Category: Third Level

Lack of Rhythm

10/15/2019

I am going to be totally honest here. Up until a few weeks ago, I wondered at how a horse could lose the rhythm. Most of the time when that word is used, I suspect most people (like me) mean tempo. Until just recently, I had never felt a loss of rhythm on Speedy. On Izzy, yes. When he gets tense in the canter he feels as though he loses the lead behind which is a major loss of rhythm. That should actually be termed scrambling for footing.

At Third Level, the horse is asked for more collection than ever before. There's a 10-meter canter circle and canter half pass. We're also schooling some of the canter work at Fourth Level, especially the 5-6 strides of very collected canter between quarterlines (test 1) and the partial pirouette at canter (test 2). All of a sudden, I felt what was meant by a loss of rhythm.

Inside right hind not stepping very deeply.

When we canter right lead, and I ask for a very collected canter, Speedy feels almost lame. It feels as though he is stuttering in the canter and about to drop to trot. At our last lesson, I asked Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, what we could do about it.

She explained that Speedy has less range of motion in his right hind leg. Over the years, he has successfully cheated by carrying that hind leg, his weaker one, slightly to the inside. As a result, that leg doesn't step as far underneath him. In the collected canter, the horse has to sit more deeply with that hind leg reaching even farther underneath his belly. Since Speedy doesn't use that inside right hind as well, the rhythm of the collected canter feels off.

Not quite the same angle as above, but the left hind steps farther underneath his body.

Chemaine gave me several exercises to help him begin to increase his range of motion. First, we're doing a lot more stretchy trot to the right wherein I ask him to leg yield out on the circle. I am doing the same thing at the canter. Another exercise is to canter a square with canter to walk transitions in the corners to insist that Speedy step over BIG with his inside right hind. Now that I am aware of the problem, I am constantly insisting that he step deeper through corners and that he carry his haunches correctly and not to the inside.

With a show coming in less than two weeks though, I am being careful about not making him sore. Just because I want him to bend over and "touch his toes," it doesn't mean he can do it in one day.

There is always something to fix, isn't there?

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Can We Talk Shoulders for Just a Minute?

10/8/2019

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No matter how many years pass in writing this blog, I am still astounded by the many AHA! and D'oh! moments that I still experience. Dressage is far from boring, that's for sure.

Most of you know where Speedy and I started. He was my back up endurance horse who became my only endurance horse. And then, after more than 16 years of endurance racing, I started looking for an "easier" sport. I landed in a dressage court; Speedy made the move with me. Here we are 9 years later showing at Third Level and schooling a bit of Fourth.

June 2010 - Introductory Level

Just about the moment that I start to feel like I have a handle on where we are, whether that was at Training Level or Second, a ginormous AHA if I'm lucky, but more likely a D'oh, will come flying out of left field and gobsmack me in the back of the head.

May 2012 - Training Level

Not that I am complaining. I don't mind looking foolish if the result is that I walk away with a clearer understanding of a concept. That's what this sport is about - developing an understanding about what it takes to get a horse from here to there.

March 2017 - First Level

So what was it that dazzled me this time? The shoulders. How to move them and what happens to the hind end when the shoulders get out of the way. Lateral movements are not Speedy's jam. He's much happier powering forward like in a medium trot. He loves those things and is happy to do them all day long. Also centerline. He loves motoring up centerline. He practically swaggers as he does it. Move laterally? Thanks, no thanks. It's a weak area for sure.

August 2017 - Still First Level

While schooling the half pass recently, Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, reminded me to open the outside rein so that the haunches could step over. I nodded like I knew what she meant. I didn't. How could opening the outside rein influence the haunches?

But I kept those words in mind, and I started opening the outside rein. And that's when I got gobsmacked. It wasn't really about moving the haunches, it was more about moving the shoulders. Oy veh!

August 2017 - Second Level

Once I figured that out, I started to play around with the idea. Shoulder in left happens with a firm half halting outside rein because you're bringing the shoulder in off the rail. To achieve haunches in, bring both reins back to the rail, opening the outside rein, but bring the inside rein with it. Seriously. It's like riding a bike. It's just about steering. Our shoulder in has improved a thousand fold with this idea. So has our haunches in. And so has our half pass.

