_jetset_
Well-Known Member
It was only Grace's second ever dressage competition today. She had never been to any shows before I got her in October as she had lived in a field until she was five
As we got there I thought we were way over our heads and said as much to my hubby who had come with me. It was a Prestige Dressage Championship qualifier and there were a lot of very impressive horses warming up. I watched a test by a beautiful grey horse and got a small inkling that we would be in the bottom section of the results.
I got Grace ready then hubby held her while I got changed (she gets slobber all over my white johds if I get ready first) and I decided that it didn't matter how we did, what was important was that Grace got some experience and I would be happy if she just got through the test without any major issues.
She felt very fresh as I was warming up, had a few threats of a buck but nothing emerged as I did so many transitions she didn't have time to think of anything but what she was doing.
We walked over to the arena and I let her have a look around at the white boards (she was a little spooky at them the first time we went out in February). She didn't seem too concerned, so we went and did a few more transitions and waited for the bell.
I felt that the test went quite well. She listened all through, she was sharp off my leg and was really eager to please. There were a few dodgy moments when she started doing medium trot as I have been doing some work on it this week (but luckily it was going away from the judges) and a rattling truck went past in one of her canters and she tucked her bottom up a bit. Her halt was not fantastic and this is something we need to work on. But I felt so pleased with her because she kept her head and concentrated. She got a huge pat and I had a huge grin on my face as we came out!
We put Grace back in the trailer and went to get a coffee because I would like her to get used to standing in a trailer in case she ever has more than one class. But I had nothing to worry about, she stood in it like a pro and never made a sound even though there were horses turned out in the school next to where we were parked and horses coming and going.
I went in to check the results while eating a gorgeous piece of lemon cake and could not believe my eyes... we were lying in first place with 67.72% with the next mark down was 63%
We had to leave as the class still had quite a few to go, but was absolutely beaming with the mark she had received. I couldn't believe she had done so well in her second ever competition, before I got her in October she had never even been to a show.
My friend phoned me when we were on out way home (she was still there) and said the Prelim had been split into two sections of 16, and I had won my section
I couldn't believe it... I had never expected that when I had first got there. Our first rosette, and it was RED!!!
Then my friend phoned me again and said the Prelim class had finished and I had got the highest mark out of the whole Preliminary section of 32 horses and because of this I have qualified for the Prestige Dressage Championships!!!!
I just cannot believe it! The first competition she did a month or so ago, she came out with 59%ish and was really stressed out so I was expecting something around there today!
I am so proud of her!
As we got there I thought we were way over our heads and said as much to my hubby who had come with me. It was a Prestige Dressage Championship qualifier and there were a lot of very impressive horses warming up. I watched a test by a beautiful grey horse and got a small inkling that we would be in the bottom section of the results.
I got Grace ready then hubby held her while I got changed (she gets slobber all over my white johds if I get ready first) and I decided that it didn't matter how we did, what was important was that Grace got some experience and I would be happy if she just got through the test without any major issues.
She felt very fresh as I was warming up, had a few threats of a buck but nothing emerged as I did so many transitions she didn't have time to think of anything but what she was doing.
We walked over to the arena and I let her have a look around at the white boards (she was a little spooky at them the first time we went out in February). She didn't seem too concerned, so we went and did a few more transitions and waited for the bell.
I felt that the test went quite well. She listened all through, she was sharp off my leg and was really eager to please. There were a few dodgy moments when she started doing medium trot as I have been doing some work on it this week (but luckily it was going away from the judges) and a rattling truck went past in one of her canters and she tucked her bottom up a bit. Her halt was not fantastic and this is something we need to work on. But I felt so pleased with her because she kept her head and concentrated. She got a huge pat and I had a huge grin on my face as we came out!
We put Grace back in the trailer and went to get a coffee because I would like her to get used to standing in a trailer in case she ever has more than one class. But I had nothing to worry about, she stood in it like a pro and never made a sound even though there were horses turned out in the school next to where we were parked and horses coming and going.
I went in to check the results while eating a gorgeous piece of lemon cake and could not believe my eyes... we were lying in first place with 67.72% with the next mark down was 63%
We had to leave as the class still had quite a few to go, but was absolutely beaming with the mark she had received. I couldn't believe she had done so well in her second ever competition, before I got her in October she had never even been to a show.
My friend phoned me when we were on out way home (she was still there) and said the Prelim had been split into two sections of 16, and I had won my section
Then my friend phoned me again and said the Prelim class had finished and I had got the highest mark out of the whole Preliminary section of 32 horses and because of this I have qualified for the Prestige Dressage Championships!!!!
I just cannot believe it! The first competition she did a month or so ago, she came out with 59%ish and was really stressed out so I was expecting something around there today!
I am so proud of her!
o) that I didn't think we should be going because she was not ready and I didn't want to go to a qualifier and look silly 
