ex-polo mare does dressage - report and pics!!!

MontyandZoom

MontyandZoom

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Thanks to all the lovely encouragement from you lot on HHO, Zoomy and I headed to Snowball Farm for our first dressage yesterday.

We entered the prelim 12............came last...........and I couldn't be more proud!!
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The standard was really high (well by my standards) and I was terrified.

For those of you that don't know, Zoomy is a one-eyed ex-polo mare that I have been attempting to reschool. A year ago she didn't know how to trot and had a huge muscle mass on the underside of her neck. She was still a giraffe and won't accept a contact but more relaxed than she has ever been, no rears and attempts to run off, she really tried her best. We got fours and fives and one six for our free walk so 46.8% overall. The judges comment wasn't too helpful - 'what a pity she has one eye, she cannot hold her head straight'

I really can't express how proud I am of her. We have been through it all, she jogged constantly for six months! I ADORE my pony and wouldn't change her for the world.

warming up:
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the test:
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video including our free walk for a six:


I also took my friend's mare Ada as her regular rider is ill. We scored a few places higher with 52% but she was very inconsistent. We got a couple of sevens including our 20m circle in canter but also alot of fours
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She wasn't really concentrating but I'm crap so that doesn't help.

Camera died so grainy from phone:

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Video including worst EVER canter transition:




CC greatly received!! I really want to improve with my little girl (although please don't tell me that she has her head in the air......I clocked that!)
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Thanks again to everyone who gave me a kick up the bum. I can't wait to go and come last again!
 
Good on you, she looks super and sounds as though you have come a long way to get to the point, heres to many more outings and enjoyment and triumphs (Excuse my spelling)
 
She is lucky to have you
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She looks really sweet and never say never! If you have already achieved so much she may surprise you yet . The best thing though is that you had fun despite what I think is an unnecessary comment from the judge and you both looked really smart.
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Well done
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Well done to you both, she sounds like she's doing really well and it's always good to get out and do different things anyway
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Only cc would be to maybe lift your hands a tad, i know it can seem strange with a horse who sticks its head in the air but i've found it can actually help them to relax it down. Of course, you know her best and i've never been on a polo pony so feel free to ignore that advice
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What an unhelpful and quite rude judge!
 
I would be proud too, well done and all the best for next time, it's not about the marks at the end of the day, its about how well you think you and your horse went on that particular day, as nobody is aware of the hard work and what the horse was like before, so keep it up!
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If you're not being sarcastic, it's really nice to hear someone just being proud and really not minding coming last! I went to show at the weekend, and yes they were youngsters, but oh my god the tantrums about not coming first were happening with every class!

I always enjoyed having horses that didn't know where their feet were and making a difference. Well done!
 
Dont put your self down so much, judging from the video you did a great job of a difficult mare that most people would not have the guts to put them selves on in front of a judge. There is deffinatly a moment of acceptance during the free walk where she comes round and lowers her carridge, those are the points that you want to be looking at and thinking great! When she gets there she is obviously going to be a stunning little mare with a very capable and sympathetic rider. Your approach is by far the best, slow and steady. Really well done and good luck for the next one!
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Thanks for all the nice comments. She has never been so clean, she lives out so is usually covered in mud.

I always have my hands down and turned inwards when riding Zoom, a very bad habit - I will try and think about that when I'm on her.

I was disappointed by all the comments. I have only done one test before - a walk and trot test on a friend's horse and the comments were much more helpful and constructive. The only comment on Ada's test was 'not always accepting bridle'.
 
Good for you. Judges pick up on the strangest things to comment on and it's usually the bleedin' obvious.
Get out there and show 'em!
 
Well done you! Know wonder you are proud!

What a very rude and unhelpful judge! I am amazed that she said such a comment!
 
dont let that comment dishearten you !!! i think you should be very proud of yourself
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try again under a different judge who might actually have something helpful to say !!!!!!
 
Yay at last Ive beening waiting to see how you did all day!!
Well done silly judge most unhelpful. I cant wait t get home and see your pics silly old work computer
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keep at it and come and do some Jumping soon with us... Hunter trails in the winter dont forget your my pair lol I am pa the number for insrtutor as well
 
I wouldn't have read the judges comment like that, obv I don't know zoomy and can't play the vids but from the pics I can see that she is head tilting.

I would have read that comment as the judge trying to say that it wasn't your poor schooling or riding that caused this but it was something the judge noticed

did I make sense then?
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I suppose she could have meant it like that.......I'm such a cynic I always assume the worst!

I think I was hoping that there would be at least one positive comment but the whole sheet was negative. I don't blame her since we know that we aren't good.......YET! It was just that at the last one I did with Ada it was more 'good try, a bit rubbish but keep at it'
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Well done you
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She looks a really smart little mare, the 3rd and 4th pics expecially she looks like she's really trying for you. I wish my 2 eyed TB could like that that sometimes (hopeless rider def doesn't help his style tho
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) I'm not surprised you are proud, you jolly well should be, never mind what the unhelpful judges said, you know how hard you have worked and how far she has come and that's all that matters, that and the fact you enjoy her for who she is.
 
Well done, I hope my marks are as high as yours when I attempt a test at lea Barns later in year (hope 2 c u there) Fancy the judge stating the obvious - that your beautiful horse only has one eye - what a useless comment ! WELL DONE
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Its great that she was so well behaved! sure the more you work the easier it will be for her to lower her head slowly etc and if she jogged all the time before and u got ur highest mark in the walk............ WELL DONE!!!!!!

Im not sure about the statement about her holding her head wonky when she works, as I know a horse with one eye and she holds hers straight, is it maybe more to do with her polo past?!
 
Good for you, she sound like a much happier horse now than she was a year ago. don't worry about the judges comments. i had an old gelding i had been given because the owner was going to put him down he had issues with soundness and speed and control (the type you have to ride all from the seat with your leg totally away from his sides) i took him to a riding club dressage just because i wanted some nice photo's of him. The BD judge wrote on the bottom of my sheet "GET SOME HELP WITH THIS HORSE!!!". I was really pleased as he went well for him and the judge was not to know other list one judges and olympic riders had tried to conquire him and failed and my trainer rode him once for five minutes and got off saying he didn't know how i managed to get the tune i did out of him. BY the way that is a photo of him in my profile. LOL
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Sometimes I really wish you could talk to the judge and let them know just how far you have progressed with a horse to even consider entering a dressage test, even if the end result is not very spectacular to the unaware onlookers.
 
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