Category: Second Level

The Second Level Slog Continues

6/20/2018

Yesterday, I wrote about slogging through Second Level with a 61%. I looked up the meaning of slogging - to work hard over a period of time; you'll notice that there's nothing in the definition about being successful. Slogging also means to toil, labor, plod, and exert oneself. Uh ... yep.

Here's the video for Saturday's next test, Second Level Test 3.

When I first saw the score, a disappointing 57.561%, my initial reaction was that the judge was being too tough. Upon further reflection, I realized that the score was actually pretty good. After all, she gave us ten 6s which translate to satisfactory and five 6.5s which mean almost fairly good. So of the twenty-seven movements able to be scored, fifteen of them were at least satisfactory or better. That's more than half. The remainder of the scores were 5s and 5.5s with a pair of (insufficient) 4s.

Early morning walk before Saturday's rides.

Throughout my not-so-speedy dressage journey, my process has always been the same. I analyze my tests to see where our strengths lie, and I work to build on them. I also study our weakness, and I focus on turning the 5s to 5.5s. Eventually, they become 6s, and before I know it, we're scoring consistently in the mid to upper 60s.

I know we have a lot that we have to fix before we're getting scores in the 60s, but I'm having fun, and I feel like we're almost ready to be competitive.

Tomorrow, day two's tests including some bloopers and the best worst comment ever!

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Slogging Away At Second Level

6/19/2018

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... but having a blast while doing it. Best friend and I loaded Speedy G for a two-day show over the weekend. For the first time since Speedy and I made the jump to Second Level, I was headache free AND I had fun. We made mistakes, and our scores were closer to meh than marvelous, but I am motivated and ready for more.

That was Second Level Test 1 with Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, "coaching" me on the video. For the record, I couldn't hear her. We all know it wasn't a brilliant performance, but there were some really almost great moments like that rein back (seriously!) and those simple changes. Even I know those didn't stink.

First halt - 6.0

The medium walk after the after the first counter canter was also pretty good. I think it's the first time we've actually gotten a walk instead of a bunch of trot steps into walk.

Trying to be a medium trot. 6.0

My sitting trot is also improving - not during the medium, of course, but for the collected trot there's less air between my butt and the saddle. For right now, I am excited about the slightest bit of progress.

Serpentine with simple changes of lead over the centerline. 6.5 & 7.0

For this first test, the only thing that really hurt was the shoulder in. Those were our only sub-six scores (5.5 & 5.0). Well, that and my navigational error.

Counter canter - 6.5

The free walk goes from S to P, but I rode it from H to P, one letter too early for those of you who aren't familiar with the the dressage court. That's a two-point deduction, and it did affect my score.

Overall, Speedy and I finished with a 61.970%. Spoiler alert. That was our best score of the weekend, but I still had a great time and came home ready for more. The second test tomorrow ...

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Getting His Rear in Gear

6/8/2018

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I had lessons with Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, earlier this week. I told her what I've been working on - riding with no stirrups, and told her that I had no agenda other than continuing the work we've been doing. Good thing I didn't have a plan because she had one outlined already. Call it operation Move Your Booty!

Step 1: booty must move at the walk.

The biggest piece of the puzzle that we're missing right now is an active hind leg. This does not come as a surprise to me as Speedy loves to be downhill and curled under. We've been working on it, and he is beginning to carry his poll higher, but Chemaine feels that we can do better.

Her plan was to get Speedy's hind leg active at the walk first, and then carry that idea into the trot work. Essentially, she wanted me to feel him lift up as opposed to forward. It wasn't easy. We started at the walk with Chemaine walking alongside. She had me think about piaffe but at the walk. She told me to put my leg on without allowing him to trot. The instant he ignored my leg, Chemaine tapped him with the whip.

Is that a little more lift in the withers?

When she felt that I had the feeling, we moved on to the trot. Once again, instead of allowing him to crawl forward with his front legs, she encouraged me to insist that his withers come up as a result of pushing off from his hind end.

