Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
My husband seemed pretty impressed by our win at RAAC. I was more surprised than impressed. My trainer, Chemaine Hurtado, was probably relieved. I imagine there is some worry when your student sports your logo on everything and then brings home a score in the mid-50s. It just doesn't look good. I am always thrilled to do well, but it's really hard for me to take any credit for it. When we finish near the bottom of a class, I always say it's because everyone was better than me. The horses were better, and the riders were better. I don't resent them, and I don't feel as though it's unfair; it's just life. When we do well though, I always feel as though everyone else must have had a bad day. It's certainly not because I have a better horse or am a better rider; Lord knows that can't be true. I am usually a glass half full kind of girl, but when it comes to showing, I always assume the worst. Chemaine and I have decided to spend the fall and winter tackling Third Level. She's assured me that it's a lot more fun than Second, and since Speedy can already do clean flying changes (when I don't ask for them), it might even be easy. When I asked her how we got through Second Level so quickly while we languished at Training and First Levels, she explained that it was because we built a very solid foundation at those lower levels.
I guess that means we're not just lucky. Maybe we're even good sometimes. 8/22/2018 09:46:31 am
Thanks, Carol. It's a tough thing to do, especially for me. :0) Dude, you've worked your BUTT off and that's why you won! You created a dressage horse from the bottom up and pushed yourself to learn new things and get out of your comfort zone. It's hard to take credit... BUT YOU SHOULD! <3 Even this hunter princess can see how much you and Speedy have improved!! 8/23/2018 05:35:06 am
You are so sweet, Tracy. The thing that makes dressage so challenging is that as soon as you get decent at something, it means you need to move on where you get to suck all over again. That means I feel pretty good about what we've done for about 3 days, and then it's back to beginner land. LOL 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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