# Between spotted ears



## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

I hesitated putting this under journals, but it didn't fit anywhere else. I find member journals intimidating. Some have hundreds of posts and I don't really do well with that kind of commitment, lol.

But I had such a good ride today and wanted to share. So we'll see if this turns into more...

My username doesn't really make sense in this forum. That's because it's a username I used to have in a different forum for plein air painting. Plein air painting is painting on location, something I have been doing for, well, I don't know how long now. At least 15 years maybe longer. I have painted my whole life and have studied art but since I got horses as an adult, I have had less time for this pursuit. I'm also very cautious about sharing my art. Honestly, I'm not that good. Which is why I moved on to a career in a different, though tangentially related field. Creating art still makes me happy, but I have learned through the years to focus on the process, not the end result. Don't get me wrong, I have sold lots of paintings, but also made a conscious decision not to paint with the goal of pleasing potential buyers. I really, truly, just do it for myself now, and without false modesty, I don't think the art world will miss my contribution as there are so many more talented than me!

Regardless, since I got back into horses as an adult, nearly 7 years ago, it was my dream to bring together two of my passions - painting _en plein air_, and horses. Unfortunately, the first horse I bought for myself was spooky, and I fell off her numerous times, even getting a concussion. But then, just over 3 years ago, Rusty came into my life and I fell in love. It made no sense though - he was a 6 year old who had only been ridden about 10 times, mostly bareback. But he belonged to a good friend who knew I had struggled with my mare, and who offered to let him live with me for 6 months as a trial period, to make sure we were a match. How could I say no?!!

And as they say, the rest is history. We have had hundreds of rides since, and have gone through some health problems, but seem to have hit our stride now, and I could not be more excited. Rusty is a character. He is sweet, loving, curious, intelligent, and opinionated.

So after a long winter of being cooped up, but working through some health problems, today, I finally got him out for a walk around the property. There is still a lot of snow on the trails, so we didn't go far, but I wanted to start working on taking him out, getting off him to paint _en plein air_ while he grazes, and getting back on him to go home. I just rode him over to our apple orchard and maple trees which are currently being tapped (we make maple syrup on our 13 acre property), hopped off, did a quick sketch of the sap cans and a mature maple while he grazed on some old grass from last summer (he thought it was the best thing ever), got back on him and rode home. He hates going back to the barn, so I decided we would work on that. He will stop, even back up rather than walk through that gate. I patiently let him stall, leg on, until he moved forward. He eventually went through the gate (he always does), but then I turned him around and we headed back out! I did that three times, at which point he walked in willingly, realizing that just because we go in the gate doesn't mean we won't go back out.

I was just so pleased with those small accomplishments today. I will keep a journal of my sketches, and eventually small paintings, on our rides. None may ever get framed, but they will be treasured because finally, I have a horse I can do all these things with!

Sorry, I didn't take a camera today. Instead, I will post this collage of riding between spotted ears in four seasons. Feeling very lucky to have had this guy stumble into my life, even with his larger-than-life personality!


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Wow, that sounds so idyllic, riding your horse out to paint and then coming back. Have a nice picnic while you are out there, too! Would you have to have a very small canvas? Or how would you carry it? What about the easel?


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

Yay! A journal! Journals are my favorite part of Horse Forum. I feel like the journal writers are friends to me. I hope you write as little or as much as you like. I will enjoy it.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

The Journals (and Aubie’s Friday Night chats) are such a big boost to this Forum so please write away!

What’s really scary though, is that I’d forgotten how your artwork tied in to your riding until you mentioned it here. 
2015 - must have been before you’d bought a horse?


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

ACinATX said:


> Wow, that sounds so idyllic, riding your horse out to paint and then coming back. Have a nice picnic while you are out there, too! Would you have to have a very small canvas? Or how would you carry it? What about the easel?


I have many paintboxes I can use, and two French easels which are also made for plein air painting, but will focus on my smallest for painting on trail rides. It holds an 8 x 10 canvas and includes a pochade where you can slide in a wet painting that protects it. My saddle bags were bought with the intent to carry this small pochade box. Here's what it looks like open. The top part actually slides out to hold a bigger canvas - here it is holding an 11 x 14 which is my favorite plein air size, however, the pochade can only contain an 8 x 10 so I'll have to limit myself to that for trails. 










Plein air painting requires choosing your colours, brushes and other medium very carefully since space is limited. You also have to complete a painting in a fairly short time period because the light changes quickly (the above is only about halfway done, and the most I would spend on a plein air painting outside is 1.5 hrs - though I often touch them up afterwards in studio). For me, it's about the experience. I am not trying to create a photo-realistic painting, but rather, my interpretation of what I see before me. When I paint, I am fully immersed in the moment, and I see the world around me more intensely. I imagine writers experience the same thing.

So yes, the paintings are smaller than what I would do in studio (I often paint larger formats in studio - 30 x 40" being my most common format in the last few years), but they're not tiny, and they are well-protected inside the slim, lightweight paint box.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

jaydee said:


> The Journals (and Aubie’s Friday Night chats) are such a big boost to this Forum so please write away!
> 
> What’s really scary though, is that I’d forgotten how your artwork tied in to your riding until you mentioned it here.
> 2015 - must have been before you’d bought a horse?


I just re-used the username from another forum for plein air painting. But yeah, we bought Harley in the fall of 2015, but he was really for my daughter. I bought Kodak in spring 2016. 

I really haven't painted much since getting into horses to be honest. And that's all good! I have loved my journey into the horse world so much, I didn't miss painting, really. I mean, I paint on occasion, but not as much as before the horses came into my life, and onto my property (Harley was initially boarded until our barn was done around June 2016). So it's not like I talk about it, it's just a username I had from before and as we know, once you pick a username, you're kind of stuck with it! I had no idea I'd be such a regular here!


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## Part-Boarder (Aug 17, 2019)

Beautiful! That’s so lovely that you are at the start of being able to do this with Rusty. The painting above is gorgeous and that’s a cool painting kit with pochade that fits perfectly into the saddle bag. Looks like you are all set for summer!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

No wonder you have such a fantastic eye behind the camera😍😍

I love your screen name - I’m glad you can’t change it👍😎👍😎

I have never started a journal either — nor did I ever keep a diary growing up. I started one when I was 12 and quickly lost interest. I was one of the those kids who was fortunate enough to have too much outdoor stuff to do and sort of liberal parents who let me. They did have a long set of reins on me, and were very willing & able to pull those reins back if I gave myself too much freedom😂

Anyway, I love your seasonal collage with Your Rusty 🥰. <——I say “your Rusty”. so my brain can differentiate between him and My Rusty😀😀


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

Acadianartist said:


> I had no idea I'd be such a regular here!


