Kategorie: Flying Changes

The Hind Leg

5/27/2020

Over the weekend, Speedy and I worked with Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables. As always, I laid out our current struggle: he's in front of my leg, but I can't shift his balance back as much as I need to for the half pass. It's always the half pass. Chemaine's solution was to focus on weighting the outside hind leg and then reposition the new outside leg. Sound confusing? Yeah, for me too.

This is the end of a walk pirouette right "preparing" for a walk pirouette left.

There is video of this first pirouette, but it's too embarrassing to show. Speedy understood Chemaine's directions, but I didn't. The exercise goes like this: use the outside rein to weight and control the outside hind leg as the horse's shoulders come around the circle. That part I undersood. But as we were finishing the turn, Chemaine instructed me to ride a shoulder in to the new direction. I could not figure out how to do it.

To perform one walk pirouette to another, or half pass to canter pirouette to lead change - something in our future, the rider needs to be able to control the outside hind leg and then the new outside hind leg. In the photo above, the red arrow shows the new outside hind, but because I've "lost" the shoulder - see how it's bulging out?, the new outside leg isn't in position to carry Speedy's weight in the new pirouette.

You'll understand the exercise much better if you watch Chemaine coaching me through it.

Then we took that exercise and applied it to the half pass. Chemaine had me "ride a square" - an exercise that fixes so many things. In the corner, we walked and did a quarter pirouette, striking off into the trot and again walking in the corners. In each corner, the walk pirouette told him to sit down, bend, and soften. After going around the square a few times, we then did a trot half pass out of the corner after nearly walking. This really asked him to sit down in preparation for the half pass.

One of the pieces of homework that Chemaine has given me over the past month has been to keep Speedy at the same tempo before, during, and after the flying change. In the beginning, we were just excited to get a change, so we didn't focus on the quality of the canter after. Then Speedy started to anticipate the change, rushing into it. It was a challenge to teach him to wait for my aid, and sometimes, it's still a challenge. As I got the anticipation under control, his next evasion was to bolt through the change which left him unbalanced. Just this past week I have been able to get flying changes that are smooth without any change to the tempo.

The changes are now definitely confirmed and much more quiet, but they're still pretty expressive.

Go big or go home?

Of course, we still struggle with it because Speedy is not always as light in my hand as he needs to be. To fine tune the changes, Chemaine is now having me focus much more on the preparation before I even think about the change. As we come through the corner, Speedy needs to start getting softer and softer so that I can achieve the new bend more quickly. This will help us in Fourth Level where we'll need to do three changes across the diagonal - a movement we can do about 50% of the time.

At least he's equally expressive.

In this video, I got him softer, but then he missed the aid for the change. When we tried it again, you can see him start to rush, but with a bit WAIT, he came back to me, and then we got a nice, clean change.

Chemaine rarely rides Speedy, but during this lesson, she asked if she could get on him. I was struggling with the left bend, and she couldn't see why. It wasn't until she got on him that she felt how heavy he actually was. We joked about the fact that I was hiding it quite well. She worked him left and right, pushing him back and forth off both reins and legs. He was happy to be heavy on either rein/leg, until Chemaine convinced him that yes, he could work between the aids.

When she handed him back over to me, she gave us both a lot of praise. "He feels like a dressage horse," she exclaimed. Since she's only ridden him once or twice in the past year, that was great to hear. This will never be "easy" for Speedy, but it's nice to hear that we're on the right track.

If everything goes to plan, we'll have one more lesson before out first show of the year. We're still showing Third Level of course, so maybe this will be the year we get that score ...

Pushing Him Up to the Bit and Other Stuff

5/20/2020

Izzy and I had another lesson the other day with Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables. Because Izzy is maybe too relaxed at home, I've been taking him to my friend Amy's place so that we can see what it's like to work away from home even when you're nervous. And by you I mean Izzy.

From the very beginning of the lesson he was willing to work.

When we were there a few weeks ago, I had to switch out his snaffle for my correction bit, borrow some longer spurs from Amy, and then Chemaine hazed him with the whip when he refused to go forward. For this visit, I started with the big guns - correction bit, whip, and long spurs. I needed him to know from the first instant that if he decided to think for himself, I would be there with an immediate correction. He thought about trying to tell me no, but a few jabs with the spurs stopped any jackassery.

