Baby horse first comp

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Destario

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Took my mare to her first ever dressage competition on Sunday. She was really good. Bit tense and looky in the warmup but better than I thought she'd be and aside from being cut up repeatedly by a chestnut she did ok. We're used to working with multiple horses in the arena, but not so used to people not paying attention and getting in the way!

Her slight bunny hop in the first few strides of canter came back - due to the tension I think as her hip and loin muscle is much improved. Even got some good free walk.

Discovered ous test was in the indoor, not much bigger than 20x40 and scary! She was fab, no outright spooking but unsettled and tense and didn't want to go near the gallesykor the gafs in the boards but nothing like what I had anticipated from her. Moments where she went nicely and moments where it didn't quite happen as I didn't have her full attention (2 half ten m circles?!) overall I was pleased with everything except her usual spot on trot to halt transition at the end. Big pat ant then the judge said 'you've still got your front boots on' - they are black and blend in and I'd totally forgotten about them! I swore very politely and the judge let me off with a point docking rather than an E because I 'seemed to be having eniugh problems'. I was a bit taken aback at that, but she probably didn't look the most agreeable horse going round. Still mostly 6s with some 6.5 and a couple of 5s and being her first test and a novice test at that I was pleased with her.

Had some lovely comments from some people in the gallery about coping well with her and some shock when I told them she was only 4 and they were impressed with how good she was!
Over the moon with her, just a bit guilty at having had 6 points off our test!
 
The points absolutely don't matter, the experience does. Sounds like she was absolutely brilliant !!! Be interesting to see how she comes on over the next 12 months or so. Massive well done !
 
Thanks! I feel so lucky with how sensible she is on trnasport and on the ground. She's definitely been here a few times before! It was an experience outing rather than an out to win and the points were decent for how she was doing, lots to improve on, but isn't there always! She's going combined training end of February as her next competitive outing so we can crack on with the dressage and I can wobble about my jumping skills and feel like a numpty on a fab jumping horse haha.

Got to plan her young dressage horse first outing too - think she'll love that. Once she relaxes and decides to be agreeable she moves like a dream, but she can get a tiny bit opinionated with her head still.
 
Thanks. That's the plan! She's also going to get me back into eventing and into BE hopefully after a long time away. She doesn't care if I mess up anywhere around jumps and is bold and brave so mainly need to work on me! She's coming on nicely if slowly on the dressage front, but she's clever and talented and can go really well, just needs more consistency and time. I hope she'll get right up there so I'll have to choose between high level dressage or eventing! A problem I've never faced before and hopefully won't have to for a few years yet.

I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful horse and such helpful trainers who really suit how she thinks - I know not everyone is so supported.
 
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