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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

More Bull Than Ballerina

3/24/2016

 
My best friend likens Izzy to a bull in a China shop. A truer characterization could not be made. He doesn't intend to cause trouble, but he's a little oblivious to his own size and frankly, he doesn't know where all of his parts begin and end.
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Is that you, Izzy?
I was actually quite pleased with how Izzy handled this most recent road trip. He wasn't bored, but his tension level was much lower which let him do some thinking. Kathy graciously toted my tack and essentials in my new cart while I led Izzy up to the ring and cross ties. For previous trips, there was a lot of snorting and carrying on, but this time, he was a Looky Lou, but he remained calm and carried on.

We warmed up in the short court with two other riders, the first time I've ridden him with anyone else in the ring. He was tense and hollow-backed. Despite his tension, I still rode in and around other horses who were spooking and cantering, and I was able to use the whole ring. So even though he was a bit of a mess, he showed me that he can handle a warm up ring.

At about the 30 second mark, Jackie's horse gives a big spook at A, and it takes Izzy a few seconds to see what is going on. Once he sees Dempsey being naughty, he starts thinking about getting the heck out of Dodge. Here's the video:
The spook didn't phase me at all, we had only been riding for a few minutes, and he was high as a kite. What I love was that after a quick pat, he got right back to work.

A little bit later, one of the horses in the barn gave a nice snort as we were trotting by, and Izzy did an awesome reining rollback.
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Sit deeply ...
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Give it the stink eye ...
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I'm outta here!
On the video, you can hear me laughing. While his spooks are pretty hard, he's not trying to unseat me. I never felt like I was even close to coming off, and he always regroups and comes right back to me.

I am not sure what he was fussing at in these next photos, but in all likelihood it had something to do with softening (or not) to the outside rein.
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Um ... no.
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Still no!
There were some video fails as well. In the end though, he finally said yes.
Right in the very beginning of the video, you might have seen him stop short. That was the second time ... in a row. My best friend was bummed that she missed the first stop, so she quickly turned the ipad back on in hopes that he would do it again. She squealed in delight when he gave me the exact same body slam in the exact same spot.
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Screeeech!
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But then we both rocked forward ...
Izzy is definitely not a beginner's horse, but none of these spooks or naughties are in any way scary. He never gives me a reason to think oh, crap. In fact, when he's being balky or kicking out, I feel perfectly safe giving him a good old fashioned pony club kick or whack with the whip.
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Holding it together.
Izzy is actually a lot of fun to ride. He's powerful, pleasant to look at, and a pretty decent dude. So even though he's a bit of a bull in a China shop right now, deep down I think he's really a Ferdinand at heart.
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SarahO link
3/24/2016 07:39:41 am

Good for you! The way you handle a spook or balk and then just calmly go back to what you were doing is exactly what horses like Izzy need in my experience. While I know that myself, I can't stop getting scared on some level and having my body tense up and lean forward (not the right response!). Looks like Izzy found a good match in you :-)

Some moments in the second video are looking good! (Especially for a hairy warm-up with other horses!)

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/24/2016 07:56:51 am

One of the reasons that I cringe at showing video from our lessons is that Chemaine isn't trying to get us looking "good" for the camera. Instead, she's helping me work through the sticky spots which means there's going to be a whole lot of ugly and not so much nice. Once we get a something that looks good, we move on to the next sticky spot.

In between lessons, it's my job to continue with the work she had me do so that things look good by the next lesson. And while I would love to just show her all of the good stuff we've accomplished, I know it's back to the ugly!

Izzy is a lot like Speedy (now) in that his spooks and bolts are fairly predictable,and I know what the extent of them are going to be. That's why nothing that Izzy does makes me nervous or tense. In fact, I usually laugh during the spooks. I sold Sydney, my OTTB, because his spooks and shenanigans were highly unpredictable and would come for no apparent reason. His maneuvers scared the crap out of me and made me tense and anxious A LOT. I decided it wasn't any fun riding a horse like that.

Izzy went through a few months were I thought he was going to be the same way. I started to get a bit fearful while riding him, but after riding through a few of his bucks and spins, I realized that he was showing me his worst. Sydney never showed me his worst. The shenanigans kept getting bigger and more explosive.

So yes, I agree with you completely. It is best if the rider can ride through those things unfazed. I am pretty danged confident, but I recognize my limitations. :0)

Austen link
3/24/2016 09:22:56 am

Hahaha! Love the bloopers! I also tend to laugh a lot when my horse is a being spooky and kind of dumb about life. He's not trying to lose me, so there's really nothing to worry about. We just spook, and move on.

Teresa link
3/25/2016 04:40:39 pm

Izzy and Carmen's spooks are very similar. She has a bit more 'delicacy' to the spins and spooks but, like you, now that I'm sure of her worst they don't bother me at all.

I'm trying to line up some lessons now that spring is starting.


Comments are closed.

    About the Writer and Rider

    ​I 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.
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    Photo by Lori Ovanessian

    About Speedy G

    ​Speedy 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.
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    July 2020 (PC AJSK Photography)

    About Izzy

    Izzy 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.
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    March 2021 (PC Tess Michelle Photography)

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    National Rider Awards

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    Speedy G - 3rd Level Horse Performance Award - 2020
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Site Designed and Managed by: Karen Sweaney

Among other things, Karen is a Wife, Friend, Reader, Writer, Rider, Traveler, and Dog Lover
Contact her at bakersfielddressage@gmail.com
  • Home
  • About
  • My Horses
    • Horses
    • Imperioso
    • G Ima Starr FA
    • Sunshine
    • Nakota and Gideon
    • Corky
    • Sassy
    • Montoya DSA
    • Mickey Dee
    • Sydney
  • Show Results
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
  • Dressage Organizations
    • Dressage Organizations
    • Memberships
    • 2019 Dressage Tests
  • Local
    • Shopping List
  • Home