VioletStripe
Well-Known Member
Right, I feel the need to be a proud mama! (essay ahead!) So, at my yard there have been a couple of dressage shows over the last month or two. So under the guidance of my instructor, I thought well why not? Cas is about four and a half now, and I thought it'd be a good idea to let him see everything and do a simple test, and also get some outside crit from the judge! So off we set to do the prelim - luckily they'd been nice tests which aren't too fast or demanding, which is a relief!
The first went well, he behaved beautifully (very interested by the plants!) and we were very pleased with ourselves! I was a happy mum, he wasn't phased and also got some lovely comments from the judge! The second show went even better, a few weeks later. He was more confident, and we'd been working a bit at improving his outline now that the paces were sorted - not once has he been put in draw reins or anything else, just taking it slowly to build him up and go at our own pace, we worked hard at doing long and low work and it paid off - somehow we came 6th!! So, skip forwards to last night, I was very tense, hadn't learnt by test as thoroughly and when we came out I was so so so so happy with Casper but was sure I'd ridden like an utter numpty and hadn't done him justice.
However.. we came 4th with 64.85%!!! Judge said we were a very promising pair I always knew he'd be a right star, but he's improved so much over the last couple of months it's impossible to describe! I never aimed to get placed, just wanted him to see everything and have a little go at it for fun! I kept on worrying over if I wasn't doing him justice, going too quickly for him, going too slowly for him, too much too soon, was he getting bored, just about every worry under the sun.. but he hasn't put a foot wrong and we've found a good rhythm for ourselves I'm amazed he's done so well - I've taken it as steadily as possible and I only bought him at the beginning of summer He had a fun day out in the field today, undoing all my hard grooming from yesterday
Anyway, thank you for reading! Cake to all who made it this far, now for a couple of piccies (sorry if they're massive!) As always I'm happy for CC, but bear in mind we're still on a learning curve! And sorry for the ramble, I'm gushing! xx
From the second try (sorry, none from first!)
And with this one, you can see the relief on my face we'd finished! Not a very straight halt, but I was so pleased!;
Now for my 2 favourite from our one last night;
The first went well, he behaved beautifully (very interested by the plants!) and we were very pleased with ourselves! I was a happy mum, he wasn't phased and also got some lovely comments from the judge! The second show went even better, a few weeks later. He was more confident, and we'd been working a bit at improving his outline now that the paces were sorted - not once has he been put in draw reins or anything else, just taking it slowly to build him up and go at our own pace, we worked hard at doing long and low work and it paid off - somehow we came 6th!! So, skip forwards to last night, I was very tense, hadn't learnt by test as thoroughly and when we came out I was so so so so happy with Casper but was sure I'd ridden like an utter numpty and hadn't done him justice.
However.. we came 4th with 64.85%!!! Judge said we were a very promising pair I always knew he'd be a right star, but he's improved so much over the last couple of months it's impossible to describe! I never aimed to get placed, just wanted him to see everything and have a little go at it for fun! I kept on worrying over if I wasn't doing him justice, going too quickly for him, going too slowly for him, too much too soon, was he getting bored, just about every worry under the sun.. but he hasn't put a foot wrong and we've found a good rhythm for ourselves I'm amazed he's done so well - I've taken it as steadily as possible and I only bought him at the beginning of summer He had a fun day out in the field today, undoing all my hard grooming from yesterday
Anyway, thank you for reading! Cake to all who made it this far, now for a couple of piccies (sorry if they're massive!) As always I'm happy for CC, but bear in mind we're still on a learning curve! And sorry for the ramble, I'm gushing! xx
From the second try (sorry, none from first!)
And with this one, you can see the relief on my face we'd finished! Not a very straight halt, but I was so pleased!;
Now for my 2 favourite from our one last night;