Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
I had a complete "lightening bolt" epiphany during Monday's ride ... By the way, I do have a full time job. Since we've been on Spring Break this week, I have crammed in as many lessons and schooling rides as possible. Speedy G will no doubt be grateful when I go back to work on Tuesday morning.
Leslie Webb ... again with her? ... asked me if I knew when the hind leg was in the air. I answered truthfully that I did not. I figured it was better to look dumb and learn something than to sound smart and prove myself otherwise. She pointed out that as the horse's barrel swings to the right, his left hind is coming up and a barrel swinging to the left means a right hind is coming up. Oh, okay, I feel that. As I was riding Monday morning, with my newly placed poles from Home Depot, I focused on straightness across the diagonal. But instead of steering his front end, I focused on keeping his hind legs moving in the direction I wanted. I let my legs swing gently with Speedy's barrel in a side to side motion, almost pushing him forward. It felt a little like dribbling a soccer ball ... gentle nudges to keep it rolling forward. If he drifted right, I swung the right leg a little more firmly into his side ... bump, bump, until I felt him shift to the left where my left leg was ready to "catch" him and guide him forward. I have heard it said a million times to ride a horse from back to front ... OH, that's what they mean! 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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