6 minutes, 30 seconds

The Grand Prix test is approximately 6 minutes, 30 seconds long.

I have completed that test in the show ring, in front of a rated judge, 7 times.

(Plus two more attempts, one in which I scratched before going down centerline and the other I retired in the middle of the test because disaster)

That is a total about 45.5 minutes I have spent riding the Grand Prix test in the show ring.

Which is why it makes me rather uncomfortable if referred to as a "Grand Prix rider" or "FEI rider." Um, no I most certainly am not.

Who is an expert, or even GOOD or SOMEWHAT knowledgeable at something they have done for 45 minutes? That is beyond ridiculous.

Even if I had gone in one time and scored a 75% - STILL that does not make me an expert. 

This test is a gauntlet and it is unlike any other level. It is a totally different animal, and despite not scoring very well a couple of times, boy did I learn from those experiences. Every time I went down centerline, I came out 7 minutes smarter.

Probably about to shit myself before my first GP.

Is anyone an expert at this test? Probably not, but man do I have respect for those who have cumulated hours, DAYS, even years worth of experience riding in the show ring at this level. Because lets be real honest, you can school all the Grand Prix all you want at home. But once you are in the ring and have to put it all together in 7 minutes, in front of a judge, and it all has to happen right now - it gets real dicey. That requires a new level or riding, of mental multi-tasking, of response from your horse. 

I had a great clinician tell me if you haven't had a meltdown or disaster in the Grand Prix, you simply have not ridden it enough. You will. It's coming for you.

Riding the Grand Prix is the single most difficult thing I have done as far as my riding. 

So while yes I will for sure hype up my horse as a "Grand Prix horse" because he deserves all the credit and admiration, I will not be saying the same about myself. 

With my 45 minutes of experience.

Aiken 2023: Part 3 | Back in the showring

 

Why must you zap my brains tho

Friday

Both Hampton and Royale enjoyed some Pulse therapy Friday morning and the humans spent the rest of the morning eating good food and more shopping. It rained most of the morning so we felt like it was the universe telling us to just tack-store hop. 

The rain had stopped by the afternoon so we took the boys to Bruce's Field to school.

Bruce's Field added a couple of new arenas since last year, making it even more impressive. It's such a beautiful place to show, with perfect footing, easy parking for trailers and palm trees lol.

I did a refresher school of our lesson the day before, and schooled briefly in the show arena. I didn't want to make Hamp too tired so I kept things light and fresh, with plenty of walk breaks.

He felt fantastic and every time I ride here I just feel so lucky. Like how the actual F did I end up here.

We also imposed tagged along on some horse shopping adventures and checked out the base for a certain eventer Olympian who stables at Stable View in the winters and also has his own jump arena and cross country course there. The barn was stunning obviously.

Saturday

Hamp and I had great ride times of about 9:30 am both days. Saturday was chilly by Aiken standards, but Hampton and I are used to 30-40 degree mornings and were fresh and ready to work. I did my planned warm up, using bursts of 5-10 min of work and then a walk break. I really focused on making him hot, and touched on the pirouettes briefly and as well as pi/pa before heading into the ring.

By the way my stock tie came undone in warm up and I quickly reattached it but it was most def very crooked for that test. Classic.
Photo: Meghan Benge

It was BY FAR the best GP test I have ever done. Hampton was hot, cadenced and ridable. There was not even a thought of last year's issues of shutting down or diving or sucking back. I did lose my balance for just a second in the middle of the ones, costing us that movement score. And there was a loss of rhythm in the passage on the last centerline. But other than that he was nearly perfect.

Earthbound but he does such a cute piaffe lol

The judge was super fair and gave us a 59.8%. With comments like "Needs more jump" "Needs more suspension". Very fair, as he is very earthbound. But I was so happy with how rideable he was and I was able to actually ride like how I do at home, instead of flailing and struggling the entire test.

Still won the class too above a much nicer horse who wasn't so ridable that day.

