My Show-For those who may care...

Buffymommy · #1 06-26-2006, 07:18 AM

I am off of work today so I don't have email addresses, but others who wished me well last week.

I ended up with a second in my first dressage test, third in the second test. I almost went clean in the jumping but had .10 over the time allowed so THREE FAULTS. Got second. There were only two of us in the jumping and the trainer on a green horse beat me in both dressage tests and the jumping. She was five points ahead of me going into the jumping class. She went clean and I had three faults so she beat me by 8 points. BUT I JUMPED CLEAN. Buck hesitated at the LAST jump because of a gate in the bushes next to the last jump that he didn't like. Took every ounce of leg strength I had to keep him inside the jump and to go over it. But all and all for my first jumping class I am happy with it.

ON TO THE NEXT SHOW NEXT MONTH!

Thanks for the good wishes last week. Genuine, I hope you did well yesterday too.

paisjpq · #2 06-26-2006, 07:35 AM

well done buffy. It's a nice feeling to get the first one under your belt. Best of luck in the next.

Buffymommy · #3 06-26-2006, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paisjpq

well done buffy. It's a nice feeling to get the first one under your belt. Best of luck in the next.

Thanks paisjpq. I was sooooo happy yesterday. Haven't gotten a blue ribbon yet, but I have a feeling about next month. I tell you what after I got done with the jumping class I gave Buck the biggest hug and a kiss on his sweaty nose. I think my husband gave him about five carrots and two apples (after I hosed Buck off and he was cooled out). I think I love this horse more everyday. I seriously hope they continue to let me ride him for a long while. Just need to work on our free walk (more impulsion in the rear) and our circles. We have the size of the circles down, just have to get more curve into Buck. I did score an 8 on my down center line and square halt well the second one anyway. Judge even complimented me on it after the test was over. Not bad for an out-of-shape woman reliving her youth and a western pleasure horse.

Funniest thing? About five people came up to me and asked if Buck's tail was a wig. He has the most beautiful tail. Everyone was jealous!

I had a great day. Well I am off to be a blond again! Thanks for listening to my stories! Chat at you later!

Downthestretch55 · #4 06-26-2006, 11:41 AM

Congrats!
Good luck in the next.

cal828 · #5 06-26-2006, 09:54 PM

Buffy. I still don't understand a lot of what you are talking about especially
that "impulsion in the rear" thing. Sounds like you're shooting off a rocket or something. Doesn't matter though. I can understand enough to know that you did well. Nice to hear that someone did well at something they like doing.

PeteMugg · #6 06-26-2006, 10:18 PM

Congrats Buffy. Sounds like a great day doing what you love to do.

Buffymommy · #7 06-26-2006, 10:41 PM

cal: Impulsion from the rear is what the judge says when you need to get your horse moving more underneath itself and pulling the power out of it's rearend. (Hence why I have a thing for horses with big butts) Dressage they like that. It is hard for Buck to do that because he is a western pleasure horse and is very out of shape so he is very heavy on the forehand, meaning he carries the majority of his weight on his front legs when moving because of his weakness in his rear because of being out of shape. He really just started getting back to normal work about two months ago. I try to ride at least four times a week now so he is getting more normal works and am working on circles and stuff to help him build up the strength in his rearend.

Did I just confuse you more? I have a tendency to go on and on. Sorry. Basically, I do dressage (just intro stuff) and have started jumping. We had a combined show which is one dressage class and one jumping class. You take your score from the dressage class and minus any faults ya get in the jumping class. That is what you get pinned for in the combined event.

Thanks Pete & DTS! I had a wonderful day!

P.S. Pete I love your signature!

cal828 · #8 06-26-2006, 11:40 PM

Very seldom that I actually see any dressage or jumping except I think I've seen it a few times when they were showing the Olympics. No, you didn't confuse me more. I think I might have an idea of what you are talking about now, but what do you mean when you say your horse is a western pleasure horse? Does that mean that he wasn't necessarily bred for dressage or jumping?

Buffymommy · #9 06-27-2006, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cal828

Very seldom that I actually see any dressage or jumping except I think I've seen it a few times when they were showing the Olympics. No, you didn't confuse me more. I think I might have an idea of what you are talking about now, but what do you mean when you say your horse is a western pleasure horse? Does that mean that he wasn't necessarily bred for dressage or jumping?

