Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
Someday, I hope to board at a barn that has a permanent dressage arena. Someplace where someone else takes care of it. Wouldn't that be wonderful? And expensive. So scratch that. I'll keep my water jugs and schlepp around my own meter tape. Since building my own dressage court this summer, I've remeasured and changed it several times looking for the best way to eliminate 10 meters. After three months, I've finally found the set of measurements that offers me the most accurate riding space possible. And here it is: After much trial and error, I finally realized that I need my corners to be accurate. So many of the mid-level movements begin and end in those corners. The place to chop off your length is not there. Instead, I realized that shrinking the distance between each of the rest of the letters would actually help me be more precise once we're showing in a full length court. That's where I took out my length; 2.5 meters from each section. With F, M. H, and K set at 6-meters, I now feel like I am able to use my corners so much more effectively. Now that I am not trying to start my half pass while I am still in the corner, Speedy is able to get his butt through the corner before I start asking. Riding 10-meter circles at each letter doesn't require 12-meters between one letter and the next. My diagonal work is shorter, but it would be no matter where R, B, and P are placed. After riding in my court measured out the way it is now, I am convinced that taking out 2.5 meters between each long side letter is the perfect solution.
Hey, maybe this is what we needed to improve our scores! We'll find out this month. 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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