Cartier's stories

[hoopoe]

Apparently the tails on a shadbelly are on that list.


I have known riders to make an apron of tails to wear at home when they ride

[capstone]

Now my trainer wants to try an I1 Freestyle when she goes to get his other I1 qualifying score. So we need music!

[capstone]

And so the next phase of the cycle begins. I am entered to ride First Level Test 1 at our schooling show this weekend.

[Flight]

Goodluck Capstone, and have fun with your beautiful horse

[capstone]

Goodluck Capstone, and have fun with your beautiful horse

Thanks! I think we did manage to have a little fun, in between working (too) hard (on my part). I still am not getting him truly forward and through and connected. But he was a machine, not batting an eye at anything (he was wary of the judge's table yesterday) and did his job like the pro he is rapidly becoming.

Home turf and a less than impartial judge led to a somewhat inflated score (which is why we rode HC) but the comments and photos my DH took are the really helpful takeaways, in addition to the experience itself.

Yes, I did say pics... Let's see if any are worth posting!

[capstone]

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The first halt was the best part!

[Flight]

Beautiful photo!!!

[Rosie B]

Yes, that's gorgeous!! You both look super.

Just a thought on the forward (and just my 2 cents, I know you have excellent instruction)... I can never get Bliss truly in front of the leg unless I have him responding honestly off the leg laterally. And for him, he needs to be 'unlocked' laterally FIRST. Once he's responding honestly off the lateral leg aids, he becomes beautifully forward, but not before.

[Moutaineer]

Lovely, Capstone! (Nice browband )


(And not to derail or anything, RosieB, that's my experience too. My new trainer has me working on a LOT of lateral work in the walk before we get to do anything else. It both installs the forward and straight button, and in my horse's case, ties the front and back together so we have a single unit, rather than a pantomime horse )

[Chisamba]

My co trainer has a impulsion adverse horse. She has had a few Tao buck, Tap buck. Incidences with him so I stepped in and said move him laterally off the leg, when he steps willingly laterally allow the forward to be the reward. Two positive results, she is feeling the hind better, and the horse thinks impulsion is a reward.

And, no more bucking

[Flight]

I'm in the lateral camp too, but adding a 20m circle of lengthened trot/ext walk/ whatever gait I'm in after the lateral stuff.

[capstone]

Cartier has his next competition in 2 weeks. Hoping to get his remaining qualifying score at I1. Trainer says he is just getting better and better. (Without me around!)

Can't wait to see them go.

[Ryeissa]

that's great! make sure you keep us posted.

[Quelah]

I hacked quite a few FEI horses when I worked for a dressage trainer (and I do mean hacked, I've never been nor every will be an FEI rider myself!) and I rode my vet's FEI (he was showing Int II at the time) horse when I farm sat for her. In my experience, for what it's worth, they quite like bumbling around a bit. You might, as I did on my vet's horse, say…ask the horse to move off the rail a bit at canter and then holy crap half pass and panic and the other rail is coming up and straight and lead change and then all you can do is walk and pet them and laugh. I think the horse laughed too. He was not a tolerant sort but he put him with me. After all, Valegro gets hacked out by his groom doesn't he? Now maybe his groom would make the Team in some countries, I don't know. But if your trainer thinks it will be ok and your horse is the sweet sort (he looks to be?) I think you'll be OK

[capstone]

I hacked quite a few FEI horses when I worked for a dressage trainer (and I do mean hacked, I've never been nor every will be an FEI rider myself!) and I rode my vet's FEI (he was showing Int II at the time) horse when I farm sat for her. In my experience, for what it's worth, they quite like bumbling around a bit. You might, as I did on my vet's horse, say…ask the horse to move off the rail a bit at canter and then holy crap half pass and panic and the other rail is coming up and straight and lead change and then all you can do is walk and pet them and laugh. I think the horse laughed too. He was not a tolerant sort but he put him with me. After all, Valegro gets hacked out by his groom doesn't he? Now maybe his groom would make the Team in some countries, I don't know. But if your trainer thinks it will be ok and your horse is the sweet sort (he looks to be?) I think you'll be OK

Yes, he's quite agreeable to the slower pace of me riding him. I wasn't worried about that per se as much as my trainer and I both having potentially opposing competition goals with him.

In the end, there was no need to worry. I accomplished what I set out to accomplish with no disruption to my trainer's progress with him. I couldn't ask for more.

[capstone]

Oh and when I fly into DFW from Geneva on the 10th, I turn right around and catch a plane 2 hours later for Houston where the competition is being held.

And she is planning to bring my boots and helmet so that I can hack him around after she rides. We'll see how that goes after being away for 5 weeks!

[piedmontfields]

I like how your trainer thinks! I hope they have a great show and you have a great trip and reunion with your lovely fellow.

[Quelah]

Really I think the greatest danger in this situation is that another AA showing Training/First may make a shiv out of a sweat scraper and stab you in the restroom at a show for showing against her/him on a going FEI horse, so I'd watch my back if I were you

[demi]

Really I think the greatest danger in this situation is that another AA showing Training/First may make a shiv out of a sweat scraper and stab you in the restroom at a show for showing against her/him on a going FEI horse, so I'd watch my back if I were you

[capstone]

Really I think the greatest danger in this situation is that another AA showing Training/First may make a shiv out of a sweat scraper and stab you in the restroom at a show for showing against her/him on a going FEI horse, so I'd watch my back if I were you

Ha! Well we managed to survive our recent showing at First level without incident. In fact, this was a comment to my trainer, from an AA fan of his, at the show: "OMG he looks so amazing when you ride him!! And it's so cute the way he packs her around!"

It should not come up again as the plan now is for me not to show again until I am ready for 3rd level.

