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Flexion and More Flexion

1/30/2018

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I don't know if flexion is Chemaine Hurtado's word of the month, or if Speedy and I are finally at a place where we need more of it. Either way, both of my horse's did a ton of flexing this weekend with instructions to do it about a million more times.
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Working on suppling his neck and back.
I am pretty sure I haven't shared this yet, but Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, recently moved to Kern County which is where Bakersfield is located. Don't get too excited. Kern County is the same size as New Jersey, but at least she's closer. That means I've had lessons twice this month with two more on the horizon. It's been amazing.
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Pesky right lead canter!
Over the weekend, she helped me see why Speedy and I have been struggling with some of the work at Second Level. The super short version is that he's lost some of the suppleness in his back that we had before he was laid up. Since he's not stretching over his top line, the canter work, particularly the simple change, has been hard for him.
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That means I am going to be spending the next several weeks getting him to stretch over his top line. Basically, that means a ton of over-flexing. What Chemaine had me do in the trot work was over-flex him to the inside, always too much, and lift the outside side shoulder. When he softens, I need to push my hands forward and push him forward into that open space. In this way, he takes a longer stride and lengthens his neck.
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We did a lot of the same work at the canter, particularly in the 10-meter canter circles. Speedy has been having trouble with sort of stalling out. To help that, she had me over-flex as we went into the turn but then release the inside rein while sponging the outside rein. This created a softer neck while putting him on the outside rein.
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Getting a longer neck with a longer stride.
By the time we finished up the lesson, Speedy was stretching his neck forward while also taking a much longer stride. He felt better than he ever has! Hopefully, I can get the same level of suppleness on my own.
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Looking pretty fancy!
Either way, the good news is that Chemaine should be back in two weeks to continue helping me turn Speedy into a Second Level horse. 
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    About the 
    Writer & Rider

    I am a lifetime 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.

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    Photo by Lori Ovanessian
    Email Karen

    About Speedy G

    Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. We're currently showing Third Level for the 2019 show season. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.

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    August 2018

    About Izzy

    Izzy 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 schooling and showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
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    March 2019

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    Bakersfield Dressage approved!
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    FOR THE SMALLER EQUINE ATHLETE
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    I love her stuff!

    National Awards

    • USDF Second Level Rider Performance Award - 2018
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    2nd Level Rider Performance, 2018
    • USDF First Level Rider Performance Award - 2015
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    1st Level Rider Performance, 2015
    • USDF Training Level Rider Performance Award - 2013
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    • CDS Ruby Rider Award - 2018
    • CDS Second Level Horse Performance Award - 2018
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    2020 Completed …
    ​10/26-27/19 SCEC (***)

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    Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC)  
    3rd Level Qualifying
    3 Scores/2 Judges:

    Score 1: 60.405% Atkins
    Score 2: 62.432% Atkins
    Score 3: 

    CDS Championship
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    3rd Level Qualifying
    5 Scores/4 Judges:

    Score 1: 60.405% Atkins
    Score 2: 62.432% Atkins
    Score 3: 
    Score 4: 
    Score 5: 

    Working Towards:

    ​CDS 3rd Level Horse Performance Award
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    3 Judges/3 Shows:
    Score 1: 63.514% Lindholm
    Score 2: 62.105% Lindholm
    Score 3: 63.243% Wadeborn
    Score 4: 60.405% Atkins
    Score 5: 62.432% Atkins
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    CDS Sapphire Rider Award
    Third Level: 63.514%
    Third Level: 62.105%
    Fourth Level:
    Fourth Level:

    USDF Bronze Medal
    First Level - 70.179%
    First Level - 72.600%
    Second Level - 62.879%
    Second Level - 61.970%
    Third Level - 62.432%
    ​Third Level -

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