Comments from Judges

One of the (many) things that I love about dressage is the constant learning it involves.  The journey never ends.  You start with basics, at the bottom of the training scale, and move up to more difficult challenges as you gain strength and suppleness.  When you compete at a dressage show, you have other riders in your class and you can win ribbons but, really, you are competing against yourself; trying to improve, to solidify the basics, and move up the training pyramid.  And judges help you.

When you ride your test, it is broken into a number or steps.  For Winston and I there are 13-16 steps in the tests we are riding.  For each step, there is a short explanation of what the judge is looking for (i.e., willing and balanced transition, quality of gait, shape and size of circle).  Next to each movement, the judge gives a numerical score and also a comment about how you can improve that movement.  At the end, there is a space for the judge to write her comments about the overall ride.  Sometimes they just say "nice ride" or "need more bend."  Sometimes they write more.

Peggy Klump was the judge at El Sueno.  She made comments on my test next to each movement and she wrote long comments at the end.  It was very helpful.   Here are some photos Brett took of my first ride, at training level 2, on Saturday.  I tried to match the photo to the judge's comment as much as possible.

 Movement 3 (trot to corner, then go across the diagonal): "wrong bend at K; good straightness on diagonal" Score: 7

 Movement 9 (free walk): "jigged/not ridden to M"  Score: 5

 Movement 11 (20m circle): "steady contact - needs impulsion" score: 6.5

 Movement 12 (trot across diagonal): "unclear bending through corners, drifts left to S" score: 6.5

At the end of the score sheet, the judge wrote me a novel with lots of advice for how I can improve.  The cool thing is that she pointed out the same things I noticed.  Her comments are accurate, fair and motivating.

Capable pair that shows some solid basic connection and obedience.  However, too bad you give away so many chances for great scores with inaccurate or sloppy lines.  Ride precisely, show control and balance using corners to help create self carriage and also show balance and impulsion.  With polish this pair is capable of brilliant performance.

We have lots of homework before the next show.  Lots and lots of homework.  Always. But capable of brilliance?  Made my day!  And I certainly feel motivated to improve.

Last Test

Sunday, Winston and I were scheduled to ride TL2 and TL3 again.  My first ride was at 2:15 with training level 3 following at 3:30.  Winston was relaxed when we arrived in the morning to feed him.  He had shavings in his tail and in his braids so he had slept well. 

In the morning, the FEI and upper level tests were ridden so we watched those.  Leslie Reid had two lovely rides.  Leslie Morse rode her stallion (she always rides brilliant hot stallions) Excalibur.  Debbie McDonald was wandering around... and all the riders, except one, wore helmets.  There was only ONE top hat.  Yes!!  Fancy helmets with sparkles and accents to complement the shad bellies of the superstar riders -- how wonderful is that? 

In the warmup, fancy warmbloods floated around.  A little girl who was showing her haflinger in the afternoon, came in to school.  It was the funniest, cutest thing to see her struggling with her opinionated mare while the warmbloods danced.

My camera died before I rode my test so there aren't any pictures.  I could tell that Winston was tired when we got there in the morning.  When Winston is tired, he gets pissy (don't we all) and argumentative.  I was concerned about how our test would go.  In the warmup, he was great.  He carried himself at the canter, he was responsive to my inside leg, he went deep into the corners.  We practiced the more difficult movements from TL3 since I knew I wouldn't have time to work on them between the tests.  I was working with a mostly empty fuel tank so I wanted to focus on those areas we struggle with most. 

We started our test well.  Winston was tired but he was obedient.  I was happily surprised -- there was not a belligerent moment anywhere.  Half way through the test, he started to fade on me.  It took all my strength and urging to keep him forward.  We picked up the second canter movement and he died.  So tired. Can't. Canter. Sorry.   He broke into trot.  Picked it up.  Broke again.  The gas tank was empty.

I scratched our last test.  If Winston didn't have enough gas to finish the easier test, there was no way he was going to be able to do TL3.  I wanted to reward him for trying hard, for being obedient even when he was exhausted, and to make sure he didn't change his mind about showing being fun. 

We scored a 4 on the canter where he broke into trot and that movement had a co-effiecient of 2 (worth double the points) so that cost us.  If he had kept the canter, we would have scored better than the day before.  As it was, we got a respectable 61.6, a blue ribbon and a good experience.

We Did It!

This morning, we all (Gayle and her students) met at the show barn at 8:30.  There is a guy you can hire to check your horse every hour during the night.  He records whether the horse is awake, sleeping, standing or laying down.  He reported that Winston was quiet throughout the night and that he laid down and slept around 3am.  It was bitter cold again so we moved our chairs into the sun and sat with our horses warm fleece coolers wrapped around us.

Owners of Trooper and Black Hawk, shown by Gayle

I'm not usually into hanging with the barn crowd, preferring to keep to myself and my horse thereby avoiding barn drama.  This was my first experience going to a show with Gayle and her barn.  What a nice group of people.  We had a great time hanging out, supporting each other, and eating. 

I took Winston for a walk while Brett cleaned out his stall.  Despite the cold morning, Winston walked calmly beside me.  We wandered out to the show ring and watched a test.  I noticed that they had taken down one of the show rings so we were down to one.  Trailers had been pulling out all afternoon on Saturday.  The windy cold was too much for half of the entries; they packed up their hyper horses and headed home.  The hustle and bustle of Saturday was replaced with peace and quiet. 

At lunch time, Gayle braided Winston for me.  I have to practice before the next show.  I used a French braid on my Friesian and Jackson has a thin, fine mane.  I'd never tried to braid a horse with so much thick, coarse hair as Winston and I was sure my rubber band job would look dumb and not hold.  Gayle braided him with beautiful tied braids.  He looked stunning.

