Fiona
Well-Known Member
Hi guys
Well I took Flora out again today to some dressage. As it was run for eventers, couldn't do 2 tests at the same level so class 1 was an intro test and class 2 was a novice one, so for the first time she was doing lengthened strides, simple change of leg, and give and retake in canter.
It was the same venue as the last time.
She was much more settled in the warmup (though less horses may have contributed to this) and warmed up really well right from the start, whereas last time the first 10 min were fairly hairy. Even when we went outside for the first test (the intro one) she did not noticeably light up, and apart from a spook at a puddle as we went down the centre line she was settled and easy to ride (though straightness still a prob at times).
Had about 20 min between tests, so went back into the warmup and went through the additional movements ie lengthening and the simple change before the second test.
I have taken a couple of stills off the camcorder...
Everything comes up much quicker in the novice test, but she was v obedient and listening to me, even the simple change which relies on straightness seemed fairly effortless (though prob not good enough for pure dressage as needed about 6 strides of trot).
Both test sheets were encouraging unlike the last time, with comments on her nice paces in both. Got 53.7% in the intro test and 54.5% in the novice one which I was delighted with. Loads of 6's and just 1 four for the free walk where she would not stretch down.
Obviously this is a great improvement from last outing, both in terms of marks and in terms of her rideability (she has a couple of spooks in the second test due to v badly behaved horses in adjoining arenas so could in theory have added a couple more marks to her score but only momentary).
The only negative I can think of is that both judges mentioned that she was still slightly on the forehand, so have to work out how to get her slightly higher in front without losing her nice roundness (she is built slightly downhill and is deep in the body so is always going to have a tendency to look on the forehand even when not). Any advice therefore would be very gratefully received.
I wil have a lesson this week and work hopefully on the free walk as it is madness to loose marks on a movement which has a double coefficient, as well as asking advice on becoming "less" on the forehand.
I am thinking transitions etc are always good for balance, but are there any exercises to avoid??
Fiona
Well I took Flora out again today to some dressage. As it was run for eventers, couldn't do 2 tests at the same level so class 1 was an intro test and class 2 was a novice one, so for the first time she was doing lengthened strides, simple change of leg, and give and retake in canter.
It was the same venue as the last time.
She was much more settled in the warmup (though less horses may have contributed to this) and warmed up really well right from the start, whereas last time the first 10 min were fairly hairy. Even when we went outside for the first test (the intro one) she did not noticeably light up, and apart from a spook at a puddle as we went down the centre line she was settled and easy to ride (though straightness still a prob at times).
Had about 20 min between tests, so went back into the warmup and went through the additional movements ie lengthening and the simple change before the second test.
I have taken a couple of stills off the camcorder...
Everything comes up much quicker in the novice test, but she was v obedient and listening to me, even the simple change which relies on straightness seemed fairly effortless (though prob not good enough for pure dressage as needed about 6 strides of trot).
Both test sheets were encouraging unlike the last time, with comments on her nice paces in both. Got 53.7% in the intro test and 54.5% in the novice one which I was delighted with. Loads of 6's and just 1 four for the free walk where she would not stretch down.
Obviously this is a great improvement from last outing, both in terms of marks and in terms of her rideability (she has a couple of spooks in the second test due to v badly behaved horses in adjoining arenas so could in theory have added a couple more marks to her score but only momentary).
The only negative I can think of is that both judges mentioned that she was still slightly on the forehand, so have to work out how to get her slightly higher in front without losing her nice roundness (she is built slightly downhill and is deep in the body so is always going to have a tendency to look on the forehand even when not). Any advice therefore would be very gratefully received.
I wil have a lesson this week and work hopefully on the free walk as it is madness to loose marks on a movement which has a double coefficient, as well as asking advice on becoming "less" on the forehand.
I am thinking transitions etc are always good for balance, but are there any exercises to avoid??
Fiona