It was a small spook and he got over it very quickly.

Aside from a little tension, from the very beginning of the lesson his brain was engaged, and he was willing to work.

Riding two very different horses has given me a much better education than if I had had only Speedy to ride. Where Speedy wants to be heavy in my hand with his hind end trailing behind, Izzy offers me the opposite problem. He's too light in my hand, and he gets stuck without being able to drive forward. These last few months have been about getting Izzy to reach for the bit as he stretches and rounds his topline.

It's not a medium trot yet, but it's getting bigger.

In every movement that we did, from shoulder-in to half pass to a trot lengthening, it was always the same: push him to the outside rein, let him stretch down, and then drive him forward again. Izzy is so tentative about connecting with the bit, that I almost have to always be thinking about shoulder-in to put him on the outside rein. Once he takes the bit, then I can push him forward.

Besides working on the connection to the bit, we played around with the flying change. I can sort of, almost, was that it? do a change on Izzy. In just a few short weeks he has learned that what I am doing up there is an aid. Now he's trying to figure out the answer.

"I think I got it!"

He doesn't quite have it yet, but he knows that I am asking for something.

There are so many ways to teach flying changes. All it took for Speedy was to head into a corner on a counter canter; he hated that. He gave me a clean change the first time I asked. Izzy is far more talented, but he's a lot less confident. We've tried asking him in the corner, on a circle, going across the diagonal, but he doesn't quite trust that he can or should change leads. Yet.

All that counter cantering has improved his true canter.

Chemaine had me try another method for getting a cleaner change. Instead of just counter cantering across the diagonal, like you do in Third Level, she had me leg yield across the diagonal in counter canter. This really forces the new inside hind to step underneath. It took a few tries to get Izzy to cooperate, and I've been working on it since, but it helped him understand what I am asking for. We finally got a change while still cantering, even if it was a little wonky.

It's not that I need the flying change for any particular reason. I am really asking for it because the harder the question I ask, the more focused that Izzy becomes. And frankly, he does need to learn it. His counter canter is confirmed, and he can even pick it up on a circle. I don't plan to work on the changes every time I ride, I don't work on them with Speedy every day either, but it's time to start introducing them.

Izzy has so much natural talent. He can do any of the movements that I ask for. His problem isn't a lack of fitness or muscle; it's a lack of confidence. We're getting there though, and it's all starting to come quicker and quicker. It's a good thing there's no due by date. We'll get there when we get there.

Show Prep Part 2

2/7/2020

When Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, came out for a lesson on Sunday, I was just expecting to keep chipping away at the movements we struggle with at Third Level, namely the half passes. Along with that though, Chemaine challenged us in the canter with a new exercise to soften our flying lead changes.

Still not as light and jumpy as the left lead, but the right lead is showing improvement.

Speedy struggles with the right lead canter more than with the left. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that he wants to fall in on his right shoulder and swing his haunches out. When he does that, he doesn't have to cary so much weight behind. Chemaine has really hammered it home that he has to be in self-carriage all of the time. And now that I know that, I am insisting on it.

Still behind the vertical, but his stride is getting more collected.

While we struggle with the trot half pass, we also struggle with the canter half pass, particularly to the right. Until Speedy is fully willing to carry himself, the work done in the canter - the half passes and the flying changes, will be harder for both of us. Fortunately for me, Chemaine always has a new exercise up her sleeve.

Nope ...

Not a fan at all!

To help Speedy sit down in the canter so that I can prepare for the half passes and flying changes, she had us do a brand new exercise. Be prepared for your brain to hurt a bit.

You'll use the same long side for both canter leads. We used H-X-K.
Pick up the left lead canter.
Ride the shallow loop from First 3 (H-X-K).
In the corner at K, do a canter pirouette and head towards X.
From X, head back to H on a counter canter, doing the flying change on the quarter line.
In the corner at H, do a canter pirouette and head towards X again.
From X, head back to K on a counter canter, doing the flying change on the quarter line.
And again, repeat the canter pirouette in the corner at K and head towards X.

Here's a video of me doing the exercise after a bunch of false starts. You'll notice my pirouettes aren't yet pirouettes. We weren't worried about that; I was just making that turn as small as I could.

