Willie Dressage - Training Test 1

My 1993 Standardbred gelding "Willie" in his first Training Level test, 11/03/07. This was our last show of the season, and we entered Training 1 for schooling purposes. We rode between the 50mph gusts of wind and rain, and scored 59.130%. I had set my goal at 55% so I was pretty happy.

NOTE: While I do appreciate constructive criticism, please do not attempt to train my horse over the internet. I'm well aware that we both have some faults. Willie spent nearly 10 years as a harness racer and had NO canter or under saddle experience when I got him. He does have some mild arthritis in his hind end which means I have to work more slowly and carefully to get him engaged.

[Original video from VideoByPatrick.com; file compressed for sharing.]

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• standardbred
• dressage
• horse
• riding
• t1
• trotter

[chesnutmare]

Wow! I had always been under the impression that you couldn't train a standard bred that had been raced under harness to canter! Very impressive considering how long he had been raced at a trot!!! Have you retrained standard breds before this one? How long did this take you before you could show him at Training level?

[nowthatsatrot]

Thanks! I worked with one other STB for a while before adopting Willie, but had lots of exp. with green horses. Will started cantering after about a month of consistent under-saddle work but I wasn't doing dressage at the time. We spent about a year just trail riding, and then another figuring out his joints and tack, then did Intro for a year while schooling Training/1st at home. With a good foundation and no health issues, most STBs can learn to WTC within the first few months of riding. ;)

[WorthAShotFarm]

I LOVE HIS WALK! Keep up the good work.

[nowthatsatrot]

@WorthAShotFarm Thank you!

[hl302]

I thought it looked very nice overall..ur horse is beautiful if i might say. I think you're doing a great job with him. Very Nice.

[nowthatsatrot]

Thank you. He's come a long way since then but it's still nice to hear. ;)

[Equestrian2001]

Ptchyy! Very nice, deary. Will looks so cute. xD

[nowthatsatrot]

Because the point of dressage is not to get a horse's head down.

[5lythy]

why don't you ride him with his head down? I'm sure you could : -)

[camelias2009]

Very nice STB! I own two, and do dressage with my 7y/o (I have some older videos of him on my page if you want to see). He was also off the track, but did not spend nearly as much time on the track as yours did. Very nice horse, great canter! Keep up the good work!!