Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
A week or so ago I had a small accident in my daily driver, the Juke. As much as I love this car, this is the second accident I've had in it, and the third time it's been in the body shop. All short stories with no injuries, but that car has racked up nearly $8,000 in body work - none of it my fault. All of that means that I've been driving the less-than-efficient Blue Truck every day. I drive exactly 51 miles a day on my home to work to barn to home tour. To add insult to injury, Blue truck is a gas guzzler; I am going through more than 5 gallons a day. With fuel prices what they are, I am spending at least $20 a day in gas. Even though Juke is an apparent fender-bender magnet, at least its fuel mileage is more efficient. I spend about $5 a day in it. I grumbled about it all week, and then while at the feed store, I groaned as I tried to lift my tailgate to close it. That thing weighs a ton. I grumpily told the guy who loaded my feed that I was getting old. He chuckled as he closed the tailgate for me. I think he was about the same age as Blue Truck. Laugh all you want, Buddy, just wait until you're my age. When I got to the barn, I dropped the tailgate and hopped up on it for a few minutes, swinging my legs like you do when you're young. It made me remember all the times I had done that as a kid while I watched my dad work. It reminded me of high school parties out in a field and camping at the beach. Tailgates are wonderful things, especially on an old truck that's been part of the family. As I sat there swinging my legs, enjoying the sunny afternoon, I paused to wonder just how old I was when we bought Blue Truck. I know Blue Truck is getting up there at 18 years of age, but if that's true, I must have been pretty young when we signed on the dotted line. After doing some quick math, I realized that we've had Blue Truck since I was about 29 years old. I am now 47.
It struck me that Blue Truck has been in our family longer than any dog or horse we've owned and even longer than many people have had their kids. The only thing in our household older than Blue Truck is our marriage license. Blue Truck may be a bit geriatric, but sliding in behind its wheel is like slipping on a pair of well worn slippers. I'd love a new truck of course, but Blue Truck is going to be hard to replace. Keep on truckin', Blue Truck. Sorry I complained about you. 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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