Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
Through last fall, the ranch was actually my third home, but thankfully, we finally sold our cabin. As it is, I now officially have everything but a kitchen sink out at the ranch. When and if I ever have to leave, I'll need a moving van or three to get everything out. Not only do I have a lot of stuff/junk, it's spread around the ranch from north to south and east to west. I have at least a dozen poles up in the arena, not to mention another dozen letter markers. Yes, I know they're just water jugs, but it wouldn't be polite to just abandon them. Behind the barn, I have several feed/water troughs, and behind the round pen is stored my horse trailer. Of course I also have a table and chairs and some other accessories in our newly constructed Equestrian Lounge. Now that we have a new set at our house, I am not sure I'd want to take the table and chairs, but you never know where you might end up. Then there's the mountain of stuff living in our combination feed/tack room. No matter how hard I try to limit what lives out there, I end up failing. It seems that I add something new each day. Sometimes it's a piece of tack, more often more grooming equipment, or occasionally some device designed to make my life seem easier. Yes, all of that is mine. In my defense however, I have two horses, and I do most of my own doctoring and feeding. I also travel with my horses. Of course, most of what I need for traveling already lives in the trailer - the grooming supplies, buckets, lunge line, spare halter, whip, and a boatload of other stuff. The only things I actually take from the feed/tack room are my saddle and bridle, shampooing bucket, and the muck bucket/cart combo. Last week, the ranch owner dove in and cleaned the heck out of the other side of the feed/tack room in preparation for a new boarder, DG. DG has been riding one of the ranch's horses for the better part of a year, but she recently asked if she could bring her aging, less-than-sound mare out to the ranch to live. Room had to be carved out in the feed/tack room. When I saw an opening, I quickly loaded up an old wicker table and my refrigerator and promptly filled in the "hole." DG has already added some equine medications that are temperature sensitive, and of course I shoved in some beverages. This is the cleanest it will probably ever be. Like I said, the only thing I am missing is a kitchen sink.
Our ranch owner is probably regretting that she ever gave me a key to the place. 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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