 |
| The KHP had their holiday lights on display. Rather pretty! (ignore the pile of poo) |
I had a long post written up about the schooling show we went to Saturday. But then, I deleted it because it was boring.
Basically, we took a trip to the KHP for one of their winter schooling show series. It was just me and Hamp, so I was a little stressed because I had ZERO help. And thus ZERO pics or video, except you do get some ear shots.
Short story, Hampton started out spooky and fresh. So I warmed up accordingly. By the time we went into the ring, he remembered he was a trained show horse. But then decided he was exhausted. I struggled to keep his poll up, there was no extended trot (might have been the footing, he did not want to push at all), and some rather big bobbles (breaking out of the canter, rein lame half pass, a late change, etc).
 |
| Hampton's first indoor dressage show! (He couldn't have cared less) |
Scores:
3-3: 58%
4-1: 57%
So, yeah. We are right where we have been. No improvement in scores.
While I was down on myself, there was in fact improvement in that the issues we have battled for two years did NOT happen - such as bucking in the changes and shutting down in the half pass.
And the judge did have good things to say such as:
"On the right track!"
"Good basics, needs more freedom"
 |
| KHP |
I think we might have broken a 60 if I had ridden him more uphill (I was sick and just did not have the strength in my core to carry his damn neck up, so he was diving down on me), and without the bobbles. So I suppose that is a positive. The judge is known to be pretty tough. *shrug*
There is a little voice in me that says just to go back to First/Second level. That he is just not going to be able to be successful in the show ring above that. Can he school the PSG? Oh yes, but showing is a different ball game.
But then there is the other voice that says just keep working at it. Looking at the tests, there is SO much room for improvement. We are both still very green at putting the tests together. Plus, Hampton is only 8 years old. He hasn't told me he "can't" do this. Only the judges seem to be saying that.
SO I dunno?
We are aiming for another schooling show in January to try again. Operation Get Down the F*cking Centerline. I will learn to ride a 3rd level test if it kills me. (I hope it does not, however).
... and Happy Holidays!
Year In Review Post coming up soon!
Don't listen to the voice telling you to give up. You guys can do it. As you said yourself, there are still plenty of areas to improve and you are both green to the level.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to be in your shoes and hope to be in about 5 years. :)
You are both new to the level, were alone, had a less than ideal warm up, and performed in your first indoor arena show. Don't be so hard on yourself. Also, at some point you might have to decide if you want the best possible ride on the horse you have, or the highest score at a show. What matters to you?
ReplyDeletePress on - you guys have done wonderfully so far!
ReplyDeleteDon't listen to that voice!!! You're out there doing it, that's what matters! Progress will happen!
ReplyDeleteNo, you don't get to go back to 1st/2nd, it's not allowed. It's going to ebb and flow a bit- sometimes tests will go well, judges will be nice, arithmetic will work out and it's a 60++, other times it's the perfect storm of old stuff you thought was behind you and it's <60. Rico did that to me on occasion, suddenly he was kicking in changes or missing the count or something I thought was totally guaranteed goes away. You guys will bounce back :)
ReplyDeleteAnd the tests are a special kind of torture when they start stringing movements together like they do at 3rd+. Because a rough start to a shoulder-in because maybe he got low in a corner or whatever leads to not only one 5, but like four of them right in a row because the shoulder-in isn't great which means the circle isn't great which means the half pass isn't great which won't set you up for the extended trot and suddenly you're through the whole test and you're like WTF! It's happened to me more than once at all those damn levels. I had to test ride almost every ride for a long time, and I highly recommend schooling the trot work from both of those tests completely strung together (so not breaking it out by shoulder-in/half circles/half pass) because it's almost like it's a different movement to string them together.
I wouldn't consider a 57-58 at these tests representative of how far or close you are to moving up to PSG. They're such different tests that look at different things. Rico scored much higher at PSG than he ever did at 3rd/4th. My third level scores are pretty pathetic actually. The PSG rides a lot better IMO, it flows really well. Keep plugging along, you guys can do it!!
definitely keep working at it! :D
ReplyDeleteIsn't that the first time you've gone fourth? HELLO YOU'RE GOING FOURTH OMG THAT'S AWESOME! Congrads! Ok, there were bobbles, but as you said you're both green and showing is harder than working at home. I have the same problem! Neither of you were at your best, but there's always next time. What a way to end out the year!
ReplyDeleteThat indoor ring is not ideal - footing not so good and the warm up area not any better. Don't be so hard on yourself. As you said, Hampton is young and willing - keep going!
ReplyDeleteSo you were sick and Hamps didn't love the footing and you still were THISCLOSE to 60%?
ReplyDeleteDamn girl.
I'm impressed.