sasquatch
Well-Known Member
So I've done it! First dressage, the Intro C test, today.
I accidentally didn't realise my alarm only goes off on weekdays, slept in until 8 and had to miss my shower and rush a bit.
I managed to fit into my Mark Todds, couldn't then take them off for the rest of the day, and spent the whole time praying they wouldn't split and give the judge something else to look at.
I got to the yard at about 9.45, my test was at 11.36. Adding 2 bags of pellets to B's bed has done amazing things, he was much much drier and as a result nowhere near as wet or dirty. He did have some dried sweat patches, however I don't know if they were from overnight or the day before.
I did try to plait his mane, got a quarter of the way through, felt like cutting it off and crying and then finished it. Next time I am leaving it down. Definitely leaving it down. Never again.
I then took my sweats off (I am glad I wore them over my bright white tight Mark Todds), put my tall boots on, and ended up walking round with straight legs. Got show jacket, hat, everything I needed together, tack was on horse and we were ready to go.
Until I realised when we were warming up I had no gloves! Managed to get a pair though, as I was the only one without. I don't usually ride in gloves, so it had completely slipped my mind.
I knew the test, but still asked if I could have a caller which helped my nerves. B warmed up okay, we weren't the first to go so there were tracks where everyone else had been riding that helped me plan my circle size. I made sure to show give and take for the two 10m circles, not sure I held it for long enough. Serpentine went okay to start but I overshot the last loop and then had to make him turn a bit sharper than I'd have liked too. I thought he then had a really good free walk - I could really feel him reach and stretch under me and it felt nice. or at least, it was nice until he stood on the white bit of the arena after we had changed the rein.
He actually halted when asked as well! and then threatened to throw his leg out and have a scratch. I could just feel him tense and had to give him another half halt so he'd stand long enough that I could salute and leave asap to let him scratch. Our practice has been paying off though, as transition to halt is something he has previously not wanted to do.
He got his lowest dressage score (even out of the ones he's done with sharers) but we came 6th out of a class of about 10 I think! I don't know if the judge was very harsh or not, because there were only 3 tests that got over 60%. Winner was very deserved though. Most comments were about needing to be in an outline, or loss of balance in transitions (even though all I have been doing with him is transitions and serpentines - so we'll have to do more work on them), or that he wasn't straight coming down centre line. I was a bit shocked his free walk only scored 6.5 as my caller had said it was lovely, as I know his free walk was getting 8s in his last few tests with sharers so maybe it is me and not them.
lots to learn from though, I haven't yet been bitten by the dressage bug, and I don't think I will but it's something we can aim for. I could only feel it, and he felt nice and balanced for once and not like he was trying to rush through everything, but like he was listening to me and unfortunately I was not the best person to listen too. I also didn't see it from the ground, so it may have looked totally different to the untrained eye. He also needs a tidy up in general as he is hairy and by the time he was plaited I didn't have time to do his feather and beard!
no pictures yet - not sure if anyone took any, but I had no friends/family down to watch and ask to take pictures for me sadly. But I can include a photo of our test sheet and rosette! This is my only purple 6th place rosette, so now I can say I have a full collection! I seem to have mostly green and blue (I have one orange 5th, three 3rds, a handful of red 1sts and the rest is green or blue) so now I just will have to try and get some more
thank you all for reading!
I accidentally didn't realise my alarm only goes off on weekdays, slept in until 8 and had to miss my shower and rush a bit.
I managed to fit into my Mark Todds, couldn't then take them off for the rest of the day, and spent the whole time praying they wouldn't split and give the judge something else to look at.
I got to the yard at about 9.45, my test was at 11.36. Adding 2 bags of pellets to B's bed has done amazing things, he was much much drier and as a result nowhere near as wet or dirty. He did have some dried sweat patches, however I don't know if they were from overnight or the day before.
I did try to plait his mane, got a quarter of the way through, felt like cutting it off and crying and then finished it. Next time I am leaving it down. Definitely leaving it down. Never again.
I then took my sweats off (I am glad I wore them over my bright white tight Mark Todds), put my tall boots on, and ended up walking round with straight legs. Got show jacket, hat, everything I needed together, tack was on horse and we were ready to go.
Until I realised when we were warming up I had no gloves! Managed to get a pair though, as I was the only one without. I don't usually ride in gloves, so it had completely slipped my mind.
I knew the test, but still asked if I could have a caller which helped my nerves. B warmed up okay, we weren't the first to go so there were tracks where everyone else had been riding that helped me plan my circle size. I made sure to show give and take for the two 10m circles, not sure I held it for long enough. Serpentine went okay to start but I overshot the last loop and then had to make him turn a bit sharper than I'd have liked too. I thought he then had a really good free walk - I could really feel him reach and stretch under me and it felt nice. or at least, it was nice until he stood on the white bit of the arena after we had changed the rein.
He actually halted when asked as well! and then threatened to throw his leg out and have a scratch. I could just feel him tense and had to give him another half halt so he'd stand long enough that I could salute and leave asap to let him scratch. Our practice has been paying off though, as transition to halt is something he has previously not wanted to do.
He got his lowest dressage score (even out of the ones he's done with sharers) but we came 6th out of a class of about 10 I think! I don't know if the judge was very harsh or not, because there were only 3 tests that got over 60%. Winner was very deserved though. Most comments were about needing to be in an outline, or loss of balance in transitions (even though all I have been doing with him is transitions and serpentines - so we'll have to do more work on them), or that he wasn't straight coming down centre line. I was a bit shocked his free walk only scored 6.5 as my caller had said it was lovely, as I know his free walk was getting 8s in his last few tests with sharers so maybe it is me and not them.
lots to learn from though, I haven't yet been bitten by the dressage bug, and I don't think I will but it's something we can aim for. I could only feel it, and he felt nice and balanced for once and not like he was trying to rush through everything, but like he was listening to me and unfortunately I was not the best person to listen too. I also didn't see it from the ground, so it may have looked totally different to the untrained eye. He also needs a tidy up in general as he is hairy and by the time he was plaited I didn't have time to do his feather and beard!
no pictures yet - not sure if anyone took any, but I had no friends/family down to watch and ask to take pictures for me sadly. But I can include a photo of our test sheet and rosette! This is my only purple 6th place rosette, so now I can say I have a full collection! I seem to have mostly green and blue (I have one orange 5th, three 3rds, a handful of red 1sts and the rest is green or blue) so now I just will have to try and get some more
thank you all for reading!
hopefully next time you'll get more constructive feedback.