July 2019 - Third Level

Gobsmacking. AHA. D'oh. Whatever it takes, deal me in. We have a show in three weeks. I need all of the epiphanies I can get!

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Fall Show Entry

9/20/2019

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Speedy and I got a late start to the 2019 show season. He was recovering from a long list of ailments - double leg sutures, a lost tooth, multiple abscesses due to his Cushing's diagnosis, and then the first two shows that were on our list got cancelled. Just when we hitting our stride, he abscessed right before our big Regional Adult Amateur Competition in August. It was a short show season to say the least.

Not a big abscess, but enough to withdraw from the show.

We started the season at Third Level, missing 60% scores by mere points. Over the past two months however, our hard work has really started to show some results. Our canter has a lot more jump to it and our flying changes are confirmed. They're still a bit exuberant at times, but we can now get three changes across a very short diagonal.

From a lesson in August.

Normally, my show clothes would now be in storage and we would be looking ahead to next year. Since we're only now starting to be a solid Third Level team, I can't hang up my show coat just yet. Instead, we're doing a two-day USDF-rated show in late October. Please, Universe, let this one work out.

With Speedy's winter vet bill finally paid for, I once again have some "extra" money that I don't feel guilty about spending on a show entry. Although half a grand plus another buck and a quarter for gas is still a lot of money to spend, especially since memberships will be due shortly.

While entries don't close until the 12th, stabling is limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Fortunately, I know the show manager quite well, but I try not to abuse our friendship with slow pokey entries.

My fingers are crossed that Speedy stays sound and healthy for this show and the one after that.

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A Collecting Exercise

9/13/2019

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Actually, the exercise does a lot more than collect the horse. It also teaches him to want to move forward and to like it. But first ...

Earlier this week I had a lesson with Chemaine Hurtado owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables. I imagine that if it were feasible for me to be in full training, which it's not, Chemaine would probably have a more structured system for my lessons. As it is, she sort of leaves it up to me to let her know how this or that exercise went, what we're suddenly doing well, and where we're stuck. And when I say we, I mean Speedy because he's the other half of this team.

Oh, this? This is now part of our warm up.

Before we started THE EXERCISE, we did have to sharpen Speedy up to my leg and get him supple. There was a lot of half halt and a SURPRISE! tap with the whip. It didn't take him long to realize that a half halt was going to be followed with a suggestion that he engage his badonkadonk. You can see the result in the medium trot above.

Blurry shoulder in

Since Speedy will always take the path of least resistance, we had to do the same sharpening up on the shoulder in. When he got lazy, I surprised him with a sudden tap with the whip to remind him that he is now required to have energy all. the. time.

Shoulder in to haunches in.

A favorite suppling exercise of Chemaine's is the shoulder in to haunches in. She loves this for warming the horse up for the half pass. Speedy is not the biggest fan of the work because it's work, but it definitely gets him more supple. It goes like this: through the corner get a deep bend. Ride out of the corner in shoulder in. When you like the quality of the shoulder in - ours always needs more work, but whatever; reverse it to a haunches in. Again, when you like the quality of that, move back into the shoulder in. Ideally you should be able to get several of each down a single long side.

Haunches in all the way down the long side.

By this point in the lesson, we needed something else to keep Speedy thinking forward and being supple. He can give me one or the other, but he hates doing both at the same time. Chemaine called the exercise passad. I googled the heck out of the term, but I couldn't find any reference to it. If I'm spelling it incorrectly, let me know.

One stride of canter pirouette.

Here's how the exercise goes: pick up a collected canter. On the short side get the horse's stride as short as you can. As you come through the corner get maximum bend, and half halt with an open and back outside rein to really get the haunches under your horse. Then almost pivot through the corner. The point is to get the horse thinking about deep collection like in a canter pirouette. Come out of the corner with the horse deeply bent around your leg and looking at H.

Maximum bend with the haunches in.

Now you can begin the half pass to centerline. Since the horse has been collected as short as he can, now is the opportunity to open up that canter for a more forward stride in the half pass, something Speedy hates to do. After a few of those super collected canter corners, he started to think that canter half pass was looking a lot easier.

