Junior Hunter National Championships with European Blend

Extreme Dependence on Technology

An Extreme Dependence on Technology 

There are currently a lot of issues occurring in the world right now due to the Digital Age. The Digital or Information Age is the name dubbed to the present time which involves every aspect of daily life being affiliated with some sort of technological device. Prior to this generation, technology started to advance while people were in their mid-thirties. This allowed the people from the Baby Boom era to be able to grow up without technology, and still be able to reap its benefits as an adult. However, the current generation, was born into a world obsessed with technology. When families go out to eat, the children at the dinner table are no longer drawing on the kids menu with crayons. Instead, they are furiously tapping at an iPad or iPhone screen playing a game or watching a movie. While this may not seem like that large of an issue, it is actually harmful to the developing brain. Studies show that excessive technology use at a young age can lead to other mental problems later on in life. 

Even if you didn’t use technology at a young age like the children today, the current society is forcing you to incorporate technology into your daily life. From Instagram and facebook being used in the work place, to skyping with family members, everyone in the United States today has begun to completely shape their life around their technology. So, when the internet shuts down and or you do not have access to that technology, people go into a state of temporary insanity due to the addiction that almost everyone in society has developed. 

However, the largest issue that has resulted due to the digital age, is the corruption of the teenagers who are the future of this country and of society. The decisions they make will shape the future of the United States. However, due to an addiction to technology, there are increasing risks that are creating issues for these teens and for society. 

Technology is not all bad. It gives people unlimited access to information and can lead to discoveries in medicine and science. However, it is when it completely saturates your life that it creates problems. People stop interacting face to face, and being only communicating via the internet. The information age has benefits, but its unintended consequences and damaging effects of overuse might begin to trump its good intentions if society continues with this extreme dependency. 

Art in the Form of Equestrian Show Jumping

Art in the Form Equestrian Show Jumping 

What is art? Is it simply a physical creation such as a painting or work of literature, or can actions and ideas also be considered art? There is a plethora of art forms that impact many people’s lives on a daily basis. Art can be so common that it can make a difference in one’s life without them even noticing. Almost anything nowadays can be manipulated in a way that one can argue its artistic value. This is due to the fact that humans have a constant desire to create and discover new things that can stimulate the mind. It is from this desire that emerges a wide spectrum of art genre. However, there are specific criteria that define what truly makes something a work of art. If the work is not useful or able to induce an intellectual thought process, then it is hard to consider it a piece of art. In addition, art can be defined as something that is taken from the outside world, and recreated it into something new via the artist’s personal style and creativity. If the work cannot do that, it cannot be considered a work of art.

In regard to actions as an art form, it is often controversial as to wether or not an action can be classified as a work of art. Actions fall into the same category as every other controversial art form. However, if it can stimulate thought and be recreated into some sort of new idea, then it should be definitely be considered art. An example of this type of art, would be Equestrian Show jumping. Equestrian, almost like any sport, should be considered an art form. To start, the anatomy and majestic nature of the horse itself is beautiful and breathtaking, but the animal itself is not a work of art because they have not been manipulated or changed into something different. A painter can sit down and create a painting of a horse and that is considered art. An equestrian rider can do the same thing. However, instead of enhancing the beauty of the horse on a canvas, they are doing so on a public stage, in a show jumping ring, jumping around a set course. 

In order to develop the idea of Show Jumping as an art form, it is necessary to further define the criteria that categorizes various works as art. According to the novel, “The Art Instinct”, by Denis Dutton, there are twelve characteristics of art that are universal across all cultures. In chapter three of this novel, Dutton describes the list as, “Characteristic features found cross culturally in the arts that can be reduced to a list of core items, twelve in the version given below, which define art in terms of a set of cluster criteria (Dutton 51). Basically, Dutton has comprised a list of criteria that define what makes something a work of art. If the work cannot fit in to any of the categories, then it should not be considered an art form. The twelve criteria as listed in “The Art Instinct” include direct pleasure, skill and virtuosity, style, novelty and creativity, criticism, representation, special focus, expressive individuality, intellectual challenge, art traditions and institutions, and an imaginative experience. Dutton qualifies this list when he says, “Taken individually or jointly, the features on this list help to answer the question of whether, confronted with an art like object, performance, or activity, we are justified in calling it art” (Dutton 59). 

This chapter from “The Art Instinct” discussed the question, of what art is and what is required of a piece to truly call it artistic. The ideas brought up in chapter three pose the following questions; Is Equestrian art and what makes it so? Is the aesthetically pleasing beauty of a horse and riders movement a type of art aesthetic? Does the technical skill and work that goes in to the sport contribute to this aesthetic? There are multiple aspects of the sport of Equestrian, and show jumping in particular that correspond with Dutton’s criteria. Esteemed professionals in the Show Jumping world have published their ideas on why they believe Equestrian show jumping is a type of art aesthetic. In particular, George Morris, one of the best and most admired figures throughout the equestrian world, describes the incredible technique, skill, and style that goes into creating the perfect course. In his book, “Hunt Seat Equitation”, everything he describes follows the criteria given by Dutton. Morris himself believes equestrian to be an art and describes the art in detail throughout his career, teachings, and in his published works. In the introduction to his book, Morris states that riders need to, “Think about riding as a science, but love it as an art. Approaching the sport with this mind set will allow the rider to continue learning” (Morris 1).  

