And so it ends, seemingly all too soon. 'Dea hopped eagerly on the horse taxi to home this morning after another building week at Pam's. I would say we were both very sad to leave the Foster Meadow crew but it might just be my feelings. Pam said early on 'this isn't the summer camp 'Dea was expecting!'
Goodbye charm school!
We have our marching orders, homework and to live by's. I have my notes to remind myself of where we've been and where we're going. From this whole experience I feel like a new rider. Not perfect by any means but closer to ideal for us, as a team. 'Dea on the other hand is practically a new horse. We have two new gaits; grown-up canter and a new trot with suspension.
I cannot thank NEDA enough for this opportunity. We have grown by medium trots and canter 10 meter circles. There is not a doubt in my mind that we would not be anywhere near here in our education and abilities without this last month of boot camp. I am immensely grateful for this scholarship, because without it our journey would have most certainly been longer.
I also want to thank all of my recommendation writer's; Donna, Jeri, Ellen and especially Jill for also being 'Dea's chauffeur to/from charm school. I am honored by you all as you played a big part in this as well. I couldn't be more lucky than to have great people around me for support.
As for now we both have a nice day off and then we'll be back to work (in all ways) tomorrow. Our entry is in the mail to Vermont Dressage Days in August where I hope to continue on and improve. And as soon as there are stall openings later this summer I plan on making another visit or two to charm school before they fly away for the winter to sunny Florida.
This morning I hopped on to do an easy work-out with Dea. It turned out to be an absolutely gorgeous day, sunny and warm with fast moving clouds and a good wind to keep the bugs away. My friend Charlotte was nice enough to come by to take photos.
We had an incredible ride, Dea just felt so fabulous. Pam was really pleased with how even in the beginning trot she was using her back instead of bracing. Coming back from the show Dea was only at about 80% but wow was it nice. I won't list out stuff for this ride since I spent the most of it floating around smiling. We did some basic serpentines/leg yields at trot then moved to canter. Pam wanted her a little more free because she was almost offering too much sit for what we were trying to do today. She said that was great but we wanted to keep on the side of easy today.
Big smiles and I just wanted to canter forever. Until Pam reminded me that even though it was nice we need to go the other way. We got some equally nice work the other direction with keeping her straight off my outside aids. I took her for a brief stroll around the outside of the arena and called it a day.
It truly was one of the best rides I have had in a long time. Amazing considering we are both a bit tired and sore (at least I am!) coming back from showing at UNH.
For now it is communal nap-time for horse, rider and cat alike.
Without further adieu, a little aka long story about a dressage show.
First test was early Saturday morning, 2nd Level Test 1. This was scheduled for the grass ring, which I expected to result in some lack-luster moments. Highlights were medium trots (surprisingly) and final halt, lowlights were medium canters (remember early morning dewy grass?) and comments about collapsed left side. I was just happy to have an attentive show horse, great experience for the both of us.
Further Remarks: A steady/consistent ride. Horse can be encouraged to learn to stay in alignment and therefore be more adjustable.
Centerline to Halt
Looking for sugars for a job well done.
Second test was 2nd Level Test 3 which while technically more difficult is a slightly easier test for us in general. Highlights were renvers left, halt/reinback (8.0 comment: square halt, nice big steps back) and 7.0 for Gaits Comment: Nice gaits, lowlights were turn on the haunches and a too large 10 meter canter circle (oops!).
Further Remarks: Horse needs to be more supple in topline and have more response to rider aids. Rider need to prepare horse more.
Collected trot
Renver left
Rein back
Then we had just enough time before our freestyle to be waiting in the hot humidity but not enough time to go back to stabling and let her chill. So we found some shade by the warm-up and hunter parked over there until our time. The freestyle went well, once started due to some signaling error. I love riding them, they are so fun. I haven't really had the time to polish this one so I was a bit early to my walk music and kind of ran out of arena. So the lowlight of this would be our free walk and the highlights were the 15 meter canter circles and leg yields. As it seems like it always is one judge likes the music better than the other and I knew having some vocals would be a gamble. Either way it was good enough for 3rd place on a 66.933% combined.
Team Dea
Saturday night it stormed pretty good and the stalls flooded, but I don't know what's UNH without that occurring. The fabulous Mommy Michaud took care of that disaster for which Dea and I are most grateful. Sunday morning arose to a tired me, ahem driving right past my highway exit, and a very, very tired Dea; nose to the ground hand walk. My parents came to watch and also be photographers in addition to super groom Ellen. I couldn't be more lucky!
