That Time I Thought Showing On A 95 Degree Afternoon Was A Good Idea
Spoiler: It Wasn't.
I was feeling pretty great about the dressage show after our awesome, perfect ride the day before. All my buttons were installed! I was working on improving the quality of the canter! I knew my tests! THIS WOULD BE THE BEST DRESSAGE SHOW EVER!
Except it was 95 degrees out and Dino walked off the trailer really wanting to show me his slug impression, because ain't nobody got time for dressaging when it's that dang hot out. He did not think that this show was worthy of his efforts.
It was one of those days where I get on my pony, and apply my forward leg aids, and nothing happens. Like literally nothing. He didn't even get offended at my insistence that he move forward, he just did. not. react.
Which is, you know, super great for dressage. Submission and obedience and all that.
So I did my best to get him forward in the warm-up, and while he trotted and cantered and kind of went on the bit sometimes, I had to drag every single stride out of him and the second I stopped nagging he would quit.
Awesome.
It eventually came time for us to ride our first test, BN A, and while I didn't feel great about coming in the ring with a half-dead pony, there wasn't much to be done at that point to really get him enthusiastic. So I worked with what I had.The trot work was mediocre at best, I had to pretty much beat him into the first canter (thank you, Mr. Whippy), and even entertaining the idea of putting him on the bit or riding him through was an absolute fantasy. The second I even touched his mouth he would say, "Oh, we walk now? Yes walking? Back to the trailer? I'm done."
HOWEVER, we did get our very first 8 on this test. For the halt. (ba-dum tisssss)
That first test ended up with a score of 43, which was not quite as horrific as I expected it to be.
Before BN B, I cantered Dino around our warm up area as vigorously as I could manage (not very fast), and trotted and cantered him as FORWARD as I could around the outside of the court before the bell rang. This test was marginally better. There wasn't quite as much beating for the canter, and the free walk was pretty ok. There wasn't really much bending or connection or any of that because Dino was declining to participate in forward motion, but at that point I just accepted that there would be no riding my pony on the bit that day.
We ended up with a score of 41, and another 8 on the halt. Homeboy was all about standing still.
While overall I am pretty disappointed in how things went, it wasn't because I rode poorly. Dino just didn't want to play, it was 95 freakin' degrees, and sometimes horses are like that. We'll live to play another day, and I'm happy that at least I now know BN B forwards and backwards, and that showing in extreme heat is always a Bad Idea.
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| "Just leave me in the trailer to eat, k?" |
Except it was 95 degrees out and Dino walked off the trailer really wanting to show me his slug impression, because ain't nobody got time for dressaging when it's that dang hot out. He did not think that this show was worthy of his efforts.
It was one of those days where I get on my pony, and apply my forward leg aids, and nothing happens. Like literally nothing. He didn't even get offended at my insistence that he move forward, he just did. not. react.
Which is, you know, super great for dressage. Submission and obedience and all that.
So I did my best to get him forward in the warm-up, and while he trotted and cantered and kind of went on the bit sometimes, I had to drag every single stride out of him and the second I stopped nagging he would quit.
Awesome.
It eventually came time for us to ride our first test, BN A, and while I didn't feel great about coming in the ring with a half-dead pony, there wasn't much to be done at that point to really get him enthusiastic. So I worked with what I had.The trot work was mediocre at best, I had to pretty much beat him into the first canter (thank you, Mr. Whippy), and even entertaining the idea of putting him on the bit or riding him through was an absolute fantasy. The second I even touched his mouth he would say, "Oh, we walk now? Yes walking? Back to the trailer? I'm done."
HOWEVER, we did get our very first 8 on this test. For the halt. (ba-dum tisssss)
That first test ended up with a score of 43, which was not quite as horrific as I expected it to be.
Before BN B, I cantered Dino around our warm up area as vigorously as I could manage (not very fast), and trotted and cantered him as FORWARD as I could around the outside of the court before the bell rang. This test was marginally better. There wasn't quite as much beating for the canter, and the free walk was pretty ok. There wasn't really much bending or connection or any of that because Dino was declining to participate in forward motion, but at that point I just accepted that there would be no riding my pony on the bit that day.
We ended up with a score of 41, and another 8 on the halt. Homeboy was all about standing still.
While overall I am pretty disappointed in how things went, it wasn't because I rode poorly. Dino just didn't want to play, it was 95 freakin' degrees, and sometimes horses are like that. We'll live to play another day, and I'm happy that at least I now know BN B forwards and backwards, and that showing in extreme heat is always a Bad Idea.
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| Necessary. |
Hot shows are just so miserable :( Glad that you put in a good ride though, it's so easy to get sloppy when the temps go up!
ReplyDeleteShowing in the heat is just so hard. Though you didn't have the tests you wanted, you learned something about your horse and hey, 8s on halts! That's awesome.
ReplyDeleteAw, sorry it didn't go better, but at least you have a real reason for it! Showing or doing anything in this weather is super hard on everyone! ps. where did you get that koozy? I needz.
ReplyDeleteKoozy came from Tack of the Day! I'm sure you can find it on BoB :)
DeleteYou got a taste of Texas :) Sorry the scores weren't what you hoped, but an 8 is great!
ReplyDeleteGirl, I hear you! When I was dressaging on Monday, it was like a million degrees and Moe was like "LOOK I AM A WESTERN PLEASURE HORSE NOW".
ReplyDelete8s are TOTALLY AWESOME though!!!
95 and humid? You get a high five for attempting. Yeesh!
ReplyDeleteUh yeah. C isn't even really affected by heat and I say no thanks to shows over 90. Just not fun for me.
ReplyDelete8s on those halts are pretty awesome. it's all about finding something the horse excels at and perfecting it, right? lol but seriously it was much too hot out. hopefully you'll have more pony next time!
ReplyDelete