Burnout?

Those people that know me know that I am a pretty positive person. Even when I'm making a serious comment, very often it's with a smile or in a joking, lighthearted manner. I really only get angry when people directly attack me or my friends. And it's VERY hard to offend me with obscenity or crude humor. With all that in mind, I find it hard to address the feelings I've been having lately. I don't want to call it hobby burnout, because I don't feel like I've done anything to feel overwhelmed. I don't live show. I hardly have many pedigrees to put out. I have a healthy enough financial situation that new models can keep coming in, and still do. But once they get here............eh. Nothing. I take their pics, maybe match them to an ID, and then they go on the shelf. No playtime, hardly any photo time, and no sense of enjoyment. (Beyond the initial thrill of spending money and having a brand new box in my hands). Am I a habitual hobbier? Do I do it by habit now? Ugh, to even think these thoughts!

I think, if I have to Freud myself, that some of it has to do with my upcoming birthday. I'll be turning 25. Quarter centennial. Now, most of the ladies in the hobby are older than that and will scoff and laugh, but for me looking ahead--a good third of my life is probably gone. I'm still not married. Still don't have kids. Haven't traveled to Europe. Or owned my own horse. Heck, haven't even really learned to ride, yet! I'm having a quarter-life crisis.

Weirdly, my free time has shifted from horses and video games to reading and flipping through cookbooks, daydreaming about babies and the moment I'd find out I'm pregnant, and thinking about making scrapbooks. Is that nesting? I don't know. Someone tell me, please! Haha.

Or. Or am I just bored and it's totally temporary and it'll pass soon enough? I sure hope so!!!

Stunner

Wow! I MUST get a black custom in this mold-

There is just so

much

action!

My dealer got in a new shipment, and I've been waiting since the Scottsdale Arabian Horse show to pick up one of these! Thankfully some arrived this time, and there were two when I stopped by.

Looks like I have another Gypsy Vanner stallion in my stable. As much as other Pedigree Assigners hate the lack of info and "true" breeding of Vanners, as well as the stigma that came with the whole copyright issue---do I own one of the larger herds of them?


Either way, love this mold!

Craftiness

I was bored enough yesterday I felt like trying to be crafty.

I've been working on this one for a day or two, and finally finished her late yesterday afternoon-

She's my first chestnut, and only my third or fourth attempt at pastels. I am extremely happy with the way her shading came out, as she's a relatively boring liver chestnut :P

She does have some rough spots, considering I'm a klutz and can't keep myself from knocking them over while they're drying. And even then, specks of dirt or other stuff magically appears on them even if I've been extra careful! Luckily, she shows in a photo well, even if she will never see the inside of a live show ring.

I did her 100% for myself anyway, to fill a BSO I knew would take awhile to fill by waiting for an appropriate Breyer body. And what better excuse for practicing pasteling? And I absolutely love this mold. There doesn't ever seem to be enough good mare molds, and when the one I like happens to be on a cheap SM body, I gotta take advantage of it!

A Pedigreeing Crime

It really is. Today, I finally got around to fully pedigreeing my oldest model horse. "Oldest" as in, the model horse that's been sitting on my shelf since the very beginning of my hobby, before it was even a hobby. It really is a crime that it took me this long to get her pedigreed.

I did have a good reason, honest. Grand Champions made bio cards with the model's name and a short story about them, as well as the name of their sire and dam. Inspired by another GC collector's PA process of finding bodies to match the BSO parent names on the cards, I set out to do the same. I prefer to pedigree models, not BSOs, so the GCs essentially waited in line while I found parent bodies, pedigreed them, and then finished the pedigree on the GCs.

Thoroughbreds are so numerous (as are Quarter Horses and Arabians!), that I procrastinated on doing them. Yet now that I've begun, pedigrees are falling into place very neatly. And, as I finished an older mare's pedigree, I realized her daughter was Grey Willow, my original. I got her back in 1996. Seventeen years is a long time to not know your heritage!

Apologies, Norman Cobs, and PAMs

First off, apologies to all my readers for my nearly two month absence! Where have the days gone? What happened, in reality, was a new job, and a new puppy. Both of these required all of my focus for the initial introduction, but now things have settled into a sort of rhythm.

Who could resist such a hopeful face?

The hours for my job vary tremendously. It all depends on how many cars are ready at the dealerships I go to, how fast I can do them, and whether or not I get stuck in traffic. I travel nearly 100 miles each day, visiting three (initially five, but Lexus went elsewhere) dealerships, and driving approximately 20 cars a day. Some days are more, some days are less. Rainy or 110 degree + days are my days off. Oh, and weekends, of course.

Yesterday, I got home early, and decided to spend my free time putting pedigrees in for Model Horse Fun Club's annual (spring?) pedigree. I can't remember if we do two a year now, or not. Well, going through my website, I saw my lonely Norman Cob mare and decided- she needs a mate.

SFC Belle Starr, bay Norman Cob mare

As suggested by the name, Norman Cobs are not from this side of the world, and therefore, most of my hunting took me into the depths of French websites. I brought my handy-dandy Google translator, and went to work.

