AE Expressions
It's official, Henry aka AE Expressions, is a dressage horse now! Well, he is on his way to being a well rounded eventing horse having completed his first ever dressage training day on Sunday.
Henry had a bath Saturday to make him presentable, and not stinky since he had slept in his wee and was smelling like it! We also had a nice relaxed bush ride, because it was just too much of a nice day to be stuck in the arena practicing dressage.
We had a very sociable time of 9.35 on Sunday, so a nice easy morning for all involved. I had Emily and Husband come along with us for moral support and to help me STAY CALM.
Once again Henry unloaded somewhere new without any fuss, and was curious about what was happening in the arena. He settled much faster this time and we got tacked up quickly, I mounted and headed straight over to warm up. I opted to not lunge him because I'd have had to do in in the warm up arena and I didn't think it would be beneficial.
Hen was curious and nervous but from the second I was on he was ready to get to work. I spent quite some time just walking around the arena, letting him see what was around and letting him get used to the other horses working around him. He was very much not bothered by anything really, and was much more interested in the horses grazing in their paddocks around the arena.
I was so nervous, right up to when we cantered. I set him up well, and he popped into such a nice steady rhythm without any fuss and I couldn't help but laugh at how cool he was being. He was so happy to be working and had no idea what all the fuss was about. From then on I knew I had my regular horse who just wanted to be a good boy.
I was very careful to make sure he was warmed up enough and to check all the button were working, but not to over do it and fry him, and not to have too much of a break to let him think we were done. I think I got it about right, letting him have a big walk and then picking the trot back up when the rider before me went in.
We headed in to the arena and started the test. His breaks were a bit heavy and needed more preparation than usual, but he halted square and maintained it until I asked him to move off. He was very obedient and did all the right things in the right places, and picked up the correct canter on both leads. His favourite part was the stretchy trot circle, which he scored an 8 for!
The rest of the test was quite average, the judge mostly commenting that he needs to work more from behind and needs more activity. I chose to have a calm easy horse though and really we weren't there for the marks. Everything will come with time and exposure and now I have a really good starting point.
We broke into trot from the second canter early and we scored a 5, the worst mark on the test. Overall though the marks and the comments were what I expected and I was thrilled regardless, Henry had done his first ever dressage test with exactly zero fuss.
He got many pats and cuddles when we were done, and had a nice warm shower which he thought was much better than the cold ones he gets at home! He really had no clue what all the fuss was about, he just did exactly what he always does like the good boy he always is. I really think having the clinic last weekend did wonders for his education and was a hugely positive experience because everything was so much easier this weekend. Not that it was hard last weekend!
Another day of first for Henry done, first warm up arena, first dressage test, for judges bell, first time he used his fancy show name, fist first halt and salute and his first scores!
Honestly Henry is such a star, I am so proud of him. I couldn't have picked a better baby horse to train and I really can't wait to continue our journey!
Henry had a bath Saturday to make him presentable, and not stinky since he had slept in his wee and was smelling like it! We also had a nice relaxed bush ride, because it was just too much of a nice day to be stuck in the arena practicing dressage.
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| Coolie also had a bush ride, his life has been very quiet but he's not missing out! |
We had a very sociable time of 9.35 on Sunday, so a nice easy morning for all involved. I had Emily and Husband come along with us for moral support and to help me STAY CALM.
Once again Henry unloaded somewhere new without any fuss, and was curious about what was happening in the arena. He settled much faster this time and we got tacked up quickly, I mounted and headed straight over to warm up. I opted to not lunge him because I'd have had to do in in the warm up arena and I didn't think it would be beneficial.
Hen was curious and nervous but from the second I was on he was ready to get to work. I spent quite some time just walking around the arena, letting him see what was around and letting him get used to the other horses working around him. He was very much not bothered by anything really, and was much more interested in the horses grazing in their paddocks around the arena.
I was so nervous, right up to when we cantered. I set him up well, and he popped into such a nice steady rhythm without any fuss and I couldn't help but laugh at how cool he was being. He was so happy to be working and had no idea what all the fuss was about. From then on I knew I had my regular horse who just wanted to be a good boy.
 |
| Henry had no idea what the fuss was about! |
I was very careful to make sure he was warmed up enough and to check all the button were working, but not to over do it and fry him, and not to have too much of a break to let him think we were done. I think I got it about right, letting him have a big walk and then picking the trot back up when the rider before me went in.
We headed in to the arena and started the test. His breaks were a bit heavy and needed more preparation than usual, but he halted square and maintained it until I asked him to move off. He was very obedient and did all the right things in the right places, and picked up the correct canter on both leads. His favourite part was the stretchy trot circle, which he scored an 8 for!
 |
| Stretch! |
The rest of the test was quite average, the judge mostly commenting that he needs to work more from behind and needs more activity. I chose to have a calm easy horse though and really we weren't there for the marks. Everything will come with time and exposure and now I have a really good starting point.
We broke into trot from the second canter early and we scored a 5, the worst mark on the test. Overall though the marks and the comments were what I expected and I was thrilled regardless, Henry had done his first ever dressage test with exactly zero fuss.
He got many pats and cuddles when we were done, and had a nice warm shower which he thought was much better than the cold ones he gets at home! He really had no clue what all the fuss was about, he just did exactly what he always does like the good boy he always is. I really think having the clinic last weekend did wonders for his education and was a hugely positive experience because everything was so much easier this weekend. Not that it was hard last weekend!
Another day of first for Henry done, first warm up arena, first dressage test, for judges bell, first time he used his fancy show name, fist first halt and salute and his first scores!
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| All done |
Honestly Henry is such a star, I am so proud of him. I couldn't have picked a better baby horse to train and I really can't wait to continue our journey!
sounds like the perfect first horse show experience - he already sounds like an old pro!
ReplyDeleteHe was so grown up about it, and more relaxed than Coolie can be!
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