Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
I truly believe that we have control over what happens to us, and it is our own perspective which determines our experience. That which we hold dear, whether it is worry or winning, is what we bring into our lives. While I may believe that, demonstrating it on a daily basis can be a challenge.
A few weeks ago a visitor to the barn was watching Speedy G trail along behind me as I approached the fence to chat. He was doing the classic “peanut roller” walk as he snuffled the dirt for random edible bits. She asked, in a very off-hand way, if he was lame. And the seed of a giant “worry tree” was planted … Now, I KNOW that this rider had NOTHING on which to base her observation. I had just finished what I felt like was a very solid ride. Speedy’s ears were flopping to the side. He was doing the “my rider tried to kill me” toe-drag of exhaustion. In all, he did not paint the picture of a horse that was moving out with a gait irregularity. In fact, he was barely moving. And yet … That off-the-cuff remark sent me on a two week journey of worry that ultimately ended with me “laming” my pony. After I put Speedy G back in his stall, I replayed the ride in my mind searching for any irregular or missed steps that he might have taken. For the next week, I rode with my ears straining for an uneven clip CLOP footfall. I rode with piercing eyes watching the top of his head for the slightest dip that could be a Head Bob. I poked at his feet, I pinched his tendons, I flexed his neck, and I prodded every muscle looking for the slightest flinch. In essence, I started watering the “worry tree” seed. Each day I felt myself saying, there, that wasn’t normal! By the second week, my rides started to disintegrate. Speedy G wouldn’t soften. He wouldn’t round up. His nose was as high in the air as it has ever been. Until finally, on the Tuesday before the show, we weren’t schooling at all. We were just fighting one another. I was getting stronger and stronger with my hands until I was literally yanking him around. And then I DID feel a slight bobble. Rather than continue the ride, I let him walk out for a bit and called it quits. I gave him a bath, let him rest a bit, and then put him on the lunge line. He went well to the left, but to the right he was definitely uneven. His back was hollow and his nose wouldn’t come down. He looked just plain tense. I had a lesson the next evening, and after a walking warm up, we picked up the trot. He immediately took several head-bobbing steps. I stopped, got off, and Coach agreed that the lesson was over. I pulled his saddle, and put him back on the lunge line. Again, to the left he was good, but to the right he was definitely ragged. One stride would look oaky, but the next two would be off. Then he’d have an okay stride followed by a gimpy one. Coach and I looked him over thoroughly, but we couldn’t find anything that “hurt.” There was no heat, filling, tenderness, blood, or anything to indicate an injury. I asked for lateral flexion which he gave willingly. I stretched all four legs forward and backwards which he did softly. Still nothing. With Saturday’s show only three days away, we decided that I would re-evaluate his way of going on Friday and decide from there. End of Part 1
Sara
5/14/2011 02:25:31 pm
I make K lame all the time in my own head. Every slight bobble or misstep means his leg is about to fall off. This is a bit of a challenge since he is also a bit of a clutz and trips over EVERYTHING when he's spazzing out and not paying attention.
Karen
5/14/2011 02:30:03 pm
Yep - no what you mean. Tried to do it again, too. Speedy yanked a shoe off today at the trot over rough trail. Farrier will be out tomorrow and will let me know if the head bob is bruised foot or wrenched leg. Either way I am not thrilled. Add that to the Rhino/herpes thing that was brought to town yesterday (neurologic version) and we're pretty much not going anyway for a bit. 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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