After researching and using personal experience, it is possible to qualify each artistic criteria within the sport of Equestrian in order to prove that it truly is an art form. First off, the work needs to generate direct pleasure. There are multiple ways in which riding generates pleasure for both the horse and the rider. To start with, in order to be successful in the sport, the horse and rider need to build such a strong connection with each other that they move as one body. They make decisions, win, and lose together. In addition, Discovery News reporter Linda Tanner wrote an article that described this unique relationship. Tanner said, “Horses and their human riders can develop such a close connection that the two go into a state of co-being.

The phenomenon may be unique between horses and riders, since both move as one and often physically change over the course of the relationship to conform to the other. Intense cooperation is also key” (Tanner). This type of connection can only occur when the horse and rider completely trust and love each other. The relationship itself generates direct pleasure, however the real pleasure comes from the sense of accomplishment the pair gets when they reach goals and accomplish new things together. George Morris comments on riding generating pleasure when he says, "If riding were only blue ribbons and bright lights, I would have quit a long time ago. It is so much more than that.” While it is true, riding is a competition, the competition is not what makes it an art. The happiness that occurs from the sport is what creates the beauty and aesthetic of the sport. So, for the first criteria, the art must result in direct pleasure. The relationships that are formed and the thrill of the ride itself, create an aesthetic pleasure which fulfills that criteria.
The second criterion required for Equestrian to be considered an art, is that it must involve skill and virtuosity.  Contrary to the common opinion, riders aren't just sitting while the horse does all of the work. Without the rider, the horse would not do anything. Again, the horse and rider become one body working together. Whatever amount of effort is put in by the rider, the same amount of effort is reciprocated by the horse. Thus, it takes a great amount of skill in order to jump a horse around a course of jumps properly. The remainder of the book “Hunt Seat Equitation” is about how the rider’s position is supposed to look, the proper technique for certain skills, and the correct way to stay in connection with the horse. All of these thing require talent, effort, and skill, which would be considered a part of the art aesthetic.
When it comes to style, every rider has their own style that cannot be mimicked. The style of the rider is unique and it can adapt when the rider is on a different horse. For example, Morris discusses the proper position needed for the Equitation  divisions in Show Jumping. However, certain riders prefer a slower pace, or a more seated position while coursing. There is a variety of factors that can be changed when the rider is making decisions around a course. The decisions they make affect their style of riding. So, it is true that this aspect of equestrian is a part of the art aesthetic because each rider demonstrates their unique style when they are in the show ring. Style and the other criterion of expressive individuality, are similar in this case. The style of the rider is also the way they express their individuality within the sport. The most famous riders are all known for something specific. Whether that is the exquisite and precise technique or how the rider looks on the horse, style and expressive individuality are all fulfilled by the way the rider chooses to ride their horse.
Another criteria for the art aesthetic is that it has to involve novelty and creativity. Yes, there is a set course of jumps that all of the riders have to complete. However, one can be creative in the way they approach the jumps, turns, and pace. This goes hand in hand with style, because it is also affected by the decisions the rider has to make on course. Every rider enters the ring with a plan of how they are going to effectively complete the course. However, every rider’s plan is different and often it is the one who is most creative and takes the most risk on  course that will end up winning the division. This creativity aesthetic is also representative of the criteria that the art has to be an imaginative experience. Creativity and imagination go together in the sense that the ride is different for every horse and rider pair and the decisions they make together change throughout the course. Even if a rider goes into the course with a plan, the plan never stays the same. The rider often needs to act creatively in order to fulfill the obligations of the course. So, both the criteria of imagination and creativity are fulfilled. 
Criticism is a major part of the sport in general, so this part of the art aesthetic is automatically filled. The whole idea of the sport is that the horse and rider are judged on how well the horse jumps and now well the rider looks while riding the horse. The judges are constantly criticizing and critiquing positions and styles of the riders. In addition, the rider’s trainer is also always going to be making changes and telling the rider what they are doing wrong. The criticism that is involved with the sport is effective and develops another criteria for the sport to be a  work  of art. The idea that the art has to be intellectually challenging is another aspect that must be fulfilled in order for the work to be considered art. Dutton describes that art needs to “utilize the combined variety of human perceptual and intellectual capacities to the full extent” (Dutton 57). Besides from just feeling a problem and fixing it during the ride, the rider is also aboard a large animal that could severely injure them at any moment. It is a relationship completely built on trust and the work that must go in to building this relationship is very challenging. So besides the usual intellect that is required for fixing a problem during the ride, the sport requires a lot of intellect in order to be successful.
Dutton discusses the criterion of representation by saying, “ representation imitates real or imaginary experiences of the world” (Dutton 55). This is relative to the idea that art is taking one idea and transforming it into a new idea that is more beautiful than it could ever be in reality. The horse is already a beautiful animal when it is in the wild, but the animal itself is not art. When the rider gets on the horse, they become one body and the rider highlights different aspects of the horse’s beauty as it jumps. The rider is supposed to ride the horse in a way that it can jump and move its best as it is going around the course. This is representative of the horse in nature, but its features are extended into a new and beautiful way.
In addition, equestrian is very traditional. There is a set guidelines of how things are to be done. This follows the aesthetic of institutions and traditions. it rarely changes and judges are very firm on their traditions. It is why that such books such as Morris’s exist. Every rider knows what is expected of them via these traditions.
Equestrian show jumping is not a very common sport. It is known to be the sport of the wealthy and many famous and people in positions of power partake in the sport. Also the idea of show jumping is very uncommon. This in itself makes the sport a special focus, which is another criteria for Dutton’s art aesthetic. The art cannot be something that everyone can do,  and it has to be special and focused for each individual.  The world and sport of Equestrian Show Jumping is not something that everyone can be apart of and be successful at. They need to have the resources and the drive in order to be successful. Dutton says, “the artistic experience is bracketed off from ordinary life” (Dutton 55). Riders at the top level of show jumping travel almost every week to a show to compete. There is rarely time for life outside of the show circuit. Show Jumping is far from ordinary because the rider is befriending and partnering with an animal that is unpredictable and they dedicate all of their time to this single sport. It is something that is far from ordinary and the art definitely has a special focus in regard to its aesthetic.
There are many things that people can argue to be art. Equestrian Show Jumping follows  all of the criteria in order for something to be considered a work of art. These criteria are universal across cultures. This proves that show jumping is an art due to its technical difficulty, its beauty, and its intellectual requirements that make it into the beautiful aesthetic that it is. Equestrian Show Jumping takes the natural beauty possessed by the horse and changes and represents it in a new way by highlighting the animal’s athletic talent as well as their beauty. The beautiful, challenging nature of the sport and the creative process that goes in to training and riding can only be described as an art aesthetic. While this aesthetic is different than the other common art forms such as drawing or music, it is equally if not more creatively challenging than the common art aesthetic.

