Awesome Ride For Sparkles!

Melissa had Wednesday to ride since this is a long weekend and she's gone home for it. So, of course it rains! Before the rain she got a ride in on Sparkles and I handled Spotless and had time to lunge him all of 5 minutes before it starting raining.

Spotless was himself again, no bouncy baby or being stupid at the trailer. I brushed him, left him tied a while, then lunged him on side-reins. He was darling again. He just has to remind me he's a baby sometimes, lol. I'm working on getting his appt. with the trainer scheduled. I really look forward to seeing him under-saddle. He looks great on the lunge with side-reins and the dressage saddle on.

Sparkles had a great ride with Melissa. I had her out and tacked up when Melissa got here from class. She trotted, CANTERED, and trotted, CANTERED the other way, then walked her out. She was way tired even though it wasn't really a long ride. She is just that out of shape. They all are, haha.



She This was the first ride where Melissa cantered Sparkles and I expected it to be a disaster. Formerly, she has been known to take the wrong lead and ignore the transition. But, with Melissa aboard she took the correct lead every time, right when she asked, and stayed it in till she asked for trot. It's not finished for sure, but it was a great start! She will definitely be training level ready soon. Very promising ride. It was quite encouraging. She is actually stretching down after being on the bit, starting to engage her top-line instead of giving a false head-set, etc.

We Saw The Sun!

I pulled out Spotless who was COATED in mud. He acted all spooky which is totally unlike him. I did some moving his shoulder and making him back up and then tied up him and started brushing him. The dirt came off in clouds. So nasty. Melissa arrived and took Dazzle to the arena (I had already tacked her up for her) and Spotless spazzed. I had him half brushed, but being I'm pregnant I wasn't going to stick close if he was being stupid. He pulled on his rope a bit, but I had it tied to twine so he couldn't break the lead-rope (try this trick, it's awesome!). I told him he got to be alone if he was going to act like that and I went to the arena to watch Melissa ride. He whinnied a little and pulled his rope more and tried to be a drama king. After a few minutes he settled down and stood quite until I was done photographing Melissa and Dazzle. I finished brushing him, took his tail out the bag (and forgot to put it back in when I put him away), AND I tackled his mane! He had that long gorgeous mane but he had ripped a lot of it and it was FULL of mud. I brushed it best I could, cut about 6 inches off, then sprayed it with water (which he stood tied for like nothing), and then brushed it to the wrong side. I cut it to it's about 5 inches long, then brushed it back onto the right side. He looks all grown up now! I saddled him up, but on a bridle, side-reins, and lunge line and took him to the arena. I asked him to move out and he...took off down the arena. He ran the length twice before letting Ashley catch him (I wasn't gonna chase a bratty baby pregnant). He didn't try it again, but he fought the bit and look atrocious. Once he settled down and trotted nice and stopped fighting the bit he looked adorable! He looks like a TB. He looks like a horse now! Unfortunately, the camera didn't want to take a picture by then, so the ones I have to post are adjusted from very dark and don't look good. We'll try again another day. This was his worst work session in probably a year. I hope he's got it out of his system! I'm hoping for nice weather like today for awhile so I can get him worked everyday and then he'll be himself again. I want him an angel for AJ to get under-saddle.






Melissa worked Sparkles after Dazzle and she was like a different horse from the last session! She was forward! Melissa didn't have to spend the whole session driving her forward like last time so she could concentrate more on her roundness. Sparkles looked relaxed, she had floppy ears, a soft eye; it was amazing! A very promising ride for sure. It was dark by then, so no pictures, but next ride I will try to get some.

Dazzle had an AMAZING day! She was stiff at first, going like a horse with peg-legs, but after about 2 minutes she relaxed, started using her back and rear and looked SO good. She was reaching from behind, tracking up at the walk, etc. She did canter both directions and Dazzle was forward enough without rushing that Melissa could ask her to go on the bit. It was probably the prettiest canter I've seen from Dazzle. Melissa said there is a show in March we could hit if I wanted. That's how good she did. Instead of waiting till the April show, hit one in March because, basically, Dazzle is ahead of schedule in her progress.






