Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
![]() Horribly blurry, but it reads 113℉ Bakersfield is affectionately, and not so affectionally, referred to as Bako during the summer. As in baking hot ... I know many of you live in places that are pretty hot right now, too. I am not saying that it is hotter here, you all deal with some pretty horrendous humidity, but it is pretty dang hot right now. Friday's low was 80℉ and the recorded high was 108℉. I think Saturday's low was 82℉ and the high was another 109℉. Sunday's LOW was 86℉! I am still riding every morning even though it feels like we're schooling on the surface of the sun. Since I go back to work on Thursday, I even rode on Saturday which I don't usually do during the summer, but with the heat, I only rode Sydney and turned Speedy out; on Sunday, I rode Speedy and turned Sydney out. With the "extra" time I gained by only riding one horse a day, I had to find something else to do with my time. So what does a girl do who would rather be at the barn? Well ... since it was so hot, drying my girths and pads took about 4 minutes. We're also teaching Tobias to swim and jump into the pool ... And then, since Tobias will be spending his days outside when I go back to work, we made a quick trip to Lowe's to find a misting system for him. We even managed to go to lunch together. As much as I enjoy riding, this was not a bad way to spend a hot weekend!
Karen
8/13/2012 04:51:32 am
It is certainly very hot, but we just adapt. If we stayed inside just because it was hot, we would never get to do anything. It's hot from June - October. Believe it or not, we don't look for a cool down until after Halloween. Last winter I wore a tank top in February. :0)
Val
8/13/2012 05:06:55 am
The misting system is a neat idea! I liked watching your puppy swimming.
Karen
8/13/2012 05:12:04 am
Val - misters are pretty common here. Many restaurants use them as do all the theme parks. We've just not really needed one before now. SInce Tobias is still so young, we want to keep him as cool as possible during the next two months. Comments are closed.
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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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