Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
And we're off to Hansen Dam Equestrian Center ... I ride Training Level Test 2 at 10:50 and Training Level Test 3 at 11:20. It's only 100 miles, but in the trailer, it's a solid two hour drive from Bakersfield. Here's a map for those who don't live anywhere nearby. I tried to psyche myself out early in the week, but I decided that I didn't need the additional stress. Work was offering that in spades.
I had a lesson on Monday, and it went great; I felt confident in my riding and in my ability to put Speedy together. When I rode him again on Thursday, I was very discouraged. He was stiff, crooked, and worst of all, he felt lame. I hopped off and checked for a rock - nothing. I trot him in hand down the arena - again, nothing. I went out to the dirt driveway where it's really flat and smooth to trot him - still nothing. I walked out into the road which is paved and trot him down that - absolutely nothing. Okay, he's not lame. I got back on and really shortened my reins. I worked on suppling his neck and shoulders by moving him off my inside leg. Aha ... no lame steps and he finally started to move better. When I was finished riding, my old demons tried to convince me that I am a terrible rider and was going to fall apart on Sunday. It must have been a pretty weak attempt because I was able to simply brush aside the comments and tartly replied, big deal. It's the first show of the season. So what if we're a little rusty? And that was the end of the self-doubt. I rode again on Friday, but this time I addressed some of the problems from the day before. I did some quick body work on Speedy while I groomed - stretches and massage, and once I was on, I paid attention to how stiff or resistant he was at the walk. I asked for a lot of walk with a long and low frame. Once we trot, I asked that to be long and low, too. Once I felt he was moving along pretty nicely, I shortened my reins and got to work. The area that we most need to work on is piecing all of what we know together. I tend to stay in one end of the arena and only do small changes of directions using a short diagonal, and rarely do I work down the long side. I need to start adding in trot and canter work down the long side and across the diagonal so that's what I did on Saturday. I feel good about what he and I can do when we're relaxed without the pressure of C track right, B circle right 20-meters, KXM Change rein working trot ... Test riding is very, very different from schooling work.
Karen
2/11/2013 08:01:15 am
We did well, but it's hard to accept it. I keep making excuses (easy judge, etc.). What's wrong with me? :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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