Rhapsody looking ab fab - Waiting for the trot up at Hartpury
I am not sure where the last month has gone... one blink and it is August tomorrow already! And three weeks tomorrow we will be heading to Caen - the heat is truly on!
Key to our preparations was competing at Hartpury Festival of Dressage CPEDI3* It was a great show - as usual - and blessed with great weather for a change too! The first days test was a bit conservative and safe - which was confirmed by the judges comments - wanting and expecting to see more energy and expression from Rhapsody. Day 2 - we ramped up the power and Rhapsody felt great. Unfortunately 2 mistakes left us in the same place as the day before - 6th - but with overall better marks and comments from the judges - we knew we had found our new benchmark. Qualifying for the music on the final day was a bonus - and a chance to trial some new music choices in front of the judges. Hartpury gave us the chance to think about a few options going forward - one of which is to try Rhapsody in a double bridle. With the increased forwardness we now have - in mind and body - I am happy to try this change - it would not have been appropriate before but it may be the right time now. Training is a moveable feast after all!
My sincerest thanks to Andrew J Murphy for his support and assistance at Hartpury which was invaluable in our pre-match training, warm up and competition - with so many nations vying for last minute qualification for WEG I would have been a nervous wreck without him there!
Since Hartpury the deadlines for WEG have been coming thick and fast! I hope we are keeping up with them... and then there have also been pins and polo shorts to order - with our new WEG logo... and so many plans to finalise.
Ticking the boxes has become a nightly routine! Next... ferry/accreditations/definite entries/music etc etc etc
Key to our preparations was competing at Hartpury Festival of Dressage CPEDI3* It was a great show - as usual - and blessed with great weather for a change too! The first days test was a bit conservative and safe - which was confirmed by the judges comments - wanting and expecting to see more energy and expression from Rhapsody. Day 2 - we ramped up the power and Rhapsody felt great. Unfortunately 2 mistakes left us in the same place as the day before - 6th - but with overall better marks and comments from the judges - we knew we had found our new benchmark. Qualifying for the music on the final day was a bonus - and a chance to trial some new music choices in front of the judges. Hartpury gave us the chance to think about a few options going forward - one of which is to try Rhapsody in a double bridle. With the increased forwardness we now have - in mind and body - I am happy to try this change - it would not have been appropriate before but it may be the right time now. Training is a moveable feast after all!
My sincerest thanks to Andrew J Murphy for his support and assistance at Hartpury which was invaluable in our pre-match training, warm up and competition - with so many nations vying for last minute qualification for WEG I would have been a nervous wreck without him there!
Since Hartpury the deadlines for WEG have been coming thick and fast! I hope we are keeping up with them... and then there have also been pins and polo shorts to order - with our new WEG logo... and so many plans to finalise.
Ticking the boxes has become a nightly routine! Next... ferry/accreditations/definite entries/music etc etc etc
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