Category: Third Level

When More Leg is NOT the Answer

5/12/2020

Can you think of another sport, other than dressage, that makes you feel more stupid the more you learn? Chess maybe. You would think that simply knowing you are going to be made to feel stupid would discourage anyone from trying to move up the levels. Guess what? We're moving up a level! Yes, I know am going to feel really stupid in a few months, but it feels great knowing that stupid is on my horizon.

Unlike most sports, where experience and training make you better and more confident, dressage simply reveals how much you don't know. And once you get a new "feel," or once you have an "aha" moment, you do one of those palm to forehead smacks and ask how you've been doing this for a decade and are just now getting "it" - whatever "it" is in this particular moment in time. If this keeps up, I am going to have an IQ of about 8.

Trying out our new half halt.

Fortunately, feeling dumb as a rock doesn't happen at every lesson. I am not sure my ego could handle that. As it is, the frequency at which I find myself feeling like the proverbial dim bulb happens enough already. Like last week, I had a lesson with Chemaine Hurtado - owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables. I don't think Chemaine arrived with the intention of batting me around with a stupid stick, but she must have sensed that I was in need.

Chemaine arrived as I was finishing our warm up. As usual, she had to hear the whole sob story about our half passes - they're still sticky, Speedy is ignoring my outside leg, I can't get enough bend, please fix it all today. As she began putting us to work, I had to stop and explain one more "issue." The day before, Speedy had been well in front of my leg, but he was plowing through my aids, and I simply couldn't convince him to carry himself. The more leg I applied, the heavier in my hand he became. Of course Chemaine had a remedy.

It feels a lot like asking for a piaffe.

Chemaine had me put Speedy on the rail, and she took my whip. Speedy knew what was coming; we've done this exercise plenty of times. But this time, Chemaine wanted something different. Yes, she was going to tap him, but instead of sending him forward with more energy, she wanted me to hold him in place so that only his hind legs got more active. If you're thinking piaffe, you're correct.

She asked me to get him round and soft, and then she had me give him a quick kick, kick without letting him go forward. Of course nothing happened which is why she was there with the whip. As soon as he didn't respond, she gave him two quick thwacks with the whip. Of course he gave a big kick, so we did it again. He instantly got the idea; round and soft is going to be followed by a kick, kick which means activate your hind legs.

Getting the hind end active without allowing him to move forward.

The problem started because I have been using a ton of leg while half halting. But isn't more leg usually the solution for everything? Not when you're squeezing all the time. What ended up happening was that I was using so much leg that I was driving Speedy so deeply into the bridle that all he could do was crash into it. So to speak.

Chemaine had me separate the two aids - sponging the rein for softness and adding more leg, so that Speedy had a chance to answer. My task now is to get him round with my rein aid followed by two quick sharp kicks to say "now sit and push." Eventually, if I apply my aids correctly, he will start to give himself the "kick" aid because he will know that it's coming. If he can sit and push with his hind end just by listening to my seat and hands, no kick, kick will happen. This is our new half halt.

You mean I need to balance myself? Speedy and I both are asking the same question.

It was pretty early in the lesson when Chemaine said something like, "this lesson might just be about coordinating your aids." I am pretty sure she was thinking something along the lines of come on, girlfriend, get it together. After softening and kick, kicking at the walk, we picked up the trot. That's when my little freak show really got going. I bet I lost a stirrup about 17 times. Eventually Chemaine got tired of me goofing around and suggested we try to actually do something with all of this softening and kicking, so we started shoulder in.

Putting it all together.

I have to say, once I got the rhythm of how to coordinate my aids, Speedy got incredibly light while not sacrificing the activity from behind. In fact, he felt downright powerful. That'll happen when you're carrying yourself and not being lazy behind. And when your rider quits squeezing her guts out.

Once Chemaine and I were both certain I could "chew gum and walk a straight line," we did some trot half passes, which were hugely improved, and moved on to the canter work. The aids were the same - ask for round followed by a kick, kick to activate Speedy's hind end without allowing him to shoot forward.

Same aids at the canter.

It didn't take much convincing as Speedy is not a fan of being kicked or tapped with the whip. His canter improved almost immediately, and the best part was that he was much more maneuverable, especially in the half pass.