This exercise could probably be used for a lot of different things, but what Chemaine was helping me do was get control after the flying change. Speedy loves to bolt forward after the change in a big yeehaw moment. After using some big half halts in those corners to really rock him back on his end, he quit pulling some much after the changes. I am surprised you can't really see it on the video, but I was using what felt like big, powerful half halts to get him rocked back off my hands.

He definitely takes the "flying" part to heart.

So instead of a keep working on it post lesson chat, we were suddenly talking about a USDF show next weekend. in some ways, going way sooner than I had planned makes it easier because I have a lot less time to worry about it.

Dude! He loves the extended trot.

And really, it's not like we're starting a new level, we showed Third last year, it's just that I am desperate to get that one last score ...

Taking the Time

10/23/2019

Now that we're showing Third Level, I waffle between feeling rushed to get everything perfect, and relaxed knowing that I have all the time in the world. I mean, realistically, how much farther can we go? Sure, Fourth Level is looking like a distinct possibility, but after that? The FEI Level? I am not holding my breath.

Impromptu photo op.

So really, what's the rush? Over the weekend, I took some time to shore up some areas that I felt needed patching up, namely our flying changes and the overall quality of our canter work.

Phhhhhhpppttttt!

Earlier in the week, I broke our left to right flying change which put me in a complete panic since we have a USDF-rated show this weekend. A busted flying change is not what we need right now. I realized that Speedy needed more jump in his canter to get the change, so I played around with some canter to walk to canter transitions insisting that they be crisp and clear.

He's a keeper.

Wouldn't you know it, but suddenly, our canter had more jump and a much clearer rhythm. Our left lead canter was back on track, but the right lead was being hampered by the fact that Speedy's ribcage was pushing through my right leg. No bueno. So I schooled that a bit. Bend, half halt, MOVE OVER! A few dozen of those and magically our right lead canter got jumpier with a clearer rhythm.

Grays look good in any color, even cloudy blue.

And just like that, the flying changes were back. Who knew that getting your horse in front of your leg with a soft inside bend would fix faulty flying changes? Palm to face moment right there.

Moving on to 3-3

6/26/2019

Part 1 here.

I usually move on to test 3 of a level after I get at least a mediocre score at test 2. Why are the second tests of the lower levels so horrible? I don't think there's a single test 2 that I've liked. We scored a 62.105% on Third Level's test 2 this Sunday. Did we hit a home run? No, but it was satisfactory enough that my trainer, Chemaine Hurtado - owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, thinks we're ready to move on to test 3.

I will forever remember to use my corners!

The only new element in test 3 is rein back to trot. That doesn't mean test 3 is easy, we know that from 2-3 and 1-3. The third test is where all of the movements get thrown at you as quickly as possible in ways that do not appear to make any sense. Even so, I am ready to start tackling 3-3 and have even sent in my next two show entries. I may regret that decision. Oh, wait, I already do!

Tight back ears mean he's giving it all he's got!

As you would expect from a slightly more challenging test, our scores dropped a bit for test 2. We didn't get a single 4.0 though. When we got to the walk to canter at F - a movement that caused us all sorts of trouble on test 1 (except that it was at C), I told Speedy he had better pick up the canter correctly. And just as a final reminder, while we were waiting for the judge to ring us in, I asked Speedy to pick up the canter from the walk several times. I may have even had a whip in my hand. My diligence paid off though as Speedy earned himself a nice little 7.0 for that transition to canter. Well done, Dude, well done!

Not from that particular moment, but proof that he can canter on the right lead.

The rest of the test went pretty solidly, not brilliantly, but it wasn't disastrous either. We need more suppleness, more uphill, better throughness, and more clarity between our collected and extended gaits. I get it. We're still a developing Third Level team and probably will be for quite some time.

Extending his canter to his utmost. (7.0 x 2)

One movement that I only started to do two weeks ago is the clear release of both reins for 4-5 strides over centerline at the canter. It shows up only in test 2. When Chemaine asked me a week or so how it was going, I laughed and said that I was just going to skip it. HAHAHAHA. "Um, no," came her reply.

She showed me what it should look like, I practiced it once or twice, and then I did it at the show at El Sueno earning a 6.0 both times. On Sunday, it looked awkward as heck, but the judge liked it well enough to give me a 7.5. Do not ask me what my body is doing. Instead look at how forward I shoved those reins. I wanted the judge to see that I was CLEARLY RELEASING THE REINS. Maybe I am sorry I am not doing 3-2 again.

