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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Second Level Complications

1/4/2018

 
Some of you have mastered Second Level already. Some of you know it's up there but have no idea what it entails exactly. And some of you are just where I am - wondering if we'll survive this. While it might feel that Second Level is a well designed litmus test for the incompetent, the purpose is actually :
​To confirm that the horse demonstrates correct basics, and having achieved the thrust required in First Level, now accepts more weight on the hindquarters (collection); moves with an uphill tendency, especially in the medium gaits; and is reliably on the bit. A greater degree of straightness, bending, suppleness, throughness, balance and self-carriage is required than at First Level.
Picture
Photo by Bailey Crocoll
The movements include medium and collected trot and canter, 10-meter canter circles, simple changes, shoulder in, rein back, travers, and half turn on the haunches. Speedy has a really good handle on the rein back and the turn on the haunches. The medium and collected gaits are also mostly under control. 

The movements that we're really struggling with are the simple changes and shoulder in. It's not that he can't do them or that he doesn't understand them, he just doesn't really want to do them.

Now that he's back to full work, I've been picking sets of movements to school each day. One day we might work on the shoulder in, and the next the simple change. I've found that he can do the shoulder in from test 2 more easily than the one from test 1. In test 2, the shoulder in goes directly into a 10-meter half circle to X with a change of direction into a new half circle that is followed by travers (haunches in).

In the simpler version (test 1), you ride a shoulder in, turn right across X, and then turn left at B for a shoulder in left. Speedy gets really hung up on that left rein. It's a work in progress.
Picture
Another Bailey Crocoll photo.
The simple change is another area we're working on. He has a simple change, but I have to really make sure he is in front of my leg (and in a good mood). The other day, we were really struggling. I either couldn't get him forward, or I couldn't get the walk. I finally just threw down my gloves and booted the heck out of him.

Every time he started to stutter in the canter, I whacked him with my inside leg. We'll never get the simple change if I have to keep my leg on him all the time. I finally told him that he will hold the collected canter by himself until I tell him otherwise. After a few sharp reminders with my inside leg, he finally started carrying himself. Well hallelujah! 
Picture
More eye candy courtesy of Bailey Crocoll
Once I was able to take my leg off, I was able to better prepare him for the canter to walk by pushing his haunches in a bit to let him know that I wanted him to sit. He has it down pat to the left, but the right is still a bit rough around the edges. As he gets better at holding the right lead canter himself, that downward will just get better.

​We've got more than two months to work out the kinks. We'll get there!
Karen
1/4/2018 10:31:29 am

I hear ya. Even though I have shown higher than Second, I still would most certainly not consider myself a master of Second Level. It is DIFFICULT!

Bakersfield Dressage link
1/5/2018 06:17:01 am

I *think* I am glad to hear you say that?!?! Hopefully it won't take us forever to figure it out. I don't want to end up stuck here. Training level was bad enough! LOL

jenj
1/4/2018 11:13:56 am

Simple changes are hard for sure! It's interesting that you're using haunches in - my understanding is that weights the *outside* hind, but in a w/c or c/w tx, you want to really engage the *inside* hind - and shoulder in or shoulder fore engages the inside hind. T likes to swing his haunches to the inside to avoid sitting, but if I think a little shoulder fore, it really helps us. Your mileage may vary, of course - every horse is different!

Bakersfield Dressage link
1/5/2018 06:24:39 am

Really great comment, jenj. I actually talked to my trainer about your point. She explained that Speedy LOVES to throw his haunches OUT (unlike Taran), so keeping them in is more like keeping them straight. As we take the few walk steps before the next transition, it gives him a moment to straighten before I ask for the new inside bend (your shoulder in). I wrote a blog post last year about tackling his wayward haunches, and in it, there is a GREAT photo of me losing his haunches. The post also explains how Chemaine taught us the first part of the simple change: https://www.bakersfielddressage.com/home/haunches-haunches-haunches

Thanks for making me think about all of the parts to the simple change! :0)

Shannon link
1/4/2018 07:28:15 pm

I’ve never trained a horse that could do a simple change before it could do a flying change, so I just skip 2nd and go straight to 3rd. 3rd is a piece of cake compared to 2nd!

Bakersfield Dressage link
1/5/2018 06:19:50 am

Really?!? How did the horses learn the flying change? Izzy can do flying changes whenever he wants (but rarely when I ask), so the simple change will be much easier on him. Speedy has NEVER offered a change. He'll counter canter all day long (unhappily of course). Without the simple change, I know he'd never get it. Why do I always pick the difficult horses? LOL

Shannon link
1/16/2018 01:11:43 pm

OTTBs come from the track with a change! They have a slew of other training issues, but at least I know there’s a change in there. LOL


Comments are closed.

    About the Writer and Rider

    ​I 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.
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    About Speedy G

    ​Speedy 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.
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    Izzy 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.
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Among other things, Karen is a Wife, Friend, Reader, Writer, Rider, Traveler, and Dog Lover
Contact her at bakersfielddressage@gmail.com
  • Home
  • About
  • My Horses
    • Horses
    • Imperioso
    • G Ima Starr FA
    • Sunshine
    • Nakota and Gideon
    • Corky
    • Sassy
    • Montoya DSA
    • Mickey Dee
    • Sydney
  • Show Results
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
  • Dressage Organizations
    • Dressage Organizations
    • Memberships
    • 2019 Dressage Tests
  • Local
    • Shopping List
  • Home