Heath Ryan Clinic Day 1

In Which Maat & Nikita Compete at Intermediare I: April 10, 2011

Nikita and I did our first show together at Intermediare I this weekend. I got no sleep the night before, and had been up for over 24 hours when we competed. We got 2nd place.

I'm glad I got so many comments back from the judges, and they gave us good pointers on how to get higher scores in the future. Considering I'm navigating FEI by myself, and had no help putting the test together, the feedback is good to have. Hopefully we'll do even better next time.

She was very "up", which meant The Laziest Dressage Rider Ever just had to sit and manage the energy. I like Show Nikita.

Unfortunately, there was no photographer, just a videographer, so I didn't get any photos.

Oh, and we got 7s and 8s on our pirouettes.

Piaffe 3/26/2011

Canter Pirouettes 3/16/2011

In Which Maat & Nikita Apologize to the World: March 12, 2011

I'm getting really tired of people who can't ride - and I don't mean people who are crappy riders, but people who are physically are incapable of doing FEI dressage - picking apart my riding. How many times have I heard that Nikita isn't sitting enough in the pirouettes - only to watch international dressage on FEITV.org or USEFnetwork.com and see the exact same quality pirouettes. The self-doubt leaves once I see world-class riders struggling with the same problems. It's not that we shouldn't strive for perfection; but cut us a break already. The unwelcome commentary is frustrating and diminishing.

Let me apologize to the world: I'm sorry I don't ride world-class dressage after 2 years on the FEI circuit. I'll try harder.

January 31, 2011

What possible splendors await behind the door?

Damn, it's just the farrier...

January 27, 2011

Storm in the backyard.



And at the fountain.