Huge progress - we are now competing.
We went to a Riding Club dressage today and Jazz has made HUGE progress. He was wonderful - he behaved superbly travelling, warming up and standing on the lorry between the two tests. In the arena for the prelim (indoors) he was spooked by a dark corner with poles hidden in it and in spite of that he scored over 66% from an affiliated judge. He produced fantastic paces, rythmn and bend and did what he was told pretty much when he was told it. (with a couple of spooks in the corner :-0) When we left he was lying third, with the winner less than 2% above him.
In the novice test (also indoors, it's a two-arena complex, absolutely top class except for the mud bath in the lorry park :-) I missed a couple of elements out. It was Novice 37, which is the one that you are supposed to use for just before you go elementary. I have no idea why someone chose that one for a Riding Club test, it was a bit daft and everyone was complaining about it. I didn't learn it before we went because it was a 60 metre test and I find that I forget them if I learn them earlier.
So there I was, realising with 20 minutes to go that Jazz was going to have to do a rein back and some counter canter :-0 For the second time in his life I did some rein back in the warm-up and he was pretty good. Then I tried counter canter, which we have never tried deliberately before and only ever done by accidentally taking the wrong leg. He only needed to change the rein and then go straight, but he wouldn't come back down to trot and he ended up doing a perfectly balanced 15 metre circle in counter canter!
In the test, the trot work and the halt and rein back and the walk all went superbly well. By the time we got to the canter right he was tiring and he gave me the wrong lead. That was immediately followed by a lengthened strides down the entire long side and I thought it would be better to send him on and do that and then change the rein up the other end. We did that and circled right in canter but he was unbalanced from the lengthening still, and he fell apart across the change of rein. I stopped him, balanced him, patted him and forgot about the rest of that canter and just put him back in trot until the canter left was due. He did that nicely, including a pretty much spot on change of rein, and came in to a good halt at x.
To say that he has improved is an understatement and a half. By my recollection, he has gone up by one point on pretty much every single movement since the last time he competed. He was focussed, attentive and willing. In fact, a joy. If he carries on like this, and I don't see why he shouldn't, he's a consistent horse, he will be right there in the thick of competition at prelim and novice level. I am chuffed to bits with him today. At least if he doesn't want to jump I have a great dressage horse :-)
And here are some pix to prove it. I don't do anything at all to make him go in this outline except to give him a reliable contact to work to. It's all his own preference and he maintains it on a give and release as well. The first is his normal working canter, not a medium. The second is a trot circle which I think shows how well he steps under himself. He is shortening and sightly overbent in the last one but I am pleased at how "sat" and "uphill" he is looking. [ Edit - photo above is now upright thanks to Jean!) I had said " And sorry about the one at the top but it's a frame grab off a video sequence that SH took sideways on his camera and we can't find any way to turn it around! But " ] isn't that the most fantastic trot you've seen in ages :-)????
C
In the novice test (also indoors, it's a two-arena complex, absolutely top class except for the mud bath in the lorry park :-) I missed a couple of elements out. It was Novice 37, which is the one that you are supposed to use for just before you go elementary. I have no idea why someone chose that one for a Riding Club test, it was a bit daft and everyone was complaining about it. I didn't learn it before we went because it was a 60 metre test and I find that I forget them if I learn them earlier.
So there I was, realising with 20 minutes to go that Jazz was going to have to do a rein back and some counter canter :-0 For the second time in his life I did some rein back in the warm-up and he was pretty good. Then I tried counter canter, which we have never tried deliberately before and only ever done by accidentally taking the wrong leg. He only needed to change the rein and then go straight, but he wouldn't come back down to trot and he ended up doing a perfectly balanced 15 metre circle in counter canter!
In the test, the trot work and the halt and rein back and the walk all went superbly well. By the time we got to the canter right he was tiring and he gave me the wrong lead. That was immediately followed by a lengthened strides down the entire long side and I thought it would be better to send him on and do that and then change the rein up the other end. We did that and circled right in canter but he was unbalanced from the lengthening still, and he fell apart across the change of rein. I stopped him, balanced him, patted him and forgot about the rest of that canter and just put him back in trot until the canter left was due. He did that nicely, including a pretty much spot on change of rein, and came in to a good halt at x.
