I was reading through some of the blogs I follow, and followed a link to this nifty tutorial. It's not bad at all, and well worth bookmarking for future reference. The reference pictures alone are worth heading over there.
Go check it out >
Monday, October 3, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
September Show Results
Here's my September show results. I'm pretty pleased with the results this month, it's a nice thing to come back to after a tough month.
LRH Nighthawke
Judge 1
Novice CM/Resin/China: Young Mare: 4th place out of 9 entrants
Novice CM/Resin/China: Warmblood (open registry): 1st place out of 1 entrant
Novice CM/Resin/China: Carriage/Sport Breed Reserve Champion
Novice CM/Resin/China: Bay/Brown: 2nd place out of 2 entrants
Total points: 46
Judge 2
Novice CM/Resin/China: Young Mare: 6th place out of 10 entrants
Novice CM/Resin/China: Warmblood (open registry): 1st place out of 1 entrant
Novice CM/Resin/China: Carriage/Sport Reserve Champion
Novice CM/Resin/China: Bay/Brown: 2nd place out of 2 entrants
Total points: 44
Grand total points: 90
LRH Xiwang
Judge 1
Novice CM/Resin/China: Senior Stallion: 1st place out of 1 entrant
Novice CM/Resin/China: Senior Horse Champion
Novice CM/Resin/China: Overall Gender Reserve Champion
Novice CM/Resin/China: Fantasy: 1st place out of 1 entrant
Novice CM/Resin/China: Other Breed Champion
Novice CM/Resin/China: Overall Breed Reserve Champion
Novice CM/Resin/China: Fantasy/Decorator: 1st place out of 1 entrant
Novice CM/Resin/China: Overall Reserve Grand Champion
Total points: 170
Judge 2
Novice CM/Resin/China: Senior Stallion: 1st place out of 1 entrant
Novice CM/Resin/China: Senior Horse Champion
Novice CM/Resin/China: Fantasy/Decorator: 1st place out of 1 entrant
Novice CM/Resin/China: Other Breed Reserve Champion
Novice CM/Resin/China: Fantasy/Decorator: 1st place out of 1 entrant
Novice CM/Resin/China: Other Color Reserve Champion
Total points: 100
Grand total points: 270
That's all for this month. Thanks for judging the shows, MHFC members!
LRH Nighthawke
Judge 1
Novice CM/Resin/China: Young Mare: 4th place out of 9 entrants
Novice CM/Resin/China: Warmblood (open registry): 1st place out of 1 entrant
Novice CM/Resin/China: Carriage/Sport Breed Reserve Champion
Novice CM/Resin/China: Bay/Brown: 2nd place out of 2 entrants
Total points: 46
Judge 2
Novice CM/Resin/China: Young Mare: 6th place out of 10 entrants
Novice CM/Resin/China: Warmblood (open registry): 1st place out of 1 entrant
Novice CM/Resin/China: Carriage/Sport Reserve Champion
Novice CM/Resin/China: Bay/Brown: 2nd place out of 2 entrants
Total points: 44
Grand total points: 90
LRH Xiwang
Judge 1
Novice CM/Resin/China: Senior Stallion: 1st place out of 1 entrant
Novice CM/Resin/China: Senior Horse Champion
Novice CM/Resin/China: Overall Gender Reserve Champion
Novice CM/Resin/China: Fantasy: 1st place out of 1 entrant
Novice CM/Resin/China: Other Breed Champion
Novice CM/Resin/China: Overall Breed Reserve Champion
Novice CM/Resin/China: Fantasy/Decorator: 1st place out of 1 entrant
Novice CM/Resin/China: Overall Reserve Grand Champion
Total points: 170
Judge 2
Novice CM/Resin/China: Senior Stallion: 1st place out of 1 entrant
Novice CM/Resin/China: Senior Horse Champion
Novice CM/Resin/China: Fantasy/Decorator: 1st place out of 1 entrant
Novice CM/Resin/China: Other Breed Reserve Champion
Novice CM/Resin/China: Fantasy/Decorator: 1st place out of 1 entrant
Novice CM/Resin/China: Other Color Reserve Champion
Total points: 100
Grand total points: 270
That's all for this month. Thanks for judging the shows, MHFC members!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Cats, glasses, and life
The last month and some change has been very hectic for me. My cat had an eye infection, which developed into a dismetocele (a crater in the cornea), which required surgery. The treatment for the infection, and then the aftercare for the surgery put my whole life on hold. He's finally out of his "cone of shame" and getting back to normal, and I have only four more days, including today, of intense medication schedules.
