It’s all about the basics.

The basics are what is difficult in dressage. Once you know your basics you move up but in so doing we tend to forget about the “basics”, even though they’re the back bone of every excersise. The second any excersise becomes difficult, sit back and go back to the beginning. That’s what I have been doing in my last few lessons.

Vitall knows all his stuff but has some trouble within some excersises. He struggles going in and out of the pirouette, for example. He wants to slow down and turn too quickly so we have gone back and looked at why he struggles. We figured out that it comes down to his balance and bend, especially to the left. So we have been working on the tempo and bend so that no matter what his rhythm is, quicker or slower, he maintains his balance and bend. Once again, the transitions come into play. Transitions are my new favorite thing.  Anky said our exercises are fine, it’s just the details. Another important key element of dressage… the details. It’s the details that will get you those extra marks and, since we all know Anky is the Queen of detail, I am looking forward to learning her tricks on how to pick up extra marks.

I am startling to feel settled here now. Yesterday I went and found the gym. One of the best gyms I have ever seen that offers every class imaginable from yoga to kick boxing to spinning to Zumba (this dancing thing don’t know to much about). There is also a normal area for a regular workouts and in the change rooms it has a sauna which I love. I can’t wait to get started. 

There is a young rider from Switzerland also training with Anky who came the day after me. She is moving into my hotel on Sunday so I’m looking forward to having some company. She is really nice so it’s going to be fun to share this adventure with someone who has the same goals.

Oslo now thinks he runs the hotel. Every time I’m down having dinner he barks at people coming in the door. He is a little monster!! I’m lucky the owner doesn’t mind or we would be packing our bags.

Later this week Im going to go to Amsterdam to watch Jumping Amsterdam the big CDI Anky is riding and so is Edward. I can’t wait to see Edward in person.

All for now 😉