White Birch Dressage Show Recap (lots of photos!!)

This past Sunday we participated in the California Dressage Society - Ventra County Chapter's dressage schooling show at White Birch Farms, where we had our best dressage performance to date!!

We pulled in early - it was a very well participated show and finding a trailer spot was tricky, but overall the atmosphere was calm. I went to check in and get my number, returning to the trailer just in time to see my horse backing himself out of the trailer, snapping his halter in the process, and running free through the show grounds.

Luckily he came right to me when I called him. I grabbed his naked face with one arm, removing my belt with the other to act as a neck halter. Some sort of miscommunication between my barn mate and trainer as they unloaded the horses, but no big deal - Hemie was over it immediately and stood nicely to get tacked up.

Warm up was not great, but not horrible either.  Then it was time for Training Test 1:

I was very, very proud of our performance, especially our free walk. We had some really good moments. We placed 3rd out of 6.

Next was Training Test 2:

To me our test felt comparable, even a bit better, than our 1st test, though the judge didn't agree (and neither did my trainer). But I was again very proud of our performance overall. We placed 5th out of 6.

It was my first time competing against a fellow blogger friend, Karen and Sydney of Not-So-Speedy Dressage. Our bay OTTBs met and became friends, and Karen graciously lent me a spare halter.

This was our first competition where I felt our dressage work in the show ring was comparable to the work we get at home. That is an exciting milestone for us in our training, and I hope that means that progress going forward from here will present itself in the show ring and result in improvement at our horse trials!

The organizers did a great job with the show and I hope to do some more this season!