black_horse
Well-Known Member
I have been sitting her trying to figure out how to put down into words the lessons that my beautiful horse has taught me today. I do actively try to portray delicia to you readers in an open and honest light, not just through my rose coloured glasses. What i can safely say is that delicia has taught me a valuable lesson today. That sometimes it isnt the colour of the rossette that matters, but the journey to achieving it is what really counts.
I'll explain.
Today i entered Delicia into a local riding club dressage show held at a local venue. The tests were Novice 28 and Novice 34, although admittedly i read it as novice 24 and subsequaintly learnt the wrong test . I though both delicia and myself were capable of Novice 28 but we might struggle in keeping a calm canter in Novice 34 as there wasa lot of canter-trot-canter transitions and two lots of medium canter. In the run-up to the show delicia was beautiful. I have only had dee back in her snaffle for two weeks (5 lots of riding sessions) and so i did wonder whether in my competitiveness i was pushing myself too much?
Nevertheless, this was going to be a nice low key show, so it was perfect for what i was looking for, and i do love to support local riding clubs .
So i got Delicia ready today, our usual regieme and she was a star, very well behaved and travelled beautifully to the venue. We got there about an hour early so i put the ramp down on the box and let her just chill and take in her surroundings. I needn't have bothered. She was too interested in emptying her haynet. She's really got into the knack of eating lately, fat cow .
Soon it was half an hour before my time so i tacked her up, nice and calmly, humming to myself so i kept myself calm and unloaded her. She was good as gold to mount, no rushing off from the mounting block nor spinning, surely a good sign? Or so i thought.
We jogged to the warm-up, i tried to remain calm and without grabbing at her mouth and giving her the excuse to play up, i brought her back to walk with my voice. However the warmup whilst indoors, was incredibly spooky. Delicia is tall enough (17hh) to see over the half wall and see the carpark with children running around and other horses kicking inside their trailers.This was all very spooky and delicia jogged around warm up. I worked at getting her long and low but i will not lie to you. I had no breaks and i knew i had no breaks and this did scare me a little. I felt a little out of control, albeit she was jogging slowly, and this is not a feeling i enjoy. I was worried. I tried to remember things i have learnt and to relax. Thankfully (and a blessing in disguise) my mother was there and she read my body language. She came into the arena and stood at X whilst i worked dee in a circle around her, first on one rein, then on the other. Getting her to relax, accept my seat aids, accept my leg aids and to eventually walk. After what seemed like an age i slowly got her on my side and eventually, got her to relax. My gut instinct was to grab and hold her, and i knew this was wrong. I half halted with my seat and kept my hands wide and low to encourage her to drop down into the contact and to soften to me. I took a deep breath. I felt back in control and i hadnt paniced.
Although this was good and was progress,i must admit i did start to wonder the wisdom of doing the next couple of classes, but i thought what did i have to lose? (Actually in reality quite a lot but i had already paid my entry fee ).
I brought her out of the warm up as the first horse went in (i was to be second) and i made her stand on the pathway overlooking the arena so i could watch the test as my friend was riding. It also served to take dee away from the spooky arena and to stand still and relax. She was, quite literally, chomping at her bits so i played with the contact a little, trying to keep her soft in her mouth.
Then it came my turn. I immediately felt myself tense up and i took a moment to relax myself again before clicking to dee to walk into the arena. The test was a 20x40 test but as it was being held in a 20x60 arena there were the dreaded white boards out . Of course this time she ignored them, whilst at another venue they were clearly pony eating monsters. I simply walked her around the outside of the arena as i waited for the judge to signal the start of my test, working on her flexion and getting her to wait for me. The judge beeped her horn and mum started reading. I collected dee and asked her to trot and off we went.
She was very positive down the centre line and in relaxed in her trot and this echoed in the marks (7's and 8's). However, once again as the dreaded canter work started it was clearly against the clock. She was quick of my aids and took the correct canter leads both times, but she was too bold, running through the bit and having a play. She wasnt spooking, she wasnt really even being naughty, she just didnt really know what to do with all the power and i think she got too used to me holding her, that now because i refuse too, she doesnt really want to hold herself (too much effort you see). The first canter was better then our second. In the second canter she knew the score by now and she didnt need me to tell her. I half halted her but god she was having none of it. (the judge wrote well sat for several movements) Me and my mare had a discussion about this canter. We did some lovely uphil and very elevated flying changes, and at times there was more of the flying and less of the change. But i was certain i was not going to hold her, and she threw her dummy out a bit. But she came back to the trot when i asked her and walked when i asked. I even gave her the reins in the free walk and really allowed her to stretch. I was schooling her around this test, for i knew that with the canter work i had thrown away any chance of a win and for me this was good, as i focused on what really mattered. That was the correctness of delicias work and not the colour of the ribbon.
We actually managed a square halt for once! For the first time ever since i have owned her (so her entire ridden career), she had an established square halt and she didnt fret or worry in it. This all because i was not holding her.
