Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
You really need to click the photo for the full effect. If you're a regular Facebook user, you've probably seen this. And if you hadn't seen it before today, you're now nodding your head right along with the rest of us. And if you don't ride, but say you play golf (I am looking at you, jenj!), you also know exactly what this flow chart depicts. I know it's supposed to represent progress over time. See there at the top where the equestrian thinks she's now a champion and therefore gets to rest on her laurels? Well, what she may not realize is that it doesn't represent permanent progress. Tomorrow, she's going to be back in the range of "stall cleaner." I am kidding of course. She'll probably only drop back to "We suck!" I don't know how up and down your rides are over the course of an hour, a week, or a month, but I go through this entire range of fugly to fabulous on a daily basis. Riding two horses regularly is pretty humbling. To those of you riding three or more ponies, I salute you. You're either totally awesome, or else you just love the flavor of humble pie. Again, just kidding! I haven't ridden in a few days. I had last week off, so I got a ton of saddle time on both horses, including four lessons with Chemaine. By Monday, I was feeling the need for a break, so I scheduled a few appointments for after school. The last day I rode was Sunday. That chart up there is exaclty how my day went. My ride on Speedy was beyond fantastic. It was so good that I sent Chemaine a rather long message telling her how good our connection was and how forward into my hand Speedy was. If I could have crammed him into the trailer and raced off to a show that afternoon, I would have done it. Second Level was waving me onto the field as "We are the Champions" blared through the speakers. We are the champions - my friends Well, something like that anyway.
And then I saddled Izzy. Holy guacamole. How inept can I be? That is not a rhetorical question. I need answers. How can I be AWESOME at 10:30 and suck lemons by 11:00?!?!?!? The message to Chemaine also included several paragraphs detailing the stink bomb that Izzy and I dropped. I think he needs a couple of days of too. The rest of this week is pretty busy with another late meeting on Thursday which means I might get to ride today and Friday, but if I just feel like doing some turn out instead, I am totally okay with that. I don't have to be a champion every time I ride, but thank goodness it happens at least occasionally. How about you? Are your rides as up and down as mine are, or are you the Champion we all envy? It's okay - you can be honest! :0)
jenj
12/2/2015 06:29:03 am
If I did play golf (and I've only ever played mini-golf, which I suck at), that would still be me in that graph. As it is, that's pretty much me, every ride. However, I don't usually get to end on a "we are champions!" note, lol! 12/2/2015 06:26:46 pm
LOL! We don't always end so well, but Speedy is becoming quite the well trained Dude. :0)
SprinklerBandits
12/2/2015 08:13:37 am
Oh, the photo is SO TRUE. And the greener the horse, the wider the swings related to them. ;-) 12/2/2015 06:29:43 pm
If you tackle any "activity," it's probably true. :0) 12/2/2015 06:31:06 pm
Believe me, I know how you feel. That's why I like to share my "failures" - we all need to know that EVERYONE struggles. :0) 12/6/2015 07:51:43 am
I definitely appreciate the awesome days because I know there are not-so-good days waiting. Hopefully your days of not-so-good are fewer and fewer. :0) 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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