Hey everyone, I photographed another event the other weekend, so I thought I'd share some of the photos from that:) Also, I'm very excited because my bf bought a sweet new camera, a Nikon D300, WOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D It's SO SO SO awesome!!! He spent the Saturday at the show figuring it all out, and then I used it on the Sunday to photograph stadium day. SUCH a HUGE difference from the D40!!! I love it!

The event took place at Alhambra Stables, near Red Deer, Alberta:)


( Eventy Goodness!!! )

So is anyone else going to the Spruce Meadows Masters??? I'm going to be down all weekend, and am meeting up with skyhuntress, sprinklerized, and jules257:)

AND!!!! My friend from college sexy_sangria won a contest and gets a

RIDING LESSON WITH IAN MILLAR!!!!

OMFG SQUEEEEEEE!!!!!!! I am SOOOOO excited for her!! Her lesson is at Spruce on the Friday so we're going to go watch, and take photos for her:) She'll have her own cheering section!! I'm really excited, it's going to be a super awesome weekend:)

ETA: tags and 1 more pic

This may be a long shot, but it's worth a try!

I just moved to Denver (Southeast- 5 minutes east of DU) to start my master's at DU and I'm desperately looking to keep riding while I'm here.

I've been riding since I was 7 (I'm 22), mainly doing Hunter/Jumper, but I've also dabbled a bit in cross country and dressage.

I'm not looking for much- just a horse to ride a couple times a month- english, western, whatever. I'll be here for two years and there is no way I can go two years without riding.

I'm looking for a free (or cheap lease), perhaps in exchange for work around the barn.

Again, I know this is a longshot, but if anyone has a horse available for lease or you need someone to exercise your horses, please let me know!

I'm 5'7'', 155 lbs, so no ponies please!

Any help is greatly appreciated. :)

I am just watching the freestyle now and I am completely in love with the Danish guy who did his freestyle to Pink Floyd and Green Day...!!!!

It's on now.

For those that don't know dressage, this is the best day to watch. :)

Okay!!I can finally share today, it's official!!! (I had to share with some 'horsey' people because the RL friends just roll their eyes and say "don't you already HAVE a horse?" and don't understand the justification of "but he's an eventer! she's different!" hehehe)

( All the happy details here! )

To anyone that can help:

I'd heard rumors that such a test existed, I thought it was an awesome oppotunity for younger kids to learn how to ride an FEI test format, and lo and behold, I found the test on the FEI website.

However, I cannot seem to find the age range for this test. Like FEI YR is between 16-21 (I believe) FEI Children's must have an age range. However, after searching the rules for FEI Children's things on the FEI site, all I can find is info about jumping, and the actual dressage test.

So.... does anyone even know about that?

http://www.929.com.au/shows/hot30/galleries/equestrian

an update on this post: http://community.livejournal.com/equestrian/5175505.html#cutid1

doesn't appear that "Fridgey" (aren't aussies great at nicknames! least it's not "Fridge-O" [adding the O is another nicknaming rite]) actually rode a dressage test, but he did have a lesson & apparently realised that riding is a lot harder than he thought.

my fave pic is #11. bwahahaha.

I was watching the Eventing dressage yesterday, and I noticed a couple differences between that and the Individual dressage. Firstly, I noticed a fair number of horses going in snaffle bits...isn't that either frowned upon or not allowed in individual dressage? Secondly, I noticed the test wasn't as complex...there was more emphasis on bending and suppleness (serpentines, half-pass on the quarterline), without the big "showy" movements (piaffe, pirouette, passage)classic of the upper levels...can someone explain why that is?

*Disclaimer* If anything in this post doesn't make sense, please feel free to ask me to clarify...I'm still working on my first cup of coffee. ;)

O.K., all you dressage riders, I have questions! 

My show experience comes from a Western Pleasure background, so I am not sure what I should be looking for when watching Dressage.  I have been watching the Olympic Equestrian bits via the 'net, so I know I haven't seen 100% of what's going on. Also I've never been to any dressage shows, so keep that in mind when I ask my really stoopid and seeingly obviouse questions, =-) But I am having trouble figuring out what the judges are looking for,... 


I do think it's terribly cute the way the horses go from being very official during the ride, and when it's done and they head out, their heads drop and they stretch out, and start looking just like Western Pleasure ponehs should! LOL!

OK folks, this is my last Feronia post for a while; I'm scheduled for surgery to pin my broken collarbone on Friday and I won't be able to see her for a while after that.

