Can you watch my dressage test and score me?!

Perfect_Pirouette

Perfect_Pirouette

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Ok, so a few weeks ago I went to a dressage comp with G. I was very hungover and had only 4 hours sleep, which yes, wasn't sensible, but nothing I could do now. My accuracy in some parts was awful I know. However I was really disappointed with the score.

I did another dressage comp with him last weekend and we did brilliantly so i don't really know why i'm still worrying about this one- well i'm not really. I'm just curious as to what other people would mark it and then i'll tell you what I got for it!


It's prelim 12. He wasn't working particularly well this day, it was a massive struggle to get him in any kind of outline even though he was forward and fairly straight- normally he just drops, but this day he was really resistant and felt very heavy in my hands etc.

Here's the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ALURtuxgnU
 
Hi

I'm not going to try and score your test as i dont have a copy of P12 handy and am in no way qualified, it seemed to be a nice test.

However you can see that you're kind of fighting for the outline which i think caused a 'tense' look to both you and the horse particularly through your transitions, also the accuracy issues will have been quite detrimental - especially your final halt, which wasnt on the centre line, and thats the last thing the judge sees so it'll stick in her/his mind. Remeber at Prelim level the horse doesnt need to have a perfect 'outline', so long as they are working properly and consistently, therefore if you ride a smooth accurate test you will gain more marks - oh and always always smile at your judge - especially when going down the centre line!

Its a nice test, i wouldnt been to disconcerted by your marks, and a very lovely horsey!
 
I'm not a judge so take from this what you will:

I would have had you on a fair number of 6s, with an 8 for the free walk which looked lovely, but a 5 for your centre lines which wobbled badly, 5s for your medium walk 1/2 circles which were innacurate but more importantly lost the correct rhythm in the walk. A few 7s, but mainly 6s - all of which would have put you on around 61%. Collectives would have been 6656.

Sorry if that is way off.
 
I judge at local level (only partially trained with BD years ago, but done a fair few comps now). I didn't have a copy of the test to hand either, but agree with Halfstep - a fair number of 6s, but you lost marks in the walk half circles as not accurate and definitely lost impulsion/rhythm there and again in final canter across the diagonal - I would have said fell into trot, hollowed in trans, or something like that!

It's hard to see on the video, but looked like there was some tension in the trot (tail swishing and head moving) but overall I thought the trot work was accurate and forward, and the canter work was pleasing.

So I would expect you to be around the 60% mark, with some 7s, mainly 6s and then 5s for walk and centre line stuff - you looked way off line in the final halt, and as hedwards points out, that's the last thing the judge sees so as he/she is about to write your collectives, and the pen is hovering over the boxes and judge is thinking shall I give 5 or 6 in their head and then you halt somewhere by her right wing mirror - that really doesn't help your collective marks!

But having pointed out the not so good, there was lots to like too - did your judge not think so?

Does that help? Can we find out what you got yet??
 
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OK I do judge (BD).

I would have given mainly 6s, however the inaccuracies would have brought you down to a 5, I would have given the medium walks 5 as the steps need to march more, probably a 6 for the free but with the comment - fair stretch but needs to march more. a 5 for the centre line - it was nowhere near it. The trot work was fair and perhaps a 7 could have crept in but you seem to have an inconsistant contact with your left hand and there was a lot of tension in the canter/trot transition which would have been a 5. I would also have commented on the fact that you are wearing black gloves but would not have docked any marks.

On the plus side, he is nice and rythmical and I would have commented on that, he was a little nose poking but at prelim that is not so important, he did seem to lose balance on the corners so you need to help him by giving a more consistant contact. I would have finished with a Well Done!

So 59/60% from me.
 
Sirena, can I ask you about the free walk? I was going to give it a 7, but I thought again - clear overtrack, good stretch down into a correct (looking) contact, clear four beat rhythm, purposeful and loose in the shoulder. Hence I gave it an 8. I would worry that the phrase "needs to march more" would leave the rider thinking they needed to hurry the walk, whereas I felt the horse was in a correct rhythm. But as I said I'm not a judge!
 
Sirena why would you have commented on the gloves? BD have reworded the rule for 2010 so it now says:

Rule 45
Gloves - Must be worn. White, cream or beige gloves are strongly preferred.

So why would you comment if someone wore dark gloves? Just interested....
 
Halfstep said:
Sirena, can I ask you about the free walk? I was going to give it a 7, but I thought again - clear overtrack, good stretch down into a correct (looking) contact, clear four beat rhythm, purposeful and loose in the shoulder. Hence I gave it an 8. I would worry that the phrase "needs to march more" would leave the rider thinking they needed to hurry the walk, whereas I felt the horse was in a correct rhythm. But as I said I'm not a judge!
Click to expand...


The walk steps generally lacked impulsion and purpose and although there was overtrack in both, the horse fell onto his shoulders in free - they looked as though they were out for an afternoon stroll rather than doing a dressage test. It was difficult to judge (could not see) but I felt that the rein could have been loose rather than long and the horse was not truly working through to the bridle.
 
SpottedCat said:
Sirena why would you have commented on the gloves? BD have reworded the rule for 2010 so it now says:

Rule 45
Gloves - Must be worn. White, cream or beige gloves are strongly preferred.

So why would you comment if someone wore dark gloves? Just interested....
Click to expand...

Yes which excludes black/dark, we were told to just comment rather than dock any marks - although it is imho a stupid rule!
 
Sorry, am still not clear - they changed it so they only prefer light ones, not that you have to wear them, which was previously the rule - I understand why judges were commenting before they altered the rule again, but since they have changed it back and dark ones are now allowed again, are BD still asking judges to comment on dark gloves even though the rule only expresses a preference now? That seems really odd!
 
in regards to the light glove issue, I think if judges prefer light gloves then I'm sure as hell going to wear them...even if it doesn't loose me anymore mark to wear dark I may aswel creat a better impression by wearing what they prefer lol!
 
SirenaXVI said:
Yes which excludes black/dark, we were told to just comment rather than dock any marks - although it is imho a stupid rule!
Click to expand...

Yes the rule now states that white or cream are prefered. I wouldnt comment about the gloves at all....

I commented on this post but it seems to have disappeared, or maybe it was elsewhere... I thought around 62%.
 
Thank you everyone for all your comments.

I got mainly 4's and 5's and my lowest ever score of 50%. I was really dissapointed as I thought, although there were errors, especially with my accuracy, it didn't really warrant 50!

But nevermind, as I said, we went out last weekend and we did so so much better and got placed- no comments on my accuracy then and he was also in a much softer outline.

I was just interested to see what other people may have marked it as etc.

Thanks so much guys.x
 
oh and re the glove thing- opps, I honestly never knew it was only light/beige gloves etc, i'm going to invest in a pair now, thanks!
 
SummerxStarsx said:
oh and re the glove thing- opps, I honestly never knew it was only light/beige gloves etc, i'm going to invest in a pair now, thanks!
Click to expand...

That's the thing - it ISN'T light gloves only - BD changed the rules so it was, then changed them back so now yu can wear any colour gloves, so black are fine. No need to spend any money at all.
 
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