Sunday

I went in with the same game plan Sunday and once again had an absolutely lovely test. If I had to pick at anything, it would be that Hampton felt a little more flat this day. Just a little tired and not quite as energetic. But he was still rideable and we had a very organized, flowing test. Nailed the ones as well!

Yup we both knew that was a good one.

We had untacked at the trailer and were just dicking around when my friend (who was stalking online scores like a proper friend) squeals "You did it!" and many hugs and screams and jumping around ensued. We managed a 61.5% and my first GP score toward my gold medal. Could not have asked for a better group of friends to share that moment with.

Meghan Benge photo

Hampton of course got all the carrots and treats and the rest of the day to chill out before the long ride home on Monday.

It was also a total pleasure to watch Royale show Second Level, and another friend reach goals of qualifying at First level and making her recognized debut at Second. Everyone works so hard and it is an honor to witness all the improvements.

Another awesome Aiken trip in the books! Whew!

Aiken 2023: Part 2 | Lessons

Not a bad way to start your day.

We spent Thursday morning taking lessons with the lovely and clever SD. I asked her for a prescription for a Grand Prix warmup that would create a supple yet hot horse and boy did she nail it.

Her major point was that horses will naturally become more supple the more on the aids they become. So while it's not a bad thing to do my warm ups of counter canter, ranvers, half passes, etc. etc. it might suit me better to "adrenalize" him and THEN check in on suppleness. 

Look who did NOT untie himself from the trailer this
 year and run amuck at a top dressage barn.

Our lesson consisted of a lot of forward, back. "Quicker than you think!" she said. In canter, go forward, go forward again, come back to pirouette canter, press him and make him hot, allow back out. Repeat.

The biggest result I found in piaffe/passage. We did a lot of piaffe to medium trot. Really fire that back end. Piaffe- medium - piaffe - medium. Repeat repeat. THEN piaffe - WAIT PASSAGE - and blamo that resulted in some pretty awesome passage for Hampton. (He is not Valegro and is still very earthbound but he has more power in there!)

The BFF bringing in the boys in the morning.

We ended the lesson by touching on the GP trot half passes. She suggested I take both hands away from the direction of travel to create more sideways without having to drive him sideways. I have always thought that taking one hand above the withers creates false bend, but in this particular exercise it seemed to work. That way he had more expression sideways, without me driving him more onto his shoulders.

I now had a solid plan for warm up for the weekend show at Bruce's Field.

I also really enjoyed her teaching L and Royale, who are address some counter canter issues. I loved her clever and thoughtful ways of training and teaching a horse without stressing anyone out.

I will say both horses and humans were tired after our lessons though! Obviously we remedied that by once again having a lunch of shaved ice at Vampire Penguin. 

I would eat this every day of my life.

And dinner with friends at Whiskey Alley was absolutely delicious their brussels sprouts are AHH MAZZ BALLS. 

(Fun fact also learned on this trip: It is indeed Brussels Sprout, NOT Brussel Sprouts like pretty much all of us pronounce.)

Next: THE SHOW

Aiken 2023: Part 1 | Leisure

 Horse women are amazing because even though our group was different this year, it was no less amazing or supportive. I love how horse women can just sit down at a table, not knowing one another at all, and by the end of dinner be friends. 

I am always very thankful when we have an easy drive down to Aiken and the horses come off the trailer bright and healthy. L and I arrived at Jumping Branch Farm around 5 p.m. on a Tuesday and had just enough time to feed, grab a desperate dinner (boy that was poor planning on our part arriving on Valentine's Day and expecting to find a place to sit down and eat), and turn the boys out for the night. And by boys I mean Hampton and stepbrother Royale of course.

Wednesday we decided to take it easy and after feeding the horses, went to local favorite New Moon Cafe for some smoothies, coffee, and delicious food. We took the boys on a hack around Jumping Branch and even enjoyed a very well behaved canter around the track.

