Positive versus negative

Team Joyce experience a lot of ups and downs just like everybody else in the horse world. Many times we sit and talk about the pros and cons. Positive versus negative. Last week Sarah Josh & I drove to Randall Park for some Dressage fun. This discipline requires a persons opinion on how you and horse complete a set of movements.

Ask your self what is the positive versus negative

Sarah & I have had a go at a few Dressage tests always scanning over the written comments looking for information on what the judge thinks in executing the movements. We can confidently say the comments have reflected well.

It is an opinion

Personally it is hard not to feel sad if you thought you went well and the result does not show this. Team Joyce go out to see whether our home training produces a calm even test. We both still get nervous,  having each other there to talk to support and encourage helps a lot.

The indoor was spooky for Albi

Their first test was in the indoor arena at 9am. This opened up Albert’s eyes observing the shadows mirrors and judges sitting ring side. He settled well enough to execute a nice test. The second ride was about 10 minutes later out on the sand, he gave Sarah another nice result. Our overall thoughts of the two tests were positive, especially for the amount of preparation he had during the week. One must always take into consideration how much riding your horse had before the event. Sarah is working full time starting 8am and finishing very late which leaves no extra time to ride. He was put on the walker for general fitness, this is not as good as hopping on to practise your aids to get the responses.

This years TTT ended well for Sarah & LH Albert placing 6th – 11th and 8th overall in Level 1.

My ride on Lily did not go so well. I had not prepared very well at all on the actual day. I left plaiting up to late and rushed to hop on to make my time slot , could not even remember the test. Sarah kindly called them for me. Lily felt tense from start to finish. We ended up near the bottom of the list. We did not deserve anything better. Reading the judges comments perfectly reflected how we went. Horse tense and needs to relax & behind vertical. This was all so true’ I was hanging on way to tight. The last comment was refreshing – fix this to be a very competitive combination. Onwards and upwards from here we hope !

Time to sit back and reflect on the positive versus negative

We chatted all the way home deciding that today was not to be for Lil & I. We shall now focus on the next competition in December. I shall give myself more time to get ready. Positive results we had quality time together with our horses – negative results rushing does not bring cool calm relaxed tests lol.

On the Sunday I went with Wes & Tiffany to the Korumburra Agricultural Showjumping Show with Oaks Volta & LH Johnny. Wes had set up our portable stables on the Friday afternoon this certainly made things easier regarding horse handling. Volta & Johnny were very happy being able to move around to graze and gaze !

4th was the magic number all weekend

Tiffany was number 8 in the first class of the day riding in the Ladies jump placing a credible 4th. Both Wes & Tiffany rode in the Open 1.20m – Volta placing 4th / Johnny 6th. In the Open 1.30m Volta again placed 4th. Team Joyce came away absolutely wrapped with how our weekend went. We love riding our horses, funny how we range from all levels me at the bottom Wes at the top and yet I personally love it how we can stop to listen to each other reproducing all the positive or negative results.