Pigeon
Well-Known Member
So we had dressage on Saturday 
Prelim 7 and Novice 27. Significantly more entries + new venue = expecting the worst. 
He loaded and travelled like an absolute saint, which after his accident last year is amazing I think he must like going out places!
Because we arrived early, I went to watch the warm-up. I was stressing a little because the standard was really solid and I was expecting to totally embarrass myself! Pip was utterly fascinated by everything, and jumping around a bit whilst I tacked him up. However, he warmed up beautifully. He was just the right amount of excited - he needs to be a little hot or he looks like a donkey, but that's always a risky game to play with a thoroughbred! I was constantly expecting him to do something ridiculous but he was super, even helping me out when I messed up, which was often
Every day he becomes more accepting of the leg, which means I can actually begin to really ride!
We went in and did Prelim 7, which is an interesting test, because there is a LOT of trotting around the edge of the arena. Long trots make Pippy bored, and he invents his own entertainment. Had a couple of moments where he almost broke to canter, and then on the last centre line he decided it was the home stretch, and we got a couple of strides. Oops! No mistakes apart from that and occasionally loosing the HQs (he likes to swing his bum to the right) and I was really happy with our canter transitions! They were the first I have done in front of a judge that felt almost as good as at home.
I had already ranked the competitors, and decided that we would come in fifth. I went and looked at the scores when there were about five to go and we were lying in second. Genuinely shocked that we held our place and came second out of fifteen in the Prelim!
On to the Novice! We were both a little tired by this stage, and I thought he'd gone a bit flat. We warmed up gently, mostly walk, and worked on give and retake in trot and canter. We lost our mediums a bit, he kept breaking to canter, so I decided not to push it in the test.
Test went as smoothly as I could have hoped. No mistakes! Couple of little accuracy errors, canter transitions a couple of strides too early and the mediums weren't thrilling. I think the give and retakes in canter were our best movements, it's hard to do on a straight line but he stayed straight and in balance. I think the trot got a little flat, but his flat is so much less flat than it used to be!
Got him all untacked and unplaited and bandaged and stuffed full of polos before going to see the scores. All the sheets had been collected, bar one. I thought I must be going crazy because it had a red rosette. I didn't want to go up and peer at it because I was certain it wasn't ours, so looked at the score sheet first. Thought it said 60%. Turned out to say 80%.
80%.
Eighty! We came first out of ten! His first first at novice level! We even got a £10 voucher, which is the first time we have ever won a prize
What a clever boy Pip! I love this little horse so much!
And of course, photos!
My next entry will be affiliated. I swear. I think this is the kick up the bum I needed to actually do some BD!
Prelim 7 and Novice 27. Significantly more entries + new venue = expecting the worst. He loaded and travelled like an absolute saint, which after his accident last year is amazing
I think he must like going out places!Because we arrived early, I went to watch the warm-up. I was stressing a little because the standard was really solid and I was expecting to totally embarrass myself! Pip was utterly fascinated by everything, and jumping around a bit whilst I tacked him up. However, he warmed up beautifully. He was just the right amount of excited - he needs to be a little hot or he looks like a donkey, but that's always a risky game to play with a thoroughbred! I was constantly expecting him to do something ridiculous but he was super, even helping me out when I messed up, which was often
Every day he becomes more accepting of the leg, which means I can actually begin to really ride! We went in and did Prelim 7, which is an interesting test, because there is a LOT of trotting around the edge of the arena. Long trots make Pippy bored, and he invents his own entertainment. Had a couple of moments where he almost broke to canter, and then on the last centre line he decided it was the home stretch, and we got a couple of strides. Oops! No mistakes apart from that and occasionally loosing the HQs (he likes to swing his bum to the right) and I was really happy with our canter transitions! They were the first I have done in front of a judge that felt almost as good as at home.
I had already ranked the competitors, and decided that we would come in fifth.
I went and looked at the scores when there were about five to go and we were lying in second. Genuinely shocked that we held our place and came second out of fifteen in the Prelim!
On to the Novice! We were both a little tired by this stage, and I thought he'd gone a bit flat. We warmed up gently, mostly walk, and worked on give and retake in trot and canter. We lost our mediums a bit, he kept breaking to canter, so I decided not to push it in the test.
Test went as smoothly as I could have hoped. No mistakes! Couple of little accuracy errors, canter transitions a couple of strides too early and the mediums weren't thrilling. I think the give and retakes in canter were our best movements, it's hard to do on a straight line but he stayed straight and in balance. I think the trot got a little flat, but his flat is so much less flat than it used to be!
Got him all untacked and unplaited and bandaged and stuffed full of polos before going to see the scores. All the sheets had been collected, bar one. I thought I must be going crazy because it had a red rosette. I didn't want to go up and peer at it because I was certain it wasn't ours, so looked at the score sheet first. Thought it said 60%. Turned out to say 80%.
80%.
Eighty! We came first out of ten! His first first at novice level! We even got a £10 voucher, which is the first time we have ever won a prize
What a clever boy Pip! I love this little horse so much!
And of course, photos!
My next entry will be affiliated. I swear. I think this is the kick up the bum I needed to actually do some BD!