And we are so glad you are!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

On a different note, some of you know that I have been taking a mounted archery course. The first part of the course focuses solely on learning the form of horse archery on the ground. Much like learning to perfect position as a rider, the form is essential, especially in mounted archery. My instructor was trained in the Kassai method in Hungary, specifically evolved to shoot a bow off a horse's back. Everything about this type of archery is different - from the bow itself to the shooting method. So before ever trying it on a horse, you have to train yourself to shoot accurately and in rhythm with the canter. You have to release the arrow at the exact moment when the horse's hooves are all off the ground, and those who shoot in competitions want to get off as many arrows as possible to score points, so shooting fast and knowing the exact moment of release is crucial. Obviously, I am nowhere near doing that, and may never be! But that's ok, it's something else we can do when the weather is miserable and the footing is slop.

After 6 weeks (2 hrs a week + homework), I have the form and the shooting techique down, more or less. This is what it looks like:









Archers will say I should be holding the arrow to my cheek, but in fact, that would be incorrect for mounted archery. Because you're on a bouncy horse, arrows are shot at the plane of the shoulders instead, for stability. I can shoot with reasonable accuracy at a target 20 meters away, and am able to shoot an arrow every 4 seconds consistently. So I am now ready to start working on horseback. But before I do that, I need to desensitize Rusty. For the first few practices outdoors, I shot at a target alongside the paddock and the horses watched me. I don't have spooky horses, but they did think the whole thing was a little scary. Those arrows fly fast and make a noise when they hit.

Tonight, I was mucking out the paddock, and Rusty was following me around so I decided to bring my bow into the paddock. I set up a target just a few feet away (the purpose was not for me to practice accuracy, but rather for Rusty to experience the feeling of a bow being shot close to him) and shot a few arrows. He did very well! I should be able to start playing with the bow on his back very soon. Forgive the outfit - I was wearing my mucking out clothes 

Notice he is completely free to walk away, but chooses to stay near me as I am shooting arrows. Bella was also nearby, and very interested, but Harley stayed far away. I feel like he is getting a little more timid as he ages - I'm starting to wonder how his eyesight is. Something to bring up with the vet I guess.

I am not shooting in proper form in this video btw. I wanted to minimize the movements and keep my arms lower so it wouldn't seem so scary to the horses. By the end, I am getting closer to what the form should look like.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Cool journal! I thought the same as @walkinthewalk, that your photos show your artist's eye. It was funny to watch Rusty's face in the video.


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

It looks like Rusty is the right horse for the job! Thanks for sharing.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I couldnt get the video to play until now - when cyber space gets busy, watching videos goes out the window🤐

Rusty sure does have a curiosity about the bow & arrow. It probably reaches back in his DNA from when the Nez Perce of Idaho bred the highly prized Appaloosas.

Rusty is probably thinking he should understand all this bow & arrow stuff but why? You and he will do great in your class👍👍. Please keep updating😎🐴😎🐴


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

gottatrot said:


> It was funny to watch Rusty's face in the video.


Right? I love watching his face. The interesting part is that he is looking at the target with me! He understands the concept of me aiming towards it. You might think he'd be staring at the bow instead, but no, he is anticipating the action of the arrow hitting the target. And yes, of course he sees me well with the eye that is facing me, but his ears are forward, towards the target. The ears moving is also indicative of him thinking and focusing on what's going on. Horses are so much more intelligent than I ever realized.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

I am also glad you got a journal! I did a little archery off of a couple of my horses. I never was very good at it. I didn’t know about timing.

I actually was in a war with a pack of coyotes who were killing my cats. So, I took Bones (he was one I practiced target shooting with), and we chased coyotes with my bow. I will say, Bones is fast and could get me on the coyotes, but having to turn him to aim would always put them out of reach for me. I couldn’t figure out how to shoot with him facing something. I was too afraid to shoot him, and his neck was always in the way.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Knave said:


> I am also glad you got a journal! I did a little archery off of a couple of my horses. I never was very good at it. I didn’t know about timing.
> 
> I actually was in a war with a pack of coyotes who were killing my cats. So, I took Bones (he was one I practiced target shooting with), and we chased coyotes with my bow. I will say, Bones is fast and could get me on the coyotes, but having to turn him to aim would always put them out of reach for me. I couldn’t figure out how to shoot with him facing something. I was too afraid to shoot him, and his neck was always in the way.


Very cool! I mean, not that the coyotes were giving you problems, but that you tried to shoot them from horseback! We do drills on the ground where we have to shoot at various angles. Your lower body stays put, but your upper body swivels. However, shooting between the ears of a horse just isn't done. As you point out, it's too dangerous. Better to shoot slightly off to the side.

Mounted archery in the Kassai style looks like this: 









Competitions are done at the canter. You have to complete a run in under 20 seconds and hit the target as many times as possible. As I said, the release is done at the point in the canter when all hooves are up in the air, because that's the most stable moment. Good archers can shoot arrows every 2 seconds and that's about the time it takes for two canter strides on these horses. You don't sit down, it's sort of a half-seat. Not quite two-point, but not sitting in the saddle either - again, with the goal of remaining as still as possible from the waist up, but also so you can see over your horse's head. The arrows are not held in a quiver, but rather, in your bow hand. I can currently hold 3 arrows easily, and may work my way up to six, but I'll never hold more than that probably. BTW, there are other styles of mounted archery so this isn't the only way it can be done, but this is the style that I'm learning. You also do not look down at your bow or arrows, so you have to shoot by touch. We train this extensively until it becomes instinctive. 

We also do drills while doing squats, using a metronome, shooting at targets in different locations so you have to keep turning to see them, shooting while lying down, and my favorite, shooting while kneeling on a yoga ball! I still haven't been quite able to master that last one. 

Another aspect of training the horse is to get them used to you dropping the reins! In competitions, there is a track. At home, you can put up a line using step-ins to create a chut that they run down. Since I ride English, it will be very weird to let go of the reins!

***

Switching back to painting _en plein air_ during trail rides, I got this in the mail today! 

It is really compact, fairly light, and will fit perfectly in the other saddle bag (one will be to carry my paintbox)! I will tie a rope to it and use it to mount from the ground, then pull it up with the rope, collapse it, and stick it in my saddle bag. Since I ride in a treeless saddle, it tends to slip when I try to mount from the ground plus, I have short legs. And as an added bonus, I can use this as a stool to sit and paint! It is very sturdy, and really well-made so if anyone is looking for a telescopic stool for mounting or chilling on trail rides, I highly recommend! Search for collapsible stool in Amazon! Such a cool invention!