So, it sounds like the plan is to hit the March show doing 2 Training tests, not sure if she's going to try a 1st level yet. Probably not yet. A couple Training tests would be a nice start to the season. Maybe she will sell at the show, you never know. I can't imagine how awesome she'll look in another month. If the weather holds and Melissa is able to ride her several times a week, she'll be pretty much solid Training level by then and they'll be able to start seriously preparing for showing First!

Finally Some Dry Ground!

Melissa has been waiting for footing to ride here. It's been a rainy foggy week. Feb. 8th finally allowed for riding! Of course as soon as we headed out to pull out a horse, the guy that rents the hay field next to the arena came out to plow with a tractor. It was really loud. Then, the neighbor's big hairy white dogs came over and were wandering back and forth by the arena. Daz didn't seem to upset by the tractor; she sees them all the time every year, but the white dogs were really distracting and she really wanted to stare at them.

Trudy had taken a lesson on Dazzle on Friday and Melissa had done an intense lunging session beforehand, but she had enough of a break not to be sore last night. She was not a happy camper though. She didn't want to bend, didn't want to flex, and generally looked unhappy and stiff.



She did a little canter, but Dazzle preferred to look like a llama, so she focused on getting bend in the trot.



Last, she worked on Halt, on the bit. She was being really stubborn about that. A few sessions ago they had to work on halt, no backing up. She didn't pull that at all, but she sure didn't want to halt on the bit.



It wasn't a great ride, but I just remember how far she has come. And, a bad session means progress is around the corner.

Life Changes

I came to the realization the other day that I'm not going to be able to afford to send Spotless to a trainer AND support a baby. So, he is up for sale. I'm going to get him started walk/trot/canter and hopefully that will get him sold. He is a sweetheart and trains EASY easy. He's going to be an awesome show horse, at least for local level if he doesn't cut it higher. I'm currently listing him at $1800 and I'll bump it up when he's going under saddle nicely. $2000 or more depending on how he looks.

Then, the other day I started to realize that along with tightened finances I'm not going to have time and energy to ride and show like I have in the past. Which means Dazzle will not get to earn all the awards and things she has the potential to. I never keep a horse I can't bring to potential, I just can't bring myself to hold a horse back. So, I've made the difficult decision to put her up for sale also. I'm asking $4000 for her.

Dazzle did SO well this weekend at the lesson with Patricia, and then for an 11 yr old that came to see her, that if she doesn't sell before the show season starts I will finish her COA by hiring Melissa to do it and then raise her price mid-summer. List her at about $6500 or so. If Spotless hasn't sold I'll have her ride him in at least one show and depending on how well he does, bump his price up too.

Wish me luck! I don't plan to rush, I want to make sure they both find the perfect match for them.

Faith, Ashley's mare that I technically own, is also up for a new home, but I already have a list of people interested. Ashley is just too busy with school to keep up her riding and I realize I won't be able to afford more than one horse now, let alone 3. So, the plan is we find a new home for Faith, sell Spotless and Dazzle, and then buy an already shown horse that Ashley can use for 4H and I can show in the local stuff and just have fun on. Something that has already earned what they need to so I could never show and it wouldn't hurt their value and I could leave them sitting for 2 months and just get on and go. However, Dazzle still fills that bill; Melissa rode her for the first ride in 2 months last week and she was an angel. A little lazy maybe, lol. She is such an awesome horse, I will really miss her.

A Hitch In The Plans

So, the plan was that when Melissa moved her horses here this weekend she would then trade training on Dazzle for her board. Then her BO at the fancy barn decided to let her stay in the pastures there all winter. Not a deal to pass up; indoor arena, hot water wash racks, etc. So, she is staying there. Which means no trade for training. We worked out an agreement for me to groom and coach for her and we'll trade those hours for training. Definitely not ideal, but hopefully it'll work out for enough hours to get Dazzle ready to show in the spring. We only need those 15.5 pts to get her Dressage COA and that's my goal for her this year.

Dazzle had her first ride in a month. Melissa just got on and didn't lunge. She was awesome. Not even hyper, much to Melissa's disappointment. They cantered and everything and was great. Not a good ride for her, but she behaved. So, after a month of sitting in her paddock she was ridden walk/trot/canter and didn't do anything naughty. That is very encouraging to me that she will be a great family horse eventually. I was afraid she would be awful. Maybe spooky, bolt, buck at every cue she didn't like. But, she did none of that. She gave one half-hearted kick out at a smack from the crop when she ignored leg and that was it.