Chemaine described it as folding him up. I knew what she meant. Do you remember those fans you used to make as a kid by folding paper forward and back, forward and back? That's what this feels like. I am basically asking him to "accordion" fold his body, essentially compressing his body so that his back pops up in the middle. You can really see the difference of where his back is when you compare the picture above with the one below. He's uphill in the first photo, but his back is really round in the second one.

Look at how round his back is!

With Speedy carrying more weight behind and really using his back, the canter half passes were also a lot easier. They're still going to be a weakness for us, the lateral work is just harder for him, but I am feeling like we can get 6.0s and 7.0s if I can start using this better half halt. What also made the half passes easier was that I figured out how to get the bend I need. This was another one of those Man, I am stupid! moments.

For years Chemaine has been telling me to put the letter (where we're heading) between Speedy's ears. For our half pass from centerline yes, we do head toward S or M, but then we proceed straight to C. Guess which letter I've been putting between Speedy's ears? Right, C. As Chemaine kept yelling LOOK AT THE DIAGONAL LETTER, a giant light bulb went off and I realized what an idiot I've been. If you actually bend your horse to look at S or H, you will get a much better bend than by looking at C which is straight in front of you. Sorry, non-dressage folks, that's a bit more technical than you probably want read about.

And some flying changes to wrap it all up.

Sitting and pushing from behind, and pointing at the right dressage letter, fixes all sorts of problems. Now I just need to work on coordinating my own aids to make it all happen. We have five weeks until our first show of 2020. I am going to be putting those weeks to good use.

After all, Speedy can't be expected to do all the work.

Using the Shoulder In and Walk Pirouette

4/7/2020

Speedy and I are still slogging away at Third Level. Everything is improving, and we're even schooling movements from Fourth Level, but it's still a struggle. Even so, once we get to show again, I am feeling pretty confident that we'll get the last score we need for the Bronze Medal. Until then, we just keep working away at helping Speedy be more supple so that the half passes get more fluid. I had a lesson last week with Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, where we worked on just that.

After activating the inside hind leg.

I've said this about a billion times: Speedy loves to go forward. He really gets into it, lifting his back and pushing off. His extended trot just gets better and better. It's the lateral work that he's not so fond of. And at Third Level, that means half pass. Every time Chemaine comes, it's the same sob story, help me fix the half pass.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

We've been working hard at getting Speedy to engage his hind end so that he can sit and carry more weight. He's still not actively using his hind all of the time, so Chemaine did some tapping with the whip while I kept him at a walk. We're looking for a feeling of piaffe, and he's definitely getting it. I can really feel it in the walk pirouette.

Finally agreeing to tuck his pelvis a bit.

Once his hind end was really engaged, we moved on to the shoulder in. Everything we're working on right now is to increase his overall suppleness. As I ride, I over-flex him laterally and tell him we're doing it just because he can. I don't hold him in the flexion, I just over-flex, and let go. Every time I do, it shows him that he can hold the bend himself without being so heavy in my hand. It's definitely a work in progress.

Over-flexing in the shoulder in.

We're really tackling two big issues, keeping his hind end active and engaged while also being able to bend and stay light in my hand. When we get those moments, they make all of the slogging worth it.

Hind end engaged and maintaining a bend. He sure is lovely!

During this lesson, Chemaine had me work on two exercises: using a leg yield or shoulder in the trot half pass, and using walk pirouettes in the canter half pass. Neither one was easy, but they both helped me see why we struggle in the half pass. The main issue we're having is that Speedy wants to lean and fall in on the inside shoulder, particularly the right shoulder.

Not just leaning, but falling onto the inside right shoulder.

It's really hard to wrap my head around how switching to a leg yield or a shoulder in during the half pass will help fix it, but it did. Chemaine had me do a half pass right, and the instant I felt like he was heavy on my inside rein, she had me switch to a leg yield left with an emphasis on pushing his inside hind over. With his hind end over, it repositioned his front end for a straighter half pass.

Another thing that helped was as we came through the corner, she had me open my outside rein to draw his shoulders to the rail so that he could pick up his inside shoulder rather than pivoting on it which is why he falls in on that shoulder in the half pass. Here's a quick video of her explaining.

The last exercise we did was using the walk pirouette to help Speedy maintain the bend in the canter half pass. We started with walk pirouette circles. Once he was on my outside rein, I asked for the canter. Anywhere in the half pass that I felt like I was losing the bend, I brought him to a walk and immediately did a walk pirouette. That exercise really helped Speedy understand where his haunches need to be in the canter half pass.