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Yea, I could use one of those, and the archery looks so cool!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

First time shooting my bow off Rusty's back. I only shot one arrow, and we did it at the walk. It was rather... anticlimactic, lol. No biggie, I don't think he even noticed! I have been doing lots of desensitizing and clearly it worked. Next I will start shooting at a trot. Eventually, the canter.

We also got out on the property again and I used the stool. It is sturdy enough, but a tad tippy. Better than nothing, and I will definitely keep bringing it along, but if anyone is thinking of getting one, be aware that they aren't real stable so you need to be well-balanced.

Photo of me shooting an arrow from Rusty's back. Sorry for the poor quality. Hubby is not much of a photographer I'm afraid, but he tries for me


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

The Arabians have Native Costume classes.

I believe you and Rusty have found your niche. I can easily image you in the Nez Perce version of Native Costume👍😍👍


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

walkinthewalk said:


> The Arabians have Native Costume classes.
> 
> I believe you and Rusty have found your niche. I can easily image you in the Nez Perce version of Native Costume👍😍👍


Yes, he would look pretty snazzy. One my daughter's students is Indigenous and painted him like a war pony for Halloween. It was very cute. The important thing to me is that we're having fun and learning new things together! The funny thing to me is that I had never shot a bow in my life until a few weeks ago, when I took a mounted archery class, and really never had a desire to do so. Yet, I'm surprisingly accurate! Believe me when I say I am the first one to be shocked at that since I have zero athletic ability and couldn't hit the side of a barn with a beach ball if I tried. 

I'm thinking this will be a fun thing to do in the winter when trails are off-limits and since it is based on short bursts of cantering along a straight line, should be doable. 

After we did some archery desensitizing, we headed out onto the property and checked out my husband boiling sap. Rusty wanted to go touch the pans... 









We then rode along the road a few times - something I'd like to be braver about doing so I can get to new trails. Rusty loves it, but I'm very nervous about the big logging trucks that fly by and the complete lack of a shoulder. Sundays are better because there are no trucks. Then we went in the paddock, got a treat from my coat pocket hanging on the fence, left again, did another tour of the property, and came back in. He hates coming in so we're working on that. All in all, not a really exciting ride, but I guess that's how I like it, and we did accomplish lots so I'll take it! 

We also found a new saddle for Bella through my consignment saddle lady. It is a 16.5" so short enough for Bella's back, but big enough for my daughter. It is an AP, so more suitable to jumping than the dressage saddle. My daughter wants to start going over cavalettis with her this summer. We are still taking it very slow, keeping the rides short and low intensity, but Bella does not seem to have any trouble carrying around my daughter. It will be hard to wait a couple more years to jump her over anything significant, but it will give us time to work on her manners which still aren't 100%.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

What brand of saddle did you get? I am looking at pony saddles.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

What is it like before it’s boiled? What does it taste like?

Sorry, it just makes me super curious.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

gottatrot said:


> What brand of saddle did you get? I am looking at pony saddles.


I ride in a Sensation treeless saddle. Small Canadian company that makes each saddle by hand, one at a time. They're affordable, but almost impossible to find so I got very lucky. Because it is treeless, I use a Skito pad which helps keep it from sliding around and provides spinal relief. Treeless saddles are nice for hard-to-fit horses, but you have to be careful of doing damage to their back. The manufacturers warn that although the occational jump over a log is fine, these saddles are not meant for a lot of jumping because it puts pressure on the back when you stand in the stirrups. Not a problem for what I do, which is mostly recreational. It is incredibly comfortable and is a very popular saddle with endurance riders for this reason.

I don't have any really good pictures of it, but you can sort of see it here:










Editing to add - sorry, I just clued in that you were talking about the pony saddle I got for Bella. We ended up getting a Collegiate Event saddle. It is chocolate brown, and I think it fits her quite well. If anything, it's a tiny bit on the wider side than she needs (it's a MW), but I figure we can use a half pad with shims and it will give her a little room to fill out. It will not be her last saddle, but will do the trick for now.

It doesn't go too far on her back, nor are the flaps too forward so as to interfere with her shoulder. Here's a pic:


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Knave said:


> What is it like before it’s boiled? What does it taste like?
> 
> Sorry, it just makes me super curious.


Like sugar water  Keep in mind that the ratio is 40:1 so you need 40 litres of sap to make 1 litre of syrup. It is very dilute when it comes right out of the tree, but has a little bit of a sweet taste.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

Thank you! I wanted to imagine it. When I think of sap it’s already thick and gooey. Of course, maple trees don’t grow in my environment. Now, Arbor Day says they do, but no one has one and I’ve tried several for them to all die off. I think the weather is just too extreme.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Thanks for the saddle info, I was interested in all of it. Bella looks like she might have a forward girth groove like Aria, which is my problem. My shortest L & R is 17 inch, and is not quite wide enough even though it fits very wide horses. I'm also thinking about the flap and needing it to not go too far over the shoulder, but it's all tricky with the short back too.

I tried my Ghost treeless and didn't like it on her, but now I am thinking I will adjust some things and try it again. Your Sensation looks very nice. The archery you are doing is amazing.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

gottatrot said:


> Thanks for the saddle info, I was interested in all of it. Bella looks like she might have a forward girth groove like Aria, which is my problem. My shortest L & R is 17 inch, and is not quite wide enough even though it fits very wide horses. I'm also thinking about the flap and needing it to not go too far over the shoulder, but it's all tricky with the short back too.
> 
> I tried my Ghost treeless and didn't like it on her, but now I am thinking I will adjust some things and try it again. Your Sensation looks very nice. The archery you are doing is amazing.


I love our L & R, but it fits Harley best. Collegiates are not a very high end saddle, but since we will likely be replacing it again in a year, and since it does appear to fit her reasonably well, I figured it would do for now. 