Each time he tried to initiate the movement from his front end, I half halted and tapped, tapped, tapped with the whip to remind him of what his hind end should be doing. Before too long, Speedy started to develop some new gears.

So much fun to ride!

While Speedy really is a good sport, he's not without his opinions. He doesn't mind being told what to do if that's already what he was thinking about doing. Ask him to do something that he's tired of or that he thinks is too much work, and he'll flip you the proverbial bird.

"Quit tapping me with that damn whip!"

While Speedy's sassiness looks hugely dramatic, it's actually quite easy to sit and creates no sense of fear. I nearly always laugh because his attitude is just so danged funny!

He doesn't even knock me out of position!

According to Chemaine, our canter work is where it needs to be for Second Level although she did tweak my position a bit on the counter canter. She had me adjust my shoulders so that they stayed turned with the lead rather than turning in the direction of the counter canter. So if we're on a left lead canter, my left shoulder needs to stay back even when we track right. I was turning my upper body towards the direction of travel.

Who is that handsome devil?

We have two shows coming up later this month. I am feeling more confident than I was in March, but I know we still have a ways to go. We can do the movements in isolation, but we need to get better at them so they run together more harmoniously.

As long as we keep seeing moments like the one above, I am happy to be at Second forever. The work we're doing right now is giving me a very attractive horse.

Not that I am biased or anything.

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The Struggle is Real - Part 2

5/31/2018

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Before you go thinking that Part 2 must have a comeback story, it doesn't. In fact, we scored even worse than on the first test. Two things to note however - 1) I had never Ridden test 3 all the way through, only its individual parts, and 2) both my trainer and I felt that I did a much better job regardless what the score says.

10-meter circle.

Before the ride recap, which isn't going to be that exciting anyway unless you love the number 5, I want to share a super quick story. I've told you this first part about 900 times, but here it is again (make it 901).

I rode my first dressage test just a week or two after an endurance ride. Speedy and I started at Introductory Level. Having already competed in endurance racing for nearly two decades, it was tough going back to beginner status. I desperately wanted to be successful and felt that getting to Training Level was where it was at. Forget about First Level; I knew I'd never make it there. Second Level was home to the Big Dogs. I felt guilty even breathing their air.

Trying to be a medium trot.

The way the dressage court is situated at the Bear Valley Equestrian Center, most people wander back and forth between the court and the show office. To get to the arena, riders have to pass through this back and forth traffic. Speedy loves it as he is always surrounded by what he considers his peeps.

A very nice woman walked up to us and wanted to chat. She was very complimentary as she stroked Speedy's face. During our conversation, she said something like, I ride, but I'll never be as good as those of you riding at Second Level. Imagine my embarrassment. I spluttered, didn't you just see my test? If I can make it to Second Level I told her, ANYONE can!

The lesson for me is that Grand Prix riders put on their underwear just like I do. And for those of you who feel like everyone else is doing it better; they're not. Okay, maybe some of them are, but they have their bad days too.

Collected trot. Looking kind of fancy!

After the first test, Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, insisted that I ride with a whip and get after Speedy each and every time he tried to drop behind the bit and leave his hind end trailing.

The moment just before the canter.

I am not sure the judge liked a single moment of this test other than when we turned to leave the arena. Fifteen of the twenty-seven scores were 5.5 or lower. She even found creative ways to criticize. Her comment on our final halt, too many short steps into halt. It felt like she was really digging for a negative thing to say. Her favorite word was "too". He was either too deep, too shallow, too constrained, or too high.

A very dramatic transition!

I am not suggesting that the judge was wrong, but it felt as though she had made up her mind about us after the first test. I feel like judging can be done in at least two ways. First, some judges look to reward your good moments. Other judges take a more negative view looking to penalize your bad moments. On this day, it felt like we had more of the latter.

Counter canter

In all probability, it's just a case of sour grapes. I didn't get a good score so the judge must be mean. I don't think so though. Our final score was a 55.122%. At least I know what we need to work on. Here's the video.