Back when I was just starting out at Intro A, I just knew that once we got to Training Level, everything would fall into place, and things would get easy from there on out. I felt the same way as I was staring down First Level, and then Second Level. The reality is, for me anyway, we're never going to just get it and grab our Gold Medal as we piaffe our way down centerline. No level is going to come easy for us.

While it's highly unlikely that we'll ever earn a USDF Gold Medal, and we might not even get that Bronze Medal, I can say that we're enjoying the journey. While Speedy has never said so himself, I feel safe speaking for him.

Every once in a while I stop and look at all the miles we've traveled. I would have never guessed that here is where that road would lead. I guess my point is this: keep on keeping on as long as you're enjoying what you do, and take time to appreciate your accomplishments.

And if you can find someone with whom to laugh along the way, all the better.

Use the Energy

3/26/2020

What with all that's happening in the world right now, I am having trouble remembering what day it is. So when I say I had a lesson a week or so ago, it might have been two weeks or three days ago. I am not sure. A few weeks before that, I had a lesson, and in that one, we worked on getting Speedy's hind end very active. When we started this most recent lesson, my first question was how to use that new hind end energy.

Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, nearly clapped her hands in excitement. I think she'd thought I'd never ask. Right away, she had me get Speedy going. When I had trouble knowing how much to get him going or what get him going even looked like, she use the word excited. Get him excited. Oh, okay.

It sounded easy, but it wasn't. I just wasn't really feeling what she was asking me to do. Basically, she wanted me to build up the energy in his hind legs without letting it leak out through his front end. Then, we took that energy and used it in the shoulder in and half pass. When he felt too quick or heavy in the front end, she wanted me to use the half halt to tell his front end to slow down so that his hind end could catch up. When I kept him "short" front to back, he could carry and push more effectively from behind.

The videos have excellent sound, so you can hear Chemaine explaining it better than I can. And because I am nothing if not honest, you can see my struggle for yourself. We have some really pretty moments here, but some of them are not so pretty.

At the end of the second video, we got some really nice medium trot. Speedy loves that movement and tries his heart out. This is probably some of the longest reach he's ever given me. I have never been able to capture a photo of him with so much extension. When I first looked at the image below, I thought his hind end was not nearly engaged enough, so I did a little drawing.

The two yellow lines are exact matches. I drew a yellow line on his front leg first. Then I copied it and pasted it to the hind leg without making any changes in the length or angle of the line. I did the same thing with the purple lines. The lines show that his legs are moving nearly parallel with one another. The outside hind (yellow) could use a little more angle in his hocks, but otherwise, he's pretty even.

Here's another shot a stride or two later.

This year's show season may be not what we all had hoped for, but I just figure that I am using this time to get better and better. By the time we can show again, we'll have no problem getting the scores we need.

There's always a silver lining.

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 ...

Ride a Square

1/24/2020

Squares are awesome. I ride them with Izzy all the time. They get him sitting and help him balance. I don't ride them as often with Speedy because they're harder to do on him. If you didn't catch yesterday's post, here's yet another photo demonstrating how much he hates to sit. This one is BRILLIANT.

Although, if I ever try to sell Speedy, I'll have to delete these blooper posts as no one would even think of trying to ride this out. Honestly though, his bucks and kicks are super easy to sit, and usually I bust out laughing because they're all drama llama. If you'll notice, I'm always smack dab in the middle of his back without getting pitched forward, backward, or to either side. You've seen me ride. I am not particularly talented, so me staying centered isn't because of my fabulous riding. Speedy just likes to voice his opinion, but he's never trying to unseat me or buck me off. He would be mortified if that ever happened.

Riding the square at the walk.

The lesson had one real purpose: get that inside leg to step under and over. To achieve that, Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, had me ride a square. A lot of squares. In the corner of each square, she had me compress Speedy's frame while riding with his haunches in with activity.

We started in the walk. First, I bent him around my inside leg and then opened my outside rein and brought it back to send his inside hind under his belly. At the same time, she encouraged me to tap, tap, tap him with the whip to keep the hind leg very active. Once out of the corner, she instructed me to give him a big release. The point was to show him that he can bend and push at the same time.

