All the Details

So, the show. It was ok. We managed to at least achieve some of our goals, which is always a good thing.

Goals for our show:

• Minimum of a 65% at Training Level
• Minimum of a 60% at First Level
• No bucking
• Score an "8" on the free walk
• No cantering in our lengthened trots
• Stay inside the dressage arena
• Don't get any comments about rider needing to sit back or put shoulders back

 So pretty much based on that it was a success!

I left super early so that I didn't have to worry about being late or getting lost. I hate Mapquest. So much. It took me the most ridiculous back way possible and it's amazing that I didn't miss a turn. But, I managed to make it in one piece :) Got checked in, signed up for our videos and tacked up. I ended up getting on almost an hour before my ride time which I don't think was such a good idea. I wanted to make sure that Jetta was warmed up, paying attention and smooth out any tough spots. But by the end of our "warm-up" Jetta was starting to get pissed off at the other horses, cutting us off and getting too close. Plus the warm-up footing was awful - alternating between deep and rock hard dirt with large chunks of dirt and big rocks. Awwwfull. The show arena wasn't much better, less big chunks but pretty hard ground. Anyways.

Training Test 3 - 

I didn't like this test. I mean I like the test itself, it's a pretty smooth test, but I didn't feel that we rode it very well.

My goal warming up was to have Jetta be soft and supple, and all I wanted is to feel good about my ride.

I really didn't feel good about our ride. Jetta was short strided and pulling on me and just felt awful to me. Jetta didn't want to bend in our loops and then our upward right lead canter transition was awful, Jetta just kind of launched into it. And then she tried to trot in our free walk which she totally knows better than to do. Sigh...

But there was no bucking and Jetta didn't try to jump the dressage arena like the last time we did a dressage test (last spring... so long ago!). I was pretty bummed after our test. I thought we'd probably gotten a 62% max, but I was bracing myself for a 50-something% since I heard the judge had handed some of those out. I was pleasantly surprised to find that we got a 65.8% and got a 3rd out of 10 riders!

Watching the video I was disappointed in how rounded my shoulders were (which the judge commented on) and my hands. Ugh. I need to work on that. Always interesting to watch yourself ride. Jetta's gaits definitely don't look as awful as they felt, though they do still need work.

Some photos from our rides (I will try to upload video later!):

First Test 1 -

I felt like this rode a lot better. I was determined to ride better than I had during the last test and I think I accomplished that for the most part, though of course my equitation still sucked.

This test I messed up. I can't believe I did that, I spent so much time memorizing it and I was happy that the stretchy trot was early in the test and then I went and forgot it. Fail. Oh well, we recovered from it pretty well.

This test, our lengthened trots were a little too fast, which the judge noted. Right lead canter upward transition was still ugly. But our lengthened canters were good and Jetta came back to me nicely. We really need to work on our stretchy trot circle because she barely stretched this time around, she gets too tense during the test and just wants to speed up. And Jetta tried to trot in our free walk again... such a bad pony.

I was pleased with this test and happy with our 61.7% and a first out of 2 for the Maiden division. I didn't stick around to watch the second person but I watched a couple of the open division riders so it would be interesting if they end up emailing out the complete scores so I could see how we compared.



Afterwards, I sat around and waited for the scores, got Jetta some carrots from the show office, got our video, then tried to take some pictures of Jetta with her ribbons. SUCH A BAD IDEA. I've put Jetta's ribbons on her face I don't know how many times, but for some reason Jetta took major exception to it this time. The wind picked up and she freaked, ripping the lead out of my hand and galloping down the gravel to the main arena. $%$(*# *&@(*& @#^&%. Ahem. All I could think about is her running into traffic. I ran after her and found her on the black top next to the main arena, spinning in circles because one ribbon was still stuck to her nose. Such a dork and so embarrassing. I see some desensitization in our future...

Once we made it home (different route was much easier but a lot longer...) I put the ribbons back on her in the safety of the arena and the BO took a couple pictures.

Overall, not too bad for our first show of the season, it was definitely interesting. We still have a lot to work on and I can't wait for our next dressage show! The next show on our calendar is an indoor event derby which I think sounds like a lot of fun, but our next dressage event might not be until May. We have a long time to iron out our First level stuff and I'm thinking it might be better to enter three classes instead of just two so that the first one is a "throw-away" class because I know Jetta's going to be tense and I'm going to be nervous. We shall see!