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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

HDEC Day 2: A New Day

3/21/2013

 
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

If you've been following along, you're probably getting the impression that I had a rough time at the HDEC Spring Show. Quite the opposite would be the truth. I came home grinning from ear to ear, bubbling with enthusiasm. Yes, my Friday warm up brought tears to my eyes, and yes, my first test gave me a sub 60% ride, but what I learned over the weekend made up for those two tiny blips on my unhappy radar.

I've already mentioned that I spent hours watching virtually all the tests before mine, and even quite a few tests after mine. I started to notice a few things:

  • Hilda warmed up by doing lots of little things. She didn't just ride circles. I could tell that she was warming up for the different elements of her test. 
  • The best riders used the court's "alley" (what is that space actually called?) to school their horses one last time before starting.
  • The best riders used strong aids when necessary, even during the test. I saw and heard Hilda whack Wintersnow pretty firmly with the whip a few different times. I also saw her, and several other riders, do pretty strong half halts when needed.
  • Some riders rode with their hands further apart, Hilda did this, but many riders had their hands quite close together with the outside rein laying pretty firmly against their horses' necks.
  • No one kept their lower leg perfectly still. All the riders, especially the good ones, used their lower legs to cue their horses.
  • The best riders smiled when they were finished and praised their horses enthusiastically.

The most important thing that I observed during all that watching was that the best riders continued to ride their horses during the tests. They didn't just sit there hoping the horse knew what to do. I think I've been riding my tests hoping that Speedy G will do a good job. I decided I needed to change that mentality and start actually riding the test.

I also decided that I have not been using my warm ups to good effect. I tend to just ride straight lines and then do some circles hoping that will supple him up. For Sunday's warm up, I cut it to 15 minutes. I did what I do at home: a walking lap, and then I got to work on bending Speedy's body. I planted my inside hand and did some of Michael Schaffer's perfect circles. I made the circles quite small and moved Speedy away from my inside leg.

I also did just two of the trot to canter transition that comes after the left lead canter circle. They were smooth and respectful so I decided not to piss him off by making him do any more. I didn't even bother with a right lead canter. He never fusses with that so I left it alone. We finished the warm up with a few more small circles until he softened his neck and poll. And that was it. I walked over to the ring steward, chat her up a bit, Speedy adores visiting, and then went to the ring to wait.

The other important thing I noticed about the judge's comments from the day before was that I needed to prepare for the transitions, and she was absolutely right. Up until now, I've been so focused on simply memorizing the test: track right at C, trot circle at B, change direction at the corner, canter in the far corner, etc. 

For the first test of the second day (T-2), I began adding the word prepare as in prepare to track right at C, prepare to circle at B, prepare to change direction in the corner. 

When I entered the arena's "alley," I started working on getting Speedy focused on me right away, I bent him this way and that, moved him off my leg, worked on a straight entry and square halt, and then made sure to position him so that we could enter at A with a right bend, our better way. I couldn't believe how much work I was able to do in those few minutes before the judge rang her bell.

Although our halt, salute wasn't perfect, it was much improved, and I knew it. In fact, everything felt better. I wasn't hoping Speedy wouldn't fall apart, I was telling him what to do, and he was trying to listen. I prepared for each turn and transition and focused on keeping a bend. I knew it was a better test when I made the final canter to trot transition (score: 7). A huge smile was plastered across my face as I came down centerline and halted (score:6.5). 

The result? I scored 9 points higher than the day before. My score was 60.893% - a definite improvement! 
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I like it!
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Sorry for the cruddy photo - my domain host won't let me upload the scans ...
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No big changes here.
Austen link
3/20/2013 11:31:34 pm

I LOVE your notes from watching other riders! Way to apply what you'd already seen to your ride. It's so hard to make changes the day of the show, but it sounds like you did a great job!

I laughed aloud reading about you riding your test just "hoping that Speedy G will do a good job." I am SO guilty of this, and it's something I'm striving to change for my upcoming season. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one out there who does this!

Karen
3/21/2013 10:00:15 pm

I wish I could have written everything I observed - there was more! This was the first time that I've been able to really sit and watch. Most shows here are run in the other order - beginner through advanced which means I usually show earlier in the morning. Since I drive so far, it's just not practical to stay until 4:00 to watch the top rider go especially if I left my house at 6:00 a.m.

And yeah ... no more "hoping" for this girl either! :0)

Teresa
3/20/2013 11:58:06 pm

I think your observations were spot on. It's so valuable to watch others. What I have learned from showing is:
1. warm up to your own horse and pay no attention to what others are doing
2 work on suppling and forward. It's too late to school the moves. I do this briefly in the warm up to confirm that there is a leg yield.
3. in the 'alley' I do transition and make sure that they are sharp. I couldn't let my horse have a long rein as he would get too tense and worried looking around. He needed to know that I was there
4. the riding during the test is so critical. In my head I practise the tests including where I need to half-halt. My horse got in the habit of plowing down the center line before the last halt - I think because he new it was going to end. It was like trying to stop a run away train. schooling at home made no difference. So in one or two tests I half-halted and almost walked. It improved our score a few points because now our halts were all scrambled.

Karen
3/21/2013 10:02:01 pm

All good advice, Teresa. Speedy also likes to race up centerline, but I already know that about him so I start doing a half halt about half way up. If I don't, he'd run past X and land in the judge's lap!

Lauren link
3/21/2013 06:39:35 am

Great job!!!! Love it when watching riders really helps you improve that quickly.

Karen
3/21/2013 10:04:30 pm

Thanks, Lauren. I think what watching did was really put my mind in the game and made me focus on what I was doing. I also realized what i was doing wrong and tried to fix it!

Sandra
3/21/2013 01:41:26 pm

What great notes! I am going to have to take notes while reading your blog so I can remember everything I want to try once I can ride again!

Karen
3/21/2013 10:05:26 pm

Sandra - note what NOT to do as well - there's plenty of that! :0) Hope you've read something helpful. LOL!

Kelly link
3/22/2013 02:33:21 am

I especially like the 'prepare' before each element! I have to remember that one. Fantastice improvement from one day to the next :)

Karen
3/22/2013 06:53:19 am

I am not sure why it has taken me three years to figure this out ... now that I know, it is definitely a part of my test riding!


Comments are closed.

    About the Writer and Rider

    ​I 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.
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    About Speedy G

    ​Speedy 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.
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    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 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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Among other things, Karen is a Wife, Friend, Reader, Writer, Rider, Traveler, and Dog Lover
Contact her at bakersfielddressage@gmail.com
  • Home
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