I finally got the videos from Camelot. I actually only ordered the XC video, but they sent me links to the dressage and stadium videos as well. Now, I didn’t order the dressage video for a reason. I hate watching myself do dressage. I knew the test wasn’t great, but watching it just makes me wince.
Why are we going so fast? Why? I certainly didn’t feel like we were going this fast. And there is a ton of tongue action. Like, I was really happy with how little tongue there was when I was going over the pictures and now I realize that was just a trick of photography. I will say the tongue was just flicking out, not hanging and flopping out the side of her mouth, but it’s not as resolved as I was thinking.
Also, Nilla’s tail reminds me of this:
Did anyone else have one of these My Little Pony toys as a kid? I always wanted a real life MLP as a kid. Not so much that particular model, but oh well.
The cross country was really fun to watch. I’m glad I ordered it. I definitely see things I need to work on – like not trying to jump the jump for Nilla, but whatever. She looks so happy running around XC.
Nilla Mule Does Cross Country at CEP
Finally, the stadium video is a great addition. I was really hoping there’d be some visual evidence of the mattress, but there isn’t. If you listen to the sound, you can hear the weird flapping noise around jump 3.
It was also interesting to see the video of her freakout at the final combination. I remember feeling like the bucking was from playing after the jump, but in watching, it’s clearly a spook. I still don’t know what at though. You can also see me hug her afterwards.
Although I generally hate watching videos of myself ride, I did learn a lot from watching them and I’m really glad the videographers shared them with me. If you ever show at the Camelot Horse Park, I can 100% recommend Chico Video Productions. They were great.
She looks so happy out there! What a great event A congrats again! Nilla clearly enjoys the job 🙂
She had a lot of fun!
I have the biggest crush on your little mule. She’s amazing and I loved watching her propeller tail and periscoping ears. She looks like she had a blast!
She was having a lot of fun jumping.
Nilla has come SO far since I’ve been reading your blog.
It’s crazy, right?
you are being soooo hard on yourself… i started the dressage video waiting for the absolute disaster you were talking about but really it looked fine! i don’t think you were too fast at all. i think some people get so locked into dressage has to be this slow plodding thing they forget to show any expression in the horse’s movement. she has a pretty nice trot so show it off! and i barely noticed the tongue thing at all.
she looks REALLY fun to jump. you guys are so cute shes such a great jumper. it really helps to get videos of your own riding because what you feel and what it looks like can be two totally different things.
She loves jumping. Like really, truly enjoys it. And I think her form is pretty great. But dressage is the bane of our show world.
I had to laugh at the tail because ALL of my mules get the whizzing tail! ALL of them!
And I have one that does the weird tongue thing already and she’s literally had a bit in her mouth twice. Mules man…!
Seriously! Mules just have so many opinions they cannot keep them contained.
You two look great and the best part is how fun make it look. I wouldn’t have noticed the tongue had you not pointed it out. She looks so relaxed and happy.
Thanks. I don’t know about relaxed and happy, but she wasn’t pissed and balking, so I’ll take it.
I DID have one of those MYP’s growing up, in fact, if I unpacked some boxes, I bet it is still around. Nilla doesn’t look as bad as you made it sound though. The things I have learned very recently. 1. Slow down. No, even slower. No, that isn’t slower. Slower than even that. Yes, there you go. Try downloading Prometronome and aim for 140 bpm in the trot. 2. Your stirrups cannot be too short over fences. Make them short, then go 2 holes higher. 3. A good horse will save your butt and cannot be discounted at all. Congrats!
Yes, my trainer is always telling me to slow down and I’m like, I cannot go any slower. But clearly I need to. I have a busted ankle and can’t really raise my stirrups anymore. Although I wonder if I could do it for the <2 minutes in the stadium phase.
Oh…I’m with you. I really dislike watching myself ride and can generally pick it apart pretty well. For what it’s worth, I don’t think she looks too speedy in the dressage video, just nicely forward.
Watching yourself is the worst. Thanks for the generous comments, but I’m pretty sure we need to slow down…
I’ve noticed that you use a crupper(?) under Nilla’s tail when you ride. I don’t know anything about them; is that just a Mule thing?
Some people use them in endurance for non mules. Most mules are downhill and have basically no withers so the crupper keeps the saddle from sliding onto their shoulders.
Nilla is SOOOOO cute!!
I think it is incredibly unfair Nilla can’t be a hunter pony. I totally see it.
I don’t see that happening. She’s not the slow and steady sort.