Please get your balance back before you fall off, but nice release of the reins!

If Second Level is all about the counter canter and the simple change, Third Level is about the flying change. Ours definitely still reside in the "developing" camp. Both changes earned 5.0s for test 2.

An ask followed by a "screw you!"

Another ask ...

"I heard you the first time. Give me a second!"

The judge's comment was very succinct and spot on, "kicked out." The next change got better quicker, but it still earned the same score. With the double coefficient for the flying change of lead, the 5.0s don't exactly help our overall score.

"I thought I told you NO the first time!"

"Hold your horses, lady!"

Two strides later he softens into this puddle of wonderful!

In the video, I look quite determined, and I was. Speedy was so behind my leg in the first test that I carried the whip around the outside warning him that he had BETTER WAKE UP PRONTO. It helped. Even so, getting him forward with more power but expecting him to be soft and supple is still really hard. For both of us.

One of my favorite moments though was this surprise shot caught at the very end of the test. I NEVER smile during a test, yet here I am looking as happy as can be!

We're way past S though!

This dressage court doesn't have the center line letters (DLXIG) marked on the main letters. I had just come from an extended canter M-F with a transition to collected canter F-A. From A, you continue up centerline in collected canter until the collected trot at L, which I couldn't find.

With no letters to help me, I was frantically chanting Daddy Loves eXotic Indian Girls hoping to find "I" (S/R) for my halt. In the photo I was laughing because I was certain I had overshot the "I." The judge gave us a 7.0 for the center line and halt, so it must not have been as big of an issue as I had thought, although from the photo, it's pretty clear I was way off. Good thing there was no judge at B/E!

Once upon a time, eliminating 5s from my score sheets was my goal. I am in that place again. I now know we can get 7s on every movement; we've already done it. Now the trick is to do it on a single test!

63.514%

6/25/2019

This Sunday, Speedy and I made the short trek to Tehachapi to show at a CDS-rated show hosted by my own CDS Chapter. We earned a 63% (and change) at Third Level!

Some of you already know how hard I am on myself. On the one hand, I am ridiculously giddy with glee. On the other, much larger hand, I am sitting here wondering if the judge had something in her eye as she watched me ride because 63% is a score I'll always be quite happy with but will never think we've earned.

First ever photo with my trainer on horses!

About 10 seconds after seeing my score, I started beating myself up as I agreed with the 4 for the walk to canter but disregarded the two 7s for the flying changes. It's just so much easier to believe in the weak aspects of the ride than it is to accept the strong ones. We had 12 scores of 7.0 or 7.5. What more can I ask for? My trainer, Chemaine Hurtado - owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, is no doubt tired of trying to cheer me up when we do well. I am working on it, Chemaine, I am working on it!

Thank you, Judge Lindholm

While the score was not earned at a USDF-rated show, the judges at this particular CDS show series are notorious for being tough. I nearly always score better at USDF-rated shows than I do at this summer series. I decided that my effort deserved the score rather than just feeling that we got lucky.

Half circle left 10-meter; looking at C!

During the warm up, a friend whom I haven't seen in ages, noted that Speedy was really carrying himself. I laughed and told her that I still feel like that struggling Introductory Level rider. Every level is a struggle, so it never feels as though we've "arrived!" Of course, I used to think that riders in levels above me were out there having a grand old time on their perfectly behaved, push-button horses. HAHAHA! Good thing the Intro Level me didn't know how much work it was going to be. If anything, it's just gotten harder.

Shoulder-in right (7.0). That's about as steep as I can make it!

This test was far from perfect, but after watching the video, I gave myself a little pat on the back. We're probably never going to kill it at Third Level, or Fourth, or ... , but we belong right where are. Without being in full training, I don't have the luxury of schooling a level above where I am showing. I need help with the movements that I am showing right now. And each time I show them, they'll get better and better.

Medium Trot - 7.5

So what scored well? The shoulder-in to start. Both of them earned a 7.0. We earned 3 scores of 7.5 - medium trot, rein back, and the left turn on the haunches. The rein back has a double coefficient so that made up for the 5.0 on our half pass right.

The moment just before the medium canter.

