Virtual Brush Box

Road Trip Rules, Fiction

Gail asked if I had trip treats.

I held up the bag of carrot sticks in one hand and the large bag of gorp in the other.

She laughed, “I see a Buckee’s stop in our future.”

She wasn’t wrong. I always have such grand plans. I am going to eat healthy this time! Only to inevitably dive headfirst into endless bags of Beaver Nuggets.

That’s why our trips worked. We understood each other. We had the same taste in music and podcasts. Our bladder capacities matched. We were willing to tolerate each others foibles. For example, Gail had this thing about stopping at Welcome Centers. Whenever we crossed into a new state, she would have us pull into the official first rest area off the highway. She liked to walk around the room that held all of the paper brochures. She never took any. She never stopped at any of the attractions, as far as I knew. One time, I pointed out that all of this information is available online.

“Yeah,” she said, slightly distracted, continuing to wander about. “I like to see what each state has to say for itself.”

To give myself something to do, I started a PhotoPhile account with pictures from each rest stop. It has a weirdly large number of followers. Or maybe not weird. It was interesting to see how the same basic concept differs from state to state. Or maybe Gail is rubbing off on me.

Gail travels for work & I can work from anywhere, so I have become her semi-permanent roadtrip companion. In return for sharing the driving and being the companion to her Doctor Who, I get free mini-vacation in cities all over the country. Frequently on short notice.

Philadelphia next week? Sure.

Leave for Nevada in three days? Sure.

I know that she will be chatty on the way out and sleepy on the way home. At the destination, I see her rarely. She is scheduled from breakfast meetings to dinner conferences. Honestly, I’m not completely sure what she does, except that it pays well and keeps her on the road.

Keeps us on the road.

~~~ curtain ~~~

Photo repost [Spirit Of Mississippi, Toomsuba, MS]

Photo repost [Franklin Fairwell]

Somebody’s Still Watching Me, Photography

Awareness of the outside world. Brooke, Action for Working Donkeys and Horses & Brooke USA. NB Brooke USA gets 100% on Charity Navigator as of 27 June 2024.

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[Somebody’s Watching Me]
[A & B & Me, Show Report, Alabama State Games]
[Hey Kids, Let’s Put On A Show, ASHAA Fun Show]
[Milton at Work]

Technical Details

New tool, fuzzy select to remove background.

At some point, I ought to study actual post-production techniques. Learn new things! Improve my photos!

This is more fun.

Onwards!
Katherine

Somebody’s Watching Me

Awareness of the outside world. Nautica the dressage Saddlebred has added Western Dressage to his resume, Facebook: Nautica the American Saddlebred June 5 photo. [Dressage Is For Every Horse]

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Photo by Courtney Huguley.

Percy is not so much a free range donkey, as a donkey who never met a fence he couldn’t teleport through.

You are welcome for the earworm.

Onwards!
Katherine

New Permutation

Awareness of the outside world. Not so much the specifics as the fact that the announcement features rider, horse, owner, AND groom. USEF: US Equestrian Announces U.S. Olympic Dressage Team for Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Jun 25, 2024.

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Last Monday we had a new configuration for the morning walk. Over the weekend, Milton hitched both days. Rodney had gone for handwalks in the morning to get our steps in. It was too hot to come back for an afternoon ride.

Therefore, on Monday, Milton walked in hand, while Rodney got ridden, since he’d missed out on any work over the weekend. Plus, I wanted to ride our last VT mile so that I could say we rode over the finish line. [Line By Line]

This was a new one. Rodney loved it. He trailed after Milton the most chill he’s ever been on a ride. Occasionally he would pull out as if to pass.

Me: No, you can follow.
Rodney: Really? Okay.

Possible causes.

One. Rodney seemed happy to see his saddle but not Milton. He wanted to be the big horse? I could be imagining this. I was not imagining when Previous Horse felt this way. If he went first. Fine. He go off and graze while Mathilda & I went out. If Mathilda went first, he’d strafe us. Seriously.

Two. Heat. Too hot to fuss? Rodney finds heat relaxing?

Three. With Milton untacked, it was really, really obvious, even to Rodney, that nothing was gonna happen.

Four. A mysterious one-off that will never be repeated?

Who knows.

Onwards!
Katherine

Line By Line, Virtual Tevis 2024

Awareness of the outside world. Science Direct: Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, A Comparison of Five Cooling Methods in Hot and Humid Environments in Thoroughbred Horses, Yuji Takahashi et al. Volume 91, August 2020, 103130. “Highlights … Continuous showering with tap water was the most efficient method.”

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Virtual Tevis Cup 2024
100 Miles in 100 Days
10 April to 21 July

Rodney
10 miles this week, 99.9 miles total
10 outings – 7 handwalk, 3 ride

Milton
7 miles this week, 93 miles total
7 outings – 3 handwalk, 1 ride, 3 drive

All outings one mile in pasture.

Tuesday 18 June to Monday 24 June

Logistics

Milton. Tuesday, ride. Wednesday, hitch. Thursday & Friday, handwalk. Saturday & Sunday, hitch. Monday, handwalk.

Rodney. Tuesday, ride & extra handwalk. Wednesday, ride. Thursday & Friday, two handwalks each day, Saturday & Sunday, morning handwalks. Monday, ride over the finish line!

Commentary

You may have noticed Rodney’s odd mileage. He has done all his miles. I have not logged the last one.

The real-life Tevis Cup has two finish lines. Your time stops up in the hills. Then you go down into the arena, do a lap, and pass under the finish banner. The Tevis Cup: Finish Line,

“The ‘Timed Finish Line’ is located in the ‘Auburn Overlook’ area near the Auburn Fairgrounds … The ‘Ceremonial Finish Line’ is in McCann Stadium at the Gold Country Fairgrounds where rider and horse take the finishers’ victory lap.” The Tevis Cup: Checkpoint Locations & History, Finish Line and McCann Stadium

Rodney has passed through the timed finish. We are waiting for Milton to catch up so that we can celebrate our victory lap and the ceremonial finish together.

Virtual Tevis Posts [Archives]

Onwards!
Katherine

Summer Shoes

Awareness of the outside world. Imagine the effect on geopolitics if Russia still owned Alaska. Idea courtesy of listening to the audio edition of Full Circle by Michael Palin (St. Martins 1997, Audible 2012), which begins with the author looking out across the Bering Straits. Palin Travels: Full Circle

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One of Rodney’s shoes made it over 6 weeks! During bug season! “Perhaps they can go 5 or 6 weeks in the summer instead of 4 or 5 weeks.” [Seven Weeks!]

Milton’s two front shoes and Rodney’s right front shoe were put on new on Thursday 2 May, and reset Monday 17 June. That’s 6 weeks and 4 days!

Rodney’s left front was put on new on Thursday 2 May, came off, put back on Tuesday 21 May, and reset Monday 17 June. [Shoe Removal Service]

The one that come off is usually the one that stays tighter. Rodney must be right-hoofed and stomp more with his right front. That is the one I use to judge if he is due for shoeing. A long way of saying the length of time is real. If the right can stay, on the left will as well – usually.

Anyway.

Over 6 weeks!

In summer!

Huge!

Will I continue to celebrate every little shoeing increment?

Absolutely.

Thoroughbreds are bred for speed not for foot strength. The have notoriously thin, delicate feet. Any progress in this department is notable.

I might have made the appointment for Thursday and gone for the full 7 weeks. One, I wasn’t feeling that brave. (TBH, I had forgotten that 7 weeks was already the record.) Two, Milton’s handler had to leave for work early that day could not be around to hold his horse. Milton is noticeably more relaxed when his person is there, or at least not me. Blacksmith’s assistant will do in a pinch. This keeps Milton quiet, which keeps the blacksmith happy. You want a happy blacksmith.

Onwards!
Katherine