My latest post for The Plaid Horse hit the interwebs yesterday, and it’s chock full of tips and tricks for pre-portrait grooming and outfit decisions. Head on over to The Plaid Horse to read the full post!, and enjoy the infographic preview below!
PS- can you guess who modeled for the silhouette used here?
Britt 2.0
There’s been some small updates in my own life, as you may know if you follow along on my instagram account. The most life-changing being my Lasik surgery that I had done 2 weeks ago, taking me from a -7 prescription (roughly 20/400) to no prescription at all and 20/20. My eyes still feel a little strained, and they tell me they’ll be fully healed in 3 months, but it’s exciting to be able to wake up and see first thing in the morning!
Rockin that hair net look like..
I’ve also started playing around with some new funky hair color thanks to the recommendation of a horsey friend (thanks C!) called Overtone. Since Jack has basically been eating (literally) all my money these days, I haven’t found time or cash to go get my hair done at an actual salon. So to change things up I’ve started playing around with their Rose Gold for Brown Hair line. And I’m eyeballing the Extreme Deep Purple set for a potential purple ombre look as well. Because nothing says “I’m a designer” like funky hair, right?! Pictures and process to come in a future post!
And lastly, I’m finally dragging my butt to the gym again. This isn’t a balls-to-the-wall grunting, mostly dying type routine, but a solid 30 minutes on the treadmill (mostly brisk walk while I build up the stamina in my jacked up hip) followed by a dedicated ab and arm program. Since we’re planning on moving up to Novice soon, I want to feel like I can support my horse where needed and not just be a passenger- and for that, I need to be in better shape.
Speaking of the horse, last night we had our first jump lesson post-hock injections. I also met my awesome-sauce farrier at the jump facility’s barn and Jack is now rocking pads up front due to some wonky steps he’s taken recently on particularly hard footing. The result was a golden boy that was anything but Mellow Yellow. Instead he was absolutely raring to go, and pushing off with more power behind than I’ve ever felt (see gif below). I’m going to be going cautiously regarding the ground conditions we work under, but was thrilled that Jack was feeling fit for work last night.
So that’s where we are at the moment! New, fully functional lazered eyeballs, funky hair, and a horse that is hopefully heading in the right direction. Things are looking bright! 😉
Rea the One-Eyed Wonder Mare
My best friend is a pretty remarkable person in a lot of ways- an entrepreneur who started her own mobile vet practice, and a phenomenal rider to boot.
And we enjoy special relations
So when I got this text about her already one-eyed mare, it was immediately followed by a phone call and a whole lot of f bombs.
To make a long story short, Rea ended up losing her other eye. Knowing horses as we mostly do here, you can imagine that this was a tough decision. You could also imagine that there was some discussion around whether or not Rea should or could continue on at all with no eyes.
So I was thrilled that The Plaid Horse picked up their story, and I won’t spoil it- instead I’ll tell you to go check it out!
Let’s Discuss: Jinxed?
I have to admit, I am totally kicking myself after talking about plans and then having to get the vet out days later. Did I jinx myself? Is that really a thing? Who knows, but I’m regretting it.
Picture because he’s cute with that blond hair a-flying
It makes me think about how superstitious some folks can be at shows.
At our last show, I had friends who were both equally excited to report to me that I was in the lead after dressage, and others that thought I shouldn’t know. Of course there’s something to do with handling mental pressure in this case, besides pure luck, but still- it’s a common debate and not just in my camp!
What is the likelihood that if I hadn’t know that I was in the lead, that I then would have gone double clear in showjumping instead of getting that cheap rail? Or was that cheap rail ‘destined’ to be mine all along? In my mind, I feel like I would have had the same level of stress going into showjumping as I would have in any case, but maybe that little bit of hope for a potential blue ribbon messed it all up for me?
The one that got away.
And then I have a friend who insists that if things are going well mid-show, that she will be absolutely MIA on social media until it’s all over. Because, you know, jinxing. Whereas if things have gone to pot, then who the hell cares and share-away!
