Long time since my last entry, but better late than never.... During Autumn/Winter 2015--2016 we have trained and trained and trained. We should have done our debut in mid-level dressage during Autumn 2015 but Dinio got a hoof injury so that ended those plans. How ever - last weekend, May 22, 2016 we did our debut. Off loaded a very excited at the competition. My niece Jennifer Fäldt and my dear mother joined me and acted as support, a helping hand and Jennifer also filmed this competition, both from the warm-up arena and the competition arena. She is so good with the camera. Thank you so much Jennifer!!

Anyway - a very tensed and excited Dinio, not so strange because it was 9 months ago since our last competetion. My goal was to ride on at least 62%, which I need to do twice, in order to qualify to mid-level B- competitions. But, everything can happen with an excited Dinio.

Tried to calm him down during our warm up but didn't succeed as well as I wanted, so it was just to try to do as good as we could in the competition arena. We did what we should do but due to the excitement we only mangaed to achieve 58.6% Next time we will do better. But I am pleased with him anyway, considering the circumstanses, I think he did grate!!

The warmup:

 
 
 
 
  The competition:

During autumn 2014 I moved Dinio to a new stable. Here we have better training possibilities and better service, which Dinio needs due to his stomach problems. Gladly I can say that his problems has gon away. Just some few colics during this summer (2015). Dinio has developed a lot, gained weight and a lot of strong muscles. He has worked so well that I decided to start some competitions with him this year. Our first competition, June 7th, went well. We gained 60% in LB:2. I started him the following weekend, June 14th and this time we got 67% and the 4th place. Now it was time to move on to the next level. August 7th I started him in Vallentuna. This time in a higher class, LA:3 and here we got 63.4% and a 7th place. He has now earned his first 2 qualification points. We are so proud of him. Adding some photos from the last competition in Vallentuna.

Next competition will be in the beginning of September in Norrtälje. And this time in Mid Level dressage!

Today Dinio and I attended our first competition. Just Low-level, but nevertheless. Our riding club in our community arranged it and I thought it would be good to be there to see his reactions and so on. Also nice to have done one before the winter arrives. My darling mother joined me and she and I just work so well together. Dinio was in the beginning a bit tensed - a lot to check out - a completely new place where he hasn't been before - and a lot of horses moving around. But - as allways - he behaves perfectly. It didn't take long until the saddle was in place and I could start to ride. A bit tensed in the beginning but after just a little while - he was simply wonderful. He was just there and I felt that he enjoyed himself.

Gunilla, my trainer joined me at the warm up area and she looked very happy, I felt very happy. My friend Ingrid, my sister and my niece and my friend Margareta also joined us. They looked happy too. Yes, he was just wonderful at the warm up arena.

Then it was time to enter the collecting ring (indoor). We walked around a bit and then started to trot. He still felt very nice but a bit of his willing to move forward wore lost. Hm, but no catastrofy so far. And finally it was our turn to begin the test. Before the starting signal I tried to show him as much as possible of the arena. Our first problem started after the saluting halt. Trotting straight ahead towards a judge and a secretary sitting on something big at the short end - yak! And then we got problems all the way. Dinio lost a lot of willing to move forward and I sometimes had to carry him around, but some things we did wasn't too bad - after all. We managed to complete our test but with low scores - of course.

What will I take with me - Dinio behaved perfectly and I am very pleased and proud of him. And my goal with this competition was to see how he would react in such an invironment. 100% satisfaction here.

The next thing is that I have to ride him more in indoor arenas so he gets used to them and will be able to maintain his willing to move forward.

Then we need to practice and practice and practice. No new competition this year - we still have some building up to work on.

Addning some pictures from today.