Second Level Dressage Test 1
This morning with rain pouring down, my riding buddy and I ran down to the arena during the lovely downpour that had started back up just as we finished tacking up. This is the last day riding before we head to the show. The boys, Dublin and his stablemate Orion, get tomorrow off except for a little spa treatment.
After Dublin spooked at every possible thing around the arena and we warmed up we rode the Second Level Test 1 all the way through this time. It was not by any way pretty, but I now know where the trouble spots are... ME! I of course got tense and started pinching my upper legs which caused Dublin do a short choppy trot. My friend asked if it was okay to give some advice and then proceeded to correct my seat. I needed to relax through my legs and get my seat under me. Or as she said, feel the back of the saddle on the top part of your butt. Well if someone had said that to me about three years ago, we would have been in a whole different place.
I started the dressage test over again. This time I was getting a much better response from my horse. I could really feel him swing through the back and for once he was NOT focused on everything outside the ring (i.e. jumps where the boogey man hides, the jacket on the railing blowing in the breeze and sure to attack the next passing horse, etc.). I still, and probably will always, have issues with the medium trot. My horse is 17.2 hands and he can really stretch those legs out in the medium trot and it is all I can do not to get bounced right up into the rafters.
We did a nice trot serpentine, 10 meter circle to shoulder in. Even our halt was square to the backing up of 3 to 4 strides. When it came to the canter work, Dublin really shines. He really is very talented, so I have to work hard to show that off. We even got the dreaded Counter Canter Serpentine! Now all we have to work on is when we go across the arena, and do a simple change of leads through the walk, we don't start backing up! Small detail, but I'll get it before Saturday if it kills me.
Well, I am off the blog for a while and will fill you in with all the details of the show when I get back. I will be sure to add a few juicy gossip tid bits if I can dig them up. Wish me luck that we get through this and don't embarrass my trainer and all my friends with my attempt to move to Second Level.
After Dublin spooked at every possible thing around the arena and we warmed up we rode the Second Level Test 1 all the way through this time. It was not by any way pretty, but I now know where the trouble spots are... ME! I of course got tense and started pinching my upper legs which caused Dublin do a short choppy trot. My friend asked if it was okay to give some advice and then proceeded to correct my seat. I needed to relax through my legs and get my seat under me. Or as she said, feel the back of the saddle on the top part of your butt. Well if someone had said that to me about three years ago, we would have been in a whole different place.
I started the dressage test over again. This time I was getting a much better response from my horse. I could really feel him swing through the back and for once he was NOT focused on everything outside the ring (i.e. jumps where the boogey man hides, the jacket on the railing blowing in the breeze and sure to attack the next passing horse, etc.). I still, and probably will always, have issues with the medium trot. My horse is 17.2 hands and he can really stretch those legs out in the medium trot and it is all I can do not to get bounced right up into the rafters.
We did a nice trot serpentine, 10 meter circle to shoulder in. Even our halt was square to the backing up of 3 to 4 strides. When it came to the canter work, Dublin really shines. He really is very talented, so I have to work hard to show that off. We even got the dreaded Counter Canter Serpentine! Now all we have to work on is when we go across the arena, and do a simple change of leads through the walk, we don't start backing up! Small detail, but I'll get it before Saturday if it kills me.
Well, I am off the blog for a while and will fill you in with all the details of the show when I get back. I will be sure to add a few juicy gossip tid bits if I can dig them up. Wish me luck that we get through this and don't embarrass my trainer and all my friends with my attempt to move to Second Level.
posted by Dressage Princess @ 11:49 AM
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