I brought her out of the arena and made her stand and wait for the next test. [deleted user] very kindly came back from competing previously to watch my test. We had a giggle about it being against the clock but did a pretty accurate critic of it. When she works with me, she is fantastic, but when she is against me, she is sticking two hooves up at me *whispers* bloody mares.
The next test i was uneasy about, there were a lot of transitions and our balance just isnt there yet. I took her back in and got her to trot about, this time delicia turned into a tank and was trying me out. I could tell she wanted to make sure i knew exactly what i was doing. Do you know mares of a certain disposition squeal at you when you put your leg on and ask them to bend? Something else i learnt today...spring is definetly sprung. .
I started the test and went down the centre line at A in extended trot, we argued about the direction to turn then, i wanted to go left but clearly i meant so right, so we kind of veered off to the left very suddenly, droping the shoulder doing so, just to check i was secure in my seat. This was very nice of dee to check to make sure i was positive about not falling off. In fact dee's politeness to check the security of my seat continued as i did a 20 metre circle in trot at 100 miles per hour, on half halting slightly stopping dead and turning a little, dropping the shoulder again. Our half ten metre circle was ok but she tanked back off to H. Starting out second 20 metre circle she started to tank. So i halted her and signalled to the judge my intention to retire. I was not going to have a battle with this mare. I would lose.
The judge knew my history and knew my mare. She kindly offered to allow me to school her through the test and she wouldnt mark it. This was an unbeliveably kind offer and one i grabed at. I played with the contact and got dee on the bit and pushed her up into a nice working trot. I did lots of circle work, spiraling them in to an 8 metre circle and back out to a 20 metre circle, getting dee to sit more on her hocks and to accept my leg aids. Then i asked for the C work. (canter that it). Off she voomed and i half halted and brought her back to a trot, i asked again and she went off again but a little slower this time, she was leaning on my hands and so i brought her back to a walk this time and did something else. trying to keep her mind engaged i did come circle work, flexing her both left and right before trotting and asking for canter. This time she was more engaged and sitting, we had a wonderful canter. She felt so light and 'up'. I did one side of canter and a circle before bringing her back to a trot (me dictating when this was and not her) before allowing her to stretch in the trot. She was really swining up and over her back and it was amazing. WOW is all i can say. I brought her back to walk, still making her stretch and patted her. She was a good girl.
Ok, so i might have retired from the second test, but i felt like i had won. For i had won something better then any red rossette, i finally had got dee to listen to me and get her soft and relaxed and my reward for this was a glimpse of what she is capable off.
It would have been so easy for my nerves to have got the better of me and for me to have packed it all in, or worse, run back off and put her back in her double. But i didnt. I persevered and in doing so, i caught a glimpse of what dee will become if i keep at it.
continued in next post.
I'll explain.
Today i entered Delicia into a local riding club dressage show held at a local venue. The tests were Novice 28 and Novice 34, although admittedly i read it as novice 24 and subsequaintly learnt the wrong test . I though both delicia and myself were capable of Novice 28 but we might struggle in keeping a calm canter in Novice 34 as there wasa lot of canter-trot-canter transitions and two lots of medium canter. In the run-up to the show delicia was beautiful. I have only had dee back in her snaffle for two weeks (5 lots of riding sessions) and so i did wonder whether in my competitiveness i was pushing myself too much?
Nevertheless, this was going to be a nice low key show, so it was perfect for what i was looking for, and i do love to support local riding clubs .
So i got Delicia ready today, our usual regieme and she was a star, very well behaved and travelled beautifully to the venue. We got there about an hour early so i put the ramp down on the box and let her just chill and take in her surroundings. I needn't have bothered. She was too interested in emptying her haynet. She's really got into the knack of eating lately, fat cow .
Soon it was half an hour before my time so i tacked her up, nice and calmly, humming to myself so i kept myself calm and unloaded her. She was good as gold to mount, no rushing off from the mounting block nor spinning, surely a good sign? Or so i thought.
We jogged to the warm-up, i tried to remain calm and without grabbing at her mouth and giving her the excuse to play up, i brought her back to walk with my voice. However the warmup whilst indoors, was incredibly spooky. Delicia is tall enough (17hh) to see over the half wall and see the carpark with children running around and other horses kicking inside their trailers.This was all very spooky and delicia jogged around warm up. I worked at getting her long and low but i will not lie to you. I had no breaks and i knew i had no breaks and this did scare me a little. I felt a little out of control, albeit she was jogging slowly, and this is not a feeling i enjoy. I was worried. I tried to remember things i have learnt and to relax. Thankfully (and a blessing in disguise) my mother was there and she read my body language. She came into the arena and stood at X whilst i worked dee in a circle around her, first on one rein, then on the other. Getting her to relax, accept my seat aids, accept my leg aids and to eventually walk. After what seemed like an age i slowly got her on my side and eventually, got her to relax. My gut instinct was to grab and hold her, and i knew this was wrong. I half halted with my seat and kept my hands wide and low to encourage her to drop down into the contact and to soften to me. I took a deep breath. I felt back in control and i hadnt paniced.
