The 2013 Wrap Up
First came the Nationals. We did a nice job but unfortunately it just was not a shining performance. JD achieved a 6th and a 9th which is quite respectable against the best horses in the country, including the beautiful World Royal ridden by Daniella Dierks which has now been sold back to Europe he was so good. We attempted our first freestyle which was a little bit of a mess. Both JD and I were a bit overcome with the pressure of competing in the indoor and overwhelmed by trying to do a perfect job of our first freestyle and it really just fell apart for the first half. The second half was significantly better. But I knew the first freestyle was going to be tough, that is why I embarked on it. We will be riding it again at Dressage with Altitude and the Sydney CDI, and I just know we are going to do better.
After the Nationals we took a break from horses and headed to the Gold Coast for a family holiday. It was quite a shock when the organisers of Equitana rang to ask if I would like to try out for the Carl Hester Clinic as a couple of the selected combinations had to pull out. Two days later JD and I were at Equitana. Equitana was a fantastic experience. Carl Hester is an absolutely brilliant instructor. JD and I were selected to do one of the Education Sessions and even in that short time I was given some brilliant advice. Here are a couple of the things Carl picked me up on –
- Do not lift yourself out of the saddle in a flying change. The horse should change off your spur. Keep your seat in the saddle.
- Ride with purpose into the change. This will give bigger, more expressive changes.
- When you are doing the exercise in canter where you shorten the stride and lengthen the stride in order to develop strength in the horse and encourage collection, do not let him fall on the forehand when you push him out after the collected steps. Push him out but maintain the uphill feeling of the collection, push him up into the bridle.
- JD is a much laid back character, who in a big crowd atmosphere has a tendency to fall out of canter into trot if he gets distracted. Carl said to be onto him immediately. I do tend to think about it for a minute and then prepare him for canter and canter on. You have to be quicker with the correction aids.
My favourite experience at Equitana was having the opportunity to ride in the Dome Arena on the afternoon when all the dressage horses were doing the arena familiarisation. It was awe inspiring to enter the arena; JD felt that the place was special too. He did not get scared, he loved the atmosphere and he really danced for me. Maybe we will get to compete there one day.
The week following Equitana it was off to the Southern Highlands to the beautiful Wallaby Hill Farm for the Hayley Beresford Clinic hosted by Camilla Palmer from Bird’s Equisports. It is a great clinic, there are a great friendly bunch of riders who attend and Hayley is brilliant. This is my second clinic and Hayley thought JD had really come along so I must have been doing my homework. Hayley has been working with us to get JD to work through his back. We have done a lot of stretching work, I can now feel when the horse is really carrying himself and working through the whole body into the bridle. The German term is ‘Durchlassigkeit’ - Coming ‘through’ or ‘letting the aids through’. We also got to start piaffe this time which is always fun. We are a long way from a competition piaffe, but JD is certainly getting the hang of it. Hayley is coming back in February and I can’t wait.
In December BC Just Magic and MW Shockwave did their first Young Horse Qualifier. Both received qualifying scores for the CDI and DWTS. It was the first time that both horses had been to the grounds at Clarendon where there is lots to look at including trains, planes from the RAAF base and sheep. They were both very well behaved. We are off to Clarendon in January in an attempt to get a couple more qualifying scores. Both horses are working very well at home so I am hoping for some good results. Young Horse classes for four year olds are tough. The horses are still developing their strength and balance, yet they are expected to show some exceptional lengthened strides and be developing expression in their paces. Sometimes I feel like my horses are still trying to work out how to walk, trot and canter. Anyway, there is nothing like a challenge to get you to train harder and step outside the comfort zone. I feel like they are stepping up to the challenge, hopefully the judges can see the results.
Only two foals this year. BC Firefly by Furst Romancier out of BC Willow is absolutely stunning. BC Sunshine by Sir Donnerhall out of Aurum Pepeliashka is gorgeous too. Both are going to be super movers and very tall.
2014 is going to be another big year. The Hanoverian classification tour comes through in February, Just Dance is going to be competing at Dressage with Altitude for the first time and if the qualifying scores for Just Magic and Shockwave are good enough we will be off to Dressage With the Stars in March.
NEWSFLASH: Magic won the 4YO Qualifyier at Clarendon in January with a sensational score of 8.04!
Photos courtesy of Dressage Bits 'n Pics and Badger Photography
