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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Clinic With Chemaine - Part 5 (Straightness)

10/3/2015

 
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

After the excitement of Saturday, Izzy was really relaxed on Sunday. I think the horse I rode on Sunday is the horse that I might get in a few more years, sooner if I am lucky. He wasn't perfect of course, but he was focused and workman-like which is a lot of fun to ride.

He was so good that we did the trot spirals from A to C quickly with no issues. Since that went so well, Chemaine introduced another exercise, a modified leg yield across the diagonal.
Picture
He's starting to look like a grown up.
This exercise can be started from a 20-meter trot circle at A, tracking left. As we rode through the corner, Chemaine had me think of a slight counter bend. As we rode toward H, she had me think about sending Izzy into my outside rein with my inside leg. By turning my shoulders in slightly, Izzy stepped over neatly with his hind leg into the beginnings of a leg yield.

We came across the short side at C and changed rein across the next diagonal toward K. Since this side was more difficult for Izzy, Chemaine had me simply ride him straight forward, without pushing his hind leg over with my inside leg.
Since Izzy is more difficult to ride to the right, Chemaine had us work on some straightness while tracking right. Using the quarter line, She had me work on keeping him even in both reins, turning my shoulders in whenever I lost his haunches. She also had me add some energy and impulsion to help him stay straighter. The slower he trots, the more wobbly he gets.
Picture
It all looks so easy ...
We also did more of the "work our way to the other end at the canter" exercise. Izzy is much easier to ride tracking left than he is to the right. To be more effective to the right, I really need to pay attention to my weight aids, the direction of my shoulders, and how much outside rein I am using. My body doesn't want to bend right, and it's much harder for me to get my right seat bone forward.

Chemaine recorded a pretty big chunk of our canter work to the right, including some work on the stretchy circle. The audio is excellent, but the video gets small as I am working my way to the far end of the arena. If you have the time to watch, she has me switch him from one rein to the other which is a really helpful strategy for a horse that wants to be heavy. 
If everything goes as planned, Chemaine will be back in mid-October for another casual, drama-free day(s) of lessons. Let me know if you're interested in riding with her.  And with that, this clinic write-up is finished! 
Desirea link
10/3/2015 07:30:55 am

Your new horse looks wonderful. You're going to go so far on him. Maybe I'll be able to catch up at some point.

Bakersfield Dressage link
10/3/2015 05:34:41 pm

Thanks, Desirea. I kind of like him. I know some people can zip through this journey, but I am a slow learner. While I am eager to get to second level on Speedy, just today I was enjoying the work that we were doing and realized that we'll get wherever, whenever. Izzy certainly has a ton of potential, but it remains to be seen where we go. :0)

emma link
10/5/2015 07:12:44 am

wow Izzy looks great!

Bakersfield Dressage link
10/5/2015 06:27:13 pm

Thanks, Emma. It's amazing what can happen when you have a pro whispering in your ear. :0)


Comments are closed.

    About the Writer and Rider

    ​I 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.
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    About Speedy G

    ​Speedy 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.
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    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 showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
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Among other things, Karen is a Wife, Friend, Reader, Writer, Rider, Traveler, and Dog Lover
Contact her at bakersfielddressage@gmail.com
  • Home
  • About
  • My Horses
    • Horses
    • Imperioso
    • G Ima Starr FA
    • Sunshine
    • Nakota and Gideon
    • Corky
    • Sassy
    • Montoya DSA
    • Mickey Dee
    • Sydney
  • Show Results
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
  • Dressage Organizations
    • Dressage Organizations
    • Memberships
    • 2019 Dressage Tests
  • Local
    • Shopping List
  • Home