But without popping his head up.

Then we did it at the trot. All of the blooper photos from yesterday were taken when he refused to make the corner with his hind end underneath him. To the right, he desperately wants to "save" his inside hind by swinging his haunches out. Sorry, buddy, that's not going to work. That's okay, he nearly has it figured out. We used the same strategy, compress, compress, compress, followed by a release without letting him pop his head up.

The shoulder in benefitted from all that hind end work too.

After the trot came the canter. Since the canter is already a gait with more suspension, these corners were a lot easier, especially on the left bend.

Notice how compressed his stride is!

Compressing the stride in the corner where he takes smaller, but active steps behind will help later in the canter pirouettes, but for now, it will help our half pass. You can see how much harder it is for him to the right.

Not nearly as compressed.

Another way to do the exercise, especially when Speedy was feeling frazzled, is to walk the corner, and then either trot or canter out of the corner. When we did canter, walk, canter, his transitions got a lot crisper. I love this canter depart.

Now to get that on the right lead.

After getting him truly active behind, we did a few canter half passes. They still more or less suck, but at least they're improving. At the very end of the lesson, we took the energy that we had built and let it rip. Our very last medium/extended trot was heavenly!

Four off the floor!

Not as "up" as a few strides before, but I love how far forward he's reaching!

Speedy can do this - Third Level, Fourth Level, the FEI Levels ... It's just up to me to figure out how to convince him that he can do it. And of course, I need to learn it first.

A Lesson in Photos

1/23/2020

Over the weekend, Speedy and I got a long overdue lesson with Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables. With our move to Third Level this past summer, Speedy and I have struggled with bend and forward. He can either bend, or he can go forward. What he can't do, or at least what he thinks he can't do, is go forward with bend.

The exercise Chemaine set up for us attacked both of those things, the bend and the forward. Because Speedy was so adamant that he COULD NOT DO IT, I have to show you a series of photos, all captured from one, 10-minute video, and truthfully, most of the photos were from a 5 minute stretch.

They are hilarious, and they are posted in order. I can't guarantee that the statements below were what Speedy was thinking, but I think it was pretty close. It all started with a gentle warning ... his to me.

Watch it, lady!

Like I said, careful with that thing!

ARE YOU DEAF?

WTH?

I warned you.

Noe you're really starting to piss me off.

Hold my beer.

Oh, for the Love of God!

I am about to open a can of whoop ass, lady!

Grrrr...

I AM AWESOME!

Stay tuned for the actual lesson ...

A Lesson in Parts

1/3/2020

With winter firmly unpacked and having taken up residence, lessons have been a bit sporadic. Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, was finally able to make it into town for a lesson this week. Since I do the daily riding, she usually leaves it to me to let her know what we need to work on. I had a list.

Our Third Level game face is getting better!

The Half Pass
Okay, but when isn't that going to be on my list? Probably never. I feel about half pass like I did about the stretchy trot circle - hate it. Of course, stretching down is all he wants to do now. Maybe once Speedy is a Grand Prix horse, the half pass will seem easy. For now, it's our nemesis, especially the half pass right.

Think "Piaffe"

The half pass right is our harder direction because Speedy resists bending so completely. You put him in a straight line, and that boy is s-t-r-a-i-g-h-t. And when I rev him up correctly in the corner, he can really push through. That's why his mediums and extensions are pretty good.

I am not even going to apologize; he is CUTE!

Bend to the right AND push? Um, let me think about it. That'll be a nope. Says Speedy all day every day. No matter what he thinks about it, he still has to do it though, so Chemaine had me approach it a little differently. As we approached the corner, she had me work on half halting him while flexed. He can half halt when he's straight, but getting a half halt while bent around my leg is a new idea. For both of us I think.

Lots and lots of suppling

If I got him bending before the corner at A, it was easier to bend him toward the letter, H or M, as we started the half pass. It was also important to have him in front of my leg, with energy. That's the solution to everything though, isn't it?

The thing that really resonated with me was that Chemaine separated the half pass into several moments: bending with the outside hand open and back in the half halt phase and then let him carry himself forward. The second he wanted to fall in on the shoulder, half halt with an open outside rein to draw the shoulders in front of his hips and bring the rein back to sit him on his haunches so he can carry himself. That was pretty much the one thing she repeated all day: LET HIM CARRY HIMSELF.