The best score though was for our flying changes. We earned 7.0s for both of them, and those also have a double coefficient. The judge noted that they were both clean. She didn't note their exuberance, something I am still working on, but clean is what matters.

What's a dressage test without a yeehaw moment? Clean change of lead though!

So what didn't go so well? The right lead canter has always been a bit of a pebble in my shoe, a pain in my butt, and our achilles heel. I schooled that flippin' walk to canter at F and C a bazillion times. I remembered to look to the inside and get the inside bend, but Speedy still picked up the LEFT lead at C. Booger. So in the corner, I tried again, and again. By this point we were at M where the medium canter had to start, so I got the lead and then tried to rocket him from a walk to a medium canter. I wouldn't recommend that strategy.

This time, I am pinning the blame on Speedy!

It came as no surprise that we scored a 4 for that walk to canter transition, which was more than generous. And since I didn't get to set it up correctly, thanks a lot, dude, our medium canter also took a hit earning a 5.0. Thankfully neither of those movements carries a coefficient. Those two scores, combined with a previous 5.0 for the half pass right, were the only scores under 6.0 on the entire test.

Speedy loves the center line!

I always try to learn something from each test and show. I had no huge AHA moments like from the show the weekend before - BEND YOUR HORSE and WATCH THE LETTERS, but the judge made an interesting comment on this first test. On the collective marks for Rider's Position and Seat, she wrote, Nice position, show more confidence. First of all, I never get positive comments on my position so that was incredibly nice to hear. Do I need more confidence? I would say that is spot on. I'll work on it, Judge.

He's just so stinkin' cute!

I'll work on getting Test 2 written up for tomorrow. In the meantime, here's the video of our first test. That rowdy flying change comes at about 5:45 if you want to skip the boring stuff.

We're getting there even though "there" keeps moving. Dressage is a funny sport!

There's Only So Much You Can Cram

6/24/2019

I am writing this on Saturday afternoon. By the time that you read it, Sunday's show will be over, and only then will I know how much of my Friday night cram session made it to the test. Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, came down to help me do some last minute "studying" for Sunday's second attempt at Third Level.

I am not sure who looks more determined: him or me!

Just like studying for a real pencil and paper test, we did the lesson in a sort of flashcard style. On the first card, I wrote Turn on the Haunches on the front, and then flipped it over for the bullet points.

Stop trying to make the turn so small. Slightly bigger will get more activity.
Speaking of activity, hurry up between the turns to get his hind legs going.
Into the turn, get a shoulder-in and make sure his shoulders are actually turning.

Hind legs are stepping, shoulders are turning.

On the next card, I wrote Renvers (I hate you!), and flipped it over.

MORE ANGLE in the shoulder-in. At least I am not adding more neck in an attempt to get the angle though. I just need to be methodical about using that outside rein to get the angle.
Just before B/E, I need to remember to open the new outside rein to draw the shoulders out and then ask for the new inside bend.
When Speedy's NOT supple, I need to do a few steps of leg yield instead of renvers to get him on my new outside rein and wrapping around my new inside leg.
It would also help if I would actually weight my new inside seat bone as well.
And most importantly for renvers and half pass both, I HAVE to get my outside shoulder back.

Outside shoulder BACK!

The Half Pass (trot or canter) card could really be Renvers part II; they're really similar.

Outside shoulder back because I need to hear it as many times as it can possibly be said.
Look for the centerline and GET ON IT.
For the trot half pass, keep the shoulder-in all the way around the half circle.
Point his head to H or M and then ride travers to the letter.
Also think about coming through that half circle prepared to ride a medium trot, but take that energy and ride travers to keep Speedy from stalling out.
For the canter half pass, ride it slow and collected which means I have to SIT his butt down! He does NOT get to take it away from me. This has clearly left the bulleted format and become a conversation that I need to have with Speedy as we struggle to keep the canter as we prepare for the flying change.

You,. Will. Not. Take. The. Rein.

The Flying Changes card is so filled with scribbled notes that some of them may have crept over onto the front of the card.

Sit him down and boot him forward.
Ask for a bend and then use a huge half halt to get him underneath me.
If I ride him "tight," I can keep him on the lead without him changing before I am ready.
To prepare, leg yield onto his new outside leg, change the bend, and then use the new outside rein to sit him down on his new outside leg as I ask for the change with the half halt.