After you half pass to center line, stay on the same lead shortening the stride on a 10-meter half circle back into the opposite corner. Repeat. Here's video of Chemaine explaining the exercise and then coaching me through it several times.

After going through it both directions, we repeated the exercise at the trot. Speedy's trot half passes suddenly developed a bit more impulsion. Funny how something you thought was hard isn't so hard when you replace it with something that is definitely hard!

And then, just to shake off all that "hard," we finished up with some medium trot. Looking pretty good, Speedy G!

Our next show, USDF-rated, is in late October. We were so close to getting that 60% in mid-summer. I think we're definitely better than we were even a month ago. I think we really can do it this next time around.

But if not, there's always a next show!

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Collection With Suspension

8/27/2019

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Last week, I had a lesson on Speedy with Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables. Like I always do, I explained to Chemaine what was going well, and what wasn't - our half passes were much improved, but they lacked impulsion. Chemaine had several several exercises for me to try.

Half pass with a bit of bend and even a bit of hind leg crossover. Progress!

The first exercise she had me do was one from the past, but we used it differently. During the trot half pass, whenever I felt like Speedy was ignoring my outside leg, she had me turn the half pass into a leg yield by changing the bend. As soon as Speedy started moving off my now inside leg, I was to change the bend again all while ensuring that he still moved sideways off my leg. The exercise worked well, but I am going to need it for a while, especially to the right.

The next exercise that we did addressed the lack of impulsion. We did half pass to medium trot to half pass to medium trot. Because the half pass requires so much strength and collection, Speedy was thrilled to be allowed to really go for it in the extended trot. This in turn helped build in some natural impulsion for the half pass. It was a win-win.

Dang, but he's looking good!

Before we finished the lesson, Chemaine said that she had one more exercise she wanted me to try. We've worked really hard to get the impulsion and uphill carriage that Speedy needs for the medium and extended gaits. That's still a work in progress, for sure, but Chemaine wanted to add yet another dimension.

Check out his suspension!

Down each long side, Chemaine wanted me to do big half halts with a lot of leg. As predicted, Speedy shot forward assuming that the half halt with leg meant medium trot. As soon as he went heavy in my hand, she had me half halt and again tap him with my whip. We repeated the exercise until Speedy connected the dots: I didn't want more forward, I wanted more up. You can see it in the photo above. He can't carry it for long, but as we schooled it, both of us got the idea a bit better.

Collecting with an eye toward suspension.

When we moved to the canter work, both Speedy and I had an AHA moment. I realized that I could ask for the same thing in the canter. And sure enough, his canter got a lot more jump in it when I half halted with my outside rein and added leg. Canter half pass and flying changes both are much easier with canter that's got some jump to it.

Here's some video of getting the suspension in the trot.

I have learned more during this past year than in the last ten years combined. While it could get overwhelming to contemplate all that's still to be learned, I don't worry about it since what I am learning is turning out to be so much fun. Not to mention rewarding.

Like I've said before: Second Level sucked really rotten tomatoes. Third Level is the cat's meow!

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Consistency of Frame and Self-Carriage

8/8/2019

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Those two things are what I now think about during my rides on both Speedy and Izzy. They seem like such simple ideas, but I am suddney feeling them at a whole different level. Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, has said each of those things to me (A LOT) - consistency of frame and self-carriage, over the past two months. In this sport, you only realize how much you don't know once you learn, or in my case, feel something new.

Always working on the "feels."

Revisiting the purpose of a level is something I like to do occasionally, especially when we get stuck or find ourselves plateauing. For Third Level, the purpose is:

To confirm that the horse demonstrates correct basics, and having begun to develop an uphill balance at Second Level, now demonstrates increased engagement, especially in the extended gaits.
Transitions between collected, medium, and extended gaits should be well defined and performed with engagement.
The horse should be reliably on the bit and show a greater degree of straightness, bending, suppleness, throughness, balance, and self-carriage than at Second Level.

Every trainer's face when you act like you've never heard of a half halt.

