Ana came out feeling terrific this morning and we worked out a number of the remaining test movements in our first warm-up. The footing was wet and heavy this morning from the rain we got last night, but Ana was so good and just trucked though it!
I was feeling confident after the warm-up and eager to get in the show ring. To my amazement I was not as nervous as I anticipated, but I was a little anxious to be the first international rider up for the day.
Our second warm-up was pretty short and we focused on the connection and bein in front of the leg. Unfortunately though, this did not transfer into the show ring. Ana is not only a dominant mare, but she is a smart mare too! She knew the exact moment we went down centreline. Holy crap did she make me work in the trot! I just could not get her back in front of my leg and she gradually fell more and more behind in the trot tour. We had a good medium and extended, but our lateral was lacking energy and impulsion. She actually feel so far behind the leg she almost halted in the walk transition at G on centreline after the second half-pass. I just could not get her in front and felt like a little girl on her Thelwell pony! Our lack of energy transferred into the walk pirouettes too, but we both got a much needed break in the extended walk to get ourselves a bit more composed for the canter tour. Things went better, but we still needed more energy and to be rounder in the canter pirouettes. Connie was impessed at least that the right canter pirouette was better than the left! The ultimate sign of our need for more energy was the break in the transition from extended canter to the collected canter/flying change. I didn't have her enough in front of the leg for the half-halt I gave her. Therefore, she just dropped right out from underneath me and fell into the trot. We quickly recovered though and ended with a great centreline and square halt at least!
Overall though, for our first test together, I think we had a respectable ride. Ana is supposed to like the Intermediaire I test better and hopefully we can work on a strategic plan to keep her more in front of the leg for the actual test. I think we will have a slightly shorter warm-up and perhaps bigger spurs! I did not realise the extent to which you need to know how your horse actually responds to things while you are in the ring. They all change and throw new hurdles at you once you go down centreline. So, we will make sure to have a game plan for tomorrow! Ana Pavlova and I will trot up a storm, I promise!
Lindsay and Ana
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