tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571933866625297210.post2763439324437062268..comments2024-03-11T21:51:38.696-04:00Comments on The Dressage Curmudgeon: Ms. V versus The Swiffer...our first showStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00862983598055228855noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571933866625297210.post-2097617833932315442013-02-18T12:42:30.570-05:002013-02-18T12:42:30.570-05:00I SOOO wanted to do a freestyle to Sir Mix A Lot&#...I SOOO wanted to do a freestyle to Sir Mix A Lot's "Baby Got Back" on my now retired draft cross mare. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571933866625297210.post-37581667701041906452012-12-07T11:37:42.568-05:002012-12-07T11:37:42.568-05:00Gee DC when did you tag along with me on my school...Gee DC when did you tag along with me on my schooling show era with my half saddlebred??? We call the lower level shows here schooling shows. Our local university has a few each year with a tiny indoor, an out door you have to hike to get to, a tiny parking lot filled with cars, moms, dads, buses, horse trailer/trucks, strollers, kids n ponies, a vendor, dogs on and off leashes, little pavilions, collapsible chairs and people who are either in top end show attire or sweatpants with half chaps on!! ( I have pictures!!)<br />My first ever attempt at going to a dressage/combined training schooling show, I took my 6 yr old morgan/qh gelding who was the size of a very large pony ( I weighed about 225lbs at the time as well) I boarded at a huge stable a field over so drove over in my car, took out my all purpose saddle and my show clothes, and drove over and got my horse, saddled him and hacked over to the show, I had splurged for a stall.<br />Study dressage tests obsessively while in the tub, making copies so I can mark when I ask for which gait at which mark. AND then try to figure out how in the h*ll to do a salute (before the advent of You tube!!)<br />Oh. the tale I tell about my salute... (Face Palm**)<br />Ahh so many mistakes, but not as bad as the one I made with my saddlbred cross mare!!<br />I taught her to jump over tiny cross rails the day before the show (IE trot up to it in 2 point, have her come to a dead stop, and step over the rail, continue on the next, stop/repeat/rinse) And then have her turn herself around backwards in the 2 horse trailer I was borrowing... so unload the horse, take 20 mins to get her back in, go home... go out early the next day, try to do a french braid with her long mane... have it fall out as she refuses to get into the tiny death box she sees the trailer as. Curse, cry, plead, cajole and finally force the horse into the trailer.<br />Wedge trailer and horse into tiny parking spot, quickly come up with the continental braid, put the crocheted ear thingy on, which I find out later is a DQ... <br />Sign up for a W/T class with the kiddies, and a baby x rail class with the same toddlers..<br />My horse had been in with ponies for a few years and was then stabled with a giant herd of pintos... what did the kids have when we went into warm up?? YUP.. pintos and ponies.. my mare was a juvenile minded 5 yr old, whatever concentration she had went out the window when she saw the kids' horses n ponies. <br />My mare " Hey, look, I know you from some where don't I??" <br />Curmudgeony pony " Look lady, I gots a job to do! Go stand over there!"<br />"But But, you're my new besty!!!"<br />Needless to say I placed last in a w/t class against 6 yr olds!!<br />On he plus side, her little light bulb went off during the warm up and actual class for the baby jumps where she finally figured she could trot and *gasp* canter over the tiny cross rails!!<br />We don't show or try to, she likes trails and parades!!Carol in WIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17989689419016701231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571933866625297210.post-83511329360061431492012-11-30T10:28:07.956-05:002012-11-30T10:28:07.956-05:00I recently decided that the mare and I are retirin...I recently decided that the mare and I are retiring from competitive dressage. We're pretty much stuck at Training Level, schooling a little first, but with her soundness issues I doubt we'd do much more than that (though trainer and I are teaching her to piaffe, just for fun -- yes, it's a party trick but trainer says that some lower-level horses really benefit from it.) And you know? Training Level is *boring*!!! But I still get to enjoy my *safe*, well-trained mare :) quietannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05710112022047395861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571933866625297210.post-71409147888542701382012-11-30T09:20:18.921-05:002012-11-30T09:20:18.921-05:00So true. My current horse was evented through prl...So true. My current horse was evented through prliminary by his previous owner. Now he's showing PSG with me. When I bought him I asked why they did eventing instead of dressage with him (he started out as a dressage horse) and they said it was because he did so poorly at training/1st level. <br /><br />I try to tell people not to worry so much about stretchy circles or perfect submission etc., and that the rubber doesn't really hit the road until 2nd... but they typically either don't believe me or get insulted because that's where they spend their time. <br /><br />Personally, I think 3rd level is where it starts to get really fun.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571933866625297210.post-42232182256839880912012-11-28T11:00:38.443-05:002012-11-28T11:00:38.443-05:00Ah,DC. Lay it out for us!!
