Jenni_
Well-Known Member
On Sunday past we pottered over to one of our local venues for Skye's dressage debut. I think she knew she was out for a party as she'd spent Saturday following YO around the field with her trailer as she dropped water containers off, nickering and neighing at the trailer expecting to be let on it. Strange horse. So come Sunday she took herself merrily up the ramp at warp speed, and was then joined by her pal Malibu, and we were off.
Cousland is one of my favourite venues - I used to work here when I was a working pupil, its got such a great atmosphere about it, its ran by a brilliant group of staff, beautiful backdrops for pictures, and in the past few years has become a regular venue for a lot of various riding clubs. We were here two weeks ago for the showing show, so I was happy that she knew the script. BUT - it was windy. Oh so blimmin windy!
We arrived in good time, but they were limiting the amount of people in the warm up so we only got to do about half of what I would have liked - she is like a duracell bunny and needs some settling. The warmup was indoor and the arena outdoor, and unfortunately due to the wind she just didn't take her warmup work outside with her, and went tense and resistant in the intro - this was a pattern that emerged through the day. We had entered 3 tests as I decided if she went pants in the first two due to being unsettled, we'd have a no pressure whiz round the 3rd to play. Which we did, and she was definitely more with me by that point, and we ended on our best score of the day (58.25% in intro, 59.75% Prelim 1, 60% Prelim 12). Although... I will say one thing, I felt all the tests were marked fairly harshly- looking down the scores at the end of the day, I was really surprised at the marks. My intro sheet (and others!) were also lacking in the positive comments department. Ok, I'm not overly bothered by it. You win some you lose some, but at that level it should be encouraging, and I really hope there wasn't anyone who went home disheartened and put off by dressage because of that
But that's a discussion for another day.
We had a fabby day though! She was impeccably behaved overall, we had a lovely day out, did some tests, and got some notes to work on. I need to work on getting her more forward and consistent into the contact, and work on picking up a consistent left canter lead. I have also booked the saddle fitter to come back out and check her saddle as I feel I'm just siting a bit far back in it - I don't know if its because the stirrup bars are too far forward or if its tipping back a bit, but I'm not sitting 100% and I want to iron that out. It makes it look like the saddle is too short for me, when its not as two weeks ago I was sitting perfectly in it with plenty room in the back. She's been on a bit of a bulking mission, so I'm just thinking it probably needs some adjusting.
In the warmup:
Tests:
And because she is beautiful:
One of our Yard Brats also pulled this out for us <3
And on a final note - when we were showing two weeks ago, I agreed with the judge when she said about needing more topline, so this is what we've been working on - I definitely think we're making progress in the right direction.
Its two months yesterday since I bought her, and already I couldn't imagine life without her big kind face, and her field hopping antics!
We're out again dressaging this Sunday at Cousland, doing Intro A and Prelim 17 (big arena- yikes!) so I will report back on that.
On a final note.... our instructor had opened up applications for sponsorship for 2017, where she would be offering training packages to the successful applicants. Last night she announced that she had picked us, with another couple of riders from our yard to receive sponsorship as a Team, alongside a couple of individual riders. So, as of last night, Skye and I are officially sponsored by egCavalletti, under the #TeamBorthwick banner. I'll no doubts be posting about this also as Emma is a fantastic coach who runs brilliant cavalletti clinic in the Central Scotland area and beyond. She's competed internationally in Dressage and has been instrumental in bringing on my flatwork in the past year.
Cousland is one of my favourite venues - I used to work here when I was a working pupil, its got such a great atmosphere about it, its ran by a brilliant group of staff, beautiful backdrops for pictures, and in the past few years has become a regular venue for a lot of various riding clubs. We were here two weeks ago for the showing show, so I was happy that she knew the script. BUT - it was windy. Oh so blimmin windy!
We arrived in good time, but they were limiting the amount of people in the warm up so we only got to do about half of what I would have liked - she is like a duracell bunny and needs some settling. The warmup was indoor and the arena outdoor, and unfortunately due to the wind she just didn't take her warmup work outside with her, and went tense and resistant in the intro - this was a pattern that emerged through the day. We had entered 3 tests as I decided if she went pants in the first two due to being unsettled, we'd have a no pressure whiz round the 3rd to play. Which we did, and she was definitely more with me by that point, and we ended on our best score of the day (58.25% in intro, 59.75% Prelim 1, 60% Prelim 12). Although... I will say one thing, I felt all the tests were marked fairly harshly- looking down the scores at the end of the day, I was really surprised at the marks. My intro sheet (and others!) were also lacking in the positive comments department. Ok, I'm not overly bothered by it. You win some you lose some, but at that level it should be encouraging, and I really hope there wasn't anyone who went home disheartened and put off by dressage because of that
But that's a discussion for another day. We had a fabby day though! She was impeccably behaved overall, we had a lovely day out, did some tests, and got some notes to work on. I need to work on getting her more forward and consistent into the contact, and work on picking up a consistent left canter lead. I have also booked the saddle fitter to come back out and check her saddle as I feel I'm just siting a bit far back in it - I don't know if its because the stirrup bars are too far forward or if its tipping back a bit, but I'm not sitting 100% and I want to iron that out. It makes it look like the saddle is too short for me, when its not as two weeks ago I was sitting perfectly in it with plenty room in the back. She's been on a bit of a bulking mission, so I'm just thinking it probably needs some adjusting.
In the warmup:
Tests:
And because she is beautiful:
One of our Yard Brats also pulled this out for us <3
And on a final note - when we were showing two weeks ago, I agreed with the judge when she said about needing more topline, so this is what we've been working on - I definitely think we're making progress in the right direction.
Its two months yesterday since I bought her, and already I couldn't imagine life without her big kind face, and her field hopping antics!
We're out again dressaging this Sunday at Cousland, doing Intro A and Prelim 17 (big arena- yikes!) so I will report back on that.
On a final note.... our instructor had opened up applications for sponsorship for 2017, where she would be offering training packages to the successful applicants. Last night she announced that she had picked us, with another couple of riders from our yard to receive sponsorship as a Team, alongside a couple of individual riders. So, as of last night, Skye and I are officially sponsored by egCavalletti, under the #TeamBorthwick banner. I'll no doubts be posting about this also as Emma is a fantastic coach who runs brilliant cavalletti clinic in the Central Scotland area and beyond. She's competed internationally in Dressage and has been instrumental in bringing on my flatwork in the past year.
she seems like such a lovely character, just what everyone needs in a horsey partner.