Where do you stand? Do you like to know where you are in the standings mid-event? Do you wait until it’s all over to share any news? How do you mentally move from one phase to another?
Product Review: Roeckl Lona Gloves
As a photographer, you could say a certain attention to detail is a built-in feature. Textures, colors, composition are all kings of our world, and well, so is an appreciation for quality.
So when I was asked to participate in a product review for Roeckl, a company known for quality and elegant design, of course I said yes!
While I have been wearing Roeckl gloves for years, I knew little about the company’s background and where it started. As it turns out, the 179 yr old Munich-based brand also makes gloves for other sports- including biking and various winter sports. Each line of gloves are specifically tailored to the intended sport, and reflecting on this, it shows- the equestrian gloves show ever evidence of thoughtful design. Seams are placed so that there is minimal interference when holding reins and a “second skin” approach was applied to the overall design- perfect for communicating with the most sensitive of equine mouths.
The pair of gloves I received were the Lona model in navy. As soon as they arrived, I could feel the quality of the construction and gleefully handed them to my husband so he could feel how soft (!) they were. Truly, as soft as they are, there’s no breaking in period with Roeckl gloves- put them on for the first time and they feel as though you’ve had them for years. To me, this is key- I admit I am a total princess about what goes on my child-sized hands, since I prefer to not notice my gloves at all. And that’s what Roeckl acheives with the Lona gloves. A totally synergetic experience straight out of the box.
Beautifully modeled here by my friend A
Having ruined many a pair of gloves in the past by clumsy misfortune, I was thrilled to discover another feature of the Roeckl gloves by sheer accident. That would be their quick-dry material, which I found to be a completely true claim after accidentally dunking mine in Jack’s water bucket one evening. But 20 minutes later and you would never know- I threw them back on and was pleasantly surprised to have avoided that horrible squidgy-mop feeling that comes with wet gloves or socks. I can only imagine as the mercury rises this summer that will be a great feature to have in a pair of gloves as we’re drowning in North Carolina’s summer humidity.
Besides being totally over the moon with the fit (it’s so cliche, but they really do fit like a glove!) and quality of the construction, I also adore the color and overall aesthetic of the Lona gloves. The branding is subtle enough not to be distracting (since who wants to draw attention to their hands in the dressage ring? Um, no one, that’s who) with the simple Roeckl hand mark and a small tag. And the contrasting white is just enough to add some visual pop without going overboard. The navy is a beautiful saturated blue that reads as both classic and forward-thinking, and could easily blend into all three phase’s ensembles at an event.
All in all, Roeckl really hits the ball out of the park with their equestrian gloves, and the Lona glove is no exception. Quick to dry, elegant to wear, and thin enough to feel like a second skin- these gloves are a definite win, from the schooling ring to the A show.
Disclaimer: I received this product in return for providing my honest and unbiased review. I received no other compensation. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
A Quick Jack Update
So the vet came by yesterday to evaluate Jack’s slight lameness (slash just NQRness) and after poking, prodding, and whacking his feet with hoof testers (those being based on my observational terms, not the scientific ones), we narrowed the problem down to his hocks, particularly the right one based on flexion tests.
Instead of lollygagging and just waiting to see if things improved on their own, I chose to go ahead and get his hocks injected. When I purchased Jack, I knew that hock maintenance was likely to be part of the equation, and since it’s been 7+ months since his last injections… It could make sense that he needs a little extra help in that area.
So the golden boy will get today off, followed by a light hack tomorrow and Thursday, then gradually back to full work over the remainder of the week.
Fingers crossed it was just a little joint juice that he needed!
Not Enough Caveat
I thought I was covering myself from being jinxed by that whole ‘pencil, not pen’ spiel. Welp. Apparently not.
Our favorite yellow pony came out feeling off on his RF ahead of his farrier appointment, which admittedly he was way overdue for (due to life circumstances- my fault not his).
Sure enough he tested slightly positive with the hoof testers.
