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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

The Struggle is Real - Part 1

5/30/2018

 
I am definitely an under-achieving over-achiever when it comes to dressage. This is hard for me because I tend to be pretty good at the things in which I am interested. Why I chose dressage, I'll never know as it is a discipline where perfection is unattainable unless your name is Charlotte, Carl, or Isabell.

I am not making excuses here, but dang is Second Level hard. On Sunday, Speedy and I gave it yet another go. For the first time this show season, I didn't have a horrendous migraine, and while I may still be drugged up, the drugs weren't making me loopy. And you know what? We scored WORSE than before. Insert HUGE eye roll here.
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I think we have straightness down pat.
Again, I am not making excuses, but this judge was tough. I rarely, if ever complain about my scores. If anything, I tend to discredit our higher scores believing the judge to be overly generous. I am not doing that again. Out of 23 posted scores (not counting 1 elimination or any of the scratches), 10 scores were in the 40s and 50s. I'll do the math for you; that's 43%.

On the other hand, the judge also handed out some very nice scores. The top two scores were a 71% and a 75%. The rest of the scores were all in the 60s. This either means that this show attracted a LOT of sucky riders and a few good ones, or the judging was a little tough. I guess it depends on who you ask.
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A little behind the bit - we're still working on that.
Each time I move up to a new level, the struggle is the same. I work hard, I cross my fingers, and I pray for a 60%. Instead of the 60, I bring home scores in the 50s. Eventually, we get better, and I start looking for scores in the mid-60s. Then comes the day where I start praying for a 70%. That's when I know we're ready to move up. We're not there yet. Speedy and I are still stuck in the land of the high 50s.
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The Simple Change through walk.
We had some nice moments on our Second Level Test 1. Our free walk earned a 7 which was great as it has a double coefficient. Our walk to canter at C earned another 7 as did our halt at X. We also had a smattering of 6s for our rein back, the simple changes, and our medium canter. The rest of the test was filled with 4s and 5s. ​
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Medium canter.
I did make two errors that were not Speedy's fault. On our second 10-meter canter circle, I glanced down and swore we were on the wrong lead. I brought him back to trot and picked up the left lead. Doing that put us out of position for the counter canter from F to E so I halted again, turned back toward A and picked up the left lead again so I could counter canter back to the rail at E. Out of the 20 possible points for those two movements, I earned 7 points. Ouch. And as it turns out, I was on the correct lead to begin with.
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Canter at C.
I knew it wasn't a great test, and I was frustrated for second guessing myself. Our score was a dismal 56.515%. Certainly not what I was hoping for, but at least we had a few good moments. I have some homework to do for sure, especially on my sitting trot. Like I told my trainer, last May when I rode with Hilda Gurney at the CDS Adult Amateur Clinic, I couldn't sit the trot for more than two strides. Now, here I am sitting for a whole test. It may not be pretty, but it's getting better.

​Here's the video.
Test 2 Tomorrow. 
T link
5/30/2018 07:59:30 am

I have unreasonably high standards for myself too and dressage really isn't the best fit for my overacheiving ways, lol. Still, I love it! You two look great, you'll be getting the scores you want really soon, I bet :)

Bakersfield Dressage link
5/31/2018 10:52:57 am

Thanks, T. Moving up is great and not-so-great at the same time. LOL

Tracy
5/30/2018 08:09:26 am

Being a spectator all morning and ring steward in the afternoon, I got to watch most of the rides. Overall, I hate to say, I think the judge was very fair. Very little connection, tense horses (and riders!), no bend, lots of haunches in... I think you and Speedy are doing GREAT and it will get better! You are so dedicated and Speedy is so willing, it will come!

Bakersfield Dressage link
5/31/2018 10:54:44 am

Thanks for sharing, Tracy :0)

Elinor Yee
5/30/2018 03:30:00 pm

2nd level is hard!
Well done, on to the next.
The transitions are what get us each time...
I, too, tend to feel as if we are on the wrong lead in the middle of a test. It comes from the tension in the back, and then it feels SO discombobled.
Just keep going!!
Most people do not show for these reasons, right? It is HARD, and you two are doing great!

Bakersfield Dressage link
5/31/2018 10:56:53 am

Thanks, Elinor. I've had this conversation with my trainer lots of times. We can do the movements, hooking them together smoothly is the challenging part. She felt that the reason I am having trouble feeling the canter is my 10-meter circles are too small. They're more like 8-meter circles which are super hard. poor Speedy G! LOL

Justine
5/30/2018 05:37:46 pm

I share your frustration when your marks go down and they should be going up! In twelve tests at the same level I got my worst mark ever on my last outing. Some of the frustration stems from the fact that there is a huge dissonance between the best work we are capable of (which has improved greatly), and what comes out in a test (which clearly hasn't improved that much). Test riding is a whole different ball game.
I find it helpful not to worry about the marks so much, but more about the comments. Although every single comment on my last test was negative rather than constructive, followed by "Good try :-)" at the bottom - I was a bit grumpy about that.
Keep working at the tests, but don't let the experience overshadow all the great improvements you see every day!

Bakersfield Dressage link
5/31/2018 11:00:15 am

Absolutely, Justine. So very true. I read the comments so closely and always try to pick out something to work on. At the last show, the judge pointed out that in the rein back, I am not supposed to halt after reining back. I didn't know that, so for this show, I did the rein back but asked Speedy to step forward right away. That was a constructive comment.

We do improve every day, and I see it. Now what we need to do is "perfect" the transitions so that we can hook the movements together more harmoniously. :0)

Val
6/1/2018 12:13:59 pm

The struggle is definitely real.

I always found it frustrating when I improved something from the last test and then the next judge scored me low for something that I scored well on with the previous judge. I also didn't show very often do there weren't a lot of opportunities for redemption.

Bakersfield Dressage link
6/1/2018 01:15:13 pm

I can relate. Judging can definitely be inconsistent!


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.
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    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.
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    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 the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
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Among other things, Karen is a Wife, Friend, Reader, Writer, Rider, Traveler, and Dog Lover
Contact her at bakersfielddressage@gmail.com
  • Home
  • About
  • My Horses
    • Horses
    • Imperioso
    • G Ima Starr FA
    • Sunshine
    • Nakota and Gideon
    • Corky
    • Sassy
    • Montoya DSA
    • Mickey Dee
    • Sydney
  • Show Results
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    • 2016
    • 2015
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