Although this was good and was progress,i must admit i did start to wonder the wisdom of doing the next couple of classes, but i thought what did i have to lose? (Actually in reality quite a lot but i had already paid my entry fee ).
I brought her out of the warm up as the first horse went in (i was to be second) and i made her stand on the pathway overlooking the arena so i could watch the test as my friend was riding. It also served to take dee away from the spooky arena and to stand still and relax. She was, quite literally, chomping at her bits so i played with the contact a little, trying to keep her soft in her mouth.
Then it came my turn. I immediately felt myself tense up and i took a moment to relax myself again before clicking to dee to walk into the arena. The test was a 20x40 test but as it was being held in a 20x60 arena there were the dreaded white boards out . Of course this time she ignored them, whilst at another venue they were clearly pony eating monsters. I simply walked her around the outside of the arena as i waited for the judge to signal the start of my test, working on her flexion and getting her to wait for me. The judge beeped her horn and mum started reading. I collected dee and asked her to trot and off we went.
She was very positive down the centre line and in relaxed in her trot and this echoed in the marks (7's and 8's). However, once again as the dreaded canter work started it was clearly against the clock. She was quick of my aids and took the correct canter leads both times, but she was too bold, running through the bit and having a play. She wasnt spooking, she wasnt really even being naughty, she just didnt really know what to do with all the power and i think she got too used to me holding her, that now because i refuse too, she doesnt really want to hold herself (too much effort you see). The first canter was better then our second. In the second canter she knew the score by now and she didnt need me to tell her. I half halted her but god she was having none of it. (the judge wrote well sat for several movements) Me and my mare had a discussion about this canter. We did some lovely uphil and very elevated flying changes, and at times there was more of the flying and less of the change. But i was certain i was not going to hold her, and she threw her dummy out a bit. But she came back to the trot when i asked her and walked when i asked. I even gave her the reins in the free walk and really allowed her to stretch. I was schooling her around this test, for i knew that with the canter work i had thrown away any chance of a win and for me this was good, as i focused on what really mattered. That was the correctness of delicias work and not the colour of the ribbon.
We actually managed a square halt for once! For the first time ever since i have owned her (so her entire ridden career), she had an established square halt and she didnt fret or worry in it. This all because i was not holding her.
I brought her out of the arena and made her stand and wait for the next test. [deleted user] very kindly came back from competing previously to watch my test. We had a giggle about it being against the clock but did a pretty accurate critic of it. When she works with me, she is fantastic, but when she is against me, she is sticking two hooves up at me *whispers* bloody mares.
The next test i was uneasy about, there were a lot of transitions and our balance just isnt there yet. I took her back in and got her to trot about, this time delicia turned into a tank and was trying me out. I could tell she wanted to make sure i knew exactly what i was doing. Do you know mares of a certain disposition squeal at you when you put your leg on and ask them to bend? Something else i learnt today...spring is definetly sprung. .
I started the test and went down the centre line at A in extended trot, we argued about the direction to turn then, i wanted to go left but clearly i meant so right, so we kind of veered off to the left very suddenly, droping the shoulder doing so, just to check i was secure in my seat. This was very nice of dee to check to make sure i was positive about not falling off. In fact dee's politeness to check the security of my seat continued as i did a 20 metre circle in trot at 100 miles per hour, on half halting slightly stopping dead and turning a little, dropping the shoulder again. Our half ten metre circle was ok but she tanked back off to H. Starting out second 20 metre circle she started to tank. So i halted her and signalled to the judge my intention to retire. I was not going to have a battle with this mare. I would lose.
The judge knew my history and knew my mare. She kindly offered to allow me to school her through the test and she wouldnt mark it. This was an unbeliveably kind offer and one i grabed at. I played with the contact and got dee on the bit and pushed her up into a nice working trot. I did lots of circle work, spiraling them in to an 8 metre circle and back out to a 20 metre circle, getting dee to sit more on her hocks and to accept my leg aids. Then i asked for the C work. (canter that it). Off she voomed and i half halted and brought her back to a trot, i asked again and she went off again but a little slower this time, she was leaning on my hands and so i brought her back to a walk this time and did something else. trying to keep her mind engaged i did come circle work, flexing her both left and right before trotting and asking for canter. This time she was more engaged and sitting, we had a wonderful canter. She felt so light and 'up'. I did one side of canter and a circle before bringing her back to a trot (me dictating when this was and not her) before allowing her to stretch in the trot. She was really swining up and over her back and it was amazing. WOW is all i can say. I brought her back to walk, still making her stretch and patted her. She was a good girl.
Ok, so i might have retired from the second test, but i felt like i had won. For i had won something better then any red rossette, i finally had got dee to listen to me and get her soft and relaxed and my reward for this was a glimpse of what she is capable off.
It would have been so easy for my nerves to have got the better of me and for me to have packed it all in, or worse, run back off and put her back in her double. But i didnt. I persevered and in doing so, i caught a glimpse of what dee will become if i keep at it.
continued in next post.
However we need photos ma'am!
