Tails From Provence

I know I’ve been quiet here on the blog, but I’ve been doing stuff, really, I swear! This week, after introducing Aero to our new pedestal (yes, another post, I promise) I took him into the arena and just rode. Schooled? Messed around? I no longer know how to describe what I do…

I videoed bits and pieces on and off, and eventually rode a make-it-up-as-you-go dressage test.  So here it is in its entirety, and tacked on at the end is a shoulder-in left. Yes I know it’s hard to make it out, because we’re just microscopic dots on the screen, but it looks like SOMETHING is happening.  (There was also shoulder-in right, but somehow that was disappeared by the YouTube video editor. Boo.)

Anyway I looked at this video on Thursday evening and thought, Hey that’s not too bad really. Yes, technically his outline should be higher and the whole thing could be more punchy, but we’re relaxed, connected, harmonious… happy horse, happy rider.  And I thought, great! I’ll record something for Interdressage tomorrow and send it off.  I picked out the Fundamental Walk Trot Canter test 3.  There’s a lot going on in that test, but it’s interesting, if only I could manage to remember it!

I arrived at the farm on Friday to find a substantial pebble lodged in the white line of Aero’s left fore. It came out easily enough, but it left a bit of a hole, and I felt I should round off his toes a little more.  If the pebble had left a weakness in the white line/wall, rounding off the toes should help take the pressure off the weak spot.  I worked away for about five minutes and straightened up. YEOWCH.  The Back was not happy… never mind, keep going…

I tacked up, we went up to the arena and started walking around, stretching a bit and doing some sideways stuff.  And Aero started coughing almost immediately. The dust?  Or dusty hay? Who knows.  And my back was not happy either.  So I said, stuff it, and we went for a short walk through the woods instead.  Where we saw a lovely green lizard and disturbed either a wild boar or a deer, which rustled violently beside us before galloping off into the distance.  Aero’s reaction? Polite interest.  Oh how he has changed!

Anyway, that’s why, once again, I did not enter an Interdressage competition this month.  But here’s the video with some of Thursday’s work. (PS, I just realised that if you click Full Screen, you’ll get a HD version of the video. We’re still microscopic, but we’re slightly less fuzzy.)

If you’re interested in entering an online dressage competition, check out interdressage.com. There’s a nice Facebook community to go with it, too. Maybe I’ll see you there in May 😀