Virtual Brush Box

Show Today: ASAC, Clemson, SC

The annual show by the American Saddlebred Association of the Carolinas. In 2013, this was my first big ASB show [Report]. I didn’t go last year [Pix], because no state points. Still true. However now that I am driving, I can enter 6 classes at this show!

My show strategy for this year, lifted straight from my email to my coach:
—–
Horse show!
Horse show!
(Did you see the LEGO movie? One of the characters says Spaceship! Spaceship! It’s like that.)

My goals are to
1) Win every class I enter from now to eternity
2) Win in TN this Fall
&
3) Learn more about riding.

Fortunately, these goals are mostly complimentary. Where they are not, my preference for this season is to go for a big win and learn where the border is. Even if a conservative ride is all that is needed for a particular show.

Unfortunately, I can say the words, but I’m not really sure how to ride big – without flopping back & forth and waving my hands and thumping with my heels. I guess that’s riding big. I need to learn how to make the *horse* go big. Something to work on.

Horse show!
Horse show!
——
Show schedule for this year includes the standard shows in Tennessee, Georgia, & Alabama. Special treat may be a trip to the St. Louis Charity Horse Show. If you are in the Saddlebred world & are at any of these shows, please stop by to say hi. I would love to meet you. Warning: you may end up as a blog post. Wait, that’s not true. You will definitely end up as a blog post.
~~~
On a totally unrelated note, today is an epic Pi Day. Just before 9:30, the day & date will be the first 10 digits of pi: 3/14/15, 9:26:53.

For those whose dates run DD/MM/YY, Pi Approximation Day is recognized on July 7. The numerical date, 31/4/15, would require 31 days in April. Instead the ratio, 22/7, is celebrated.

Being an irrational number, π cannot be expressed exactly as a common fraction, although fractions such as 22/7 and other rational numbers are commonly used to approximate π. Consequently its decimal representation never ends and never settles into a permanent repeating pattern. The digits appear to be randomly distributed; however, to date, no proof of this has been discovered. Wiki:Pi

But I digress.

Winter Tournament Banquet 2015

It’s not all about the ribbons. Sometimes there are trophies.

Ribbons & trophies from Winter Tournament 2014-2015: three shows, twelve classes, four divisions. Decorated water bottle for the horsemanship division. Ribbon rack for equitation. Horse trophy for high point adult from Stepping Stone.

Division Results
Advanced Horsemanship WTC Adult, 1st of 6
Only 3 of these folks went to all the shows. The championship was about perseverance as much as riding. I suspect that is true for most point accumulation awards.
Advanced Equitation WTC Adult with Pattern, 1st of 4
Pleasure Horse or Pony WTC Adult, 2nd of 4
Academy Driving, 2nd of 2

Chart of classes and places

I had the pleasure of riding and driving Natalie for the entire Winter Tournament. I had been hoping for a photo of her with all of our ribbons, but the weather was against me. Thank you to Ann Stanton and Nicole Hardy.

Photo by G

2013
Weekend Plans: Sunday
Regular Programming: Banquet

2014
Winter Tournament Banquet

Shopping: Make-up

Getting ready to horse show.

For safety’s sake, I tossed the eye products that I’d had for two seasons & bought new, with the help of one of the barn moms. (Waves hi!)

My make-up advisor was startled at the brightness of the gloss red lipstick and metallic blue eyeshadow from my make-over at Nationals last Fall [Report].

Conversely, I am much happier with this look. It leaves behind thorny issues on the hyper-sexualization of women and enters the realm of theater. This I can live with.

Or maybe I just don’t do subtle.

~~~
Blue photobombs the shoot.

Shopping: My First Model

Chinese Year of the Horse. Breyer model # 1715, mold # 717.

“The Esprit mold was designed specifically for the 2010 World Equestrian Games (WEG). It was sculpted by Kathleen Moody.”
Identify Your Breyer: Espirit

As I understand it, “model” refers to the paint job, “mold” refers to the underlying body type. Breyer has retired the model, so I ordered from Charlotte’s Saddlery in Texas. The joys of Internet shopping.

Aside from Spotted and a few chachkas, this is the first model I can recall buying. It is almost certainly my first Breyer purchase. Family is welcome to correct this. I definitely had model horses as a kid. I remember one Black Beauty-style horse and a herd of smaller, inexpensive, extruded plastics. My strongest memory is of playing with the accompanying truck and trailer. All of my herd and vehicles were gifts. If I bought anything for myself, it would have been a stuffed animal, species irrelevant.

Fire* is not a future show horse. The outre decor would limit me to a fantasy or other unrealistic class. Plus there are apparently issues with the underlying anatomy. In a Breyer forum, ThoroughbredLova says:

“However, Esprit’s shoulder is weird, and many judges do not place Esprits because of this. If you plan on showing, Esprit would not be a model that I would recommend.”
Home > Breyer Kids > The Breyer Community > RE: esprit or padr’e????

I have an idea for a photo show entry. Mostly I just thought he was pretty.

I still want to do a post on the model show. Been low on energy recently. Hence all the shopping [Necklace, Bats].

*2014 may have been the Year of Green Wood Horse, but this model says Fire to me.

New Equipment: Grooming Bats

Okay Milton, wave that back foot at me one more time. Go on. I dare you.

I do not advocate fear, or pain, or abuse. I do advocate respect. Me for the horse. The horse for me. A horse needs to know that a misstep will receive swift retaliation from the herd leader. That would be me.

Brandishment may be all that is required. So far, whenever we have shown Milton a tool of motivation, be it crop or lungewhip, he has immediately climbed back on the high and noble path.

It is a symbol to myself as well. Milton is a horse with opinions. The only way to deal with a strong-willed horse is to be even stronger. I know this. I spent 20 years keeping Previous Horse’s monstrous ego in check. Lately, I have gotten out of the habit. You can confront Rodney with a doily made out of tissue paper. So, I shall grab my glitter bat and tell myself, to misquote Stuart Smalley,

I’m good enough.
I’m strong enough.
And dammit people like me …

… even if my horse doesn’t.

Source: Sparkle Glitter Jump Bat
by Intrepid International from Amazon

I tried to order through a tack store, but couldn’t find any this zippy and few this cheap. Mostly the zippy.

Why glitter? Why not? If it ain’t fun, why do it? Can’t you just see taking this on cross-country and watching the old guards’ heads explode? The jumping disciplines need to lighten up, add color, and put the “show” back in horse show. The saddle seat folks have that right.

Spring Forward!

Milton is mobile! We went to Stepping Stone on Sunday! Test run of horse, truck, and trailer! Success! There and back again! Milton thinks the peacock is darn weird! Milton has a point!

Rodney got ridden! Twice over the weekend! A handful of minutes at a walk! The ring was in a different place! He hasn’t had a lot of work lately! He was less happy than last time [Gold Star]! All parties on speaking terms at the end!

!!Progress!!

I promise not to make this into a blow-by-blow training journal. I’m not clever enough to make that entertaining. However, when one is learning to tie one’s shoes, each small success is a milestone to be celebrated. After a while, one is assumed to be able to do these things.

The next step for Milton is to ship over for remedial groundwork with my saddle seat instructor and eventual introduction to a cowboy for Backing, The Sequel. Yes, yes, he was ridden on the track and by his previous owner. I have photos and videos of him being ridden on trial. I have no idea why he acts like an unbroke three-year-old for us. That is an issue for tomorrow.

Rodney and I will keep on until both of us are ready for the next microscopic increase, be it 2 weeks, 2 months, or 2 years.

!!Progress!!

!!Spring!!