Bits at intro level dressage

[spaceflower]

Hi

i am hoping to take my 16 yo tb ex racer for his first dressage test soon, just at intro level to see what he makes of it all.

He is hacked out and schooled in a French link dutch gag, which I know isn't dressage legal, but wondering if there's any relaxing of the rules even at intro level?

any thoughts or advice gratefully received

thanks

 

[MissTyc]

You could possibly do it HC with the permission of the organisers, however I don't really think you can do dressage in a gag as the contact is very different from a true dressage contact. Even at the lower levels you are expected to be "working towards" the next scale of training and a gag doesn't really fit into that.

Might be worth trying him with different types of dressage-legal bits and one he likes?

 

[spaceflower]

Thanks misstyc.

As this is his first bit of competing in years, just wanted to see how he behaves with the plan that if it all goes to plan we will take the plunge and play with some dressage legal ones.

Doesn't help that the test is next weekend so doesn't give us a lot of time to find alternative and try them out

 

[TarrSteps]

You can always ask but just as a head's up, if they are running under BD rules then tack rules still apply, even HC. It would be impossible to judge a horse wearing a leverage bit fairly and accurately.

 

[Laafet]

Or try a hanging cheek snaffle? That would be the closest thing to a gag you can ride in.

 

[fishy]

You could try contacting the organisers and ask if you can go and do it in the gag but not be entered into any points or placing system. We went in a Wilkie a couple of years ago and were told we could do the test but not be placed. As it was my daughter's first time we borrowed a sniffle and it's a good job because she won!