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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Trouble in Paradise

7/5/2015

 
Yeah. There's that. Trouble, just trouble. Izzy's leg is fine, at least it's not that. He's just been a bit tough to ride this past week. Since I don't really have a handle on why, I'm shelving the topic until I've had the chance to try out a few things.

So if it's alright, I'd really like to make myself feel better by talking about Speedy's recent work. He hasn't always been easy. In fact, for the first three years that I owned him, I threatened to sell him pretty much every week. And even as a seven and eight year old, posting a for sale sign was frequently on my mind.

So when I feel frustrated with Izzy or scared that he's going to turn out to be a looney tune, I remind myself that Speedy, too, went through years of being a complete idiot.
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Please grow up soon, Baby Looney Tune. Please.
But Speedy's done with that. He's not perfect of course. He still gets wild hairs about this or that, but they're few and far between. And right now, he seems to really enjoy the work that we're doing.

I wrote about the trickier parts of First Level's test 3 yesterday. Even though we didn't master everything in one day, Speedy showed some really great improvement in yesterday's ride. When we worked on the 10-meter circles, I could feel him really trying to figure the movement out. And that's how he is. To him, it's like a choreographed dance - he definitely remembers how each movement should go.

I am very careful to never put the whole test together at home because he would memorize it and then try to rush through it in an effort to impress me with how smart he is. Instead, I ride pieces of the test and hook those pieces to other pieces, but I do everything out of order. It might seem far fetched, but Speedy does seem to memorize each of the chunks.

While I was helping him learn the 10-meter circles, I saw his ears flick back and forth a few times as I was preparing for the halt at X. Each time I crossed X, I took a little breath and said, and halt but continued on to the left turn at E. Then one time, instead of trotting over X, I gave a small a half halt at B and actually halted at X. Speedy listened really well. He had figured out that it was coming.
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Listening to Christian Schacht at a clinic in February. Speedy was listening too!
Speedy is definitely not an upper level dressage horse, but that's not entirely his fault. When I figure out how to do something correctly, he's totally on board and usually asks what took me so long to figure it out. No matter how sloppily I ride the change of lead through trot, he gets the correct lead because he knows his job. I'm sure he'll really appreciate it once I can get a smoother, more collected downward transition. 

I keep asking Speedy to have a heart to heart with Izzy. I am not sure if Izzy is just not listening or whether Speedy simply wants me all to himself. The latter is no doubt closer to the truth. For now, I am soaking up the feel good vibes that Speedy is creating for me and trying not to be too discouraged by Izzy's seeming regression.

Patience, Sweaney, patience.
Sandy Baur
7/5/2015 01:07:04 am

Dealing with greenies is like dancing: Two steps forward. one step back. You have made so much progress with Izzy, don't let a little set back derail you!

Bakersfield Dressage link
7/5/2015 02:10:16 am

Thanks, Sandy. I know you speak with experience. My true worry is that he will turn out to be like Sydney. I keep reminding myself that once he gets something, he's happy about it and easily moves on to the next thing. It's just that he's not getting this trot forward idea. He was, and then my trainer suggested some counter flexing to do a change of direction and he freaked out. I am going back to the walk for a few days to see if that will dissipate some of his tension about the trot issue.

Heather
7/5/2015 05:38:35 am

You may be about to see a growth spurt.

Bakersfield Dressage link
7/5/2015 05:45:09 am

A mental growth spurt would be AWESOME. A PHYSICAL growth spurt would be terrible. He's already too big for me at 16'3! :0)

Heather
7/5/2015 07:49:43 am

Fingers crossed, but ... It might not be a lot, but ... The "my body feels funny" sensation of growing seems to throw them off at this point. Good luck.

emma link
7/6/2015 12:30:21 am

Speedy sounds like the perfect antidote to the frustrating and non-linear path that green horses take. hopefully Izzy will be back to his impressive self soon (and really he seems so different from Sydney, but i can understand why you still have those worries)

Bakersfield Dressage link
7/6/2015 10:33:07 am

I adore the Speedy pony. He's just so much fun to ride. And thank you for the Izzy encouragement, Emma. I am still so "scarred" by Sydney's baggage that I am quick to see him everywhere. Izzy does seem to have a much better brain though. I have a post coming in a day or two that offers more of an explanation. Let me know what you think! :0)

Teresa link
7/6/2015 10:35:16 am

Dealing with the ups and downs of a talented 5 year old mare myself. I actually take heart that you are experiencing issues- not that i want you to have issues but that it makes me realize that it's perfectly normal and I just need to be patient.

Bakersfield Dressage link
7/6/2015 11:19:00 am

It seems as though everyone else has perfectly well behaved green beans! I am also "glad" to hear that you're struggling as well. It sure doesn't feel perfectly normal when you're trying to ride through yet another temper tantrum! :0)

Teresa link
7/7/2015 10:16:41 am

no kidding on the tantrum issue. I just keep telling myself to stay and the course and i will have an awesome horse.


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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    Photo by Lori Ovanessian

    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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    July 2020 (PC AJSK Photography)

    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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    March 2021 (PC Tess Michelle Photography)

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Site Designed and Managed by: Karen Sweaney

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
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
  • Dressage Organizations
    • Dressage Organizations
    • Memberships
    • 2019 Dressage Tests
  • Local
    • Shopping List
  • Home