Dazzle is done venturing into Western Pleasure for now. They are going to do just Dressage and focus on Training Level with eyes towards First. Should be fun. I just hope enough time can be devoted to her to get her where she should be for the show season.

More Than One Way To Skin A Cat (Or Ride Dressage)

Yesterday, Wednesday, I baby-sat the neighbors a few hours in the afternoon. Ashley had Tori over and she looked nice with her hair red and a haircut. She is such a pretty young lady. Maddy was upset as she didn't want to stay with me for whatever reason, and Nick seemed a bit uncomfortable around me, probably because he doesn't stay with me much. Ashley hadn't been granted permission to ride. So, I decided I was tired of sitting around and handed her the video camera and we headed down to the horses.

I tacked up Dazzle and it was HOT. I was dripping all over. I settled all the kids in the corner of the arena and mounted up. We walked a little, trotted some circled, cantered both directions, including an attempt at leg-yield at the canter, trotted more, walked on the long-rein, then I got down and put Maddy up for a picture. She was wearing her helmet but in flip-flops. Ashley had video-ed me, so after taking a few shot of Maddy I helped her down and got back on, informing them we were almost done as it was SO HOT. We did everything again for stills and then I rode up to them and I felt like I was about to throw up it was so hot. "You're gonna have to lead her for me", I told Ashley and got down and handed her the reins. I untacked her and hosed her down, then hosed her chest off more once the wanter got nice and cold. She didn't complain.

She was SO good. I haven't been able to watch the video yet as the computer refused to play it, but there are some nice stills. I still can't turn by toes in while posting or putting weight in the stirrups, but my heels are down and my legs are passive.

I was reading Dressage posts on the COTH forums and someone was complaining of the same problem I have; can't turn the toes in because of leg conformation, and someone finally said that riders with much more serious physical problems ride higher levels than us at the Para-Olympics, so we should quite complaining and just figure out a different way to ride to make it work. That person is right. There has to be a ton of people out there with injuries and not perfect conformation riding at higher levels. Toes out is not the most serious crime against Dressage and definitely easier to work around than a bad hip or one arm. It goes with the I was reading a couple months ago; I just have to find a different way to ride that suits my body, doesn't injure me or hurt, and gets the job done. These last few rides have been wonderful. I feel like we're on to something promising. I hope Melissa sees the same as it's been feeling. I am afraid it's just my imagination or something, lol.

The Arab Kicks In

Tuesday, Ashley was finally able to ride and I had stolen Michelle. We all tacked up and headed into the field. Dan was spooky right off. He stood better for Michelle to get on, then shied going through the arena opening into the field. He wouldn't go into the grassy lane first and eyed everything down the lane to Grandma's. We went around the edge of the field and he was pretty good, then spooked himself walking over a sprinkler pipe. We went to the edge of the field by the road and Michelle walked him over the pipe several times until he did it without acting terrified. Then we went to go around the block. He spooked at everything. Michelle finally decided it wasn't the evening to work on this as she didn't have enough time so we went back and rode home. It took an hour to do all that, so it wasn't a short ride even though we didn't go far.

Ashley and Gypsy didn't have a completely smooth go of it either. Gypsy doesn't like standing very long for mounting. Ashley was taking too long to get on (by her standards) and took off. I had to catch her on Dazzle. I told Ashley she had to make it a swift, smooth movement and just get up there. She was really frustrated by this time as they'd already spent 10 minutes arguing over standing still, but she didn't complain, she just got up there, Gypsy starting to walk off and I told her to discipline her for it. She made her stop and got her foot in the stirrup and all was okay. They did well the rest of the ride. When we got to the gate next to Grandma's Gypsy remembered the training from the session they had a while back and stood next to it while Ashley pushed and pulled the gate. I was quite impressed she had retained it that well. Quite promising.

Dazzle was good the whole time. We were western and she likes that. I let Ashley ride in my Dressage saddle, so that was she and Gypsy's first trip out of the arena in a snaffle and Dressage saddle.

I Made Ashley Cry

Today, Michelle was out to ride with us again (she is not able to ride Dan till Sunday per Wrenn's instructions) and Ashley and I were excited to have a group. I videoed some and took some low-pixel stills.