Post trim, there’s a perceived (albeit slight) head bob with the RF. Boo.
Farrier and I both think (hope) it’s a brewing abscess. Stay tuned.
But for real- I did say penciled plans! Horses.
PLANS ((plans))
After our successful outing at the Southern Pines Horse Trials, I can’t help but turn my attentions to what’s next. Of course everything, and I do mean everything, when it comes to horses has to be written in pencil instead of pen, but still it is good to have goals.
So happy because he thinks we’re galloping back to the barns
Speaking of goals, I realized that my Goals and Results pages have been thoroughly neglected ever since things with Foster fell apart. Expect updates there shortly!
After SPHT, the next big thing on the schedule is another show at the Horse Park, this one April 21-22- the Longleaf Pine HT. Sorry not sorry if you’re bored by how often I go to the Carolina Horse Park. I freaking love that place.
So trainer and I discussed what to sign up for, and she feels confident that Novice should be very doable. So, with that said, one month from now we’ll be eyeing our official move up.
So blasé about this height
Hearing that recommendation from my trainer made for 1 part eye bulge, and another part relief that BN could be a thing of the past. This is where the whole pencil spiel comes in, because who the heck knows what could happen in the next month, so this should all be taken with a heavy does of salt. Because, you know, horses.
So now I’ve got a new test to start memorizing, and prepping to do. Not only does Novice B have another stupid diagonal-centerline combo, but it also has the dumb turns from B to E right across the arena. But even still, I’m tentatively excited to be maybe (maybe maybe maybe) back at Novice next month!
Show Recap: SPHT XC
Sunday morning I did my final walk through of the cross country with the trainer, and got a bit of a knowledge drop on how best to navigate what was a very friendly looking course. We discussed the need to really ride to fence 4, which was giving some people trouble with its spooky grain bags. Likewise to swing wide to fence 7 so the right run-out towards the barns wasn’t so tempting.
Bank to rolltop combination I was worried about
Though we went screaming and prancing all the way out to the course, we actually had a brilliant warmup and I went out to the start box feeling confident that we could execute our plan. Here’s how it went (and please forgive the language about halfway through):
All in all, it was a great run. While he needed a little convincing in the beginning, we eventually found a rhythm. It was a blast letting him go a bit up the big hill after fence 10, and I can feel that Novice speed is going to be nothing for Jack. In fact, we did our course at 375 meters/min which was the marked Novice speed for the event. Hence my wondering about speed faults at the end of our round.
PC: Brant Gamma
Each outing, Jack gets more and more confident, and throwing down a double clear round and became more and more rideable as we went along was an amazing feeling. He still needs support and confidence from me, but we’re feeling more like a team. Because I blazed around the XC, we lost the tie breaker for 2nd, and the yellow pony earned a matching yellow ribbon for his efforts. But to be competitive at his first recognized show is an awesome feeling, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the weekend.
Show Recap: SPHT Stadium
After learning that we were at the top of the charts after dressage, that really put the pressure on to go clear in the jumping phases. And you know what they say… when you’re at the top, the only way to go is down. And you know what comes down? Brightly colored sticks.
The showjumping course- very friendly overall
Our warm up went pretty well, but as we now know, that doesn’t mean that Jack will go in the ring all calm and collected-like. So the plan was to go in the ring and go– forward and packaged and get him thinking straight where possible. We expected 4 to be a little sticky because it was an oxer that appeared to be jumping into the stands, and 9a-9b was giving folks trouble all day because of the astroturf filler, but otherwise thinking positive and moving seemed to provide rewarding rides.
Even though we had a rail down (dammmmmmit), this was still our best round to date in terms of how obedient and relaxed Jack was once we found a rhythm. I did have to growl at him approaching 5 when I felt him back off a bit, but that’s just kind of how Jack is at the moment so I won’t fault him for that.
Our rail bumped us from 1st to tied for 2nd- still in the ribbons heading to XC and a fun course there awaiting us as well! Tomorrow we wrap it up!
Red on the Right 