A bit of an absence

Yes I know it's been awhile, but I've had good reasons. Let's just say, I had a bit of a confidence knock. Instead of coming on here and blogging my anger and frustration, I took a bit of a break.

But I'm back!!!

Anyway, I'm sure there is a time in every dressage rider's life where they have a bad period. What makes it more difficult is when you think you are going really well, and you go to a show and get absolutely slammed. Dead last in each test, crappy marks. You get the picture.

So I took a few weeks off to figure things out again, and it worked. As a dressage rider, I've learned it's really important to have that 'push-through' quality. And that's what I did, I had to push through. I could either give up or go on, since riding is my life, I chose to ignore bad comments and get on with it.

It paid off, even though my percentages today weren't incredibly good, they were getting better. I even won both tests (there were only two of us in level 3 but hey!).

I've learnt that winning isn't everything, it's the performing I love and being able to show my horse to the best of her ability. She may not be as young and as flash as those grand-prix half million dollar horses, but she is the smartest, most giving horse in the world. She has taught me everything about dressage, and she's the reason I'm where I am today.

So, the motto of the day is:

'No matter what negative things people have to say, never let them get to you, never let them get you down, keep fighting, never give up, and give it your all'.

You only need you to believe in yourself.

Getting better

Well I havn't blogged in a few days, I have a very busy life you see (especiqally when you work weekends!). Last week I was lucky enough to have some lessons with Vanessa Way, which were fantastic. Blue is going better than ever, we worked on getting her more round and active, and we worked on her shoulder-in, traver and.......half pass!! Yes that's right grandma Blue can half pass!!!

I was super excited, she did them quite well too, maybe she will take me to Medium. I also discovered that Blue will shoulder-in great on the right rein, and does traver great on the left rein, and find's it hard to shoulder-in on the left rein and traver on the right rein! The natural crookedness of the horse. So we've been warming up in walk, doing shoulder-in's on the left and traver on the right rein.

I love that horse more than anything.

Well today the weather is CRAP. I can't hear the T.V over the rain...ugh :( I have a competition in 2 days and I've only been able to ride once this week. But I'm sure if I practice 'in my head' we'll be ok. Apparently, if you practice via imagination, it will improve your performance than physically practicing. So I've been saying 'Isabel Werth' over and over when I ride, and it seems to work!!