Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
We are in the midst of a fly season that. Will. Not. End. I am STILL using fly spray. It was in the mid 70s all last week. We've had some brisk mornings, but not enough to kill off our flies. A week or two ago the ranch owner bought a bunch of new fly traps and hung them around the barn and people spaces. They were immediately covered with flies. The fly traps are disgusting, but our brand of flies are what we like to call "sticky flies." They land on you, and no matter how hard you twitch or shake, they don't fly off. Sticky flies. I love that we're using sticky traps; serves the little boogers right. Speedy's eyes are still running because the flies will not leave his face alone. Izzy, too, is annoyed. His eyes don't run, but when I get there, there will be at least 30 flies crawling all over his face. He shakes the flies off for a moment, but the second he's still, the flies come right back to what they were doing - irritating the hell out of him. The ranch owner employs Fly Predators, and they do work, but right now, nothing is helping. Thankfully the mornings are cool and dark comes early - I can't believe I am saying that. The flies only torment the horses for a few hours in the afternoon, but that's a few hours too many in DECEMBER. I can't believe I am wishing for rain and cold and maybe a frost, but I am.
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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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