Curb Rein or Snaffle Rein?

No, you do not get to bolt through the change.

Now that I (mostly) have control of both reins, I am learning when to use each one. Sometimes it's obvious, like in a flying change that has gone wild. The curb rein is really helpful.

Well, now, that's a little better!

For the most part, I've been relying on the snaffle rein except for when I really need him to sit and push. Like in the medium trot. The curb really helps me set him up to collect, but near the end of the diagonal, Chemaine pointed out that he was over-flexing in the front, like this.

Curb rein ...

As soon as I switched to the snaffle, his nose shot forward, and we finished the medium looking like this.

Snaffle rein just a stride or two later.

Carrying Himself
We spent the rest of the lesson on this. For Third Level and beyond, Speedy has to be in self-carriage ALL. OF. THE. TIME. It's hard, and I've let him rest on my hands for too long. It wasn't on purpose though. It's hard to know what light feels like until you really feel it. So we did a lot of half halting with taps of the whip when my leg didn't work.

This might be my new favorite picture.

With a horse like Speedy, one who likes to fake you out by curling behind the vertical, it's challenging to keep pushing him up to the bit without letting him dive onto my hands. It's a lot like riding a teeter totter. Or as Chemaine described it, towing a trailer: if the trailer's not connected (the hind end), it gets left behind. Keeping the "trailer" attached requires Speedy to really lift his back, drop his croup, and PUSH.

He looks great when he's carrying himself.

Our hey, that's nice! moments are getting longer and closer together. The show season starts in March, so we have two more months to improve his self-carriage, my control of the reins, and that bleeping, bleep half pass.

Hey, that's nice!

For today, I'll just focus on this particularly nice moment.

A Lesson in the Double

12/16/2019

I haven't had many lessons this past month or two. Speedy's recent abscess had everything to do with that. I had a lesson on a Tuesday, and two days later he was lame. The rain didn't help any either. Although, here in Central California we never lament a rainy day since we have so few of them. It took two full weeks for the abscess to heal up, and then I spent another week or so getting him back into riding fitness. This past Tuesday, Speedy and I were finally able to get another lesson.

Just getting the feel of things.

Normally, when Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, shows up, Speedy and I have been warming up, and we're ready to get to work. Not for this lesson. As soon as Chemaine walked up, I told her that I wanted a "double bridle tutorial." While I had hand walked Speedy for a week in the double and then ridden him 3 or 4 times, I knew I wanted some direct, explicit training in how to correctly ride him in the double bridle.

"Feeling" the curb bit.

The first thing she did was check the bridle to see how everything fit. While most everything looked good, she did have me tighten the noseband one hole and attach the curb chain differently so that it rested against Speedy's chin at a different angle. Once that all looked good, I hopped up and put Speedy on a 20-meter circle. As we walked, Chemaine watched my hands and overall rein length.

Snaffle rein first between your pinkie and ring finger.

I am going to be honest here: riding in a double bridle is not rocket science, but it's also not "easy." There's a lot more to it than just holding a second pair of reins. While I enjoy figuring things out on my own, I also recognize when I need a professional's advice. For the first few rides on my own, I experimented with how exactly to hold two sets of reins while keeping each one at the appropriate length. It's not easy.

Curb rein with your top two fingers.

I had already decided that my Thinline reins were going to be used for the snaffle, and my old Beta endurance reins would serve as my curb rein. The Thinline reins have stops while the Beta reins are smooth all the way down. This works for me as there isn't anything to snag the curb rein. Chemaine liked the set up and commented that the Beta reins drape nicely.

She did have me make one major change though. She suggested I pick up the snaffle rein first and carry it between my pinkie and ring finger with the curb rein above it, carried by the middle and index fingers. She explained that I would need the leverage for the snaffle rein, but by carrying the curb rein higher, I could use more finesse and a lighter grip with the middle and index fingers. It took me a bit to get comfortable with that grip, but she was absolutely right. It felt much more comfortable.

Feeling the curb rein.

With everything fitted correctly and my grip situated, we moved on to using the curb rein. First, she had me take up the curb and play around with it until I could feel it in Speedy's mouth. Up until that moment, I had been reluctant to actually use it. By the end of the lesson, I was well acquainted with the curb and much more comfortable using it.