Loving Jumping Branch Farm

POV: From the back of Royale

A porkchop by a porkchop jump. I think it was a Training jump?

Obviously after our ride we went shopping at local tack stores. Big shout out to Aiken Saddlery which expanded significantly since my last visit and made my eyes quite large with joy when I walked in. 

Breyers! I am a child.

Just part of Aiken Saddlery.

We also had Vampire Penguin for "lunch" which is simply the most amazing shaved ice EVER. I would go broke (errr more broke?) if there was one local to me in KY.

More shopping downtown. lol

Our leisure day ended with dinner with friends at the absolute best restaurant Takosushi, before we all collapsed in our respective sleep locations. Thank F for friends who bring their living quarters trailer to Aiken to take in a couple of DQ strays. haha.

Next: Lessons!

Man in the Arena

 

That is the exact moment I learned I had achieved my first score toward my Gold medal.

My apologies for just jumping the shark right off the bat in regards to our annual Aiken trip but ... 

More posts coming about the glorious haven that is Aiken but we finally did it. 

Frozen, thawed, spent.

 

Winter sunrise on the farm

Welp.

I was going to say I wish I had more exciting blog content after slacking for so long, but quickly rethought that statement after the events of this week. I am in fact more than happy to have NO news regarding Hampton. He is happy, and in work and really improving his fitness thanks to swimming.

During his first swim he did 5 laps and now he is up to banging out 12 laps and recovering almost immediately. He is such a good boy and just goes along with it. I can't imagine what horses must think being asked to swim around a pool. 

He looks ... feral. He needs body clipped again badly. He has chin hairs. His mane needs trimmed. He is muddy half the time. His forelock and bridle path are embarassing.

Was 0 degrees here I believe.
Hampton totally unbothered.

But underneath that hair and dirt is a fit dressage horse. He is starting to feel like maybe he would like his hocks done, but that is not unexpected and completely normal. Other than that he is feeling really good. *knocks on wood*

Our Aiken plans are still on, but are undergoing some re-shuffling this year. I think there was 8 of us in the original group and now this year it's down to .... two. Hampton and Royale. The dressage horses. Good grief. 

We all survived The Great Freeze Of Eternity here in the midwest, however my job as an insurance adjuster is now incredibly busy and my mere existence is exhausting. Every pipe in the Greater Kentucky Area And Beyond ruptured and spewed all over the place. I have worked for almost 3 weeks straight with no days off. Plus barn chores, and riding Hampton on top of that. My condo is a disaster area as that fell to the bottom of all priorities. 

Shirt I wore to my family Christmas. heh heh

Buckley of course continues his reign and would never let me forget to feed him.

There is light at the end of this tunnel I think and I am hoping to start planning some lessons and shows shortly. Keep on keepin' on!

I'm going to need those TPS reports Buckley.

An aquatic Porkchop

Hampton swimming. Unsure if he likes this new activity.

In an effort to increase Hampton's fitness over the winter, I jumped on the chance to tag along to a little place called Bluegrass Aquatic Rehabilitation just south of town. 

It's not fancy, but the people were nice and knew what they were doing. Because of their excellent horsemanship, there were no problems and no theatrics getting first-time swimmer Porkchop into the pool. At first they took him around for just one lap to give him the idea of the activity. Then they took him back in for another 5 laps.

Pool overview

Hamp did great, although his eyes were bugging out of his head and I kept getting some major side-eye. It was also interesting noting the difference in how the horses would breathe while swimming. Hampton almost seemed to hold his breath at times, while his barn mate took a very rhythmic 13 breaths per lap. 

After the horses swim, they spend about 30-40 on the hot walker to dry off and keep their muscles moving. It's really a great workout and low-impact on Hampton's feet. He had never been swimming before (although has done the aquatread) so I wasn't sure if he would 1) cannonball in 2) drown or 3) run someone over.

Definitely adding this to our list of winter fitness activities!