Before I go any further, I have to explain that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. quote. We were watching Sunday's NASCAR race at Watkins Glen when we heard Dale Earnhardt, Jr. poke fun at Kyle Petty. Before the race started, Kyle Petty, a retired driver, took Olympic diver, David Boudia, on a "joy ride" around the 2.5 mile track. At the corners are these really bumpy sections called rumble strips. They can wreak havoc on a car's suspension if the drivers hit them wrong. Dale Jr. had suggested that Kyle Petty hit them pretty hard to give Boudia a taste of what a real lap at Watkins Glen feels like. When Junior saw the "joy ride," he quipped to Petty, "I am not too proud of your commitment," referring to Petty's soft approach to the rumble strips.

I just about died laughing. It was hilarious and struck me as something that trainers, especially mine, would say to a half-hearted attempt at anything. I can just picture Chemaine's face as we come through the corner hitting those "rumble strips" softly instead of half halting and revving up Speedy's engine.

Sort of like this.

So what was I saying? Oh, yeah - self-carriage. I know what that means of course, but now, Speedy has to actually DO IT, and I need to show some commitment by insisting he DO IT. For us to bump up our scores to the 60s, Speedy needs better engagement. He cannot rest on my hands. Instead, he has to start carrying even more of his own weight, especially since I now feel what that means.

Half halt, half halt, half halt ...

For so long, Speedy has felt that a half halt was me saying you've done something wrong. Chemaine pointed out that means I need to be doing a lot more of them so he figures out it simply means he needs to rebalance himself.

When the half halt goes through correctly and he actually sits down a bit, the canter is a totally different thing. And now that I've felt that more collected canter, I want it all. the. time. When he shows more engagement in the canter, his shoulders lift which makes the canter half pass much easier.

More, more, more!

We haven't fixed everything this week, but simply riding with the need for self-carriage in my mind is definitely improving everything. I am already looking forward to next year's show season. We'll have all winter to get really confirmed at Third Level.

Especially if we show some commitment.

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Three Is My Lucky Number

8/6/2019

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That means that Third Level Test 3 should be right up my alley. It might not be our strongest test yet, but it will be. I can feel it.

Our first test of the show went really well. We had a bunch of 7.0s and only one small blooper, a late change behind in the flying lead change. I was feeling pretty good about test 3.

He just tries so hard to do that extended trot!

Unfortunately, the show manger had scheduled a pretty long break between our two tests, just over an hour and a half. On a normal summer day, that probably wouldn't have affected us, but on that particular day, California's Central Valley experienced its hottest day of the summer. It was officially 110* in Bakersfield and in the low 90s in the Tehachapi Mountains (which feels hotter than it is). Our first test was at 12:16 and the second one was at 1:51.

Being small makes 10-meter half circles a little easier.

I kept Speedy tacked up, but pulled his bridle and covered him with a fly sheet to shade him from the worst of the sun. For this show, I tie to the side of the trailer where there is usually a little shade. Speedy was cool to the touch and not sweating at all. in fact, he stood there dozing with his lip hanging, certain that we'd be going home at any moment.

Not too bad considering he was half asleep.

I kept my second warm up super short, focusing on just perking him up. When we entered at A, I felt like things were going to be okay. In fact the first half of the test rode pretty decently. We earned a long list of 6.0s and 6.5s. Our trouble started with the first trot half pass (5.0). From that point on, the test gets a lot harder, and it showed in our scores.

The start of a medium canter?

At home, we can do a very balanced walk to canter transition. This season though, that movement is completely broken when we show. I know it's me because we have trouble with both the right and left lead. For test 3, we blew the left lead walk to canter at K needing several tries to get the correct lead - 4.0. This really stinks because it leads directly into the canter half pass left - 4.0.

First flying lead change - 7.0!

While our canter half passes definitely need a ton of work, the flying changes are getting better. We earned a 7.0 for the first one but a 5.0 for the second one when it was very late. So late, in fact, that it took me until the rail to get Speedy to change behind. Booger. From there, we pulled in a couple of 6.0s for our medium and collected canter and a solid 6.5 for our collected trot at H.

Final halt at G (no hiding when you're that close to the judge) - 7.0

Our final score for this Third Level Test 3 was a frustrating 59.250%, just 3 points shy of a 60%. With so many of this test's scores counting as double coefficients, it's easy to both lower or raise your score. If we can just get a slightly better canter half pass and ride both flying changes cleanly, we'll "easily" earn a 60+% for this test.