But... I've visited her twice in the past few days, she is very happy, and she is responding well to her training routine. Under the cut are a couple of YouTube videos, "Before" from 13 July, her first (re)training ride at Mary's, and "After" from today, 4 August. Mary, who started out very skeptical, is very pleased with how she's progressing, and so am I. She should be a much easier ride and a better horse for me, once I am riding again... which could be several months from now. In a way, this is a good time for me to not be able to ride her.

Here is a photo to start with.



( Before and After YouTube back here )

Hi guys! I'm moving to Long Beach, CA and am looking to start taking lessons and maybe lease a horse somewhere nearby. I have been riding for 13 years and am into dressage mostly but have also done other things. I'm really looking for a great teacher and a good environment where I might be able to get extra riding in besides my lesson. Does anyone have any suggestions of places? If you don't feel comfortable talking about it in the open then just shoot me a message!

I know I posted this a few weeks ago but I never got an email response from the lady who replied. Hopefully she or others will see this.

My trainer/coach e-mailed this to me yesterday. I'm not sure if it's been posted before. If so, my profuse appologies. 

I thought it was great article :)

http://www.classicaldressage.com/articles/fixed_hand.html

Well, this weekend went terrific! :) We took Val to a dressage schooling show, and while there, we all caught up on gossip about our barn owner. Sadly, all the pictures I took came out poor and fuzzy, so no visuals today. ):

Val had two walk/trot intro level tests, and placed first in both of them! :) Cassie was riding him, as it was his first show and we wanted to see what he'd be like. Turns out, he was an old show veteran in another life ;D He was perfectly well-behaved, and he definitely earned his blues.

I keep learning new things about my BO that just make me want to apply a large board to the side of her head, repeatedly. At this point, she seems to have the horse experience and knowledge of ant.

( BO exploits behind the cut. )

I had a blast scribing today. It's the first time I've done it (i'm a total fill in :P), but it was extremely educational...albeit much like attenting university lectures :P My judge was Lisette, an FEI judge from the Dominican, and she made it a point to tell me after each ride WHY she was marking the way she was marking. So I got to do 2nd level and parts of Training Level. The judge also let me sit right behind her for Prix St George as well while another scribed, so I got the benefit of hearing those remarks

here are some tips that were brought up time and time again.

1. Work on your centerline and halt. It sets the whole tone for the test. No drunken sailor! This wasn't just an issue at training level either Even those at the Prix St George level sometimes zigzagged!
2. KNOW your test. It's fine if you have a reader, but really, don't have a confused look on your face and have to rely on the reader. Know where your next move is and start to plan it.
3. Be accurate - especially at training level, because that's all they really have to mark you on. If it says canter between K and A, canter between K and A - preferally start in the middle of that, so you still aren't asking for the canter as you pass A.
4. Pay attention to what the test actually says. For example, if it says do 3-4 strides of walk as a simple change, DO 3-4 strides of walk. You wouldn't believe how many 3s and 4s were assigned to simple changes just because they didn't have a clear walk. Same with reinback.
5. In second level, I noticed that a lot of horses weren't using two tracks for the travers (and also lost rhythm), so consequently, they only got 4s and 5s, which hurts on a coefficient. Likewise, in training level, people were extremely hesitant with the free walk (and nervous, I would guess) but again, it hurts on a coefficient.
6. Make sure that there is actually a change between gaits. Collected to medium or whatever. So many people scored low on transitions because there was absolutely no difference whatsoever between gaits.
7. Know how big a circle is (hah. I had sympathy for all those riders out there! Because I know that I lose myself on circles too, especially in an arena you aren't used to. either too big or too small!)
8. Thank the judge (and scribe, I guess). It always brought a smile to the judge's face when the horse and rider would walk to the judges booth and smile and say thanks.

I'm now an official scribe convert I'm thinking it may be the only way that I can further finance my dressage education *rollseyes*

Anybody know anything about Alison Head and Looking Glass Farm in Virginia?

Yeah, it was a dinky little schooling show, but I'm 23 and have never done this before, gimme a break!

I have always secretly wanted to show, but the whole concept absolutely intimidated me. I can't help but feel like I should have gotten my start on these things years ago...and now I'm playing catch up. I finally bit the bullet and entered our June schooling show so I could get the first out of the way.

There unfortunately weren't enough entries so we had to cancel the judge. Instead I was judged by the other trainer at the barn (who gives lessons to my sister). The show was turned into a little more of a schooling event and made into a "Ride a Test" show. More on how we did & pictures under the cut!



( Read more... )

A selection of photos I took yesterday.



( Dressage, all here )

We're hosting some great clinics at our place in Marshall, VA in June: