Why the national championships? Goals are personal and what matters to each rider really does depend on their own experiences. For me, competing successfully at the National Dressage Championships has meaning because when I first started proper dressage training a few years ago it seemed ridiculously unlikely that I would ever be good enough toContinueContinue reading “Elementary my dear horse”
Category Archives: Dressage
Eventually Eventing
While I have focused on dressage and showing for the last number of years I actually used to event. I evented for a few years on the riding club circuit in the intermediate grade. I used to event whatever I was allowed to sit on. My biggest challenge was a chestnut mare ex racerContinueContinue reading “Eventually Eventing”
People You Will Meet When Using an Arena
When you are riding by yourself with other people in the arena…. These are the other riders you can often meet….. The Magnet It doesn’t matter how big the arena is or how much you try to ride exercises and movements in your own space – the magnet will gravitate towards you and stick toContinueContinue reading “People You Will Meet When Using an Arena”
Things you should know before having dressage lessons
Get used to being on a circle. You won’t be moving sideways at the greatest of ease any time soon. The circle is your friend, embrace the circle. Don’t go large around the arena – this does not go down well. If you have enough grasp of spatial relations to be able to ride aContinueContinue reading “Things you should know before having dressage lessons”
Hail To The Bystander
Hail to the bystanders Always waiting to say You shouldn’t be riding Your horse in that way Always ready with advice When you fall to the ground Although their only riding experience Is reading horse and hound If you are feeling progress They can take you down a peg Nothing makes them happier ThanContinueContinue reading “Hail To The Bystander”
Getting A Second Chance
Last Spring I was helping my partner to sell a horse. It was a horse that I referred to as ‘that idiot cob’ having seen him cart himself full speed around the arena with riders on more than one occasion. My partner had bought him as a four year old from a dealer at aContinueContinue reading “Getting A Second Chance”
2015 – Show Horse to Dressage Horse
In 2013 and 2014, Dolly the big chestnut mare and I focused on and achieved many goals in the show ring. We had not achieved what I hoped we could in dressage and given my passion for dressage this always frustrated me. I had performed well on ponies before but Dolly and I alwaysContinueContinue reading “2015 – Show Horse to Dressage Horse”
First World Equestrian Problems
I want a pair of new shoes but I spent all my money on ones for my horse. The horse now has three shoes, one bare hoof and a smug expression. I can’t get a fly veil in the right shade to match my saddle pad. I am not sure if the hip flaskContinueContinue reading “First World Equestrian Problems”
Being An Equestrian With A ‘Crooked eye’
Absolutely dreading the phrase ‘do my stirrups look even’…..seriously you are asking the wrong person Spending ages laying out a dressage arena, standing back to admire your handiwork and realising it looks like you were drunk when you did it. Getting the fear while trying to build a grid with all the fencesContinueContinue reading “Being An Equestrian With A ‘Crooked eye’”
Why Learning Dressage Now is Like Playing Video Games in the 90’s
It takes hours of practice Just like getting skilled at Columns (I once got to level 150, it took about five hours and I could no longer see straight), dressage takes hours and hours doing the same exercises and movements, developing the right muscles and hoping for the penny to drop in the horse andContinueContinue reading “Why Learning Dressage Now is Like Playing Video Games in the 90’s”
Equestrian Reality 