First test was 2nd Level Test 3 again. I kept the warm-up short as I could tell Dea had very little gas left in the tank. As I started the test it was very clear to me that we were at that point running on fumes and around movement #12 we just plain old ran out. Unfortunately for us there are 28 movements in that test. I can literally fold the test in half and it's like two different horses. The first half of the test was our best scoring ride yet so I am very pleased that I got to the point of really riding in the show ring. And I know the mistakes that we made later on are not necessarily training issues but team fatigue. So highlights were both medium trots; 7.0! and the shoulder-ins to renvers and the lowlights were everything after the turn on the haunches left. Ha!
Further Remarks: A clear difference in trot/canter work. Encourage some freedom+ground cover in canter.
Tacking up
Off to the warm-up with super groom Ellen.
Medium trot
Shoulder-in
Renver
Nose to the footing free walk
Family portrait with the 'Grandpony'
Needless to say as soon as I hopped off after this test I walked straight to the secretary to scratch our other class. I was very pleased with our weekend overall and more than happy to save my horse for another day. Good work Dea!
Pez power!
Dea had a well deserved rest day today. Looking back over our rides I know being at Pam's has made a huge difference in our riding. In the un-scored corners and short-sides I was working on the connection and powering the gaits along. I felt confident and was able to make better on the spot corrections movement to movement. We will continue to work on our straightness, building up her back and keeping the shoulders up in the canter. Second level it is.
Exhausted much? Just a tad I think. This weekend has been the most fun I've had at a dressage show yet. I am so proud of us as a team and I love that little bay mare.
More teasing I know, I know...
Our goals for this weekend was to 1. Get in the ring and avoid pretending to be a dragon at all costs 2. actually RIDE during our tests. Last time we showed was the summer of 2010 due to the fact of the entirety of 2011 should be known as 'The year of the suspensory rehab'. So it's been a while since our last outing.
Brief overview of accomplishments:
Slight dragon moments Friday before the show but not a hoof put wrong nor a fire-y breathe snort either day this weekend. Woohoo well-behaved submission!
Each test I rode more and more. Like real half halts, useful corners, and poignant whip/spur use where needed. I felt more relaxed and had more fun than any show I've been to before. I was just happy to be out there on my girl.
Bonus points!
1st Level Freestyle score of 66.933% to add for our Freestyle Bronze Bar Award
Two scores of above 60% from two different judges at Second Level for our Bronze Medal Rider Award
A score of above 60% at 2nd Level Test 3 to qualify us to perform a 2nd Level Freestyle
A huge thanks go out to my wonderful friend Ellen who came both days to groom for me. She was amazing and made the weekend go by so much smoother than when I bumble along by myself. Dea and I both appreciated her hydration skills very much, especially Saturday. Another thanks to her for pictures and video to come when I am more cognizant tomorrow.
Another huge thanks to all of the Michaud's for their photos, camaraderie and pez power!
I know having spent the last 3 weeks at Pam's has made that difference. I don't think we would have done half as well without the new skills and improvements we've made.
Now it's off to bed for me because as Ellen would tell you this post took me a seriously long time to write for my brain has left the building after riding memorized tests in my head all weekend. More on that tomorrow, with pictures and video I promise.
Well deserved celebratory dinner of chinese take-out and a cold beer. This was my first plate, no joke.
Made it through first show day with lots of smiles and laughs. 2 medal scores met and 1 2nd level freestyle qualification achieved. Full show updates w/pics and freestyle video to come...
So it's been burn your face off hot the last few days. Even today that was supposed to be the start of the cool-down in temperatures was around 95 degrees. I headed over to Pam's this morning bright and early to have one last lesson before the show and Pam heads off to teach a clinic.
Key points for today:
When she bobbles in the contact move hands wide and add leg to increase the trot. Then just do it sometimes because you can.
Turn from the outside aids on the serpentines to work both sides supple.
Leg yield FORWARD w/sideways. Ride the base of the neck straight, don't overbend the neck either way. PS: Forward.
After walk break (did I mention it was hot?) at the walk turn on the haunches. Ride from shoulder out position, walk don't spin. Get the shoulder out then turn using outside leg pulsing, it keeps her from stepping out.
