To ride dressage is to dance with your horse, equal partners in the delicate and sometimes difficult work of creating harmony and beauty.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Shades of my childhood

I bought myself an early Christmas present:

I saw this ornament in a catalog and it looked so much like Lance (imho) that I just had to have it. The fact that it is a Breyer resin ornament brings warm childhood memories from the years I spent imagining myself on the backs of the many model horses I owned. I still have most of them, packed away in a box somewhere....

Yesterday I spent some time figuring out what memberships I need to renew in order to compete in recognized competitions with Lance next year. In the process, I was shocked to learn I now qualify to compete in the Vintage Cup category for All-Breed Awards. ACK!!! When did THAT happen?!?

In other news, I've been playing matchmaker for a friend. She was the primary reason I got into dressage over 20 years ago (okay, so that's how I ended up "vintage" /-: ), then she abandoned me for miniature horses for at least a decade. Now she wants a riding horse again, and I think I've found her the perfect horse – a mustang mare! Twenty years ago we both competed on Morgans; it would be fun to have "matching breeds" again. :-)

10 comments:

thecrazysheeplady said...

My Breyers are packed up too. That's sad. Someone should be enjoying them...but I can't let them go...

Alanna M said...

I definitely think that looks like Lance! It's fun that your friend may be getting a riding horse soon. Then you will really have fun at those horse shows! :)

Michelle said...

That's exactly how I feel, Sara; can't let them go. On top of that, I learned the hard way that they are worth quite a bit! When we lived in MN ('87-89), Rick was complaining about all our "stuff" so I put an ad in the paper for them. A lady came out and bought a couple, then called to tell me that she looked up their "book value" (who knew) and one of the ones I had sold her was worth over $200. She just thought I'd want to know and adjust my prices accordingly. I immediately took the rest off the market.... :-(

Alanna, I don't know how much showing Kate would do, although this mare she's considering has shown through First Level at USDF/USEF shows and is ready for Second!

A :-) said...

What is the Vintage Cup? Is it a special award?

Michelle said...

Adrienne, it's the cagetory for OLD people.... ;-)

Theresa said...

I have my Bryers out in the tack room and love each one of them. Some are missing their tails, others have a little hoof wear, but they are all special and took me many many miles on the imagination trail ride, that's for sure.
My first horse was a Morgan too BTW, named Russell!

Piccolopony said...

I love my Breyers as well. I still have all of my childhood models in my closet :)

By the way, horse matchmaking is way more fun that people matchmaking.

Michelle said...

Quite the coincidence that you had a Morgan AND a horse named Russell, too! My first horse, waaay back when I was a crazy adolescent, was a black racing-bred Quarter Horse mare (and yes, we did a LOT of running!). The Morgan came along almost 20 years later, about the same time I got into dressage; eventually we got to Prix St. George. What a dancing partner he was!

Michelle said...

PIccolopony, we need to get them out where we can appreciate them, like Theresa's are!

Unknown said...

Would be fun to see you at Devonwood next year :)