Jet and I went to our third dressage schooling show of the year at Serenity Valley Farm and had some good results. We did Intro B for a 68% score and a first place and Intro C for a 66% score and a third place. I could not be more pleased with Jet's willingness and ride-ability and his general demeanor going to different places. He even seems to be having fun going out and about, which just amazes me! Such a good boy and such a good student of the TRT Method.
I didn't feel like I rode as well at this show as I did at Greenstone two weeks ago. Greenstone, Jet was like soft butter, stretched out to the bridle, using his back and with his hind legs engaged, and the scores reflected that. This week, Jet was perfectly willing to go in whatever frame/balance I wanted but I was packaging him a little too much with my hands, which made him slightly behind the vertical with slightly dropped shoulders and slightly trailing hind legs. Say it with me, "Poll high, stretchable, in self carriage, rinse and repeat!" He was totally willing to stretch a little more at SV, I just didn't ask because I was thinking more about energy and balance. I have to remember the energy and balance are immaterial if I don't have the basic biomechanics right.
Now that I'm fairly sure I have a horse that is calm enough to focus on me when in new places, it is time to polish up a few things in the show ring(see above!)and start moving on to harder tests. I think I would like to do one more show at Intro to qualify for year end awards and then make the move up to Training. I want to keep it easy for him, always trying to show at a level that is uncomplicated for his level of training and letting things be fun. All this being subject to weather, soundness, family obligations, and all the other vagaries life can throw out.
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