20. Connecticut. I ride horses and take pictures of things.
my thoughts at today’s show, in no particular order
1.) if your horse is lame, get out of the ring.
2.)if you insist on having a dog, put it on a leash. if it repeatedly wanders into the show ring during classes then tie the leash to something because clearly you’re doing something wrong.
3.) if your horse is 300 lbs underweight it probably shouldn’t be at a show.
4.) don’t give a kid draw reins and encourage them to over exaggerate ‘the headset’ and then compliment how beautiful it looks. because mostly it just looks like you have no idea what you’re doing.
5.) I don’t care if you’re a ‘certified’ trainer, I’d rather have my non-certified, capable, accomplished trainer than your certified moron.
6.) no, that gait and that headset is not natural for that horse, there is a correct way to do it and clearly you missed that day in school now get out I don’t even ride that discipline and I know what’s right and wrong
7.) its a schooling show. if your kid is confused on course feel free to give them a shout. if they don’t even bother trying to memorize the course and rely on you hollering like a lunatic for every fence you should rethink things.
8.) thats not how you do jumpers. please stop.
9.) if you feel the need to lunge the crap out of your dead quiet horse for half an hour until he’s covered in sweat and almost falling over solely to make him ‘go slow’, perhaps we should put you in lead line because clearly you are not comfortable on your horse.
10.) if my trainer ever saw any of her students with that attitude see-sawing on their horse’s face she would make them leave.
11.) if you are an adult showing with kids solely so you can win you have issues.
12.) stop ring-side coaching if you are not a coach, especially if you are talking over the trainer and/or saying the wrong things. that is not your job.
13.) hunter under saddle people judging an open show really isn’t fair its all well and good if you do that but you can’t hold the whole class up to those standards.
14.) hey you, yes you, put on a shirt its really not okay to be walking around in a sports bra at a horse show. I know its a schooling show but seriously, you can at least try to not look like white trash.
15.) see that? that is an empty warm up ring why don’t you go in there instead of galloping your horse around the grounds like a crazy person
16.) yes, thank you for chucking your crop over the fence right at our 18 month old filly instead of tossing it gently through the fence or handing it off seeing as you were standing three feet away, that was awesome
I am proud to say that everybody at my barn behaved really well and did really well it it was just a long day and some of the people you see at these schooling shows are just ridiculous. which isn’t to say I don’t see equally ridiculous things at rated shows, just different kinds of ridiculous and today I just wanted to write it down so I did and now naptime.
getting up at the ass crack of dawn for a horse show always sounds like such a great and fun idea until you actually have to get up at the ass crack of dawn for a horse show
why couldn’t I have played like tennis or something I bet they sleep
Anonymous: Ok so in doing a photo project where I'm taking pics of different parts of a horse (eyes, nose, hoof, etc) and also a silhouette and I cannot get good pictures!! Since you're a really good photographer and you do pictures of horses do you have any suggestions? Thank you!!
I can try!
for details its nice to either have a macro lens (or setting; my little handheld camera has a really awesome macro setting that takes gorgeous macro shots) or a zoom lense so you can back up and then zoom in on what you like.
also pay attention to the time of day and the lighting! my favorite times are early morning and evening. its good for silhouettes - set the subject up so the light is behind them.
for the eyes, the best angle is probably from the front; try to catch the curve of light along the edge of the eye, the eyelashes, etc; focus on the details so it will still be an interesting photo! hooves can be hard so maybe try wetting them down on cement so there’s some reflection and shine and contrast, or maybe draw something on them with chalk? noses that have whiskers can be cute because it adds more detail. maybe try ears too? ears are always great. a swishing tail, the muscles, etc. here like this haha if that works
just focus on the details, I guess, and then pay attention to lighting! gah, good luck!
