1st horseshow under the belt
Well the first horseshow of the season has now been completed. It was so exciting to get started again. It feels like the last show I did was years ago and then on the other hand, just last week.
Dublin arrived on the grounds and I believe was really excited to be back showing. This is his 4th season. However, we have only been able to show a few shows each season, so he is not that experienced. He just really likes seeing all the activity and seeing his buddies from our last barn again. This show has an extremely spooky indoor arena, but he did not seem to mind it at all. I believe it is because we have such a spooky covered arena at home and this seemed so tame compared to it. Whatever the reason, I was thrilled he took it all in stride.
Saturday morning we were to ride our first dressage Second Level Test One and I was nervous. Dublin, was not. After a long walk warm up and running through a few moves, we went in and made an attempt at moving up to Second Level. It was not a stellar performance, mainly because of me. I had memorized the test, and even had someone read it for me. However, I put the moves in the wrong place and almost forgot the very last canter 10 meter circle. When the reader said it, I had to yank Dublin around to fit it in and almost pulled him off his feet. But you know what, I was really proud. We went in and did it and had some really good comments from the judge. And a lot to work on, but nothing I didn't already know.
That afternoon we competed in First level test 4. This has been a hard test for us in the past due to the leg yield to the left. That move has always been difficult. Dublin usually does a diagonal line versus a true leg yield. But this time he was in the mood and more importantly I was sitting correctly and giving good clear aids. And low and behold... we did it. I almost stopped the test there and said "Thank you I got what I wanted... I'm done". But we rode the whole thing and scored at 61.6%. Not a great score, but a nice pat on the back.
Sunday, the weather was promising to be really bad. There were reports of thunderstorms, hale, tornado's and possibly locust too. I had signed up for the same two test again and my Second Level Test 1 was at 8:09 am. I figured I could at least get that in before the end of the world as we knew it in Easter North Carolina. This time we were outside, and I just kept my figures crossed that the storm didn't come up and blow over the white plastic tent that was over the judge's car as we did our dreaded canter serpentines. Again, Dublin was all excited and looking forward to getting in front of the judge. Don't ask me how, but he knows why he is there and what is happening.
We went in and really did our best. I put the circles in the right places this time and didn't forget the last canter circle. All was looking up. We managed to improve 6% points to receive a 56. Again, not a high score, but one I was VERY proud of. I had gone out and done it, we had taken our first step up in a while and I was thrilled.
To wrap up this very log blog, I have two special stories to share. I scratched Dublin from his last class. He had given me everything so far and he had nothing else to prove that weekend. And we were both very tired. I had a very special moment that reminds me how lucky I am to be with such a wonderful creature. I was so sleepy after having to be up at 5:30 am, that I curled up in a chair outside of Dublin's stall. Someone had given me a blanket and I proceeded to doze off. Sometime later, Dublin rested his head on top of mine and he dozed off with me. It must have been quite the picture, me curled up sleeping and my best friend with me sleeping together.
The second story is about how wonderful and special my husband is (note: he has posted comments to this blog and is known as "horsehubby"). I of course called him and told him all the good news and that I was on the way home. When I FINALLY got home, there he was to help me unload all the gear out of the truck. When we got in I found that he had cleaned the house up, and made dinner. I was told to sit, eat the appetizers and drink my wine. Dinner followed and was wonderful. Then he showed me my surprise, a chocolate cake with "56" written on it. My score for my Second Level test. He was proud of me and what I managed to accomplish this weekend. While he isn't from a "horsey" background and doesn't understand all the ins and outs of this sport, he does support me and celebrates and cries with me through it all. Now THAT is special!
Dublin arrived on the grounds and I believe was really excited to be back showing. This is his 4th season. However, we have only been able to show a few shows each season, so he is not that experienced. He just really likes seeing all the activity and seeing his buddies from our last barn again. This show has an extremely spooky indoor arena, but he did not seem to mind it at all. I believe it is because we have such a spooky covered arena at home and this seemed so tame compared to it. Whatever the reason, I was thrilled he took it all in stride.
Saturday morning we were to ride our first dressage Second Level Test One and I was nervous. Dublin, was not. After a long walk warm up and running through a few moves, we went in and made an attempt at moving up to Second Level. It was not a stellar performance, mainly because of me. I had memorized the test, and even had someone read it for me. However, I put the moves in the wrong place and almost forgot the very last canter 10 meter circle. When the reader said it, I had to yank Dublin around to fit it in and almost pulled him off his feet. But you know what, I was really proud. We went in and did it and had some really good comments from the judge. And a lot to work on, but nothing I didn't already know.
That afternoon we competed in First level test 4. This has been a hard test for us in the past due to the leg yield to the left. That move has always been difficult. Dublin usually does a diagonal line versus a true leg yield. But this time he was in the mood and more importantly I was sitting correctly and giving good clear aids. And low and behold... we did it. I almost stopped the test there and said "Thank you I got what I wanted... I'm done". But we rode the whole thing and scored at 61.6%. Not a great score, but a nice pat on the back.
Sunday, the weather was promising to be really bad. There were reports of thunderstorms, hale, tornado's and possibly locust too. I had signed up for the same two test again and my Second Level Test 1 was at 8:09 am. I figured I could at least get that in before the end of the world as we knew it in Easter North Carolina. This time we were outside, and I just kept my figures crossed that the storm didn't come up and blow over the white plastic tent that was over the judge's car as we did our dreaded canter serpentines. Again, Dublin was all excited and looking forward to getting in front of the judge. Don't ask me how, but he knows why he is there and what is happening.
We went in and really did our best. I put the circles in the right places this time and didn't forget the last canter circle. All was looking up. We managed to improve 6% points to receive a 56. Again, not a high score, but one I was VERY proud of. I had gone out and done it, we had taken our first step up in a while and I was thrilled.
To wrap up this very log blog, I have two special stories to share. I scratched Dublin from his last class. He had given me everything so far and he had nothing else to prove that weekend. And we were both very tired. I had a very special moment that reminds me how lucky I am to be with such a wonderful creature. I was so sleepy after having to be up at 5:30 am, that I curled up in a chair outside of Dublin's stall. Someone had given me a blanket and I proceeded to doze off. Sometime later, Dublin rested his head on top of mine and he dozed off with me. It must have been quite the picture, me curled up sleeping and my best friend with me sleeping together.
The second story is about how wonderful and special my husband is (note: he has posted comments to this blog and is known as "horsehubby"). I of course called him and told him all the good news and that I was on the way home. When I FINALLY got home, there he was to help me unload all the gear out of the truck. When we got in I found that he had cleaned the house up, and made dinner. I was told to sit, eat the appetizers and drink my wine. Dinner followed and was wonderful. Then he showed me my surprise, a chocolate cake with "56" written on it. My score for my Second Level test. He was proud of me and what I managed to accomplish this weekend. While he isn't from a "horsey" background and doesn't understand all the ins and outs of this sport, he does support me and celebrates and cries with me through it all. Now THAT is special!
posted by Dressage Princess @ 12:57 PM
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