Virtual Brush Box

General Theory
Attention SSF horses: put on your show shoes and get back to work. The performance horses, that is. The school horses have been trucking along with lessons and Winter Tournament shows.

Onwards to the 2014 show season.

While last year’s heavy show schedule was wonderful, it is not a viable way to continue. If I were single, pet-less, and oozing dollars, I would a) go to every show on the calendar and b) attend from set-up to take-down. OTOH, if I were those things, particularly the first two, I wouldn’t be me.

Therefore, I am going to try – try, I say – to trim down the number of shows. Plus, I will do a few more as day trips, thereby saving money on hotel and food. I favor shows that have championship classes, i.e. more chances to ride. My instructor favors shows that have higher year-end points.

Specific Locations
I am attempting to loosen up. I moved my name from the bottom of the About page to the top and added the scan of a nametag [About]. Yet, I still find myself too paranoid to say exactly where I will be and when [Identity].

So, here is your broad hint. I will be showing in Academy classes at shows in Georgia, Alabama, and possibly Tennessee, in the Southeast US. If you are involved in the saddleseat world, the particular shows shouldn’t be too hard to figure. Or, if you look back over last year’s posts, ditto.

Come say hello.

Or, come say hello after my classes. If you talk to me before a class, I will stare at you blankly.

Update: origin of title phrase discussed here. Well, there goes another expression [Eeny]. I always thought this one had to do with rising waters & impassable roadways.

[No end-of-month commentary. I’ve done enough blog pondering with the OT discussion: Off Topic: Yay or Nay? & Poll Results. Previous State of the Blog posts]

Winter Tournament posts

Maggie, my noble steed for the final Winter Tournament show, waiting for a lesson at home. Everyone else is in the ring, so she’s wondering why are we aren’t. Have I mentioned that I hate how I look on a horse [Lights]? All I can see are the flaws. And the pants. Hard to miss the pants.

Advanced Horsemanship WTC Adult Division
Ten ladies rode in three shows, but only four riders qualified for awards. I came in fourth. Pfffffttt.

From what people have said, I don’t look incompetent up there. I just don’t look sufficiently saddleseat. I suspect I have suitable form and am trotting along sprightly – for a Working Hunter. The next step is to understand & attain ASB animation.

I was riding
In a new, higher level,
Against suit riders,
& With no lessons.

I should be pleased, no? Ha! Since I was flying solo, I was told that I would be allowed to show but was not allowed to bitch about my ribbons. Sure, but did you expect me to the reasonable about awards!?!? As The Bunny said, “He don’t know me very well, do he?”

Advanced Equitation WTC Adult (Pattern) Division
Not sure if I’d show up for pastel joy, but I’ll represent for a blue fluffy, even if I was the only one contesting. I “won” because no one else wanted to ride a pattern. Both times, the other riders in my Horsemanship class elected not to ride in Equitation. I was the only one of any age to do a pattern during the Tournament. DFL beats DNS. However, I can’t be too smug. Individual tests are familiar places for me. I may not like dressage, but I’m certainly used to it. It’s the group ride/game-time decisions that give me trouble.

If I was penalized for my riding past in the first instance, I reaped the benefit of it in the second. My prize was a tricolor and a monogrammed saddlepad. My first award saddlepad. I threathened to put it on Rodney. Feeling was that I need to wait for an ASB. OTOH, I’m not sure this is ever going to the barn. Maybe after I win armloads of award pads & blankets I would unclench enough use and eventually destroy them. For now, this one’s a trophy.

Overall
The Winter Tournament Association also awards a High Point Adult & HP Junior for each barn. If I ever get back to hunter/jumper/dressage/eventing, I will miss the saddeseat tendency for loot & bling.

If you look at the reflection in the body of the cup, you can see that I did not even get it out of my car before taking a brag photo.