Gratitude creates it’s own attitude. It can give you a new perspective, a new focus. I am going to use this day as my opportunity to see those things.
I am very much still in the tweaking stage, trying out a few different themes, activating widgets, etc. Oh, and uploading past work. I will post there, as I add new pieces to my Etsy shop as well. This new blog will remain as an ongoing archive of my work.
Check it out and subscribe to the RSS feed, if you are interested in seeing what new things I am creating. And to get in on the regular give aways…
It was a goal to set up an Etsy shop by the end of the year. I am happy to say that it is finally up and active. I have listed 3 blank, handbound books and a painting so far. More will be forthcoming during the week. I have small edition silkscreen prints and a few other items. Most of this existing work was done a number of years ago and will be priced reasonably. I want to move it out and make both physical and mental room to create more!
I most welcome any feedback, especially on the shop policies, bio and such. Writing about myself is not a very comfortable or fun thing for me to do.
Please take a look and let me know what you think. There is a permanent link just to the right as well. These photos were taken way back in April of this year, so you can see how long it has taken me to get in gear… It’s a relief to have done it…
Still Life (smashed jar)
Hand sewn journal or sketchbook
I was reading Mugwump’s latest post and I realized that Paisano needed a bit of a tune up on this front. So last night we worked on it. After a short bit of chatting with other boarders, I took him straight to the round pen, still dusty from rolling.
Paisano tried to snatch bites at his favorite weeds on the way over, then when I let him loose, he meandered over to a spot where he could reach more weeds. Instead, I sent him out at a trot. All he gave me was a little jog. I had my lunge whip that gives a nice pop and he got it laid over his rump. “NO, I want you to MOVE!” was the message. At first, I had to step into his space half way across the round pen. At one point, he kicked out twords me and that got him a response that really woke him up! I reversed him repeatedly for a few minutes.
By the end, he was responsive to all voice commands and would canter energetically until I asked him to do something else. He’s gotten into a pattern of just quitting and even slowing to a stop recently. I had slipped into the habit of always asking him to keep going, rather than expecting him to stay at any gait/speed until asked for something else. I am not going to do that anymore. My expectations are changing. I just don’t want to work that hard! Today was the beginning of that.
At a good whoa with him parallel to the fence, I asked him to come into the center. Then I gave him a good once over with my hands and some stretching and a little massage. That was his reward for the good work he gave me at the end.
On whoa in the round pen … I do not want a seasoned horse to turn to face me. This is just my preference. I know that many people always want their horse to ‘face up’ to them. Since my basis is in dressage, lunging, long lining, etc., I want a horse to stop where I ask them and not move their feet any more. If that means facing perpendicular to me, that’s what I want them to do. If I am driving, it means facing away from me. Whoa means “Whoa right where your feet are now,” not “stop and face me.” It’s hard to retrain them not to face you, when they are on the lunge line. In long lines, there is more control. Still, it can be frustrating during the transition time, where they think that is what you want. So I likely differ there from most of the NH world. So be it.
The jaquima on Lily. I've since put it on a Zilco trail headstall.
I worked in hand some on stepping under with the near hind foot. He has a harder time with this on the right. That flowed well into some lateral work. He tends to offer more sideways and less forward that I want. Or maybe that is me not getting my cues correct. Either way, we had some improvement there.
It’s supposed to rain all weekend, so I am not sure that I will be able to get any of the long rides at Pisgah done that I wanted to. I had laid out a training plan for the next six weeks until the Foothills ride. This three day weekend was going to be a great opportunity for some long slow miles. I guess I will have to get used to the rain… Today I am wimping out and working in the studio instead. Well, after I’m done with this blog post anyway!
I'll leave you with this photo of Lily being a good mom. She's telling Vinie to keep away from her baby.
Gratitude creates it’s own attitude. It can give you a new perspective, a new focus. I am going to use this day as my opportunity to see those things.
When we got down to the road (we have to ride 7/10ths of a mile from the trailhead to the barn), dusk was falling even in the open. The nearly full moon rose above Mt. Pisgah. I had a vignette between two hills that could not have been more perfect a view.
There was little traffic, most drivers were very considerate. Note to myself … I need to remember to bring my safety vest for all future rides. I have to give credit to Paisano for his level headedness. We were passed on the bridge by a car with headlights and he still trotted calmed over. The one vehicle that passed us faster than I liked was, of all things, a truck and horse trailer.
I went down the road a bit and came back to the barn through the farm fields. This gave Paisano a few minutes of rest and a good bit of thistle eating, his favorite. And it gave me the opportunity soak in the broad vista of cumulus clouds lit by the moon and enjoy the perfect temperature of the air.
I can’t think of a better way to end a long day at work… and that I am thankful for. Rides under the moonlight are a wonderful thing, when you have a perfect pony to share them with.
On the level of training for our LD ride, we did about 3.5 miles with about half or a bit less at a trot in just under an hour. Most of the trotting was uphill too. Yes, he was at his jog trot. I hope to get in some rides with other horses to encourage him to move out more. If you are in Eugene and want to meet at Pisgah on weekend, please email me.
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