Just making sure that I know he doesn't have to if he doesn't want to! Jerk.

Did all of this work? I'll let you know tomorrow!

When Third is Better Than First - Part 1

6/19/2019

Well, we really and truly did it; Speedy G and I competed at Third Level, and we did it at a two-day USDF/USEF-rated show. Did we hit a home run? Nope, it was more of a bunt really, but at least we got on base. Even with scores below 60% (yes, really!), I am still sort of giddy about the whole thing.

I still can't believe we did it! Although what exactly "it" is, I am not sure since we didn't earn any kind of qualifying score. The four tests mean absolutely nothing. But still. Third Level!

Have I introduce you to my THIRD LEVEL horse?!

I was hoping for more, but at least it was better than I had feared. The number one thing the judge penalized me for on 3-1 was the geometry. In the half pass, we didn't start at centerline and our 10-meter circles weren't 10-meter circles. Those two things cost me a fair amount of points.

Shoulder-in right, 6.0

A lot of things went very right on Saturday. Our very first centerline (3-1) earned an 8.0 and our first pairs of turn on the haunches earned 6.5 each. We also earned a 7.0 for our medium walk.

Medium trot 6.5

And of course, a lot went pretty wrong. Since we didn't actually make it to centerline, our first trot half pass earned a 4.5, but who cares! We did a trot half pass! The second one earned a 5.0 with the comment, "still not from CL."

P circle left 10-meters - 5.5 with the comment "11-meters/greater uphill" - hilarious, but we look good doing it! LOL

The worst part was of course the flying changes. For the first one, we scored a 4.0 with the comment, "late behind."

Late behind and everywhere else!

The other one was worse, MUCH worse. The judge's comment was spot on, "late behind many, many steps" which was a kind way of saying, I didn't think he was EVER going to change! We earned a 3.0.

I am not even sure what this is, but it was very, very late!

In total, we earned a 57.703% which was 8.5 points (out of 370) short of my goal. We've done worse, especially when first starting a new level. It felt better than the video looks though.

I had had a lesson with Sean Cunningham of STC Dressage on Friday night and then had him coach me on Saturday since Chemaine Hurtado, my regular trainer, couldn't be there. His feedback was really helpful. That night, after finishing both of my tests, I watched the videos and read over the judge's comments. I was determined to do better the next day.

Same test on the next day.

While I gave a few half points (and even a few full points) back, our flying changes were much better the next day. Both of them scored a 6.0 which definitely raised the score from Saturday's 3-1 test where we had earned a 4.0 and 3.0. Both changes have a double co-efficient which means the changes earned us 24 points on Sunday compared to only 14 points the day before.

For 3-1, we improved by a full 6.5 points, but it wasn't quite enough. The brilliant 8.0 we earned on Saturday's first centerline fell to a very sad 5.0 on Sunday. When I tallied up my points, we missed a 60.0% by just 2 points. We lost that 60% down our first centerline and didn't even know it. We earned my least favorite score, a 59.459%.

Flying change 6.0 " clean but not on aids."

To say I might have been a wee bit crushed would be accurate. After 4 minutes of cursing under my breath though, I realized that Speedy and I have another USDF/USEF show next month. And if we don't get a 60% there, we'll go to another show in August. We'll get it eventually.

Saturday's 3-1 on the left, Sunday's 3-1 on the right.

We also rode Third Level's test 2 which I'll try to get written for tomorrow. No 60.0% there either, but we had fun!

I love the slight drape in the rein!

Consistency of Frame

5/23/2019

On Tuesday, I had one of those lessons where your brain gets buzzy, and you almost feel like you had too much to drink. But in a good way. With Sunday's show likely to be cancelled, I told Chemaine, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, that I just wanted a regular lesson. There wasn't any need to try and polish anything up for the show. I am glad that's the direction we went because we tackled some of our fundamental weaknesses.

Shoulder-in right

The first was our consistency. Chemaine used that word over and over throughout the lesson: consistency of frame. consistency of rhythm, consistency of bend, and so on. Now that we're showing Third Level, we have to kick it up a notch, tighten things up, and smooth out the rough edges.

