Dressage Tests Out Loud

Sunday, April 18 was a great day at Flying Colours Stables.

With 14 tests from Training Level to Grand Prix, we listened and learned from Washington based Canadian judge, Ali Buchanan. We dissected each test. Upon completion every ride, we watched and listened while Ali worked with each rider on the fine points of improving their scores for their test. Auditors were invited to participate after each test by asking questions and sometimes having answers demonstrated to them by the riders.

We discussed how "stretchy" is the stretchy circles at Training Level.

We worked on more cross over in the First Level leg yield.

We confirmed our feelings about the difficulty in achieving a good score with a well ridden Second Level test. Second level is such a challenging level for the younger horse, difficult bending lines and demanding elastic transitions. It's good to know the judges really do appreciate the complexity of this level!

For the Third Level horses; once we got over cheering for the 9s Ali gave Panda's (the young stallion Pandoer) extraordinary extended trot; we discussed the big C word for this level.collection!

At Fourth Level we talked about more positioning on the half passes and setting up those canter ¼ pirouettes with more collection.

We had two fabulous Advanced Level horses.

Sunday was Fargo and Angie Golley's first time out at Intermediare 1. Angie did a super job and ended up with a 67%. Not bad for the first time!!!! With Angie's wonderful zeal for striving for excellence, she and Ali went over just how to set your horse up to get 9 instead of an 8 in the extended canter line. We all took notes!

Paddy and Lindsey Stroh are heading into their second season at the Grand Prix Level. Linds and Paddy were right on the mark this ride and ended up with a 64%. We went over the judging trends for scoring the best marks on the passage and piaffe tour. Ali remarked "This horse would be in with the rest of them at the CDI in the Grand Prix last weekend". Congrats to Lindsey!! We had a good winter of training on Paddy and it showed!

Ali had flown to Edmonton, for this clinic, straight from the CDI at Rancho Murieta, where he watched Leslie Reid get her second 70% and a bye to be on the Canadian Olympic Team in Athens in August. Congratulations to Leslie!!! Go Canada!!!!

Thank you to Ali for his judging expertise and wonderful way of explaining himself about each movement in each test.

Thank you to all the riders for letting us eavesdrop on your test marks and remarks.

Thanks to all the auditors for making the trek to Wetaskiwin for this clinic and asking informed and relevant questions.

And finally, thanks to my staff for all their super efforts every day so we can get my crazy schedule of events to work each weekend!

2003 News Archive:

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2004
News Archive:

April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December