This weekend was all about the BRC Intermediate Dressage Qualifier. I was riding the prelim level test for the South East Scotland Dressage Group and was so was nervous about letting the team down. I knew we could drop the worst score but I really didn’t want to be the drop score! We have never had a great relationship with dressage but have been determined to improve things through the winter. Lots and lessons and show practice has shown improvements – but not as far as I would have liked. Still very hit or miss at times!
We had a lesson with Karen on Thu night where we both managed to get mixed about what test I was riding and practiced the wrong one lol. Fortunately I spend my lunch hour learning it on Friday so could get back to test riding at home on Friday night. Corky was behaving so well I decided to let him have a bit of fun and went hacking with a friend on Saturday. We had a good gallop in a stubble field and had to attempt medium trot on the way home as it was the only way we could keep up with the other horse – can’t get that kind of movement in the school! Anyways, we then popped into the school to quickly run through our test one last time and wow – he went amazing! Lovely and soft, working into the contact and forward – clearing we have not been using the right warm up techniques!
After lots of cleaning, pruning and plaiting corky was all set for the next day. Our warm up test was at 10.30 and our test for the team an hour later which was great. We started to warm up 30 mins before our test in are standard warm-up (no galloping unfortunately!). He seemed to be listening, in from of my leg so I was pleased. Our test went ok, an average test for us so guessed low 60s, (62.2%). My instructor Karen was also at the show and agreed and said I needed to be a bit stricter with him for the second test. In our second warm up I tried this, I added in loads and loads of transitions to get him really listening and working into the contact and not leaning on my hands. In we went for our test and it seemed to really work. I actually smiled all the way round as I was so proud of him. It was definitely the best test we have ridden and fortunately the judge agreed and gave us 70%! I was so pleased he had gone well and also pleased I had not let my team down. It ended up that we were 5th out of 30 horses so well done to wee Corky!
The photo below is courtesy of Dave Cameron photography. Dave has captured some lovely shots so I'll be putting in an order for a few jpegs today.
We had a lesson with Karen on Thu night where we both managed to get mixed about what test I was riding and practiced the wrong one lol. Fortunately I spend my lunch hour learning it on Friday so could get back to test riding at home on Friday night. Corky was behaving so well I decided to let him have a bit of fun and went hacking with a friend on Saturday. We had a good gallop in a stubble field and had to attempt medium trot on the way home as it was the only way we could keep up with the other horse – can’t get that kind of movement in the school! Anyways, we then popped into the school to quickly run through our test one last time and wow – he went amazing! Lovely and soft, working into the contact and forward – clearing we have not been using the right warm up techniques!
After lots of cleaning, pruning and plaiting corky was all set for the next day. Our warm up test was at 10.30 and our test for the team an hour later which was great. We started to warm up 30 mins before our test in are standard warm-up (no galloping unfortunately!). He seemed to be listening, in from of my leg so I was pleased. Our test went ok, an average test for us so guessed low 60s, (62.2%). My instructor Karen was also at the show and agreed and said I needed to be a bit stricter with him for the second test. In our second warm up I tried this, I added in loads and loads of transitions to get him really listening and working into the contact and not leaning on my hands. In we went for our test and it seemed to really work. I actually smiled all the way round as I was so proud of him. It was definitely the best test we have ridden and fortunately the judge agreed and gave us 70%! I was so pleased he had gone well and also pleased I had not let my team down. It ended up that we were 5th out of 30 horses so well done to wee Corky!
The photo below is courtesy of Dave Cameron photography. Dave has captured some lovely shots so I'll be putting in an order for a few jpegs today.
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