Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
I haven't written much about Speedy lately because there hasn't been anything to say. He's bored and wishing he had something to do. I think he's also a bit hungry. I've cut his feed down to about the portion a rat might eat. The last thing I want is my pony to founder as he stands in place doing nothing but getting fat. A lack of exercise combined with a very low calorie diet has had a pretty ruinous effect on his once sexy badonkadonk. His top line's not looking so great either. It's only been a month since Dr. Tolley diagnosed him with tendonitis (the mildest version of a bowed tendon), but Speedy lost muscle much faster than I anticipated. The last time he had a three month rehab, I was able to do 30-minute hand walks every day, but for this injury, we're trying to keep him pretty quiet.
Tomorrow morning we're going to the vet for a follow up ultrasound. Ever the optimist, I am expecting the vet to say that the tendon looks healed, but I'm prepared for more bandaging and time off. Even if it is healed and Speedy is cleared for work, he'll need at least a month to rebuild his fitness. No matter what the vet says, it'll be a while before Speedy is back to strutting his stuff in the show ring. It's a good thing that I've got that big brown horse in the stall next door. 4/8/2016 12:41:28 pm
He's such a mellow dude that he's probably not as forlorn as I think he is. :0) 4/8/2016 12:43:45 pm
He's actually a slow eater so he does always have a little bit in front of him, but I am grateful that he's not woofing it down or he would truly be bored to death. Sometimes I give him some mixed grain hay to munch on which takes more energy to eat than he gets from the hay. I wish there was a people equivalent. :0) 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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