Else's Question on SCA West

[callistotoni]

mastersantiago posted his response on his LJ, so I'll follow his example and copy my response here as well.



First off, I highly recommend the wrangler/instructor that is available for
lessons at Ed Levin Park. His name is Shaun and he is A Really Good Guy. He's at
my barn at least 2x a week. I've seen him give lessons (Western), and, well, if
my sweetie could move down here I'd have him take lessons from Shaun. So,
really, if you want to ride (especially you knights out there who, for obvious
reasons, would like to get some horse-time) you should get to Ed Levin Park on
Sundays and avail yourselves of this opportunity. Marguerite is the POC, but she
is travelling for the next month, so I'm pretty sure I could find out what you
need to know if you want to check this out in the next few weeks. (I can be
reached at tlwhyte AT comcast DOT net).

Next, Else asked:
"For those who haven't expressed an interest in playing with horses in the SCA,is
there anything that could make playing with horses more palatable?"

Most of you horsie folks know this already, but since Else posted this on this
forum I thought I'd respond here. Who knows, maybe it will stimulate discussion.

I own a horse (Brandee -- you may have seen her at events) and I ride more days
of the week then I don't. But I've come to the conclusion that my equestrian
interests and my SCA interests don't mesh. In the SCA, I want to 'swan around in
my posh frock', as it were, and play at being a female courtier. The 16th C
Salon last was the sort of SCA experiance that I like best. (Now I'm exploring
the 14th C -- stay tuned for possible future 14th C playspace parties! ;-) ).

OK, so what does this have to do with Else's question, I hear you ask. Well, as
to if there was anything that would make playing with horses more palatable in
the SCA, I'd say:

--I'd have to clear my SCA To-Do list in order to figure out what I could do
with Brandee at events that I'd enjoy, since I do not like the SCA games or any
of the martial activites (jousting, mounted crest combat). Between Life (TM) and
my other SCA interests, figuring that out is low on my list of priorities.

--There'd have to be a venue in the SCA for dressagy-type stuff. But (and this
is a big But) even in the horse community watching dressage, if it's not your
thing, is like watching paint dry. And at the lower levels (i.e. me and
Brandee), there is really nothing worth seeing for the average person. So
there's not much point to practicing our dressage stuff in the SCA when we do
that at home all the time. Hope this makes sense.

Now, I do think that Brandee is a great horse for meet-and-greet type affairs,
and when Marguerite wants to bring Brandee to an event I'm happy to stand there
and talk to people with my little Paint Princess. ;-) But as to riding in the
SCA myself, well, I just don't feel like there's anything there for me, so my
energies are probably better spent elsewhere.

Respectfully,
Genevieve


Oh, and really-o truely-o, if you are interested in Western lessons on Sundays in Ed Levin Park (Milpitas), let me know and I can get you hooked up. :-)

Comments

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

This is one of those questions that clearly was posted to Get More People Involved!!!!! When I first came out here, I went to an event thinking, "Yes, I'd like to check out the equestrian activities." Frankly I was appalled when I witnessed someone get badly dumped off a privately owned horse who was way too hot to be carrying "advanced beginners" in the first place. Since then, more sensible heads have gotten involved and prevailed and the EQ program is a much safer, saner activity than it once was. That said, it's not in the budget, my knees are not what they were and like you, I'm not into the whole gymkhana game thing.

reason for the question

[hunrvogt.livejournal.com]

You were close. Actually I posed the question because everyone else want TO GET MORE PEOPLE involved. *I* want to make quality riders out of the individuals who chose to get involved and keep ours rules and regulations common sense based. However if there is someone out there who has an interest AND an easily solvable barrier to entry. I want to make sure we don't miss them.

I agree on how scary stuff used to be. It's what kept me from bringing my horses to events for a long time. I figured the theb SCA horse folk would die to see the sorts of things I consider no big deal.

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

Bra-freaking-vo, Your Excellency! A horse is not a pair of skis or a tennis racket that can go sit in the closet until you're ready to go play. They need and deserve their humans' time and attention.

I devoted more than 20 years worth of weekends and evenings to riding and having a horse. I know what it takes.

