Racehorses and Rock Lists! Photographer Barbara Livingston’s Top 10 Albums of All Time
Barbara Livingston, Superstar: Photo by Andrew Weiss
Website: http://barbaralivingston.com
Gallery: http://barbaralivingston.com/gallery
In the few years that I’ve been shooting racing, I’ve heard several girls at the track say these words about themselves, “I’m going to be the next Barbara Livingston.” This comment is paradoxical: there is no heiress apparent to Barbara Livingston. If a young photographer wants to emulate Barbara Livingston, she must blaze her own trail, establish her own artistic voice, and be prepared to work harder than any other photographer at the track. Good luck with that ;^)
I first saw Barbara Livingston’s work when I was an embryonic racing fan, in my phase of gathering all the information I could about the sport. Her work is so rich- the eye repeatedly drifts over her images, finding new details and stories unfolding every time. I went to the track and hung on the rail, watching the photographers as much as I watched the horses. As I became entrenched in the world of racing and became a credentialed photographer myself, I learned that Barbara gets these images not by having the best camera or lens, but by being the hardest-working person in the industry. For every shot that everybody else gets while standing in a row like chumps, Livingston gets five angles and different exposures. When I’m at Saratoga shooting in the morning, I barely see her. I see everybody else in all the usual spots, but Barbara is off finding a bigger and better shot.
According to Barbara’s website, she studied the work of the people who shot such racing immortals as Man O’War and Citation: Skeets Meadors, Bert Clark Thayer, Allen Brewer, and C.C. Cook. She attended Syracuse University, graduating with a degree in Experimental Photography, and her work can be seen in top publications everywhere, racing and otherwise. Livingston has twice received the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Photography, the most prestigious award in American racing. She penned four books, all illustrated with her photographs.
Barbara’s online gallery reflects versatility and mastery of her craft. She updates it almost every day and you will find everything from stunning Saratoga sunrises to creative and unique studies of familiar and beloved subjects to a treasure trove of archived photos of the racing superstars of yesteryear to dynamic photojournalism to the lighter side of racing to human portraits of great scope to stirring action shots to cinematic scenes rarely seen by the average racing fan.
In a nutshell, that’s Barbara Livingston The Photographer. Do you want to know another reason why nobody can be the next Barbara Livingston? She was (briefly) in a band (see photo above). In my convoluted quest to find the cosmic link between rock and racehorses, I asked Barbara Livingston to provide her list of the Top Ten Albums of All Time. Without further ado, here it is:
1.) Peter Gabriel – Hit. Oh, sure, it’s a greatest hits compilation..but as it includes ‘Solsbury Hill,’ ‘Mercy Street,’ ‘Here Comes the Flood,’ ‘Don’t Give Up,’ ‘Biko,’ etc., that’s OK by me. Peter Gabriel’s voice is singularly beautiful.
2.) Ben Folds – Rockin’ the Suburbs. I’m an old person – a sap for songs like ‘Fred Jones, Pt. 2’ and ‘Annie Waits.’ I love musical genius, and great pianists, and Folds fits the bill. He sings, sings backup, plays the piano, and guitar, and drums, and bass guitar – and writes great lyrics to boot.
3a and 3b.) The Smiths – greatest hits 1 & 2. They should have crammed the best into one album, so I’ll consider it one. What more could one ask for than the cheery ‘Girlfriend in a Coma,’ or ‘There is a Light That Never Goes Out’ with its classic lines ‘…’if a double-decker bus/crashes into us/To die by your side/Is such a heavenly way to die’?
4.) Peter Gabriel – So. Because Peter Gabriel is…well, see above.
5.) Ben Folds – Songs for Silverman. He’s a bit angry in this one but it suits him.
6.) R.E.M. – The Best of R.E.M. I LOVE everything about R.E.M., including that Youtube video where Michael Stipe admits Peter Buck and Mike Mills are straight. That’s reason enough to vote R.E.M. in, but I did it for the music.
7.) The Best of Morrissey. Morrissey is as uplifting as I often feel. It was on the Throgs Neck Bridge where I first heard his unbelievable voice, some time in the mid- to late ’80s (‘How Soon Is Now’). Been a fan since.
