Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
Unless I get some wildly bad news this morning, Speedy and I are headed to a two-day USDF show. I like to do my show prep chores a little at a time, but given the long list of cancelled shows in my area, I was hesitant to invest even a single moment in prepping knowing that there was a good possibility of the show being cancelled. The first chore I took care of was getting a few things done to Newt, my not-so-new-truck. I had the oil changed a month or so ago, but now that I've had it 7 months, it was time to get the tires rotated. I also filled up the tank, added DEF (diesel exhaust fluid), vacuumed, and drove through the car wash. Even if this show gets cancelled, vehicle maintenance still needs to get done. The next task I worked on was getting Speedy's hair under control. I clipped a fresh bridle path, removed the goat hairs from under his jaw, and cleaned up his fetlocks. He thinks he's a Clydesdale. That boy grows some seriously long and thick feathers. I cut them really short in late winter, so they weren't as bad as they can get, but normally I've shown several times by now which means they're usually pretty tidy through the spring and summer. Since we haven't shown in ages, I've let them get a bit wild and wooly. On Wednesday, I swept out the trailer, added fresh shavings, and gathered all of Speedy's feed. I filled my bale bag and both hay nets. I also filled his to-go bucket with rice bran and beat pulp, added some cookies, electrolytes, and then tossed a few scoops of his new ground flaxseed into a baggie. All of that got stored in a bucket with a screw on lid. The bale bag went in the trailer, while my braiding box, muck bucket, hay nets, and feed bucket were loaded last night. Since I had a little time left on Wednesday, I also cleaned my bridles while hanging out in our new Equestrian Lounge. It was just as pleasant as I knew it would be. I cleaned my saddle yesterday and then loaded it and a few other things. I really, really want to get to a show, but it's hard to let myself get too excited knowing that it might get cancelled at any moment. I've been working on both tests (we're showing 3-1 and 3-3) because show or no show, schooling the movements in order has really shown me where we're weakest right now.
Fingers crossed we get to enter at A. 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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