Back to my roots, maybe
Speaking of fine horseflesh … brushing up on hunt seat has replaced my quest to read any weightier tomes. George Morris' Hunter Seat Equitation is the definative text on riding hunt seat. I've spent the last 10 years pursuing dressage and eventing, sitting on this high horse looking down on hunter princesses and western peanut rollers, but as I get older, I find that my horizons broaden and I can see beyond the current peverted judging standards of the modern day (and even the governing bodies of some other riding disciplines are slowly introducing more classical standards back to judging).
Uh … for a while I was going to repurpose Clover for western riding, but then started having some encouraging rides and realized that I'm not ready to give up centered/balanced/forward seat just yet. Another student of Jane's suggested I take Clover in some adult equitation classes, which got the gears spinning. I've been wanting to half-lease Clover again to help with costs, but don't want to get back into the eventing arena just yet. Amanda's suggestion made me think, I could get Clover out to a couple of low key open shows and see how we do in the adult english equitation and/or hunter divisions around these parts.
The weekend after this one, I'm are going to test the waters at a local low-key show, which should be a good indicator of what kind of material I'm working with. It's late in the season, people are already in place for year end standings, so I could be an overlooked newcomer or a spoiler, depending on what they're looking for nowadays.
To that end, I've been riding less balance seat and slightly more forward seat. Interesting transition, but I'm still trying to preserve the concepts of basic dressage, and the thought that I should be able to ride Clover and position her head and neck however I want depending on the discipline—because, after all, I'm riding from behind, back to front. Ha ha.
The bottom line being, if we do well and some exposure on the local circuit, I more easily could find someone to half lease Clover for showing. I'm going to go spectate an open QH show this weekend, which isn't quite the same circle I'll be showing in, but I should get some idea of the order of things nowadays. I haven't ridden in a show ring in at least 20 years, it's going to be very interesting—and a sort of vindication to my teenaged self, who had no clue about anything and horses that couldn't be jumped. Clover isn't a typey hunter ideal, but by gawd she can jump and I can ride.
Uh … for a while I was going to repurpose Clover for western riding, but then started having some encouraging rides and realized that I'm not ready to give up centered/balanced/forward seat just yet. Another student of Jane's suggested I take Clover in some adult equitation classes, which got the gears spinning. I've been wanting to half-lease Clover again to help with costs, but don't want to get back into the eventing arena just yet. Amanda's suggestion made me think, I could get Clover out to a couple of low key open shows and see how we do in the adult english equitation and/or hunter divisions around these parts.
The weekend after this one, I'm are going to test the waters at a local low-key show, which should be a good indicator of what kind of material I'm working with. It's late in the season, people are already in place for year end standings, so I could be an overlooked newcomer or a spoiler, depending on what they're looking for nowadays.
To that end, I've been riding less balance seat and slightly more forward seat. Interesting transition, but I'm still trying to preserve the concepts of basic dressage, and the thought that I should be able to ride Clover and position her head and neck however I want depending on the discipline—because, after all, I'm riding from behind, back to front. Ha ha.
The bottom line being, if we do well and some exposure on the local circuit, I more easily could find someone to half lease Clover for showing. I'm going to go spectate an open QH show this weekend, which isn't quite the same circle I'll be showing in, but I should get some idea of the order of things nowadays. I haven't ridden in a show ring in at least 20 years, it's going to be very interesting—and a sort of vindication to my teenaged self, who had no clue about anything and horses that couldn't be jumped. Clover isn't a typey hunter ideal, but by gawd she can jump and I can ride.
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