Ryan Clinic -- June 2015 -- Mission: Fix my halfpasses

So I was able to share my good show news with Ryan at this clinic -- I got a 71%!!! He was very happy for me, but I told him that the judges hated my halfpasses. I rode them terribly and I need major help before the next show. With that goal in mind, we went to work. Gadget felt very balanced at this clinic and happy in the contact. The biggest thing to remember is to really make Gadget jump up in the canter without just running. I need to really hear the 3 beats and pause for suspension in the canter.

Back to the halfpasses -- I had been letting the haunches trail in the left halfpasses. Ryan had me think of starting the halfpass in shoulder fore, but then keeping the shoulders to the right a bit and really asking the haunches to come left. Then, finish the halpasses in a little renver or haunches in. Essentially, at the end of the halfpass, let the halfpasses lead, then right straight in shoulder in. I rode the halfpasses like crap in the clinic (I'm not good at processing how to use my body during clinics), but it really came together at home.

He also had me do lots of forward and back in the trot -- only a few steps of each to try to get more suspension and bounce in Gadget's stride.

It was a wonderful clinic. I learned so much and I have had even more success at home applying these principles.

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When old becomes new - update to my old Pikeur Diana!

Here is the finished product! It was a plain black jacket so I added white and light blue trim with RHINESTONES! It's very sparkly! Here's a closeup of the collar, which looks better than the pocket. Now I am going to try to add coordinating trim (minus the rhinestones) to the saddle pad.

Catch-up Post -- Putting Together the Puzzle

It's been a long time since I have actually written any updates about Iggy. Partly, that is because it is difficult to write about things when you are still very much in the experimental stage. I think I have loved dressage since I was a teenager because of the constant experimenting, strategizing, and problem solving of every ride. I love the intellectual side of it. However, puzzles are more fun when you are making progress toward solving them. They are less fun when you spend a lot of time wondering if you have made progress, stayed the same, or actually screwed things up. From Iggy's first show - trying to keep the big canter in one piece! Iggy is my puzzle. He is a puzzle that makes my eyes light up and my heart sing when I see him. He has this sweet baby face and the personality of a labradoodle. When I look at him, he is everything I ever wanted. Yet, our journey has not been quite as straight forward as I thought it might be. When I sat on Iggy for the first tim...

Third Level Test 1 - with comments from Judge Natalie Lamping

Here is a practice test of third level test 1 that I rode on April 27, 2013. I then submitted the test for an online evaluation by Judge Natalie Lamping at horseshow.com. I was pleasantly surprised to get a 63.2% (which may be a bit generous in the spirit of a schooling show) from Judge Lamping. This test was before my "breakthrough" of collecting the canter the next weekend. She correctly notes that the canter still needs a good bit of work. However, our turn on haunches have improved dramatically from that year, which is great since they are a coefficient score! My right flying change received a 7, and if I can line up the left one to be clean, it is an even better change. See my scores and comments from Natalie Lamping below: Apr 27th, 2013 April Dressage Festival 2011 USEF Level 3 Dressage - Test 1 Judged by Natalie Lamping Featuring Lindsey S Score: 241/380 (63.29%) 2nd place Overall Rows Test Rows # Tests Score Coef Err Comments 1 A ...

Dressage Day by Day

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