Walk to canter right: This was much better than monday (thank goodness) I really worked on keeping her straight, lots of body focus. Ran through some serpentines, keep the canter the same, same, same all the way. 10 meter circles, keep the jump and turn from the outside leg. Don't just look up but look through her ears, this really helped to make a better circle.
Walk to canter left: ride the haunches in on the 10 meter circle but out on the straights. Don't let her ride herself to haunches in where-ever she wants. Widen hands to drive her to the bit.
Trot: She MUST be taking you somewhere. Must, must feel like she is thrusting you along. Get the trot don't just go through the motions. Several trot-walk-trot transitions, from your seat not from the hand. Leave the hand alone in the down transitions, e.g. trot to walk and canter to walk. Don't slam her into the transition, hold her with your seat into it gently.
Phew, we were both a sweaty mess after that. And it was barely 9am when we were done!
After that it was a daze of trailer packing, traveling, trailer unpacking and set-up at UNH. After letting her settle in a bit we went for little hack to check out the rings and warm-up area. 'Dea walked quite nicely to and in the warm-up. Then as I took her over to walk around the outside of the rings a truck with a garage style back door showed up to bring stuff to the show office. There was much metal banging and otherwise frightening noises from the trunk. There was much high level movements (piaffe and caprioles mostly) from 'Dea. So after grabbing mane and steering her from thinking running across the grass field would be a grand idea, we trotted. I had planned on just a bit of walking around but that went out the window. She was much more settled trotting and we just made sure to trot both directions around all of the arenas.
A little more work for her than I was thinking of doing but we weren't out there too long. Hopefully she'll still have plenty of gas for tomorrow.
It has been a quiet last few days. 'Dea's riding mentor has worked out a system and they are getting along quite swimmingly now. She did some really good work last week and is coming along very nicely in the contact. Which is making just about everything else easier.
I've been to back to work and hitting up the gym to keep from slacking off. Being a Super Senior chemist isn't easy, but I've been working hard these short weeks.
A view of my bench space
My nickname at work is appropriately Seabiscuit, or just biscuit for short. It became 'Mrs' when I got married in 2009. But no work for me today as we have a lesson!
Today's work:
Position thoughts: lower leg off but thigh on, hips in front of elbows, bend elbows to sides. Carry the tray, stand over stirrups. I had a much easier time doing the test of changing diagonals by standing at the trot today.
At the trot ride the base of the neck straight, shoulders must come up and out and forward to the bridle. The horse must take you. No squeezing, kick for forward and then lower leg off. Keep asking yourself, is she taking me forward?
In the trot to walk transition do not allow her to stab into the ground. Ask for the transition from your seat do not pull back on the reins. We worked a bit on this until we got a good transition. Transition immediately back to trot if not good.
Shoulder-in is from the shoulders not the neck. Shift hands to the inside, do not move inside leg back keep it at the girth. As always ride FORWARD in the shoulder-in.
Shoulder-in to renver: change the bend, open the inside hand slightly to allow the contact. This helped improve our renver. Ride FORWARD in the renver.
Canter left felt great. Stay in the box and the horse must take you. Ran through some serpentines, do not let the canter change. 10 meter circles ride from the outside aids and keep the jump. Outside leg frames the horse to the circle.
Canter right was a bit of a mess. We had an okay walk-canter transition and then we went to crooked town where her canter falls apart. Back to the shoulder out, move the haunches in and she must look left on the circle. Get the base of the neck straight. There was a bit of shenanigans that when I kick her with my outside leg she must answer, and bucking to flying change is not an answer. Then once re-sensitized to my leg and perhaps some grunting from me we got some real canter back. So much so that I was able to get a real canter to walk transition to stand up about. So yay for that!
We talked about how I'm too much of a follower type rider, which I totally get. I need to get out of the mindset of not wanting to rock the boat and instead being the leader. Once I'm the leader it really does make things better, I just need to keep at it.
'Dea is with her girl for the next few days and then we have another lesson early Friday morning before Pam leaves for a clinic. Then it's off to UNH for the June Dressage Show. Ride times are posted and all of our rides are in the morning, which will be nice if it is hot.
We start off the freestyles with our ride at 11:45am on Saturday. I just finished my music and did some brief run-throughs on Sunday during our light ride. Have a pretty good idea of our choreography but might have to wing the end of it. I haven't had the chance to really ride through this one as much as I did the year before last. I love freestyles, it should be a blast!
