I Made My Own Self Tired!

4/25/2011

Homemade Dressage Letters

How can you give yourself a lesson? I think I did it on Sunday.

I don't have an actual dressage court. WHAT? I know ... right? No, it's one part of my barn's facilities that I really don't like. There is a large oval arena, and it is almost long enough for a dressage court, but a dressage court it ain't. So, I've done the best I can with cones. Here's a quick peek at the cones I bought at Target (Tarjay for you name brand shoppers) and then taped on computer-printed letters. They work better than nothing and were cheap to buy.

On Saturday, I finally got the brilliant idea to use a pre-measured length of rope to mark out the width and length of my "dressage court." I also decided to use my four cavaletti poles (purchased at Home Depot for 3 bucks each) to make two corners at the A end of the dressage court. With those two corners marked and my cones forming the rest of the rectangle, I made a serviceable riding space.

Leslie Webb really got after me about riding the figures correctly. So on Sunday, I decided to really work hard to make my 20-meter circles accurate. I also used the long side and diagonal of my "court" to work on straightness. Straightness is tough to master in an oval! And of course, I had to work on that canter departure. I am pleased to announce that there was no bucking or cow kicking. And with a "court" marked out, I was able to work on the canter circles at A, and then down the long side to circle at E and then again at C and so on.

After all that right lead cantering followed by all the left lead cantering, I was pooped! I just kept telling Speedy G, "Again ... again ... again!" We finally got it, but I was tired.

There's actually more to this story ... with the four cavaletti poles working so well to anchor the corners at A, Hubby volunteered to go to Home Depot with me that afternoon to buy even more poles to mark the C end of the court, along with two extra poles to support the long sides. (Thanks, Hubby!). Wednesday's lesson with Coach should be more "constructive!"

M\arbaskin's Mom

4/25/2011 01:16:39 am

There's nothing like a bunch of poles from Lowes or Home Depot! People out at the ranch let me know when they go on sale cheap and we buy 3-4 every time! Pretty soon you will have a court, trot poles, even a small jump all at the same time! The only drawback is putting them all away...

Karen

4/25/2011 07:52:50 am

Love the poles ... hate dragging them around ... need more poles! :0)

Edyta

4/29/2011 05:28:07 am

I use a 20 meter rope too! Hehe :-)
Can you send a link to the poles??
Another trick is plastic chain that you can attach to buckets/jugs filled with water/sand. You can buy the chain in bulk.

4/29/2011 09:08:18 am

Edyta - the poles don't have a link! They're just 8 foot, round fence poles from the gardening section at Home Depot. They're $2.99 when they're not on sale and cheaper when they are on sale.

If I didn't have to tear my "dressage court" down after every ride, I would have one with all the bells and whistles. As it is, it is so labor intensive for a 30 minute ride that all I am willing to schlep around are a few cones and some 8 foot poles!

:0)

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Not-So-Speedy Dressage