Sunday, April 25, 2010

last minute ride

I almost didn't ride today. I vacillated all day. But five o'clock found me in the saddle. The wind was blowing. Because it had rained I stayed on the side of the arena that the dressage test won't be in, the side the freaked her out last show . . . of course, the trailers and horses and people weren't in the field below it yet.

Anyway, long to short, she was very good. Not so relaxed and round (and I felt like I kept falling forward too, which always brings her head up), but she was very responsive. Everything I asked, she did promptly and well, especially transitions. I'll take that.

I'll repeat it like a mantra -- I want my mistakes this show to be forward mistakes. There are so many things I really haven't had a chance to "practice", partly because there were other things that we had to get to begin with, like the canter transitions, so not a lot of time has been spent trotting a straight center line and stopping square and straight. Still. Forward. Forward will help rhythmic. And if I can stay with it, it will develop into relaxed and round. And not very long in the warm up.

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