[callistotoni.livejournal.com]

If you're interested in Santiago's response you can check it out over on SCA West, where he posted it originally.

And I know you've done bunches for EQ in the West, so thanks for that! I dunno, from your comments and my own opinions I wonder if the best thing would be to just have horses at EQ-specific SCA events, and maybe have fewer of them, like, maybe one big one once a year.

I'm going up the the Seattle area in September to see onerie's group's Emprise of the Black Lion (onerie asked J/S to be one of the judges). Will be interesting to see what they do and if there's anything that could be used/applied down here.

[hunrvogt.livejournal.com]

I tend to lean towards lots of EQ practices and 1-2 horse only/horse predominant events and 2-3 horses at suitable SCA Events - Cynaguan May Coronet, A&S Tourney, GWW, ?.

Horses at Crowns and Coronets should be sparing. Mostly if there is something cool to do AND a site that is well suited to having the horses on or very near the eric.

Truly regular practice coupled with 3-5 "tourney" caliber events a year is going to get us pretty clode to what the average Heavy Fighter does. Bear in mind that most of us are not sleeping with typical/average heavy fighters.

[hunrvogt.livejournal.com]

When we do the camp, can we have a mounted hunt? That sounds like way too much fun to me and worthy of dragging the damn carriage somewhere.

If the concrete guy doesn't work...

[hunrvogt.livejournal.com]

wanna ride?

I've gotta run stuff, so unless Siobhan has loaned him out, Kazar is available.

Callistotoni - that goes for you too should you get a wild hair to drive to Quincy...assuming you are in CA that weekend.

[kareina.livejournal.com]

Just curious--for the first decade or so I was in the SCA the only time I saw horses at events (and that rarely) it was someone wearing a *really* pretty frock with skirts that spread out and covered much of the horse, and they just rode around for a bit and added to the general atmosphere (or, occasionally, the human was in something understated, but the horse's costume was sublime). Do you have any interest in sawning around in a pretty dress on your beloved horse and riding around the populated bits of the event to enhance the atmosphere?

[ermine-rat.livejournal.com]

I used to do horse stuff for many years, but I figured out that if I did horses in the SCA it would severely limit my other activities. I thought it might be easier with hawks, but I was wrong, and it took several years to figure that out. It was just too much effort for the return.

I did have a fantasy about hunting with a hawk and hound from horseback, but that requires much more time than I am ever likely to have. Animals take a lot of daily work, and that can be hard to justify at the expense of your spouse, kid, job, and any other interest, and there are some other things I would like to do.

Re: If the concrete guy doesn't work...

[hunrvogt.livejournal.com]

The schedule is designed to be run with minimal input and the folks that go to my practice know how to play most of the games, so that will help. I will need some ground crew for the gambler's class. And I need to poke some herald's for "Herald Says".

If the event winds up fitting in your plans...

If you want to marshal, I would love the help.

If you want to have fun and ride, I'm sure a horse can be found. Between Helga and I we will have 7-9 on-site including Kazar. I think Siobhan is bringing 3 and Gwen is bringing 2. I suspect you can catch-ride *if* you have interest.

If you want to do both - there are reasons the classes are split and that horses can cross enter - help with the walk trot division and ride in the WTC division or vice versa.

If you want to stay home and snuggle with GBear, that's good too. This creating a horse culture thing is a marathon, not a sprint.

Re: "...hard to justify at the expense of your spouse, kid, job, and any other interest"

[callistotoni.livejournal.com]

Moi assi. A big reason I can affort Brandee at all is that I do not have a car payment. I drive a junker, to be sure, but I paid cash and it's been getting me where I need to go.

Hopefully my little car will last a few more years... :-0

Re: If the concrete guy doesn't work...

[callistotoni.livejournal.com]

That's super nice of you, but I'm up in An Tir* that weekend. What you've got planned sounds fun, though!

Re: If the concrete guy doesn't work...

[hunrvogt.livejournal.com]

With luck "Herald's Says" will catch on. It's as close to spectator-friendly lower level dressage as I can get :)

Re: If the concrete guy doesn't work...

[callistotoni.livejournal.com]

Yup, I thought that sounded particuarly intriguing. :-)