HufflyPuffly
Well-Known Member
As this forum has been such a help for all my daft questions over the years, and you've been with us since the start of our dressage journey, though we have lost at least one crucial member along the way, I thought it only right that this had to be documented here too 
.
We did our Advanced tests last year and managed to gain our qualifying score, despite hats falling off and me forgetting tests! In between then and now, I have moved house and country and as such we've had a very stop start time with training and competing! However, the qualifying deadline was looming and there was no reasonable excuse in the way (asides from not remotely feeling ready!), plus you should always seize the day you never know what is around the corner.
In the end it was almost a year to the day of our qualifying test, though the weather couldn't have been more different! A105 we survived driving rain, PSG it was bakingly hot! Topaz is normally a bit rubbish in the heat, she's black and 'stocky'
, but she tried her blooming heart out for me! We had been sharpening up her changes up on the Thursday before, Topaz remembered this and almost launched me clean off 🙈. I was very glad I’d gone for our baby spurs and the whip was dropped until chill was restored 🤣.
Short warm up as it was so hot, meant I still did not feel ready, I really could have done with at least 5 more years 🤷ðŸ¼â€â™€ï¸. However, into the test we went 😬. Absolutely amazing feeling, Topaz was so with me trying her heart out. Ok yes the pirouettes were far too big as I panicked and thought I should keep them big for our first one 🤦ðŸ¼â€â™€ï¸. Yes we had mistakes in the tempi’s, but by god they were so much better than I expected! Fours and threes are definitely in touching distance, just need to keep the control all the way through! Topaz got excited and put a three in the fours 🤣🤷ðŸ¼â€â™€ï¸. She still seems a little anxious over the changes in a test so they were a little hit or miss, but I know that if I take her out more they settle, plus I don't care what the judge thinks her extensions were mega for her!
Just shy of sixty percent with 58% (dam piroutttes lol), plus first in my section so we got a red rosette for our very first try!
The video in all is mistake ridden glory
For you Marie, you always, always, always told me that we could do it and you were right, I just wish you'd got to see it xx
.We did our Advanced tests last year and managed to gain our qualifying score, despite hats falling off and me forgetting tests! In between then and now, I have moved house and country and as such we've had a very stop start time with training and competing! However, the qualifying deadline was looming and there was no reasonable excuse in the way (asides from not remotely feeling ready!), plus you should always seize the day you never know what is around the corner.
In the end it was almost a year to the day of our qualifying test, though the weather couldn't have been more different! A105 we survived driving rain, PSG it was bakingly hot! Topaz is normally a bit rubbish in the heat, she's black and 'stocky'
, but she tried her blooming heart out for me! We had been sharpening up her changes up on the Thursday before, Topaz remembered this and almost launched me clean off 🙈. I was very glad I’d gone for our baby spurs and the whip was dropped until chill was restored 🤣.Short warm up as it was so hot, meant I still did not feel ready, I really could have done with at least 5 more years 🤷ðŸ¼â€â™€ï¸. However, into the test we went 😬. Absolutely amazing feeling, Topaz was so with me trying her heart out. Ok yes the pirouettes were far too big as I panicked and thought I should keep them big for our first one 🤦ðŸ¼â€â™€ï¸. Yes we had mistakes in the tempi’s, but by god they were so much better than I expected! Fours and threes are definitely in touching distance, just need to keep the control all the way through! Topaz got excited and put a three in the fours 🤣🤷ðŸ¼â€â™€ï¸. She still seems a little anxious over the changes in a test so they were a little hit or miss, but I know that if I take her out more they settle, plus I don't care what the judge thinks her extensions were mega for her!
Just shy of sixty percent with 58% (dam piroutttes lol), plus first in my section so we got a red rosette for our very first try!
The video in all is mistake ridden glory
For you Marie, you always, always, always told me that we could do it and you were right, I just wish you'd got to see it xx
. She has so much more to give once she's a bit more confident at this level.
.