Shoulder-in left

Keeping Speedy consistent in his frame is my job. Too often he plays around trying to avoid the frame that I've established. As soon as Chemaine encouraged me to "get him consistent in the frame," something just clicked. She probably didn't see the light bulb come on over my head, but I sure felt it. By maintaining that consistency in his frame, he'll be more balanced in his collection and of course steadier in the bridle.

Renvers

For the rest of the lesson, consistency became the theme. For the shoulder-in, Chemaine reminded me to keep a steadier tempo. Move the shoulders over, half halt to keep him on the rail, but then release the halt halt to allow him to move. So often my half halt is too long, preventing Speedy from moving forward. Chemaine encouraged a half halt, half halt, let go. Half halt, half halt, let go rhythm to encourage more fluidity in the shoulder-in.

Still renvers

She employed the same strategy for the renvers and the half pass. Half halt to move the haunches, keep a consistent bend, and allow him to move forward. Repeat, repeat, repeat. When we moved to the trot half pass, she changed the aids slightly by directing me to do shoulder-in slightly to haunches in to shoulder-in to haunches in. By putting all of this together, I was able to keep better flexion while keeping his haunches to the inside of the bend all while still maintaining a consistent tempo.

One weakness that's no longer is our medium trot. A year and a half ago, I could barely sit a working trot. I made it my mission to be able to a) sit the trot so that I could show at Second Level, and b) sit the trot so that I could someday get out of Second Level. I worked on it over last winter and by our first show in March of 2018, I could sit the collected trot, but I bounced all over the place for the medium.

I continued to work at it last summer until I could more or less sit the medium trot without too much air beneath my butt. Chemaine promised me that as Speedy's medium trot got more balanced, more powerful, and more uphill, the medium and extended trot would be easier to sit. She was right. I still don't sit it as effortlessly as I would like, but I am sitting it, and more importantly, I am actually creating the medium trot with my seat.

This series of screen shots is from one medium/extended trot across the long diagonal. Our extended trot looks suspiciously like our medium trot. Maybe the judge won't notice.

I love his hock action here.

He's actually extending!

A big moment of suspension!

We couldn't finish the lesson without schooling the flying changes. They are so much improved, but there's still work to be done. The left to right change is almost reliable if I set him up correctly and remember to look in the direction of the new lead. The right to left change is still a bit hit or miss. It happens, but they're often dramatic or not clean or he simply changes before I ask. Here's a left to right change done relatively correctly (after about five attempts).

At the end of the lesson, I asked Chemaine to be straight with me. Compared to other adult amateurs on horses that they're bringing up from ground zero - in other words, riders not on school masters or $80,000 imports whose extended trot has to be tempered rather than developed, how do I stack up? I don't need to be awesome. I don't need a 70%. I just don't want to embarrass myself or her at a show. I don't want to be that rider that causes the judge and everyone around her to cringe.

As collected as he can get right now. We're working on getting him to sit more.

While Chemaine's response didn't make me shout out hell yeah!, I was relieved. She replied, Let me put it this way: everything is recognizable. You know what? I'll take that. Recognizable is at least a 5, and maybe even a 6. We're ready.

A Penultimate Lesson - Only 1 Left

5/16/2019

On Monday afternoon, Speedy and I had a lesson. There is only one to go before we make our Third Level debut.

And this is just in our warm up!

I know which movements are required at Third:

Test 1- Extended gaits; half pass at trot; single flying change.
Test 2 - Renvers, release of reins at canter, half pass at canter.
Test 3 - Rein back to trot.

What I forgot to do was look at how the movements are sequenced. As I was waiting for Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, it suddenly occurred to me that I'll be riding both test 1 and test 2 in a week or so, but I hadn't so much as glanced at test 2 in months.

Shoulder-in left.

With Speedy tacked up and ready go, I dragged him over to a shady spot and quickly pulled up test 2 on my phone. My eyes raced through the movements but jerked to a halt when I read numbers 7 and 8, "K-E shoulder-in right" immediately followed by "E-H renvers left." Huh? I gave an audible uh-oh realizing that I needed to start hooking the movements together PDQ if I had any chance at earning that first 60%.

One of our first attempts at renvers following the shoulder-in.

When Chemaine pulled in, I quickly filled her in on the reason for my sudden panic. I didn't know test 2 and needed some quick help. As I finished my warm up, Chemaine was quick to point out that our trot work had improved over the week and that our shoulder-in had a better angle. As I ride it, I hear her in my head shouting MORE ANGLE! I think it has helped.

