Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
Don't I wish ... Well, no actually; I am happy enough with just a little bit of suspension.
This is what Sydney feels like though when he throws a temper tantrum. And to be honest, I think his height above the ground rivals that of those horses of the Spanish Riding School. The look on JL's face when we come back to Earth is always enough to convince me that we ain't fooling' around. That boy can get some air. We had a lesson on Monday where he put on a little show for the barn cats (all three of them) and Dexter, the dog. Everything has been going really well. The right lead canter is back in place, thanks to my commitment to be solid with the outside rein (even if I have to use the bucking strap). The left lead canter is getting more and more uphill. Sydney is allowing himself to relax and bend at the poll, and most importantly, when he's upset, he readily comes back to me mentally. This might not seem huge, but for me, it is. It's only been in the past few months that I can persuade Sydney that when he's anxious, the trot is a safe place to be. Way back in the beginning, I couldn't even convince him to walk without feeling like I was riding a rocket. So to find comfort in the trot is a big deal. With everything going so well, JL proposed a new exercise. While at the right lead canter, she wanted me to get some outside flexion while not giving the inside rein, and then get some inside flexion without giving the outside rein. To do this, the horse has to rock back a little so that he can carry more weight on his haunches so that he can lighten his front end. We picked up a right lead canter, established a rhythm, and then I asked for the outside flexion. Sydney gave it, as I knew he would, but when I I asked for the inside bend back, his body got rock hard and he dove into my hand. I used my inside leg to push him out and rocked that inside rein trying to get any kind of a bend. This was a particularly tricky exercise for me because it required me to let go of the bucking strap as I rocked either the inside or outside rein. I must have still had a pretty solid feel on the outside because rather than spin to the right, which is Sydney's go-to, he launched straight up and bucked hard. Kind of like the picture above, but with a much lower head. Thank goodness for newly formed habits. Without even thinking about it (I was actually thinking about high high off the ground we were and about how much I hoped I didn't come off), I grabbed that bucking strap in my outside hand and sat up HARD. Sydney landed and came to a screeching halt. I put my leg on and sent him forward into the trot. I looked to JL to confirm that we had indeed achieved some serious air, and all she could say was, "where did that come from?" For me, the best part of all of those shenanigans is that I no longer feel any fear. I am respectful of what he can do of course, but I am not afraid of him. I've learned how to keep control, which he really appreciates and needs. We decided that maybe that particular exercise is a bit too much to ask for right now at the canter, so we schooled it from the trot. JL is going on vacation for the next week so my homework is to school the flex to the outside, flex to the inside exercise at the trot while she's gone.
6 Comments
10/22/2014 10:16:04 am
I've been doing it at the walk with both boys and at the trot with Speedy, but yeah … Sydney was like NO WAY! It seems as though the exercise has a good purpose though. Let me know how Simon fares.
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jenj
10/22/2014 04:04:03 am
LOVE how you owned that! Well done!
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10/22/2014 10:16:38 am
Owned it and then made it my bitch. Just kidding, but thanks. :0)
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About the Writer and RiderI am a lifelong rider.
I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010. Welcome to my dressage journey. About Speedy GSpeedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
About IzzyIzzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
National Rider AwardsState Rider Awards
State Horse Awards
Working Towards:
CDS Sapphire Rider Award Third Level: 63.514% Third Level: 62.105% Fourth Level: Fourth Level: 2023 Show Season
Show Rating (***) CDS/USDF/USEF (*) CDS (s) Schooling (c) Clinic (r) Ride-a-Test Clinic 2023 Show Schedule
TBD 2023 Completed … Pending 2023 Qualifying Scores
Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) Qualifying Training Level 3 Scores/2 Judges/60%: Score 1: Score 2: Score 3: Archives
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