Cob Jockey

Sending Connor off to get the changes installed means I'm going to pass on USDF Regionals, which I'm qualified for. If by some miracle I did qualify for Finals at Regionals, I'd want to go, and then he'd only have a maximum of 6 weeks at GP trainer's for changes training before she left for Florida, so I'd rather just remove that temptation entirely by skipping Regionals.

Honestly at this point, I want to put Second in the rearview mirror more than anything else because I'm tired of it after being stuck there for so long, because Connor's not getting any younger, and because I think we're at the point where we're not going to progress unless we start working on Third+.

So that said, this is what the rest of the season looks like.

July: National Dressage Pony Cup (2-2 and 2-3)

Four years ago at Pony Cup, showing 1-2

Why: It's Pony Cup, duh! Also, this will give me two more chances to get All Breeds scores (We need three more scores of 60%+ to be eligible)

 

August: Lamplight (2-1 and 2-3)

Yeah, I'm excited to show here

Why: Honestly, mostly for fun. I've never shown at Lamplight before, GP trainer's whole crew from Waterloo is going again, one of my college roommates is showing at that show, and I have a ton of family in that area, including an aunt with a spare bedroom that lives 8 minutes from Lamplight! So why not? Plus, this should hopefully round out my All Breeds scores, barring any major disasters.

September: IDS Ride Offs (2-3)

Why: Support ya local GMO! We qualified for our local GMO's championships at Second, and it's the last weekend of September and 20 minutes from home. If by this point we're working on things that break other things at Second Level, I would not be upset if we scored poorly here - although this is "championships", it's still an unrated schooling show.

October: WPCSA Central Regional

Last year's Welsh show, the one and only time I wore that teal jacket before I sold it to JenJ

 

Why: Our local Welsh club is hosting a BIG central regional again this year at the facility 20 minutes from my house, and we tentatively have folks signed up to come from all over North America. It's going to be a blast! Right now, my plan is to give him a complete two week vacation after ride-offs, then do the Welsh show mid-October, then take him to GP trainer's the day after.

Should be a good rest of the season!

After hauling in to the HHP for a very successful in-person lesson with my GP trainer Thursday night, I hauled home to let Connor have a full day of turnout on Friday before hauling him back for the show for real on Friday night.

I was up bright and early to braid at 5:45am on Saturday for an 8:15am Second Level Test 1. 

Blanket rub braid being held on by QuickBraid and prayers, as usual

For the first time ever, I had a coach warming me up at a Dressage show with a headset and also for the first time since I switched away from eventing, I had a coach warming me up at all.

Entourage

I had been on the fence about whether I should generally prioritize showing close to home (where I can put an entire rated and schooling season together 22 minutes from my house) or whether I should prioritize showing with my GP trainer even though it will be hundreds of dollars more expensive per show, and this warmup totally put that discussion to rest. 

She came out and said "What do you want to work on?" and we worked through just the parts of the test I thought would be tricky. Quietly, calmly, over the headset. No need to stake out a spot close to the rail so I could hear her, and she was able to comment on every little thing rather than just yell something out when I got closer. Headseat warmups are a game changer.

She pointed out that the moment I got into the warmup ring, I got tense in a way she hadn't seen before, even though I didn't feel tense. She told me sometimes she feels like her pony riders act like they need to get out of everyone's way in the warmup ring, like some kind of Napoleon syndrome, but she said I deserved to be there too and it was okay to take up space. The warmup itself was shorter than I would have normally done, and Mary said later every instruction she gave me had the effect of lifting his breastplate.

 

The colors on all the GIFs on this post turned out muddy colored, but rest assured we looked AMAZING this weekend.

I had told her in the warmup I wasn't underestimating the test, but 2-1 truly feels easy. I know we can do it well, without a doubt. There are no simple changes, it flows well, the canter work isn't a slog, and we've done it a billion times.

That turned out to be prophetic, as we got a 66.486% on it, in large part because we got a 7.0 or 7.5 on every single double coefficient movement except one, and the one we didn't was still a 6.5.

SO I'm having GIF problems and the framerate on my phone and every GIF editor I've tried don't match up. So if the GIFs from this show look like they're in slow motion, it's because I had to choose between warp speed GIFs and slightly slowed down GIFs. This halt scored an 8.0.

He was just right there for me the whole test. (Score sheet is at the bottom of this post - bless e-scribing, I had my results emailed to me by the time I walked back to the stalls).

Free walk, 6.5 "good stretch more ground cover"

Oh sure, the medium trot still only scored a 6.0. "Attempted but short" was the judge's comment, story of my life. But almost everywhere we could have picked up points, we did.

"Attempted but short", lol. Yes, we are both short, thanks for noticing!

Both counter canters received 7.0's (double coefficient) and had no comment.

The second one in particular felt really good.

I was absolutely thrilled with this as a return to rated showing. We ended up first in a combined division (of 3) and this actually rounded out our Bronze medal scores at second.

