Steffen Peters & Legolas: 74.771%
- Legolas took really nice long strides in his extended trots though he didn't have the power that some of the other horses did. The first passage showed lots of bounce behind, but the bounce led the passage to become croup-high, rather than producing lift and shoulder freedom. The half-passes had supple crossing. The transition from collected walk to piaffe was completely clean and relaxed, and the piaffe was in place with good diagonal rhythm and spring. The passage in and out of piaffe was the best that the combination showed. Peters went off course in the same way Dujardin and Cornelissen did at the European Championships. It was to his benefit, however, since the two tempi changes were much better in the second line, with much more ground-cover. The ones were very stuck and the horse jumped particularly close behind in the change to the right. They were generously scored. Both pirouettes showed balanced turning and a clean canter, but needed to come up quite a bit more in front. Legolas was quite off the contact today, and not quite secure in the movements.
Guenter Seidel & Wylea: 71.917%
- Despite Seidel's very soft hands, Wylea looked quite busy in her mouth throughout in her test. Like Peters, Seidel could not really push his horse into the bit, and in Wylea's case, this led her to become a bit low in the frame at times. The trot half passes had nice bend and positioning but needed a bit more power sideways. The extended trots had powerfully reaching strides and lots of shoulder freedom, but didn't all quite settle into a rhythm. The passage was consistently springy and even. Wylea's extended walk was very nicely relaxed in the back. The first two piaffes were active, but pulled down slightly and crept forward. The transitions in and out of piaffe were all clean. The flying change at the end of that canter half-passes was quite short. Wylea stepped up and under very well in her two tempi changes—a highlight in the test—but the strides got a bit short behind in the fifteen ones. The nine one tempos between the pirouettes matched the quality of the twos, and Seidel rode the pirouette right uphill and in excellent balance. The last piaffe traveled forward a bit but was absolutely regular, with nice elevation.
Kathleen Raine & Breanna: 70.771%
- Raine's half-passes showed nice power sideways though Breanna made the crossing look a bit difficult. The transition to the first passage was a bit unsteady, but the passage itself had lots of spring and the mare stepped under well. Breanna's walk showed nice big strides but her natural rhythm is not the clearest. Raine transitioned to piaffe very early. The piaffes had nice clear diagonal steps and good activity, but Brianna could have sat better and was bobbing her head slightly. Brianna gave a major spook early in the canter work, with some leaping and little rears. The canter at half-passes were very well balanced with good bend. The one tempi changes were uphill with lots of jump. Both pirouettes lost at degree of self carriage in the last stride. The final line was powerful and clean.
Shelly Francis & Doktor: 69.979%
- Francis and Doktor make a great combination, and she rides a lot out of him in a very pleasant way. In the trot work, Doktor was rather restricted in his back and did not quite show the suppleness to really push forward in the extended trot or to reach sideways in the half passes. The passage had excellent rhythm and elevation. The transition from collected walk to piaffe was a little unsteady and the piaffe never quite settled. Doktor's natural frame in the piaffe is very good, with sitting and elevation, but tension prevents him from finding a steady rhythm. The canter half-passes were nicely uphill. Francis's one tempis were straight and springy though they could have covered more ground. The pirouettes were small and uphill but Doktor tended to jump together a little behind. The last extended trot showed nice power. The pair's final line showed their nice passage, but was slightly lacking in energy.
Cesar Parra & Van the Man: 67.979%
- Today, Parra was having some trouble with Van the Man's steadiness, with the horse often coming behind the bit. The first extended trot showed nice elevation, and both carrying and pushing powerfully from behind. The half-pass left was unsteady in the bridle and not totally willing sideways. Van the Man frequently got a bit short in the neck in passage, losing forward impulsion, though the elevation is good. The extended walk was not straight, so the horse lost some of his forward energy into the bit. The piaffes had nice lift in the forelegs and diagonal activity. The horse's haunches lagged significantly in the canter half passes. While the horse could step under more behind in the tempi changes, they are nicely uphill and cover ground well. Van the Man changed behind in the pirouette right.
James Koford & Rhett: 66.667%
- I discovered last night that Rhett has the same sire as one of the horses I am riding at the moment, but the only things they have in common are that they are both bay and have a tendency to get croup-high in the canter—their ways of going are totally different! In the trot, Rhett struggled to bring his hind legs really underneath himself to carry his movement. In extended trot, he powers himself forward, but needs to show more lift in front. The half-past right had better swing sideways than the one to the left. The passage had nice supple suspension. The extended walk had lovely relaxation and over-track. The piaffes were a bit hesitant and crept forward quite a bit. Rhett's huge two-tempi changes had lots of unfortunate mistakes. The ones were also enormous but could have come up quite a bit in front. The final line had lots of energy and smooth transitions in and out of piaffe.
Sharon Mccusker & Wrigley: 66.562%
- Wrigley is a nice moving horse, but seemed a bit difficult to ride to his full potential. McCusker had to give some quite strong half-halts to her horse, who had some tendency to pull down and get tight in the jaw. In the half passes, Wrigley seemed quite resistant in his movement sideways. The first extended trot out of passage started very early. The second trot half-pass showed better reach sideways. Wrigley had lots of spring and knee-action in his passage, but needed to take a little more of his weight behind to lift in front. The extended walk was relaxed and ground covering. There was some resistance to the bridle in the collected walk, leading to a bit of rear in the first piaffe. McCusker had to work very hard to get the activity in the passage and piaffe, though they were among the strongest elements of the test. The last piaffe was quite in place with particularly good elevation and rhythm.
Brian Hafner & Lombardo: 66.167%
- Lombardo is a horse of high quality and as Hafner continues to polish the Grand Prix work, I can see this horse becoming quite impressive. Lombardo had really nice even reach in front and behind in his extended trots, and when they showed a little more pushing power from behind they were top class. The trot half-passes were a little flat. The horse stepped under well and showed nice knee action in passage. The extended walk was short and tense with no over-track. The first piaffe the impression of having a bit of backward tendency, and the horse reared in the second. The tempis were clean and ground covering but rather flat. The extended canter was uphill and showed a lot of risk. Neither line of ones was quite straight. The canter rhythm in the pirouettes was super and they were very balanced, though they could come up more in front. The last piaffe was secure.
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