A bit of a brag! PLEASE add your own!

[Kyrabee]

I know it isn’t competition dressage but I have been training Spanish Walk from the ground for about 3 years. I have limited horse time due to elder care duties so it has been a slow process. The reason I started this training was to try and help her shoulder mobility (which it has)

I wasn’t sure how to transfer it to under saddle but decided to use the same cues. Yesterday for the first time I got 4 consecutive steps under saddle. We still very much need to work on the forward aspect so although they were rather short steps, she did go from the leg. As she gets more comfortable with me on top, I am sure she will get it.

Silly little brag but I am an older rider (68) the horse is 22 and was tickled she’s got it .

Susan

[Lunabear1988]

Not silly at all! That’s awesome:)

[Edre]

One of those small joys - in a lesson earlier this week my trainer made the comment “sorry I’m not giving you instruction consistently tonight, your mare is just so freaking cute I am getting distracted.”

It is a blast bringing her along. She makes me so happy. One of our local FEI riders has felt out my interest in selling (and if not selling, then allowing a breeding lease as they quite like her). That’s not in the cards for her but it is still really complimentary.

[outerbanks77]

My mare has a problematic canter. The hind legs are working better now that she’s in shoes, but she is not getting her shoulders up and out of the way. However, I caught this frame when she did a bizarre C/T transition in our clinic yesterday, so maybe I can coax it out of her over time.

[Manni01]

image

image

Hope that works…, this is my horse which I bought very spontaneously……

[Manni01]

Both if you are lovely!! It looks very good!!!

[ahdressage]

I am no expert, but things I love about this:

• The horse looks happy and relaxed.
• The contact is consistent and good.
• Horse is not showing any signs of resistance or discomfort (especially no tail wringing)
• All of the above is happening largely because you are riding quietly and in balance, thereby not restricting the horse’s movement.

Also, at least in my area, people would be appalled that the footing is not the ‘ideal’ type for dressage. I’ve always felt like this type of footing is fine, and in fact if the horse can go this well here, they will go even better on the fluffy expensive footing.

If I lived where you are, I would think about riding dressage again.
Looks like the decision to purchase this horse worked out well for you!

[Manni01]

Thank you so much . although I need to point out that that’s not me on the horse…

As I said this horse was not really planned and I have 3 nice riding horses myself. So I decided to place this youngster with my Trainer. she just started out at that time and had hardly any clients….
so my idea was to support her (and additionally make it a little easier for me because I was able to skip the “just started young horse phase”).
I know the footing is not ideal especially because my horses are boarded in a perfect facility with perfect footing. But it’s pretty far away and this facility is the one my trainer uses for her business and so I really bit the bullet and gave the horse to her…. So far I am not regretting it and I believe she is doing a great job….
And I love the horse… she will be amazing for me together with my other mare in some years…

April 2024

BTW that’s me ( I am not a pro and about 20 years older then my coach and that is my other youngster who I started myself. The connection is not as stable and looking at the video clips I believe I should really stay more back… I lean too much forward…. But overall I also like this mare…(still need a lot of work in the canter though…)

But the footing is great

[ahdressage]

Ahhh! Thanks for the additional details.
You’re doing a great job - both yourself and with the decision you made for having the young trainer work with your horse.
And don’t be too hard on yourself! Not many older AA riders are willing to take on the young greenies at all.

[Bearx2]

@netg your mare is absolutely lovely. Congratulations on some amazing rides

[netg]

@Bearx2

@netg your mare is absolutely lovely. Congratulations on some amazing rides

Awww, thank you! Since then we have qualified for nationals based on score after our third at regionals, and won a state championship.

Now we’ve been at a low point in that I have been having health challenges so I’m totally inconsistent riding as I try to figure out why I’m so stupidly exhausted. When I can work her, we’ve been working on collection and uphill thrust, when she is one who wants to power long and not always in balance. A friend got pics of the herd playing the other day, and caught my mare looking like this… I guess the uphill work has been absorbed even with less time than I want!

[Nootka]

That is awesome news!! Beautiful WOW

My brag:

My Knabstrupper stallion, Pyxis av Drömmarna, is NOW lifetime approved for the CWHBA as of April 24!!! It was a lengthy process but so worth it! Currently he is the only Knabstrupper stallion on the list, so that’s pretty cool too!

Dreams are finally coming true, and this will be a great option for mare owners in Canada!

Pyxis is lifetime approved with 4 registries and getting into one that is recognized with the WBFSH has been a huge goal from when I started this process.

*Knabstrupperforeningen for Danmark (KNN the Knabstrupper mother book)
*Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Association (CWHBA)
*Westfalen Knabstrupper book
*American Warmblood Society & Sporthorse Registry

!

[Manni01]

Sorry for bragging again but my youngest mare was placed 4th on Saturday in her first show in a young horse class for 4 year olds with my trainer

[PonyPenny]

My brag.

My daughter did her first ever dressage show June 1-2, 2024, on our 25 year old Hanoverian Peleus (Escudo II x Wanderer) and received qualifying scores at 2nd and 3rd level. The last time she showed him was seven years ago as a hunter where he won a National Hunter Derby and was champion Amateur Owner Hunter. She is a nurse and lives on the east coast and flew to the west coast on a whim because she missed riding and showing him. She took two lessons from my trainer and off to the show. She has never ridden dressage before. They are truly soulmates and as her mother, could not be more proud.

[outerbanks77]

Wow, that is impressive!

My girl has really started adulting this year. On Saturday she gave me canter half passes both ways, Sunday I let someone else sit on her for the first time, and he (trainer) got her changing leads over a jump. Yesterday we tried our first trail ride and she boldly led the pack the whole way.

[JBCool]

@Manni01

Sorry for bragging again

Why? That’s the name of the thread!

@PonyPenny, 25??? He looks absolutely fantastic! Keep kicking on, big guy!

Um, I have a hunter brag if that’s allowed here…

[skydy]

Go for it!

[netg]

As the creator of this thread, YES! More brags!

Horses are so hard, and expensive, and everyone should get applauded for their successes regardless of size!

I’m also living vicariously through everyone else as my health problems this year mean I’ve barely ridden since mid December. Luckily my horse is wonderful, but without a trainer to ride for me, I’m now going to have to get her back in shape with me! I do think there will be some advantages to it, though, as my horse has been hotter than usual due to time off when fit and sound, so we have had the chance to play with channeling her energy when she feels that way. She is incredibly fun when amped, and so trustworthy, and I believe that will carry over to shows as I get her super fit again, and she gets amped when stuck in a stall since she lives out at home.

[netg]

@PonyPenny

My daughter did her first ever dressage show June 1-2, 2024, on our 25 year old Hanoverian Peleus (Escudo II x Wanderer) and received qualifying scores at 2nd and 3rd level. The last time she showed him was seven years ago as a hunter where he won a National Hunter Derby and was champion Amateur Owner Hunter. She is a nurse and lives on the east coast and flew to the west coast on a whim because she missed riding and showing him. She took two lessons from my trainer and off to the show. She has never ridden dressage before. They are truly soulmates and as her mother, could not be more proud.

I would never have guessed anything but that this was a long term dressage pair, as the image looks so classically wonderful!

[netg]

@outerbanks77

Yesterday we tried our first trail ride and she boldly led the pack the whole way.

Sounds like you, too, have a unicorn! Very nice! I look forward to being able to get back into trail rides with my girl, she’s wonderful when I can get her out regularly. We have a super trail riding friend who makes it so fun!

@Manni01 brag away! Your 4 year old looks really lovely!