Connecting with the curb on his own.

She also had me practice a few things like simply relaxing my grip on the snaffle rein to quickly access the curb rein when things were going haywire. She explained that this can be a great tool to use if a flying change gets too wild for example. By allowing the snaffle rein to slide through, I could access the curb rein more quickly.

A stride or two later getting the release.

After shortening both reins a little, she explained how if both reins are nearly the same length, simply coming above the snaffle, like in a transition, will cause the curb to engage, reminding Speedy to soften. She also had me teach him a little about the curb by asking for a more "abrupt" half halt accompanied by a bigger than normal release. He quickly started seeking that release by giving to me quicker and deeper.

Getting light in my hands.

She also had me think about his response to the curb. If the response was slow, I needed to ask more firmly and quicker. If Speedy's response was more immediate, I could then get him to come more through from behind because I wouldn't be holding him back so much.

Getting more impulsion from behind.

Another thing she had me think about was keeping the gas peddle on because Speedy wants to slow down instead of jumping through and collecting. When I got him soft in the bridle and reaching under, I got this trot to canter transition.

So much to love here.

Overall, Chemaine's main question to me was this, "How light is he? Use the curb to make him lighter." No matter how light I thought he was, she insisted he could be lighter and for longer.

I love how his poll has really come up over the past two years.

I really loved this getting back to basics type of lesson. By the end, I felt much more confident about the double bridle and ready to start schooling him on my own. I definitely have my homework for the next few months, but I think the double bridle is finally right for us.

Carrying himself even while getting a good boy pat!

We're still just one score away from a USDF Bronze Medal, but I think we're getting closer!

Score Stalking (or Almost There!)

11/14/2019

In all the hubbub of finding a new truck, I completely forgot about my newest dressage score. I mean, I know I earned it, but waiting for USDF to see that I've earned it feels like an eternity. On Monday, after I rode Speedy, it suddenly popped into my head that USDF had probably updated their scores. I barely made it in the door before I was checking my scores. I told you I'm a score stalker.

Bronze Medal Check

In case you can't read the pinkish box, it says, "Two scores at Third Level, must be awarded by two different judges. Rider has one qualifying score at this level." Rider has one qualifying score; that means I only need ONE MORE score for a USDF Bronze Medal.

You hear that, Speedy G? ONE MORE SCORE!

If you've checked my scores, no offense taken if you have, and frankly, I'd be disappointed if you haven't. How can you weigh the veracity or relevance of anything I say if I don't have the credentials to support what I write? My mediocre scores should prove to you that I am indeed what I say I am - a struggling adult amateur on a horse not bred for dressage but who is doing it anyway.

Median scores that won't knock your socks off.

I am kind of surprised by the sheer number of USDF scores Speedy and I have earned, 81 at last count. And those scores don't include schooling shows or CDS only shows. We're at well over a hundred if you toss those in. What we may lack in quality, we've made up for in volume.

I know a lot of people will look at my scores and tsk, tsk them. Yes, I would like my averages to be higher, but showing is how I get better. I don't have access to weekly lessons. Shoot, sometimes I am lucky to squeeze in a monthly lesson. Over the years, most of my feedback has come from judges. I ride a test, I read what the judge thought, and then I try to improve on what we did before. If you go back to review all of my scores, you'll generally see a progression from low to at least higher within each level.

I didn't stay at Second long enough to increase our average.

Once Speedy and I earn that last score for the Bronze Medal, we're going to hang out at Third until I feel that he has developed more lightness in his collected work. And that half pass has to improve before we even think about moving on to Fourth Level. Frankly, I need to get better, too. This level is requiring a lot more balance on my part as well.

Move along, nothing to see here.

I know I tend toward self-deprecation, but it's said in all earnestness. Seriously. If you have a goal, go for it. What I lack in talent and natural ability, I make up for in grit and determination. Most of the time, it ain't pretty, but it gets the job done. Dig deep, friend, and it will happen.

At least that's the pep talk I keep giving myself.

Dressage at SCEC - Part 3

11/1/2019

When we woke up on Sunday morning, the temperatures were MUCH cooler than they'd been the two days before. That went right along with my plan to get Speedy's hind end motoring. As much as I hate to annoy him by asking him to really engage, I was on a mission to do just that. The cooler weather did a lot of the work for me.