I do think Ghosts have to be adjusted to work well I only tried one on once, and didn't like it, but it probably needed adjustments). I did make quite a few adjustments to my Sensation as well. The nice thing about these saddles is that they have a lot of adjustable parts, but of course, that also means you have to keep moving things around. I did try my Sensation on Bella but it was too big for her. I was surprised the Collegiate fit as well as it did, and seemed proportionate for her. We also have a Thorowgood pony saddle for her which I picked up for a measly 150$, but it's too small for an adult to sit in it (16"). We use it for lessons with the little ones sometimes - looks a little funny on our full-size horses, but it works since it is an XW.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

I'd really like to try a Thorowgood pony saddle on Aria. They do come in 16.5", so if I see one used I will buy it. The only problem is that it seems only the jumping saddles come in the T8 version which has some leather, and the AP style is only available in all synthetic. I usually ride with a longer leg, plus I don't want the flap to be so forward over her shoulder.
I'm so spoiled that I'm afraid I wouldn't like to ride in a completely synthetic saddle. Maybe I'm wrong about that. Is yours synthetic? I just don't want to buy a brand new synthetic one and find out I hate it.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

gottatrot said:


> I'd really like to try a Thorowgood pony saddle on Aria. They do come in 16.5", so if I see one used I will buy it. The only problem is that it seems only the jumping saddles come in the T8 version which has some leather, and the AP style is only available in all synthetic. I usually ride with a longer leg, plus I don't want the flap to be so forward over her shoulder.
> I'm so spoiled that I'm afraid I wouldn't like to ride in a completely synthetic saddle. Maybe I'm wrong about that. Is yours synthetic? I just don't want to buy a brand new synthetic one and find out I hate it.


Yeah, it's a synthetic. We don't mind the synthetics that are soft. Neither my daughter or I have liked the hard synthetics. They're just so stiff and uncomfortable (we had a hard Thorowgood synthetic and didn't like it). It helps that ours is used, so isn't hard like a new one. But I've ridden in a few of these old, soft synthetics in lesson programs, and I don't mind them at all. 

I just checked the site - ours is a T4. The one we didn't like was a T8.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

gottatrot said:


> Thanks for the saddle info, I was interested in all of it. Bella looks like she might have a forward girth groove like Aria, which is my problem.


I got this girth and feel like it has been helpful, as Pony has the same problem: https://www.totalsaddlefit.com/shop/srg/shoulder-relief-girth-jump/

Also WRT to Thorowgood saddles, you can trial them from Smartpak, although they have limited sizes for trialing. I tried two or three and none of them really worked for us.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

ACinATX said:


> I got this girth and feel like it has been helpful, as Pony has the same problem: https://www.totalsaddlefit.com/shop/srg/shoulder-relief-girth-jump/
> 
> Also WRT to Thorowgood saddles, you can trial them from Smartpak, although they have limited sizes for trialing. I tried two or three and none of them really worked for us.


Thanks! I was just looking at those girths last night.


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## twhvlr (Jul 5, 2017)

You reminded me that I have one of these:








The legs fold in and it has a string attached.






I have the smaller 10” size and am considering getting the bigger 14” size. Thus far it’s been pretty steady for me but I need to use it more before I invest the money in another. Mine is not quite tall enough. I had forgotten that I have it so it needs more vetting before I invest more money.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Another fun and fabulous day between spotted ears. Today, Rusty decided we should trot down the line as I try my very best to hit the target with my arrow. Which - shockingly - I did! I was just going to walk, but he decided that if I'm going to shoot arrows, he is going to trot. Ok, whatever. He still tends to drift when I drop the reins so next time, I will create a better chute with step-ins and rope as my mounted archery instructor suggested. I was hoping that, Rusty being Rusty, the ground poles would prove to be more effort than it's worth to step over and that he would stay against the rail, but that didn't always work. Nonetheless, we got the job done AND I hit the target at a trot! It looks relatively easy, but there were so many steps to get here. I'm quite happy with us both!










****


On the painting front, I have been experimenting with oil pastels. I like painting with traditional oil paint, but felt it would be so much less cumbersome to carry a medium that is dry, doesn't require a lot of mixing on the palette, and is more portable than oil paint. I have been experimenting with oil pastels and have come to like them quite a bit. I currently just have student grade pastels which were given to me, but have reached out to my local art store for some better quality pastels, and will pick some up early in the week. I've been following a few artists who use them, and am surprised at how much the end results can look like oil paintings, so this may be a perfect solution.

In the end, I really just want to enjoy the time that I have with my dear Rusty. He does really love when we ride somewhere, I get off, and he gets to eat grass, lol. My idea is just to keep a little art journal to remember all these glorious rides. I may sometimes take my whole paintbox along, especially if I want to paint a specific scene, but most of these will be quick sketches just meant for my own enjoyment.

Life is good between spotted ears.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

You have melted into the Perfect Pair🏹🏹💐💐


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

walkinthewalk said:


> You have melted into the Perfect Pair🏹🏹💐💐


Agreed. The friend who sold him to me, who still trims him, says we are a good match. I agree. I am so glad he found me and I found him! Again, it made no sense at the time. My supposedly bombproof, well-trained mare was not working out, and my friend had this 6 year old, barly broke (10 rides on him!) gelding who came to live with me for a while. Lo and behold, we are meant for each other. I've become his person, have put hundreds of rides on him since then, and love him to bits. I daresay he thinks I'm pretty ok too.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Today was a miserable wet, cold day. I didn't ride because the ring is a sloppy mess. Trails continue to be off-limits as well. But there is an old apple tree in the pasture, so I thought I'd try to paint it using my oil pastels. I still need lots of practice to figure out how to use these effectively. I am still working with a cheap, student-grade set and am really looking forward to getting a better quality brand and a proper surface. Just scraps of canvas atm. On the plus side, using oil pastels is so much easier and more convenient than painting with oils. No brushes to clean, no paint to mix. Oil pastels do kind of blend in together on the page, though I am hoping the ones I am planning on buying will blend better than the cheap ones I have now. 

The horses were out, but I figured they'd just ignore me. Nope. Rusty was obsessed. Bella would have come in to check things out, but Rusty kept chasing her away. Harley ignored me. It was actually really comical, Rusty was completely engrossed in what I was doing and wanted to be right there with me. He was licking my hand as I was trying to apply the oil pastels. 

This journal - assuming I keep it up - is going to be picture-heavy. It's just hard not to share photo of my spotted guy, and there is just so much my non-horsey friends can take, lol. 

I feel he was judging me just a bit... nothing like trying to paint with someone looking over your shoulder. 🤣 🤣


















Or maybe he thought he could do a better job.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

You might want to google “horses that paint”, lollol

The one I first heard about was Cholla.





__





Photos of Cholla


Photos of Cholla



www.chollathepaintinghorse.com





When you upgrade your paints and brushes, Rusty may be interested in your student set😇😇

BTW the tree looks great, what I can see of it 👍😀👍😀


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Don't think it hasn't occurred to me @walkinthewalk! Someday, I will put a brush in his mouth. Of course he will likely just eat it! 

The tree sucks, but I had fun!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

End of tonight's ride and a bit of searching for new blades of grass on the lawn afterwards. As a reward, we have gotten into the habit of riding out to the side of the house where I get off, take the bit part of his halter/bridle combo, and let him eat a little.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Rain, rain, rain here. I've hardly gotten a ride in. 

