Dressage report: Amazing return to the white boards!

TheHairyOne

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Special day yesterday for me as I took my lovely coloured horse out for his first comp since his in the field sesamoid chip (70% chance of returning to some work, much more guarded for doing anything interesting), surgery and a winter of complete box rest. Then a lot of hacking.

A month ago the vet signed him off 'as would pass a full 5 stage vetting with xrays so please crack on and enjoy him', so I have been. :) Had one lesson with him and a new instructor I found for my heavy cob baby over the winter and she just 'got' him (and also said there wasnt a duff step to be seen), and improved us 10 fold in 45 mins, with stuff that I have been trying to sort out for a long time!

So having no expectations I entered a prelim at my local venue. Spent the week stressing a bit (lot!), learnt the test, polished the very white coloured the night before, was horrified when it rained all night, polished him again and had about 10 toilet trips and the off we went.

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Was early, did manage to not get on too early and overcook him. Managed to just about get him to stop shouting at every horse and warmed up ok. Was nice just to be back out on him! The light drizzle didnt really matter to me.

Time crept up on us and in we went...cue more screaming as he was on his own and ears up my nose...at which point I wasnt expecting much! However, he settled just before the bell, aborted our first attempt at entry as something behind us caused us to shoot forward but luckily hadnt entered yet.

All going ok, more forward in a test than he has ever been (thank you new instuctor and 2 weeks of doing our homework), but utterly fluffed our first canter transtion into the rain, away from the warm up he only half bothered, and then broke. The second canter i rode forward at a cost of some connection, so wasnt expecting huge amounts. Not long till the end of the class and I wanted my sheet to celebrate the day as just being there was amazing so waited.

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Results out, and honestly I very nearly cried. We won, our section and overall. :D The good work was very good (8's for the walk, 7+ for the trot) and made up for the shocker of a first canter. And ok, only a prelim, only unaffilated, but a massive achievement for me and my lovely boy. And the first test with no 'needs more impulsion' comments. Onwards and upwards from here!

Thanks for reading. :)
 

SEL

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What a fabulous write-up! I've got one who seems constantly in rehab from one thing or another so I absolutely get the wanting to cry when you got your results! Well done both of you
 

TheHairyOne

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Thank you everyone. I love him to bits and he is 95% of the time a wonderful horse! Shame he doesnt share my love of dressage, but we are learning to work together. Had him since an 18 month old colt and done it all together. He would much rather be jumping, which he is very good at, and would be doing a whole lot more with someone who rides better than me, but he and I are happy so who cares that he finds this easy and I find it terrifying. Its nice to have a horse with more talant than I will likely ever need. :)

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milliepops

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What a fabulous write-up! I've got one who seems constantly in rehab from one thing or another so I absolutely get the wanting to cry when you got your results! Well done both of you

this, what a great result for you both. Fabulous. Love the jumping pic too, sounds like quite a horse :)
 
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