Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
Fall can be a tough time for horses in Central California. Our mornings have just now begun to be cool, and by just now, I mean Saturday. While this week is forecast to be fantastic, we're not out of the hundred degree wood yet. We could still get some really hot afternoons before the end of the month. That means it's colic season here in Bakersfield. With temperatures suddenly twenty degrees cooler, our horses often quit drinking as much. This of course leads to tummy aches. I am being ultra vigilant of my boys' water intake during this week of cooler mornings. On Friday afternoon, which was pretty warm, Speedy stood sweating as I tacked him up. His winter coat is coming in quickly, so I wondered if he was just hot, or if he was not feeling well. I pulled out a thermometer and gave him a quick check. A horse's normal body temperature runs between 99℉ and 101℉ , but after a workout or on a hot day, it can be several degrees higher. Short thermometers like the one I use also read a bit cooler as they don't reach far enough to get a true internal reading. My thermometer gives me a good idea of where he is though. The display topped out at 99.3℉, well within the normal range. I knew it was safe to ride. As fall makes its appearance here in my neck of the woods, I like to reevaluate my guys' feed, winter coats, and even the health of their skin. I also took a peek in my Med Kit to see if anything had cracked, oozed, or leaked. Everything looked good so I cleaned my thermometer and tucked it back into it's little pouch.
Hopefully that will be the last and only "scare" of the season. Anyone else starting colic season? |
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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