8.) Jesus Christ Superstar. Nearly everything this Unitarian knows about the Bible is based upon Jesus Christ Superstar. Really. It was surprising to learn King Herod was so effeminate, for instance – but if Andrew Lloyd Webber says so it must be true.
9.) Supertramp – Crime of the Century. I was a teen when this came out, with a best friend whom I adored. We played this album over and over…and over. And over. The melodrama of ‘If Everyone was Listening’ and ‘Crime of the Century’ really touched our teen minds. My best friend died of AIDS many years ago, so this album reminds me of him.
10.) Rocky Horror Picture Show. Who doesn’t want to ‘jump to the left’ when singing loudly to this album? And who knew Janet and Brad, errr, Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick, could sing?
11.) The Very Best of Robert Palmer. How nice to have ‘Looking for Clues’ and ‘Johnny and Mary’ on one album. It didn’t hurt that Robert not only had a great voice, but he was mighty fine to look at.
Rock and Racehorses
Spotlight: 2008 Eclipse Award Winners!
A big congratulations to the connections of these wonderful horses and to the recipients of these awards. And congratulations to the Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance for the shoutout by the Hennegan Brothers.
Check out Thoroughbred Daily News for full coverage of the Eclipse Awards.
Champion Older Male and Horse of the Year: Curlin
Older Female: Zenyatta
Champion 3 Year Old Filly: Proud Spell
Champion 3 Year Old Male: Big Brown
Champion 2 Year Old Female: Stardom Bound
Champion 2 Year Old Male: Midshipman
Steeplechase Horse: Good Night Shirt
Outstanding Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Champion Turf Female: Forever Together
Champion Turf Male: Conduit
Champion Male Sprinter: Benny the Bull
Champion Female Sprinter: Indian Blessing
Outstanding Jockey- Garrett Gomez
Outstanding Owner, Stronach Stables; Outstanding Breeder, Adena Springs
Spotlight: Northview Stallion Station, Pennsylvania Division
Northview Stallion Station, a respected Maryland farm since 1989, recently opened a new division in Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania. On January 25, the farm hosted an Open House to showcase its five resident stallions, Congressionalhonor, Fairbanks, Love of Money, Medallist, and Partner’s Hero.
This was my first stallion show and it was a fantastic experience. A good crowd was on hand to inspect the stallions, including a laughably large number of photographers- my unofficial count numbered over 10! They must have all had the same itchy shutter finger that I had. The barns are spacious, airy, and beautiful and they are set on lovely property with fantastic fencing. The staff handing both the stallions and the people are helpful, knowledgeable, and clearly had great pride in the reputation of the farm.
And the horses? Fantastic! All horses were beautifully cared for and represent great variety of bloodlines, body types, and optimal racing distances.
Congressionalhonor, a nicely-balanced, graded stakes-winning half brother to Horse of the Year Saint Liam:
Fairbanks, the new kid on the block. Fairbanks was recently retired from racing and is standing stud for the first time in 2009. During the stallion show, his pleasant demeanor was mentioned- apparently, he is a very nice horse to work with on and off the track. He did not have the sleek and sassy look of the other stallions yet and still maintained a racehorse’s physique- he also did not walk with the swagger of the other stallions. All of this will change this spring ;^)
Love of Money, a son of popular Maryland stallion Not For Love and winner of the G2 Pennsylvania Derby:
Medallist, multiple graded stakes-winning and record setting son of Touch Gold:
Last but not least was Partner’s Hero, stakes-winning son of the inimitable Danzig and half brother to Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner and champion sprinter Safely Kept:
Partner’s Hero is 15 years old and he has quite a presence to him. Although some of the younger, new stallions attracted a lot of attention, this horse’s demeanor and personality could not be ignored. He is a large horse and he carries himself proudly- it appeared to me that he was an old pro at the stallion shows and was the king of the castle.
Does that face look familiar? Partner’s Hero is the sire of Ian, a talented jumper at my barn. The resemblance between the two horses is striking, don’t you think?
Wizard Ride 41: Is it March Yet?