I can't swear being hot and tired was the cause, but I think it was. Even my husband thought the test looked labored. Speedy just wasn't really feeling it, and for us to earn a score in the 60s, he has to really want to. He didn't really want to. I can't blame him too much. This horse does an awful lot for me.

Here's the video.

Much to my complete surprise, our show season is not over! We have one more chance this weekend to earn those Bronze Medal scores. I'll share that story on Friday.

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Third Time's the Charm

8/5/2019

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Third Level is certainly proving to be a challenge. Not that I am surprised. We have yet to sail through any of the levels easily. I am not frustrated by our pace though. In fact, after last weekend's show, I am a bit encouraged.

Trying to use those corners.

Our recent internet interruption meant that I couldn't share how we did at the recent CDS-rated show in Tehachapi. Before doing that show, I had accepted the fact that I wasn't going to earn my Bronze Medal this year, nor was I going to qualify for my favorite show of the year, the Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC). And frankly, I was okay with that.

Definitely struggling, but oh, so close!

It's no secret that we are clearly a "developing" Third Level team. Our scores prove it. In our defense, we've only been showing at this level since June. And as everyone already knows, I am not one of those who show a level below what I am schooling. I'd never get anywhere with that approach. Instead, I school it at home, and then show it to the judge. I rely on the judge to let me know in which areas I need to focus.

I am in love with this shirt!

My parents, whom I haven't seen in a really, really long time, decided to visit for this show weekend. Surprisingly, I wasn't at all worried about them driving 500 miles only to witness a train wreck of a show. My stepmom reads my blog enough to know that we're struggling. Entering at A with a well-groomed and neatly braided horse was enough to put a smile on her face. I wasn't so sure about my dad. He did ask if he could hang my ribbon in his billiard's room though so maybe he thought the whole thing was actually better than watching paint dry. In any case, they didn't make me nervous at all. In fact, maybe they gave us a reason to shine.

I let him run "au naturel" at home, but he sure cleans up nicely.

Before I rode my first test, we sat through a couple of other rides as I explained to my parents the basic dressage rules, the layout of a dressage court, and what they should be looking for when I rode. I have to give them credit; they truly listened and seemed interested in understanding the sport. And we all know how boring it can all seem to an uneducated audience.

I LOVE how determined he gets.

Our first test of the day, Third Level - Test 1, rode better than any other test this year. I always know when I am finally getting the directives when I feel like the test is going in slow motion. Does anyone else experience that sensation? When I first start a level, the movements seem to come hurtling at us in fast forward. Not this test. I actually felt like I was able to prepare for each movement.

We earned a 7.0 for this flying change.

My husband went and collected the score sheet, something he's never done before. When he asked me what score would make me happy, I rolled my eyes and said any score in the 60s would be awesome. I think he might have been more proud of that 63% than I was.

We're not the best Third Level pair out there, but we sure look cute doing it!

I was really excited about our score sheet. The judged awarded us a 63.243%. We had one single score below a 6.0, a 4.0 for the first flying change. The judge noted that it was late behind. Aside from that score, the rest were really good. We earned a 7.5 for our collected trot down centerline and a 7.0 for our final centerline. We earned three additional 7.0s for our halt to rein back, a 10-meter canter circle, and best of all, a 7.0 for our second flying change. Insert huge first pump for that sucker.

Final halt - 7.0

Having that 60%-plus score gave me a real sense of accomplishment. It wasn't a USDF score, but it did count for a lot of other programs within my own GMO, the California Dressage Society (CDS). Every perceived success, no matter how small, gives just that little bit of momentum toward the next effort.

Here's the video.

Not to spoil things for you, but the second test wasn't nearly as good as the first one. It wasn't terrible, but we fell just three points shy of a 60%. I'll tell you that story tomorrow.

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Not This Time Either ...

7/17/2019

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The first time here.

Our Third Level Test 3s were pretty similar to the Test 1s, if maybe slightly better. Still no 60%s, but again, if it weren't for that one movement ...

Seriously, doesn't this look familiar?

From Saturday's 3-3 test.