Works Cited

Dutton, Denis. The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure, & Human Evolution. New York: Bloomsbury, 2009. Print.

Morris, George. Hunt Seat Equitation. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Tanner, Linda. "Horse and Rider Enter State of Co-Being : DNews." DNews. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2014.

New Culture

Shocker of the hour, is that my blog has actually had some readers in the recent days.....this is in some  ways a double edged sword because a lot of the things I write on here are very generalized, even though they are based off of very specific events.

So I wanted to touch a little more on the topic of culture in the south since it is an idea that is very new to me moving all the way across the country. In a previous post titled, "Southern Gentlemen; Southern Fraud" I wrote about the images that certain southern people try to keep up with. To an extent, I have encountered a lot of this in Kentucky. However, a lot of my frustration is a culture issue. I am simply not used to a lot of the practices of southern society and it is terrifying jumping into a completely different world that is so different from my own.

In addition, I am going to be very specific when I say that my previous article had nothing to do with the Kappa Alpha Order at Transylvania. The men that are apart of Kappa Alpha are all amazing, respectful, gentlemen that live up to the reputation of being a classy, southern gentleman. These guys should be an example for people everywhere because they are some of the best friends that I have made at Transy and in Kentucky. The men I referred to in my previous article, are the ones that claim to be southern gentlemen, but are unable to put their money where their mouth is. That article was based on a specific event and is not meant to be generalized. As a Californian, I was unaware of how the term Southern Gentleman could be perceived and how it seemed as if I was talking about the KAs. Again I want to clarify that they are the few guys that are honest and respectful towards everyone they associate with. The Kappa Alphas actually practice what they preach and it is quite refreshing.

While new cultures bring huge challenges as I embark on this new part of my life, I have learned a lot of valuable life lessons from this culture. The first one is that it is not all bad, as I made it seem in my previous post. However, I have learned how to differentiate between my real friends who are here to help me through my transition from California to Kentucky. As a whole my encounters with people who put on a front for society have showed me what not to look for in a friend.

So while it has been  a big struggle for me moving to something totally new and having some hard times with certain people, I have also found a new family out here that helps me to become the classy, young woman that I desire to be. To those people, the Tri Deltas and the Kappa Alphas, I now speak directly to you when I say that you guys are all amazing friends and friends like you are a major reason why I decided to move out to Kentucky.

To my amazing sisters, you guys have been incredible and I love every single one of you. The struggle of moving to the south as been hard because it is so different from the society I am used to. While it has been hard trying to adapt to this, you guys have been my rock and I am so happy to know that no matter what you guys will always be there!!! DL <3