nikicb
Well-Known Member
Well Cam and I had a busy weekend!
On Saturday we went to a dressage clinic with my regular instructor. It is so good for both of us to have to work with other horses around. Cam actually loves other horses - not in a needy way, but just a "really nice to see you" way. If he was a person, you could always rely on him to be at every party and propping up the bar at the local for a couple of pints on a Friday night. The problem is largely me - private lessons, no worries - I completely get into 'the zone' with him. Even tests are actually fine. But group things, and working in with others, I really feel uncomfortable. Not sure why really - my old girl hated other horses so we always found a quiet corner, or just didn't work in. When I first had Cam I had no steering. He wasn't obnoxious or silly, he just didn't go where I thought I had asked him to go. I'd forgotten that I needed to build the telepathy I had with my mare. Anyway, walk and trot are fine these days, but I still find cantering 'in public' difficult, especially because he is inconsistent on the right rein, and therefore I worry about it, which of course makes it worse. However, we survived and actually managed to practise some of the movements for our test on Sunday which was an added bonus. I still wasn't wholly convinced we could manage it all, but we had a plan and a plan is better than nothing.
Sunday dawned, and very cold and misty it was too.
Cam had managed to stay pretty clean, which was a good sign, and amazingly plaiting went well, bar the usual debate I have with him about eating all zips and buttons and the game of pushing me off my step. I know these plaits aren't perfect, and I would love to perfect the art of the hooded plaits so many people use these days. But I can do a whole neck of these in 20 minutes, and leaving his mane long makes him look like an ageing rockstar. :eek3:
The benefits of a wide & flat backed horse!
Older son was grooming for me (using the term loosely here) and we managed to leave pretty much on time - nothing like the incentive of the competition being held at his best mate's house to get a 16 year old out of bed at 6.30 on a Sunday morning!
Cam was his usual chilled self. Having had a horse for 30 years that I couldn't even tie up outside her own stable, believe me, I appreciate how laid back he is for a 6 year old. He worked in nicely and the sun was beginning to come out as we headed to the indoor school for our first test - Intro B. I have to admit that we now know this test pretty well, but we are definitely not ready for novice yet, so still go for the Intro/Prelim combo. On the whole it rode beautifully. We still have an issue on the 20m trot circle at A where we are meant to allow stretch (he falls out of the circle, so with longer reins I find it really hard to steer), but otherwise I was really pleased with how he felt. Massive pilot error on the halt - he actually halted square but it didn't feel that way so I asked him to move but messed it up. I really need to get some work in in front of mirrors to help me work out what feels 'square' with him. Anyway, the scores went up pretty soon and I was so so happy to find out we had come first, not only out of our open section, but overall out of around 25 competitors, with 73.04%.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mebdTjFvesg
We had two hours between tests so he had a nice long break on the lorry while I watched a few tests and caught up with some friends. I think we got ready a little too early for the next test. I was on board 30 minutes ahead of time and they were also running late. This is where my canter worries tend to start and allowing more time is actually counter productive. The venue we were at has a lovely big warm up area, and even though there were only a couple of other horses I still felt awkward about cantering. We did do it, but in no way could I count it as a proper canter warm up/schooling session. I really need to get some help from my instructor here, whether it is doing lots more group lessons or getting her to come to competitions I don't know, but somehow I need to get over my self consciousness.
Anyway we set off for the school and after a while waiting for judges to change over we went in. Our test started and coming down the centre line I was a little surprised to see someone both Cam and I knew writing, but on we went! I was very happy about how the test rode and having had an awful score the previous time I rode in front of this judge I was hoping for a better experience. Unfortunately true to form we messed up the first canter transition, but we picked up the correct lead in the next corner and I was very happy with the rest of the test. He finally feels like he has found his engines and is beginning to carry himself. He also just seems so much happier about wanting to work, which is lovely. We finished the test on a nice square halt which I managed not to mess up for him, and headed home as there were another 30 competitors after us.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k_S8_tQVyU
And a photo snapped from the video:
Having dropped Cam home, I headed back for my test sheet, and hoping for around the 63% mark. I was a bit disappointed to have scored 61% but this was at least a 4% increase on the last prelim test I did in front of this judge. Reading through the sheet there were a couple of things I wasn't desperately happy about, but having watched the video, I understand what she was referring to. Our worst habit of wiggling (his head, my hands in a non-breakable cycle) came out - very noticeable going down the first centre line, and of course that should be penalised. But overall we had had a fantastic day and to score over 73% in our Intro was just amazing and a lovely reward for all the work we have put in.
There are a few more pictures in this link (including some pro pictures, but I have bought the social media rights to them, so allowed to post them on FB):
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.298291013643266.1073741835.253388098133558&type=1
And finally, showing off his rosette:
Thanks for reading.