It should, because it looked exactly like the nonexistent left to right flying change during 3-1 (below) which earned a 1.0. Guess what the nonexistent change above scored? Bingo, another 1.0. And if we didn't get our 60% during test 1 with a non-flying change, we sure as heck weren't going to get it at test 3 with another non-flying change.

From Saturday's 3-1 test.

Aside from some disastrous changes, the Test 3s weren't too shabby. The walk and trot work was mostly where it needed to be. Our turns on the haunches scored 7.0, 6.5, 6.5, and 5.5 (not sure what happened on the last one, but it was wonky.) Our half circles earned 6.0s and 6.5s. Our last extended trot even earned a 7.0.

Entering at A, something we do pretty well. Why is there no score for that?

The trot half passes are still developing, but we did earn a 6.0 on one of them. The last section of the test - an extended canter to a collected canter to a collected trot and finished off with two left turns to the halt, is really fun to ride. We had a lone 5.5 for a transition from collected canter to trot, but outside of that, we earned a handful of 6.5s and even a 7.0 during those last four movements, both times. Too bad none of them carry a double coefficient.

I love the 10-meter half circles. This one earned a 6.5.

To my relief, we finally got both of the flying changes on Sunday's Test 3. We were rewarded with a 6.5 for the first one and a 6.0 for the second one. During one of the judge's breaks, she walked past me and congratulated me on getting the changes. The missed changes must have been pretty memorable for the judge to recognize me even in my shorts and Symphony Dressage sun shirt! I thanked her for her feedback and joked that changes are even harder when the canter is broken. She laughed good-naturedly and encouraged me to keep at it.

Speedy loves the center line.

No matter what kind of scores I get at a show, I always learn something. Being at a show causes my mental neurons to fire like crazy. I absorb everything like a gigantic sponge. In turn, I ride with this scary intensity as I struggle to put it all together. Struggle being the operative word.

At one point, Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, yelled something like think haunches in as you blah, blah, blah. I rolled my eyes at her as I cantered past telling her that I had no room for that last piece of advice as I was already trying to remember to do the other hundred things she had already told me to do. She laughed.

E Turn left, X Turn left, G Halt, salute (6.5)

Despite the teary moments, or maybe even because of them, I had a great time. And really, having fun has to be the number one goal at a show. If it's not fun, it's not really worth spending so much time and money doing it. I learned a lot that I've already used this week while riding both Speedy and Izzy, and I am eagerly looking forward to our next show in just over a week. While it is only CDS-rated, my feelings won't be hurt to earn a 60% there.

Below are the score sheets if you're interested - Saturday's on the left and Sunday's on the right. Below those are the videos of each day's Third Level Test 3 rides.

Third Level, Test 3: Top half of score sheets.

bottom half of score sheets.

Collective marks.

Final scores.

Saturday's Test 3 here.

Sunday's Test 3 here.

I do have one final thought: I am actually showing Third Level, and that fact on its own makes me giddy with happiness. If Second level sucks, Third Level is awesome!

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In a Word - Nope.

7/16/2019

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How is it possible to be so disappointed, yet at the same time, have the time of your life? Because that's what this weekend was all about; chagrin followed immediately by merriment. Despondency followed by hilarity. Plain old frustration followed by good natured laughter.

Morgan, Sarah, Chemaine, and me on Speedy (who looks as though he's falling asleep). Tons of laughter with these ladies!

Progress toward earning my USDF Bronze medal is the same as it was on Friday; we have our First and Second Level scores, but we're still missing the two scores from Third Level. I am not going to say we haven't made any progress though as I am gaining a ton of experience by missing the mark. It's expensive experience for sure, but showing is how I learn what we're good at and what needs improving.

He's a great partner. Opinionated, but always on my team.

I learned that our trot work, when I use the corners effectively and half halt at least occasionally, is Third Level worthy. We're not getting 8.0s, but we rarely did at First or Second either, and there is no shame in that. For Third Level test 1, our collected and medium trot work was firmly in the 6.0 - 7.0 range. The trot half passes at 3-1 were a bit sketchy on Saturday - we lacked a correction position, but I was able to mostly fix that for Sunday's test. We improved our scores from 4.0s/5.0s to 5.5s/6.0s.