Thursday, 1/22/09
Tonight, my mom and I visited Rick’s Saddle Shop in Cream Ridge, NJ. I’m on the hunt for a new helmet. I’ve read that helmets should be replaced every five years to ensure the safety of the helmet. I own 4 helmets and only one is less than five years old. Right now, I have my eye on the Charles Owen GR8 in black/black but I’m not totally decided yet. In a rare moment of tack shop restraint, I left Rick’s with only a container of Uncle Jimmy’s Squeezy Buns, aka Wizzy Buns. I have a bit of a problem with tack shops… I cannot seem to walk out of them without new saddle pads, grooming supplies, or barn jackets. I’m normally a fiscally sensible person but there’s something about the smell of the leather that makes me part with my hard-earned dough.
Wizard was ambivalent about my arrival at the barn. Sometimes, he practically halters himself, but sometimes he stands perfectly still and tries to conjure a Wizardly invisibility spell. I suppose horses have moods just like people do. He did not mind grooming at all but he was not thrilled about the saddle or the quarter sheet- I think that he’ll really appreciate my grooming as he continues to shed his winter coat. It took Alibar several years before he began to enjoy grooming. I think it takes some time for horses to get over their ticklishness. I was taught by my instructors by the George Morris doctrines of grooming: a clean and well turned out horse shows respect for riding. My childhood riding instructor would send people back to the barn if they arrived for a lesson with so much as a stray shaving in the horse’s tail. It will be a while before Wizard can handle a George Morris-esque grooming before a ride!
I hand walked Wizard for a few laps around the arena. The arena footing has not yet recovered from the recent cold snap so I kept the workout low-key. I longed Wizard for about 10-15 minutes on my longest longe line, the World’s Finest Longe Line I love that name!). This was the first time I’ve used this longer line in a while- I can proudly say that Wizard is consistently excellent on the longe now. I can stand still and pivot on my inside foot as he longes, and I no longer need to twirl the whip to keep him moving. He kept up the slack in the line really nicely. I could see that the footing was just too firm for him- he’s barefoot and while he has lovely feet, his soles are a little thin. After he longed a bit, I hopped on and cooled him out under saddle.
Then it was back to the barn for a little more grooming, two buckets of warm water, and lots of Dengie.
I’m a pretty hardy rider- as soon as the ground is unfrozen, I’ll be back outdoors. I’ve always preferred outdoor riding, even at my current barn, which has a beautiful indoor arena. We’re getting a lot done but the warmer weather will provide a lot of flexibility with training and riding. I’m counting down the days til springtime.
Rock and Racehorses: Confessions of a Rock Dork
Rock and Racehorses
I’ve seen over 213 bands perform in my lifetime. The apartment walls are filled with compact disc towers. Nine crates of records line the floors of my little apartment. Music plays on the iPod player in the bedroom. Music plays on the computer in the living room. Rock albums and posters decorate the walls. Bumper stickers smother my car. I’ve been surrounded by music all my life.
My friend Cindy calls me The Steel Trap because I remember so many little pieces of my childhood. Music is no exception, and it’s astonishing how many songs equal memories for me. I don’t have the greatest memory in the world but for music, I do.
My father grew up on the Jersey Shore and was playing in bands by the time he was 14 years old. He cut his teeth on The Rolling Stones and The Kinks. He played bass in the Asbury Park music scene in the late 60s and early 70s. Another Jersey Boy by the name of Bruce Springsteen was a part of that very same scene. While my mom did not play an instrument, she is also a music lover and faithfully attended Dad’s shows and rode in many a gear-filled van to see him play all over the Tri State Area.
My brother inherited the family music gene and became a skilled guitar player. He played a few instruments in bands but does not play much anymore. I played piano for a few months before I had the (mis?)fortune of getting bitten by a Polish Arabian horse named Concord. Concord managed to break my finger, remove the fingernail, and mangle the finger enough to warrant a few stitches, thus ending my illustrious piano career. My finger still bears the scars of this fateful chomp.
While I was in high school and college, Dad got together with some old bandmates and played local bars and coffee shops for a few years. They were cool enough that my little grunge rocker buddies would come see them play. Dad and his friends did a great cover of “In the Pines- Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” and my high school friends thought their taste in Nirvana covers was impeccable; in reality, they were playing the song as homage to Lead Belly. Dad purchased an upright bass a few years ago and I still hear him play every once in a while. Every few Christmas Eves, Dad plays bass and my husband plays guitar and Mom and I are treated to a little concert. The songs are not your standard Christmas fare- the guys normally play Neil Young and old Bee Gees tunes with a few Christmas songs thrown into the mix.
