Finally, we're to the show!
1-2 was first, and it was fantastic. I was able to put into practice a lot of the things Nancy K had me change in the lesson on Friday, and it helped so much. We scored a team-high 73.125% on that test.
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| 8.0 - balanced halt, prompt step off All show photos by Lisa Brezina. Thank you!!! |
Most of our scores were 7.5's and 8.0's, with two 4.5's and a scattering of 6's and 7's. One 4.5 was for the right leg yield which we totally deserved. It should tell you how one sided we are that the left leg yield about 15 seconds later got an 8.0. The other 4.5 was for a really disorganized first 10 seconds of trot after the halt. We deserved that too. Overall, I can't complain, we got 7 8.0's.
The comments we got were unlike anything we've ever gotten in the past - 'energetic jump' (15m canter circle), 'uphill jump' (other 15m canter circle), 'expressive' (lengthen canter - and that's a good, obedient expressive, not a "your horse bucked and I'm being nice" expressive), 'balanced & good ground cover' (working canter), 'good prep' (downward transition to trot), We got 8's on the things we've gotten our worst scores on in the past - leg yield and lengthenings.
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| 7.5 - stretching with active march, more ground cover |
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| 8.0 - balanced, kept engagement |
Lengthen canter is below. Couple of things: I'm not throwing my upper body at him anymore thanks to my Nancy lesson, and while he is tense and on his forehand with his hind end out behind him, this is immensely more balanced than the lengthen canter has been in the past.
Our collectives made me smile because we have NEVER gotten most of these before. For the horse, she circled "freedom", "harmony", "desire to move forward", "engagement of the hindquarters" (!!!!!!!!!), and "clarity" and "subtlety" for my aids. She wrote "lovely canter!", "balanced/confident" for rider (8.5), and "Pretty ride! Keep working for even more uphill balance."
(Also may I point out that this is the same judge that judged our very first Dressage test together four years ago this month, and she also judged the epic meltdown at Majestic. Sweet justice,)
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| July 2012, same place, same judge. "Distracted, skywatching" |
Now, for those of you who are video inclined, my husband took the following video which includes commentary from non-Dressage people, including my husband (who refers to Connor as "Condoleeza Horse") and our roommate Mark (who went to school with Liz...small f***** world!). You will also hear this one horse whinny twice - conveniently both times right as I was beginning a lengthen canter. Thanks for the assist, dude!
20 comments:
Great Job! I love that I am not the only one who likes redemption in front of a judge we have seen before. You should send this show in for the Open Welsh Points.
Amazing!!! Congratulations on such an awesome performance!
Congratulations, that's fabulous
Great ride, you both look fantastic!
YEAH! Ya'll are killin' it in that video.
Y'all are a testament to how hard work and a great program can produce amazing results. Although let's be honest, gotta have a good horse(pony) and rider to put into that program to begin with!
I love that in all of these pictures he has his listening ears on, compared to the picture from 2012 where he's clearly looking at something else outside the ring.
Oh heck yeah! Way to go!
Way to go!! That is a great test and a super score!
Those are marks to be proud of!! Congrats. :-)
What amazing scores. Congrats.
Love seeing all your hard work pay off! You guys look amazing!
Congrats, that's a fabulous score! All your hard work is showing :)
Awesome!! You guys look really good. Great score. Congrats
Well deserved scores!!!!!
CONGRATS!
Super job Jen!!! Yeah for the 8's!!! Loved getting to watch you two during this test.
So cool!! Huge congratulations on such an amazing and successful test!
Awesome!!! Huge congrats, and how exciting that you've come so far and have made such a big break through recently that you can take even farther!!
Great job! Congrats!
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