DSRC Autumn/Winter Dressage Series; Day 1 of 3.

My weekend freed up significantly since we weren't able to make the cross country practise yesterday (Saturday NZ time).

Instead, I only had to look forward to the dressage today.

I bought a new Gateshead rug combo with tail bag recently for Oscar, it is gorgeous and has little peeps of green with yoshi like dinosaurs printed on it in random places like the neck rug straps and shoulder gussets and all over the tail bag. I brought a second set for the stable in blue, but with little Snoopys instead of dinosaurs. They are SO cute - I need to get my horse to model their cuteness!

The material the rugs are made from apparently keep your horse super shiny, and well..

.. the proof is in the pudding. From what you can see of 'the pudding' anyway!
I will never worry about turnout again now I have these beauties, I feel like they must just groom away at your horse's coat all night long!

Anyway, back on track.

I entered level 1, which I felt a little guilty about as we've previously had a lot of success at level 1. This is going back a few years though. I needn't have worried as when we arrived there were some absolutely stunning horses in my class, and I didn't look like a ribbon snatcher at all.

In fact, we ended up coming third in the first test and didn't even place in the second.

Oscar warmed up beautifully, someone told L they thought that I would win which proved to be a little presumptuous haha.

We were working in an arena that was farthest from the warmup area - and Oscar got a little tense in his new surroundings. Usually I hate a judge that leaves you trotting around for ages before beeping you in, but today it may have helped. Nevertheless, we had a few settled moments scraping a couple of 8's for our walk, and 20m canter circle on the right rein.  We got our first ever 4 for a late transition to walk, but the majority of marks were an even split between 6's and 7's for a 63.08%.

We placed third in that test.

The second test of the day felt like it started better, but the judge didn't think so. We got a THREE in this test for a working trot over the centre line showing a give in the reins for 2-3 strides. The comment was 'good - but no give and retake shown'. I definitely gave my reins, but I'm wondering if the judge wanted to see the horse take the contact down and therefore lengthen my reins as a result. I kind of brought my hands forward to reveal if my horse was in self carriage or not (he wasn't - too tense), but was marked as no give shown. Hmm.

We got an 8 for our left 20m canter circle this time, but finished with a lower score of 60.38% on this test. The second half of my test, every comment says 'tense, tense, tense' so this is hardly surprising.

I got 'well ridden' in the rider comment and Oscar's comment was 'some lovely movements and shows potential.....' - you betcha he has potential! Today was his first day back in a rope arena after a four year hiatus, and the more we do, the less tense he will become. Next time will be better!

I have a dressage lesson on Friday, C is going to go over my tests with me, and then the Tielcey Park Stables winter dressage series starts on Sunday. The goal is to beat 63.08%!

PS: My horse is looking gooood lately!