Despite being very busy with my cat, I have been getting a few things done here and there, including constructing a SM scale stall from craft sticks. I've got a lot left to do, and I doubt I'll finish it before the new year, but when it's finished, I'll be showing it off on here. I've also made a few SM scale cross-country jumps, which only need some finishing touches.
The next thing that came up was that I got superglue vapor on my old glasses. It stuck to a smudge on the lens, and that was the end of that pair of glasses. I need my glasses for detail work. My vision isn't bad enough I need glasses for everything, but I can't read, write, or work on tack, painting and other detail crafts without them. My prescription changed significantly in one eye as well, and I'm still getting used to my new glasses. The focal area seems much smaller, because I have smaller lenses than I did before. I have two pairs now, one for general work, and one very narrow lensed pair that are good for keeping my focus on writing (actually why I chose them).
With my birthday coming up toward the end of November, I've decided to put a hold on trying to get good sales pictures of my halters with my bad camera, since I'm going to be getting a slightly better camera for my birthday this year.
I'm going to try assemble a quick how-to guide on photoshowing with a bad digital camera, since I have the example pictures ready. I might be moving on to a new camera, but I'm sure there are a few people out there who might glean something useful from my experience.
I'm still prepping my batch of SMs. Does the prepping phase ever end? I'm so done with prepping, I want to get to the painting, but I think I'm going to hit problems with sealer now that we're in fall and heading toward winter. My sealer doesn't work well in low temperatures, it gets grainy.
I'll still be showing through fall and winter, so it won't be completely dead around here, and I'll still be able to make tack. I have a nice halter design that I'm planning to make a lot of. I stocked up my tack making kit last time I made a trip to Wal-mart, with cheap jewelry making supplies and some grosgrain ribbon. The current set of halters are red satin-backed black grosgrain with jump-ring hardware (including a new no-bend jump-ring buckle design that looks pretty neat), and look pretty spiffy. More on those at the end of November, when I can show them off properly.
Despite being very busy with my cat, I have been getting a few things done here and there, including constructing a SM scale stall from craft sticks. I've got a lot left to do, and I doubt I'll finish it before the new year, but when it's finished, I'll be showing it off on here. I've also made a few SM scale cross-country jumps, which only need some finishing touches.
The next thing that came up was that I got superglue vapor on my old glasses. It stuck to a smudge on the lens, and that was the end of that pair of glasses. I need my glasses for detail work. My vision isn't bad enough I need glasses for everything, but I can't read, write, or work on tack, painting and other detail crafts without them. My prescription changed significantly in one eye as well, and I'm still getting used to my new glasses. The focal area seems much smaller, because I have smaller lenses than I did before. I have two pairs now, one for general work, and one very narrow lensed pair that are good for keeping my focus on writing (actually why I chose them).
With my birthday coming up toward the end of November, I've decided to put a hold on trying to get good sales pictures of my halters with my bad camera, since I'm going to be getting a slightly better camera for my birthday this year.
I'm going to try assemble a quick how-to guide on photoshowing with a bad digital camera, since I have the example pictures ready. I might be moving on to a new camera, but I'm sure there are a few people out there who might glean something useful from my experience.
I'm still prepping my batch of SMs. Does the prepping phase ever end? I'm so done with prepping, I want to get to the painting, but I think I'm going to hit problems with sealer now that we're in fall and heading toward winter. My sealer doesn't work well in low temperatures, it gets grainy.
I'll still be showing through fall and winter, so it won't be completely dead around here, and I'll still be able to make tack. I have a nice halter design that I'm planning to make a lot of. I stocked up my tack making kit last time I made a trip to Wal-mart, with cheap jewelry making supplies and some grosgrain ribbon. The current set of halters are red satin-backed black grosgrain with jump-ring hardware (including a new no-bend jump-ring buckle design that looks pretty neat), and look pretty spiffy. More on those at the end of November, when I can show them off properly.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Racing Results
The results are in for the September MHFC races.