What I found amazed me. There was a wealth of information, and not just for Norman Cobs, but Mulassier Poitevins, too!

I happily took what I found and pedigreed all five of my existing Mulassiers, and created not one, but two studs to accompany Belle Starr. I also added a sixth Mulassier stallion from a Breyer body that had troubled me from the start.

Grand Monsieur, bay roan Mulassier stallion

I didn't know what exactly his color was supposed to be, and I already had way too many Clydesdales, thanks to GC's Clyde mania. He fit in so well with all the drafts I saw, I knew he had to be one!

As for the PAM, well, there was a PAF with her as well. Two weeks ago, I saw them at a flea market in Mesa for $40 for the pair. I couldn't afford it then, and left them with a heavy heart. I went back this weekend, not really expecting them to be there, but other than having moved shelves, they were still waiting for me!

For those that don't know me, my boyfriend of 5 years, Shawn, is both handsome and supportive of my unusual hobby (how did I get so lucky?) When we went to get them, I looked at him and told him how much they were, and I wouldn't get them if he didn't think we could afford it. All he does? Holds out his hands so I can hand them to him and he can carry them up to the register.

One of my favorite pictures of us. We swapped sunglasses for the fun of it.

Pictures will hopefully be forthcoming of my new mare and foal!

Provided For

I received a call this evening as I was making dinner (that, in itself, is uncommon!). Since I bought the house, I've been bombarded with companies trying to market their products, so I've learned to let unknown numbers go to voicemail.

It was the man hiring the automotive photographer, and he wanted to offer me the job. I gladly accepted, of course!

What does that mean for my hobby? Everything good! It means that I will be treating myself to a new model out of the first paycheck, as a celebratory gift to myself. It means my precious ponies are safe from Evilbay and Facebook. And it means I maybe, just maybe, have a chance to get all the lovely models I want this year.

That means I can treat myself to daydreams of which model it's going to be. The custom model in the antique store clear across town (hour drive?). One of the Stone Morgans I desperately desire? The new Breyer Gypsy Vanner? The much delayed Totilas? Which one do you guys vote for?

Thanks to all who have been praying and thinking good thoughts for me! I thank the Lord for this opportunity, and for the income that comes with it.

2013 Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show

I got to go again this year, thanks to my awesome Grandma, who likes looking at the pretty grays.

I posted the whole reel on a photobucket album here

http://s179.beta.photobucket.com/user/fearthegold/library/2013%20Scottsdale%20Arabian%20Horse%20Show

For those who don't want to wade through all 359 photos, I'll do a highlight here!

I went Saturday the 23rd and Sunday the 24th to meet Sshameless and watch the Classic Championships. Those are always the highlights for me. I tried to catch a few of the other events, but the seats closest to the arenas are reserved and I only have a mid-range lens, so getting decent pictures is difficult. I'll leave awesome performance pictures and tack explanation posts to the Braymere blog ;)

Luckily, I was in the right place at the right time when Rick Love Stables was handing out fliers and inviting everyone to come for a meet n greet of their horses. I imagined they would allow us back into the stables to see the horses through the bars, but little did I know we would get a much closer display!

They brought out Ames Charisma, and it was my first time seeing a National Champion so close. The only celebrities I care about are the horse kind! Luckily for us, he was a bit of showoff.

I can't quite remember the names because I was too busy taking pictures, but the chestnut seemed a little intimidated at the nose-touching!

Later, I couldn't help getting a shot of this gorgeous black

Later that day (Saturday), I got to meet Sshameless. My grandma was again amazing and picked me up a signed copy of the Breyer model, who is just stunning in person, much like the real one!

I hate hate hate having my picture taken. I always look better in the mirror than in pictures! LOL. That is owner Lisa Shover, who I asked how Sshameless was named, and she had started explaining to me, as I remembered I should be looking at the camera for pictures.

Sunday morning, I wanted to watch the working cow competition before the Classics started at 10.

And then the Classics. I always take lots and lots of pictures (ergo why the album has 300+!)

They do geldings first, then fillies, colts, mares, stallions, and supreme champion. Both years I've gone, champion stallion took supreme champion. Seems reasonable, considering how flashy they are!

This was the second time he got the filly to do this, so I'm assuming it was a trick they were teaching her. Unfortunately, right after this picture, she got her leg tangled in the line and took off. They stopped her over near the gate, and she seemed unharmed. Last year they had a loose horse, as well, although the baby had gotten spunky and the amateur handler had let go of the leadline.

It's not always the babies who get skittish. This year, one of the stallions took a bit of a tumble. Sat down on his butt, really, but it is always nerve wracking because you don't want them to get hurt!

One of the stallions bolted as he came into the arena, and the handler was nearly dragged on his feet. Props to him, he was able to keep up with the stallion and get him under control, earning a large applause from the crowd. I don't get pictures of the actual incidents, because I don't want to create negative press for the horses/stables, and in case the horse/handler got hurt. I'm sure there are some floating around somewhere else, though, if you need to satisfy your curiousity!

And *Pogrom, winning the Stallion Classic Champion, as well as the Supreme Championship! He certainly is a gorgeous fellow!