As a child, I remember loving certain songs I heard on the radio and on my parents’ turntable. They played a lot of Tom Petty, Joe Jackson, and The Police. On the radio, anything by Duran Duran was awesome. It’s amazing to browse through lists of popular songs in the 80s and see how many songs I remember from my childhood. Music filled my childhood- from the Ghostbusters theme song to “When Doves Cry”.
Grade school was about finding my musical identity. Adolescence is a time of confusion- to add to the confusion, my brother was a bit of metalhead for a few years in the 80s. He was a pretty big fan of Dokken. I tried to listen to his music, but the only band of the time that made sense to my little brain was Judas Priest. In the midst of my wandering, I found Bananarama– my first ever cassette tape of my very own was their 1986 classic, True Confessions. Then, the grade school girls got to me. At first, I played along. I danced along to Fine Young Cannibals and sang along to The Bangles. At a slumber party, we pretended to be Jersey band Bon Jovi and air-guitared our way through songs. I was Tico Torres, the drummer. We rode the dance and hip hop trends through 7th grade, memorizing “It Takes Two” and dancing to the remixes of “Wiggle It”. But the music of the grade school girls grew old. I longed for something more… then I discovered classic and alternative rock.
I cut my teeth on the easy stuff like The Beatles. Then I dug deeper into the classic rock pool and raided my parents’ record collection. Then I found college radio. Then the world opened up. By the time I entered high school, I was free of the Top 40 shackles. No more Timmy T, no more Stacey Q, no more Paula Abdul, no more Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. I had located my local alternative rock station and was enjoying Lush, The Stone Roses, Sugar, Suede, The Pixies, Peter Murphy, and so many more. Then I discovered punk. By this time, my brother was in college and the music he listened to was impossibly cool- no matter how hard I tried, he was always way ahead of me with the cool music. He ditched the metal bands years ago and was listening to the edgiest college music in existence.
The beginning of my concert-going history is an amusing hodge-podge of acts. The first concert I ever saw was at the Garden State Arts Center (now called the PNC Bank Arts Center) in 1987. Weird Al Yancovic was the opening act for The Monkees, sans Mike Nesmith. I was ten years old and I was pretty sure it was the coolest concert I’d ever see. Shortly after that concert-going experience, I saw The Beach Boys with John Stamos on drums. I was off to a running start, wasn’t I???
I gained a bit of teenaged hipster credibility with my next concert: Frank Black opened up for Brooklyn’s ambassadors of love, They Might Be Giants. And from there, I saw about 208 more artists and met my husband at one of these concerts. I also had the pleasure of meeting some of my favorite artists, including Kim Deal, Gene Ween, and Janet Weiss– I’ll unearth the photographic evidence one of these days.
The Steel Trap remembers music like it’s a soundtrack. I remember the Janet Jackson song that was playing on the radio the first time I ever jumped Alibar over a big jump. I remember the Nirvana and Ween songs I listened to the first time I borrowed my dad’s car to visit my high school boyfriend. I remember teaching my friends about the Violent Femmes. I remember making mix tapes. And more mix tapes. And more mix tapes.
Through college, I learned about national and local acts. I had aspirations of being some sort of zine girl (I still have the cutouts for the first edition). Or maybe I’d be in a band (I only learned two chords). I listened to all the music I could find. I made mix tapes. I listened to mix tapes. Rock turned indie and suddenly my friends’ bands sounded just like the big college radio bands. I gave my Surfer Rosa CD to my then boyfriend (now husband) and told him it was the greatest album of all time- he agreed.
After college, I was still surrounded by music: shows, radio, and my friends’ bands. I had to do a lot of driving for work and to visit my horse so I was always accompanied by music. As I became more involved in horse racing, the mix for the drive to the track became very important. The traffic-riddled drive to Delaware Park has a 2 CD volume consisting of poppy tunes that are great for car-singing. The wild-eyed, coffee-fueled 1am drive to Saratoga to catch the sunrise has an anthemic feel, with a little soul and a brand new radio single or two.
