The XC Clydesdale's Elementary Debut

abbijay

abbijay

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I'm a great believer in taking chances when you get them and when it comes to horses you never know what tomorrow will bring so I decided to bite the bullet and enter an elementary at my small and incredibly friendly riding club this morning.
It was E44 and aside from 1 simple change it is basically a novice test except we CAN do it in a double bridle. Last year 2 judges gave comments that Alfie was not good enough to do novice yet (including our last outing) but I'm not one to listen to others. When I got my time I was pleased to see only 2 of us entered and the entry was one of the judges that said that, I was guaranteed a blue rosette - happy days!
We were never going to set the world on fire but our warm up went okay. I remembered to sit up, keep my reins a sensible length and my heels down. If I ride properly Alfie looks a million dollars, sadly I rarely ride properly! The world's best cheerleaders turned up - non-horsey hubby & 5yo twins so they started snapping.
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...generic&notif_id=1515258706158216&ref=m_notif
We went in and it was all I could do not to cry with pride as I went down the centre line. There were at least 15 people watching which for a very late test at a very small riding club is a huge crowd. His trot work was pleasing, we know where our issues are but he's starting to work over his back in his mediums which has been a real challenge and lots of bending suits him far better than the occasional 20m circles of a prelim. 6 second halt wasn't great as I was fidgeting with him but the walk stepped on well for us. Canter is our nemesis; Alfie is long and downhill so only 12 months our ability to canter a 20m circle was dubious. He still has a tendency to plough and break but it is much improved. There's still a long way to go but I was really pleased with him. A small break just before the simple change and then an unbalanced canter to walk were our only real errors in that and I was pleased enough. We turned down the centre line and upon our halt got a lovely round of applause.
Turns out today's judge was the other one who said we weren't good enough for Novice in November but the writer today was one of my old sharers so as we walked off she gave me a massive double thumbs up (she knows how far we've come). Apparently she thought he was marvellous and didn't want me to be disheartened that she had to give me a few 5s. A few 5s?? I was hoping for a sheet full of 5s, maybe some 6s not a lot of 7s!!!! Overall we got 63.6%!!! I was over the blooming moon.
Https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...ref=m_notif&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic
I don't know if this will work but non-horsey hubby videoed it all and I'm naïvely proud enough to be willing to share it https://m.facebook.com/story.php?st...generic&notif_id=1515260921576648&ref=m_notif
Big G&T for me tonight and massive pat's for my super clever cart horse/family pony.
 
What a pair of superstars you are!!

Massive kudos to you for navigating such a gigantic horse around an elementary - loved the video, he was listening to you on every step, so sweet :o
 
Oh he is gorgeous! Smashing test - you make a great pair and I think you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. Here's to many more elementary test :)
 
What a huge achievement for you, I love clydesdales, he looks such a kind, honest boy. I bet he doesn't even feel the weight of you on his back. You have done a fantastic job of training him.
 
Well done you pair! I know exactly what you mean about needing a more complicated test and to be able to ride in a double to get him to produce his best work.
 
Love the video. Alfie looks like he has a huge smile the whole time. Must be so hard to hold such a big horse together in a complicated test. well done
 
I have given the video to Ted The Twit to study and learn from.

Well done and what fabulous achievement, just proves that any horse can be correctly trained. He lost you a handful of marks fidgeting in the halt at C which was a shame for you both.
 
This is fab, well done both of you! I love seeing unconventional dressage horses performing so well, great achievement! Keep it up!
 
Well done to both of you! You look fabulous together and very smart. I know from experience how unwieldy an Clydesdale can be, so you have all my admiration.

ETA, it was great to see the rider not doing the 'nodding dog' act that so many dressage riders seem to think is obligatory.
 
Thank you so much all for the lovely compliments, neither of us really has a clue what we're doing but we're really enjoying learning new things and pushing ourselves. This time last year we did our last intro test, it's only when I stand back I realise how much work has gone in and what really has come out.
Yesterday we had a lesson and my instructor (who didn't know we'd entered) was buzzing from it. She watched the video, read the sheet and said, "you totally earned those 7s for your trot work, they weren't just given out because she felt sorry for the carthorse." I had looked at it and think that she must've felt sorry for telling us off last time, we are an ex-trekking centre cart horse who I was told I may never ride again 2 years ago and the biggest wuss from riding schools.
It seems to have gone to Alfie's head though... we were supposed to be doing counter canter serpentines but instead we got flying changes! He's never done that before, must be getting more supple and is helping us towards our 2018 goal of being able to show a flying change in our Cheshire show demo this summer.

Pearlsasinger said:
ETA, it was great to see the rider not doing the 'nodding dog' act that so many dressage riders seem to think is obligatory.
Click to expand...
Ooh, what is the "nodding dog act"?? As you can probably tell from our gear we're not exactly following the trends of dressage - no bling, skull cap, brown hunter bridle, and GP saddle.
 
abbijay said:
Thank you so much all for the lovely compliments, neither of us really has a clue what we're doing but we're really enjoying learning new things and pushing ourselves. This time last year we did our last intro test, it's only when I stand back I realise how much work has gone in and what really has come out.
Yesterday we had a lesson and my instructor (who didn't know we'd entered) was buzzing from it. She watched the video, read the sheet and said, "you totally earned those 7s for your trot work, they weren't just given out because she felt sorry for the carthorse." I had looked at it and think that she must've felt sorry for telling us off last time, we are an ex-trekking centre cart horse who I was told I may never ride again 2 years ago and the biggest wuss from riding schools.
It seems to have gone to Alfie's head though... we were supposed to be doing counter canter serpentines but instead we got flying changes! He's never done that before, must be getting more supple and is helping us towards our 2018 goal of being able to show a flying change in our Cheshire show demo this summer.


Ooh, what is the "nodding dog act"?? As you can probably tell from our gear we're not exactly following the trends of dressage - no bling, skull cap, brown hunter bridle, and GP saddle.
Click to expand...

It does happen more in eventing, I think, but many dressage riders seem to think that they have to nod their heads at every trot stride. An instructor once told me that it was to emphasise the horses's movement to the judges. That doesn't say much for their view of the judge's skill.
I liken them to those nodding dogs that you used to see in the back windows of many cars.
 
well done. I have been looking for a reason to do an elementary I think you have just inspired me to have ago. thank you
 
Thank you for posting, I have a Clydesdale ID X that I am working very hard with as he has lots of quirks, not past intro yet, but one day...........
 
Really well done. I love Clyde's, when ridden well they look brilliant no matter what they do. I may need to show that video to my horse so he can see how to properly do walk to canter when we get back to that, not leap into it like he does. :p well done again, ignore the judges who say he can't do it, he can.
 
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