First, Maddy had a little lesson on Gypsy in the Dressage saddle. Ashley led her around. I just watched and didn't hold on to her this time. She did really well. They ever trotted and I didn't jog along side holding her pant leg. I videoed part of that. She probably rode 15 minutes.

Next, Michelle videoed and I gave Ashley a lesson...or a yelling-at, whichever. This was the first time I had Ashley ride Dressage on Gypsy without warming her up for her first...and it was obvious. She couldn't get her to go on the bit. She was getting frustrated. She was about to cry. She tried to get down. I told her to stay there and just do what I said, I told her what to do to get her to flex and respond. She did was I said; hip-release basically, and magically there was a difference. She gets frustrated and stops using all the parts of her body and makes it worse. There is so much you have to keep track of when riding; legs, hips, arms, elbows, shoulders, wrists, hands, head, it's hard!

She finally got it worked out and they had some nice circles and she relaxed enough to canter left a circle or two. Next, Michelle got on and enjoyed a big horse for once (her parent's horse is 14.2H) and a big walk. She got her on the bit quite a bit and pronounced her a very fun horse. We got her to canter a little even though was nervous to try.

Ashley gave Gypsy a bath and I tacked up Dazzle and warmed her up at the canter. She was being amazing; both leads, no wrong leads, I did all three circles to the right, trotting in between so she had to pick up the right lead every time, then to the left just cantering the whole way. I was able to ride with some weight in my heels and my legs quite. I held my whip and I only needed to use it a couple times. She is starting to understand! It's so liberating not to be struggling to kick her to keep going! She stayed in the canter until I asked for the trot. Super!!!! Maybe we'll actually get to work on being on the bit in the canter soon.

Next, Michelle rode Dazzle while I worked with Dan on stopping and backing with his handler more sharply. He seems to be a fast learner. Then, I yelled Intro B for Michelle to ride as she's never actually gotten to ride a test in a show before and it's been years since she got to practice one. She liked that, they were a little all over the place, but it was better than the first time I rode through it this last Spring.

Last, Ashley got on Dazzle and I gave her a fairly hard-core yelling-at, I mean lesson. She has a hard time remembering to steer with her legs and not her hands. It's hard to steer, control speed, and keep a horse on the bit at the same time. I haven't required too much from her up to now, but she's old enough and has enough ability that I can ask more from her. So, we were working on canter and she was getting frustrated with me requiring transitions in a certain place, with Dazzle dumping her hip in/out, etc. Finally, I wanted her to canter the whole arena and not let her drop to a trot at the ends. She keeps trying to ride the corners like corners instead of like half a 20 m circle. She keeps letting her trot so it's to the point I'm sitting in my lawn chair yelling across the arena, "Whack her NOW, NOW, don't let her trot!" and she starts screaming back at me, "I CAN'T!" lol, and starts crying. Finally she adds that her ribs hurt, which she should have said before as I understand ribs hurting, she means her side aches and I get that sometimes too, but I Can't isn't going to cut it. So I had her walk the arena and cool her down for a bit. She probably rode half an hour and was doing great even though she was frustrated a lot of the time. It's good for her, she isn't used to working when she rides and now that's she is past a kid's horse she gets to learn to use all the stuff I've been preaching at her since she was 7.

She is thinking maybe she wants to show Dazzle next year, so that would be a blast. We could share her like we did Thunder. If I get Ashley a membership with ApHC and CRHA she could help get the points needed to get Dazzle her COAs and ROMs if she placed well enough. She seemed to recover from crying just fine and we plan to ride again tomorrow after the farrier does their feet. Dazzle is getting shoes since she has to have them for the Ride and Gypsy is getting a much needed trim. Hopefully she is less trippy after that.

Big Day!

Yesterday I rode in the morning in my arena. She was perfect! I only rode like 15 minutes since she was good. Then, Ashley and I bathed Dazzle, cleaned tack, braided Dazzle, got all my stuff ready, then helped Melissa get ready.

It's not 7:12 AM. I fed everyone at 6:20, then got dressed in my comfy clothes and washed dishes to keep my mind distracted. I'm eating even though I'm not hungry because otherwise I get shaky and that's never helpful at a show. Lots of family and friends are supposed to be coming to watch which is awesome, I hope they all show up, but also adds to the nerve-wracking-ness of the day.

