The clinic with Patrick was rejuvenating. Sometimes drilling for a big show like the finals can stagnate your training because you become so focused on the test performance that you lose track of the bigger picture. When the show is over you think, "Now what should I work on?" Patrick brought the bigger picture back into focus for me with both Lizzie and Willow.
In one step, while working on the piaffe near A with Willow, I got "it". When you have a horse that wants to take over and barge forward out of the collection, you must put the horse a touch deeper, softer and make an offer for a slight degree of stretching to the hand before you allow them to step forward. They can not pull against a contact that does not brace. Once I got this, I was able to move Willow in and out of the piaffe with much less tension. The lesson is that the feel for self carriage must stay the same whether you are working on difficult movements or easy circles. The horse must trust that you will not hold in the hand.
The breakthrough with my thinking for Lizzie also came from just a few strides. During my lesson on Sunday morning, I felt a few trot strides that swelled to a point of engagement and suspension that I have never achieved with her. Her knees came up, her thoracic band lifted over the whithers and she pushed forward and upward in the trot. Gerard and I had begun to scratch the surface of uncovering the "second trot" with her back in September, but she never really understood how to use her body correctly that weekend. The difference this weekend was two fold. One, she is stronger and can carry herself with more relaxation. Two, once again, I understand how important it is to not hold in the hand. The few strides before I put my leg on to ask for more suspension, she was super soft and submissive. This feel in the mouth was maintained. I was not half halting while I was seeking more engagement. I have new respect for the quality of this mare. Those couple of steps were what make this sport so addictive. I want more!!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
2009 Finals Wrap-up
Sunday morning started bright and early with Barb in the warm-up arena at 7:15am. The arena was a pool of slurry. The one good thing about being the first rider of the day is that no one else is out there competing for space. Barb and Fidelis had their most accurate ride of the weekend and received a 61%. 2010 will see her no longer competing at 1st level. She's delighted that her flying changes will finally be rewarded at 3rd level.
Laurie and Zonner were the next to go in the Open 1st Level Championships and though the footing was poor and Zonner pulled a shoe during the test, he still managed to earn a 72%.
Laurie and Lizzie rode in the same class a few hours later, earning a 71%. Zonner and Lizzie stood side-by-side in the awards ceremony finishing 5th and 6th respectively.
Our FEI riders made us proud. Robyn and Willow scored a 62% in the Young Rider PSG for 7th place, Andrea and Voom also received a 62% and a 7th place in the Open PSG and Kelly and Irioso scored 59% to win the Intermediare II Young Rider Reserve Championship.
All the results are posted here.
We have all earned a little rest before we establish goals for the 2010 Show Season and we are excited and looking forward to next year's finals in Michigan. Dressage by the Bay in Traverse City has been selected as the venue. 1999, Waterloo, was the last time Michigan hosted the Region 2 Championships. Northern Michigan in early September will be beautiful, and hopefully a little dryer.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Finals - Saturday Update
Team Timberlane is surviving the mud at Lamplight. With temps in the 40's and 50's and on and off showers, the finals are a little chilly this year. In spite of the damp and cold, we've had a few smokin' hot rides!
Robyn and Willow brought us to tears with her fourth level Beatles freestyle. After receiving a 71%, she will gather her Reserve Championship ribbon at the 9 AM awards ceremony on Sunday. Robyn and Willow also won the JR/Young Rider PSG warm up class today with a 64%.
Laurie and Zonnerhall had a great day. Reserve Championship in the open Training Level division with a 72%, plus a third place in the first level Freestyle Championship with another 72% made for a fun celebration back at the hotel.
Laurie's other horse, Letizia, had a bit of an issue with the footing, which resulted in some tension in her second level championship, placing them somewhere around 10th with a 65%.
Andrea and Voom and Kelly and Irioso had no trouble with the footing. They both had great I-1 Championship rides!
Kelly was 3rd in the JR/Young Rider division with a 66% and Andrea was 5th in the Open Division with a 65%.
Making their dressage debut at Thomet in June and going on to Traverse City in July, Lisa Seeley and Danny successfully negotiated their way around the crowded warm up arena for two days of classes and competed in the AA Training level Championship today. Though her score of 55% was not as high as she had scored in her three previous classes of the weekend, Lisa was very proud of Danny for his behavior at such a big venue all weekend.
Also competing at her first Region 2 Championship, Megan Bos was just out of the ribbons with a 60% on Jake in the JR/Young Rider second Level Championship.
Barb and Fidelis have been riding one warm up class each day and are looking forward to their 8AM ride time Sunday morning. As the first rider of the class, Barb is planning to set the bar high for the rest of the competitors!
Lastly, Whitney, Savannah and Annelies have been doing a FABULOUS job grooming. There is so much mud! The horses and tack are coming back to the barn covered. Mud is literally splashed from the tips of the horse's ears to the tops of our hats. Yet, each time a horse has to go out again, they are spotless. Way to go Team Timberlane!
Robyn and Willow brought us to tears with her fourth level Beatles freestyle. After receiving a 71%, she will gather her Reserve Championship ribbon at the 9 AM awards ceremony on Sunday. Robyn and Willow also won the JR/Young Rider PSG warm up class today with a 64%.
Laurie and Zonnerhall had a great day. Reserve Championship in the open Training Level division with a 72%, plus a third place in the first level Freestyle Championship with another 72% made for a fun celebration back at the hotel.
Laurie's other horse, Letizia, had a bit of an issue with the footing, which resulted in some tension in her second level championship, placing them somewhere around 10th with a 65%.
Andrea and Voom and Kelly and Irioso had no trouble with the footing. They both had great I-1 Championship rides!
Kelly was 3rd in the JR/Young Rider division with a 66% and Andrea was 5th in the Open Division with a 65%.
Making their dressage debut at Thomet in June and going on to Traverse City in July, Lisa Seeley and Danny successfully negotiated their way around the crowded warm up arena for two days of classes and competed in the AA Training level Championship today. Though her score of 55% was not as high as she had scored in her three previous classes of the weekend, Lisa was very proud of Danny for his behavior at such a big venue all weekend.
Also competing at her first Region 2 Championship, Megan Bos was just out of the ribbons with a 60% on Jake in the JR/Young Rider second Level Championship.
Barb and Fidelis have been riding one warm up class each day and are looking forward to their 8AM ride time Sunday morning. As the first rider of the class, Barb is planning to set the bar high for the rest of the competitors!
Lastly, Whitney, Savannah and Annelies have been doing a FABULOUS job grooming. There is so much mud! The horses and tack are coming back to the barn covered. Mud is literally splashed from the tips of the horse's ears to the tops of our hats. Yet, each time a horse has to go out again, they are spotless. Way to go Team Timberlane!
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