4/30/06 Kanuk first Dressage Show
I have to admit I was a bit disappointed.
Not that we didn't get as good of work or better
at the show than we did at home, but I think that
sitting around between the classes, instead of walking
around and exploring made Kanuk a bit more nervous.
We blew the second test because he wouldn't go
near the golf cart (judge's stand) - that we had just gone by numerous
times in the first test.
Otherwise, he was a star for me in the crazy warm up with horses
cantering up behind and past him in fairly close quarters.
No misbehavior and just a little looky at the strange jumps and people around the ring.
We got a 3rd and 5th, which isn't terrible for his first out.
Next time we'll do better.
 

He was very suspicious of the long snake that they carried into the ring. I stayed off of him until it was set.

 

He started to really relax about the poles, so there was no trouble with going near the edge of the ring or the letters.

We tried to stay out of people's way, but that's tough when 1st level is warming up with Intro.

 

He was aware of everything going on, but only one spook at the in gate, when a small child ran directly behind him. Thank goodness he just jumped forward and didn't kick out.

Enter at A.

 

Our halts were a little creepy, but no head tossing.

I worked to look where we were going and not focus on the golf cart. It worked in the first class, but not the second.

 

Starting our first trot circle.

The judge said we weren't very round on this one, but she liked the quality of the trot.

 

Coming across the diagonal in the walk. We had a little bit of stretch right before this picture, that's why I was grinning. Not enough for a very good score, but enough to show he was listening.

Heading into our left circle.

 

This one got a better score because it was closer to round.

He wasn't always paying attention to what we were doing in the ring.

 

Our second entrance wasn't so good, but I was grinning because he'd given me a canter transition in the warm up. I didn't really ask for it, but it was nice to see that he was responding and forward.

Nowhere near C for the turn to the left. Not sure how the golf cart changed....

 

We still got good scores on the gaits and our figures were in the right places.

We were really dinged on this walk for not having any stretch.

 

Even with him being more forward, I tried to keep my leg on and ask for engagement and not rushing. I don't know that I achieved it, but at least I knew I tried. It's tough to be calm, when you know you're trotting quickly toward the scary end of the arena.

Asking for more forward on a horse with this power certainly feels counter-intuitive.

 

It really wasn't a bad halt, but the second I let go of the reins his head went up.