Baydale
Well-Known Member
HH and I had our BD debut at Vale View yesterday and frankly we're both a bit shell-shocked.
I mean how on earth do they expect me, Mrs Memory-Loss and him, Mr Huge, to be able to do all those movements in such quick succession? I felt like I'd been in the washing machine on a spin cycle.
First up was Elem 49, small arena, outdoors. I'd learnt this test on Saturday night - over a glass of wine to give me confidence
- but still wasn't convinced that 17.3hh would be able to canter a half 10m circle, trot, then canter another half 10m circle....I'm thinking QE2 without a rudder.
We'd had a few words warming up about his penchant for bouncing in canter
and he was surprisingly well-behaved during the test; I've discovered if I shove my bum really hard into the saddle when he starts doing it he gets the message. As we left the arena the judge did say something about him being a big horse to keep balanced (no flies on him
), so I wasn't sure if I'd get sympathy marks for that. To be fair to HH, I might have over-cooked him a bit in the warm-up as he's been a bit of a monkey lately - I don't mind him having "presence", but bucking and squeaking are not on in the serious world of dressage.
A quick learn of the next test, Elem 53, and a v short warm-up and in we went, indoors this time, so a whole new load of monsters to look out for. Again, he did nothing glaringly wrong other than fumbling a trot halt transition as he was convinced we were doing Int 117 and were going to canter again. I did a big "whoa" under my breath but as we were at C and the judge was sitting there at her table I was never going to get away with it, was I? She laughed, so it looks like HH can be entertaining in every sphere of equestrianism.
I must have been brave in my medium canters as she put "well attempted", but I swear she looked horrified as we lumbered down the centre line in medium trot to finish. I reckon she only gave me an 8 for the halt as she was so relieved that he actually did halt! (NB: it was the only 8 I got all day, hence why I had to brag about it.
) Oh, and my half 10m circles were too small she said - bet you never thought I'd be able to do that on HH, did you?
Soooo, from the comments I got the things that I need to work on are: engagement (that'll be lots of stopping and starting
), improving suppleness (going sideways with all the bits going the same way at the same time
), a softer outline (double bridle and rollkur
), then maybe I'll be able to some half decent marks.
I'd watched a few people do both tests and so was shocked to get 66% and win the open section of the first class, and even more shocked to be third in the qualifier but only got 62.06% in that - there had been lots of mutterings at the scoreboard as no-one had got the "required 65%" (whatever that means
), but I knew my test deserved my mark so I wasn't too bothered.
Chunky soup for anyone who's got this far, although mine should be a Slim-A-Soup I think as white breeches are not a good look for me.
First up was Elem 49, small arena, outdoors. I'd learnt this test on Saturday night - over a glass of wine to give me confidence
A quick learn of the next test, Elem 53, and a v short warm-up and in we went, indoors this time, so a whole new load of monsters to look out for. Again, he did nothing glaringly wrong other than fumbling a trot halt transition as he was convinced we were doing Int 117 and were going to canter again. I did a big "whoa" under my breath but as we were at C and the judge was sitting there at her table I was never going to get away with it, was I? She laughed, so it looks like HH can be entertaining in every sphere of equestrianism.
Soooo, from the comments I got the things that I need to work on are: engagement (that'll be lots of stopping and starting
I'd watched a few people do both tests and so was shocked to get 66% and win the open section of the first class, and even more shocked to be third in the qualifier but only got 62.06% in that - there had been lots of mutterings at the scoreboard as no-one had got the "required 65%" (whatever that means
Chunky soup for anyone who's got this far, although mine should be a Slim-A-Soup I think as white breeches are not a good look for me.