I just hope we get through the tests without spooking, bucking, forgetting the pattern, taking the wrong gait or lead, or generally making a fool of us. We'll see.

FINALLY, A Good Ride!

Yesterday I rode in the morning. She was AWFUL. She kept trying to jog no matter what I did, took the wrong lead at canter, etc. I had to spin her around, make her move off my leg, it was a disaster. I couldn't get the feeling I had before trying to get my legs to relax. I was starting to feel like I shouldn't even bother with Dressage and should just do western, but that feels like giving up or cheating.


Today we trailered Dazzle to the Ranch and I rode in the indoor arena with Melissa coaching. It was amazing. We got an awesome canter, worked on trotting center-lines, walking on two diagonals. She was super. I think she likes the super footing in there. It's SO nice. It was a perfect ride. I only ended up riding like 20 minutes because she was so good. If we can do that at the show we'll have nothing to worry about. It was just what I needed. I was starting to get discouraged after our messy ride yesterday.

Practicing, Practicing

Yesterday I rode with Melissa watching. I worked a lot on trotting trying to stay straight so Daz would be straight and not wobbly. We worked on the walk and a little canter. We worked a lot on trying to figure out what to do with my leg to make it lay comfortably, but correctly on Dazzle's side. It's a project as it seems I'm fighting my leg conformation every step of the way. We tried lengthening the stirrups which seemed to help. I tried to really relax my leg and not grab at her side. It is difficult. I'm so used to trying to keep her walking by squeezing all the time and I have to quit that and get her to where she'll stay at the speed requested until I ask for a change WITHOUT me bumping all the time.

Today, I rode early. She was a mess. She kept trying to job or trot at the walk. Ignoring me when I asked her to walk when we were going at a faster gait. She wouldn't stay in the canter or take the transition well. I got a couple decent circles and gave up. We did a bunch of walk/trot and walk/halt transitions trying to keep her from jogging all the time. It was frustrating. We did a bunch of work on the two diagonals on the long rein. If we screw up canter we could at least rock at walk. lol.

Trail Ride

Last week we did a trail ride to Bennington Lake. We took Melissa and Bayberry, me and Dazzle, and Michelle and Turbo. We met Michelle and tacked up and headed out. We went around the lake, which included walking in the few inches of water in the reservoir, then down onto a path that goes past a field and into the trees. Then Melissa took Bayberry back to the trailer to work on her mane and Michelle and I went around again doing most of it cantering. We had a blast. Before heading off, Melissa canter Bayberry a little and she was a angel. Didn't try to race at all! Michelle and I cantered single file down the bunny trails and took turns leading. Michelle said she was able to neck-rein with just a touch of direct now and then in the snaffle. That is SUCH a success. We are so proud of him!

Tuesday and Wednesday Sessions

Yesterday Melissa coached me for an hour. It went by fast! She did really well for no Dressage practice in over a month. We did a lot of trot trying to get more forward. We did canter. Her up and down transitions from Canter need work so we did a lot of that. She didn't want to take the canter to the right and actually threw a big buck, but she got over it. I tried without my little spurs and she liked that better, but it was a lot harder to get forward. So, I am going to have to figure out how to get her to go forward without them so I don't NEED them. I don't want to HAVE to have them to get forward. I could try the crop again, but it usually makes me lose focus to try to add that to the mix. Our circles are much rounder and the trot is getting there. If I look where I'm going and not at her head it helps a bunch, lol.

This morning I got up at 7 AM and rode for 20 minutes. We did trot and she kept tipping her butt to the inside. We worked on our forward. Then we did a little canter. She was good overall so I called it a day. We are going trail riding later so I didn't want to wear her out. If we can do our best in the show we'll be fine. I'm just worried she'll fall apart or I'll fall apart and it'll be a mess.

Short and Sweet

I took a couple days off because I am afraid part of why we had trouble last ride was that my legs were too sore and weren't doing what I thought I was telling them to do.

