1st ever dressage test today

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treacle_beastie

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Well after an eventful morning of refusing to load, getting caught up in achain harrow and crying in the trailer, pleading with this hors to go on - I finally got in loaded and off we went to my local riding clubs dressage test. I entered the prelim 1 which seemed failry uncomplicated though I knew I was going to have a problem with left canter. Horse got a cheeky smack down the shoulder at C but it was a combination of me asking later and her just being her that caused us to be late. the smack was a bit hard and caused us to fly round a sort of circle! The rest of the test went rather well I thought, though she didn't take up the rein on the free walk - (this was because we arrrived with only 2 minutues to spare so I had no time to warm up first). As for a first time I thouight we did alringht and scored an unbelievable 56.3 and mostly 6's with a couple of 5's. - wow - I couldn't believe it! Good fair comments and lots to work on!

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r279/dalby6/DSCN0113.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r279/dalby6/DSCN0112.jpg
 
How brilliant for a 1st ever test!!!! Wish mine had been that good. Good for you for persevering, even after a bad start out with the loading - thats enough to stress anyone to the brink
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One thing I have come to realise from my experience, is that even if the test "feels" really bad, very often the person watching from the side sees a very different test.
Well done, keep going as that is a really good start.
PS As for the loading issue, totally sympathise, mine can be exactly the same. My tip is use a long step ladder behind them instead of a lunge line etc, works a trick!!
 
ooh could try that - nothing else works. My fault for not practicing beforehand. It took us an hour to load her for the return journey too! She just keeps going off the ramp sideways to make it really awkward. She's not scared and travels well just really tries it on to see what she can get away with. The whole pressure release thing used to work but now it seems boredom is the only thing that makes her finally get on.

Thanks for the tip!
 
Its one of the most frustrating things isn't it. My boy likes to stand on his back feet just to show me how tall he really is!! He will not tolerate pressure or reprimand, it just makes him worse. I was really pleased when I was told about the ladder thing though, it really helps.
 
Yay! well done Moomin6

I think we did really well yesterday to even get our girls there in the first place. And we both achived our goal of getting over 50%! Just had a look on the website and am slightly cheesed off because if Binky had not bucked and jogged through the test I would have been 6th and gotten a point in the league. Oh well at least we both came home safe
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