Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
My boys fit this moniker; they're neither true friends nor all out enemies. Since Sydney is out of commission right now, I had to find something that he could do this weekend that wouldn't be painful. Hand grazing with a friend, no matter how tenuous the relationship, seemed to fit the bill. A brief explanation: since Speedy's 30 days of hand walking, he's grown perfectly comfortable with the rope tossed over his back and left to his own devices. He happily stays in the yard without needing me to direct him. Sydney, on the other hand, gets a bit panicked if I walk away and let go of his lead rope. He doesn't feel confident enough to just wander around the yard on his own.
This strikes me as very interesting as Sydney is the more dominant horse. Speedy though, looks to me first for direction so I imagine that when I tell him to graze HERE, he knows that he's safe as I must certainly be looking after him. At least, that's what I think he's thinking. You have a bit longer relationship with Speedy than Sydney, right? Maybe that accounts for some of it? Herd dynamics and the individual horse personalities are interesting. My mare is super vocal and loud about establishing her 'dominance' in a herd, but she's the first to back down when another horse challenges her. I almost think the louder (toward other horses) ones have the lower self-esteem than the quieter ones do. 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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