Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
I had high hopes for the final ride, Training Level Test 3, but Speedy and I kind of blew it. We started out well, but the right lead canter got the better of us. He picked up the canter without a buck and earned a 6.0, but during the circle he got stronger and stronger and I started hauling back on the reins. He switched leads and then grabbed the bit and bulldozed up the long side. I pulled him up so hard that he broke gait too early which messed up our downward transition at C. Even after all of that, our stretchy trot was again improved. Not enough to earn a six, but at least there was some downward movement. And to wrap up the weekend, we nailed the final trot up the centerline, 7.0. We earned a 57.200 % which was very close to Saturday's scores, but this ride felt nowhere as nice as those rides. My "goods" must not be as nice as I think they are, and my "bads" aren't as terrible as they feel! My fear was to place 10th out of ten. Fear realized. We earned a beautiful ribbon though! Click images to enlarge. And that's it folks. There's not much more to add to our first ever Regional Adult Amateur Competition. I hope to be back next year with a more confident horse so that we can do more than just get our feet wet. I'd like to be competitive.
I am pretty sure Speedy's season is over. I do have two more shows listed in the pending column over there on the right, but I don't think Speedy will be going. He's done an awful lot this year: he was shown 15 days, at 12 shows, in 30 tests, in 11 months. We're tired, or at least I am. Speedy G's got staying power; he could probably just keep on going! Sydney may get to go later this month. If not, I am good until the spring of 2013!
Val
9/8/2012 05:21:09 am
It will be nice to give Speedy a break until Spring and possibly take Sydney for an outing or two.
Karen
9/9/2012 05:42:31 am
Thanks again, Val. I haven't decided what to do for the fall, but I doubt my spring will be as busy as 2012!
martina peterson
9/9/2012 12:29:51 am
hey Karen I think it is wonderful that you competed in this class. You are going up even if you did get tenth place. That's like getting first in a lot of shows. It sounds as if both horse and rider needs a well deserved break.
Karen
9/9/2012 05:41:40 am
Thanks, mom. :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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