Our next show is in two weeks. It's another two-day USDF show. We'll see how it goes!

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The Struggle is Real - Part 1

5/30/2018

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I am definitely an under-achieving over-achiever when it comes to dressage. This is hard for me because I tend to be pretty good at the things in which I am interested. Why I chose dressage, I'll never know as it is a discipline where perfection is unattainable unless your name is Charlotte, Carl, or Isabell.

I am not making excuses here, but dang is Second Level hard. On Sunday, Speedy and I gave it yet another go. For the first time this show season, I didn't have a horrendous migraine, and while I may still be drugged up, the drugs weren't making me loopy. And you know what? We scored WORSE than before. Insert HUGE eye roll here.

I think we have straightness down pat.

Again, I am not making excuses, but this judge was tough. I rarely, if ever complain about my scores. If anything, I tend to discredit our higher scores believing the judge to be overly generous. I am not doing that again. Out of 23 posted scores (not counting 1 elimination or any of the scratches), 10 scores were in the 40s and 50s. I'll do the math for you; that's 43%.

On the other hand, the judge also handed out some very nice scores. The top two scores were a 71% and a 75%. The rest of the scores were all in the 60s. This either means that this show attracted a LOT of sucky riders and a few good ones, or the judging was a little tough. I guess it depends on who you ask.

A little behind the bit - we're still working on that.

Each time I move up to a new level, the struggle is the same. I work hard, I cross my fingers, and I pray for a 60%. Instead of the 60, I bring home scores in the 50s. Eventually, we get better, and I start looking for scores in the mid-60s. Then comes the day where I start praying for a 70%. That's when I know we're ready to move up. We're not there yet. Speedy and I are still stuck in the land of the high 50s.

The Simple Change through walk.

We had some nice moments on our Second Level Test 1. Our free walk earned a 7 which was great as it has a double coefficient. Our walk to canter at C earned another 7 as did our halt at X. We also had a smattering of 6s for our rein back, the simple changes, and our medium canter. The rest of the test was filled with 4s and 5s.

Medium canter.

I did make two errors that were not Speedy's fault. On our second 10-meter canter circle, I glanced down and swore we were on the wrong lead. I brought him back to trot and picked up the left lead. Doing that put us out of position for the counter canter from F to E so I halted again, turned back toward A and picked up the left lead again so I could counter canter back to the rail at E. Out of the 20 possible points for those two movements, I earned 7 points. Ouch. And as it turns out, I was on the correct lead to begin with.

Canter at C.

I knew it wasn't a great test, and I was frustrated for second guessing myself. Our score was a dismal 56.515%. Certainly not what I was hoping for, but at least we had a few good moments. I have some homework to do for sure, especially on my sitting trot. Like I told my trainer, last May when I rode with Hilda Gurney at the CDS Adult Amateur Clinic, I couldn't sit the trot for more than two strides. Now, here I am sitting for a whole test. It may not be pretty, but it's getting better.

Here's the video.

Test 2 Tomorrow.

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Second Level Struggles and Successes

5/25/2018

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Speedy and I are going to our third show of the season on Sunday. It will be our third attempt at Second Level. It's a CDS-rated show so the atmosphere will be a little more relaxed, but the judging will still be tough.

While I don't feel like we have Second Level down pat, I do feel more confident than I did in March. Since I hate Second Level Test 2, I've decided to jump right into Test 3. It's the one I'll have to ride at RAAC anyway, so I might as well get some practice in now.

I remind him all the time that he's now a Second Level horse.

Both Speedy and I have had some big AHAs over the past few weeks. I've shared mine, but last weekend, I realized that Speedy has had at least one too. All of a sudden, he has clued in that nearly all of our downward transitions from canter are now to the walk. Even when I am okay with a (lazy) canter to trot because he just did something really well, he's still sitting hard and walking. Good boy!

He may well be the most awkward Second Level horse out there.

