Love my pony!!!!

Firstly, thank you so much to all the people that have supported and encouraged Oslo and me along on our journey! I could not be happier with Oslo after this weekend. I am one lucky girl!

Oslo and I showed our first Intermediaire II test on Saturday. We were the last ride of the day and it was pretty cool to have so many people stay and cheer us on! I have to admit I was getting pretty nervous when I was tacking up, but once I was in the warm-up ring, I don't think I have ever been so excited! Oslo felt great and he seemed to be very focused. Mom as always is so helpful and encouraging in the warm-up ring, getting us to get the rhythm more established in the passage before heading down centreline. His changes even felt pretty reliable. I didn't school a bunch of one tempis as I know we are not super strong or fit at this level yet, but the few we did felt solid. So, with a fairly short warm-up ) we wanted to have everything possible for the show ring!) we went down centreline with Hilda Gurney sitting at C. Our first extended proved he wasn't quite enough in front of the leg and I needed to work at getting him sharper. Through the trot zig-zag he was bending well so I tried to use the lines the best I could to get him slightly more in front in preparation for the passage/piaffe tour. The first few steps of passage were definitely rocky! It took us some time to get the rhythm established - obviously still not enough in front of the leg! The piaffe almost seemed to help as Oslo really seems to get the steps and it quickens him up. Overall though, the passage was a bit shaky but I was happy with the two piaffes. The walk work was pretty relaxed for it being Oslo and he jumped beautifully into the canter to start the next big tour in the test. Our extendeds were not as brilliant as they can be, but they were necessary to get him more in front of the leg again. Oslo loves his steep canter half-passes, as did Hilda! We got 7s and 8s on those! Next the pirouettes on centreline. He was sitting really well, but I need some practice at placing them on centreline apparently. It is tricky to not "get lost" in them as he turns and it seems you have no point of reference to come back to. Gina Smith taught me the trick of looking to the other end of the ring for A and then back to C while you are turning, but it all happens very fast! I was happy with the pirouettes themselves though, so we will work on the placement. Now our favourite movement, the two tempis! Oslo rocks those! 8.5 from Hilda :) Now the ones..... haha. The bottom line is we are not quite confirmed with them and they are not reliable. But, we did our best and got 9, then missed one, and then 2 more. So, just one mistake which I am perfectly fine with. Pretty darn good try for the show ring I figured. Overall, Hilda gave us a very generous 68.289%!!!!! Pretty encouraging for our first I2.

Sunday morning was the Young Rider Grand Prix. Again, I was very excited and having the I2 under our belt, I was considerably less nervous. Still, I knew we were expected to do 15 one tempis and that was definitely in the back of my mind for the entire evening! And the passage/piaffe tour down centreline at the end of the test was more than a little daunting as well.  Oslo obviously didn't have the same concerns though as he felt the best he has ever felt! He was more in front of the leg and so focused. The passage felt more reliable and almost easy! The first two piaffes were not as consistent in the steps as they have been, but our last one down centreline was very good! It was like Oslo knew that passage to piaffe at X, to passage tour down the last centreline! And the one tempis - we were so darn close!!!! 14, yes 14 beautiful, gorgeous one tempis and then the last aid just didn't get communicated through properly or something! One more and it would have been perfect, but you know, I am more than ok with that. The 14 we had felt incredible and we got the last one within two strides, so we still got a 6 on for the movement. The fact that Oslo and I were able to hold it together for 14 lovely one tempis in the show ring is enough to make me feel like the luckiest girl alive right now! I could not have asked for anything else from Oslo this weekend. I love my pony!!!!

Thanks again to everyone for your support. Oslo and I owe you a lot!

Cheers,


Linds and Oslo

Oslo and Lindsay's First GP!

Hello again everyone,

Oslo and I have spent the summer, since coming home from California in the middle of June, training for the Grand Prix. It has been a great summer with some mixed weather, but I remember all the sunny days out in the arena at Trakehner Glen and at the farm! Those are the best days, especially when you get to work on piaffe, passage, and one tempis! Don't get me wrong, we have had some frustrating times as well. One day we have 6 one tempis, the next we have none, and then a couple weeks later we have 15! Unfortunately, we are back to somewhere around 7 or 9, but we know it is possible to get 15! One step at a time.

So, we may be considered a bit crazy and out of our league, but Oslo and I have entered the Intermediare 2 test and the Young Rider Grand Prix for the Calgary Gold show this weekend. I figure, neither of us is getting any younger and we have been having a great summer, so we might as well try it! I am feeling fairly confident about the piaffe and passage (he has really seem to have taken to the piaffe now that he truly understands it!) and all of our lateral work is quite good. The one tempis will almost guaranteed be an issue, but we have a plan of attack and as Lientje texted me the other day: "ride the test one movement at a time because the judges score it one movement at a time." If I keep in front of the leg and on my half-halt I know we can at least demonstrate a number of very good quality one tempis. If the stars are aligned, we may just be able to do the 11 required for the I2 test and the 15 required for the GP. Otherwise, if things fall a bit off the rails, we will do as many one, two sequences as possible, with a one, two, three at the end. Try to keep it neat and tidy, but go for it when it feels good!

That is our game plan for the show anyways! This week we are focusing on exercises to get, and keep, Oslo super in front of the leg. He can do everything in the tests, but in order for it to be reliable, he needs to be in front of the leg. So, not too much test practising over the next couple of days, more transitions and a serious focus on keeping Oslo engaged and soft in the connection, which of course, is just another way to say "truly in front of the leg". We have practised the movements and tests already in the past few weeks, so I am trying to mix things up a bit for Oslo to try and avoid any anticipation in the ring.

We are very excited for the weekend and we hope to see many of you there! I need to send out a huge big thank you to our show clothing sponsor, the DRESSAGE BOUTIQUE and Indie Equestrian. Christel, has the most comfortable and stylish breeches out there. I cannot wait to show in my new white Euro-Star ones! Also, check out Christel's very own fashion line, Indie Equestrian. She has great dresses, scarves, jackets, etc. Something for everyone! You can check out her store at http://www.dressageboutique.com/.

Happy riding and enjoy this beautiful sunshine!  :)

Lindsay and Oslo