Dottie's Videos and a Book Report

P1 Standard, Saturday. 1st Place. Video picks up 1/2 way through the run (right as I mess up- figures.) She did really well. Check out the dog walk!

Steeplechase, 5th Place.  That wrap turn couldn't be any tighter!



Jumpers.  1st.



Gamblers, 1st.



Grand Prix.  2nd.



Pairs, 2nd.



Standard.  NQ. Another good dog walk and a good a frame too.

And now for the book report.  I just finished reading all the books currently written in the George RR Martin series Song of Fire and Ice.  It is being made into a TV show on HBO called Game of Thrones, which is the name of the first book.  The fifth book just recently came out, and there should eventually be 1 more to finish up the series.  A co-worker gave me a bag full of books, and the first 4 were included.

The first book started off in the way of fantasies that I do not prefer- jumping right into a strange land without explaining anything.  But soon enough I figured it out.  The beginning was a tiny bit slow, but after that it never slowed back down.  It is a fantasy, but for the most part you almost forget.  Eventually a sorceress shows up who appears to have magical powers, and I thought she was a pretender, until I remembered it is a fantasy book so she might be genuine.  It is a great series.  My main complaint, which is shared by many and appears to be a theme in all of his writing, is he is a bit too much like Steven King with the killing off of so many characters.  It is like the old philosophy question- if a boat leaves the harbor and is completely re-built while sailing (presumably with lumber and nails found in the middle of the water) is it still the same boat when it reaches the next port?  Is it still the same series if all the original characters are killed off and new ones take their place?  Ok, it isn't that bad, but almost.

Another complaint is I don't think the author has ever ridden a horse.  If a horse sinks up to his withers in mud, I don't think the characters are going to live to tell about it, much less turn around and find a different way to go.  I would have liked a tiny bit more realism when it comes to little details, such as how tired a knights writs got during a particularly long battle, or maybe someone getting measured for fitted armor.  But the books are already pretty long so maybe that would have put them over the top.

I hope the last one comes out soon, but it seems unlikely as number 5 was several years in the making, I think.  I'm lucky in that I came into the series so late and I only have to wait for one book to come out.

Another one of the hand me down books was Lonesome Dove, which I am reading now.  I haven't seen the min-series and other than knowing it is a western, had no idea what it was about.  I also felt this one started off slow, but it is picking up now that the idea to head to Montana has been introduced.  I wanted to see what year the show was on, and while looking that up I learned the 2 leads originally sought were John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart.  That would have been a great cast!  But John Wayne turned it down and then it didn't get made until later.  After finishing the book I will watch the series, but I'm not sure I will watch the HBO Game of Thrones.  Sometimes HBO can be a bit over the top for my taste.