Bakersfield Dressage
  • Home
  • About
  • Horses
    • G Ima Starr FA
    • Imperioso
    • Sunshine
    • Nakota and Gideon
    • Corky
    • Sassy
    • Montoya DSA
    • Mickey Dee
    • Sydney
  • Show Results
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
  • Dressage Organizations
    • Memberships
    • 2019 Dressage Tests
  • Education
  • Local
    • Shopping List

Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Speedy's Still Got It!

12/6/2016

 
I really hesitated to even take a lesson on Speedy this weekend; he's so out of shape. When Chemaine comes though, I feel like I should get as much saddle time with her as possible. The problem was that Speedy had been out of work for at least six weeks. And really, he had only been back in full work for about a month before that. If you'll remember, he sustained a small tendon injury in the spring which put him out of work for several months. So in the last 6 - 8 months, the dude hasn't done a whole lot.  
Picture
I explained the situation to Chemaine, mostly hoping she'd just take it easy on Speedy, but instead, she was able to devise a series of exercises to help him stretch his topline and still school the Second Level movements without overly stressing him. 

She had me start out with a super deep neck stretch. I rode Speedy around with his nose dragging on the ground, but I could tell it felt really good. The point was to give his back and neck a good stretch before asking for any collection or lateral movements. Chemaine had me keep the tempo pretty slow at first so that Speedy wasn't running around completely on the forehand.

As he warmed up, she had me bring his poll up slowly. Before I knew it, Speedy's whole topline was much looser and he was able to take a longer stride. From there we worked on lengthening his stride and bringing it back, but we did it in short bursts. Chemaine had me think of stetching him down, feeling him soften, and then sending him forward for a few strides.

To bring him back, she had me half halt with both reins as I thought about lifting his withers with my seat. When I had him up again, I built energy by bringing my elbows back while still pushing him forward with my seat and legs. When he was ready to go, I gave a little with my arms and sent him forward.
Picture
The next exercise we tried was the beginning of the turn on the haunches from Second Level, Test 2. In the test, it is a half turn on the haunches (at the walk), but Chemaine encouraged us to try for a full turn since we were doing it on a slightly larger circle. To get the turn on the haunches, Chemaine insructed me to ride forward in a shoulder in. When I had Speedy's shoulders where I wanted them, she then had me bring his haunches in at the same time.

To make the turn, she encouraged me to open the outside rein and bring it back slightly to get him to sit on that hind leg. For now, our circle is bigger than it should be, but for the next few weeks she encouraged me to work on this exercise, focusing on a turn and not a pivot.
Picture
After working the turn on the haunches, we moved to the walk to canter transition. Let me tell you, that turn on the haunches is a beautiful exercise for setting up the walk to canter. Since Speedy was already thinking about bending his body, I put him in nearly the same postion for a turn on the haucnhes when I asked for the canter. It made the transition so much easier.

Speedy's not much of a forward thinking horse, so it can take a bunch of go-go-go-go to get his little motor revved up. Chemaine's techniqure for encouraging the go was to really think about launching forward in the canter with a longer stride and then slow him down and kind of bunch him up until he got soft. Once he felt soft, I sent him forward into a bigger stride. Like in the trot work, we did it in short bursts: canter GO GO GO, collect and soften ... and then again, GO GO GO. So for Speedy, the half halt means we're getting ready to boogie.
Picture
I was really tickled with Speedy. He's certainly a totally different ride from Izzy, exactly the opposite actually, but he's a lot of fun. Chemaine felt that we hadn't lost any of our training over the past few months. We're not ready to show at Second Level yet, but we're definitely putting some of the pieces together.
jenj
12/6/2016 06:26:06 am

Speedy looks fantastic! What a cutie!

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/6/2016 06:28:07 am

Aw, thanks! I really like the dude. :0)

lytha
12/6/2016 10:00:46 am

"Speedy's not a forward horse" - the irony in his name considering what you bought him for!

Tonight Joerg told me that a 5th grader came to him and announced she owns an Icelandic horse. My husband said, "Do you know where the frog is on the horse?" She was stumped, but she said to him, "Do you know the gaits of a horse?" to which he replied, "Your horse will tolt, walk, trot and canter." : )

I told him, "Um, well, in German, it's not called a frog. So she's gonna think you were playing games with her. And there also is a gallop, but in German they don't differentiate the words, a canter and a gallop is the same word. (!!)"

"Well, did you tell her what kind of horse WE own?" - me

"I said an Arabisches horse and she asked me what breed might that be. " - J *LOL* but good question, you 5th grader!

"You told her that her horse has 4 frogs right?" -me

"Of course. Anyway, what do the Germans call frogs?" -J

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/8/2016 06:57:08 am

You inspired a blog post, Lytha. :0)
http://www.bakersfielddressage.com/home/not-so-speedy


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.
    ​Welcome to my dressage journey.
    Picture
    Photo by Lori Ovanessian
    Email Karen

    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.
    Picture
    July 2020 (PC AJSK Photography)

    About Izzy

    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 Second Level. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
    Picture
    October 2020

    Picture
    Bakersfield Dressage approved!
    Picture
    FOR THE SMALLER EQUINE ATHLETE
    Picture
    I love her stuff!

