New Year, New Contest

More accurately: New Year, New Iteration of Old Contest

Awhile back, I asked for help finding a showname for Rodney [Help Me Name My Horse, Prize Offered, April 2012]. That was the summer Matilda got hurt, so it took several months until we worried about simple amenities such as Coggin’s tests [Contest in Final Days, January 2013]. The vet arrived early (!). In a panic, I went with his stable name [Contest Winner, February 2013]. Inventive.

This is why I need your help. We did not show this year, so I did not register him anywhere. (We will pass by that statement without comment.) Therefore, I can try for a new name. Rules as before – void where illegal, etc. – and the prize will only be awarded if I change his name.

Update. Prize description from last go-round:
$25 gift certificate on Amazon.com.
OR
The same from the independent book dealer of your choice, provided I can reach their store online.
OR
Perhaps simply my undying gratitude, if the offer of money turns out to be a can of worms.

Hint the first: Rodney’s response to breakfast? My favorite thing! To lunch? My favorite thing! To going out? My favorite thing! To coming in? You get the idea. In happiness or in pain, he is enthusiastic about how he feels. I thought about using “My Favorite Thing!” but that would be taken as a description rather than as a quote. Similarly “Maximum Gain”, would be taken as financial rather than as radio talk. Basically, he has his knobs dialed to 11 at all times. Knobs on 11? Eleven?

Hint the second: Rodney was bought to be my mid-life crisis horse. I am not above using that to humorous &/or memorable effect.

Hint the third: And now for something completely different. I feel that the perfect name is out there, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Surprise me.

Have at it. Please broadcast to anyone who might be interested. Doesn’t have to be horse folks. Or even animal folks. Perhaps people who are good with words and might want to win a few books.

2013 In Review

Horses
The highlight of my saddleseat year was in November [Still Napping]. For those of you who don’t wish to click over, I have four words: Reserve National Grand Champion.

Rodney’s progress was reviewed last month [Zeno’s Horse Training]. The relevant words here are plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.

Blog
Top posts of 2013. Inspired by Whatever Top Posts, 2013 Plus Thoughts on 2014, I looked up my top posts for the previous 365 days on 12/31/13, not including admin pages, i.e. About, etc.:

Watching The Tevis
Show Report: Mid-South Spring Premiere, Rainsville, AL
Show Report: ASAC, Clemson, SC
I’m Baaaaaack … With Camera
Foto Friday: Doctor Whooves
Show Report: ETSA Spring Classic, Cleveland, TN
Fotography Friday: Texture
Rainbow Bridge
Good Things
Ladies Only

The all-time list has 8 out of these 10. Tevis still leads the list with the following in second & third:
Help Me Name My Horse, Prize Offered
Foto Friday: A Short Tribute to Amy Tryon

The Clemson post had the most comments for 2013.

The best day was August 22. Ironically, the day after I stomped off in a huff [Hiatus].

In addition to the stats page, WordPress compiled a summary full of graphic-y goodness:

(Start preview)
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 14,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 5 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

——————
Last year’s summary [By the Numbers], was more of a number-cruncher. This year, I looked at the numbers but they didn’t send me. I think I was still awed by all of the digits last year.

Presents All Around

WP webclipAt the end of the year, I upgraded the blog.

My gift to me: my own domain name, rodneyssaga.com. The term “wordpress” has been removed from the the title. Mostly an egoboo, but if I make cards, or signs, or whatever, it will look slightly more professional. There should be no change to any links or addresses you have. Rerouting is part of the service.

The upgrade bundle also came with more space, the ability to load videos directly rather than via YouTube, and the chance to customize my theme. I may fiddle with the latter. Not sure the other two functionalities speak to me. If I don’t use all the bells & whistles, I may switch to a la carte upgrades next year. Will keep you posted.

My gift to you: no ads.

Enjoy.

Feast of the Epiphany

Epiphany is one of my favorite religious holidays. Not a surprise, as it involves the Wise Men and revelation. I’m all about smart folks and more data.

An epiphany is the sudden understanding of something that was opaque. It’s not simply new information. It is about clarity where there was confusion. An epiphany cannot be taught nor delivered by another person. One must stumble upon them. This phenomenon is not unknown in the riding world.

First Instructor: Shorten your reins.
Second Instructor: Shorten your reins.
Third Instructor: Shorten your reins.
Rider: Hey! Wait a minute. This works so much better if I shorten my reins.

Wishing you a year of epiphanies, in riding & in life.

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas: 11 Paddock Masters

I’m exhausted just thinking about counting them up, but surely I have been in at least 11 paddocks? I’ve set dressage rings, arranged jumps by headlight, opened gates, yelled for riders, sucked dust, looked around vainly for riders, thumbed the walkie-talkie a thousand times in a day, and watched with overwhelming relief as the last horse trotted in for last trip of the day.

The best warm-up ring I ever ran was at an event at the Kentucky Horse Park. It was a three-day competition. By the time we got to show jumping on Sunday, those eventers were motivated to get in, get finished, and get home. Plus, I had an highly competent compatriot at the gate shoveling the riders into the ring without delay.

At the time, I was showing Adult Jumpers at A shows. At those shows, the announcers would give gate calls that ran as many as 10 riders deep: Gail (you go) in 1, Elizabeth in 2, Katherine in 3 … At the event, I did this thing. I would announce the impending order of go for the next 7 or 8 riders. At two minutes a trip, that meant each rider had 15 minutes warning, more than enough time to plan a warm-up. After a rider went in, I’d bump everyone up a step and repeat. They offered me a megaphone, but I declined. I’m ever so much louder.

The only time I lost riders was when they had already gone down the ring for their turn. I love eventers. At mid-afternoon, we went back to the show office:

Oh, are you taking a break?
Nope, we be done.

They were stunned. I lost my voice, but, boy, was it worth it.