Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Show Photos Blitz!

We spent our Father's Day weekend at a Dressage / Horse Trials at CAF (my husband should get Horse Dad / Horse Husband of the year!).  Show was on Sunday, so we had all Saturday afternoon to load up, arrive, and school.  Hotter than Hell on Saturday - gotta love Indiana weather - but we survived.

We went thru all this for me to enter one Dressage class...to which my daughter's trainer / boss asked:
 'Why did you not enter another class?'

Me:  I need to work on Canter.

Trainer / Boss:  Pssshh (or something resembling that noise)...just kick the Mare and get thru it.

She was threating me before she left that I will show Intro C this coming weekend, of which I am NOT signed up for, or she will call the show secretary and enter me.  Gotta love her.

Daughter did not show, but was around most of Saturday & Sunday due to two other riders from the barn where she is a working student, were competing.  Lex drove the diesel and gooseneck with the competing horses to the show - backed it up and parked it - fairly straight!  Just one of the many new skills she has aquired.

Schooling went well on Saturday, as daughter came for riding boot camp refresher course on Riva on Friday evening.  Concentrating on 'Yes, Mare, you can bend and do a 20 meter trot circle'.  Followed by reminding her she can 20 meter circle in canter.

We schooled in the actual dressage arena that we would compete in on Sunday, plus briefly schooled in both indoor warm ups.  On Sunday, my ride time was not until 12:28 pm.  Temps were very warm so I opted for no more than a 30 minute warm up.  I did get her out and hand walk her around the show grounds on Sunday morning - let her graze a bit and relax.

I got tacked up and in the indoor warm up at noon - to which I hear over the speaker that the Dressage ring is running 15 minutes ahead.  No worries - I was going to take my time and if I was not ready until 12:28 - then that is when I would ride my test.  This is the first show that I have felt semi relaxed and confident (big step for me). 
 Warm up:


When I felt Riva relax and settle - we had circled, went up centerline and halted softly - we headed over to the outdoor warm up.  A few riders had went ahead, out of order, but I did a few transitions and circles and made sure I had Riva's attention before I said I was ready.
Riva's reaction to entering the dressage arena to test:

Riva deciding she WILL go in:




During test:



My very bad decision to switch my whip during free walk (will not do that again!)


What our free walk COULD have looked like across the entire diagonal:



Final Halt:


Happily walking back to the barn (can ya tell the daughter very rarely wears shorts?):


I did not know our score yet, but felt really good about the test:


And...where did my black & white horse go?  Can you believe she is on night turn-out?

Lots still to work - stop leaning to my left, dropping my left shoulder, left foot/toe sticking out (can I just get a replacement left side of my body?), elbows need to stay bent and back, more giving hands and arms, the list never ends.
I put off going to look at my score since I was afraid it was not as good as I thought - but I got a 65.313% - our personal highest score!  And...our first blue ribbon!
Ok, ok...it is on to Intro C we go. 









10 comments:

Amy said...

Oh my goodness! Riva looks all grown up! You guys have made incredible progress recently. I am so happy for you!

Kate said...

WOW congratulations!!! She looks beautiful as a bay or a black but I agree, there is just something amazingly gorgeous about those B&W pintos :)

Carly said...

If you find a place that sells replacement left sides, let me know!! Riva looks gorgeous and you guys looks great!

Mary said...

You guys look great, both of you! I need a whole new right side, so I feel your pain!

Lisa said...

WELL DONE!!

That is awesome!!

Mona Sterling said...

So pretty!! Congrats on what looks like a great test!

Malin said...

Good on you Girl! Way to go!!!

Anonymous said...

Congrats on your personal best! I was at CAF on Sunday too, came to watch a friend go XC.

Jessica said...

Wow, you guys look fabulous! I'm jealous of your free walk.

Achieve1dream said...

Wow!! Congrats! You totally deserved it judging by those photos because you both look amazing!!!! Riva is so gorgeous. I LOVE her free walk and trot. So pretty (even as a bay). :D

I can't help you on the one sided problem (don't remember what my trainer did to help me with that or if we ever did), but I had a BAD problem with no elbows because I grew up riding Western. My trainer helped me with that in two ways. One was by putting a whip behind my back but in front of both elbows (not on the horse) so I could walk around and feel what it was like to have my elbows back. And then while riding she would chant (and now I do too) "heavy elbows, light hands, heavy elbows, light hands". It really helped me. She gives good advice hehehe.

Congrats on the awesome job guys. You both are making such amazing progress!!!