Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
Woohoo! I finally, FINALLY caught my barn owner at a good moment. She very graciously agreed to snap a few photos while I rode Sydney on Monday, and to my surprise, she caught a small snippet of video during our right lead canter. That's not our best direction, but it looks decent on the video! A little background: for this past week or so, I've simply been doing a walk lap followed by a few rounds with my hands planted in my thigh as we trot around, followed by a trot-through of Intro C, followed by some left and right lead canter work. None of the work has been to shorten his frame or "round him up" at all. I am simply working on getting him happy to move forward all around the arena so that on show day, that's what he's thinking; just go forward. Drumroll please ... An actual video of our right lead canter. Please remember this is our "bad" side! 4/4/2013 01:00:08 am
You both look so happy! That is wonderful! His right lead canter doesn't look bad at all,so your left lead must look pretty amazing!
Karen
4/4/2013 11:43:23 am
I promise that just a month or so ago, he could barely pick up the right lead canter without pivoting to the inside and cantering off in the wrong direction! I was THRILLED with the clip. it shows we have improved a TON! Thanks for the kudos. ;0)
Karen
4/4/2013 11:44:07 am
More than you know! It really was pretty bad. :0)
Karen
4/4/2013 11:45:11 am
No glamorous, lovely work, but at least we're going around and he's relaxed. The glamour will come (someday!). :0) 4/4/2013 03:48:06 am
Nice! Happy and relaxed horse and rider. Love the snorts.
Karen
4/4/2013 11:47:37 am
I am glad you mentioned that, CFS. I know I find it hard to visualize some of the exercises I read about. Sydney really likes this exercise as it does force me to very steady with my hands. It doesn't take him long to really start stretching his top line. As I bring my hands to a more normal position, we lose some of the stretch which tells me my hands are not as quiet as they are when fixed to my thighs. Something to work on ...
Sandra
4/4/2013 03:40:00 pm
What a lovely transition! No bucking or crow-hopping! He seems happy and WILLING! What a great video clip! Thank you so much for sharing! NICE ride!
Karen
4/4/2013 10:27:03 pm
Compared to what I've ridden through over the last year and a half, it's nice. We still have a lot of work to do, but at least we're going forward and not up or sideways!
Karen
4/10/2013 11:02:08 pm
It might be slowly, but we are getting somewhere! :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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