Enter collected trot - Halt, salute - Proceed collected trot (7.0)

The rein back and the turns on the haunches were also just fine. We earned respectable 6.0s and 7.0s. I can hear you asking if you're so solid at Third, why aren't you pulling in those 60% scores? Well, I'll tell you. Speedy's canter got broken this weekend. The best example? He threw in a flying lead change during the medium canter. What the what?! was all I could say.

The judge generously called it a "lost lead." 4.0

I am not kidding. Here it is. I can sort of see how it was my fault as I was desperately trying to half halt him so I could get the collected canter. He felt me pick up that outside rein and thought Change? Now? Well if you insist.

On Sunday's Third Level Test 1, we would have had a qualifying score but for one movement. One movement. Speedy would not give me the flying change from left to right. He was set up for it, he looked and felt ready for it, but he would not. Out of sheer desperation, I rocked him back as hard as I could onto his haunches, and he still gave me an emphatic NO. By that point, I had run out of long side and needed to trot at C. What did it look like, that moment of rocking him back on his butt? A lot like this ...

Are you kidding me? Just do the damn change, Speedy!

We earned a 1.0 for our nonexistent flying change of lead. With a double coefficient, that movement is worth 20 points. We earned 2. Yeah, that will pretty much kill any shot at a 60%. Way back in the beginning, I had goals like no 5.0s on a test. That's pretty much my goal now except that I need to add a clarification: no 5.0s or lower!

A funny moment!

Like I said, highs and lows ... Just as we passed C, preparing for the medium trot (HXF), the judge rang her bell and told me that I was supposed to halt at C. Morgan, Chemaine's daughter, was reading for me, and I know the test pretty well. I was 100% certain I was NOT supposed to halt at C, so I sat at F waiting for the judge to realize her mistake. She gave an audible oops, and apologized profusely. This has actually happened to me before. The judge told me to carry on.

What made it so funny to me was that I didn't feel as though I had revved Speedy up sufficiently for the medium trot anyway. We were coming into it kind of flat, so once the judge sent me back around, I was able to get better organized. She gave us a 6.5 for the medium trot. I don't know if it was because it was a good medium or she just felt guilty. I was happy with the score either way. I usually find it's better to laugh than to get upset, and it was kind of funny.

Medium trot - 6.5

While I had a great time, I won't lie. I was pretty disappointed at missing that 60%, and there were some teary moments as proof. We're really close though. and it will happen. Maybe not this summer, but we'll get those two scores eventually. Here are both of the Third Level test 1 videos as well as the score sheets side by side. Saturday's 3-1 scores are on the left, and Sunday's 3-1 scores are on the right. The videos, if you're so inclined, follow.

Third Level Test 1 (top halves of score sheets).

Bottom halves.

Collective marks.

Final scores.

Saturday's Third Level Test 1 here.

Sunday's Third Level Test 1 here.

Third Level Test 3(s) tomorrow ...

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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

2019 Show Season

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

2019 Pending …
10/26-27/19 SCEC (***)
11/17/19 Pacific Dress. (s)
12/7/19 El Sueno (***)

2019 Completed …
6/15-16/19 - El Sueno (***)
6/23/19 - TMC (*)
7/13-14/19 - El Sueno (***)
7/28/19 - TMC (*)
8/25/19 - TMC (*)
9/8/19 White Birch (s)

Qualifying Scores for 2019

Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC)
3rd Level Qualifying
3 Scores/2 Judges:
Score 1: 63.514% Lindholm
Score 2: 62.105% Lindholm
Score 3: 63.243% Wadeborn

CDS Championship
3rd Level Qualifying
5 Scores/4 Judges:
Score 1: 63.514% Lindholm
Score 2: 62.105% Lindholm
Score 3: 63.243% Wadeborn
Score 4:
Score 5:

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:
Score 5:
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 -
Third Level -

Lack of Rhythm

Can We Talk Shoulders for Just a Minute?

Fall Show Entry

A Collecting Exercise

Collection With Suspension

Consistency of Frame and Self-Carriage

Three Is My Lucky Number

Third Time's the Charm

Not This Time Either ...

In a Word - Nope.

About the
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About Speedy G

About Izzy

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