"In retrospect, ...Ah,DC. Lay it out for us!!<br /><br />"In retrospect, this experience pretty much sums up dressage shows, judging, and moving up the levels. Talented young horse showing in an age appropriate class, with age appropriate issues - not likely to win or score high. Topped out at training level senior citizen going through the motions for the 98th time in his life without batting an eye...smokes the pack.<br /><br />Your scores at the lower levels tell you NOTHING about the likelihood of your horse to progress in dressage."<br /><br />So f---ing true. So f---ing sad.<br /><br />Back when my now 17 year old GP horse was an extraordinary 3, I made the mistake of entering a BREEDING show- yes, that's a show where one takes ONLY ill behaved youngsters- in a "suitable to be a dressage horse" class. The winner? the horse with it's head cranked the hardest to it's chest. The loser? My horse who was age suitably in front of the verticle, or IFV for those Bulletin Board saavy.<br /><br />In the line classes for my filly- the filly who smoked her competition at the Hano inspection- the foal who all the judges whipped out their cameras to take pictures of- was judged in height order. Winner: 16.3H 3 year old. Last in line- my 15.3H filly. Winner was never heard of again, because with her movement and conformation she should have been a halter horse, and I'm sure she never set a sound foot down again, but my filly went on to set records in three disciplines and I sold her for 5 figures.<br /><br />Why, oh why!!! didn't I get the picture in front of me? Am I just willfully delusional? Need to burn my money? What IS it?????Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571933866625297210.post-61758193628281727102012-11-28T10:28:42.350-05:002012-11-28T10:28:42.350-05:00I can totally relate to your Puslinch experience, ...I can totally relate to your Puslinch experience, yet applaud you for taking out a 3 y/o to a show, and then RIDE. Gutsy. Knowing I was on a 3 y/o ticking timebomb with limited steering and iffy breaks, I couldn't trust other riders to stay clear in case I needed to bail (it's easier to bail when they're smaller, once they're full grown you have no choice but to hold on and hope the temper tantrum will be short lived). <br /><br />Instead, I waited another year before I jumped in (head first) into Trillium/Silver Training Level with a 4 y/o and was lucky to receive mid-50's. You still had to watch out for the adult ammies with their eyes on their horse's ears and the occassional black&white sprints across the parking lot to the portapotties.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571933866625297210.post-33813007967866054982012-11-28T02:36:27.230-05:002012-11-28T02:36:27.230-05:00ROLF!!! This is so awesome. I remember the first t...ROLF!!! This is so awesome. I remember the first time I went to a lower level show where everyone had crazy colors, no one could control their horses, people looked like they were going to cry and poop their pants at the same time, and people were randomly falling off. It was eye opening. I had no idea this world existed. I have signed my youngster up to attend one of these shows in Jan in a halter class. My only goal is to get him out and about. I wonder if it makes me a bad person that I hope someone shows up in zebra print on a tiny white arab with a butt that won't fit in her saddle? I am bringing popcorn.........Adventures of the Super Ponieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00505793706856998385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571933866625297210.post-25665975002282899732012-11-27T11:00:46.218-05:002012-11-27T11:00:46.218-05:00getting better! i am enjoying your blogging more ...getting better! i am enjoying your blogging more and moreAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571933866625297210.post-20438180217701396922012-11-26T11:59:08.210-05:002012-11-26T11:59:08.210-05:00I shall count my lucky stars that the Bronze shows...I shall count my lucky stars that the Bronze shows I've attended were not so chaotic....granted they were almost empty. Then again, it was Troy, not Puslinch, and that makes a world of difference; I believe there were more green Troxels than purple. Megshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09184175194293184278noreply@blogger.com