So it was a good time to play with my new Sennelier oil pastels! I only bought a few because they are very pricey, so I am working with a limited palette (which is not uncommon for plein air painters anyway). I think I'll pick up a couple more sticks, but otherwise, I like them! They're fun and easy. A lot more pigment than the student grade ones, and softer, so easier to work with. They have more oil, whereas the student grade ones have more wax. Since I am not trying to create art to hang on my wall, but just a fun activity while out on trails, I think this will do the trick! 

Based on a photo of course, and again, just having fun and experimenting.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I know artists are their own worse critics but I think it’s great👍👍

My son’s father went to school with a fella who went on to art school. His paintings were beautiful but for some reason he didn’t think so.

We were all young adults when he invited a few of his good friends to an outdoor party at his parents place - they had a couple of acres. We were going to try to buy one of his paintings while we were there.

Everyone was having a great time when, out of nowhere, the young man started bringing his beautiful paintings out of the house and throwing them on the fire. We made a hasty exit, but to my knowledge, he burned all of them. Even his sister said he wasn’t right and was ready to disown him - which, when you’re Italian, that generally is not something to make light of🤯🤯

Don‘t burn your beautiful paintings😍


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

walkinthewalk said:


> I know artists are their own worse critics but I think it’s great👍👍
> 
> My son’s father went to school with a fella who went on to art school. His paintings were beautiful but for some reason he didn’t think so.
> 
> ...


How tragic! And thanks. 

But you know, I'm in my 50s now, with a good job that pays very well. My family is healthy, I don't worry about money, I have my horses - I have already won the lottery. 

I draw and paint because I like it. It is meditative, and enhances my appreciation for the world around me if that makes sense. For years, I sold paintings through a couple of small galleries in town. Not many, but enough to pay for all the supplies I'd ever want and a little extra around the holidays which paid for presents for the kids. But then I started to get requests for certain types of paintings and it started to affect how I painted. I'd start worrying that if I used certain colours, or painted certain types of scenery, the paintings wouldn't sell. For every sold painting, artists generally have about 10 or 20 more sitting in their basement. 

I don't need all that. I just want to have fun with Rusty. He's not a jumper, will probably never compete in anything, and I don't love the idea of trailering him around, so we're kind of limited to puttering around the ring (thus the mounted archery fun!) and doing shortish trails around the neighborhood. He likes the relaxed pace, and so do I. We probably aren't ever going to ride with other people, other than the occasional ride with my daughter. I've decided that at my age, with the kind of horse that Rusty is, that is more than ok. I like the solitude. Throwing my sketch pad in the saddle bag and stopping somewhere for a bit of grass for Rusty, a quick sketch for me, that sounds like a perfectly good time. And that's all it needs to be. If I decide to do something with these sketches, it would be as a reference for painting indoors. Otherwise, I will just keep a journal that I can flip through in my old age, when I can't do these things anymore.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Acadianartist said:


> How tragic! And thanks.
> 
> But you know, I'm in my 50s now, with a good job that pays very well. My family is healthy, I don't worry about money, I have my horses - I have already won the lottery.
> 
> ...


Yes, it all makes perfect sense😎😎. That’s what I was taught “take the time to smell the roses” means😍😍


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

Years ago, I read in Reader's Digest, that Margaret Mitchell, the author of Gone With the Wind, wrote a sequel to Gone With the Wind. While she was editing it, she got discouraged and threw it in the fire. What a loss.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

knightrider said:


> Years ago, I read in Reader's Digest, that Margaret Mitchell, the author of Gone With the Wind, wrote a sequel to Gone With the Wind. While she was editing it, she got discouraged and threw it in the fire. What a loss.


I think that's probably fear of failure after a first big success. Maybe it was bad! But I guess we'll never know. 

Most of my life, I tried to be the best at things. I was a gifted child who got noticed. Striving for perfection was my motto. But now, I have a new motto: "Aspire to mediocrity". Sounds strange, I know, and counter-productive. But after years of trying to be the best in my field, I realized there would always be another step. Just when I thought, "If I just achieve X, then I will have made it!", there would be a new goal. There would never be a point in my life when I could say that I'm truly the best at anything (though I'm pretty good at a couple of things  ). So now, I accept - no, embrace! - mediocrity. I'm a mediocre landscape artist. I'm also a mediocre rider! So what? For a long time, I didn't do the things I couldn't excel in because I didn't see the point of doing something you're not very good at. I think this is a common mindset. With social media these days, there is so much pressure to post about how great your life is, with perfectly curated photos that are often so distorted I hardly recognize the people who post them. I'm here to say I'm not perfect, and I'm finally ok with that! I'll still do the things I want to do because I like doing them. And maybe it's good enough to be just good enough!

If I post artwork online like I just did, it's not to get people to compliment them. I'm just sharing because I'm excited about playing with art and horses, and figure my horse friends will get it in a way that most people wouldn't. Also because I think posting less-than-perfect art or photos is a lot more real, and maybe just reassuring for others who aren't out there winning prizes on their horses or for their art. 

And that's my life lesson for the day


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

Attributed to G.K. Chesterton, "Anything worth doing is worth doing badly." I've always loved that motto. Since I do many things (most things?) badly, I am quite happy to embrace that motto. When I was a teen in 4-H, my nickname was "The Third Place Kid," because I was good enough to get a ribbon, but never the top two. I kind of liked that nickname. At least I got third place!

I loved your post above, @Acadianartist . More power to you. We mediocres have a lot of fun.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

knightrider said:


> Attributed to G.K. Chesterton, "Anything worth doing is worth doing badly." I've always loved that motto. Since I do many things (most things?) badly, I am quite happy to embrace that motto. When I was a teen in 4-H, my nickname was "The Third Place Kid," because I was good enough to get a ribbon, but never the top two. I kind of liked that nickname. At least I got third place!
> 
> I loved your post above, @Acadianartist . More power to you. We mediocres have a lot of fun.


Love that saying. Cheers to mediocrity! And yes, being second, or third, is ok in my book!


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

That is a great philosophy! Putting unrealistic pressure on ourselves only hinders our enjoyment of life. I believe we should do things for our own enjoyment (art, sports, writing, riding) and anything else that comes from it will be a bonus. I've noticed in running races that people seem to put a lot of pressure on themselves. But how many of us are going to actually place, or win? Most of us don't have a prayer. So when I race, I look at the scenery, and make jokes with people, and it is much more fun. People who are the very best at things usually have had to devote so much time and energy to it, that everything else has been squeezed out of their lives. 

