/> /> So, we went to have a go at Medium 75 at Merrist Wood, little did I know that the Para dressage was running at the same time, which made things very interesting for sure
/> Small brown historically hasn't loved Merrist Wood, beautiful place but he hates the crashing on and off boxes when he can't see what is going on...we usually have some spectacular teleporting at inopportune moments
/> Imagine his horror, when he realised we were warming up indoors, in half of the arena, with tests going on on the other side, AND he was expected to work next to people with wheelchairs, two whips, leaders and high vis....all of which were a great learning experience, but a calm and relaxed pony did not make
/> Then horror of horrors, he had to go out into the outdoor arena to do his test...the confusion was palpable, and he turned into a spooking horror, photographer lurking in corner, car parked on grass bank...it was all wrong, wrong, wrong in his little furry mind!!!! 
/> It felt utterly horrendous...tortoise dressage we called it....if you could find his neck you were onto a great thing
/> To be fair, it didn't look quite so bad on the video my husband took (but is still not for public viewing!!!) and the judge thought it worthy of 63.5% which I truly thought was verging on the generous, but we will take it if it is offered!!
The canter half passes really were spooking and leg yielding at best, and we lost balance in a lot of the lateral work, traver better than shoulder in apparently.
Judge very fairly commented that we needed more suppleness in lateral work, which is totally fair and what we took as our lesson focus for the next two weeks...and here is where the roller coaster took a lovely dive floorwards
/> We had a great session with my regular (weekly) trainer where we focused on a clear sequence of aids: leg, seat, hand...proper stretching over the back and crisp transitions.
On the pick up to a working frame, we focused on an active 'buzzy' walk, thinking about collecting under the seat and lifting through the shoulder. Again, focus on the basics, having those hind legs under my seat bones equally and pushing up and forward into the transitions.
We worked off the track on the right rein to begin, shoulder in left to a straight few steps, really thinking about keeping the activity in the hind leg through the corner, almost a couple of passage steps and then onwards, all the time maintaining the softness in the neck (easier said than done)
/> Repeated on the other rein...staying on the 3/4 line really helped with the feeling of needing to ride each part correctly.
A quick walk break and stretch, still focusing on the length of stride an positivity and onto canter work and the engagement of the hind legs.
Really good exercise for us has been the turn on the forehand, really ensuring he is stepping under and across before asking for the canter transition and thinking Goooooo not whoa....
The really though bit for us both is the manouverability in the canter work as he gets very set and rigid throughout.
We tried shoulder fore, straight, traver in canter on the long side...HIDEOUS left, better right...all my fault as he throws me off the left....weight aids the way we are going, elbow by hip, hands forward, my shoulders mirroring his..REALXING (the hardest bit!!!) looking up, moving the canter forwards and across....not fixating on the acrosss......man alive we have a lot to work on....head was spinning I will be honest, and a huge degree of frustration on my part that I just can't get the combination of all the things I need to get right in the order they need to be in to make it all work!!!
/> Cue the beginnings of the seeds of doubt
And another lesson with poor Douglas, where I just COULDN'T get it right....it was either power or softness and submission, not both...which he is totally right...is not good enough and we battled with it for so long I just couldn't think straight...even a straight line or a 20m circle seemed like an impossible task and I cried I am ashamed to say in utter frustration.
My poor trainer picked me up and gave me a hug and pointed out it is only because I care so bloody much that I get frustrated...which is true, but I need to sort it out if we are to get anywhere...
I withdrew from Sparsholt as I just couldn't face it...and went off to judge a championship at Prelim which was simultaneously very eye opening and very good fun...I tried to put the niggles of self doubt to the back of my mind, but there they were niggling away...coupled with a crap 2 weeks at work, by the Monday I was a mess
/> As if by magic the Smallbrown one's behaviour then began to deteriorate (with hindsight not surprising considering what a mess I was) to the point that I just didn't want to get on and have a battle with him about the slight possibility we could work forwards and softly into the bridle without a row about steering at the same time. I could safely say at this point we probably hated each other with a passion
/> I had another session with trainer in an attempt to put my crumbling self esteem back together, which was useful but being in my downwards spiral at this point, even things I could do 2 weeks ago and gone to shit....I decided to broach it with my OH, who rolled his eyes, which set me off in an absolute shit fit, told him not to come with me at the weekend and set off in a cloud of self pity for the Area Festival at West Wilts...
In fact had it not been for FP! at the end of the phone I probably wouldn't have gone at all, god bless her and her patience and realism!!!
I had decided if it went badly he could have a break for a few months and we would reassess the situation in the spring as maybe dressage wasn't the life for him...
