Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
... and hello wooly, winter Speedy!
Everyone's blogs are filled with stories of sleeking their ponies up with fall body clipping. California's weather, especially here in the central valley, is so mild that I don't really need to clip my guys. Yes, they're a bit wooly, but they're not super "sweaters" (as in perspire, not the Christmas variety) when they work, so it works for us. So while I do ride until dark, they generate enough heat with their ample dinners to warm themselves up even if they are slightly damp. I do have blankets, tons of them in fact. I have super-duty Arctic ones all the way down to ultra-light fly sheets. There are so many in fact, that I can't sit here and count them all! Even so, I never used one last winter. But last winter was fairly mild, and this one might not be. I did blanket Speedy G a few times the winter before. When it's wet (hardly ever), and the wind starts to blow, I do think about tossing on a cover. So ... my boys are pretty furry right now. Before I could ride Speedy on Sunday afternoon, I had to spend more than the normal 45 seconds it takes to dust off his ultra-thin summer coat; the curry comb made it's first appearance of the year. Here he is post-grooming, looking better, but nowhere as silvery white as mid-summer. His winter coat gets a rather dull gray color. He stills rides the same, whatever color he is! Comments are closed.
|
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
|