That being said, you are a good artist, and I think it is also fine to acknowledge we do well at things we have devoted a lot of time and energy into learning.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

I love that! My oldest is a perfectionist through and through. She won’t run with me @gottatrot because she says she knows she’d kill herself to try and win. This is true. She broke the record mile at her school, just by pushing herself too hard.

She doesn’t have a ton of fun with things. Everything must be the best. She does find a ton of success that way, but she loses a lot of happiness too.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Knave said:


> I love that! My oldest is a perfectionist through and through. She won’t run with me @gottatrot because she says she knows she’d kill herself to try and win. This is true. She broke the record mile at her school, just by pushing herself too hard.
> 
> She doesn’t have a ton of fun with things. Everything must be the best. She does find a ton of success that way, but she loses a lot of happiness too.


My daughter is also like this. But I was too at that age, and I know better now. I think it's something perfectionists have to learn over time.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Art is so subjective. I have read Lust for Life about Van Gogh, his paintings now bring millions, and Van Gogh and his brother lived pretty much in poverty. It really is mind bending when you think of it. And what is art, anyway? For me, his paintings bring a reaction, but I would not like to hang them in my house, there is to much "much" there. But a simple painting of a desert scene brings me joy.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

whisperbaby22 said:


> Art is so subjective. I have read Lust for Life about Van Gogh, his paintings now bring millions, and Van Gogh and his brother lived pretty much in poverty. It really is mind bending when you think of it. And what is art, anyway? For me, his paintings bring a reaction, but I would not like to hang them in my house, there is to much "much" there. But a simple painting of a desert scene brings me joy.


Quite right. I do love Van Gogh, and the experience of seeing his paintings in real life far exceeds the reprints. 

But I fully agree. If something makes you happy when you look at it, then who cares what anyone else thinks? I won't get into the debate of art for art's sake vs art that is decorative, but I will say that plein air painting is really different for me than painting in studio. When I look at my plein air paintings, I can recall the exact conditions of that day. I can almost feel the temperature, the angle of the sun or the dampness of a chilly winter day, I recall how the birds were singing or how the air was still with the insulation of a blanket of snow. Something I paint in the studio doesn't have those memories attached to it. Sometimes, I like to look at these plein air paintings because they bring me back to that moment in time. I can look at them and remember being there, in that exact place at that exact time. Today, for example, I was visiting my parents (it was my dad's 78th birthday) and I hadn't been to their house in a long time. I noticed one of the paintings I'd given them was hanging on the wall. I had painted round bales in the field. I remember that exact day like it was yesterday even though it was painted 15 years ago. I went painting with a good friend on my birthday (we often paint together) and the sun was shining. I remember staring at those bales, especially the face of the bale, with the twirls, picking out the incredible variety of colours and hues. I remember it was afternoon - I had ditched work to go paint. It wasn't too hot, but just right. I remember how the light fell. So regardless of the results, I like looking at these because it brings me back to those moments I guess. 

Van Gogh often painted en plein air too. It really is the best way to see colour and light if you're going to paint landscapes.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Glorious evening. No pics, sorry. Sometimes I'm just in the moment, and don't even have my phone with me. I think that's good though. 

It has been a cold and miserable Easter weekend, but not snowy, just a cold north wind blowing. Still, I hopped on Rusty for a bit, not really planning on doing too much. 

The sun was going down, hitting his forelock and mane just right. I wish everyone could have that feeling when they can close their eyes and just trust their horse, feeling the warmth of the sun, eyes closed. He was also happy to trot tonight (thank you Succeed! - what a game-changer you've been!), and then we did a bit of side-passing. I like to pick something easy like this on these relaxed rides. It makes both of us feel we're still accomplishing something. Rusty is learning to give to the leg. To be fair, when I got him, he didn't even know to yield to pressure. He still doesn't always. But thanks to a few people here, I learned that peanuts in the shell make a fabulous treat. OMG, he'd do anything for one of those. Tonight, I really wanted him to just step sideways, but when he realized he was going to get a peanut for it, he wanted to keep doing it, lol. So we worked it on both sides, and while it wasn't perfect, I felt I had achieved more than I'd set out to do, and was really happy with that. There is something to be said for small goals! Next I will put out a ground pole and see if we can side-pass over it. 

It's good to have big goals too, but sometimes, bringing it back to small, achievable goals is good for both horse and rider. And yes, everyone should be able to see the late sun's rays glinting off their horse's forelock between two spotted ears and close their eyes because everything in that exact moment is exactly perfect.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Acadianartist said:


> And yes, everyone should be able to see the late sun's rays glinting off their horse's forelock between two spotted ears and close their eyes because everything in that exact moment is exactly perfect.


Amen to that 😍😇😍😇


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## Part-Boarder (Aug 17, 2019)

Acadianartist said:


> Today was a miserable wet, cold day. I didn't ride because the ring is a sloppy mess. Trails continue to be off-limits as well. But there is an old apple tree in the pasture, so I thought I'd try to paint it using my oil pastels. I still need lots of practice to figure out how to use these effectively. I am still working with a cheap, student-grade set and am really looking forward to getting a better quality brand and a proper surface. Just scraps of canvas atm. On the plus side, using oil pastels is so much easier and more convenient than painting with oils. No brushes to clean, no paint to mix. Oil pastels do kind of blend in together on the page, though I am hoping the ones I am planning on buying will blend better than the cheap ones I have now.
> 
> The horses were out, but I figured they'd just ignore me. Nope. Rusty was obsessed. Bella would have come in to check things out, but Rusty kept chasing her away. Harley ignored me. It was actually really comical, Rusty was completely engrossed in what I was doing and wanted to be right there with me. He was licking my hand as I was trying to apply the oil pastels.
> 
> ...


I love these photos of Rusty checking out your painting supplies! Also wow regarding mounted archery and working towards building the form and positioning to be able to shoot during the moment of suspension in the canter!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

If there's one thing both equestrians and artists understand, it's the importance of having the right gear. I mean sure, you can be a great equestrian or artist using low-grade equipment, but the road to get there will be long and difficult, and frankly, at my age, who has time for that? 

