Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
![]() CT riding her husband's trail horse ... future dressage pony? Saturday's clinic was a success largely in part to CT and her dad. Many thanks go to the both of them for allowing us to use their wonderful arena, and for all their hard work in grooming and watering it. They were even kind enough to do it all with no haul in fees! The morning started hot and humid which was only the appetizer for the day's main entrèe, REALLY HOT AND HUMID. We have had wet, cool weather for weeks so mid-90s was a bit hard on our un-acclimated bodies. Interestingly, the heat didn't slow any of the horses down. Most were fresh and ready to rock and roll. Speedy started out relaxed and groovin' until the neighbor started shuffling cows through the pasture. And then like dominoes falling, each horse got on his or her tip-toes and started the Dance of Terror. Speedy spent some time in the round pen which helped him jumpstart his brain. After that he got to work. Betsy Shelton, the clinician, had us do lots of walking work to encourage more throughness at the walk. She also had me work on leg yielding in order to get Speedy off my inside leg. We then did some whip work where I opened my inside rein to tip his nose in and then used the whip to tap, tap, tap behind my inside leg. The end result was less over-reaction to the whip and more sideways movement away from my leg. It's an exercise I'd like to try at home since by tipping his nose inside, and using the whip on the inside, Speedy couldn't kick out at the whip like he sometimes does. I thought I'd take more photos, but it was just so danged hot that I kind of forgot about it. I never even took a photo of Speedy and I forgot to ask anyone to take a few of us. Sheesh! Here are a couple that I did manage to take.
Val
4/22/2012 01:09:48 am
What a lovely facility! The day looks beautiful in the photos, but I can see why the heat and humidity would have been a bit much.
Karen
4/23/2012 08:41:55 am
The heat was the only thing that didn't go well. i am pleased with how the day went!
Sandy orloff
4/22/2012 03:15:52 am
Sounds like it was good time. Im sorry missed it!!!
Karen
4/23/2012 08:42:22 am
Next time, Sandy! :0)
Karen
4/23/2012 08:43:28 am
It's definitely one way to get a lesson from a trainer who can't come all the way for just one student. Good for the trainer and equally as good for local riders! Comments are closed.
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About the Writer and RiderI am a lifelong rider.
I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010. Welcome to my dressage journey. About Speedy GSpeedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
About IzzyIzzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
National Rider AwardsState Rider Awards
State Horse Awards
Working Towards:
CDS Sapphire Rider Award Third Level: 63.514% Third Level: 62.105% Fourth Level: Fourth Level: 2023 Show Season
Show Rating (***) CDS/USDF/USEF (*) CDS (s) Schooling (c) Clinic (r) Ride-a-Test Clinic 2023 Show Schedule
TBD 2023 Completed … Pending 2023 Qualifying Scores
Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) Qualifying Training Level 3 Scores/2 Judges/60%: Score 1: Score 2: Score 3: Archives
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