Next up was 2-3 a little under two hours after that, making it our first time doing two tests in one day since 2017.

Waiting...

Score sheet:

She was really hung up on my elbows, and my very biomechanics-oriented Mary Wanless GP trainer said she thought that was a bit unfair based on how short my arms are in relation to my torso (scroll back up to the "colors" picture above to see what I'm talking about). For the second test, under the same judge, she told me to over-exaggerate it more or less just to make her happy.

Collectives:

I have a legit horse show hangover (laundry? bills? sleep?), so this is going to be short, with more to come.

We had an AMAZING weekend at our first rated show since 2018.

Pony Dressage: you too can end up with six ribbons after only doing three classes!

I am so happy to have a coach.

Dropping knowledge bombs in celestial cat pants, like a boss. Seriously, zoom in, they are unspeakably amazing, lol.

 

I am so happy to have a team.

I am so happy to have the world's best supergroom and BFF.

And most of all, I am so happy with this pony, who tried his little heart out for me all weekend.

More to come!

Just entered my first rated show in two years.

*gulp*

If we can do our tests in a rhombus-shaped half-assed 20x60 with no fence and grass up to Connor's knees and undulating terrain, doing it on manicured sand should be easy, right?

It's a 3 day show at the HHP 20 minutes from my house, and GP trainer is coming, which will make it the first time EVER I've had a coach to warm me up at a rated show, and the first time ever she'll be the one coaching me.

There are a lot of unknowns with this show, which is in mid-May. 

Will I have my amateur status back by then? 

I'm currently in the process of getting that done and damn that is an involved process. I had to write a letter explaining my whole situation and how it's changed, get that notarized, and ship that off with a $50 check. Additionally, I had to get two active senior USEF members to write letters stating the same on my behalf, and they both had to get that notarized, and THEN when the USEF receives all of that, there's a hearing to determine if I can be an amateur again. Good times.

Rainbow after the storm on Saturday

Will Connor be able to do two tests in one day? 

I haven't done two tests in one day since 2017, and the 4th test of that weekend is the only time we scored below 60 at a rated show. But GP trainer pointed out a lot has changed for both of us since then. So on this coming Saturday at the annual kick-off-the-season schooling show, I'm entered for two tests (2-1 and 2-3). If that goes well, I'll ride two tests a day at the rated show in May, but if it doesn't, I'll cherry pick what I want to ride based on times and how he feels.

Updated conformation photos because I'm about to have a second go-around with Eq Saddle Science because I JUST CAN'T QUIT THEM OKAY. More on this later.

 

Are we ready for 2-3?

I entered 2-3 over 2-2 for a number of reasons. It's a qualifying test and if I'm becoming an amateur again, well, let's try to qualify for stuff. 2-2 is a less friendly test mentally to both of us - it's less symmetrical to memorize, and it offers a lot of places for Connor to check out mentally in the canter work. Plus, the canter work in 2-3 is actually easier than 2-2 for him - his counter canter work is suddenly amazing, and simple changes on the short diagonal are better for us than trying to manage both the serpentine shape and the mid-serpentine changes in 2-2. That said, we're not going to score 70% on it, and I don't know how GP trainer will feel about that. It's a whole new ball game actually having a coach for rated shows (reminder that my previous trainer was an eventing trainer, and with few exceptions, typically didn't attend straight Dressage shows to warm me up).

This canter, for like five whole minutes, twice a day. Doable, right?

 

Are they going to allow spectators by then?

USEF hasn't updated it's COVID show rules since what, last May? We know a LOT more about the virus by now, including that outdoor transmission is extremely unlikely as the viral particulates dissipate into the air. I sure hope they update the rules by then to allow spectators, since this is a "home show" for me, but who knows.

It looks like he's wearing a Cardinals hat backwards in this photo and that makes me laugh. We're slowly filling in that right side!

 

A few things I do know:

- It's a 3 day show, but I'm only entering for Saturday/Sunday because it's Nick's birthday on Friday.

- I'm going to be riding in my brown jump saddle and black bridle. All those fears I used to have in 2017 about not looking legit enough for a rated Dressage show...lol.

- I'm excited to be a part of a show team again, with banners, and teammates that will be staying the night at my house (we'll be fully vaccinated with full antibodies by then!), and we're hosting dinner for them one night that weekend.

- EquestrianEntries.com felt like a foreign land to me after 2 years away from it. Someone please go be their UX designer and copy editor, there are a lot of easy wins to make that more user friendly.

Here goes nothing!

In addition to trying out all the gear I reviewed this week, I did actually show my horse at the horse show, and it was the absolute best we've ever done 2-1.  And even though the whole point of Dressage is that it'll never be perfect, I am so proud of it.

THIS has changed a lot!

It was the first time we didn't get against each other halfway through the test.  It was the first time we've both stayed relaxed and present.  I actually had the presence of mind to think "Damn, this is the best 2-1 we've ever done" as I finished the first counter canter here:






We may have stayed relaxed, but I also rode hard.  The first thing my trainer said afterward was, "I just watched that entire test with a huge smile on my face.  That was a HUGE improvement!  You rode that with conviction !" And one of her other students said, "You made that look so easy."  That comment meant a lot, because 2-1 did feel easy, for the first time ever.