Some canter work in front of the judge,

In order for Speedy to develop a better half pass, he simply has to have more energy which means reacting to my leg when I ask. Besides reminding him with a tap-tap of the whip, the other thing I learned was that if we plan to do two Third Level tests in a day, I have to shorten my warm up. I realized that I am using too much of his energy before we even ride the test.

Way back when we were doing Training and even First Level, 20 minutes to warm up was all he needed. Essentially, he just needed to stretch out and loosen up. For Second Level, we needed more like 35 minutes to not only lube everything up, but Speedy also needed reminding that yes, he does HAVE to do what I am asking.

This flying change was PERFECT. You barely even see it happen in the video. We earned a 6.5.

For Third Level, 30-minute warm ups are just too long for us, especially if it's hot. That means I need to get in there and get him responsive to my leg in the first couple of minutes. Even with a plan of only doing a 15-minute warm up on Sunday, I still started a few minutes too soon, and then as luck would have it, things ran about 10 minutes behind. Add that up and you get another 30-minute warm up; just what I was trying to avoid.

I like the canter work at Third.

Since the warm up ring was adjacent to the test ring, I took a short break to watch the open riders ride 3-1. I was the only adult amateur showing Third Level on Sunday. One rider in particular laid down an awesome 3-1 test. I realized that was how the test was supposed to be ridden. I think she scored a 67%. After watching how she rode it, I made it my mission to sit up, keep Speedy's energy up, and get my scores UP.

Just before we went in, I took a minute to do a hand gallop. I also reminded him that I had the whip in my hand and that my plan was to meet a quota of tap-taps whether he needed it or not. I am just kidding. Mostly.

Our mediums for this show were not as good as they can be. Not horrible though.

We didn't score a 67%, but it was the best ridden Third Level test I've done so far. Not that that means anything because my Holy heck we did it! is still a far cry from where we need to be. Just the same, I was really proud of that 62.432%.

Here's the video.

My Third Level Test 3 ride was just two rides after my first. I didn't need to actually do anything in the warm up, but even just walking around I could tell that the test probably wasn't going to go well; Speedy was getting cranky and tired. Multiple taps with the whip will do that.

From 3-2, extended walk 6.0

We earned a frustratingly low 57.625%. After looking over the test though, I was pleasantly surprised to see a long list of 6.0s and 6.5s. We even had a 7.0 for our entry which was back to our normal. You know what got us? The flying changes. We had a 6.5 and a 7.0 on the test just minutes before, but Speedy knows how to get his digs in. He. Just. Would. Not. Change. It was deliberate. Booger.

"eff you, lady!"

For the first change, he gave me an emphatic NO. See above. I kept asking though which prompted a late change, a swap back in the front, more lateness, and then he finally got it at about A. It was supposed to be near centerline. Our score for that debacle was a 4.0 that was crossed out and renumbered as a 3.0.

The second change doesn't look too bad on the video, but it was a tad late behind. I think the judge was a bit sick of me by that point because she gave us a 4.0. Even a 4.5 would have been better.

Our combined score for the two flying changes on Test 1 was 26 points; they have a double coefficient. The next two changes? An embarrassing 14 points. Those two flying changes cost us a 60%. It was particularly frustrating because our changes are actually pretty good, maybe even our best Third Level movement. What can you do though? Try, try, try again. That's what.

Enough with all that drama! Here's something a bit quieter.

Here's the video with no editing out of the naughty moments. If you need to feel better about your own riding, this will do it.

For me, showing is worth while if on the drive home I mull over what I learned. I learned a lot at this show which means it was a success. My warm ups need to be shorter and quicker. I need to get Speedy bouncing and energetic. And finally, I learned that we can't do two tests a day for two days.

For our next show, my plan is to show 3-1 and 3-3 on Saturday. Then on Sunday, we'll do 3-1 again just to give me an "easier" shot at getting that last 60% for a Bronze Medal in case we miss it on Saturday. After that, our Sunday's will be reserved for 3-3.

It was a good show.

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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 -

When More Leg is NOT the Answer

Using the Shoulder In and Walk Pirouette

Use the Energy

Show Prep Part 2

Ride a Square

A Lesson in Photos

A Lesson in Parts

A Lesson in the Double

Score Stalking (or Almost There!)

Dressage at SCEC - Part 3

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About Izzy

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