It was a weekend of "DOH!" 

Saturday evening we packed up Real Life and Double Up, the two seven year old geldings, and headed to the show. Morten had an amazing ride on Real Life, put down the winning score of 72%. Then he left for Germany.

Double Up did some great things, and made great improvements; we got three 8's! We also had one MAJOR screw up - before our first flying change I collected him too much in the corner and he lost balance and changed behind. Then changed in front after a few strides, and by then we had missed the spot for our flying change. So I got a 4 and a 1 on the two movements affected. Oh well. Still finished 6th with a 65.64%, so if I'd got better scores in those two parts I would have been in the awards. It's progress anyway. 

Then, on to Sunday's greatly anticipated show. I rode Domani first in the Prix St George. He went in awesome and then I turned left instead of right at C. DOH!! (Dad and I had talked two days ago about going off course and I said, 'I haven't done that in years…'  let's not bring that up before my first Grand Prix how 'bout?) I proceeded to have a pretty good go, with some mistakes in the canter pirouettes and almost went off course in the walk but saved it (and thought I said "shit" under my breath, but turned out it was quite above my breath! Bad, bad, bad.). Anyway, the -2 deducted from my score for the off-course error was the difference between 4th place and a tie for 2nd. Doh!

Countess gave me the best feeling I've had in a test, but with the worst score together so far. Yes, she was tight in the neck but no, I didn't always forget to let go. Some things she did really well, a lot was conservative and mediocre. The mistakes were HAMMERED by the judge. However, that's why I'm here, to get called out for the shit riding, not to fluff over it so that I only think it's good enough. We came last in the class. Doh!

I have watched the videos and kicked myself repeatedly for my duh or doh! moments. Really, the mistakes with Double Up and Domani cost such valuable points - just like with Domani, with Double Up there were only TWO POINTS separating 3rd place from 6th place. If I had actually RIDDEN the horse instead of just the test, I could have had that spot.  The good thing is, I'm so pissed at myself that I've already been training better at home, even without Morten's eyes to help me.  It's another busy week of riding again while Morten is gone, coaching Catherine Haddad at World Cup.  

This weekend I'm headed to the Hanoverian auction in Verden to advise a purchase, it will be a lot of fun. After that I'm back for a few days before heading to France for a horse-free mini-vacation! Then, just a few days after my return I'll get another chance at the Prix St George with my orange wonders. I'm already looking forward to it. 

It's been super busy with Morten gone the last week, so it was a relief to have him back in the saddle today. Yesterday I rode 13 horses and could have done 3 more but the time and my energy were both up. I did make it to the gym later, so I'm feeling a little pleased with myself still...

Today I started with great rides on the three year old colts, followed by great rides on my four year olds. Young ones are so fun. I understand the questions they ask and usually have a clever enough answer for them.  After five great rides I then had a proper lesson on Countess with Morten. 

Holy crap. It was Ah. Maze. Ing.

Countess and I have had a bit of a rough patch this past week. She was really distracted, tense, and pretty quick to tell me to go screw myself. Even when I thought I'd just have a nice day hacking last week she was a tit. I know I love this mare most of all because of the emotion I get when riding her; when she's great, I feel like she's given me every single thing she can offer, and she really does it for me. The flip side of that is when she's bad, she's quite an ass, and I take it personally. I've gone through the list of What Could Be Wrong: am I riding like an idiot (always the first question)? is she tired? have I been putting too much pressure on with the show coming? is she in season? is she perhaps very concerned about the new foal in the stall next to her and thinking she needs to be there to protect it in case a swarm of predators come through the yard?  

Lots of questions but not so many answers. Luckily, this week started much better. Monday was good, yesterday was fun. Then today was incredible. Even though Morten usually has one eye on my riding while he's working a horse, I haven't had a proper lesson in a long time, but with the show next weekend we're all on our toes. I have never had such a feeling; the canter was really sitting and light in the bridle, and the trot... oh, the trot. She has so much power in those hindlegs, and it seems I work her at about 50% most of the time. We got everything for a few minutes today, and it just confirmed my belief that she is the best horse I get to sit on. She's a firecracker, a crazy redhead, and she completely owns my loyalty.

I did mention to Morten as we were just sailing around in this incredible trot that I would chicken out and not ask for this at the show. He said that's fine, but I need to school this more at home or it will never come. Duh. I know this, but I guess I didn't know just how far to go with it.

I also had a lesson on Domani, which was excellent, but after the sharp work with Countess I think I was a little used up and not riding at my best. However, Domani being the star he is, he just did everything I asked and didn't get upset when I made mistakes. He's a big orange saint, that one.  

Spring is finally really arrived in Denmark and it's so nice to be warm and enjoying the green bits showing up everywhere after a long, wet winter. Life is good.  

What a week and weekend it's been!

Morten and Domani together taught me some good lessons this last week. I was having trouble in the tempi-changes with Domani, where he started getting very crooked, drifting to one side, and sometimes simply ignoring my aids. Morten reminded me to use not just my new outside leg to ask for the change, but to prepare him with my new inside leg. Voila! Clean, uphill, energetic changes through the two-times, and even some good ones. Morten is the first trainer who has stressed the new inside leg in the preparation and aid for the change, and it's made a huge difference!

In the canter-pirouettes I am still doing more work than Domani sometimes. Morten had me prepare with more energy and forward thinking riding, then simply "grab him with your outside leg and pull him around." Now, that sounds maybe like a lot of work, squeezing and such, but it was so much easier! I had already done all the work to collect the canter in preparation, then the clear turning with my outside leg along with the reins, kept him forward thinking, cantering, and turning. Excellent feeling!