[demi]

Quelah's comment made me think of the movie "Best in Show". Pretty funny.

I love what you are doing with your big boy. When I realized who your trainer is, I wasn't surprised that I liked the whole situation. I don't know her well, but I bought Demi from her. Demi was not an easy horse in any way, but she thrived under Lisa's supervision. I would have continued to train with Lisa but she was over a four hour drive from me through some horrendous traffic.

Lisa is an exceptional horsewoman in my opinion, so I may be just a little jealous that you train with her!! Really though, I think you have an exciting future with Cartier and I am in the fan club!

[capstone]

Small world! Lisa and her team are the best! At least in my opinion.

She and Cartier scored 73.8% today at a schooling show in the PSG. These schooling show judges are funny - it wasn't a 73% ride according to Lisa but she was very happy with him. She did PSG instead of I1 as a "light ride", since he just got new shoes.

He has come a long way in a few months.

[Flight]

Nice score!!!
Dressage can be a bit funny, sometimes how I think the ride goes isn't what it looks like. Does this happen to professionals too? Also, judges can be that little bit different in what they like to see.
Sounds like he's going great

Funny how a big place can really be a small world at times!

[capstone]

67.237% yesterday in the I1 for FEI Reserve Champion.

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He was proud of himself coming out of the test.

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[piedmontfields]

What a good boy, Cartier!

Capstone, did you know he was this sort of horse when you got him? What a gem and so nice to send you great scores when you are away.

[capstone]

What a good boy, Cartier!

Capstone, did you know he was this sort of horse when you got him? What a gem and so nice to send you great scores when you are away.

No, I never thought he would get 67% at I1. Or anything close to it. It was never the plan although he had been shown to S level a couple of years before I got him. I'm honestly not sure it would have happened this way if I had not taken the job out of the country. Instead I would probably have my First level qualifying scores at this point. And I would likely have been super happy with that!

[capstone]

Speaking of First level...

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[demi]

Wow! very nice. Thanks for sharing your big boy with us. He looks just as awesome at first level as I1!

[Flight]

Congrats!
How did you go in your first level test/s? Photos are super

[capstone]

The other 40 or so photos are not so good.

This is from the May training thread about our first test: Our test earlier today was apparently lackluster AND I made mistakes. "Should be bolder", "needs more power", "slightly behind the leg". Nothing we didn't know there! Goals for tomorrow: eliminate the mistakes and be brave enough to try for more power.

2nd day, I was able to eliminate the blatant mistakes and ride ever so slightly more assertively but we still only managed to raise the score 2 points. So, 61 and 63 were the final scores.

[capstone]

And now I'm on my way out to ride my FEI horse.

[Ryeissa]

great job!

[Rosie B]

I love that you are sharing your journey with us. It's so nice to see you all prospering together and I can't wait to see what the future brings for you both.

[capstone]

I had literally the best rides I've ever had on Cartier yesterday and today. It's amazing the difference in feeling even from a month ago when I showed him in Tulsa. He and my trainer (and now me I guess) have really made a breakthrough, particularly with the trot work.

And now she is talking about working on the I2 and GP. And the possibility of me showing him GP one day. As long as he continues to be happy and comfortable in the work.

I have tears in my eyes, I feel so lucky.

[Chisamba]

Lovely update

[Flight]

Super update!

[Moutaineer]

He's a lucky horse, also.

So good to be making progress an enjoying the journey!

[piedmontfields]

What an awesome update. Congratulations on your progress, Capstone, and congratulations to your whole team! I agree that your horse is very lucky to have you all

[capstone]

And now I head back to Switzerland tonight for 4 weeks. This travel schedule is really getting in the way of my riding!

[capstone]

Heading back to TX tomorrow. A sweet friend sent me this today. I think he is ready to see me again.

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[Chisamba]

Enjoy your reunion

[Flight]

Beautiful!

[capstone]

Renamed since I've gotten away from the original post...

A news crew came out to my home barn today to film a segment on dressage for their morning show. It should air tomorrow in 7 markets, I'm told. (No I don't know which ones. )

Cartier was the "FEI horse". In his snaffle bridle though! The news anchor is on a school horse.

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I wasn't there, of course.

[capstone]

When I was home last week, I had super rides on him. My trainer had me doing flying changes as the way to change rein in the canter to reinforce that I must keep my butt in the saddle. He won't change, or won't change cleanly, if I hover. Or he will change and change back, like happened one time. One tempis! Just kidding.

[piedmontfields]

Love the update. You *need to find the video* of your horse explaining dressage on the news!

Keep enjoying your rides and the journey.

[capstone]

Love the update. You *need to find the video* of your horse explaining dressage on the news!

Keep enjoying your rides and the journey.

I found the link.

Caveat before I share it: please don't judge him or my trainer on the "passage" that is shown. He is just starting to school it and that was the very beginning where he was really sticky. Of course their video editors didn't know the difference.

Having said that, I am a proud mama and think he looks adorable. Plus segments like this are great publicity for the barn. My trainer has a client who is a very enthusiastic PR specialist.

http://eyeopenertv.com/2016/07/28/youll ... pic-sport/

[capstone]

Speaking of the publicist, one of my trainer's horses was a model in the June/wedding issue of D Magazine. The farm and my trainer were credited.

A lady new to the area who is soon getting married was flipping through that issue and saw the article. As it happens, we are right down the road from her and she has 3 or 4 horses in need of board/training. 2 have already arrived.

[Chisamba]

Sensitive= rideable.

Love the screen capture!

[Flight]

That was so cool!!! Cartier is so nice!! Love his pirouettes
Looks like a great place to keep your horse at too.

[LeoApp]

he is adorable!