Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
Oh, it's real, but it's not everything. If you're a blogger, you'll know what I mean when I get to my point. If you're not a blogger, the following might come as a surprise. The blogger you read and follow, whether it's me or somehow else, is more than what their blog reveals. I've said this many, many times; I am very honest. I don't hide the bad days or the low scores (plenty of those lately) or the moments that make me want to pull out my hair. What I don't always share are the great moments. I have plenty of them, but frankly, it's boring to only read about unicorns who poop rainbows. People want to see the train wrecks, the disasters, the carnage. It's much easier to connect with someone who struggles. Seeing other people go through your EXACT struggle gives you hope, especially when you read about a solution that worked. Even my fifth grade students know that every story has to have a conflict. Conflict creates reader involvement. The better the conflict, the more engrossing the story. A narrative without a problem is just a dull series of events that no one wants to read. What all of this means is that you probably have a somewhat skewed idea of who I am really. I am what my blog reveals - intense, dedicated, driven, goal oriented, hard on myself, etc. What my blog might not reveal is that I am also pretty funny and very happy.
I ride with Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, because riding, showing, and teaching are her passion. That's true of a lot of trainers, but what makes Chemaine different is that she also needs it to be fun, really fun. During our lessons, you'll hear more laughter and F-bombs than anything else. Yes, we're working hard, but we're also enjoying the heck out of it. You already know that I am pretty self-deprecating. I truly find everything funny, especially my own goof ups and mistakes. Life is just too danged hard not to find the humor in it. So when you hear me complain or whine or lament, remember that is only part of my story. Behind the scenes, I am laughing at the 2 I got for my last simple change and wondering how I can strap my butt in so I don't actually have to learn to sit the trot. The struggle? Yeah, it's real, but it's also really, really funny. 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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