I reckon I cried most of the way there, got lost twice, turned up late and in a flap....but as there was no one there I knew I had to just man upand get on with it. I had decided to warm up before the arena walk, do the arena walk at 7 and then decide whether to stay for the competition or not...bugger me, he was foot perfect.I can't explain it, he is an absolute arse at places he knows if things change, but take him away to somewhere he has never been before he is foot perfect...perfect
/> He was soft, forward, looked at nothing and got on with it...as I felt myself relax and relief flood over me I burst into tears at the horror of my self and the self pity based insanity...we even managed a half decent canter half pass.
Popped him into his (beautiful) stable and watched the sunset
/> /> />I trundled off to the hotel at about 8pm,still in sweaty riding kit, saddle and bridle, plus luggage in hand...stuggling into lift, two rather drunk but very sweet scottish men stumbled in after me...slightly awkward moment as they clocked my attire, gave a little drunken leer and slurred 'Oooooh, so what have you been up to...' His friend laughed...'it's horsing innit' by which point I was giggling nervously
'Oh, are you a jumper? You know...over the jumpthings?'
Me: 'Ummmm, no, it's dressage' Thinking this isn't going to go well
Drunk scottish man 1 nudges his friend and announces ' See, that horse dancing...'
Drunk man 2: Nodding sagely: 'Oh yes, posh girls...'
'Bar?'I politely declined their offer to join them with the saddle in the bar and sat in my PJ's eating sushi and chocolate buttons with warm wine...winner all round...and feeling a lot better by this point!!
5.30am came around far too quickly....trundled off to do the boy, who had clearly slept well and was bright eyed....all the other horses were very jealous their Mum hadn't turned up at 6 with breakfast, so there was quite a lot of door kicking, but by the time we had headed down for 7am arena walk, more Mums had arrived and the place had started to come to life.
I withdrew from the warm up test as he was feeling relaxed and calm (and I can't remember two tests, so wise not to confuse matters and forget the important one) and sat with a lovely lady who had come from Dorset with her spooky pony and watched the Elementary tests.
Always lovely to see such a huge variety of ponies at Area festivals...however, as our class time edged closer, the size and quality of ponies seemed to increase significantly
We were first on (might have been a problem a few years back, mentally, but for us it suits nicely as warm up is very quiet and we have no time to fret!)
Had made executive decision top go for softness and suppleness over power as we just aren't able to produce both at the same time at the moment, he warmed up compliantly and I tried very hard not to overcook him...butterflies did appear as we waited for judges to sit down...it is the first time we have ridden for 3 judges at tables with cloths and flowers...trotted in, said good morning and blow me main judge rung the bell almost immediately
Deep breath, off we went, bugger me, he then stood up as we came down centre line...should have remembered that from last year!!!
Basil went 'OOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhhhhhh' I went 'Get on with it' and he did, god bless him!Have yet to get the sheets back, but looking at pictures and going by how it felt, it was the best we could do at this stage in our training. He was obedient, I was mostly accurate, though I suspect I didn't quite make the centre line in the trot half passes as his marks were lower than the other two judges. Halts were AMAZING, canter work had the obligatory lack of suppleness in lateral stuff,but medium trots happened and transitions felt good...
It was a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONGGGGGGGGGGGGG wait for results. When I went up to look I was thrilled to pieces with 64.3%...thrilled....I had no idea how it would pan out in the grand scheme of things as there were very smart combinations there, but to end up 11th out of 45 was an absolute dream come true....delighted.....missed out on a rossette by 0.7% I think, but that doesn't matter, he pulled it out of the bag when it mattered and that was all I wanted really...to survive....oh, and get a plaque...its all about the plaque after all
Couple of pics
Medium Trot
We can do stopping!
So, next are the BRC National Music finals on Friday at Bury Farm, which to be honest I am going to treat as a fun outing...we are desperately out of practice with the music thing, but will be great practice for the Regionals in february (another plaque collecting exercise!
)We have Riding Club team stuff at the end of October and I have 3 more points to gather for a straight Medium regional qualification...though I am running out of time to chase that, so may have to be content with a FSM plaque, rather than a straight dressage one...
After that, I am not sure where we will go....it has been advised that I get someone else to teach him changes as I am such an special needs plonker when it comes to coordinating arms and legs
If I can persuade trainer, I think it will save a LOT of hassle for the Small brown one, and then I guess give AM a go at some point next year....Looking at new rules I am a bit dubious about getting points at AM as automatically become a group 4 rider which has all sorts of implications for riding in bronze/silver/gold categories under new system, so we may hang fire for now as training sections no longer exist...lots to think about
Looking forward to Isobel Wessels judging seminar in October and judge training at the regionals....hoping it will improve my training and test riding...
Onwards!!!
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