Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
![]() Same photo as yesterday. I posted photos from after Saturday's ride, but I didn't give any riding details. Sydney was actually a champ. We started out in the arena with RM and Bounder who is looking quite good for an old man. RM had him pleasantly cantering around the arena. I told her I was a bit jealous. I am almost ready to start cantering Sydney again, but I want to wait until this upcoming show is behind us. No sense in starting something new. Wouldn't want to borrow trouble between now and Sunday. We worked on getting a nice bend and moving off my inside leg. He wants to be heavy and hang on me, but rocking the inside/outside rein helps lighten him up. After our arena work, I threw on my reflective vest and repeated our trip around the neighborhood. We walked past the dogs with only a watchful look. The dogs obliged me by not barking, but it was good to see that Sydney didn't panic just because they could have barked. I liked that he just gave them a look, but he kept marching forward. At the corner where we lose sight of the other horses, we bumped into the woman who owns the property that I've been riding on. I stopped for a minute to chat with her while her dogs ambled around us. Sydney ignored the dogs but was anxious to keep walking so I planted my inside hand on my thigh and let him pace around my inside leg switching the bend every few turns. It helped settle him down, and it gave me a preview of how he might behave on Sunday. We continued along the gravel road to the neighbor's property and made it down the whoop-de-do with a very free and swinging walk. Sydney was so relaxed that I kept thinking about asking for a trot. That calmly forward mentality came as a surprise to me. Fear is a very powerful emotion. Has he been nervous, or have I? The last two times we rode this route, I could feel his tension in my seat which kept me thinking whoa, whoa. This time, I could feel his back swinging free and loose. The motion said forward, forward, but in a very relaxed way. Was I more relaxed? Is that why he was so free in his extended walk? He marched forward all the way through the property. As we approached the end, he did get a little tense as the neighbor dog barked at us through the trees. I made a very concerted effort to remain relaxed. I leaned over and patted his neck, without tensing my legs, and gave him a verbal good boy. The tension left, and we moseyed on our way. We passed by the property owner, who was returning from her own walk. She waved good-naturedly, and complimented Sydney's relaxed demeanor. The entire rest of the walk was done with zero tension. He looked like a dead broke pony - his neck was low and swinging, and his ears flopped lazily. We have a long way to go, but I know were are on the right path. Sometimes I wish I had a nice solid schoolmaster, but if I did, I would have missed out on the lessons that Sydney has taught me. For now, I'll take what he has to teach me.
Judy
9/16/2012 11:48:06 pm
I love the mutual learning you two are doing. Horses are amazing for their ability to teach us not only about themselves, but also about ourselves!
Karen
9/17/2012 10:29:16 pm
Very true!
Val
9/17/2012 12:19:53 am
That is great!
Angela
9/17/2012 01:36:57 am
With all your past experience in endurance and, yes, dressage, you’re not so “green on green.” You have a deep reservoir of both skill and knowledge that is helping you create a great partnership with Sidney, and, as you wrote, he is assuming a “teacher role” too! Here are too many more, mutually enhanced lessons. (Clink)
Karen
9/17/2012 10:31:26 pm
Angela - we had ad lesson last night, too. I am really looking forward to bringing Sydney up on Sunday. I feel like the show is going to be a good way to gauge how much Sydney actually trusts me. :0)
Karen
9/17/2012 10:35:32 pm
When riders first get their babies ready for endurance races, everything is about acclimatizing them to the atmosphere and little to do with "winning." With Sydney, I have had so much to work on that show prep took a back seat. Now that I feel safer on him, it's time to stat doing more of the acclimatizing so that I can start taking him to events. 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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