On Saturday we went to a dressage clinic with my regular instructor. It is so good for both of us to have to work with other horses around. Cam actually loves other horses - not in a needy way, but just a "really nice to see you" way. If he was a person, you could always rely on him to be at every party and propping up the bar at the local for a couple of pints on a Friday night. The problem is largely me - private lessons, no worries - I completely get into 'the zone' with him. Even tests are actually fine. But group things, and working in with others, I really feel uncomfortable. Not sure why really - my old girl hated other horses so we always found a quiet corner, or just didn't work in. When I first had Cam I had no steering. He wasn't obnoxious or silly, he just didn't go where I thought I had asked him to go. I'd forgotten that I needed to build the telepathy I had with my mare. Anyway, walk and trot are fine these days, but I still find cantering 'in public' difficult, especially because he is inconsistent on the right rein, and therefore I worry about it, which of course makes it worse. However, we survived and actually managed to practise some of the movements for our test on Sunday which was an added bonus. I still wasn't wholly convinced we could manage it all, but we had a plan and a plan is better than nothing.
Sunday dawned, and very cold and misty it was too.
Cam had managed to stay pretty clean, which was a good sign, and amazingly plaiting went well, bar the usual debate I have with him about eating all zips and buttons and the game of pushing me off my step. I know these plaits aren't perfect, and I would love to perfect the art of the hooded plaits so many people use these days. But I can do a whole neck of these in 20 minutes, and leaving his mane long makes him look like an ageing rockstar. :eek3:
The benefits of a wide & flat backed horse!
Older son was grooming for me (using the term loosely here) and we managed to leave pretty much on time - nothing like the incentive of the competition being held at his best mate's house to get a 16 year old out of bed at 6.30 on a Sunday morning!
Cam was his usual chilled self. Having had a horse for 30 years that I couldn't even tie up outside her own stable, believe me, I appreciate how laid back he is for a 6 year old. He worked in nicely and the sun was beginning to come out as we headed to the indoor school for our first test - Intro B. I have to admit that we now know this test pretty well, but we are definitely not ready for novice yet, so still go for the Intro/Prelim combo. On the whole it rode beautifully. We still have an issue on the 20m trot circle at A where we are meant to allow stretch (he falls out of the circle, so with longer reins I find it really hard to steer), but otherwise I was really pleased with how he felt. Massive pilot error on the halt - he actually halted square but it didn't feel that way so I asked him to move but messed it up. I really need to get some work in in front of mirrors to help me work out what feels 'square' with him. Anyway, the scores went up pretty soon and I was so so happy to find out we had come first, not only out of our open section, but overall out of around 25 competitors, with 73.04%.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mebdTjFvesg
We had two hours between tests so he had a nice long break on the lorry while I watched a few tests and caught up with some friends. I think we got ready a little too early for the next test. I was on board 30 minutes ahead of time and they were also running late. This is where my canter worries tend to start and allowing more time is actually counter productive. The venue we were at has a lovely big warm up area, and even though there were only a couple of other horses I still felt awkward about cantering. We did do it, but in no way could I count it as a proper canter warm up/schooling session. I really need to get some help from my instructor here, whether it is doing lots more group lessons or getting her to come to competitions I don't know, but somehow I need to get over my self consciousness.
Anyway we set off for the school and after a while waiting for judges to change over we went in. Our test started and coming down the centre line I was a little surprised to see someone both Cam and I knew writing, but on we went! I was very happy about how the test rode and having had an awful score the previous time I rode in front of this judge I was hoping for a better experience. Unfortunately true to form we messed up the first canter transition, but we picked up the correct lead in the next corner and I was very happy with the rest of the test. He finally feels like he has found his engines and is beginning to carry himself. He also just seems so much happier about wanting to work, which is lovely. We finished the test on a nice square halt which I managed not to mess up for him, and headed home as there were another 30 competitors after us.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k_S8_tQVyU
And a photo snapped from the video:
Having dropped Cam home, I headed back for my test sheet, and hoping for around the 63% mark. I was a bit disappointed to have scored 61% but this was at least a 4% increase on the last prelim test I did in front of this judge. Reading through the sheet there were a couple of things I wasn't desperately happy about, but having watched the video, I understand what she was referring to. Our worst habit of wiggling (his head, my hands in a non-breakable cycle) came out - very noticeable going down the first centre line, and of course that should be penalised. But overall we had had a fantastic day and to score over 73% in our Intro was just amazing and a lovely reward for all the work we have put in.
There are a few more pictures in this link (including some pro pictures, but I have bought the social media rights to them, so allowed to post them on FB):
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.298291013643266.1073741835.253388098133558&type=1
And finally, showing off his rosette:
Thanks for reading.
Last edited:
