I was thinking about the fact that we will be heading to Denver soon and started checking out the Rocky Mountain Dressage Society calendar. Uh oh.
The fact is, I really need to get some consistent showing in this summer. This once or twice a year isn't going to cut it. My horses need seasoning. I need seasoning. I need targets to shoot for instead of this wandering aimlessly "I think I want to go to that show. Oh crap, the entries are due tomorrow." stuff that I always seem to do.
If I have dates to focus on, I ride more consistently. Working seven days a week at the track is exhausting and it makes getting motivated to ride my dressage horses a lot more difficult. Sometimes, we have so much work to do that I get overwhelmed and to that point where I just want to shut down and rest. Obviously, this isn't helpful to getting my dressage time in. I'm a lot more likely to get the motivation, no matter how completely exhausted I am, if I there is something for me to look forward to.
It's not that I need to show just to show. I like showing and think it helps my riding and confidence. It makes me focus. Most of all, it's fun.
The good part about Denver is that there are more than enough shows and clinics to aim for. The CDIs aren't an option, but most of the rest are.
Options
(We won't be in Denver until around the middle of May)
1. 5/17 Carpe Diem Schooling Show
2. 5/30-31 High Prairie I & II
3. 5/31 Triple Creek Schooling Show
1. 7/5-6 Rocky Mountain Dressage III & IV
2. 7/11-12 Dressage at the Park Summer Warm-Up and II
3. 7/19- Dressage in the Forest II Schooling show
4. 7/26-27 Autumn Hill Dressage Festival III & IV
Options:
1. 8/1-3 Dressage in the Rockies I, II, & III
2. 8/9 Triple Creek Dressage Schooling Show
3. 8/23-9/7 World Equestrian Games.....just kidding.
Sixteen recognized shows and six schooling shows to choose from. Wow! That's a lot of options and a lot of $! I'm really going to have to prioritize which horses I want to take to which shows. Clinicing would be great, but I don't know much about most of these clinicians and don't want to spend the money without a little more information.
Beefheart: I want to get quite a few shows into him this summer. Four at the very least.
Windtalker (Winn): He REALLY needs to hit some shows this summer. Badly. We'll see.
Winndelynn (Indy): If she makes a show while we're there, I'll be happy. I'm already behind with her and I'm not going to fry her brain trying to get her caught up. That being said, she probably needs to be my highest priority when it comes to daily training and lessons.
Gunner: There isn't really any need to show him, I just want to. As long as they are all outdoor or just covered arenas. He HATES fully enclosed arenas (see Show Time) and I'm not going to worry too much about getting him over it as he's not technically a show horse.
I have absolutely no idea which shows I'll be able to make with which horses right now. The track makes it hard because it will depend on how many pay horses we have at the track (to fund my habit) and how much help we hire. It also depends on where I board them.
I want to keep riding with the jumper trainer I rode with last year because he has me ride tactfully and that is what I'm comfortable with. On the other hand, having a dressage trainer that knows which shows are worth going to or what clinicians are worth riding with would have some serious benefits.
This will be my first time going to shows without a trainer of some sort around (unless I can convince/bribe Mr. H/J trainer to go or find a dressage trainer). Even Ty probably won't be able to make most of them. I won't have help for the most part and I won't know anyone. Though the not knowing anyone part is okay. It reduces the chances of them seeing me screw up or caring if I do. Being insignificant can have it's benefits.
I figure that the best plan I can make right now is to hit the schooling shows since I know I can afford them. Then have one or two recognized shows to try for. That seems realistic and reasonable to me. I think.
 |
| Me showing my mom's horse, Regairo, in 2012. She couldn't show because she had surgery and so baited me to come home with showing him :) Unfortunately, she wouldn't let me steal Reggie. |
The fact is, I really need to get some consistent showing in this summer. This once or twice a year isn't going to cut it. My horses need seasoning. I need seasoning. I need targets to shoot for instead of this wandering aimlessly "I think I want to go to that show. Oh crap, the entries are due tomorrow." stuff that I always seem to do.
If I have dates to focus on, I ride more consistently. Working seven days a week at the track is exhausting and it makes getting motivated to ride my dressage horses a lot more difficult. Sometimes, we have so much work to do that I get overwhelmed and to that point where I just want to shut down and rest. Obviously, this isn't helpful to getting my dressage time in. I'm a lot more likely to get the motivation, no matter how completely exhausted I am, if I there is something for me to look forward to.
It's not that I need to show just to show. I like showing and think it helps my riding and confidence. It makes me focus. Most of all, it's fun.
The good part about Denver is that there are more than enough shows and clinics to aim for. The CDIs aren't an option, but most of the rest are.
