Was a miner...
Now if you look at my previous post, my forecast was "hilarious fiasco" so lets see what we achieved, shall we?
Iris was not entirely impressed with the idea of going out for a dressage instead of having her tea, but she tolerated it with her usual gentle demeanour as we hustled her into the box and chugged our way to Guildford. We pulled up next to another box almost exactly the same as ours but in a different colour. I had hoped to talk to them and ask if they had ever run into any problems with the wheel falling off but they were gone by the time I had picked up my number.
Iris was quite snorty and understandably keen to look at everything while we got ready. Sari was essential for this, as she knew how to pin a stock tie together and also helped me put my number on then pointed out that I had put the noseband on the bridle totally wrong and it looked ridiculous. Unfortunately we had five minutes before my start time by this point and I figured we needed to get warmed up so off we went.
As soon as I was on my horse was fantastic - her anxiety manifested as being a bit lively and light under me, but that meant that we also had lovely upward transitions and she was really steady considering the new and alien situation. It was only a matter of minutes before the steward called my number and we made our way into the indoor. We had a couple of minutes to look around ( I spent most of this time getting Iris brave about the big letter markers ) and then we were buzzed for the test to start.
We entered at A, the test starting with a long trot up the school turning left at the end and back right around the outside of the arena past where we had entered. This part went pretty well up to where this picture was taken. You can see that Iris was looking forward and I thought that we were going to get our usual attempt to stop ( this is how we finish sessions usually, so she likes to stop at G ) but no, the slight balkiness I could feel was that she had never in her life seen a big judge's box and she was now encountering one for the first time. She was most definitely not going to go near it now she did see one. We stopped and boggled and then I kind of pushed her forward and around, but the scene was set...
This was actually the closest we got to the box at any point. My attempt to have correct, low, dressagey hands has already gone out the window and I am working on having any steering at all.
We should be cantering around the top of the arena, but as you can see, we're not tremendously close. We were, however, as close as Iris was prepared to get to that box of terrifying... boxness. She could probably feel the judgement pouring out of it.
Also you can see how the stupid misplaced noseband has pulled the bridle around. Stupid unnecessary riding equipment you have to stick on because of stupid competition rules. My fault.
At this point Iris thought the best way to get us back on track might be to try a properly avant garde move, so we briefly fell out of the arena. We found our way back in, though, and apparently didn't get disqualified - I think we might, technically, have deserved it.
Shortly afterwards on the canter transition right beside the box ( or as "beside" as we could get ) I lost my left stirrup and spent most of the rest of that circuit trying to get it back, which rather took my eye off the ball as regarded what was going on with our general performance.
Halt and immobility- possibly the only part of the test that we really had spot on, but hey, that is one thing at least.
So that was our first dressage test. The results are actually available online but suffice to say that we would be well in the lead if this was a three day event. As it isn't, we are the only pair to come in below 50%, which puts us in last place.
The strange thing is that I actually really enjoyed it and I would like to try again and do better. Iris was a total star throughout and with a bit of work on accepting judging boxes, we could probably get things figured out and working much more nicely. Also, given that we scored 49%, better should be quite achievable.
Iris was not entirely impressed with the idea of going out for a dressage instead of having her tea, but she tolerated it with her usual gentle demeanour as we hustled her into the box and chugged our way to Guildford. We pulled up next to another box almost exactly the same as ours but in a different colour. I had hoped to talk to them and ask if they had ever run into any problems with the wheel falling off but they were gone by the time I had picked up my number.
Iris was quite snorty and understandably keen to look at everything while we got ready. Sari was essential for this, as she knew how to pin a stock tie together and also helped me put my number on then pointed out that I had put the noseband on the bridle totally wrong and it looked ridiculous. Unfortunately we had five minutes before my start time by this point and I figured we needed to get warmed up so off we went.
As soon as I was on my horse was fantastic - her anxiety manifested as being a bit lively and light under me, but that meant that we also had lovely upward transitions and she was really steady considering the new and alien situation. It was only a matter of minutes before the steward called my number and we made our way into the indoor. We had a couple of minutes to look around ( I spent most of this time getting Iris brave about the big letter markers ) and then we were buzzed for the test to start.
We entered at A, the test starting with a long trot up the school turning left at the end and back right around the outside of the arena past where we had entered. This part went pretty well up to where this picture was taken. You can see that Iris was looking forward and I thought that we were going to get our usual attempt to stop ( this is how we finish sessions usually, so she likes to stop at G ) but no, the slight balkiness I could feel was that she had never in her life seen a big judge's box and she was now encountering one for the first time. She was most definitely not going to go near it now she did see one. We stopped and boggled and then I kind of pushed her forward and around, but the scene was set...
This was actually the closest we got to the box at any point. My attempt to have correct, low, dressagey hands has already gone out the window and I am working on having any steering at all.
We should be cantering around the top of the arena, but as you can see, we're not tremendously close. We were, however, as close as Iris was prepared to get to that box of terrifying... boxness. She could probably feel the judgement pouring out of it.
Also you can see how the stupid misplaced noseband has pulled the bridle around. Stupid unnecessary riding equipment you have to stick on because of stupid competition rules. My fault.
At this point Iris thought the best way to get us back on track might be to try a properly avant garde move, so we briefly fell out of the arena. We found our way back in, though, and apparently didn't get disqualified - I think we might, technically, have deserved it.
Shortly afterwards on the canter transition right beside the box ( or as "beside" as we could get ) I lost my left stirrup and spent most of the rest of that circuit trying to get it back, which rather took my eye off the ball as regarded what was going on with our general performance.
Halt and immobility- possibly the only part of the test that we really had spot on, but hey, that is one thing at least.
So that was our first dressage test. The results are actually available online but suffice to say that we would be well in the lead if this was a three day event. As it isn't, we are the only pair to come in below 50%, which puts us in last place.
The strange thing is that I actually really enjoyed it and I would like to try again and do better. Iris was a total star throughout and with a bit of work on accepting judging boxes, we could probably get things figured out and working much more nicely. Also, given that we scored 49%, better should be quite achievable.