2016 Prancing begins: Schooling show

Derp 1 and Derp 2.

Show season 2016 has begun!

Hamps and I drove down the road to the Spring Run Dressage Show on Sunday. My plan was to knock some rust off in 3-1, and then try 4-1 and see where we were at.

The wild stallion precious pony walked off the trailer WILD. Would not stand still, prancing, snorting. Once I was on, he started passaging all over the damn place like he was some stallion making a grand entrance.

"Well f--- me." I muttered as I swerved my way to the warm up ring.

I used my warm up that really puts his brain and body to work. And sure enough, in about 10 minutes he was much more focused. THEN I could start warming up for the actual tests.

Third-1 actually was the best 3-1 we have ever done. We had one bobble in the extended trot (he cantered) but only because I asked for too much power and his legs got tangled. It was my fault totally. Had we not bobbled there, we would have gotten a 70%! .... As it was, our score ANNIHILATED any other score I have had at Third level. We earned a 69.5%. I mean in the previous two years I think I only broke 60% once at 3-1.

Weeee!

Check out this little clip of a bombdiggity flying change! I wanted to post this for anyone struggling with the changes. Trust me when I say I wish I had video of Hamps and I and our THREE YEARS of struggles with this movement. It is finally coming together (slowly). JUST KEEP WORKING AT IT is my advice.

Yes, I realize the judge was quite generous. But I will take it, thankyouverymuch.

We only had one rider between 3-1 and 4-1 so we didn't get much of a break.

I thought 4-1 went better than the previous attempts we have done, but still some issues started to pop up. "Butt high" (bucking ... eh hem) in one change, behind the leg, crooked, going more and more downhill.

So you've seen how lovely our single changes have become .. now I am going to share a video of the line of "tempis" in 4-1. You just have to do 3 changes, no count required. But notice how we start to look totally fucking drunk. So crooked, wavy, wobbly. But mostly clean at least?! Just goes to show that there are still a lot of holes and work to do before PSG.



So after our 4-1 test I started thinking. Then it sort of dawns on me.

He's just tired.

Tired pony gets kisses

I think we have come to a point where Hampton really can only do one test a day now. It's just too much for him to do two, especially so close together.

While he is cardiovascularly fit, he just doesn't have the strength and stamina to do two mid-level tests (almost upper level really) in one day. I don't know why it took me a year and a half to figure this out, but I am pretty certain that fatigue is the source of a lot of these issues. Because none of them showed up in the first test!

Anyway - a great learning experience. And a fabulous 64%+ in 4-1!

The sad thing is, I was 100% sober.

I couldn't be more proud of him! We have a rated show coming up in two weeks so now I know what we need to focus on this spring.

Oh ... and by the way, don't take dressage so seriously! (see video of my exit)