TMC Mid-Summer Dressage Show - Part 1

I really wanted to use Sunday's show to work on my own relaxation. My goals were two-fold:

1. ride as well as I could while not worrying about anyone else's scores
2. really enjoy the day 

I have to say, mission accomplished! I didn't care what anyone else scored, other than wishing them well, of course, and I found myself laughing throughout the day. It was fun without a moment of stress or worry.

For both tests, I entered at A focusing on my ride and thinking about how I wanted to execute each movement. In the past, the tests always just flew by in fast forward which always left me playing catch up. With more experience, I am finding that I am able to ride much more in the moment which is certainly helping to improve my scores.

Speedy G braided and waiting to be tacked up.

Aberdeen, Speedy's new trail buddy, went up with us, and after checking that I truly didn't need help with anything, she went and hung out with an acquaintance as well as a few other people to whom I had just introduced her. That left me free to focus on my horse and get myself mentally prepared for my first test. I suspect her "disappearance" was very deliberate, but I appreciated it.

I was actually saddled ten minutes too early, which turned out to be a blessing as there was a glitch in the schedule. It turns out my first ride time was fifteen minutes earlier than I thought. Had I been on Sydney, the earlier time would have been a problem, but with Speedy, I simply shrugged my shoulders about it. He hardly needs a warm up.

Speedy in the warm-up. All riding photos by Cecile Audinet (used with permission).

The purpose of the Training Level Tests is to confirm the horse is supple and moves forward in a clear and steady rhythm, accepting contact with the bit. We've got that, but what we need now for First Level is more forward thrust and better bend for the lateral work.  First Level's purpose is to confirm that the horse has developed the thrust to achieve improved balanced and thoroughness and to maintain a more consistent contact with the bit.

As I rode Training Level Test 2, I kept the ideas of forward thrust and inside bend in my mind and tried to get as much as I could from Speedy. At the test's end, I was a bit disappointed as I know we've ridden the test better. I felt that by asking for more thrust, we sacrificed some rhythm. I also felt like my half halts weren't going through in the corners which negatively affected the bend.

Here are some photos. Some show me with a solid position, while others show areas of needs to improve.

I mostly like what I see here. We're doing a good job.

Eh … My position is okay, but Speedy's canter is flat. Maybe it's just an awkward moment.

This is much better, but my position has gone a bit wonky.

Still working on that inside bend, especially to the right.

Slightly behind the vertical, but I really like his reach here and his back seems round and lifted.

At the show Speedy and I did a few weeks ago, I thought I rode this test better, but I scored a very low 61.250% on day one. This time, I knew the test wasn't our best, but the judge awarded us a whopping 67.679% and the comment, "confident partner." 

The judge is a licensed "S" judge, which means that he can judge all levels at national shows, so I don't know if my scores were a tad higher since this was only a CDS show and not a USDF-rated show or not. Interestingly, the judge at the last show (USDF-rated) is an "R" judge which means he can only judge through 4th Level. It just goes to show that you never can tell. 

Here is the score sheet.

Look at the second movement: 7.5, active, well bent. We got heavily dinged a few weeks ago on that same movement; we had no inside bend and needed more activity. It would seem as though our work over the past two weeks is paying off.

The stretchy trot is our nemesis, but look at the slew of sevens. That just blows me away! I love the comment at movement fourteen, steady bend and energy. And that's to the right!

It's hard to ask to ask for more than a very steady test. We'll probably never get comments of "brilliant ride," or "fancy mover," but I'll definitely take steady! 

And even though I didn't feel that this was our best work, I heard that the score earned us the Adult Amateur High Point which has a $50 cash prize. Not a bad way to start and end the day!