All highlighted horses are Long Road Home horses.
The Quarters
Overall, we're pretty pleased with our first race outing. A win and a show for six maiden races isn't bad. I know some people might ask why we didn't enter our horses in the maiden races, instead of putting them against horses with a few races of experience. Really, I don't think putting my horses against other maidens would do them any favors. Putting them up against experienced horses lets them learn by copying. I think they learn quicker running with the experienced horses.
Mister Hawke, and Hello Operator did well for us. I'm surprised they liked the faster track. Track conditions at the Long Road Home have been sloppy to muddy on the dirt, and yielding on the turf.
I think Biggie (The Big Event) and Hey Mister would be a lot happier on a softer track.
It looks like Smoothie (Smooth Criminal) needs some rubber plates in his racing shoes for fast ground. He's a heavier horse than most of the racing Paints out there. The jockey thinks the ground was pretty punishing for him... Smoothie felt tentative, like it was hurting his feet. I will have that jockey back Smoothie next time, I think Smoothie likes that jockey, there wasn't any fidgeting or playing up on the way to the gate like we expected.
Belle (The Hawkes Belle) shipped in from Britain, where she was used to deeper turf. Transitioning her to the shallower turf over here might be tricky, she needs to learn not to hammer her hooves down like that. Maybe she'd like some rubber shoes too?
Points Summary
All highlighted horses are Long Road Home horses.
The Quarters
Race 1Paints
Conditions: Wet-fast to Fast
Winner: Night Cometh
Place: Lightning Flashfire
Show: WS Lassie Boon
Also ran: Te Bird Skip, Kiss Upon a Star, WS Nu Imperial Jewel, Smart Star, On Watch, Magic Quest, The Big Event
Race 3
Conditions: Fast
Winner: Mister Hawke
Place: WS Doctor Pep
Show: Soft As Smoke
Also ran: Noble Whiskey Solano, Bold One, Dragonsblood, Hey Mister, Texas Boy, Familiar Destiny, WS Brandy's Best
Race 2Thoroughbreds
Conditions: Fast
Winner: Maximum Wattage
Place: Dash Splash Cash
Show: Justoneofthosedays
Also ran: Rising Wind, Zippin At Midnight, Raggedy's Eclipse, WS Ima Cool Outrageous Dandy, WS Zippin It Shut, WS Zip Mac Hustler, Smooth Criminal
Race 2Long Road Home's Official Statements
Conditions: Good to Firm
Winner: Dareful Task
Place: Hello Operator
Show: Vision Cry
Also ran: Mrs. B, A Bid For Courage, Gerschwin, Parliament, Econimic Brigade, GOS Sheza Mighty Star, Uninvited
Race 5
Conditions: Firm
Winner: WS Count Me In
Place: Stella Artois
Show: GOS Dressed For Success
Also ran: Enniskillen, Chasing Liberty, Firewind, Storm Chattering Bird, The Hawkes Belle, Paddy Riley, GOS Ima Smarty Pants
Overall, we're pretty pleased with our first race outing. A win and a show for six maiden races isn't bad. I know some people might ask why we didn't enter our horses in the maiden races, instead of putting them against horses with a few races of experience. Really, I don't think putting my horses against other maidens would do them any favors. Putting them up against experienced horses lets them learn by copying. I think they learn quicker running with the experienced horses.
Mister Hawke, and Hello Operator did well for us. I'm surprised they liked the faster track. Track conditions at the Long Road Home have been sloppy to muddy on the dirt, and yielding on the turf.
I think Biggie (The Big Event) and Hey Mister would be a lot happier on a softer track.
It looks like Smoothie (Smooth Criminal) needs some rubber plates in his racing shoes for fast ground. He's a heavier horse than most of the racing Paints out there. The jockey thinks the ground was pretty punishing for him... Smoothie felt tentative, like it was hurting his feet. I will have that jockey back Smoothie next time, I think Smoothie likes that jockey, there wasn't any fidgeting or playing up on the way to the gate like we expected.