Sunday saw me and Double Up at our second competition. It was a bit of a gong-show; we had only 10 minutes to warm up in the scariest warm up ring I've ever been in (and I saw some scary stuff in Germany) before we had to dismount, walk through a labyrinth of stabling, into the competition ring where we had a very small stool to help us climb Mount Huge Horse. The judge kindly gave us about 30 seconds after we mounted to check out the strangest competition ring I've ever ridden in before ringing the bell, signaling us to start our test. 

Due to the Corner from Hell, we had some disobedience and resistance, but otherwise there were a lot of improvements from two weeks ago. The frame was higher and more consistent and we didn't have the big mistakes from the first show. Even with the improvements, I was still pleasantly surprised to receive a 63.846% putting us in a tie for 9th out of 24.  I know it can still be so much better, so I'm hoping the next show to break over 65%. Double Up may not yet be a horse for 70%, but he is fun and getting the hang of this competition idea, so I'm happy to be able to take him out. 

The new video is on the right for your viewing pleasure. Please note the elegance I display when "pony-club-kicking" Double Up as he considers stopping to have a look at the flowers and other nonsense in the corner! :)

Finally, we had a foal born here this morning! A beautiful Romanov filly was squeezed out by Morten's mare Diba (who's breeding, I'm ashamed to say, has completely escaped me at the moment) at 2:45ish this morning.  The Birth Alarm was in my room so I was down in the stable right away and didn't leave until 6:00 to have a little nap before riding 10 excellent horses today. 

Morten is back in the US this week, so I'll be busy with 10-12 horses each day. I'm starting to focus on putting the pieces of the Prix St George together with Countess and Domani, but hoping not to drill them or myself into the ground. The show is still two weeks away, but I'm already excited for it! 

Monday morning the cowboys showed up and started working with the other two (of the four) young stallions. When I went to confirm that they would work "Dino" and "Diamant", the ones we've been working with, after the first group, they looked at me like I was an idiot (a look I get often) and said, "ah no, you ride them today. You had them going around on the bit Friday, our job is done." 

I thought they were joking; they weren't. I found this out in the afternoon when Morten asked me if I'd worked the colts yet. Once again I got that look and then told that I should just give it a try and then talk to Tristan the next day if I had any problems. Two weeks with a rider. What kind or problems could I possible have?!

I first took Dino (who, from now on, I must refer to as Bon Jovi. The horse has the most glorious, big, rock-star hair, circa 'Slippery When Wet' tour. I've never wanted less to pull a mane.) in to the round pen, did a little  work from the ground and got on. He was so smart that I decided to be less of a pansy and we went into the big ring. Genius. The horse is a good boy, and on a Monday even!

Next I took Diamant into the round pen. I didn't have so much confidence with Diamant since I'd only sat on him once, and otherwise Tristan has done everything. He's a bit more nervous and insecure than Bon Jovi, crying for his friends and getting distracted. And I've seen him buck. It was very impressive if you are recruiting rodeo horses. As a dressage queen, I wasn't so excited. 

So we just stayed in the round pen, where I rode walk, trot, and canter, again after doing some ground-work. I wasn't sure with his constant crying that I could hold his attention well enough to steer in the big ring, so I whimped out and just stayed in my comfort zone. 

Tuesday I was hoping Tristan would help me but they only had time for two, not four horses. Morten said it was fine if I stayed in the small hall until I felt more confident. 

So when everyone else was at lunch I tacked up Diamant, because he makes me a little more nervous I thought I'd just get it over with first, and went into the big ring. I decided to just get on with it; the horse knows the big ring, he knows the rider, he knows go and usually stop and turn. So what the hell. He needs to know it all with me.

Smarty smarty smart. That's what Diamant was! It was such a great feeling to do something that scared me and have success. We went around walk, trot, and canter, both directions, circles and straight. For a horse that only has two weeks experience with the rider I couldn't have asked for more. It's sounds so simple, describing what we did, but it felt like such a big accomplishment. 

I rode Diamant first today and Morten caught the end, saying how great it looked. A little adrenaline, a compliment from the boss… who needs coffee with a start like that?! :) 

I felt so brave and confident that I even decided to go to the new gym I've been avoiding… now that might have been over-doing it!

Another work week has come and gone, and it was another good one. With Morten away I've had 10-11 horses to ride each day. With the great team we have working together, it was easy to get the horses worked with no stress or extra hours.

Countess has been getting more amazing every week. Her flying changes, once a source of trouble for us, get better and better. We have been able to do lines of two-time changes that would be respectable in a show - straight, uphill, and balanced in the rhythm. Yesterday I had the best extended trot I've had with her; she is learning to lift the shoulders and take a longer step, not just get faster. I really, really believe in this mare and hope I can do her justice in bringing out her talents.

Another highlight of my week was riding the two 3 year old colts yesterday - this time with a bridle and in the big ring. Tristan and Will have done a great job, and I was able to ride the horses around with a confidence that one doesn't normally feel on such green horses. Yay cowboys!

Double Up had a nice day off Monday, bucking and grazing in the field. The rest of the week I started working towards a more uphill frame in the work, and I'm sure I heard him say, 'about time, lady!' We might be post-entered in a show for next weekend, so hopefully we can make some of the necessary changes to improve our results.

I've made a few changes here on the website, including the addition of the "Dressage for Dad" page.  After the overwhelming response to the first video, I've made a second, this time of last weekend's debacle with Double Up. One of these days I'll get the winning ride from Domani up with the scores, so that I look a little smarter than I do in the first two segments. So, to all five of you (yes, including Mom & Dad) who enjoyed the first Dressage for Dad, I give you your own page and the next installment... enjoy!