I was frustrated that all that progress we've made was not demonstrated in the scores or the way I rode. My position was great, my piloting was not. Overnight, I studied every comment on that score sheet until I could recite the test with the comments. I also thought about how NK always tells me I ride him too politely. And we BROUGHT IT. I rode the s*** out of Sunday's 1-3.
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| Not pictured: Karen off to the side shaking a tree branch at Connor |
We scored our highest ever by 4+%, 66.618%, good for second by 0.3% in the open division to a good local pro. (And remember, I have done an embarrassing number of 1-3's at this point. Slow learner and all that. I sincerely dislike this test.)
What have I learned? That I am totally capable of scoring higher, but it takes more than just getting it done to do well. I need to have that "bring it" attitude every time.
I thought it'd be fun to compare how different both tests were, (or in some cases, how alike!) movement by movement with judges' comments. Different judge both days.
A, enter working trot. X, halt, salute. Proceed working trot.
Saturday: 7.5, fairly straight
Sunday: 6.0, resting hind foot
C, track left. H-X-F, change rein, lengthen stride in trot. F, working trot.
Saturday: 5.0, very little change
Sunday: 6.0, needs clear reach
K-X, leg yield right
Saturday: 6.0, haunches trail
Sunday: 7.0, steady
X-H, leg yield left
Saturday: 5.0, becoming a diagonal line
Sunday: 7.5, nice @ X
C, 20m stretchy trot. Before C, shorten reins, working trot.
Saturday: 7.0, willing stretch, maintain forward and bend
Sunday: 7.5, correct response, could stretch down more, suppleness improves
R, circle right 10m
Saturday: 6.5, needs more bend
Sunday: 7.0, no comment
B, turn right, X, halt, proceed working trot, E, turn left
Saturday: 7.5, fairly obedient
Sunday: 5.0, not at X, not square
V, circle left 10m
Saturday: 6.5, needs more bend
Sunday: 7.0, no comment
A, medium walk
Saturday: 5.0, walk not held
Sunday: 7.5, active
F-S change rein free walk, S, medium walk
Saturday: 7.0, clear rhythm, some tension in medium
Sunday: 7.5, lovely stretch
[CobJockey in: Please note with a chuckle that the canter work is the only thing that did not improve AT ALL from the first day to the second. This is because NK told me we're going to have to "make him mad" to fix the canter, so we're not messing with it til after show season. But she gave me a ton of tools to fix what's in my power to fix right now, namely, everything walk, trot and halt.]
H, working trot. C, working canter right lead
Saturday: 7.0, fairly prompt
Sunday: 7.0, willing
C, circle right, 15m
Saturday: 6.5, needs bend and activity
Sunday: 6.5, heavy on right shoulder
M-P, lengthen stride in canter
Saturday: 6.0, conservative
Sunday: 6.0, twisting nose, needs reach
P, working canter
Saturday: 6.0, vague transition
Sunday: 6.0, unclear
K-X-H, one loop, maintaining right lead
Saturday: 7.0, could have better balance
Sunday: 6.5, twisting nose
M-X-K, change rein. X, change of lead through trot
Saturday: 7.5, fairly straight
Sunday: 7.5, straight
A, circle left, 15m
Saturday: 6.0, needs bend
Sunday: 7.0, slight lean
F-R, lengthen stride in canter
Saturday: 6.5, fairly straight
Sunday: 6.0, above bit, tempo quick
R, working canter
Saturday: 4.0, broke canter [CobJockey in: I got aggressive with the wrong kind of rein aid trying to prepare for the down transition. Le sigh.]
Sunday: 6.0, unclear
H-X-K, one loop, maintaining the left lead
Saturday: 5.0, not to X
Sunday: 7.0, no comment
A, working trot. F-X-H, change rein, lengthen stride in trot. H, working trot
Saturday: 5.0, very little change
Sunday: 6.5, could show more reach
B, half circle right 10m, X, down centerline, G, halt, salute
Saturday: 6.0, hind legs crossed
Sunday: 6.5, not quite square
I thought it'd be fun to compare how different both tests were, (or in some cases, how alike!) movement by movement with judges' comments. Different judge both days.
A, enter working trot. X, halt, salute. Proceed working trot.
Saturday: 7.5, fairly straight
Sunday: 6.0, resting hind foot
C, track left. H-X-F, change rein, lengthen stride in trot. F, working trot.
Saturday: 5.0, very little change
Sunday: 6.0, needs clear reach
K-X, leg yield right
Saturday: 6.0, haunches trail
Sunday: 7.0, steady
X-H, leg yield left
Saturday: 5.0, becoming a diagonal line
Sunday: 7.5, nice @ X
C, 20m stretchy trot. Before C, shorten reins, working trot.