So, today I took out my mom-in-law's two horses and brushed them, cute bridle paths and sprayed their mane/tail. They seemed to like the attention. I put my three out to run in the arena in the meantime. After I finished with Turbo and Sparkles I brushed Thunder and put him back in his pen. I caught Dazzle, clipped her bridle path and chin whiskers with clippers, then caught Spotless. I clipped his bridle path and whiskers, then gave him a much needed bath. It was his first bath of the new year. And he looked like it. I let him dry in the sun while I did a ride on Dazzle.

I got on and track left to we were looking right. Whe was only too happy to trot so I went ahead and posted trot. Close to C I gave the reins a little and asked with my leg and seat position for canter. She cantered. We did a circle. On the correct RIGHT lead. We trotted after one circle and did it again in two other places. Then we changed rein and did it going left. I made sure I wasn't getting in her way. I looked up where we were going, didn't worry about her being on the bit, just focused on turning my body where I wanted to go. She did try to cut in a little, but not too bad. And she took the correct lead, EVERY time. she was even fairly light on the aids. She tried to canter a couple times when I hadn't asked. I had a whip, but never used it. We did about 3 circles of canter each direction, some trot diagonals, a free-walk diagonal. I just tried to stay out of her way.

Usually, I do the circle I want to canter at the trot first. I make sure she is balanced. I bend her to the inside, push her out so she doesn't cut in, ask for the canter. ANd she throws a fit and often takes the wrong lead. So, I wanted to test my theory I just tend to get in the way. She apparently I was right. She did great western when I wasn't in her mouth at all, and then today when I had contact, but wasn't trying to do anything in her mouth to cue her, so now I just have to figure out how to ask her to be on the bit but not get in her way at the same time. That's all...

So, we only rode about 10 minutes, but I got exactly what I was looking for, so I rewarded her with quitting. And a bath. Both she and Spotless are now clean, with tail bags, fly-masks, and fly-sheets. I really needed a good ride. The last one was so discouraging. Today I was sorting through pictures that had never gotten put in the right files on the computer and I look really un-impressive. They were from last fall. My leg is too far forward and for the life of me I can't fix that, OR my toes being too far out. It's the way my legs and feet are made. I fight against it every time I ride trying to sit properly. It makes me wonder if maybe I should let someone else do Dressage on her and just do Western on her. But I love Dressage, so that really isn't the perfect solution even if I could find someone to do Dressage on her.

Dressage Day - First Time Through Tests

I printed out the two tests I'm going to show at the end of the month; Intro B and Training 1. I searched and searched and found the directives. I printed out arena diagrams and drew out the patterns to help me visualize them and memorise them. I read them over several times and then went out to school them as best I could remember. I knew the movements if not in the right order for both tests.

I got Dazzle, tacked up and hopped on. No spurs today, just a Dressage whip. Friday we rode with no spurs western and she was awesome. We walked around the rail, trotted, did some walk/trot/walk transitions trying to stay on the bit the whole time. She has a tendency to look shocked even though I've warned her with leg, seat, and rein aids before the change in gait. We got some calm transitions so we started the test. Intro B was first. We entered at A nicely, but she didn't want to halt at X so our down transition looked a bit violent. She then lurched her front end to one side instead of stopping straight and tried to walk off when I saluted. We trotted off pretty well. Tracked left. Did our circle at E. I was impressed with out geometry on the trot circles. Our diagnoal wasn't bad. Pretty straight, if not a steady rhythym. Our long-rein free-walk on two diagonals was really wobbly and she wanted to slow way down. We'll have to work on that one. Our halt at the end was straighter, but she still thought it was stupid to stop in the middle of the arena and she didn't want to halt on the bit.

Then we tried Training 1. We made it through the first trot circle then got to the part where you take up the canter in the corner. She took the RIGHT lead instead of the left. We tried again. She did it again. I gave up the pattern for a moment and rode her down to the center circle. She took the correct lead that time. We went back to trot and headed down the wall to try it again in the corner. She took th wrong lead again. I was getting frustrated, especially after how awesome she did the day before, so I trotted the circle at A until she felt straight and I could get the correct lead, then rode her to B and did our canter circle. She did the same thing on the 2nd canter circle. I was really discouraged, so I took her to the other end of the arena and made her work on the bit trot-canter-trot-canter until she did canter circles on the correct lead, both directions, on the bit. She did it fine there, so she must not like the something about the footing or something at the A circle. My arena is the corner of an alfalfa field and not level, so it's very possible it throws her off. Plus, my legs are pretty sore from riding so much this week after a month off. So I decided that maybe my muscles aren't doing what I'm telling them to and not cueing her like I think I am. So, it was very disappointing after the awesome western session yesterday. We'll get there, but I feel like I suck right now!

