Moving on Up

The past couple of weeks have been a little hectic so the horses have taken a little bit of a back seat. However, I still managed to do a Medium test on Hannah last week at JWD Equestrian with little preparation. Han has been incredibly loose since her stifle medication, really swinging through from behind and showing a greater ability to sit. The test was M73 which I did not really know, but she tried really hard for me and we came away on 61.9% which I was thrilled with.

As a result, I have decided that it is now time to compete her at this level. On Sunday I had a test riding session with Helen Bradley which showed me how unprepared and amateurish I look when going into the tests. I never ride the tests through at home, so when it come to competing I find I lose marks through a lack of preparation. As I have  booked her in to do M75 at Myerscough on Saturday afternoon, Helen had me riding through several of the movements and this conveyed how much work I need to do prior to the test.

The other horses are all doing well. Troy did his first dressage test last week at JWD’s unaffiliated event gaining 69.2% in the Preliminary class. Bols has now been fitted with a beautiful Ideal Suzannah and is going from strength to strength in her work. I have started to work her in the HO Kavalkade training aid on the lunge because she needs to stretch more through her back without leaning on the contact. She came out a little worried when I first put it on yesterday, but by the end she was producing some lovely walk and trot work.

Dizz has finally started to see that my way is the best way! She has been so argumentative recently, but in the last two weeks she has started working much harder for me and showing less on an opinion. I am sure this is just a short reprieve from DisGrace, but hopefully it will stay around long enough for us to complete N39 on Wednesday!