When she finished up with his fuzzy, frizzy forelock his adorable face was even cuter than usual.

I washed Winston's tail and loaded it up with conditioner.  It was far too cold to give him a bath but I wanted his tail to have some semblance of silky.  My test was the last of our group.  I put on my fancy clothes and headed out to the warm up arena.  Gayle met me there.  I did not bring my whip.  Winston had been so forward the previous two days that I didn't think I would need it.  Mistake.  Winston was tired and sore and not interested in working.  He would not canter.  Period.  I pulled my legs wide off of his sides and slammed them against him as hard as I could.  Nothing.  Gayle sent Brett and one of the others to get my whip.  As soon as he knew I was carrying it, he was good.  I didn't have to use it; just a tickle behind my leg to let him know I had it and he was all "yes ma'am." 

We went into the show ring and he didn't bat an eye.  He was tired and I was so happy that he was going well, that I didn't push him.  I know, he should have been in front of my leg more.  We rode our test in front of Axel Steiner, who has judged at the Olympics and is not an easy judge.  We were at a triple rated show.  And we did it.  Our trot work was solid and our canter was the best he has done, including work at home, other than the amazing ride I had Saturday.  He went down center line like a champ.  He knew we were competing and he was happy to show off.  We have more work to do; oh, yes.  But, I have never had so much fun riding a test at a show.  We had trouble with the second canter depart, I pushed him forward, he went, and then we overshot the second half of our 20m circle.  I thought we were going to slide or jump out of the arena.  I laughed.  Out loud.  During a test at a triple rated show.  Me, the queen of horse show choking, was relaxed enough to laugh at our mistake. 

Here's the test.  I left in the vocal because my new barn friends were videotaping the ride (so Brett could watch) and giving a running commentary. 

Oh, and we got a blue ribbon.  Of course, everyone else in my class had scratched so I was guaranteed the ribbon as long as we didn't get eliminated but we don't need to tell everyone that, right?  61.4%, a blue ribbon, a happy trainer, a happy horse and a very happy me.  Brett was so proud of me he had tears in his eyes. 

 

 

Winston Rocks and Flash Hurts

This morning we hosed the horses off before heading to the show.  Flash didn't get a bath yesterday and Winston rolled in a pee pile so he was covered in disgusting crusty mud.  So much for the bubble bath yesterday.

It was very hot at the show and I debated whether to ride in my jacket for my first test (Introductory Level Test B walk-trot).  I ended up wearing it but I ditched it for my second ride at 10:45.  Winston was very good in the warm up so we headed over to the court a few minutes early.  We stood in the shade where he could watch the ride before us.

There was a large paddock with a mare in it next to the dressage court.  Right as the judge blew the whistle for us to start, the mare decided to buck, squeal and race around.  Winston thought that looked like fun and when I told him to get a grip, he reared up.  Not the best way to start your first test in your first show, Winston.  We made a wild trip down centerline, did our halt and salute, and trotted off.  Winston settled down and we scored 6s on his walk and 7s on his trot (and a 5 for the start).  The collective marks were all 7s - except for submission which was a 6.  The judge commented that we had lovely moments. 

My second test (Training Level Test 1) was an hour later and it was miserably hot.  I did a very short warm up, Winston was trotting well and was relaxed.  Even without a jacket, I was wilting big time. 

Winston rocked.  He wasn't perfect and we didn't win a blue ribbon but he did everything I hoped for.  We got 7s and an 8 on our trot work.  Our centerline trot & halt got 7s.  Canter was not our strong point but I knew that.  We are still working on prompt transitions and balance at home.  Bend is not at all consistent -- heck, most of the time its not there at all.  So, I was happy with the 6s we received.  In the first canter transition, he kicked out (but he went) and flipped his head so we got a 4.  He braced in the upward transition to trot in front of the judge so we got a 5 there.  And in the medium walk he started to sag so I squeezed him forward -- and he trotted.  That was a 5 too.  But he was prompt in responding to my leg.  We'll get the finesse part down as we continue to work together. 

Most importantly, Winston and I were a team.  We were there for each other.  It felt harmonious in a way that is hard to describe.  I wasn't nervous and neither was he.  We did our best, together.  After the final salute, I rubbed Winston's neck and then threw my arms around his neck.  I told him he was a rock star.  My eyes glistened and leaked.  I blinked quickly, sat up, thanked the judge and rode out of the arena on cloud nine.

I picked up my test later and read the judges comments.  All fair and accurate but the last remark had me wondering...

The scribe enlightened me on the "lots of personality" remark.  Apparently as we came through the corner towards the judge, approaching C, Winston had a look of intense concentration.  Then he flicked his eye towards the judge and wiggled his lower lip as we went past the judge's both.  She said they couldn't get over that.

Mr Personality.  Mr. Awesome.

Brett had to scratch his ride.  Flash was off in the warm up.  Brett was really disappointed and is very worried about Flash being able to work again.  I told him that the vet had said he could "try" riding in the show but she was dubious.  Its only been three days since he had his hocks injected.  I think he just needs more time.

Oh, and my breeches self-destructed.  Seriously.  When I finished my last ride and was walking Winston back to the trailer I had this funny sensation on the leather portion (full seat breeches).  I reached back and... there was nothing there.  I kid you not.  Just my white undies and white thighs for all the spectators to see.  OMG, how embarrassing!  You think I'm kidding?  This is what they looked like:

I've had the breeches for a few years but only wore them a few times.  I haven't been to a show in a couple of years; since Jackson and I were showing in 2010.  Have you ever had your breeches do this?  I wear this brand of breeches all the time (Trainers Choice) and I've NEVER had this happen, not with the ones I school in and wash all the time. 

I think this qualifies as my most embarrassing show moment.