Results Elementary 44 – Dressage Riders Online

I’m really chuffed – not only was it an ok result and we came 2nd – but I’ve found my confidence again. Doing this online competition awakened something in me and I will share some of my marks and comments from the judge and link you to the vlog I did about it so you can have a look if you’d like.

We had marks between 5 & 7.5 which I think was very realistic and fair. Our high mark we gained in our right 15 m circle and the low mark we got down our last centre line haha!

Here is a link to my vlog I did. It shows the good and the bad bits! It also explain how it all works and my thoughts about it.

I am going to do another one this month, same level but a different test so I am very excited to see how we will do.

I also want to share with you this amazing competition Dressage Riders Online are doing.

Click here to take part! You can win a whole years worth of entries not only for yourself but for a friend also!! How cool! Needless to say, I have already entered! So I kind of want to wish you good luck, but the same time not – because I want to win it(whopsie selfish moment here!!)

With the pretty rosette I will end this blog for now and wish you all a very good start of a new week!

Take Care

Ancha XO

Floorplan and music

This is the first time I ever do this. Unfortunately not for myself, seem fun!

Anyway, I get to have a play and I am enjoying myself!

Karen and her lovely cob are the ones competing. They are doing a novice and you might have guessed by now – freestyle to music!!! Eeeeek so cool!

As I’ve never tried to put a floorplan together before, I am expecting a bit of trial and error. I have a basic plan, trying to highlight their strengths and hide their weaknesses.

I’ve read that they like fluidity, not to much change of pace and creative use of the school so this is what I am trying to achieve. Easier said than done! But it is a really good challenge.

What the music is concerned I am not 100% sure what we are doing. I know Karen has been playing around with it for quite a while. She has some really cool music in mind. And good apps to help.

Aaah as you might can notice. I am really excited about this!

I will keep you posted and share the end result once completed.

Stay tuned!

Take Care

Ancha XO

How I prepare for a dressage test

Test riding – does it make your body tense just hearing those words? I know a lot of people struggle with this and as I’m doing an online competition this month, thought what better timing than now to write a few words about it.

First I pick out what level I should do, I like to train higher than I compete.

Then I look at the test and see what specific movements is in it; so for the test I’m riding which is Elementary 44 we have: 10 metre circles & two half ten metre circles with change of rein in trot, halt 6 seconds, 15 metre circles and 5 metre loops in canter, one change the rein through trot and one change the rein from B to E with a simple change.

Then I ride each movement as an individual to see if we’re comfortable and confident doing them. When everything feels okey on their own I start putting things together.

Elementary 44 has the trotting part in the beginning and canter part in the end so I started by riding the trot part of the test separate and then the canter part.

Often when you start putting things together you find out weaknesses and strengths. Once it feels ok as separates I put it together. But still think of it as seperate parts – this way I don’t get overwhelmed.

In training I always think I want to highlight any issues and work them! In competitions I think “how can I highlight my strengths and hide my weaknesses.”

I ride through the whole test once with no expectations to see what happens when I put it all together.

As I’ve already ridden and practised the parts by themselves it shouldn’t have to many surprises. I like to ride through it a few times so it becomes a pattern in my head rather than me talking the test out in my head. This is the way I like to do it, other visualise it, some run it by foot, some draw it & there is even apps you can download now. There’s no rights or wrongs this is just a matter of how you as an individual like to learn.

At the actual competition day, or test riding like I’m doing this month, the main thing I like to put focus on is to enjoy it! Ride it as you’ve done before at home, you know you can do this, you’ve practised, trained, memorized & gone through this many times – believe in that. I take big comfort in just acceptance; whatever I feel on the day, I embrace and relax with it.

On the day is not a time to change anything, it’s a time to enjoy the amazing work you’ve put in beforehand!

Good luck and I hoped this helped.

Take Care

Ancha XO