Belle (The Hawkes Belle) shipped in from Britain, where she was used to deeper turf. Transitioning her to the shallower turf over here might be tricky, she needs to learn not to hammer her hooves down like that. Maybe she'd like some rubber shoes too?
Points Summary
LRH The Big Event: 1
Mister Hawke: 10
Hey Mister: 4
Smooth Criminal: 1
Hello Operator: 9
The Hawkes Belle: 3
Friday, September 2, 2011
First Show Results and New Additions
Well, the August show results are in, so here's how I did.
LRH Heza Custom Blend
Novice OF: Paint: 5th Place out of 5 entrants
Novice OF: Minimal White Pinto: 9th place out of 9 entrants
Total points: 8
LRH Rum Runner
Novice OF: Young Stallion (3-8): 9th place out of 25 entrants
Novice OF: Other Pure Breed: 1st place out of 4 entrants
Novice OF: Bay/Brown: 3rd place out of 13 entrants
Total points: 20
Novice Custom/Resin/China was unjudged in August, so I don't have any results for LRH Nighthawke or LRH Xiwang. LRH Astor likewise has no points to report.
I think I need to try and get new pictures of some of my horses, because they're atrocious and not helping me at all. I actually really like LRH Rum Runner's picture, so I'm going to set up the same shot for some of my other horses if I can. At this point, I don't have a good enough camera to take good pictures of the minis, so I'm giving up on them until I have a nicer camera. I'll keep entering shows with what I have, since LRH Heza Custom Blend was still earning points.
In other news, I picked up three more horses today, for a grand total of three dollars. These I intend to keep. As crazy as it sounds, they're the cheapo Walmart toys. I actually see some potential in one of them as a mule, even in OF. Another one, with some customization, mostly just narrowing his chest, looks like a Mongolian pony. The last one needs his legs lengthened and his nose straightened, and I think he looks a bit like a Tennessee Walker. I'll get pictures in the morning.
I actually was looking for animals, and only one animal stood out, a toy rat. I think if I cut off his molded whiskers and hair him all over with kanekelon, he'll look really convincing. I didn't pick him up because I didn't have the supplies on hand to customize him yet. I'll get one next time I'm at Walmart. I honestly see show-winning potential with the rat with about thirty hours of hairing work. Even better, he's kind of gushy, so he'll feel nice in my hands when I take him out for pictures :)
LRH Heza Custom Blend
Novice OF: Minimal White Pinto: 9th place out of 9 entrants
Total points: 8
LRH Rum Runner
Novice OF: Other Pure Breed: 1st place out of 4 entrants
Novice OF: Bay/Brown: 3rd place out of 13 entrants
Total points: 20
Novice Custom/Resin/China was unjudged in August, so I don't have any results for LRH Nighthawke or LRH Xiwang. LRH Astor likewise has no points to report.
I think I need to try and get new pictures of some of my horses, because they're atrocious and not helping me at all. I actually really like LRH Rum Runner's picture, so I'm going to set up the same shot for some of my other horses if I can. At this point, I don't have a good enough camera to take good pictures of the minis, so I'm giving up on them until I have a nicer camera. I'll keep entering shows with what I have, since LRH Heza Custom Blend was still earning points.
In other news, I picked up three more horses today, for a grand total of three dollars. These I intend to keep. As crazy as it sounds, they're the cheapo Walmart toys. I actually see some potential in one of them as a mule, even in OF. Another one, with some customization, mostly just narrowing his chest, looks like a Mongolian pony. The last one needs his legs lengthened and his nose straightened, and I think he looks a bit like a Tennessee Walker. I'll get pictures in the morning.
I actually was looking for animals, and only one animal stood out, a toy rat. I think if I cut off his molded whiskers and hair him all over with kanekelon, he'll look really convincing. I didn't pick him up because I didn't have the supplies on hand to customize him yet. I'll get one next time I'm at Walmart. I honestly see show-winning potential with the rat with about thirty hours of hairing work. Even better, he's kind of gushy, so he'll feel nice in my hands when I take him out for pictures :)
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