    National Rider Awards

    • USDF Bronze Medal - 2020 
    Picture
    Lapel Pin
    • USDF Second Level Rider Performance Award - 2018
    Picture
    • USDF First Level Rider Performance Award - 2015
    Picture
    • USDF Training Level Rider Performance Award - 2013
    Picture
    State Rider Awards
    • CDS Ruby Rider Award - 2018
    Picture
    Ruby Rider Award, 2018
    State Horse Awards
    • CDS Third Level Horse Performance Award: Speedy G - 2020
    Picture
    3rd Level Horse Performance Award - 2020
    • CDS Second Level Horse Performance Award: Speedy G - 2018
    Picture
    2nd Level Horse Performance Award - 2018

    Working Towards:

    CDS Sapphire Rider Award
    Third Level: 63.514%
    Third Level: 62.105%
    Fourth Level:
    Fourth Level:

    2021 Show Season

    Show Rating
    (***) CDS/USDF/USEF 
    (*) CDS
    (s) Schooling
    (c) Clinic
    (r) Ride-a-Test Clinic
    (Q) Must Qualify
    2021 Pending …
    5/16-17 El Sueño (***)
    5/23 TMC (*)
    6/12-13 SB (***) OR
    6/19-20 El Sueño (***)
    6/27 TMC (*)
    7/3-4 Burbank (***) OR
    7/17-18 El Sueño (***)
    7/25 TMC (*)
    ​8/14-15 RAAC (Q) (***)
    8/29 TMC (*)
    ​

    2021 Completed …
    ​10/24-25 SCEC (***)
    ​11/7-11/8 SB (***)
    ​4/10-11 SCEC (***)


    2021 Qualifying Scores 

    Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC)  
    2nd Level Qualifying 
    3 Scores/2 Judges/60%:

    Score 1: 60.610% Bhathal
    Score 2:
    Score 3:

    CDS Championship
    ​2nd Level Qualifying 
    5 Scores/4 Judges/61%:

    Score 1: 
    Score 2: 
    Score 3:
    Score 4:
    ​Score 5: 

    Stuff I Read

    • A Horse Crazy American in Germany​
    • Avandarre in Dressage​
    • BB Quarter Horses​
    • Go Pony​
    • She Moved to Texas
    • Stubborn Together
    • Tales From a Bad Eventer
    • Your Dressage

    By Topic

    All
    Abscess
    Art
    Arthritis
    Awards
    Books
    Cabin
    California Barn Life
    Captain Awesome
    CDL Class A License
    Centerlinescores
    Championships
    Chiropractor
    Clinics
    Clothing
    Cushing's Disease
    Defeating The Demon
    Dogs
    Double Bridle
    Dressage On The Trail
    EHV-1
    Endurance Photos
    Farrier
    First Level
    Fluphenazine
    Flying Changes
    Fourth Level
    Fox Hunting
    Freedom Feeder
    Frustration
    Gizmos
    Grooming
    Half Pass
    Headshaking
    Horse Maintenance
    Horses Are Expensive
    Horses Are Expensive 3.0
    Horses Are Expensive II
    Hunter/jumper Stuff
    Imperioso
    Introductory Level
    Izzys Leg
    Just For Fun
    Lessons With Chemaine
    Lessons With Lois
    Lessons With STC Dressage
    Local Stuff
    Memberships
    Micklem Bridle
    Mt. Self Doubt
    Musings
    My 5 Things
    My Horses
    Nesting
    On The Levels
    Photos
    Pivo Pod
    Platinum Performance
    Poles
    Polls
    Pulley Rein
    Raac
    Retirement?
    Rider Fitness
    Riding Figures
    Right Lead Canter
    Road ID
    Saddle Fitting
    Schooling
    Score Sheets
    Second Level
    Shopping
    Show Costs
    Showing
    Sitting Trot
    Sliding Side Reins
    Soldier
    Speedy's Leg
    Tack
    The Elephants
    The Jar
    The Warm Up Ring
    Third
    Third Level
    Toys
    Trailering
    Training
    Travel
    Ulcers
    Vet Care
    Video
    Videos
    Weird But True
    Year In Review


    Archives

    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011


Site Design: Karen Sweaney
  • Home
  • About
  • Horses
    • G Ima Starr FA
    • Imperioso
    • Sunshine
    • Nakota and Gideon
    • Corky
    • Sassy
    • Montoya DSA
    • Mickey Dee
    • Sydney
  • Show Results
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
  • Dressage Organizations
    • Memberships
    • 2019 Dressage Tests
  • Education
  • Local
    • Shopping List