Kip seems to get better every ride, with no help from me. This guy is so smart, it is scary.

Our lessons have been gymnastics for the last month or so -- with winter setting in, keeping rides interesting is hard. Our lesson last night was extra fun. We have been working on transitions in between jumps. So we started with 18" cavaletti 3 canter strides apart. The exercise is come in (straight) at a trot, land, transition to a walk, and then hop out. Then Canter in, trot transition, hop out; third, canter the whole thing. The key to this exercise is for me to SIT UP for heaven's sake. It's eighteen inches after all, no need for a crest release.

Add to that a bounce. So, enter canter, cavaletti, three strides, cavaletti, land on left lead, sharp left, 2' bounce. (that is an in-and-out with no stride in between) . That was cake, Kip is super catty and snapped his feet up nice and tight through the bounce. Add to that - land on right lead, right turn, down the long side (Keep that canter forward and bouncy) sharp right to cross-bar on the diagonal, land in left lead, down the long side, left turn over another cross bar.

That is a lot of thinking. One of the challenges of a smart horse is they have opinions about what they want to jump and in what order. Kip "locks on" to any jump we have even the barest line to, and I have a hard time convincing him that that is not, in fact, our jump. So I need to get a lot more precise in seeing the line. Something I have not been really great at in the past. Part of this is sitting up, and going deep into the corners. Since most of my past experience is with Jumpers, I am used to cutting those corners, and jumping out of a bending line, taking the fence where ever will get me closer to my next fence. Two problems with that are, Kip is green and still figuring out where his feet go, so he needs to come in nice and straight; and I am not riding Jumpers, and that is not how you ride Stadium. Old habits, and all that.

This week's lesson: SIT UP. Put on your leg, and support that canter.

Our first dressage show

This weekend was rather eventful.

Kip and I went to our first horseshow. It was at Donida and was a Dressage Schooling show.

Heidi and I are both Anxious Annies, so we left the barn at 9 am for the 30 minute drive to Donida. My first ride was not until 12:22. We really wanted to get there with pleanty of time, I guess. We found our stalls, and unloaded the horses and our stuff.

We got our numbers, I was 94, and Heidi 66. We got the lay of the land, brushed our horses, hung out a bit and before you knew it, it was time for me to tack up for warmup. This took longer than I wanted it to, but I was the first ride after lunch, so I could warmup in the ring we were taking our test in. Kip was great, very interested and looking around, but never feeing that "OMG I am going to EXPLODE" thing that Imax did. All of the time. Kip was distracted but I could not have asked for better behavior. He was a doll.

Anyway, the bell rang and my first ride was on. Kip was above the bit the whole time, and on the forehand, but he did great. Some comments from movements in our first test:

The good:

Nicely forward

fairly straight

square halt

The not as good:

looses contact, out of balance

fall into trot

could use more prep into transisitons

looses rythm

Then in further remarks:

Left lead canter looses rythm.

Elegant pair, Work to develop constant rounder connection to the bridle and better preparation into and out of canter, especially transition to trot.

That is exactly the comments I would make as the rider. I think the judge nailed our ride exactly.

Second ride was 20 minutes later. It was much better, except I did not prepare him sufficiently for the left canter, knew I was not preparing correctly, psyched myself out, and sure enough, cross-fired and did not get the canter in the corner.

The video

Some remarks

The good:

Active haunches and swing

balanced trot, fairly active and connected

smooth active medium walk

The bad:

hollow unbalanced on left canter

Needs better prep

almost no stretch shown in free walk (that one hurts - Kip has a great free walk at home!)

Final comments:

Lots of potential, can do more to engage from hind legs so that back comes up more and horse reaches more to bridle.

Again, totally fair. The judge was right on in all her comments to me.

So, Victory! The first show down, and Kip proved himself to be steady, sane and perfect. We cam in 6th and 7th in our class of eleven. Not too shabby.

This week has been so long, how is it there is still one day to go?

I was so excited to go to dinner and then on the artwalk with Scott last night that yesterday totally felt like Friday.

But alas, it was not and I still have an entire day to get through before the show tomorrow. I am very excited and not nervous at all, at least yet. I figure there is nothing to get nervous about as there is nothing at stake. Exactly what a schooling show is supposed to be.

I have done exactly zero to prepare for this. I still have to clean my saddle, bridle and boots, launder the breeches and jacket I am going to wear, pack my show kit, go shopping for food (no concession stand at this show -- which is fine because all they sell is crap anyway). Not to mention Kip will be a dirtball with his shaggy coat and love of rolling on to his back and grinding the dirt in from his poll to his dock. Oh, andt he also has rain scald. I have laundered my saddle pad, so that is something.

Oh well, what ever I get done will be done. I am just really looking forward to the ride. Fun!!

First Show - preparation.

Another excellent lesson last night. We primarily worked on transitions with poles and fences. Trot pole, halt. Trot 2-3 steps, jump. We are learning ride to the base, pat the ground, rock back, snappy little jump. Kip of course is getting is quickly. We also rode our dressage test.

Kip and I are going to our first show on Saturday, the Dressage Schooling show at Donida. We are going to be doing Training Level 1 - twice. So my ride times are 12:22 and 12:46. My number is 94. Numerologically speaking, that is "4" which is a practical and organized number. I am good with that. (For an atheist, I am so superstitious. Embarrassing.)

Our goal at this show is just to have fun. Kip is going to be very distracted, and i am sure the judge's stand is going to be very scary. But I am just going to ride, what ever horse I have and have a good time.

Since our ride times are late, I am hoping we can get there with plenty of time to settle in, and have a good look around before warming up and riding. Heidi, who is going with me rides at 1:52 and 2:56, so we won't be leaving until after her scores are posted and tests released, so I am thinking around 4:00 probably.

Training Level 1 test:

Enter at A brisk trot
halt at X, salute
Track Right at C
At E circle
between K and A, Right Canter
Circle at B
Between X and B, Trot
at C, Medium walk
HXF free walk
at F medium walk
Trot at A
at E Circle
between H and C Canter left lead
at B circle
Between X and B, trot
At A turn down the centerline
at X halt, salute.