Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
It's no secret that I spend a lot of time at the barn. I don't have a schedule. It's just assumed that I'll be there every day. It doesn't always happen, but that's my daily routine. In January, I was at the barn 26 out of 31 days, and I rode 33 times. In February, I made it to the barn 24 times out of 28 days, and I rode 27 times. Izzy had hurt himself getting cast which earned him a few days off, and both boys got their spring vaccinations and dentals which earned even more days off.
It's a long story, but I just enrolled at the University of Phoenix for two online courses. The first begins at the end of March (deliberately scheduled after my first show of the season). Each course is three semester units and takes four weeks to complete. The average amount of time spent "attending" class and completing the required assignments is 15 - 20 hours per week. The thing is that I also work full time. It takes 30 minutes to get to work, and since I go straight to the barn from work, that stretch of my drive adds another 50 minutes to my day. Combine that with the two hours I spend at the barn, and my waking hours are nearly filled. Since my day is not quite packed in enough, I also get up at 4:30 three days a week to run on the treadmill. Something has to give. I already told my husband that our nightly home cooked meals will probably not be on the menu for the month of April. He wondered about my daily barn visits. Um ... What's to wonder about? What a silly question!
carol
3/9/2018 11:33:15 am
What a timely post...now I understand what my instructor was working towards at my last lesson! She was preparing me for the simple change by canter to walk. Thank-you!!! 3/29/2018 08:57:01 am
They can be tough for sure. They also take a lot of coordination. Good luck!!!! :0) 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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