May
(We won't be in Denver until around the middle of May)
1. 5/17 Carpe Diem Schooling Show
2. 5/30-31 High Prairie I & II
3. 5/31 Triple Creek Schooling Show
June
Options:
1. 6/1 High Prairie III -Three recognized shows in three days within fifteen minutes of us is very tempting.
2. 6/7 Cottonwood Dressage Riding Club Schooling Series
3. 6/14-15 Rocky Mountain Summer I & II
4. 6/21-22 Autumn Hill Dressage Festival I & II
5. 6/22 Dressage in the Forest Schooling Show
6. 6/28 Hidden Creek Dressage Schooling Show
July
Options:
1. 7/5-6 Rocky Mountain Dressage III & IV
2. 7/11-12 Dressage at the Park Summer Warm-Up and II
3. 7/19- Dressage in the Forest II Schooling show
4. 7/26-27 Autumn Hill Dressage Festival III & IV
August
1. 8/1-3 Dressage in the Rockies I, II, & III
2. 8/9 Triple Creek Dressage Schooling Show
3. 8/23-9/7 World Equestrian Games.....just kidding.
Sixteen recognized shows and six schooling shows to choose from. Wow! That's a lot of options and a lot of $! I'm really going to have to prioritize which horses I want to take to which shows. Clinicing would be great, but I don't know much about most of these clinicians and don't want to spend the money without a little more information.
Beefheart: I want to get quite a few shows into him this summer. Four at the very least.
 |
| The Beefimeus |
Windtalker (Winn): He REALLY needs to hit some shows this summer. Badly. We'll see.
 |
| Me and Winn. Yes, my heels are dug into him. He's lazy, I forgot my spurs, and I had to ride my ass off. Not sure why I look like a She-man hunchback in either. Bad angle? Bad shirt choice and having an exercise helmet on? Yes, I forgot my GPA too. And polos. I drove from Phoenix to Albuquerque before I remembered all of the things I forgot. |
Winndelynn (Indy): If she makes a show while we're there, I'll be happy. I'm already behind with her and I'm not going to fry her brain trying to get her caught up. That being said, she probably needs to be my highest priority when it comes to daily training and lessons.
 |
| Indy last summer (3 years old) |
Gunner: There isn't really any need to show him, I just want to. As long as they are all outdoor or just covered arenas. He HATES fully enclosed arenas (see Show Time) and I'm not going to worry too much about getting him over it as he's not technically a show horse.
 |
| Gun Gun |
I have absolutely no idea which shows I'll be able to make with which horses right now. The track makes it hard because it will depend on how many pay horses we have at the track (to fund my habit) and how much help we hire. It also depends on where I board them.
I want to keep riding with the jumper trainer I rode with last year because he has me ride tactfully and that is what I'm comfortable with. On the other hand, having a dressage trainer that knows which shows are worth going to or what clinicians are worth riding with would have some serious benefits.
This will be my first time going to shows without a trainer of some sort around (unless I can convince/bribe Mr. H/J trainer to go or find a dressage trainer). Even Ty probably won't be able to make most of them. I won't have help for the most part and I won't know anyone. Though the not knowing anyone part is okay. It reduces the chances of them seeing me screw up or caring if I do. Being insignificant can have it's benefits.
I figure that the best plan I can make right now is to hit the schooling shows since I know I can afford them. Then have one or two recognized shows to try for. That seems realistic and reasonable to me. I think.
Yay shows, sounds like a fun summer ahead! It is so hard to balance and prioritize all the potential horse activities, I need to make a plan for myself too!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could do almost all of them! My mind says yes, but my wallet and schedule says no. Oh well, some is better than none. I hope you have a fun show season :)
ReplyDeleteWishing you the best of luck planning your show season, you have such gorgeous horses! I hope you can convince photo/video-graphers to watch you train & compete so that we(I) can stalk along and live vicariously through you!
ReplyDeleteAlso I don't know if you have heard of www.dressageanywhere.com, a way of videoing yourself doing a test and having recognised judges score you & give feedback...I have been meaning to try it out for the longest time - just haven't gotten around to it it!
Thank you. I will definitely try to get some video. Specifically if I show Indy because it might end turn into a rodeo. Think the judge will blow the whistle after 8 seconds and give me a score if I last that long? ;)
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of that website. That sounds like a great idea and I'll certainly check it out!
Sounds like you've got a busy season coming up!! It also sounds like a blast! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm excited :)
ReplyDeleteI don't show much, but Fawkes and I did a schooling dressage show at Triple Creek last fall and it was nice - low key, well run, nicely priced. Definitely come to Denver, we have lots of fun here :)
ReplyDeleteI will be there. Maybe I'll get to meet you at one of the shows :)
ReplyDelete