor that traverses the United States of America.” NASA: Total Solar Eclipse of 2017 August 21

Yes, I bought the book. Are we surprised?

Great American Eclipse
NASA Eclipse Web Site
timeanddate.com: What Is a Total Solar Eclipse? For those of us what don’t always understand the hard-core eclipse pages.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Milton’s Hoof

Milton’s left hind foot last Wednesday morning.

hoof before top

hoof before bottom

I promise, it did not look this way the night before. For a while now, he has had a small, shallow scrape across the front of that hoof. Did he ding it with the front foot? Whack it on a rock? Didn’t seem to bother him.

Blacksmith says that an injury at the coronet band can be unnoticeable at first. It will gradually get larger as it proceeds down the hoof. Then suddenly, blooey.

Fortunately, a) Wednesday was blacksmith day & b) my blacksmith is brilliant. He buffed & beveled. He filled with plastic (not pictured).

hoof after top

hoof after bottom

It looks even better IRL. As if it now has a chance of growing out without ripping off the rest of the foot. (Crosses fingers.) Pardon the blur. I was using a borrowed phone and trying not to take up too much time.

Now we wait. Still doesn’t bother Milton.

Blacksmith posts on RS
Foto Friday: Sparks
On the Fourth Day Of Christmas: 4 Custom Shoes

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Letter Art: Q is for Quote

2016 letter Q

 

Technical note: Where is the line between an unattributable quote and a saying? Many of the direct quotes I found were too long, or too squishy, or too both.
~~~
2016 Alphabet

 

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

State of The Blog: Life with a Blogger

2016_mshr_aug16_pg01

Greg makes the papers! I react.

Coach Kate sent us a PDF of the local Tennessee equine newspaper with coverage of the MTCC combined driving competition last month. Greg was in two photos. (Mid-South Horse Review, download August 2016, first inside page & page 22.)

Did I exclaim “Wonderful!” ?
No.

Did I say how proud I was of him?
No.

Did I ask for several copies to send brags to various parents?
Yes, but later.

My first comment?
Blog post!

Coach Kate this found funny.

My husband’s response?
“The world is a blog post.  We just get to live it.”

Related Posts
MTCC & MTPC Schooling Driving Event [25 Years in the Making, Show Report]
Previous State of the Blog [link list]

Note: newspaper post pending arrival of hard copy.

Update [In the News]

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott