AKLAH KESTREL waiting to do his test

AKLAH KESTREL waiting to do his test

We decided to take the two show horses, TRUE ADDICTION and AKLAH KESTREL out to some local riding club dressage. It is a good way of getting young horses used to going out and schooling in a quiet environment, as well as taking the opportunity to compete Arabian horses against other breeds of horses and show how versatile they really are.

AKLAH KESTREL was first up with a simple preliminary test. The dressage arena was set up with bright white boards as the boundary. ‘Kes’ had never seen these before, so it was good education for him. He settled well and did a nice, if ‘novicey’ test, occassionally looking at the bright boards, resulting in a very good fifth place rosette out of ten entries and was ridden beautifully by Sarah Monkman. His second test was again preliminary. He was far more settled for this test and no longer bothered by the boards, but unfortunately lost his balance on the corner in canter and fell out of the arena! Young horses tire very easily and Kes’s concentration level had soon dwindled, but was lucky not to be elimated by the judge.

TRUE ADDICTION came out full of life and energy to spare. His first class was a preliminary test, Sarah warmed him up and he worked really well showing good promise. The judge liked him and was generous with her marks giving him second place with 71.2%. TRUE ADDICTION was last to go in the Novice test and the horse that beat him in the previous class went in just before him. It was the first time TRUE ADDICTION had done a novice test and he performed it well, relaxed yet listening. It was a tense time awaiting for the result but Sarah and TRUE ADDICTION pulled it off and took home the first place rosette. TRUE ADDICTION is now proving to be successful at dressage as well as showing. Maybe we will try some jumping in the future, but for now he will contest the showing classes for the season.