Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
It's time consuming to bit up in the side reins every time I ride, but it seems as though it takes less time in the long run. When I rode on Monday afternoon, Izzy was a little sassy and very forward, but rather than box him up, I let him go forward. That meant that all he wanted to do was canter. I went with it.
I found that I was needing to do pretty strong half halts, the kind that last for two strides or more. The kind where I get firm and think 1 ... 2 ... release ... 1 ... 2 ... release. When I ride him like this, Izzy will rock back on his hind end and carry himself - if he's listening and balanced. While I was half halting away, I felt a flash of irritation and had this thought: Dang! Why I am needing such strong half halts? I suddenly realized that we were tracking right, the harder direction. All of a sudden, I was tickled with the quality of the canter. It was so improved that I had forgotten which was the harder direction! It's so hard to see progress when it comes this slowly. As I was finishing up my ride, I was thinking about what to say to Dr. Christian Schacht at this weekend's clinic. When I rode with him in May, he had said that with a few months of good riding, this horse would make a lot of progress. That thought bummed me out of course because I am not sure Izzy has had the "good" riding that Dr. Schacht was referring to. But then I remembered how hard it was to pick up a canter in May. Dr. Schacht kept asking for more inside bend and softness before getting the canter lead. We struggled with it. Now? It's not perfect of course, but I don't wonder if we'll get a canter departure. Instead, I'm working on picking up the correct lead where I ask for it. While we are still at it, where I want it is a lot better than if we'll get it. Perspective is a beautiful thing. |
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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