Charging towards Waterloo

Waterloo just doesn’t sound like a good omen for somebody with a French name. I will have to rely heavily on my German heritage to get through this weekend. (The show is named "Dressage at Waterloo").

Quick history brush up:
*The Battle of Waterloo takes place near the Waterloo, Belgium on June 18, 1815. In this battle, the forces of the French Empire under the leadership of Michael Ney and Napoleon Bonaparte were defeated by the Seventh Coalition and a Prussian Army, which was commanded by Gebhard Von Blucher. The forces were also defeated by an Anglo-Allied Army commanded by the Duke of Wellington.


Last night Sandy changed our usual program a bit. She wanted Saumur from the beginning in a more advanced frame, not 20 min. in a training level frame. Makes sense and it saves both of us, quality over quantity in ride time! We moved quickly to a new exercise, canter, then short diagonal, staying in the counter canter. Amazing – I could actually keep Mr. Smarty Pants in the counter canter. That was our problem spot at Second Level.

For the first time this year we also worked on the medium and extended canter, with the key being smooth transitions back to collected canter. That’s where my tight back and seat is usually throwing a monkey wrench in a good transition. So Sandy was bringing up all these analogies, that I should imagine my behind (seat) being “flabby”, and “saggy” – great, that’s how every woman wants to picture herself! It could have backfired and made me even tighter, but actually, it worked, she got the point through, in my mind’s eye I had this really relaxed and “soft” image.

We had very good trot shoulder ins and canter half-passes, and some nice flying changes (after only one minor hissy fit of “can’t do this”). The strategy for the extended walk is to “fake it”. Saumur really does not have an extended walk, so I will have to remember to stretch his frame out and slow him down to create some semblance of extension.

Tomorrow Saumur will hitch a ride with Sandy, Francis, Daughtry and Galeon to Waterloo. It’s the first time in years that I am not the one loading him, and it is a different trailer (slant load). I am confident that it won’t be a problem, though. I’ll join the Southview Team tomorrow night.

JP also had a very good lesson on Chambord, and was really happy. It is funny, I warmed Chambord up and he was like “you again – what about him???”. He saw JP and wanted to stop every time we went by him. Good thing that my self confidence does not get easily rattled by the opinionated Blondie (I leave that to Saumur).