My maturity into adulthood has a soundtrack- it’s a patchwork of the strangest songs. Like a photo, a song can capture a moment in time and define a feeling. Starting tomorrow, I’m embarking on an exciting and fun journey with this blog: some of my favorite artists, writers, and friends will be sharing their musical experiences and ideas with me. We will learn how music has shaped us. I’ll still be posting my training with Wizard and anything else that’s happening, but be prepared for some fabulous guest bloggers :^)
Rebecca and I in our ill-advised Jersey Girl phase. Before I was a rock dork, I dabbled in hair-chickdom.
Spotlight: Bryan the Cat
A proper introduction to Bryan the Cat is long overdue. The blog would be nothing without him. He is my photographic assistant and artistic consultant. Bryan the Cat will be 9 years old this March. His middle name is Spiderman. I adopted him in 2001 through the Petsmart cat adoption program. He was abandoned in a box in front of a museum in Trenton, NJ. A human by the name of Bryan found him and brought him to the local animal shelter- they named the cat after the person who found him. When I met Bryan, he was in a cage at the back of the room, reaching out with his paw. I picked him up- he looked me over and immediately began to play with my hair. I could not resist his charms.
Bryan is an adaptable guy- he has lived in 8 different apartments so far. He has endured teeny apartments, my old housemate’s smelly dog, and several trips to my parents’ house. Bryan is more dog than cat- he runs toward the door when the doorbell rings and he greets guests. When he caught and killed a mouse, he left it for me at the foot of my bed. Thanks, kitty.
Bryan is quite a guard cat: I was at work one day and my landlord had to get into my apartment for maintenance. She forgot the key so she climbed in through the window. Bryan saw the intruder, puffed up his back and his tail became a bottle brush. He slowly advanced toward my neighbor, growling. She feared a cat attack and crept back out the window.
Weighing in at 12 pounds, Bryan is a good-sized cat. He is fed Felidae, Wellness, Merrick, Instinct, Weruva, Innova, Nature’s Logic, Natural Balance, Prairie, Before Grain, and Evolve cat foods. Potato chips, tomato sauce, and ice cream are Bryan’s favorite people foods.
Bryan still has a kittenish attitude. We play a rousing game called “mouse on the couch” on a regular basis. The object of the game is to put a toy mouse on the couch and watch Bryan bat it into oblivion. Ambushing people’s feet is another favorite pastime, as is running laps around the apartment in pursuit of imaginary mice. There are a few feral cats in my neighborhood and my little social butterfly cries at the window and begs them to visit. Bryan is an indoor cat and he loves all cats, including his scruffy outdoor neighbors.
I’ve done a little bit of clicker training with Bryan and he picked up on behaviors better than I expected. I desensitized him to claw trimming with the clicker- now he purrs in anticipation of a treat while I keep his talons tidy. He also can do some very basic targeting exercises… for about 15 seconds before he gets disgusted and begins washing himself.
Bryan is an officer of the New Jersey division of the Black Cat Brigade, a mighty army that fights for and protects the rights of black cats everywhere.
My husband did not have any pets during his childhood. It took a few years before he and Bryan were completely comfortable with each other, but these days, I catch them snoozing on the couch together all the time. A familiar is spirit in the shape of an animal who serves for witchery or magic. So I ride a horse named Wizard and I have a familar named Bryan :^)
Frightened Rabbit at Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA: A Review by Guest Blogger Jonathan Andrew
Frightened Rabbit by Gabriel Kuo
Frightened Rabbit at Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA: 1/16/09
I discovered the Scottish band Frightened Rabbit when my cousin Grant, a Glasgow resident, sent a copy of their first album, Sing The Greys, home with my father as a gift to me after a recent visit. I thought the CD was fair, particularly the title track and “Yawns,” but I was not overly impressed. After coming across several rave reviews online, I decided to pick up the band’s follow-up, The Midnight Organ Fight. That the record was produced by Peter Katis—the gentleman who manned the boards for the two most recent records by The National, my favorite contemporary band—was another vote in its favor. I was curious as to how he would apply his exacting yet organic style to the rough-hewn Frightened Rabbit. I was not disappointed. Beginning with brilliant opener “The Modern Leper,” the record was a huge step up from the debut. Over the course of several months of near-compulsive listening, it emerged as my favorite record of 2008.
I have long believed that in order to truly “get” a band, you need to see them live as well as listen to their records. Somewhere between the live performance and the studio sound lies the essence of the band. If a band can both produce a great record and succeed in a live context, they are truly exceptional.
