DefinitelyDressage.com

klark_kent07

I've been MIA for a few months, new job and super busy so something had to give! :mrgreen: We have had a great end to the competition season, taking out Novice Champion, Elementary freestyle champion and winning the Annette Sharpe memorial trophy for dedication to the sport and improvement over the ...

klark_kent07

I love the Cowpony! Do you think he knows the difference in tack? As in when he as a western saddle and different bit as opposed to dressage saddle? He is so incredibly versatile, exactly what any good dressage pony should be!

klark_kent07

I had such a good ride last night! :D Kent can be quite a lazy horse normally, but can get tense and tight quite easily. I rode under lights last night (nothing new), and he was almost hot! Instead of him becoming tense though, he allowed me to use the energy in a really positive way and we found an...

klark_kent07

Thanks everyone, I'm proud as punch and may have just won gold at the Olympics as far as I'm concerned! :D piedmontfields, I could share some VERY athletic videos of the right to left change, but I'm just going to keep looking at the nice easy one for now hahaha Flight, I've spent MANY rides revisit...

klark_kent07

Ok I'm being brave and sharing some video! I almost cried when I got off- to actually be doing changes on a horse I've bought on myself, from the moment he left the breakers, is so rewarding for an amateur like me. Of course they aren't perfect but it's only our fourth or fifth attempt at asking for...

klark_kent07

Once again piedmontfields, I find myself nodding at the similarities between our horses

Glad you had a great time and got so much out of the clinic... but you know we need some pictures right?

klark_kent07

Love them both, but the blue looks really good! I don't normally like coloured bling but love that on him

klark_kent07

Isn't it funny Flight, we can score well but when you aren't happy with the feel of the ride it doesn't matter. Can you have someone video your warm up and when you stop for a walk break, watch the video. Then adjust from there? Sometimes what we feel and what it looks like aren't the same either! :...

klark_kent07

Flight, thanks for sharing. It can seem like taking a backwards step when we change things in training but often the leap forward afterwards is so much easier! Rosie, soooo glad Bliss is feeling better. I love those rides after they have had a break and a fresh and everything just seems so easy. Mar...

klark_kent07

I have a clinic on the 15th, then a protocol day on the 24th of April. After that will be the first recognised comp for the year on the 7th and 8th of May. I've started work on the changes in my lessons, with me on board. Got 1 clean one and 2 that were a stride late behind in our first attempts! I'...

klark_kent07

I hope you're ok Moutaineer :( I had suspected appendicitis a year ago... turns out it was Colitis instead! Spent 8 days in hospital and couldn't eat for 7 of those, it was horrible. It presented as similar symptoms to appendicitis/ bad stomach bug but once they did an ultrasound of my colon they di...

klark_kent07

Thanks Sue B, that medium trot has been our nemesis for a long time so to finally have a little break through is great! Gives me the motivation to keep pushing on with it and trying to improve

What new boots did you get Sue?

klark_kent07

Sorry to everyone that has been sick :( Great weekend for Kent and I at the first competition for the year. Was just a nice relaxed training comp but after a tough week (that old 2 steps forward, one step backwards thing!) we had an excellent weekend and Kent really stepped up. 67.77% in the Novice ...

klark_kent07

I also never really knew how I felt about this until I was faced with the situation myself. Not with a horse but with my dog. I had always advocated that euthanasia was the best option when there was prolonged pain or suffering for an animal. My dog suddenly developed liver problems/liver cancer whe...

klark_kent07

That's awesome Flight, can't wait to hear all about your adventures!!!

