Why would you watch this video? It is not an elegant and seamless execution of the FEI Intermediare 1 dressage test, that’s for sure. It is not a professional video and has just been shot on a smart phone. So why watch it? Well, this is a video of Biasini and me taking our first complete run through of the Inter 1 test. We have completed the six weeks no stirrups assignment and had worked up to a full 30 minutes with no stirrups. We had practiced some individual moves from the test during this time and now the moment of truth to put it all together. Yes, there are lots of mistakes and I go off course a few times but overall I felt it was not bad. But that is not why it is worth watching.
It is worth watching just to listen to the instructions from my Canadian coach, two time Olympian ,Belinda Trussell. If you are a rider it will all make sense to you and if you are not a rider it will give you an idea of the multitude of things going on that are invisible to the observer.
There are other horses in the arena schooling ,and one of them has a “moment of youthfulness” that Belinda asks the rider about, but you will soon pick out Biasini and me. Take a look….
Still photo credit: Connie Gee
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