Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
If it's your tire, it's a terrible thing. If it's your team, it's a terrible thing. If it's your pony's left bend, it's a terrible thing. I hate to be a whiner. If anyone has a right to whine right now, it's Kelly over at Ride, Groom, Feed. She has a reason to whine. Her equine pal, Leo, just left a lovely purple mark across her knee. So I am not really whining, just deep sighing.
Oh, Sydney! Why, oh why, won't you bend? I don't think this is a new thing. I think this is me getting better and better at feeling his body moving where it should and where it shouldn't. I can now feel the running steps, the bulge in his non-circular circle, and the hollowness as I lose the contact on one side or the other. His latest thing is to blow through the corner as we pass the gate. And when I say blow through, I mean a complete blowout to the other side of the arena. It's been very frustrating, but each day over the last week, I've gotten better at keeping him on the circle. The first three dozen times around, I have to almost do a complete counter bend with FIRM leg to get past that ONE spot. Each time around he gets less pushy until he can almost do it with no outside bend. And if I am really consistent, like last night, he can even do it with the correct bend, eventually. As I work through that corner, I am CRACKING THE NUT, squeezing with my legs, and holding that outside rein firm. You. Will. Not. Blow. Through. This. Turn. Whew - we made it. The nano second that he relaxes at all, I slide my hands forward and give him the release. He stretches deeply as he begins the circle again. All is well during the first quarter. As we approach the top of the circle, I turn to look at the path I want to follow. I start to ask with the outside leg and rein ... turn, TURN, TURN. At the beginning of the ride, we don't make it. Part-way through the ride, we make the turn, but there's a lot of ugly. The ride is nearly done when he makes the turn with even a hint of stretch. Tomorrow is a another chance to make the turn. No more whining. Feel better quickly, Kelly! Thanks Karen! And naughty Sydney. I had a clever pony who did the same thing (and many other things!) to me - since he KNEW what was required and was just being evasive my instructor had me carry my whip in my outside hand and give him a smart smack on the shoulder every time he tried to bulge it outwards. Worked like a charm! Sounds like you're getting a good 'applying the correct aids' workout though, and making progress! Good luck :)
Karen
2/24/2012 10:12:30 am
I think they're the right aids. I won't know until my lesson on Wednesday. I think I am close though as I had a meeting of the minds with him tonight. he tried the same tricks, but I was much quicker with my aids. I didn't need any counter bending tonight. I did LOTS of inside leg to outside rein. That seemed to accomplish a lot. 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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