Buck was trained in western pleasure. Meaning up until about three years ago Buck had never been ridden english or jumped in his life. A girl took him and was training him jumping and dressage. She did a very nice job with him and even showed in some schooling shows but then stopped after about a year or two. Buck then became a western trail horse for his owner. Some others rode him english now and then, but he wasn't seriously worked for about six months to a year. Honestly, in my opinion the horse should have been trained for jumping or hunters. The horse loves to jump. He hasn't refused a fence for me yet. Ears prick forward when we go into the jumping ring and a spring comes to his step.

paisjpq · #10 06-27-2006, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buffymommy

Just need to work on our free walk (more impulsion in the rear) and our circles. We have the size of the circles down, just have to get more curve into Buck. I did score an 8 on my down center line and square halt well the second one anyway. Judge even complimented me on it after the test was over. Not bad for an out-of-shape woman reliving her youth and a western pleasure horse.

I trained a little (14.3) App. for a friend of mine a few years ago for low level dressage and those were the types of things he just never got the hang of because HE wanted to be a western pleasure horse. Unfortunately he has bone cancer and is unrideable now so I never got to see if he could come around. Don't get discouraged if he can't learn it, just enjoy what he can do...

Buffymommy · #11 06-27-2006, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paisjpq

I trained a little (14.3) App. for a friend of mine a few years ago for low level dressage and those were the types of things he just never got the hang of because HE wanted to be a western pleasure horse. Unfortunately he has bone cancer and is unrideable now so I never got to see if he could come around. Don't get discouraged if he can't learn it, just enjoy what he can do...

I am soooo sorrry about your friend's horse. That is horrible. Is your friend ok?

I am enjoying Buck while I can ride him. He is a blast to be around, meaning he is such a sweetheart and loves attention. We aren't going to any big shows. I don't want to do that. We are a good match. I don't plan on jumping anything bigger than say 2'3 and not going higher than any training level dressage classes. He is fine for that. Only reason I can't get the impulsion from his rear is that when I ask for a little more umph out of him his head comes up in the free walk. So I have to go with either or here. Next month I will try having the head come up and see how the judge scores me. I really am just doing it for the fun of doing it. I am not a "die-hard" competitor for the shows. Just interested in seeing how I do. I like dressage because I like how you know exactly how you did and what you need to work on when you get your scores.

GenuineRisk · #12 06-27-2006, 11:56 AM

I'm so proud of you! Yay!

And so envious you get to ride 4 times a week! I had my one lesson last night.

I was in my hometown over the weekend and my uncle is taking care of a horse for the woman who watches his horse when he's out of town. She's not a rider, but her grandmother was and the horse was her grandmothers. Loveliest little (14'3", maybe?) fleabitten grey QH. And sweet! My uncle says as soon as her saddle arrives he'd be happy if I'd give her some exercise next time I'm in town. Um... how soon can I get back?

He also has a big TWH that could use some exercise, too, but apparently the big guy does walk and fast walk and that's it. Never learned how to pick up the canter.

Buffymommy · #13 07-17-2006, 03:30 PM

OK, had a show yesterday. Got third in all of my classes. BUT the two people ahead of me were trainers on young horses (who are probably worth $30,000 a piece).

I did improve in the first dressage test (scored a 64% up from a 61% last month). With an awesome second circle and a nice moving free walk. So our impulsion in the free walk has improved.

We did worse by about .5% on the second dressage test because Buck decided to be a stinker in our circle and decided to throw a tiny "buck" in when I asked him to bend into his turn. We did get a "NICE PAIR" in the judge's comments section. The scribe for the judge was Freddy's owner, she said she really liked Buck and I. She said "You ride him girl" and laughed when Buck did the little buck because I gave him a little swat with the crop and called him a "Stinker". (I don't think the judge heard me because we were on the opposite side of the ring and I said it loud enough for only Buck to hear.) But we only got scored a whooping "5" for that circle and it was a double coeffient so I actually lost two points. Also "STINKER" as I was referring to him until our jump class also decided to not stop to a walk before the ending halt at "X" so we did a "working trot to X and then stopped and saluted" instead of a halt through medium walk. We got a "6 for that instead of the "8" we got last month.

