Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
I know you are no doubt sick of the topic, but I literally have to write about it in order to really get it to STICK. I'll keep it short; I promise.
Sydney's right lead canter is firming up! I am finally feeling how to support him. He needs a lot of outside rein with a firmly lifted inside rein with weight in my outside stirrup and steady thumping with my inside leg. We got a great right lead canter on Saturday. To the left? I can't believe there was ever any difficulty. He is nicely uphill and balanced, and is it ever fun to ride! Woo hoo for Speedy G! You should see the pop in his walk-to-canter transitions. They're getting sharper each day. The second part of that exercise is to lengthen and shorten and even that is coming along nicely. I was struggling to the left as Speedy just got more and more downhill. On Saturday, I finally got solid in my core and said, Get UP here! I used a ton of leg and engaged the heck out of my core. As he tried to drop down in front, I sat back, added leg, and in timing with his stride, rocked the outside rein back and up and successfully helped him rebalance himself. I actually felt him lift and sit. It was amazing! See? Short and sweet! Lesson tonight - I can't wait!
Karen
1/7/2013 09:15:15 pm
For me, once I felt the first thing, I started to know what to look (feel) for. EVERYTHING about dressage is feel. No one can tell you what it is; you have to feel it for yourself. I know that's why school masters are such a good idea. They can help you feel a lot quicker than riding an unschooled horse. Since I don't have a school master, I'll just keep plunking away as I've been doing. :0) 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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