Went into the arena and he did drop me a bit and true to form with freestyle I did lose a bit of focus meaning that I drifted around in the walk and basically ended up walking a 20m circle. Do need to make sure ask for canter on the straight line - if ask for it on the 20m circle get too much inside neck bend and fall out through shoulder. Definitely still want to end up in the same place to start canter as that worked well and led on to finishing the routine in exactly the right place. His FWLR wasn't as forwards as it could be and he decided to spook at a lighter patch of arena on the way into a nice final halt. Couldn't hear the start of the music so was half way through the intro before I actually started! Think the competitors in the neighbouring arena were whinging about the music being too loud. He cantered in the first attempt at medium trot which was a real shame as she gave him a 4 then got our first 7 for the 2nd attempt but averaged out at a 5 :( Got 7's for working trot left and both lots of canter plus our transitions but disappointed with 6's for his walk work and his halts. 6.5, 6.5, 7 and 7 for his artistic marks. "He needed a little more suppleness and energy but an interesting plan and good to the music" Only got 65.55% which was a bit disappointing and even more so when turns out we won the Restricted section but that's not a qualifying score :( Judge was same one as on Saturday for the Elem and she's really not that keen on giving us 7's and certainly never anything higher. Was amazed we got 65% in the Elem on Sat.
Little rest then quick warmup working on simple changes and a little leg yield, both of which went ok so into our first Elem dressage to music. He dropped me a bit again and I drifted around aimlessly a bit more as not so sure of my floorplan and how it would work. Same judge - only got 6.5 for choreography this time, although another 7 for music. 6.5's for rhythm and harmony. Another disappointing 6 for his FWLR, 7 for medium this time. 7 for trot 10m circle left, 6 for circle right, 6 for medium trot (need more ground cover, tight in shoulders), 6's for LY (needs more fluency and suppleness), 7 for canter left but only 6 for canter right. 6 for medium canter (hurried and on forehand), 6's for his simple changes (little more balance and fluency down, obedient) and 6 for halts. "He is very obedient but needs to be more supple and to develop better self carriage"
First bit of floorplan worked quite well, trot was fine, walk I could do with not ending up so far up the arena as had to start medium canter still on the half circle. Not quite sure how to fix that one - will have a think, maybe track the other way off the centre line, change rein across diagonal in FWLR then two 1/2 10m circles in medium walk to use up time but not arena. I was then ahead for most of the canter work and managed to break to trot finishing my canter 15m circle right which is when I was meant to do my 2nd simple change so then had to canter round the short side before doing it away from the judge again which wasn't the idea. Then again ended up ahead for the 2nd medium canter and started it going round the short side, had to come back to trot on the diagonal line back to the track as well which is not the best place to ask him for a trot right transition. Tweaking to be done! Ended up wrong end of the arena for medium trot and then couldn't work out what to do to use up time so put in a 10m circle left in trot but still ended up coming down final centre line trying to steady him up as ahead of music and halted a few seconds ahead of it. Not surprised we got lower mark for choreography. Oh well, it's all a learning experience! Was actually really pleased with his LY as not much chance to practice this in our tiny arena. Also very very pleased with the simple changes as hard movement for him and only just getting the hang of them at home, let alone in competition. So, clever horsie only went and won again! Only a small class but still pleased. Not so pleased with again being 1.5% off a qualifying mark on 64.42% but I know where we can improve - onwards and upwards!
On the up side, I didn't feel any unevenness in his headcarriage on the right rein in trot in either test which has been bugging me for a while. Next freestyle outing in 4wks time at Pachesham again and then a couple of weeks later at the Wellie Area Festivals.
Floorplans for next time:
Novice
start music at corner marker
walk down centre line and halt
move into trot and bear right to the 3/4 line
15m circle left
cont down 3/4 line and track left
change rein across short diagonal to the long side in medium trot
15m circle right
up to A and down the centre line
trot down centre line then into walk after X
curve left to the track
1/2 15m circle right in medium walk starting between S and H
FWLR across the short diagonal to E
turn across the centre line E-B
aim to canter left on straight line over X
C - canter 20m circle left
long side - 5m loop in from the track
long side - 5m loop in from the track
medium canter down next long side after A
1/2 15m circle left and back to track then change leg through trot
A - 20m circle right
5m loop down the long side
1/2 15m circle right and back to track then into trot
medium trot across 3/4 length diagonal
1/2 20m circle and start 3 loop serpentine back up to A
down the centre line and halt
Elem
start music at corner marker
walk down centre line and halt
trot down centre line
10m circle left towards end of centre line
finish centre line, track left
leg yield in from track to centre line
10m circle R towards end of centre line
finish centre line and track right
leg yield in from track to centre line
track left at end of centre line and back to walk around H
FWLR across the short diagonal to B
two half 10m circles to change the rein and end up on the left rein
walk to canter left
half 20m circle left
15m circle L between B and R
R - simple change through 2 1/2 10m circles (away from the judge)
follow track round
medium canter up the whole long side
round the short side
15m circle right at V
E - simple change through 2 half 10m circles (away from the judge)
RS - half 20m circle L
medium canter up the long side
20m circle at A and into trot with the music
FS - medium trot
3 loop serpentine back up to A
down centre line
halt
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