[Gunnar]

Robby, wow how exciting. You and your Precious set a great example for others and I am so excited for you as you make the big move up to T.

Good luck and have so much fun out there!!!

[Xctrygirl]

Oh come on Robby.... its not the entering thats the issue, its the competing!!

Now heck when I look back to the fateful 1987 (yikes http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_c...s/icon_eek.gif) event at Middletown H.t. where I took my cute little roan mare "Catch of the Day" to her first training, I choke with disgust. LOL. But seriously here's the worst case scenario...

Got a 75 in dressage during the old days where anything over 60 meant at some point you dismounted and starting doing the test on foot with the horse watching! Stadium came before xc and we were so awful we got eliminated there at the same moment that the judge was going to excuse me anyway! Oy vey! And then to be a good samaritan we volunteered to be an outrider to get the scores and she tried to dump/kill/run off many times. But the point of the story is this.... I survived. Did another training as my first time and have gone on to a full career in eventing.

DON"T SWEAT the little stuff. The only one who doesn't know there's any difference is Rhodey. And the only way he'll know is if you tell him. Otherwise he's doing the same swagger in dressage, the same pricked ears on xc and the same "I'm here dad, lets leave long at the last" in stadium.

Its the same game. Just do it.

All my love sweetie

~Emily

[Fred]

you'll be fine!
What xcountrygirl said! The only one who knows is you, and good for you for going out of your comfort zone ( says she who never drives faster than 120 )
What JER said made me laugh - how true, I feel like that a LOT! LOL

[Sebastian]

Ah, Robby...you'll have a blast!! And, the dressage tests are WAAAAAY better. You actually get to DO stuff instead of just change direction.

Seb http://chronicleforums.com/images/cu...s/winkgrin.gif

[eventable]

You'll be fine! The Precious will LOFF it, you will LOFF it, the whole world will LOFF watching the videos. All will be well and then before you'll know it you'll be doing Prelim / *...

And check your PMs PLEASE!!!!

[mountain girl]

That's super! You have earned this, now OWN it and have fun!

[Judi]

WooooooHoooooo!!!! Robby. You guys are going to ROCK! And from what I can see from your video Rhodey has plenty of scope to do the job.

Rainier and I did a Training derby in the middle of August and the Dressage Test Training C was so much fun. Rainier was so into the test (he's gotten really bored of both Novice tests and anticipates alot). But the Training test makes so much sense and moves along... We actually ended up getting a 22 on our dressage test...

As scared as I was... it was soo much fun in the end. And Rainier seemed to really have a blast.... I just know you and Rhodey will too.

I'm expecting video though....

Good luck Robby....

You're going to have a blast!


judi

[Xctrygirl]

Ok Robby its getting closer... how does that dressage test look now? How is Rhodey doing gearing up for it?? And most of all how's your mental state??

Inquiring minds want to know!!!

~Emily

[Robby Johnson]

LOL, it's going really well. He is going great right now and I have been getting regular help with my dressage.

He is jumping really well too, though I am about to have a sequence of pre-show lessons with my show-jumper friend. She usually helps me string it together, and I just need to focus on establishing the appropriate canter and letting go of the reins!

Thanks for asking!

Robby

[goobs]

I was wondering about you and Rhodey also! You are still going to videotape it right and post here with commentaries I hope! You guys are going to be kicking butt! I don't even know you and I AM excited about it! http://chronicleforums.com/images/cu...milies/yes.gif

Maybe you can sneak us some video of your jumper lessons? Would love to follow your progress into your first training level event!

[IFG]

Robby, when you figure out the trick to letting go of the reins, can you fill me in?

Good luck, from one former hunter rider with baggage to another!

[Robby Johnson]

With Rhodey, who has one of the most metronomical types of canters, I have to establish a pace off of my leg that allows him to jump the fence size, but that doesn't push him past the distance. That seems to be my "gap" right now. I want to gun a little as opposed to waiting for him to put in the extra step.

The reality is that I got myself all mentally worked up over having time penalties in the show-jumping. But that is sort of the show-jumper he is. I would rather have a smooth/consistent trip and 1-2 time penalities than a disorganized go.

So, that is my plan for the Training move-up.

Fortunately he has gotten this very keen and bold way of going XC over the past few horse trials he has done. I can pretty much just sit up and relax on him and that is a good feeling as well.

He definitely responds better to an "equality" type of ride. If you get to aggressive on him he sort of shuts down.

So, we will definitely not be worried about time in either phase. Just confident, clean trips.

Robby

[Timex]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Robby Johnson:
So, we will definitely not be worried about time in either phase. Just confident, clean trips. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

and remember to BREATHE!! good luck and have fun!!

[Judi]

Robby... I was JUST thinking about you and Rhodey as I drove into work this AM... and I came on the board to post a good luck to you and lo and behold others had you in thier thoughts as well.

You guys are going to ROCK!. Please... please... please... make sure you've got video for us all. We want to hear all the lovely details as only you can tell them.

Goodluck.. have fun.. Be Bold... Ride Tough...

: )

judi and rainier

[cowgirleventer]

Rhodey sounds like Roo Robby(try saying that 5 times fast!). The metronomal quality is interesting in an event horse. Roo gets in his little da dum da dum da dum mode and I have to talk to him constantly to make sure I can get his attention when we need it. Is this your first training ever or just on this horse?

[Robby Johnson]

It's my first T on this horse but only my third T start ever, and that was, gulp, 4 years ago!

Robby

[goobs]

If you ride like you did on that video you had posted here then you have NOTHING to worry about! Those are just speed bumps to Rhodey! Your dressage was beautiful! Rhodey knows he's a total dandy!

[VCT]

Good Luck Robby! http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_c...icon_smile.gif Beeing reading your posts about you and Rhodey... Looking forward to hearing about how it goes! I'm sure you'll do wonderfully!

[cowgirleventer]

Have a blast! By the way, congrats on your ATC team win-sounds like you guys had a great time.

[Lisamarie8]

Robby, You know I'll be thinking of you and The Precious.

Just be sure you eat a hearty breakfast... perhaps a Bigsack McMuffin

I expect a report asap.

xoxo
Lisa