Lessons Learned
Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 12:39AM
We are in the final count down to Gladstone. As part of preparing for this I attended a small horse show in 
Ohio last week as a warm up and as a way to practice the FEI Young Rider Grand Prix test. I am sure glad I did. The FEI Young Rider Grand Prix is one of the test that I have to do at Gladstone but it's not a test that I have ever competed before due to the fact that I am technically too old to show this test. I did all my qualifying using the Brentina Cup test so I thought maybe it would be good to show the YRGP last weekend just as a run through. I am sure glad that I did. As it turns out I miss memorized the test. I miss read/ interpreted the letters for the medium trot after the first piaffe passage tour as well as the walk tour. This resulted in my getting called off course twice. In retrospect I know how this happened although that doesn't make it any less embarrassing.
The GP special has an extended trot down the rail with a transition to passage. The second half of the first piaffe passage tour in the I-2 is passage turn left to a piaffe to passage turn left and walk, walk across the diagonal collect the walk and pick up the right lead canter at C. So when I was learning the YRGP my mind interpreted the letters this way because it is what my mind has been used to seeing and doing. This worked out with my miss reading of the walk tour because I still ended up on the right lead for my first canter. Very embarrassing and a sinking feeling when you get called off not once but twice and have no idea what you have done wrong. I learned that the correct pattern is after the second passage half circle you then do medium trot SXP P passage F turn right D Piaffe Passage DMV VXR Extended walk. R to H to C collected walk C canter right lead.
Needless to say I learned big time with this mistake. Despite the fact that by the time I was done with the test I already had re- learned it correctly I went back to he barn and after taking care of Henry I drew out the entire test on two pieces of scratch paper I had gotten from the office. Movement by movement in individual hand drawn dressage rings I marked every transition and movement and wrote a description bellow each miniature ring. I find this the best way to learn a new test. Why I didn't do this before I went down center line I couldn't tell you. Clearly I thought that I new the test. Never get over confidant. And especially when you a riding a test that you are not familiar with read over the test before you go in the ring. In this case just reading probably wouldn't have helped me because my mind was reading something that wasn't actually there. But taking the time to carefully go through and illustrate the test before hand would have helped. Once I have done this with a test I keep the illustration in my horse show binder in which I have copies of all the FEI tests PSG through GP. This way, in theory, I can flip open the binder and see the patterns of the test at a glance. I'm very visual which is also why illustrating the test is helpful for me. The other important piece to this is that you have to remember to keep the binder in you tack room or tack trunk, not in your trailer, truck, or worst of all hotel room.
As part of learning to compete we are all going to make mistakes. Learn by doing as Udo used to say. My punishment for this mistake was not having two perfect rides of this test before a major competition. That's not great for a person's confidence and you always want to set yourself up to have a good level of confidence going into a competition, particularly a big one.
So what am I doing to help off set this experience? Well I started by learning the test perfectly, and practicing it again that night in the ring. I was able to do this because Henry is always hot at shows when he hasn't been out for a while so we had energy to spare. Then I had a much better run through of the test the next morning at 6:36 (yes that was actually my ride time). I had Ari, a student of Heidi Riddle who is from California and has been working with me in preparation for Gladstone, video tape my schooling session and my better test. I'll use these videos to go back and study the rides and know what I need to focus on and solidify during the next and last week or training in order to feel prepared and confidant in my approach and my skills as a rider and the abilities of my.
Learning the right formula for your show prep is really important. It takes time to find the right system and then it takes focus and trust not to deviate from what works. Recognize that there will be down moments, that everyone has them and that they do not define you as a rider, what defines you is how you handle those moments and the high moments as well. Be Tactful and correct when it doesn't go well. If you need to go back to the warm up a school something before you put the horse away do so but be fair, be focused, be unemotional about it and give a good reward and a huge pat to the horse when he gets it right so that he understands what was good. Then let it go and know that tomorrow is a new day. In the high moments be proud and know how far you have come and share that with the people you care about the most, but don't loose your composure. Over exuberant winners are just as tacky as sore loosers. Don't forget to thank the people who helped you get there...even when it doesn't go perfect. But particularly when it does go well give credit to the people who have helped you get there. It maybe a thank you, a card or remembering to mention their help in an interview or on you facebook page.
Reader Comments (3)
East, west, home is bestlouis vuitton replica walletsThere is no royal road to learningbreitling for bentley watchesI
t is never too late to mendceline replica handbags
We offer to your attention only replica watches of the best quality-jacob co replica watches
If you want to purchase a cheap watch, you should try a lot of methods. Online shopping is the best way for you.-Together with buying of two exclusive watch brand Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta
Your article is nice, I read your article to learn a lot and hope to see your next article,rolex replica look forward to your masterpiece, you can also see our ball gowns information,replica ferrari watches I hope it can give you You some convenient.