Three
Well-Known Member
Sorry, this isn't a very exciting report but I just had to share. 
My cob Dom (with his lovely rider Mike) recently moved up to Elementary as we felt he was capable of more and it gave him new things to think about. Like many cobs he's rather bright and, I think, was getting a bit flat in Novice.
Anyway, yesterday we went off to Addington to play with the big boys and girls. As always there were lots and lots of beautiful horses so I was immediately intimidated! It's also the biggest venue we've been in and the furthest we ventured to.
Dom warmed up nicely - though I could see him looking at all the new and exciting stuff - and went in to do Elementary 58. I thought he did a nice test but he looked a little unsettled in his head.
(For those who don't know Dom is a headshaker and only started dressage to try and help the problem. He is sensitive to light, pollen and flies etc and, when tense, tends to flick his head occasionally and couple it with a tense neck which he draws back and holding his breath!)
They then only had ten minutes before their second test; Elementary 43.
Again, I though it was a nice test, better than the first but still a little tense. He did have a minor error - transitioned from collected canter to collected trot at C instead of H.
Tests done we ambled back to the lorry to stuff ourselves with food (and hay)
When we got the sheets I was amazed and delighted to find Dom had come 3rd in his first test and 4th (although they only place to 3rd) in the second test. So we came home with a lovely yellow and green rosette.
I was particularly pleased with his second test as he scored all 6s and 7s totalling 187 and then lost 2 giving us 185 or 63.79%. The horse in 3rd place scored 186 so without the error we'd have had two 3rds.
We still have lots to work on and both judges gave us useful and constructive comments to consider and obviously we need to get out to more new venues so Dom has less excuse for gawping at other horses, sheds, fences, blocks etc etc etc!
This is the first time Dom has attempted to Elementary tests (the first two times out we only did one) and, owing to horrible traffic on the way home, the longest he has been on the lorry for (a 3 hour trip home) so I am thrilled with and proud of my little horse.
My cob Dom (with his lovely rider Mike) recently moved up to Elementary as we felt he was capable of more and it gave him new things to think about. Like many cobs he's rather bright and, I think, was getting a bit flat in Novice.
Anyway, yesterday we went off to Addington to play with the big boys and girls. As always there were lots and lots of beautiful horses so I was immediately intimidated! It's also the biggest venue we've been in and the furthest we ventured to.
Dom warmed up nicely - though I could see him looking at all the new and exciting stuff - and went in to do Elementary 58. I thought he did a nice test but he looked a little unsettled in his head.
(For those who don't know Dom is a headshaker and only started dressage to try and help the problem. He is sensitive to light, pollen and flies etc and, when tense, tends to flick his head occasionally and couple it with a tense neck which he draws back and holding his breath!)
They then only had ten minutes before their second test; Elementary 43.
Again, I though it was a nice test, better than the first but still a little tense. He did have a minor error - transitioned from collected canter to collected trot at C instead of H.
Tests done we ambled back to the lorry to stuff ourselves with food (and hay
)When we got the sheets I was amazed and delighted to find Dom had come 3rd in his first test and 4th (although they only place to 3rd) in the second test. So we came home with a lovely yellow and green rosette.
I was particularly pleased with his second test as he scored all 6s and 7s totalling 187 and then lost 2 giving us 185 or 63.79%. The horse in 3rd place scored 186 so without the error we'd have had two 3rds.
We still have lots to work on and both judges gave us useful and constructive comments to consider and obviously we need to get out to more new venues so Dom has less excuse for gawping at other horses, sheds, fences, blocks etc etc etc!
This is the first time Dom has attempted to Elementary tests (the first two times out we only did one) and, owing to horrible traffic on the way home, the longest he has been on the lorry for (a 3 hour trip home
) so I am thrilled with and proud of my little horse.
