Santa_Claus
Well-Known Member
Today I wandered along to a nearby EC to watch some affiliated dressage as well I had nothing better to do! For starters when watching the standard it confirmed to me that Fleur is more than ready to be doing some serious dressage but lack of funds mean will have to continue to watch only for a while longer!
Anyway to point of post I was rather intrigued by some of the judging the elementary in particular. I watched the vast majority of both classes that included a roughly equal mix of open and restricted riders.
The winner of the first class was miles ahead in standard of everything else, even though it dished badly (which didn't effect its straightness/way of going etc so seemingly was correcty ignored by the judge as it should be) it was well balanced, working from behind, relaxed and very correct and ridden well to produce an almost faultless test to earn a well deserved 75ish%. This % i agreed with (me and housemate were awarding our own %s and had it at the 74% region!) as I did most of the other horses but there were two noticeable exceptions.
The first was a lovely little horse it was very correct and very accurate working from behind, although the paces were nothing special in terms of 'xfactor' they were rhythmic and correct, but as a BIG but it was 99% of the test noticably behind the vertical and at some points its chin was almost on its chest (btw these were elementary tests) but it got over 67% in the first class finishing 2nd overall and 1st in the restricted. didn't see score for second test but the test itself was very similar in nature. Now through all my dressage training it has always been a MAJOR no no to ride in a test behind the vertical to the extent that a lot of judges that I have talked to will mark down to the same extent as the horse being majorly infront of the vertical eg lose easily 2 marks per movement. I would personally have marked the test at about 57-60% taking into account the otherwise good nature of the test.
This leads me on to my second query. Competing was a para rider whom I have nothing but respect for and who rode very well but due to the nature of the disability all of the work on one rein in canter was well above the bit and the horse hollow. The rest of the work in general was very good worthy in my humble opinion of a 65% score. The entire canter on one rein I would be giving 3s or 4s now on a quick maths effort I would have the test at about 55% overall but yet in actuality it received 60%. Now without this sounding in any way wrong because as said I have upmost respect for this rider who would put the vast majority of able bodied riders to shame but I got the impression that perhaps the judge made allowances for the disability. Now again i thought that all BD tests should be judged on the horse (except of course rider mark in collectives) and that all combinations are judged equally with the same standards being required.
Now obviously I did not see the sheets and therefore not the individual marks I am only going from watching the tests themselves and the %s given. Thought it was interesting though and did wonder what others opinions are in a hypothetical sense on 1) how much would you mark down a horse who was in all ways correct (though not 'special') but behind the vertical at basically all times and 2) would you find it hard not to mark a test according to the limitations of the rider?!
Anyway to point of post I was rather intrigued by some of the judging the elementary in particular. I watched the vast majority of both classes that included a roughly equal mix of open and restricted riders.
The winner of the first class was miles ahead in standard of everything else, even though it dished badly (which didn't effect its straightness/way of going etc so seemingly was correcty ignored by the judge as it should be) it was well balanced, working from behind, relaxed and very correct and ridden well to produce an almost faultless test to earn a well deserved 75ish%. This % i agreed with (me and housemate were awarding our own %s and had it at the 74% region!) as I did most of the other horses but there were two noticeable exceptions.
The first was a lovely little horse it was very correct and very accurate working from behind, although the paces were nothing special in terms of 'xfactor' they were rhythmic and correct, but as a BIG but it was 99% of the test noticably behind the vertical and at some points its chin was almost on its chest (btw these were elementary tests) but it got over 67% in the first class finishing 2nd overall and 1st in the restricted. didn't see score for second test but the test itself was very similar in nature. Now through all my dressage training it has always been a MAJOR no no to ride in a test behind the vertical to the extent that a lot of judges that I have talked to will mark down to the same extent as the horse being majorly infront of the vertical eg lose easily 2 marks per movement. I would personally have marked the test at about 57-60% taking into account the otherwise good nature of the test.
This leads me on to my second query. Competing was a para rider whom I have nothing but respect for and who rode very well but due to the nature of the disability all of the work on one rein in canter was well above the bit and the horse hollow. The rest of the work in general was very good worthy in my humble opinion of a 65% score. The entire canter on one rein I would be giving 3s or 4s now on a quick maths effort I would have the test at about 55% overall but yet in actuality it received 60%. Now without this sounding in any way wrong because as said I have upmost respect for this rider who would put the vast majority of able bodied riders to shame but I got the impression that perhaps the judge made allowances for the disability. Now again i thought that all BD tests should be judged on the horse (except of course rider mark in collectives) and that all combinations are judged equally with the same standards being required.
Now obviously I did not see the sheets and therefore not the individual marks I am only going from watching the tests themselves and the %s given. Thought it was interesting though and did wonder what others opinions are in a hypothetical sense on 1) how much would you mark down a horse who was in all ways correct (though not 'special') but behind the vertical at basically all times and 2) would you find it hard not to mark a test according to the limitations of the rider?!