To say that he has improved is an understatement and a half. By my recollection, he has gone up by one point on pretty much every single movement since the last time he competed. He was focussed, attentive and willing. In fact, a joy. If he carries on like this, and I don't see why he shouldn't, he's a consistent horse, he will be right there in the thick of competition at prelim and novice level. I am chuffed to bits with him today. At least if he doesn't want to jump I have a great dressage horse :-)
And here are some pix to prove it. I don't do anything at all to make him go in this outline except to give him a reliable contact to work to. It's all his own preference and he maintains it on a give and release as well. The first is his normal working canter, not a medium. The second is a trot circle which I think shows how well he steps under himself. He is shortening and sightly overbent in the last one but I am pleased at how "sat" and "uphill" he is looking. [ Edit - photo above is now upright thanks to Jean!) I had said " And sorry about the one at the top but it's a frame grab off a video sequence that SH took sideways on his camera and we can't find any way to turn it around! But " ] isn't that the most fantastic trot you've seen in ages :-)????
C
posted by cptrayes @ 3:22 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
My, he is very uphill in that first picture. *grin* If you can save it as a jpg or other photo extension, then you can put it into one of the photo manager programs and rotate it. After I leave here, I will try to copy it and do it for you. If I succeed, I will email it to you.
Now for the horse stuff!! Fantastic progress. Too bad about the spooks, but that's one of the perils of dressage shows in places that just don't worry about that kind of stuff. I can remember at the Atlanta Olympics on one of the days when they had some statues to decorate the arena area. Grand Prix dressage horses, well seasoned, came out, and spooked.
Jazz looks great in the pictures. He really does carry himself well.
Your second test sounds like a US Second Level test with counter canter. Too bad you were blindsided with it. Jazz surely gave it his best try, though. My compliments for your wise and generous decision to just settle him down and trot instead. You put aside your competitive urges for the sake of Jazz and his training. Good for you.
And what a difference in his overall attitude both with the traveling and at the show grounds. Time and experience are making a a big impression on him.
You are right. If you don't have a jumping star, you will definitely have a dressage star. He has come so far in a short time.
Congratulations.
Iam pleased he did well and he looks fantastic!
Maybe this is his forte?..hopefully he'll learn to enjoy the jumping bit too but you cant complain if he doesnt.His flat work looks to have come on leaps and bounds..your going to a have a dressage star whether you like it or not I reckon;);)
I have things afoot at the moment(dont want to say too much incase it goes belly up) but I'll email you and fill you in soon!
Sorry to hear you've had grief with your family;(
Nicola
None of our competitions so far has been to "compete", they've all been just for the training. Next time, that will change because he is ready to come home with a rosette now :-)
I've only just "got" your joke about uphill Jean :-) For people who didn't see it, the previous version of the photo had Jazz climbing vertically up the page :-)
I have just compared these photos with his first ones and he has the most enormous increase in muscle bulk between the two sets.
It's set my mind at rest today. If he doesn't enjoy jumping he certainly enjoyed the dressage (first one I've ever had that did!) and I'll keep him just to do that if necessary :-)
Thanks Nicola, can't wait to hear your "developments" .......
C
well if i wanted good news to come back to, that was it, well done!!!
Caroline. I noticed that in most of the photos you are leaning forward slightly. It may be the moment the camera caught you, but do check out the rest of the video to see if it's true all the time.
I am sure Jazz thrusts you forward, but the more centered on the vertical you can be, the more actual control you will have over his paces, etc. It will also help his balance and help your half halt come through. It might make him softer at some of those problem moments.
Once he gets you forward, he's in control. Check it out and see if maybe a position adjustment might be in order.
I put it down to too much riding babies Jean! I'm about to book a lesson with a nearby trainer and I hope she'll help me iron out the bad habits I've got into, which always include looking down and definitely now encompass leaning forwards as well!
C
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