Having already established a strong relationship with Frightened Rabbit’s recorded output, I wanted to see how they measured up live. As such, I bought a pair of tickets to the band’s January 16 performance at Johnny Brenda’s in Philadelphia. A small venue, Johnny Brenda’s is comparable in size and sound to the better-known Maxwell’s in Hoboken, New Jersey. If you can squeeze into the area in front of the stage prior to the set, you are guaranteed an intimate experience. Arriving about an hour before the time I guessed Frightened Rabbit would hit the stage, my buddy Aaron and I grabbed a few locally brewed beers and found a prime spot near the center of the floor and waited for the Rabbit to emerge.
After an underwhelming opening act whose name I did not catch, the Scottish foursome took the stage, offered a few friendly waves, and picked up their instruments. Opening the set as they do the sophomore record with stand-out “The Modern Leper,” the barrage began.
With a much more raw approach than their recorded work would suggest, frontman Scott Hutchison howled his paens to broken relationships with reckless abandon, often pulling very far off the mic, yet still audible due to his impassioned cries. His confident rhythm guitar, often played at an impressive speed, powered the band’s groove. Despite Scott’s amazing energy and charisma, his brother, drummer Grant Hutchison, nearly stole the show. Grant’s powerful pounding, innovative beats, and incredible energy drove each song in the set. The other two Rabbits, Billy Kennedy and Andy Monaghan, traded off on guitar, synthesizer, and bass, supplying supporting textures and other key musical elements.
As the band does not include a dedicated bass player, many of the songs were performed without bass. At times, this resulted in a thinner than ideal sound, but on tunes like the countrified “Old Old Fashioned” and the almost danceable “Head Rolls Off,” the absence of low end was negligible. Grant compensated nicely on these numbers with his kick- and floor tom-heavy beats. In addition, both Grant and Billy are capable vocalists who produced an excellent range of backing vocals. The band’s strong vocal talent helped them overcome the lack of bass, as Grant and Billy’s vocal counterpoints filled out the sound throughout the set, including an awesome three-part wordless vocal in conjunction with Scott to close “Good Arms Vs. Bad Arms” which was one of the highlights of the set.
Having run through the vast majority of the tunes from The Midnight Organ Fight, the band dove into the title track of their debut. “The Greys” was performed with a very different feel, including a totally new beat from Grant. After this, they launched into a furious rendition of first-album standout “Square 9.” At its conclusion, the band members left the stage one at a time—Andy, then Billy, then Scott—until only Grant remained, pounding out a furious beat. He played on for several bars, speeding up to a climactic finish. After his final cymbal smash, he rose and glared out at the crowd with a palpable intensity before exiting stage left.
The crowd, many of whom were singing along throughout the set, were not satisfied with this action-packed 60-minute performance. We clapped, stomped, and hollered until Scott emerged sporting an acoustic guitar. He walked out to the lip of the stage, in front of the microphone and vocal monitors, and began finger-picking the intro to “Poke.” Many of the crowd, myself included, took a few steps forward as he began to sing and listened at rapt attention as he performed the song without the aid of the PA. The rest of band then rejoined their leader as he informed us that, since this was a night of firsts—including, I believe, their first headlining performance in Philly—they were going to play one of the first songs they ever played together. They launched into Neutral Milk Hotel’s “Song Against Sex,” and the crowd sang along to each drawn-out verse-ending hook. They closed the encore—and the show—with a cathartic version of Midnight Organ Fight centerpiece “Keep Yourself Warm.” After this, the house music came on, followed by the house lights, indicating that the show was over.
As I walked out of the venue, ears ringing and shirt sweaty, I reflected upon the performance I had just witnessed. Although unable to adequately reproduce the lush sound of The Midnight Organ Fight—which includes richly layered guitar, keyboard, and percussion arrangements that would require many more than four musicians to execute—Frightened Rabbit still managed to effectively put across each and every song they performed. Their energy, confidence, and impressive vocal and instrumental talent added up to a truly brilliant performance. Onstage as well as on record, Frightened Rabbit is the real deal.
