Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
Happy New Year! I feel obligated to do one of those year in review posts, although January 1st seems kind of late. In any case, here's a brief look at 2011. Click photos for a larger view. JanuaryI decided to buy a real pair of dressage boots, although it was several months before I actually wore them. I turned 40. Speedy saw the chiropractor, and I worried about a random lameness for several weeks. FebruaryTaz's Mom and I made our annual trek to the Equine Affaire in Pomona. Future Pomona events have been cancelled, but a different organization is taking over the date and will put on a similar event. I launched the blog. We did our first stretchy trot, and I started viewing Speedy G as an official dressage horse and no longer considered him my endurance horse. MarchIt rained a lot. The first show of the season was cancelled due to the heavy rains. Speedy G got lots of turn out time, and I started riding him bareback. AprilWe finally made it to a show. It was only a schooling show, but we earned the show high point as well as the third highest score of the day. Both scores were over 70%. I took two lessons with Leslie Webb which was the first time I rode for a name brand trainer. I squeezed in three other lessons with my then Coach. Speedy turned seven. MayI spent the entire month worrying that Speedy was lame. It started out with me being worried about the Arab Club's triple-rated dressage show ... which we ultimately BOMBED! There's a great video here. I simply worried at him enough that in the days before the show he WAS lame. During some stretching exercises, I lifted and stretched a foreleg and heard a very audible and startling POP! I inadvertently gave my pony a chiropractic adjustment, but he was sound afterward. ... Until he violently pulled a shoe one week later. He pulled it so hard that he was very lame for three or four days. A week or two later he was back to normal. ... Just in time for EHV-1 to hit. Another show was cancelled and virtually every barn in California was on lockdown for more than a month. JuneBusy, busy month! Our trip to the United Kingdom came at a good time since EHV-1 had everyone's horses stuck at home. As soon as we got back, Speedy G and I hit the first of the Tehachapi shows (both scores above 60%). I also bought Sydney and a few days later, my new saddle. JulyThis month was all about showing Speedy G and getting to know Sydney. During turnout, Speedy G whacked himself (haven't forgotten bell boots since!) and was pretty sore for a couple of days. I also started lessons with JL. AugustI crammed in as many rides as possible in August because school started back up partway through the month. My lessons with JL became weekly when I moved to RM's barn. We also showed at the third Tehachapi show. SeptemberBack to work, hot weather, and just riding ponies ... that just about sums up this month. I showed Speedy at the fourth Tehachapi show, rode each week with JL, and got to know Bounder and RM. OctoberOctober was just as jammed-packed as every other month. I took Sydney to the Kern River CDS Ride-a-Test where he performed brilliantly. Speedy got the flu and had to spend a few days at the vet hospital, but he bounced back quickly and did an absolutely fantastic job at a triple-rated show in Clovis (72.5%). NovemberFall was quite warm in Bakersfield so our riding season continued. We enjoyed continued weekly lessons. Sydney pulled a shoe at the beginning of Thanksgiving vacation, and Speedy G made it to one more show, this time here in Bakersfield. And to top the month off, we rode for Peggy Klump after the show. That was a serious morale booster! DecemberNo shows this month, but we did lots of riding. We continued riding every Wednesday with JL and then schooled throughout the week on our own. Speedy G and I were crowned Ventura County Chapter Champions for Introductory Level and were given some nice prizes for the honor. RM and I did a moonlight ride to see the lights at CALM, and I got to see what being the main pooper scooper felt like! 2011 Is Officially OverWhen you put it that way, I had a fantastic year! I live a very blessed life and savor each and every day. I can't wait to see what 2012 has in store for us!
Val
12/31/2011 11:13:39 pm
Thank you for sharing your adventures! I have really enjoyed reading about you, Speedy, and Sydney!
Karen
12/31/2011 11:51:59 pm
Thanks, Val. As you well know blogging is a rewarding experience. I love all the people that I've met because of it. Happy New Year to you and Harley!
martina peterson
1/1/2012 02:14:39 am
nice panoramic view of your year. It did seem like you had fun even with the pitfalls that always seem to put a fly in our ointment. I hope your next year is more spectacular and holds exciting challenges for you and your guys. I notice you have happy horses.
Karen
1/2/2012 05:44:43 am
I do have happy horses - most of the time anyway. Speedy can be a bit of a pill, but he always make it up to me. 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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