I am so happy, "Ms. Lat" was wonderful this weekend. We received 64% on both tests and ended up with 2 seconds. We need to work on our ride up the center line and a more active free walk but she was terrific. It was so hot and humid, both of us were very hot, but she was a trooper. The footing in this arena is deep in some places and shallow in others so it is difficult to be consistent. I have only shown there once before and it did not seem to be as noticeable last time as it was this time. The people there are very nice and accommodating.
I don't have any shows for a while so we will be working on out canter this week. The other goal will be thinking about how I can relax more so that Ms. Lat will relax with me. Any suggestions will be much appreciated.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
The Best Mother's Day
A week before Mother's Day I received a call from my oldest daughter R, asking what I wanted to do for Mother's Day, my answer was "I'm showing Sunday morning". To be quite honest I did not expect either one of the girls to show up at the dressage show, after all it was early for either one to show up.
I had a great lesson on Friday with J. Ms. Lat was so rounded and in frame, however apparently she forgot how to do that on Sunday. Due to social obligations on Saturday I did not get to work her, so Sunday morning before we headed out I lunged her just to take the edge off. We found the show grounds and unload Ms. Lat, tacked her up and decided to start warming up. She was more excited than normal but I felt with a little work we could work through our excitement. The warm up ring was an indoor and the show arena was outside. The weather was beautiful but it was very windy. I felt that the wind might be adding to Ms. Lat's excitement. We worked and worked doing transitions and a number of other things trying to calm her, but it was not working. Before I knew it I was being told that I was up next, so into the arena we trotted. Guess who came with us, no one other than Mr. EXCITEMENT! Other than her decision not to bend during the test we did alright. We even got an 8 or two, I was very surprised that we received a 67.5% on the test, WOW was I surprised!
Second test was not far behind and I felt that she was more relaxed and rounded, I could not believe how well we scored. Several eights and sevens we received 68% on the test. I was so proud of Ms. Lat, she works so hard to please and succeeds. After reflecting back on the day I believe that it is me that makes her nervous, she definitely feels the tension exzuding from me.
My poor "Beauty Queen" was much more rounded and in frame this time around, she is working so hard and is improving so much. Well hopefully next weekend we will do better but we did get a 2nd, 1st and the reserve championship. That's my girl.!
I trotted up the center line, halted and saluted, to my surprise I recieved an 8. We then continued with Intro A, but we were not relaxed, this was not a good test. The biggest surprise was when I recieved my test back and had recieved a 68.5% (2nd). I could not believe it, I was absolutely shocked. Fortunately, Ms. Lat decided to take the day off from the Air Quality Control Agency and did keep her tongue in her mouth.
I had another half hour before the Intro B so we just went for a lovely walk and tryed to relax. When I went back to the warm up ring I really believed we were on the right track. Our 2nd test would be much better, after all in the warm up ring we were bending nicely and very rounded.
Entering the arena, down the centerline, halt, proceeded forward at a working trot rising , tracked left; very nicely done Ms. Lat. We had some blips during the test but overall we did ok.
Now it is time to untack and pack up for home, to my surprise C and the baby showed up, it was so nice to see them, the baby is so cute and C is a wonderful mom.
When we decided to start home, F was nice enough to go retrieve my Intro B scores. F came back to the trailer carrying a BLUE ribbon and a Reserve Championship, I was so pleased, I guess we had a better ride than I thought. I recieved a 68% on B, which was great.
C and the baby followed us back to the farm and R arrived at the farm shortly there after, we emptied the trailer put Ms. Lat away and then went to get ready to bunch. What a wonderful day.
I had a great lesson on Friday with J. Ms. Lat was so rounded and in frame, however apparently she forgot how to do that on Sunday. Due to social obligations on Saturday I did not get to work her, so Sunday morning before we headed out I lunged her just to take the edge off. We found the show grounds and unload Ms. Lat, tacked her up and decided to start warming up. She was more excited than normal but I felt with a little work we could work through our excitement. The warm up ring was an indoor and the show arena was outside. The weather was beautiful but it was very windy. I felt that the wind might be adding to Ms. Lat's excitement. We worked and worked doing transitions and a number of other things trying to calm her, but it was not working. Before I knew it I was being told that I was up next, so into the arena we trotted. Guess who came with us, no one other than Mr. EXCITEMENT! Other than her decision not to bend during the test we did alright. We even got an 8 or two, I was very surprised that we received a 67.5% on the test, WOW was I surprised!
Second test was not far behind and I felt that she was more relaxed and rounded, I could not believe how well we scored. Several eights and sevens we received 68% on the test. I was so proud of Ms. Lat, she works so hard to please and succeeds. After reflecting back on the day I believe that it is me that makes her nervous, she definitely feels the tension exzuding from me.
My poor "Beauty Queen" was much more rounded and in frame this time around, she is working so hard and is improving so much. Well hopefully next weekend we will do better but we did get a 2nd, 1st and the reserve championship. That's my girl.!
I trotted up the center line, halted and saluted, to my surprise I recieved an 8. We then continued with Intro A, but we were not relaxed, this was not a good test. The biggest surprise was when I recieved my test back and had recieved a 68.5% (2nd). I could not believe it, I was absolutely shocked. Fortunately, Ms. Lat decided to take the day off from the Air Quality Control Agency and did keep her tongue in her mouth.
I had another half hour before the Intro B so we just went for a lovely walk and tryed to relax. When I went back to the warm up ring I really believed we were on the right track. Our 2nd test would be much better, after all in the warm up ring we were bending nicely and very rounded.
Entering the arena, down the centerline, halt, proceeded forward at a working trot rising , tracked left; very nicely done Ms. Lat. We had some blips during the test but overall we did ok.
Now it is time to untack and pack up for home, to my surprise C and the baby showed up, it was so nice to see them, the baby is so cute and C is a wonderful mom.
When we decided to start home, F was nice enough to go retrieve my Intro B scores. F came back to the trailer carrying a BLUE ribbon and a Reserve Championship, I was so pleased, I guess we had a better ride than I thought. I recieved a 68% on B, which was great.
C and the baby followed us back to the farm and R arrived at the farm shortly there after, we emptied the trailer put Ms. Lat away and then went to get ready to bunch. What a wonderful day.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Dressage ...1st show of the year
Oh Saturday started as a very dreary day, overcast and drizzling. Ms. Lat and I are off to our 1st Dressage Show in 2009.
Well due to unforseen circumstances we got a late start which then makes my time to warm her up at the show grounds shorter. We pulled in about 20 minutes before I was to be in the ring for Intro A. After tacking her up we warmed up as best we could and into the ring we went. Well we were not as rounded as I would have liked but she still did very well, except for her tongue. It seems that Ms. Lat has taken a position with the Air Quailty Control Agency and hangs her tongue out the right side of her mouth in order to test the quality of the air. Unfortunately, in dressage you loose points for that so at the medium walk where I would have recieved a 7, I recieved comments like obedient transition, "SOME TONGUE ISSUES". Twenty meter circle, "Fairly round, "SOME TONGUE ISSUES", however Ms. Lat did end it with a 63.5% and we tied for 2nd but we were pushed to third because of "TONGUE ISSUES".
We had more time to work before Intro B. When we entered the arena Ms. Lat was nicely rounded and bending very nicely. We need to work on our straightness, our halts on entering, and of course "her tongue". The judge's comment on the 2nd test was "Fluid, attractive pair; shows good basics - WATCH TONGUE, but we did get 68% and won the class.
The problem with her tongue is not one that I have been unaware of but the tongue would only come out when she was totally relaxed not in the dressage arena when she is working. Any suggestions of how to solve this issue will be greatly appreciated.
Sunday, I decided not to show at a local hunter show with a Standardbred Division. It rained worst on Sunday than on Saturday but I did go to help groom for some of the members of the SPHO-NJ. My friend had her horse there that is related to Lat and has very minor tongue issues but she had purchased a new bit from Mikmar Eggbutt Ergom Lozenges Snaffle. Her horse's mouth was frothing, which is good and there was no problem with his tongue. Perhaps this is the answer. I may have to breakdown and buy one.
Well due to unforseen circumstances we got a late start which then makes my time to warm her up at the show grounds shorter. We pulled in about 20 minutes before I was to be in the ring for Intro A. After tacking her up we warmed up as best we could and into the ring we went. Well we were not as rounded as I would have liked but she still did very well, except for her tongue. It seems that Ms. Lat has taken a position with the Air Quailty Control Agency and hangs her tongue out the right side of her mouth in order to test the quality of the air. Unfortunately, in dressage you loose points for that so at the medium walk where I would have recieved a 7, I recieved comments like obedient transition, "SOME TONGUE ISSUES". Twenty meter circle, "Fairly round, "SOME TONGUE ISSUES", however Ms. Lat did end it with a 63.5% and we tied for 2nd but we were pushed to third because of "TONGUE ISSUES".
We had more time to work before Intro B. When we entered the arena Ms. Lat was nicely rounded and bending very nicely. We need to work on our straightness, our halts on entering, and of course "her tongue". The judge's comment on the 2nd test was "Fluid, attractive pair; shows good basics - WATCH TONGUE, but we did get 68% and won the class.
The problem with her tongue is not one that I have been unaware of but the tongue would only come out when she was totally relaxed not in the dressage arena when she is working. Any suggestions of how to solve this issue will be greatly appreciated.
Sunday, I decided not to show at a local hunter show with a Standardbred Division. It rained worst on Sunday than on Saturday but I did go to help groom for some of the members of the SPHO-NJ. My friend had her horse there that is related to Lat and has very minor tongue issues but she had purchased a new bit from Mikmar Eggbutt Ergom Lozenges Snaffle. Her horse's mouth was frothing, which is good and there was no problem with his tongue. Perhaps this is the answer. I may have to breakdown and buy one.
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