I got Packenham (Paddy for short) - an ex point-to-pointer in May of 2012, after having a break from riding of about 20 years. There have been some ups and downs (mostly downs) over the past 18 months & this is our journey together from Paddy being a racehorse to hopefully eventually a riding horse!

Saturday 24 November 2012

Paddy & Lordy do dressage

So it was with great trepidation that Gillian and I decided that we would take both the boys to the College of West Anglian to try our hand at some dressage at a proper show, rather than at the equestrian centre where we keep them.
This was their first show where we were hoping to do a little more than just walk round in boring circles with us leading them and to say that we were both terrified was an understatement!

Managed to get there in one piece, they were both excited - probably thinking that they were off racing! Managed to warm Paddy up ok and then went in for the first test - just did two walk trot tests to start off with.

Well Paddy was mostly good - apart from the calling constantly for Lordy and being google eyed at the two Shetlands that were in a paddock right next to the arena.  Then pretty much went straight in again to do the next test & he was better - less gawping and calling and a little more concentration.

The comments were good, apart from Paddy needing to be much more engaged behind, though this was not really my aim - all I wanted was for him to behave, get through the test without having a hissy fit and for me to manage to stay on board!

Lordy was also very well behaved and they both surpassed our expectations so we were over the moon with them both. After they had finished they stood by the box very chilled out munching their haynets, as if they did this sort of thing all the time......what good boys!!








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