Kind of a late post, but Jr and I are riding in our first dressage clinic tomorrow. It is located at Pacific Equestrian Center in Wilton. We ride at 8:30. I will post info about our experience and hopefully some photos tomorrow.

Cool, have fun!!

I have to edit some of the photos my neice took. Too large to post here!

Anyway, it was a good lesson. Jr has always been a good boy in public. The facility also boards and stands stallions. The round pen was right next door to a mare and foal. And, next to the warm up arena were two more mares. We've had some issues riding at home and at the trainers too close to loose horses. Yesterday was no exception! The owner of the facility had to move the mares (didn't know there was a stallion attending). We spent the majority of our ride and warm up working on relaxation and keeping his mind occupied. I rode for 1 1/2 hours total and he would still get tight.

The way the clinic works, for any that don't know that are wondering, you ride your dressage test, the judge scores you, you get a lesson with the judge, then after that you ride the test again and get judged again. We have shown in hand for this judge before, although I'm sure she didn't remember us. I learned some new things and some items I need to work on including my wrists, balancing myself property, leg position (old problem) and working the contact from my back/shoulders, not the arm.

She likes Arabians a lot, rode them for many years. Has good respect for them and even said that they get a bad reputation for being spooky and hot. She told everyone that they are just very smart and need to be kept thinking.

My first score was a 55.6%, after the lesson, our second score was a 60%. Not too bad for his first dressage test and being a walking hormone!

We are showing in a couple of weeks at an open show, then on to DAHA.

Will get those pictures posted later.

Here's the photos from our niece. The pro doesn't have the clinic pictures up yet.