Learning the in hand work is fascinating as well, I've been working on the short steps in hand with my horse and we have progressed to starting them under saddle in the last 2 months. So awesome to see the progression!

klark_kent07

After reading a FB post last night, I went back and had a look at some very early pictures and videos of my horses training. It was such a good thing for me to do, to really confirm to myself how far we have come. The first photos are after about 2 or 3 months under saddle and the last ones are from...

klark_kent07

Awesome work Flight!!! :D Did you manage to get video? I haven't ridden the 3.2 yet, only the 3.1 and the 3.3. He looks so great Rosie, so much more grown up and the neck is staying out much more consistently by the looks. I had a great ride on Saturday with some really super canter work. It's been ...

klark_kent07

I'm really trying to work on tidying up a few bits and pieces in my test riding. I am definitely on the right track as I know I'm preparing much better before movements but still need to ride better corners! Really enjoyed riding my Elementary (second level) test last weekend and was super happy wit...

klark_kent07

No pics or video Flight and demi, as I didn't have anyone with me! :( I really like the 3.1 test Flight, except for where you do the simple change. It's so tricky coming across that short diagonal and asking for the walk on a straight line. It has certainly made me focus on really being able to coll...

klark_kent07

Really enjoyed riding my test on Saturday! Scored 65.45% in the Elementary 3.1 (second level). Lots to improve on but I really felt like I rode and prepared much better than I have previously. I was aiming for 65% so I was very happy. Really looking forward to getting out this year and seeing what m...

klark_kent07

Yes, up in Bowen. 2 hours south of Townsville. It's certainly warm up here at the moment but our winters are amazing!
I'll PM you my coach's website so you can have a look just in case you are interested down the track

klark_kent07

Oh Flight, what a bummer! So glad you still managed to find some positives in all of that and you had proof of the 10m circle. How THREE people could miss a 10m circle is beyond me though... :/ ETA- Definitely looking like a big dressage horse now! I've got an in house competition this Saturday. My ...

klark_kent07

Flight, you could come up north and stay with my coach! Either as a working student or holiday. Although I'm guessing you would want to wait until it gets cooler to venture up here

klark_kent07

Dog log

klark_kent07

He looks great mari, he's filled out and looking so much stronger in these last pics!

klark_kent07

I think so many amateur riders ride along with the hand brake on as we are a bit intimidated by all that power! I'm finally at the point in my riding where I really enjoy that feeling of power and it doesn't scare me but makes me excited :) I'm really starting to feel the difference when you really ...

klark_kent07

He's adorable! He looks like a cheeky little kid to me

klark_kent07

No worries mari, hopefully I explained it well enough! I've been playing with the counter canter again as I need it for the Elementary tests and my trainer started the changes with Kent at the end of last year. I shouldn't have worried though, apart from getting a little excited when we came across ...

klark_kent07

HafDressage, he is a WB but jumping bred so has a super canter, great walk and definitely not a spectacular trot! There's nothing mechanically wrong with his trot, it's just definitely not a wow trot. He struggles to reach with his shoulders and can get tight in front and shorten his neck so I'm for...

klark_kent07

Haha Shirrine, other side of the country is fine too!
KathyK thanks

I'm a member of the UDBB FB group but it's pretty quiet!

klark_kent07

Does anyone want to be Facebook friends?

I love seeing what other horsey people are doing on the other side of the world!
I understand some people don't like to be friends with stranger's though

But if you would like to add me I'm Morgen Schneider

klark_kent07

I ice as preventative maintenance. I put ice boots on as soon as he is in the wash bay and I have taken off his boots/bandages and then they just stay on for the 20 mins or so it takes to hose him off, put my tack away and re-rug.
Doesn't add any extra time and I figure it can't hurt!

klark_kent07

Flight- yes, they are ice sleeves. It is disgustingly hot up here with humidity in the 80% plus range for the last few weeks and temps in the high thirties nearly every day. Kent is a really hot horse as well so some days I just have to chose to not ride as it's just not fair on him. Thanks Sue B an...

klark_kent07

I just wanted to add a bit more encouragement! I have also been struggling with the mediums as I mentioned, and I finally got some true mediums recently after my horse had a few weeks off. What really worked this time was really working on the straightness on the circle in a very small trot and then...