Show Plans For Summer

I did a schooling show last Sunday on my old gelding, Thunder. My husband drove me and kept track of our places. Afterwards he announced I am not allowed to show open shows anymore unless I think I can beat the trainers/stuck up rich girls. I can only show Dressage. So, he told me I am to start taking lessons again and I can do two shows this summer. Then next year I show all I want, hit everything if I want, after this year of taking lessons often. So, the two shows I'm going to do are the two that are in town. Both are schooling shows. Nothing high-pressure. I'm going to do Intro B, Training 1, and Dressage Trail at both. Should be interesting and a learning experience. Last year she did one of the shows but I didn't ride her, Melissa did. They did an Intro class. So, we'll see how I do on her this year. I'm really nervous about it, but I'm sure we'll through it. If we make enough progress, I might hit an open show or two later in the summer. But I won't waste the money on it unless we're doing well enough I might place well. We'll get there eventually.


Other than those two shows, we're going to get conditioning for the Chief Joseph Trail Ride. I have paid my head fee and just have to get the balance paid off now. One of my friends is borrowing my father-in-law's gelding to ride it since he always works it anyway. So, Trudy on Sparkles, me on Dazzle and Alison on Turbo. Should be a blast. Melissa is going to work it with the rest of the crew. The ride is 5 days, about 20 miles a day. Not a race, but you still have to be in decent shape as does your horse. Dazzle will be earning mileage towards her Distance ROM with ApHC and hours for the Saddle Log program through ApHC. It will take four years to get her ROM in Distance. It's exciting to finally be starting on it. So, the beginning of our summer will involve hours of riding to get conditioned for that.


What are your plans for the summer? Anything exciting?

First Spring Ride

I rode Dressage yesterday for my first ride on Dazzle in over a month. First she got time to run in the arena, then I lunged her both directions and she was lazy. No bucking or anything. I tacked up and hopped on. We walked and trotted around the arena. She was good. We worked on trot/canter transitions. So took the wrong lead a couple times, but not too bad. She is way wobbly and rushed both directions at the canter, but that is to be expected after a break. It was pretty warm, over 60 degrees, which is the hottest it's been yet this year. Dazzle and I were both sweating, so I kept it short. Half an hour all together. She is trying more then before. She isn't throwing her butt in and out when I ask for the canter and I'm able to use my inside leg at the canter to keep her out on the circle. She likes to dive in when cantering to the right. Then to cool down we practiced leg-yield from quarterline to fence and fence to quarterline. She seems more responsive to my aids then before. This is good, just means I have to work harder on giving lighter and lighter aids.

Spots In The Show Ring

I was one of those riders who hated Appaloosas. I swore I'd never own one. Now, I have two and can't imagine life without them. I'm a prime example of making sure I was doomed to own an Appy by declaring I most definitely never would.

I started Dressage lessons when I was 12 yrs old. Now that I have fallen in love with Appaloosas I am doing my best to tie my passions together. I have started Dazzle, my mare, in Dressage and she is doing nicely. That is us in the blog title, on October 17, 2008.

Dressage is a discipline every sound horse can participate in. I love it as the basis of anything else. Since I ride Dressage, I can "fake" any other discipline. I won't look like a show rider doing it, but I'll be able to do the manuevers required. You can build on Dressage to get to whatever sport you're passion is. Why would I give that up when I got my Appaloosa?

So, now the difficult part. Appaloosas are not usually in the Dressage ring. They are well-known in the Western world, in the Hunt Seat world, in the Endurance/Trail world. They are versatile and capable, intelligent and hearty. There is no reason not to promote this wonderful breed in the Dressage world. With this blog, I hope to help break down the stereotype that Appaloosas do not belong in the Dressage ring, that they can't be successful at a competitive level, that they shouldn't be bred specifically for Dressage as it "ruins" the breed.

With this blog, I hope to bring together other Dressage riders choosing to use an Appaloosa for the sport. Please contact me if there is a topic you would like to see explored, if you have pictures to share, etc.