Our more energetic shoulder-in.

While we have a better angle, and we can "do" a renvers (haunches out), I needed help riding them one after the other. Chemaine's advice was this: first, ride the shoulder-in. To develop the renvers, open the inside rein (which becomes the outside rein) to draw the shoulders into the arena. Change the bend, and then keep the haunches on the rail. And all of this happens in just a few strides.

It's not brilliant, but we got it.

The rest of the lesson was spent schooling the half pass, both at trot and canter, followed by the flying change. Speedy still wants to get charge-y after the change, so Chemaine showed me a new exercise that both gets him to sit and helps him wait for the flying change.

Collecting the canter.

In test 1, there is a medium canter down the entire long side followed by a 10 meter circle at V. The flying change comes between X and R. To keep Speedy balanced, Chemaine had me do a walk-canter-walk transition anyplace I would do a half halt, so between the medium canter and the start of the 10-meter circle, I asked for a simple change but stayed on the same lead. Instead of a flying change, I asked for a simple change. We ran through this pattern a few times in hopes that Speedy would start to memorize the pattern of half halts.

Here's how the exercise went:

Our left to right change is getting pretty reliable. The other way is to still kind of wild and wooly.

We have just over a week to polish everything as much as we can.

The moment of the flying change.

But honestly, this horse is so much fun to ride that we'll have fun no matter how many movements I botch. It's a good thing that I have a trainer who embraces the idea that dressage is a long process where horses and riders develop over time.

We're getting closer to being a Third Level team.

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About the
Writer & Rider

I am a lifetime 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.

Photo by Lori Ovanessian

Email Karen

About Speedy G

Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. We're currently showing Third Level for the 2019 show season. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.

August 2018

About Izzy

Izzy 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 schooling and showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.

March 2019

Bakersfield Dressage approved!

FOR THE SMALLER EQUINE ATHLETE

I love her stuff!

National Awards

USDF Second Level Rider Performance Award - 2018

2nd Level Rider Performance, 2018

USDF First Level Rider Performance Award - 2015

1st Level Rider Performance, 2015

USDF Training Level Rider Performance Award - 2013

Training Level Rider Performance, 2013

State Awards

CDS Ruby Rider Award - 2018
CDS Second Level Horse Performance Award - 2018

Ruby Rider Award, 2018

2020 Show Season

Show Rating
(***) CDS/USDF/USEF
(*) CDS
(s) Schooling
(c) Clinic
(r) Ride-a-Test Clinic
(Q) Must Qualify

2020 Pending …
6/13 - 14 El Sueno (***)
6/28 TMC (*)
7/11 - 12 El Sueno (***)
7/26 TMC (*)
8/8 - 9 RAAC (Q)
8/30 TMC (*)
9/21 TMC (*)
10/11 TMC (*)
10/24-25 SCEC (***)

2020 Completed …
10/26-27/19 SCEC (***)

Qualifying Scores for 2020

Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC)
3rd Level Qualifying Modified for 2020
2 Scores/2 Judges:
Score 1: 60.405% Atkins
Score 2: 62.432% Atkins

CDS Championship
3rd Level Qualifying Modifiedf or 2020
3 Scores/2 Judges:
Score 1: 60.405% Atkins
Score 2: 62.432% Atkins
Score 3:

Working Towards:

CDS 3rd Level Horse Performance Award
3 Judges/3 Shows:
Score 1: 63.514% Lindholm
Score 2: 62.105% Lindholm
Score 3: 63.243% Wadeborn
Score 4: 60.405% Atkins
Score 5: 62.432% Atkins
Score 6:

CDS Sapphire Rider Award
Third Level: 63.514%
Third Level: 62.105%
Fourth Level:
Fourth Level:

USDF Bronze Medal
First Level - 70.179%
First Level - 72.600%
Second Level - 62.879%
Second Level - 61.970%
Third Level - 62.432%
Third Level -

The Hind Leg

Pushing Him Up to the Bit and Other Stuff

Show Prep Part 2

Taking the Time

Moving on to 3-3

63.514%

There's Only So Much You Can Cram

When Third is Better Than First - Part 1

Consistency of Frame

A Penultimate Lesson - Only 1 Left

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About Izzy

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