Saturday: 7.0, willing stretch, maintain forward and bend
Sunday: 7.5, correct response, could stretch down more, suppleness improves
R, circle right 10m
Saturday: 6.5, needs more bend
Sunday: 7.0, no comment
B, turn right, X, halt, proceed working trot, E, turn left
Saturday: 7.5, fairly obedient
Sunday: 5.0, not at X, not square
V, circle left 10m
Saturday: 6.5, needs more bend
Sunday: 7.0, no comment
A, medium walk
Saturday: 5.0, walk not held
Sunday: 7.5, active
F-S change rein free walk, S, medium walk
Saturday: 7.0, clear rhythm, some tension in medium
Sunday: 7.5, lovely stretch
[CobJockey in: Please note with a chuckle that the canter work is the only thing that did not improve AT ALL from the first day to the second. This is because NK told me we're going to have to "make him mad" to fix the canter, so we're not messing with it til after show season. But she gave me a ton of tools to fix what's in my power to fix right now, namely, everything walk, trot and halt.]
H, working trot. C, working canter right lead
Saturday: 7.0, fairly prompt
Sunday: 7.0, willing
C, circle right, 15m
Saturday: 6.5, needs bend and activity
Sunday: 6.5, heavy on right shoulder
M-P, lengthen stride in canter
Saturday: 6.0, conservative
Sunday: 6.0, twisting nose, needs reach
P, working canter
Saturday: 6.0, vague transition
Sunday: 6.0, unclear
K-X-H, one loop, maintaining right lead
Saturday: 7.0, could have better balance
Sunday: 6.5, twisting nose
M-X-K, change rein. X, change of lead through trot
Saturday: 7.5, fairly straight
Sunday: 7.5, straight
A, circle left, 15m
Saturday: 6.0, needs bend
Sunday: 7.0, slight lean
F-R, lengthen stride in canter
Saturday: 6.5, fairly straight
Sunday: 6.0, above bit, tempo quick
R, working canter
Saturday: 4.0, broke canter [CobJockey in: I got aggressive with the wrong kind of rein aid trying to prepare for the down transition. Le sigh.]
Sunday: 6.0, unclear
H-X-K, one loop, maintaining the left lead
Saturday: 5.0, not to X
Sunday: 7.0, no comment
A, working trot. F-X-H, change rein, lengthen stride in trot. H, working trot
Saturday: 5.0, very little change
Sunday: 6.5, could show more reach
B, half circle right 10m, X, down centerline, G, halt, salute
Saturday: 6.0, hind legs crossed
Sunday: 6.5, not quite square
So cool to see it all side by side like that. Bravo to you for going out there and laying down a personal best. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh good idea to compare side by side! Sad I didn't get to see your Sunday test. I thought Saturday's was nice, but damn you must have worn your MeanTrainerPants on Sunday! Nice!!
ReplyDeleteLove seeing it side by side as well! Congratulations, those are some great scores especially for a tough test :)
ReplyDeleteNice! Like the side by side comparison...
ReplyDeleteI'm giggling a bit over the mental image of Karen shaking a tree branch to keep his attention, haha. But congrats on a personal best! Always interesting to lay out tests side by side to see the differences!
ReplyDeleteSo gratifying to go out and make such positive changes day 2! Super scores Jen!
ReplyDeletemaking some serious moves! I love that you have a working plan that is making a difference right now and a long-term plan because it's really nice to have something big to work towards but still get to see your progress along the way. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, very interesting to see them side by side like this!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. I love the side by side comparison. What a great idea.
ReplyDeleteThe best tests I have ridden I went in with the IMMA OWN THIS BEOTCH attitude. Anything less is just... not enough. But it's hard to get that 'tude on all the time - I spend a lot of time curled up in a fetal position after A. Glad you brought it and it showed! Nice scores!
ReplyDeleteYay! Way to kill it!
ReplyDeleteWay to go crush it girl!!
ReplyDeleteCool way to pay it out. Sounds like it was a great experience.
ReplyDeleteCongrats, those are both nice scores! Love the comparisons. Nicely done taking those comments and focusing them like that the following day!
ReplyDeleteI read this last night on mobile, and was like "wow". The difference in those scores is AWESOME. Was it way more energetically taxing to really go for it in the test? Sometimes I feel like I'm just coasting along in my dressage tests under the guise of "keeping my horse quiet", but maybe I should participate a bit more...
ReplyDeleteAwesome!!!!! I know I said this before, but I'm so thrilled for all of the breakthroughs and success you guys are having lately, I know that you both work your butt off and every last bit of success that you have is highly deserved!
ReplyDeleteLove that picture too. =-)