klark_kent07

After a rather rocky start to 2016, I now have my positive pants pulled firmly up and am ready to get on with this year! Kent and I have managed one lesson and one ride for the whole year, but are now back into it this week. These pictures are from our lesson on the weekend- huge improvement in the ...

klark_kent07

I love showing and show as much as possible with work, general life, money and time constraints all taken into account. I normally do one or two club days at the start of the season to see how we handle the new level, then show recognised shows around 6-8 shows for the remainder of the season. I try...

klark_kent07

I use lots of transitions within and between the paces to help improve the jump. My horse is jumping bred and has a great canter but sometimes I find myself staying in a 'safe' collected canter for too long and it can flatten. I think of riding the upward part of the canter as a bubble and using my ...

klark_kent07

January is pretty much out for me, riding wise... :( My partner and I have had to unexpectedly move back into the house that I own with my ex partner, after he trashed it and moved out! Between repairing walls, floors, gardens, pool and days of cleaning I have decided to not even attempt to ride ove...

klark_kent07

It's been around 37 degrees Celsius here for 2 weeks now, riding is very limited as I have a hot horse who doesn't handle the heat that well! Your video is awesome Rosie, looks lovely

klark_kent07

I agree with all the suggestions so far. I also have a horse that struggles with the medium trot, but canter is super easy for him. I have done a mixture of all of these and slowly we are getting a true medium. I push him forward until he finds a few bigger steps, which can sometimes take a few long...

klark_kent07

Thanks Rosie and Bailey, he does have a big canter and it has taken a while for him to get strong in the pace. He is always very balanced just needs to get stronger! Bliss is looking awesome, he has really matured and looks like a grown up horse now :) I'm really looking forward to riding again, I k...

klark_kent07

Watched trainer ride Kent on Friday, he's such a clever pony! Really awesome to see some glimpses of what the future holds for us. Trainer is playing with the working canter pirouette and Kent has a few strides of really collected canter that has so much sit and jump. He can't sustain it for any lon...

klark_kent07

I really feel as though Kent and I are at about the same stage with most things as you and Emi... right down to trying to develop the medium/extended trot! :) All second level is confirmed, changes have been started and we school most of the third level work as well. I'm not looking at having a thir...

klark_kent07

Trainer is really happy with Kent and said he is definitely understanding the change aid better. She rode him mon, tues, wed this week and is away today (Thursday) so I'll ride him this afternoon. Then she will ride him again Friday and I'll get some video hopefully to share! :D Hopefully next week ...

klark_kent07

That IS exciting! I am looking forward to some vids of you and Kent doing the flying changes. I'll post some when I get some, I'm sure it won't be pretty though! :lol: Rosie, I am very excited! It's one of those steps that it feels like forever to get to and I've never ridden a change in my life so...

klark_kent07

We have clean changes!!! Trainer rode 2 days just working on the straightness and sensitivity to the canter aid then asked for the changes yesterday, the third ride, and got clean changes on both leads. She has another ride on Kent today, then he has 2 hack days with me and a day off. She wants to r...

klark_kent07

My trainer has Kent for the next week or so to start the changes, hopefully he gets the idea and we can progress from there! We went to the jumping clinic and competition last weekend and had so much fun again. We trained around 80/85cm on the Saturday and just jumped 60cm on the Sunday in the compe...

klark_kent07

I'm going to sound like a very uneducated Aussie, but what exactly is Thanksgiving all about?
I really don't know why it is celebrated or what it involves, can someone fill me in please?

klark_kent07

Sue B and Flight- Hopefully we can keep updating with progress on the changes and compare rides/notes and stay positive when it all goes to shit :lol: Rosie B the clinician, Kim Weston, is such a wonderful horsewoman and has the best approach to training that I have ever come across. She is very tho...

klark_kent07

Thanks Flight and piedmontfields :) It's exciting that he is so ready to do the changes but also frustrating as things keep getting in the way of my coach starting them for me! A few extra weeks isn't going to hurt though, and will only help in the long run I guess. This clinician is my coach's coac...

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