Amanda’s Comments (group member since Jan 30, 2014)

Amanda’s comments from the Abydos stable group.

Pass Fino and Morgan are a common mix in this area, for gymkhana and competitive trail. I have seen quite a few with this breeding... I imagine the QH addition would make the horse more versatile as well - especially for western gaming.

AJ maneuvered Summer to the side of the ring and collected her reins. Summer began to fight her at first, pulling away and stretching her neck. AJ bumped her gently with her spurs, and tried again. This time, summer relaxed and began to move out, slowly lengthening her side to cover more ground with each stride.

After two slow circles to the left, AJ asked for a change of rein across the diagonal, making sure to keep herself balanced in the saddle with her legs long and heels down. She adjusted her hands slightly, so they were even and directly in front of her, keeping her hands soft and working the bit to get Summer to relax.

Summer was curious of the new arena, and began to look around. AJ had to really work to keep her focus, and after two more rounds of the arena, AJ asked for a working trot. She turned into a figure 8 pattern, trotting and changing her diagonal through the centre. After three circuits of the figure eight, AJ moved her mare back to the edge of the arena, and asked for a canter.

Summer bolted in the new space, catching AJ by surprise. She half halted twice, and eventually caught the mares attention to bring her back to the trot. "Let's try that again," she stated, shaking her head.

When AJ released her grip on the reins, Summer leapt into a quick but ground-covering canter. The mare began to chew the bit, enjoying the work after a few days off. After circling twice, AJ asked for a simple change across the diagonal, bringing Summer to a brisk trot before picking up the gentle, rocking-horse canter that AJ knew Summer could do. They completed two rounds of the arena, then AJ asked her mare to move into a figure eight pattern at the canter.

AJ completed the first two passes with simple changes, before completing two more passes with flying changes. Feeling that her mare was finally starting to loosen, she asked for a collected trot and asked Summer to frame up, lifting her back and stretching her neck into the bit. It was a wonderful feeling, and AJ began to take relaxing breathes as she moved as one with her horse.

AJ moved back onto the outside edge of the ring, and worked her mare through some simple collection and extension at the rail, before again picking up a canter and asking for the same.

To end their warm up, AJ visualized breaking the ring into three equal sections, and began a 3-loop serpentine - first at the trot, then at the canter. Each flying change happened exactly as AJ asked, and she was extremely please with her mare. After two circuits of the arena in the serpentine figure, she brought her mare back to the walk and let her mare have a long rein. She walked back over to where Brodie was standing, and took a drink from her bright pink water bottle.

"That went well," AJ commented. "She was a little tight at first, but she's loosened up now. What would you like us to work on next?"

Yup that's what I know best

AJ walked in, Summer following on a loose rein. Summer was decked out in the latest spring colours from the tack shop near their old training facility - a bright purple saddle pad with pink and purple leopard trim, and matching purple polos. The brass name plate shone in the bright lights of the arena, against the back of her custom-made Schleese dressage saddle.

AJ had decided to ride Summer in a simple snaffle, knowing her mare worked best when not overwhelmed by a harsh bit.

She then turned to her horse, adjusting the girth, and letting down her stirrups. She had picked out her favourite pair of stirrup irons for her first lesson - stainless steel with purple rhinestones on the arms to match her ensemble. She then gave Summer a pat on the neck and a reassuring scratch behind the ears and pulled on her black gloves.

Picking off a piece of hay off of her spotless tan breeches, she bent down and adjusted the silver spurs attached to her boots. She double knotted the laces of her shiny field boots before leading Summer to the mounting block. She took a deep Breathe before climbing the small set of stairs, whispering to Summer to stand and behave.

AJ mounted and kissed gently to move Summer forward, keeping her on a long, loose rein. She meandered her way to the wall rack, where so picked up a long, flimsy dressage whip with a rhinestone-encrusted handle. She looked her way back over to where Brodie stood, finally saying "ok, I'm ready. Let's go."

Riding Lessons and Flying Changes are both by Sara Gruen, who is also the author of Water for Elephants.

One of my favourites is The Man who Listens to Horses by Monty Roberts. SO good.

I ride dressage... used to do hunters but previous injury keeps me content with all 4 of my horse's feet on the ground at all times.

Name: AJ
Horse you are using: Summer
Placement group lesson or privet: Private
Level begginger,intermediate or advanice: Advanced

Yes I do
No I will not
No I will not
Yes I will
Yes I will
No I will not
Yes I do

AJ
The Music in Me
Advanced
dressage

name: Amanda
Role play name: AJ
role play age: 25
role player details:Used to be extremely competitive on all of the rated circuits, but after an injury she is afraid to compete again at a high level. Three-day eventing was her domain, with dressage being her specialty. She is very outspoken, temper-mental and always wants the best for her horses
gender: female
Appearance: Shoulder length, beach blonde hair, blue eyes. Thin but muscular frame, about 5'7 with long legs

horse name: The Music in Me (barn name: Summer)
breed: Hanovarian x Appy
age: 8
gender: mare
amount of training: Preliminary eventing, first level dressage
detail: 16.1hh, lovely colouring
color: Appy
Appearance: short appy mane and tail, strawberry roan over grey dapple that darkens in the winter and is almost grey in the summer. Grey mane and tail with big, brown eyes. Star in the middle of her face and 4 white socks
riding style: English
history; much of it is unknown as she was rescued as a three year old from a feed lot
family: mother was a polo pony, father unknown