Photos from Last Week's Show

7/31/2011

I know I promised no more posts from the Tehachapi show, but in the interest of honesty, I felt an obligation to show the good with the bad. And while video is probably the best tool for evaluating how we ride, photos can also tell us a lot, especially when there is a series of them. My photos from the June show were really, really, terrible. After that show, I was completely ready to quit with Speedy G. The photos show how braced and resistant to the bit he was. I don't even want to share the link, but I feel that it's only fair to show you how awful my rides were. You can see the photos here.

After seeing those, if you bothered and I wouldn't have, do check out the photos from the next show just one month later - here. Something clearly changed. I've been blogging about my AHA moments, and obviously I had one before this last show because we look a ton better. I already posted that my leg position, torso, and bent elbows were vastly improved over last summer. The photos from this last show definitely support that.

The main problem, and I realize that there are several issues, is just what the judge called me on - contact that was too heavy. So, I've gone from no contact to too much contact. With just a bit more practice I feel that I can hit on the Goldilocks formula and get that contact juuuust right!

Feel free to offer suggestions and feedback, but just be nice! (It's really hard to post bad photos of oneself!)

Kendal

7/31/2011 02:56:55 pm

AHA moments are awesome. I dont think you can overanalyze your progress, because this time you look at your pictures, you may be focusing on your arms and getting supple; next time you might focus on your horses bend and the progress you have made on that over time. That is the great thing about learning.

Your photos are great, you can really see a difference in Speedy G, he looks so happy in the second photos. Today at the schooling show, we looked more like Photo A, we really were tanking along. I think Photo B happens when there is communication between both partners. Today my partner swore at me. :)

Karen Sweaney

8/1/2011 12:03:17 am

Kendall - thanks for the feedback! I am much happier about our latest effort, even though my scores at the second show were a LOT lower (65% down to 57%). I would rather have a 57% and the rides we did than a 65% with a braced and resistant horse.

I can empathize with you. Speedy G swears at me quite frequently!

It's hard to post both my successes and failures for the whole world to pick apart, but I know there have to be many AAs out there like me who are just doing the best they can with the horses they have. If one person feels like they don't completely stink after watching me ride, then mission accomplished! :0)

Val

8/1/2011 05:31:01 am

I thought that you had a lot of nice photos. There is even some good to be said for the first set. Kendal made some good points. Riding is about finding the next working hypothesis. It never ends, which is why you have to be a horse nut to keep at it!

My favorite part about the second set of photos is that your reins are longer. In order to stretch to the bit, the horse has to reach his poll forward over the bit rather that bring his nose back under the poll.

Comments are closed.

Not-So-Speedy Dressage