When I had to basically pick him up and carry him through the counter canter in the tough direction

What was different?  A couple of things.  My trainer warmed us up, which rarely happens, and she did an outstanding job of it.  She has a knack for knowing exactly what the horse needs in the moment, and it was an exceptionally effective warmup.

Relaxed!

I also had CGP's lesson ringing in the back of my mind, and kept my elbows soft and the contact following through most of the test.  I got a little stiff in the canter work, but did a great job with it elsewhere.  I also had a better idea of how to sit in my jump saddle for maximum Dressage position effectiveness.

Perfect?  No.  But believe me when I say this is the best medium walk out of the halt/reinback we've ever gotten.

And, it just felt like progress.  We're better than we were in April.  We've learned things.  And because we're showing, we have this objective measurement in addition to the glowing feeling I came out of the ring with after that test.  68.919%!  A high score by nearly 5%.  It's a fantastic feeling to head into the offseason with.  And it's exactly the reason I show even though I'm not motivated by awards or regionals or anything like that.  Measurable progress!

Check out how straight his tail is after his bodywork - he's carried it to the left the whole time I've known him

Three years ago I left this show feeling dejected, because nothing had changed over the season and I knew I wasn't riding well but I didn't know exactly what was wrong or how to fix it.  Ending on this note this year after all the progress we've made was just so gratifying.  I'm sure some people will look at it as "She's only gone from 1-3 to 2-1 in three years,"and that's totally fair, but there's a whole lot more to the story than that.


Looking forward to really putting in the work over the winter and seeing where we are in the spring!

1. Judges can surprise you.

I need to photoshop a circus ball under his three feet on the ground here 😂

I don't think I actually would have scratched, but I thought about it.  And I'm choosing to ignore the fact that the judge may have listened to the complaints registered by other riders to the TD after Saturday's ride, because that's not helping anything if she did listen, and if she didn't, I totally kicked ass.  But it's a good reminder that even a judge you think you know can surprise you when you get the score sheet.


2. Lean into your imposter syndrome


I am riding passably at rated Second.  The me of two years ago is in awe of that.  The me of today still feels no more competent than I did the day I first took a lesson with my trainer.  I have to keep in perspective that this is a sport where we ASK to be criticized, and we're never going to stop getting criticisms, being worried about moving up, all of that.  So I choose to lean into the imposter syndrome and not let it get me down, because every single level is going to feel this way.  Riding Second IS cool, take that, brain.


3. Talk to people at horse shows!


I made a new friend this weekend in the most kindergarten way possible.  I was unloading Connor and she said "Hey, I like your pony" and I said "I like your pony too!" and we ended up talking off and on the rest of the weekend and by text after she left.  We're both adults riding ponies who work in similar industries and she works for one of my customers, so we had a lot to talk about.  We're going to try to show together again in the future despite the fact that she lives four hours away.


4. Two tests in one day is still not possible right now BUT probably would be with some canter conditioning

Literally dying

Once we hit 1-3, our days of doing two tests in a day were done.  So I could probably fix this one.  As it is, we both come out of the ring just exhausted, and that exhausted feeling starts when we hit the canter work in the test.  Winter priority maybe?

5. Showing on consecutive days is worth the price of rated shows.

Not set back against him in my body here, HOORAY GO TEAM

I haven't shown rated in two years, and I didn't realize how much I missed showing on back to back days.  Being able to take the judge's feedback and the visual feedback from the photos and implement it the very next day was so much more helpful than showing once and leaving.  For example, I noticed in the photos (thank you Karen!) from Day 1 that I was set back against him in my position, and I was able to fix that in Day 2 and it made a huge difference.

I actually took this picture to illustrate the fact that my favorite airline has pulled some oooooooooooooooold planes out of storage due to the 737-MAX grounding.  Airworthy but ugly!

Pets that also miss me

With boots that didn't zip and a Dressage saddle pad because I forgot I don't have a Dressage saddle right now and a too-big shirt and black reins with a brown bridle and and and

I like how the hair I left on his heel bulbs looks like a giant moustache

I waffled on whether to enter for Heartland or not, but in the end I decided to because:

1. It's a schooling show
2. I haven't ridden the 2019 tests yet
3. It's a great knock-off-the-rust-and-oh-yeah-get-your-Coggins-done show

And knock the rust off your braiding skills while you're at it

Gross.  "I can't ride my horse because I'm clamped onto his back like a vise grip" isn't the best way to start your Dressage test, in case you were wondering.

It's a schooling show run by pony club parents, and I'm therefore not upset about it, but whew it threw me for a loop.

Gift horses and all that.

#notalengthening but look at me remembering to half halt at F!

We were fractions of a percentage point out of second place, but I could not have cared less.  Give me the scores!