Dog and Pony prep, part one

A lot of things have changed in the last two years, but not this: I still think planning and prepwork is (almost) as much for as the show itself.

That particular show was Heather Malone's light-hearted Candyland Live, which featured a non-traditional, themed performance division. I was showing my Stone Horses Olive portrait, and I had so much fun brainstorming ideas for each of those prompts. 

Some of my entries were things that real Olive would clearly never do, 

but others were loosely based on reality.

I loved them all, and I'm really glad I was able to do that while Olive was still alive.

I have a new horse now, and she also has her own Stone Horses portrait model.

The temptation to have a similar Sage inspired performance day is real, but there are two main issues standing in my way. The first of which is actually a mane issue. 

The problem isn't obvious at first glance. Her forelock is big but not obtrusive, and she's reasonably clear in the bridlepath area.

Unfortunately, things literally go downhill from there.

The mane at her withers extends so far down her back, there's just no way to fit a saddle around it.

She does work okay as a bareback horse, and I would not be opposed to seeing how many classes I could find bareback references for.

But that takes us to main issue number two: The class list.

It's ridiculous and I love it, but also, it's not designed for showing one model in all the things. Well, perhaps if that model is a real equine - preferably a donkey - but also a fantasy equine, and maybe a dog.

Sage is a lot of things, but not quite all that. 

I'm sure she'll find her way into a class or two, but this is definitely going to be a team effort. 

Team Braymere is back in business. Let's do this.