May 20, 2006: Moving Up in the World (of Dressage)

I decided that I wasn’t going to show for awhile, so that Quila and I could work on moving up a few tests... we’re both bored with First Level Test 1 (well, I am anyway--she may still be feeling smug about her Blue Ribbon at DG Bar, earned with very little contribution from me). I’ve looked over our alternatives: Tests 2, 3 and 4 (since Second Level is still well beyond our reach, and one of my goals this year is to make it to the CDS/USDF Championships). Test 2: double coefficients on POSTED trot lengthenings--FORGET THAT. Test 3: now that has possibilities. Then I looked at Test 4, which to my eye is a test made for us: both trot lengthenings SEATED, the stretchy circle NOT after a lengthening, and, as an added bonus, I can put a “Q” after the class number on an entry form. I’ve been longing to do that... I initially planned to hold off on showing her again until the end of June, but now I’m starting to think that maybe, just maybe, we’ll set our sights earlier.

I tried riding the canter sequence today, and it was a piece of cake--far easier, actually, than Test 1. It shows off what we do well, and even gives us double coefficients for it. Cool. I get to START the canter in a circle, which lets me really get her on her hind end, and then I get a corner, to balance her even further before asking for a lengthening (and she LOVES those), then I get to take that energy, bring her back and really balance her through TWO corners before I ride the single loop serpentine. We can SO do that movement. She is a counter-cantering fool. We can do any counter canter movement in the book, and she will be a dream. She is lovely forward for it, though, after the previous lengthening, because she hopes that maybe, just maybe, I’ll let her lengthen again. She realizes I won’t, though, and she softens, so that after 2 more corners, she’s truly lovely and nice for the change in lead through trot... another movement she excels at (though why can’t she show off her flying change, dagnabbit, she says), and then I get another corner, circle, corner to get her canter absolutely gorgeous and flowing, uphill and balanced, before a lengthening (YIPPEE! she says), and we repeat the series. The test ends on a high note: a very uphill, forward trot (she’ll pretend she’s doing a mini-lengthening, and really push from behind for me), into the halt at X. It will be a SMASHING SUCCESS for us, the second half of the test. (At least that’s my prediction). We always do a nice first half, but then I often struggle with her getting a bit strong and strung out in the canter in Test 1... The placement of the corners and the circles, and the flow of Test 4 just suits us, and especially her, so much better. Were they thinking of ME when they wrote it? It will feel like I’m cheating. :wink: