Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
I had a lesson on Tuesday which renewed my faith in Speedy's ability to do Third Level. I need to quit being such a doubter. But you know how it goes, sometimes you do great in a lesson under your trainer's watchful eye only to crash and burn the next day. I am thrilled to report that when I rode Speedy yesterday afternoon sans trainer, I got an easy flying change at the end of the canter half pass! Not that our half pass is recognizable as such. It looks more like a beginner's attempt at a leg yield - more diagonal than straight, but who cares about that? The thrilling part was that we got it on the first try with minimal effort on my part. Truth be told, I think he offered it before I had completely finished asking! Which leads me to hope that he might be ready to start offering changes at random moments during the canter as I lose my balance or shift my weight. Wouldn't that be awesome? This video was during Tuesday's lesson, but it shows how well he can do a flying change. As I rode yesterday afternoon, I reminded myself that if I am going to cram him into "the box," I need to at least occasionally "let him go" to see if he can stay there. We were both a lot happier. Self-carriage is a thing afterall; I need to let him do it. My whole complaint this past of couple of weeks was that he wasn't sitting enough and softening. I think the photo above is proof that he can sit. If I can just get out of his way just a little bit and trust him to do his job, I think we might actually make it to Third Level.
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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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