Happy Birthdays

To Anybody else out there on this day, of course, and to baby sister, just out of weanling stage now at maybe 47. She won't mind. (I hope). I don't cower to her much, but she still loves me:) Both sisters now, have read here. Everybody behave, okay?

Kid sister was a climbing monkey, as a teeny-weeny. She could climb out of any crib, any play-pen. She'd completely panic my mother in the morning, not finding said child where she was left, a few hours before. Sound asleep, on her change table, in a chair, on the floor. Sister didn't crate well:)
The other pic is me and recently birthed brother. See the worried expression on my face? Yeah. What was the big hairy/scary deal about boys?? That's what I'm thinking. I remember that picture. Was I in for a surprise...


& Building Blocks!
Okay, so I'm reading this "new" (to ME) amazing book. I'm finally starting to get why you guys kept talking about Sally Swift after my posts. I vaguely remember now, thinking (when reading an excerpt from the book "Centered Riding" in Practical Horseman) "I knew that". GoLightly, I swear, he read that darned book. Or he was simply the shuffler of my deck. Whatever it was that he did, it was permanent. I think Sally Swift's exercises and imagery can also be "explained" to the rider by the perfectly broke horse, and/or a keenly observant instructor. It's still pretty easy for me to see when someone is out of center. It shows in their horse, every single time.

Incredible, really, but so simple too. Riding the bones. Hard eyes, soft eyes. Breathing. The building blocks of your body, and how, when they collapse, so goes your riding. Collapsing the blocks of your body has nothing to do with strength, per se, to a point. It has to do with staying balanced, over yourself, so you don't fall down.
Your horse appreciates it. More than he'll ever be able to describe. His attempts to explain often are misconstrued as stubbornness, unwillingness. All the horse is saying, simply, is "Can you allow me to carry you so that I am comfortable, too?
Your answer should always, always be yes.

I'm busy reading now. Don't bug me..

This is a scan of a pencil drawing given to me by a horsie friend in 1966, recently rediscovered. I love how pointillism is happening, through sheer pixellation.
This is for ND_Appy:)



Here's a shot of me and Tad Plaid, I broke him in the fall, this is middle winter or so. I love this shot. I love how soft we are, and how he's really swinging behind, with a soft relaxed back.
Not bad for 90 or so days.


This is for NCCatnip. Also a very good reason why I do not go to the Royal Horse Show anymore. Money Flies out of my wallet, without even thinking. 1993, just before I had to euth Tad. My companion insisted I get this caricature done. It's not even close.
I look way ditzier than that in person.
Aren't you glad I've been tearing apart my house? Artistic gems abound, buried in my old notes and journals.

My heel's too danged far forward, too!