Three horses, one Saturday

[glenatron]

Last year we tried a dressage test and didn't do very well. Earlier in the week I noticed the same competition had come around again and decided to enter at the last moment.

Thursday night we did a single runthrough to check I could remember the test ( same as last year, just walk and trot but given that we scored 42 certainly in need of work ) and on Friday the ponies had their feet done so I didn't ask him to work. By half past eight this morning we were unloading Zorro from the lorry for the first time ( after I had got the lorry to start using my previously unrealised mechanical skills ) and getting ready for our test.


Into the arena...


One of our "circles". Apparently, according to the judge, circles are traditionally a little more, well, circular.


Our trot got better after something outside the arena flustered Zorro a little bit and his energy picked right up.


Halt and immobility- our forte!


Finished and the morning still ahead of us.

We came home with a rosette! It said "Second Place" on it. xD

We'll focus on that "second place" and not think too hard about the actual numbers involved either in the score or the number of people in the class... ;D

So then we bundled back into the lorry, headed home and fairly shortly afterwards were off to meet with Sophira ( not sure if that's how her name is spelled but it will do for now ) who is a very sweet, recently backed Lusitano mare who lives just down the road from our ponies and needs someone to help bring her on.


Doing a bit on the ground- she is very sensitive and has had some pretty good training so far so she's actually a real pleasure to work with. Quite different from Zorro.


Reminding me just how much I love riding baby horses. And how quirky they can be- when I was asking her to move away from my leg her initial idea of what I wanted was to kick the underside of my foot with her hindfoot. Very flexible. Also very smart, she pretty much figured that out after a little more asking on my part.

I am hoping to ride her a lot over the summer, just get her more experienced and knowing a bit more about the world. She's a lovely horse and it will be great experience for me, balancing out my need for an interesting summer project with my need to not have to poo pick another pony. This is a deal that works well for everyone...


Then we went off to Julian's for a lesson ( after a couple of years we now have reins! Still on the lunge though... ) where I was riding a charming big hunter type horse called Rocky. We spent a long time trotting, getting a bigger and bouncier trot throughout the lesson. It was hard work but brilliant fun.

And now, I'm exhausted, time for bed...

Comments

[skiesfirepaved.livejournal.com]

Heyy, congratulations on the dressage placing! Regardless of how many may or may not have been in the class with you; you both looked very nice.

Sophira is gorgeous, I just had to do a little sketch of her head because wow - what a profile. She looks very laid-back ... perhaps too laid-back, given that belly? :P I hope you'll be working with her/taking more photos of her more often!

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

She certainly likes her grass, this is one of the reasons I'm riding her- she just needs more exercise and her owner, for quite understandable reasons, is finding it difficult to find the time she needs.

Also means when you come and visit you can borrow my disreputable cob and I can ride a baby Lusitano and show you round the trails...

[joycemocha.livejournal.com]

Very nice!

That said....hands. Lower. You're breaking the straight line between elbow, hand and bit. Lower the hands a smidgen and Z's head will come down.

And the project pony looks quite nice!

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

My hands do tend to come up when I'm not thinking about them, which doesn't usually matter because I'm not usually riding on much of a contact - figured I'd leave that to one side and just concentrate on working in balance until I understand the concept - but of course when we're trying to look like we understand contact it doesn't help at all.

[z111.livejournal.com]

Don't care how circular your circles were or how competitive the competition was. That sounds awesome! Congrats!

[(Anonymous)]

I have a little red (first) place ribbon with *ahem* a similar background story. But I *still* pinned that sucker on my wall, goddammit. Because I made it out to the ring and I showed my pony.

Congrats!

[makoiyi.livejournal.com]

Well done both of you. Doesn't matter the placings, you did it. Agree on the hands though, a touch lower would be better, but I love that you did it in the western saddle.

[allezbleu.livejournal.com]

yay!!! but im dying to know your score!!!

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

I don't think numbers are terribly important really. Not in the big scale of things...

[penella22.livejournal.com]

Awesome illustrations! Good to see you Zorro making a trek out somewhere to do Something. Also, I find it highly amusing you made a dressidge in your western saddle!

Sophira looks like a real pleasure to work with and it's great you get to work with her this summer. Very pretty girl.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

she's quite something. I'm kind of hoping I can work with her and Zorro together so I can maybe get her ponying to help he see the world and get in shape. She could certainly use the exercise...

[dancing-crow.livejournal.com]

Way to go!! And really, just making it out and back counts for something.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

True enough. It certainly showed me that Zorro can cope ( even if he doesn't like it much ) with other horses about. And that we could, if we were so inclined, be competitive in small ways.

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

Well done! Niiice halt.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah! We have not moving down to an art form! Now to work on the mobile gaits...