HayleyUK
Well-Known Member
So, the day finally dawned - after spending pretty much the entire of last summer on box rest and then all winter doing rehab work for a tendon injury and kissing spines we finally got out to do a prelim on my little 6YO.
C was practically written off by Leahurst last year - so it was amazing to actually get her out and know she was happy and sound.
I'd seen on Facebook that a riding school 15 mins up the road from our yard was doing some unaffil dressage competitions on Friday evening - and since I have no social life, it was decided this was the perfect debut for her.
Prep consisted of a couple of lessons in the weeks beforehand with my amazing instructor - and a week in the field whilst I sunned myself and carbloaded on baguettes in France.
Off we popped - turned up and found that the venue was VERY quiet, which was great - exactly what we needed since she can be a bit stressy warming up with others. There was the option to warm up indoors, or in one of the outdoors - we opted for indoors because it was raining. Ticked off "first time in an indoor" with minimal fuss.
I've very quickly learned to pop her up into trot and get her forwards if she's tense and stressy rather than walking, and so far, this seems to be working.
Warmed up in lovely neon bandages (mainly so mum would remember to take them off!) - another first "first time bandages and boots taken off whilst mounted and somewhere new".
Went outdoors to do the test and by this point - i couldn't have cared less what happened in the arena. She'd come out, warmed up, cantered without bucking/changing/sodding off in the arena and generally been a grown up - no shouting, screaming, kicking off.
Trotted round - bit of a stop and look at the corner and the car parked at the end- convinced her past it, came round again and the bell went - came up the CL and tracked right - MASSIVE spook in the corner at the whiteboards nearly putting me over her shoulder. 6 months ago, I'd have had a melt down, stopped riding and let it cock up the entire test. Nope, not today - got her together, rode on and forgot it. She took confidence from me so cracked on.
Everything was in the right place, at the right time - transitions were soft and responsive (we struggled sometimes with the downwards ones!) and she let me ride her round.
We were first in, so hung around for ages waiting for scores - 67.95% and 2nd - the winner was on 72% and was also competing in the novice so was well established at prelim - not that it makes a difference as we were out for an educational evening, not chasing ribbons. Absolutely over the moon with her, and her score.
Comments were absolutely as we expected - occasionally lacking inside bend where she got a bit looky to the outside and a comment at the end about how she can get a bit 'deep' in her outline from time to time. So pleased with her and glad there was nothing too out there on the sheet.
Some photos because she's pretty.
The plan is to keep taking her out to lessons, unafil prelims and then think about a novice around Sept time when we've worked on the counter canter/medium canter a bit more and then think about some BDs and AF/Regional qualifications. Instructor and I are both really excited about her and her future.
Please - no critique of my riding/position - I'm having regular lesson, working on this.
C was practically written off by Leahurst last year - so it was amazing to actually get her out and know she was happy and sound.
I'd seen on Facebook that a riding school 15 mins up the road from our yard was doing some unaffil dressage competitions on Friday evening - and since I have no social life, it was decided this was the perfect debut for her.
Prep consisted of a couple of lessons in the weeks beforehand with my amazing instructor - and a week in the field whilst I sunned myself and carbloaded on baguettes in France.
Off we popped - turned up and found that the venue was VERY quiet, which was great - exactly what we needed since she can be a bit stressy warming up with others. There was the option to warm up indoors, or in one of the outdoors - we opted for indoors because it was raining. Ticked off "first time in an indoor" with minimal fuss.
I've very quickly learned to pop her up into trot and get her forwards if she's tense and stressy rather than walking, and so far, this seems to be working.
Warmed up in lovely neon bandages (mainly so mum would remember to take them off!) - another first "first time bandages and boots taken off whilst mounted and somewhere new".
Went outdoors to do the test and by this point - i couldn't have cared less what happened in the arena. She'd come out, warmed up, cantered without bucking/changing/sodding off in the arena and generally been a grown up - no shouting, screaming, kicking off.
Trotted round - bit of a stop and look at the corner and the car parked at the end- convinced her past it, came round again and the bell went - came up the CL and tracked right - MASSIVE spook in the corner at the whiteboards nearly putting me over her shoulder. 6 months ago, I'd have had a melt down, stopped riding and let it cock up the entire test. Nope, not today - got her together, rode on and forgot it. She took confidence from me so cracked on.
Everything was in the right place, at the right time - transitions were soft and responsive (we struggled sometimes with the downwards ones!) and she let me ride her round.
We were first in, so hung around for ages waiting for scores - 67.95% and 2nd - the winner was on 72% and was also competing in the novice so was well established at prelim - not that it makes a difference as we were out for an educational evening, not chasing ribbons. Absolutely over the moon with her, and her score.
Comments were absolutely as we expected - occasionally lacking inside bend where she got a bit looky to the outside and a comment at the end about how she can get a bit 'deep' in her outline from time to time. So pleased with her and glad there was nothing too out there on the sheet.
Some photos because she's pretty.
The plan is to keep taking her out to lessons, unafil prelims and then think about a novice around Sept time when we've worked on the counter canter/medium canter a bit more and then think about some BDs and AF/Regional qualifications. Instructor and I are both really excited about her and her future.
Please - no critique of my riding/position - I'm having regular lesson, working on this.
