TF Megan - Solway Dressage Winter Dressage Series - Training 0.2

Here's the video. Isn't she trying so hard, bless her heart. Gosh I love this little horse. I feel just about as inspired as I ever have to learn how to ride dressage properly and that is saying something! I would love to know just how far we can go. Yes, I am realistic and I know she isn't a fancy big moving warmblood but if heart and temperament count for anything, I feel pretty confident that together we can realise a dream. 2.31 is the near elimination 'moment', check it out, hehe!

Day 2 of the Dressage Series

Well what a day! The weather when I got up this morning was absolutely horrid and it didn't improve until I finished riding in the early afternoon! By the time we got around to doing our second test the ground was like a skating rink and it was a big ask to expect a big unbalanced baby horse to perform in a small dressage arena but Meg tried her heart out for me and I could ask for no more from her.

Meg warmed up beautifully for her first test - we had a little more time than last time and it certainly made a difference. The test felt pretty good too. There were a couple of moments where things fell apart a wee bit (like the time where she contemplated exiting the arena at 'A'!) but I could not be happier with the way she went. We were rewarded with a score of 68% and first place! Thrilling!

The second test was really a case of Meg doing everything she could to stay upright! I pretty much threw the reins at her and pointed her in the right direction and left her to get on with it. I have never come so close to falling over in a dressage arena before and it happened more than once but, we stayed upright and managed to come away with a 52% mark and 6th place. We were absolutely covered in mud by the time we finished and I for one was very very pleased that it was over!!

Comments from my test sheets that I am most proud of are as follows:

From 0.2

"Nice marching steps, relaxed"
"Moving nicely forward. Good regular paces. A promising combination"

From 0.3

"Willing"
"Relaxed but not always taking up contact or accepting bridle" (kinda not surprising considering I threw the reins at her and let her get on with it, haha!)

And now for photos. There is a video as well but it is a HUGE file and I have not figured out how to shrink it so it is uploading to YouTube right now (and is about 20% done after an hour, haha!)

Meg and her red ribbon for 1st place in 0.2

It's all over and we're both very happy!

One of my fav pix

A 'moment' - Yes, that is mud flying through the air!!

We gave the canters a crack (me throwing reins and saying 'go!')

20m circle