The AHA that I desperately need him to have like RIGHT NOW is that he can carry his haunches to both the left and the right WHILE TROTTING. Holy heck is he being stubborn about this. I get that it's challenging, but please, horse, just try!

To his credit, he gets it at the walk. He now knows that he can maintain the inside bend AND carry his haunches in. He's getting much lighter in my hand and willing to flex his neck. Now I just need him to do it while trotting. I haven't yet told him about the fact that (eventually) he'll need to also do it at the canter. Palm to forehead.

I am not sure he WANTS to be a Second Level Horse!

It took us a month or so, but we have a three-loop serpentine. I don't know how good it is, but it rides pretty well. Just this past weekend I really worked on collecting him for the counter canter while letting him move out more for the true canter. Playing around with transitions within the gait seemed to really help him balance.

Maybe the best thing we've got going is that Speedy's collected trot is showing a lot more uphill tendency with tons more thrust. His poll is up, and he's really moving well. Unfortunately, he's stuck with a rider who is still struggling to sit his more expressive trot. Oh, and that's me in case you were wondering.

He loves his peppermint candies!

Second Level doesn't scare me anymore. In fact, it's turning out to be a lot of fun. Stringing all of the movements together so they look harmonious is our struggle now. Schooling at home with do-over after do-over is nothing like showing. In front of the judge, you get one shot.

Good thing I am good at moving on from mistakes! Next movement, please.

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Another Canter "AHA!"

5/18/2018

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Speedy and I are still chipping away at the elements of Second Level which most recently have included collection. While schooling the simple change through walk on Wednesday, I had the most distinct AHA.

Our walk to canter has gotten pretty show worthy. I am not going to say it's 10-worthy, but it is consistent. He still wants to pop his head occasionally, but he's starting to figure out how to really push off from his hind end when I insist on it.

September 2015 - first learning to really "sit"

The canter to walk, the other part of the simple change, is where we've had more trouble. I just can't get a true walk unless I haul back on the reins, and then it's a rather ugly transition.

One of the exercises I've been doing is cantering three strides by counting down: three, two, one. On the one, I ask for the walk. I then change the bend and pick up the other canter lead, again counting down to the walk. Sometimes he does a great downward transition, and other times not so much.

A definite "not" moment from February 2017.

While I ride, I have a running dialogue in my head. Usually it's with Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, but occasionally I just talk myself through what I am trying to accomplish.

On Wednesday, I am not sure whose voice I was hearing, but I heard Speedy can't walk while he's leaning on your hands. Get him soft before you ask. That must have been Chemaine as that sounds like something she'd say. So for the next canter to walk transition, I counted down, but as I did so, I also asked for him to get soft. To my amazement, he stepped softly into a walk. I actually whooped out loud.

To make sure it wasn't simply a lucky moment, I told Speedy we were going to do a few more just to see. Sure enough, when I got him soft before I asked for the walk, the downward transition was lovely.

Travers - Or Trying to Be

5/15/2018

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I have to first say that my feelings toward Second Level have changed completely. My initial frustration with the level has turned into anticipation. No, I am not joking, and no, you're not being punked. Once I figured out that the purpose of Second Level is not actually to torture lower level riders and discourage them from ever entering another dressage show, I realized that it's actually, sort of, kind of, almost ... fun(?).

This part is not fun, but it is however, FUNNY, which is not the same thing.

There are a lot of neat pieces to Second Level, and I know it sounds like I speak from long time experience, but I don't. If you're looking for that kind of experience, you'll have to read someone else's blog. If you want to know what to expect when you get to Second Level, I am happy to share what I am learning. Riders hate Second Level for a reason. It's not easy because it's loaded with all kinds of bricks to build a solid foundation for the upper levels. But, if you stick it out, Third Level should be MUCH easier. I'll let you know when I get there.

The "new" push from behind that I am getting is taking care of the curling problem. It's great to finally see his poll coming up.

Back to why I am enjoying Second Level. There's just so much more to do. At First Level, it was just leg yielding and lengthening of stride. At Second, there are at least nine new things to work on. I pick one or two or maybe even three for each ride. It's never boring, that for's sure.

So far, Speedy and I have been chipping away at the simple change - it's getting better quickly. I've also been riding the shoulder in a little better now that my aids are more correct. Our newest project is the haunches in, also known as travers.

It's still a work in progress.

When Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, was here last Tuesday, we spent most of the lesson on this deceptively (not so) easy movement. She helped me finally see that the haunches in is a precursor to the half-pass. Understanding the purpose of the movement and seeing what it leads to gave me a whole new appreciation for why it needs to be right.

While I could get Speedy's haunches to move off the track, what I wasn't able to do was keep an inside bend at the same time. And even now, a week later, we're still struggling with the suppleness needed to move that way. Speedy doesn't think he can bend that way, and he's positive that he can't do it at the trot. Just wait until I tell him he has to eventually do it at the canter!

I definitely need to work on keeping my weight on the INSIDE seat bone.

What Chemaine had me do was to bring it all down to the walk to start. She had me get the inside bend (more than I think I need) and then ask for the haunches in with my outside leg and outside rein. If I could also get good forward, that was great, but keeping Speedy soft in the bridle was more important than the forward.

Once I understood the aids, we moved on to a slow trot which we did like this: bend, haunches, GO ... adjust ... Go ... adjust ... Go. In fact, she wanted me to surprise Speedy in the GO so that he learned that being soft also means that he has to be in front of my leg. There was a lot more adjusting than going.

Besides leading to the half-pass, travers is also an excellent way to supple your horse for the collected canter and the simple change though walk. And now that I am maintaining the inside bend (better anyway), everything else is improving at the same time.

Our next CDS show is in two weeks. I feel like it should go better, but we might still be in the ugly part of it takes a lot of ugly before it gets better thing. We'll see what happens at today's lesson.

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Tuesday Lessons

5/8/2018

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I've lamented my lack of a nearby dressage trainer since ... forever. For a number of years I've been making the long trek to Simi Valley, a 5 hour round trip, to ride with Chemaine Hurtado (owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables).

For the past six months, I've been able to round up enough interested riders that I was able to put on twice monthly clinics here in Bakersfield with Chemaine teaching. Having a lesson twice a month gave Speedy, Izzy, and me a big upward boost in our training. Then, Chemaine bought a house in Bear Valley Springs, an equestrian community just an hour east of us.

From last week's lesson: FINALLY! Poll is up and hind leg is engaged.

That changed everything. All of a sudden, I started getting a lesson once a week. Today is lesson day. I am so thrilled with how much Speedy and I are learning. Last week, we tackled the shoulder in - ask me sometime how to ride it completely WRONG. Now that I see Chemaine every week, we can work on finessing little stuff instead of always tackling one huge issue at a time.

Starting to develop an uphill frame!

Today I am hoping we can do some work on travers (haunches in) - Speedy's a little braced and definitely heavier than I think is right. And like the shoulder in, I am probably going to find out that I've been doing it wrong anyway.

I'll let you know!

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A Friday Funny

5/4/2018

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Well, it won't be that funny unless you were there, but for those of us who lived it, it was hysterical.

Most of you probably remember that I was/am(?) dealing with chronic migraines. So chronic in fact that for nearly two months I had a migraine every single day. I've had more drugs pumped into me in more ways than I can keep track of (nose, neck, butt cheeks, arm, mouth, hand ...). I was admitted to the ER for treatment where I wondered how many more veins they could tap into (two at a time seemed to be the answer).

First Show

During all of this, I powered through and went to two different shows. Even though I was a bit loopy, we did pretty well at the first one, especially since it was the first time I had shown at Second Level.

For the second show, I was feeling really crappy. I couldn't concentrate and lived in a bubble of slow motion. I wasn't sleeping which added to my list of problems. I asked everyone who would listen to forgive my current state of stupidity. I actually felt like my IQ had dropped substantially. And hey, it's not like I am a rocket scientist to begin with. I need all the brain cells I can get my hands on.

Second Show

So there I was doing my warm up, doing my best not to crash into anyone while desperately trying to process everything that my trainer was trying to get me to do. The first test went pretty well; we scored a 62.8%. I rode the second test two and half hours later. Whatever medication I was on at the time must have worn off.

The test started off well. Mixed in with a a couple of 6.0s and a lone 5.0, Speedy and I racked up eight 7.0s. And then the wheels fell off our little bus. I picked up the wrong left lead canter - you're OTHER left my trainer wanted to yell. And not only did I not fix it, I then proceeded to ride a medium canter into - you won't believe this, a 10-meter half circle AND HE HELD THE LEAD! We counter cantered a 10-meter half circle. That takes serious skill.

What makes this so funny is that I never even noticed! I was so lost in my own LA LA Land that I finished the test thinking that wasn't too bad. I about fell off Speedy when my trainer pointed out my mistake. I didn't believe it until I read the judge's comments.

I still laugh when I see it.

Wrong lead ... still wrong lead ... still wrong lead ... She must have thought I was looney tunes. We all laughed so hard when we saw that comment. But hey, at least she gave me 4.0s. I figured I was getting a string of zeros for picking up the wrong canter lead. My total score for that test was a 58.846% - not bad for doing half of it wrong! We even earned four more 7.0s after that mess!

The good news is that I have been migraine free for two weeks. I am sleeping again, and while I still feel a bit loopy at times, I am feeling more and more like my old self. Our next show is at the end of May, and I am feeling pretty confident about it.

Now if I can just remember my left from my right!

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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 and occasional trail horse. He is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.

May 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 the dressage basics. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand Zweibrücker gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.

Second Show - July 2016

Bakersfield Dressage approved!

National Awards

USDF First Level Rider Performance Award - 2015
USDF Training Level Rider Performance Award - 2013

Stuff I'm Working On ...

Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) Qualifying Scores
Second Level Scores:
Score 1: 63.485%
Score 2: 61.282%
Score 3: 62.879%

CDS Championship Qualifying
Second Level Scores:
Score 1: 63.485%
Score 2: 61.282%
Score 3: 62.879%
Score 4: 61.970%
Score 5:

CDS Ruby Rider Award
Training Level Scores:
Score 1: 70.179%
Score 2: 72.600%

First Level Scores:
Score 1: 66.093%
Score 2: 68.750%

Second Level Scores:
Score 1: 63.485%
Score 2: 62.879%

USDF Second Level Rider Performance Award
Score 1 - 62.879%
Score 2 - 61.970%
Score 3 -
Score 4 -

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

2018 Show Season

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

2018 Pending …
6/16-17/18 El Sueno (***)
6/24/18 Tehachapi (*)
7/22/18 Tehachapi (*)
8/11-12/18 RAAC (Q ***)
8/26/18 Tehachapi (*)

2018 Completed …
1/14/18 Hurtado Clinic (c)
2/10/18 Hurtado Clinic (c)
2/24/18 Hurtado Clinic (c)
3/17/18 Hurtado Clinic (t)
3/18/18 GEAHS (*)
3/31/18 Hurtado Clinic (c)
4/14-15/18 El Sueno (***)
5/27/18 Tehachapi (*)

The Second Level Slog Continues

Slogging Away At Second Level

Getting His Rear in Gear

The Struggle is Real - Part 2

The Struggle is Real - Part 1

Second Level Struggles and Successes

Another Canter "AHA!"

Travers - Or Trying to Be

Tuesday Lessons

A Friday Funny

About the
Writer & Rider

About Speedy G

About Izzy

National Awards

Stuff I Read

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About the Writer & Rider

About Speedy G

About Izzy

National Awards

Stuff I Read

By Topic

Archives

About the
Writer & Rider