Jumping was very much improved. I hit about three rails but they all stayed up and we were the fastest ones around the course. I had lower dressage scores and the two ahead of me went clean too so again Third place in the combined. Buck was awesome in the jumping so he ended up getting all of the carrots my husband brought with him. I even brought some home made treaties from some of the girls at the barn (they were selling them for charity for the ASPCA for help with some rescued horses). So Buck got those too.

Well, thanks for listening and for the good wishes.

Downthestretch55 · #14 07-17-2006, 03:44 PM

Nice going Buffy!
Good to hear that you and Buck are doing well.
Stinker...huh? They ALL are! lol

I went to the farm today to give Shot o' Bourbon a little work, but dang! It's so hot that I didn't dare take her from beneath her cool shady tree.
Looks like Big Daddy Ray is "in" on Friday. Stay tuned.

Ride 'em hard...ride 'em fair and firm.

#15 07-17-2006, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buffymommy

I ended up with a second in my first dressage test, third in the second test. I almost went clean in the jumping but had .10 over the time allowed so THREE FAULTS. Got second. There were only two of us in the jumping and the trainer on a green horse beat me in both dressage tests and the jumping. She was five points ahead of me going into the jumping class. She went clean and I had three faults so she beat me by 8 points. BUT I JUMPED CLEAN. Buck hesitated at the LAST jump because of a gate in the bushes next to the last jump that he didn't like. Took every ounce of leg strength I had to keep him inside the jump and to go over it. But all and all for my first jumping class I am happy with it.

ON TO THE NEXT SHOW NEXT MONTH!

A bit of advice ... next time try doing this while on the back of a horse.

You'll find that the horse can run faster and jump higher than you can ... and that will improve your chances dramatically.

Good luck.

Downthestretch55 · #16 07-17-2006, 05:25 PM

Buffy,
Did you ever notice that the "fraud" seems to find a need to respond to every one of my posts on this board?
He's such an angry old idiot! Guess he got that way from living for so long in that refrigerator box under the 1-95 overpass.
Wait til he tells you about his "breeding" expertise, cause, he certainly an "expert" on world affairs...and now he's telling YOU how to ride a horse!
He's a "self proclaimed" expert on just about everything....
The "King of the bottle and can collectors" of 1-95, deposit only.
LMFAO!!!
I wonder how he fits so much insight into the limited time he gets from the library. So many posts, so little time, so much bul-sh-t.
Actually, I think it's good that they turned him out from the mental institution because he was costing us taxpayers more than plenty. I just hope he cashes enough nickle deposits to buy his meds.

GenuineRisk · #17 07-17-2006, 05:42 PM

Thanks for keeping us updated on your shows, BM! I love reading about them.

I'm off to the gym and then my riding lesson. It's a sad state of affairs when it's so hot in NYC that I flee to the gym to stay cool! (We can't afford an A/C right now so I'm avoiding home until after dark. Our new apartment only takes wall units, not window units, and those wall units start at $550!)

paisjpq · #18 07-17-2006, 05:51 PM

glad to hear you had fun Buffy! BTW my friend's horse that has cancer is doing ok (as is she). He was diagnosed a year ago and is still pasture sound so he hangs out and eats all day while her other two have to work...

timmgirvan · #19 07-17-2006, 11:01 PM

Buffy: great job! It's nice to have an avocation that gets your juices flowin! TMG

Buffymommy · #20 07-18-2006, 06:41 AM

Thanks everyone. Have until September for the next show. Have some time to work on our "bending" in the turns. We have the same judge coming in September so lets see how the scores are then.

Pais, glad to hear that your friend's horse is doing well. Now he gets to "retire" so to speak. Give him treaties and lots of kisses.

And Brooklyn, why are you being mean and sarcastic on this thread? I put it in the "off topic" section so as to not bother you "gamblers" who could care less about riding.

Oh and guys, I did jump the 2'3 roll top jump in my lessons lately. It was fun. My trainer and the barn owner were watching. They laughed because we looked awesome going over it, but about five strides after the jump was a puddle. Buck spooked at it and kinda side stepped around it. (even though we had been trotting through puddles for the whole lesson.)