I'm continuing to play with Sennelier oil pastels which are far superior to Pentels, the student brand and it's kind of like going from a 300$ saddle to a 2000$ saddle. The Senneliers are soft, glide on the paper and have wonderful pigmentation. I am continuing to add the odd colour that I find I am missing (lucky for me the local art store sells them individually), kind of defeating the purpose of having a limited palette to reduce weight and bulk, but oh well... speaking of which, I have ditched my plein air box. Also ditched my saddle bags which I didn't like. Instead, I have a saddle pad with generous pockets. I place it over my Skito pad (those keep the weight off his spine since I ride him in a treeless saddle). Here it is, in all its glory (so matchy-matchy!): 










Rusty's wondering what's taking me so long. I'm quite sure he knew we were going out on trails with all that gear on. Note the rope! Before I tacked him up, I played a game with him. After reading comments about hobbles, I decided to see if I could just use a long rope. I dug out this big, heavy rope that must be 25' long. Someone gave it to me for some reason. I took Rusty out into the sandy ring and just let the rope drag. When I first dropped it, he stood there (no, he has not been taught to ground-tie, I swear, he has no training, he could just feel the weight of it and was assuming he was supposed to stand still). I ignored him and walked around, pretending to do stuff, until he got bored and began walking around too. Of course he stood on the rope, pulled, then took a step back to release the pressure. Totally chill about it. He did that a few more times, and I praised him for walking backwards when he got stuck. We worked on that for a few minutes, then tacked up, warmed up in the ring, and headed out. 

I didn't think I'd really have a chance to sketch anything, I just wanted to see if this new setup (new saddle pad, rope, etc.) would work. We wandered around the yard a bit, then I took him to the usual spot by the apple trees, got off and pulled out all my gear and began to sketch. I did hold the end of the rope just in case - yes, I know I would never be able to hold him if he really took off, but when he got to the end of it, the tension in my hand was enough to convince him to come back towards me and graze in a different direction. When he did step on the rope, he generally just stopped pulling and grazed in a circle around his hoof, lol. I told you, he's all about working smarter, not harder. Eventually, he would take a step back and release himself. Once, he spooked a little at something in the woods. We still have not gone on real trail rides because the ground is much too soft. So he is spring fresh. He kind of ran back a few steps and stopped, waiting for me to get to him. That's the extent of Rusty's spooks. 

After about 15 minutes, it occurred to me that he hadn't really had good grass yet, so it would be best for me to call it a day. I only got a very quick sketch out of it, but considering that I had been prepared to accept that I would just be going through the motions, I think it worked out great! I packed everything up, used my telescopic stool to get on with my reins clipped onto my Booma safety rein (such a cool gadget for this and many other things!) -- all while he continued to eat. Got myself all organized and all my gear in place, then had to tear him away from the delicious greenery and head back home. 












The oil pastels are sticking out intentionally btw - they fit quite well in the pocket, I just thought my supplier would like the product shot. Also, you can see I took his bit out to let him graze. I ride him in a halter/bridle combo so it's easy for me to unclip the bit which I think also makes it a bit safer.

Small victories! I can totally see myself doing a lot more of this. I don't think Rusty will object. 

One more photo of him doing his other favorite thing after eating:


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

I am so happy for you. This was your dream for many years. I always felt sad when Kodak wasn't working out because you were nowhere near your dream. And now it has come true. I am so glad!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

knightrider said:


> I am so happy for you. This was your dream for many years. I always felt sad when Kodak wasn't working out because you were nowhere near your dream. And now it has come true. I am so glad!


Yes, there were a lot of setbacks, but that's life! Kodak taught me a lot, and I am all the more appreciative that I have a horse who can be my partner in this endeavour, along with so many others! Thanks for your support all these years. This forum is the best


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## Part-Boarder (Aug 17, 2019)

Acadianartist said:


> If there's one thing both equestrians and artists understand, it's the importance of having the right gear. I mean sure, you can be a great equestrian or artist using low-grade equipment, but the road to get there will be long and difficult, and frankly, at my age, who has time for that?
> 
> I'm continuing to play with Sennelier oil pastels which are far superior to Pentels, the student brand and it's kind of like going from a 300$ saddle to a 2000$ saddle. The Senneliers are soft, glide on the paper and have wonderful pigmentation. I am continuing to add the odd colour that I find I am missing (lucky for me the local art store sells them individually), kind of defeating the purpose of having a limited palette to reduce weight and bulk, but oh well... speaking of which, I have ditched my plein air box. Also ditched my saddle bags which I didn't like. Instead, I have a saddle pad with generous pockets. I place it over my Skito pad (those keep the weight off his spine since I ride him in a treeless saddle). Here it is, in all its glory (so matchy-matchy!):
> 
> ...


Great set up with the saddle pad with pockets etc and product promo lol! He looks very happy.
I’m with you on always going for the best gear - it’s always more frustrating trying to do something without good equipment/tools which I used to do when I was younger. I’ve learned that one the hard way!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Been a while, but thought I'd update although I don't have anything terribly exciting to add. Things are continuing to go so well with Rusty. Last night we did a big trail around my property and the neighbors' property. Up and down big hills, zig-zagging through trees. But the best part is that I let him canter along the trail in a couple of spots and it went so perfectly well! I normally don't let him canter on trails because he gets excited and wants to bolt, but he was perfect last night. It was a nice, controlled canter, not a gallop - once up a hill, the other time along a flat stretch through the woods, but in an open area that I know is safe. He wanted to canter through a field, but it's our neighbor's property and I don't know that there aren't big groundhog holes in the tall grass (they're very common here) so I didn't dare. But he listened to all my cues, even though we had "discussions". I'm getting more and more confident that I could ride him for short stretches along the road to get to new trails. I will try it on a Sunday morning when there aren't any logging trucks on the road. Maybe get my husband to drive up behind us and drive by us once or twice to gauge his reaction. I do ride by the road and he doesn't react to traffic (their paddock is right up against the road), but have not yet ridden him on the road - at least not on my property. When I test-rode him before buying him, we did ride along the road and he was fine. I just need to get over my fear. We live along a narrow, rural road without much of a shoulder, and we're on a hill where big logging trucks come barreling down much too fast so I want to avoid those. It would also help if we had someone to ride with, but alas, my daughter is busy riding horses off-property (she's coaching at our barn and at other barns, and exercising difficult horses for their owners).

I did want to bring my painting gear last night, but gawd, the bugs! I knew that I wouldn't be able to sit and paint. We stopped for a bit and I got off to let him graze and omg, within minutes he was covered in at least 50 mosquitoes just leeching his blood. I hopped back on fairly quickly (from the ground this time as I hadn't brought my stool!) and we left the area. It's really bad on the neighbor's property where there are a lot of wet spots. We've had a great spring for growing (hoping for a great hay season!), but not so good for bugs since we are getting rain every few days. 

In the ring, we're also making progress. I am continuing to practice with my bow. He now starts trotting as soon as I pick up my bow (I have a bucket that hangs from a fence post where I leave it so I can easily grab it and since we've been working lots on our side-passing, I can get Rusty to get right up against it for me). I confess, sometimes when he's sluggish, I pick up my bow just to get him trotting again. Sometimes we go around and around and I don't even shoot it. He's getting more and more desensitized which is my goal. I can shoot arrows off him and he doesn't go faster than an energetic trot, but I can tell he wants to canter, so sometimes I let him. I have not yet shot an arrow at the canter, lol, but I can canter him while holding my bow in one hand, reins in another. 

Oh, and we started taking lessons again! The coach is a 3rd level dressage rider who is really into getting connection between horse and rider. She thinks Rusty is hilarious. She is making me stretch my legs wayyyyy back so I'm pretty sore the day after a lesson, but I am able to ride him with more open hips now, which is helping him be more forward. And she does yoga stretches with Rusty too after the ride, which he loves. She thinks it's crazy that we can completely untack him and he still hangs around with us rather than beelining it out to pasture to see his friends. He's an.... unusual horse! lol

A couple of spotted ear photos from last night's ride and some shoulder stretches (who needs a halter):


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

And a little sketch of an apple tree I did to keep learning how to use oil pastels. Just on the side of the house, started while Rusty grazed but finished inside so not truly plein air (well, maybe 50/50). I do like these, but they can be tricky for finer details so I picked up some oil pencils after this sketch. I can hopefully add some finer lines using those. This sketch is only about 6" by 8" so that makes it difficult. If I could work with a larger size, it would make it easier to put in more detail, but then it won't fit in my saddle pad pockets that will only hold up to 10 x 10. 

I also picked up this very cute little box to carry my pastels so I am all set for plein air painting on horseback, if the bugs can just die down! It holds 24 pastel sticks plus there is room for a few of my oil pencils. I love it and it fits perfectly in my saddle pad pockets.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Acadianartist said:


> Love that saying. Cheers to mediocrity! And yes, being second, or third, is ok in my book!


I don't think that saying is about embracing mediocrity. I think it is about trying, even if the result is poor. the focus is not on expecting and embracing mediocrity, but rather DOING something, since it's worth doing. The 'poorly' is an irrelevant side result.

I remember reading in the book "Bliss" (which I highly recommnend) about the author's research into the happiest nations on earth. One of those was Iceland, and the reason why her people are one of the happiest on earth is that they have a lot of 'careers' in life. No one thinks it odd to try to become a poet, then to just drop that and try farming, then try photography, or tailoring, or music, or cooking . . . . . they don't have any embarassment at 'dabbling' in things. There isn't the concept of being 'a dilitent', and no shame in leaving what seems like one reasonable career for another. They feel free from judgement, including self-judgement thus free to try, and fail, repeatedly during their lifetime. Voila! Happiness!

AS to your artwork; I hope you consider starting an art journal. Do not think that your showing your artwork here is for a non-stop stream of kudos from us. Consider it a gift to your HF family; letting us share in the beauty you create. That's what I want; to share what you see and create.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

Acadianartist said:


> When I test-rode him before buying him, we did ride along the road and he was fine. I just need to get over my fear. We live along a narrow, rural road without much of a shoulder,


Acadian, what about handwalking down the road section between your house and the trail a few times just to get a feel for the vibe of how it will go? If you think he's probably going to be pretty reasonable about it, then it could help build your own confidence as you practice together.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

egrogan said:


> Acadian, what about handwalking down the road section between your house and the trail a few times just to get a feel for the vibe of how it will go? If you think he's probably going to be pretty reasonable about it, then it could help build your own confidence as you practice together.


I feel like he's worse being hand-walked, and I have walked him really short distances - like from the barn driveway to the house driveway. I will start doing short distances on quiet days, but I will not likely every feel comfortable going far. As I drove home down our steep, windy, narrow rural road after work today, driving the speed limit (80 km/hr or 50 mph), I thought of what I would do if I suddenly saw a horse on the shoulder and realized this is just a really bad place to ride on the road. There's too much risk of not seeing a horse until you're right up to it, and there is nowhere to go, especially if there is a car coming in the opposite direction.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

tinyliny said:


> AS to your artwork; I hope you consider starting an art journal. Do not think that your showing your artwork here is for a non-stop stream of kudos from us. Consider it a gift to your HF family; letting us share in the beauty you create. That's what I want; to share what you see and create.


Love the idea of people in Iceland dabbling in many different careers. I have a hard time staying in my lane myself, whether it's at work or in my hobbies, I'm constantly trying new things. In academia, this is called interdisciplinarity, but it is not always well-regarded. I don't really care anymore. Maybe mediocrity isn't the right word, but I have let go of the desire to be the best at things and accept that it's ok to just be ok at something. 

I am definitely not posting art for kudos. If I share them here (and I likely will from time to time), it's because they are part of my journey with Rusty, and because I think others might enjoy seeing all the things you can do with a horse that are maybe less... traditional! And maybe others will try doing new things with their horse, whether it be mounted archery, jousting, trick riding, or just having fun on a trail - or even show jumping if that's what they're into! Just do it. Life is short. I am middle-aged and I am not waiting one more day to do the things I want to do! 

Thanks for your encouragement! This forum has been wonderful for me to start to believe that I can do things, and for that, I am so very grateful.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

*Lessons are HARD!*

First, I want to say that I love my coach. She's amazing and gets a kick out of Rusty. She's willing to think out of the box, and work with Rusty and all his quirkiness. When he is sloowwwwwwwwww, which he really was yesterday, and I am out of ideas, but happen to mention that whenever I pick up my bow, he speeds up, she says "go get your bow then!" and we proceed to ride for the next 15 minutes of the lesson while I hold my bow, lol. She's looking at how my body changes when I hold my bow, and says this is why he's better - your chest is open, your shoulders are back, you're looking way up. She tells me to point the bow (at this point, I am just loosely holding onto the reins, not pulling at all) at something, and he turns in that direction. Tells me to point the bow at something else, and he turns that way! She is amazing. 

But man oh man, does she make me work hard. All my muscles hurt after. She's getting me to open my hips, move my legs back, shoulders back, etc. etc. We rode for a whole hour yesterday, and I barely got a few trots (mostly thanks to the bow). But Rusty's co-owner was there and took a ton of video (she's also taking lessons on Rusty with the same coach) so I got to watch it all over today. It's very cool to see it from the ground! So helpful - I highly recommend. 

I took this photo off the video so it's a bit blurry, but this is one moment when things are (sort of) beginning to come together. The coach thinks he actually has the potential to round his back quite a bit so we're going to work on that - that and getting him to step under himself as opposed to giraffing and hollowing out like he usually does in the trot. Wish me luck - being a 50ish rider is not always easy!


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