Set List
1. The Modern Leper
2. Fast Blood
3. Old Old Fashioned
4. I Feel Better
5. Good Arms Vs. Bad Arms
6. The Twist
7. My Backwards Walk
8. Head Rolls Off
9. Floating in the Forth
10. The Greys
11. Square 9
12. Poke (solo acoustic)
13. Song Against Sex (Neutral Milk Hotel cover)
14. Keep Yourself Warm
Wizard Ride 40: They Call it Cupboard Love…
1/18/09
On Saturday, my husband and I camped out in our apartment, waiting for the pipes in the bathroom to thaw. Never has a shower felt so good as it did at 3am when water finally trickled back into our bathroom. New Jerseyans crept out of hiding and hibernation on Sunday. After the deep freeze, temperatures finally rose above the freezing mark during the afternoon.
Sunday night after work, I ventured out to the barn to ride Wizard. Before I even turned off the ignition in my car, I could see the outline of Wizard’s ears and face through the window of his stall. I walked in the barn and started preparing my tack for my ride. Then, I heard something special and pretty flattering: a nicker!
Now it could be Uncle Jimmy’s Squeezy Buns. Or it could be the carrots. Or it could be the Dengie. It’s called cupboard love when a horse loudly greets you in hopes of getting a snack. Whatever it is, Wizard never greeted me before and he did today. He normally only nickers at feeding time. And it was kinda cute, even if he was just hollering for carrots.
Wizard fidgeted through grooming and tacking up. The weather has made turnout time less fun than usual for the horses and as a result, many of them are full of pent-up energy.
I longed Wizard for about 15 minutes. He walked beautifully in both directions and when he picked up his trot, he did play on the longe line a bit, hopping and breaking into a canter. Ian was in the arena and both of them were finding inspiration in each other’s antics. Since Wizard was not misbehaving in any blatant way and sine he was listening to me, I did not correct him when he played on the longe line. Longeing is certainly work time and not time for a party, but I think that it would be expecting too much out of a horse to not play a little in this sort of weather.
I noticed that Wizard looked a tiny bit not-quite-right on the longe. It was not any pronounced unevenness in his gait but I saw something. I studied his gaits on a circle and straightaway and my hunch is that his feet are a bit tender from the hard ground. The indoor arena has wonderful footing but in a deep freeze like we had this weekend, the ground has not quite recovered yet. With all the frozen footing in the horses’ turnouts, any little piece of uneven ground can bruise a horse’s sole. I did not see any actual bruising and Wizard was moving out willingly. As a precaution, I did not trot under saddle. When he was finished longeing, I hopped aboard and cooled him out under saddle at a walk for about 15 minutes. His personality changed from antsy to mellow during the session and he seemed to relax quite a bit from the work.
After I rode, I groomed him, gave him warm water, filled his bucket with Dengie, and bid Wizard good night.
Chronicles of a Snow Sissy
My boss at my old job used to call people Snow Sissies when they would not drive to work in the snow. I suppose this recent cold snap/clipper system has turned me into a bit of a snow sissy as well. I visited Wizard on Thursday and Friday but I did not ride or longe him due to the weather. When it gets this cold, I feel like it’s not great for a horse’s breathing to do a lot of work. In order to keep him amused, we’ve been working on stretches and a little ground work. He has become quite adept at carrot stretches, but if you try to do a carrot stretch with a Meadow Mint, these are the faces you’ll get:
We worked on a little ground work and I let him spend a few minutes just being a horse tonight. Snort, snort- he really appreciated it.
Tucked him in his stall with two buckets of warm water, and a feed tub of Dengie. The Snow Sissy will hopefully ride again soon.
Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance: Rock the Vote Today!
Voting is closed- thank you for voting and please check out the TBA site.
Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about the Eclipse award winning photo for 2008. The Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance is holding a do-over contest and accepted submissions from racing fans and pros alike.
I was very pleased and honored to have three photos enter the final round of voting. Congratulations to Cindy Pearson Dulay for her winning photo.
Here’s the story behind my photo of Casino Drive and the Anna House kids:
Anna House is run by the Belmont Child Care Association and is an on-site child care center for backstretch workers at Belmont Park. When blue-blooded Japanese invader Casino Drive was at Belmont Park preparing to run in the 2008 Belmont Stakes, the children visited his barn. They prepared a good luck song and sang it for him. He watched the children with great interest. Unfortunately, Casino Drive suffered from a foot bruise the day of the Belmont Stakes and did not race. But it was an unforgettable moment in racing in 2008.
Rock and Racehorses: The Blog 