Sunday, July 9
Jul. 9th, 2023 11:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gottawonderToday I am grateful for:
That I was able to get up early (8am, which is very early for me) and be able to get to the riding barn for our show. It was once again for the people taking lessons or training there.
River's breathing was pretty good today, in spite of the absolutely blistering heat. I was careful to keep misting him in between classes and kept him in the barn where it is cooler until we needed to be outside.
Over all we did well. I really pushed myself to RUN in the obstacle course where he was in hand, and we got second. Also placed second in the ridden obstacles.
I placed in the other classes too, though third, fourth, fifth.
Even though we did okay, I do know that in the ridden equitation class we really nailed the transitions, he was steady with rhythm, and did not break gait, yet we were scored lower because he is slower and not animated in his gaits. I get really tired of us being penalized for that.
It happens in all of our virtual Liberty shows too.
I really don't understand why it's such a big deal for everyone to have a horse moving really forward, when he is doing everything correctly and calmly. This isn't some big dressage event, this is our little barn show. He was more correct that the rider who placed second, whose horse was not doing good downward transitions. I chalk it up to the judge for that class coming from the saddle seat world, and the first two places were riding a fancy Morgan, and a Saddlebred. Why he was judging our mixed breed class, I don't know.
In this class we went from a walk to a canter, which he did well, then back down to a walk, and his transition back to a walk was beautiful both ways. He basically just lifted his belly and settled down to a walk with maybe one little trot step.
He really worked hard for me today, given how hot it was. He was absolutely calm even though there were strange horses, lots of people, shade umbrellas, and so on.
I know he's not "showy" or "forward", but he did great today.
One of the other riders is also a 2022 silver medalist from the Winter Paralympics (in snowboarding) and she spoke about her path to the medal. It was interesting. We got to see her medal, which weighs a ton.
I came home and had normal chores to do, and managed to get them done so I could nap.
Then I got up, let everyone outside in their pastures for a while, and (sigh) made myself pull weeds for an hour.
I learned about "the yips", a sudden and unexplained inability among athletes to be unable to perform routine muscle memory tasks, leading to changes in performance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yips
That I was able to get up early (8am, which is very early for me) and be able to get to the riding barn for our show. It was once again for the people taking lessons or training there.
River's breathing was pretty good today, in spite of the absolutely blistering heat. I was careful to keep misting him in between classes and kept him in the barn where it is cooler until we needed to be outside.
Over all we did well. I really pushed myself to RUN in the obstacle course where he was in hand, and we got second. Also placed second in the ridden obstacles.
I placed in the other classes too, though third, fourth, fifth.
Even though we did okay, I do know that in the ridden equitation class we really nailed the transitions, he was steady with rhythm, and did not break gait, yet we were scored lower because he is slower and not animated in his gaits. I get really tired of us being penalized for that.
It happens in all of our virtual Liberty shows too.
I really don't understand why it's such a big deal for everyone to have a horse moving really forward, when he is doing everything correctly and calmly. This isn't some big dressage event, this is our little barn show. He was more correct that the rider who placed second, whose horse was not doing good downward transitions. I chalk it up to the judge for that class coming from the saddle seat world, and the first two places were riding a fancy Morgan, and a Saddlebred. Why he was judging our mixed breed class, I don't know.
In this class we went from a walk to a canter, which he did well, then back down to a walk, and his transition back to a walk was beautiful both ways. He basically just lifted his belly and settled down to a walk with maybe one little trot step.
He really worked hard for me today, given how hot it was. He was absolutely calm even though there were strange horses, lots of people, shade umbrellas, and so on.
I know he's not "showy" or "forward", but he did great today.
One of the other riders is also a 2022 silver medalist from the Winter Paralympics (in snowboarding) and she spoke about her path to the medal. It was interesting. We got to see her medal, which weighs a ton.
I came home and had normal chores to do, and managed to get them done so I could nap.
Then I got up, let everyone outside in their pastures for a while, and (sigh) made myself pull weeds for an hour.
I learned about "the yips", a sudden and unexplained inability among athletes to be unable to perform routine muscle memory tasks, leading to changes in performance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yips
no subject
Date: 2023-07-10 06:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-07-10 07:00 am (UTC)As you may have guessed, the hardest part for me is sportsmanship. I'm working on it.
I did have fun today, though I am still stuck in the need to win/place. It's a funny thing to both sincerely be happy for someone else's win, but also want to win.
I am very pleased with River's "try" today. He was patient and calm, did what I asked, and was an all around good sport, and I was a fair and considerate rider with him. I feel like THAT is what I need to focus on.
no subject
Date: 2023-07-11 02:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-08-09 12:06 pm (UTC)Driven Dressage nixed the collective marks because they felt it was unfair (to my understanding) for those with less fancy general movement or who had a single bad moment. Why ding the competitors twice? Flashy movement is overrated and.