Horses & Other Interests
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
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
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
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
Book Arts of the outside world. Center for Book Arts.
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Introduction To Bookmaking
David West
MakeBHM
Tuesday 11 June 2024
Class 4 of 4
Coptic Binding
Three-tone pamphlet stitch. The blue & black are running stitch, one up, one back. The red is gratuitous decoration.
Group Graduation photo
Links
Instagram post from instructor, @dwestart_studio, 10 June
[Quick Books, Book Making Class #1]
[Preparing The Parts, Book Making Class #2]
[Two Covers, Bookmaking Class #3]
Onwards!
Katherine
Claire caught up with me in the hallway. I could hear her stomping all the way from the elevator, “Why are we meeting in person!”
I took a deep breath and intoned, “Face to face time is important because humans beings are social animals. Millions of years of evolution cannot be shoved aside by a few years of technological convenience.”
Claire rolled her eyes.
“Well, if you knew the answer, why did you ask?”
“At least they will have snacks.”
That was true. Management might have weird ideas about mandatory in-person meetings, but they weren’t stupid. People are much more amenable about showing up when promised food.
At which point, we had reached the door to the conference room.
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A VSV, aka Very Small Vertical, on the fiction-as-jumps measurement scale. [A Book & On The Mountain]
In driving, the division for minis is called VSE, Very Small Equines. “VSEs are under 99cm with or without shoes.” ADS: VSE & Pony Measurement Program. [Watching from the Sidelines, scroll down]
This post was planned to have several fragments, perhaps even enough to be a considered a course of Very Small Verticals. Alas, work.
Onwards!
Katherine
Awareness of the outside world. Giraffe Conservation Foundation: World Giraffe Day. Also, have you met Finn, The Baby Giraffe? Appearing on Instagram Highpoint Haven @Gerald’s Life & TiKToK although you are on your own there. Dairy Mail: Adorable moment two-week-old baby giraffe Finn goes outside for the first time at Texas sanctuary, Saletta, 2 April 2024.
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From the maps, it appears that the Lee Branch begins under the outdoor shopping center that bears its name. This is where the creek comes out from under the asphalt.
Technical Details
Creek Outlet, f/2.4, 1/129 sec., 7.0 mm, ISO 32. Manual mode & auto-focus. Post production: resized, border, & watermark. No cropping.
Border colors. Gray for project, yellow for Nikon. [Photo Safari The First], [Quarry, Photography, Things]
[Lee Branch, Greystone Commercial Boulevard]
Onwards!
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 