daughter's first dressage test went badly wrong !!

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maisiemoo

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After practising for weeks and having dressage lessons the big day finally arrived, pony is quite lazy and my only concern was would my 11 year old be able to get her going forward enough.
Well how wrong was i , after half hour journey on the lorry with very handsome gelding for company pony was very much in love and was just obsessed with needing to know where he was all the time .
Tried to stay away from him but tanked round the test . rushing and pulling . refused to halt at X and then some nice person blew their nose as she was trotting past the judges box giving ponio perfect excuse to spook .
All ended in tears of dissapointment and comments of disobedient pony from the judges , so frustrating when she's such a good girl normally,
Will be travelling alone to the next one !!
 
I really do feel for you :(

I can't offer any advice, as my horse is just as annoying, but I can't avoid it! As I have to go every where with my sisters horse to competions (both field buddies and stabled next to each other)

What makes it even more annoying is that my sisters horse doesnt mind when they get split up (think it's because he's the boss out of the 2)

I have quite a hard time when I want to do an hunter trail, as he doesn't want to listen too me at all, and always pulling to go back to the start (to get back to my sisters horse)

If I go to a competion on my own... He is perfect!
 
Oh no!!!! :( I feel really bad for you.
don't worry though every show is still experience at the end of the day :) I know how frustrating it is when your pony just won't behave!
K x
 
Oh no! How annoying -.-
She's not alone, I remember my first dressage test when we first got gypsy (the very naughty gypsy who reared and napped all the time, before we sent him away for schooling) he was perfect all the way until we turned up to X to finish and he decided to turn left, out of the arena and galloped to the other ponies, gave a good growl and got him back on track, halted at X, just about to salute and he gave an almighty rear!
Believe it or not we lost the competition (would have won if it wernt for the end) and got a big, bold , dissobiedient on the end of our test paper! Woops!:rolleyes:
 
Tears of disappointment! The very worst kind, and the ones that all us Mums dread every time we go anywhere.

It can be such a long journey home when things have gone wrong.

I actually don't mind at all where my daughter finishes in a competition as long as both horse and child come back safe and we avoid the awful tears of disappointment. They just make me want to give everything up and find a new hobby for us all.

Like Cricket maybe...?
 
Oh dear, what a shame! Unfortunately it is a common problem. R is perfect on his own, but a total wreck if he goes out with a field mate and loses sight of them!!! Maybe book her in again for another competition fairly soon and give it another go on her own.
 
Awww no, I sympathise totally. Just remind her that it wasn't her fault, and if there are any positives on the comment sheet, make sure she's seen them and takes them to heart... it's too easy for us all to get hung up on the negatives and ignore any positives.

It's kind of unrelated but I think may work in the horsey world too - I'm a musician and do a lot of music teaching as well. A lot of my students enter music competitions, and what I ask them to do is to record themselves playing, and then I get them to point out three things that they really like about their playing, that they did well, and two things that they think they can improve on... I think it's important to say 'can imrpove on' rather than 'dislike'... and the goods should always outweigh the bads in my view. Like I say, that's for music, but I think it's a good approach to take to anything with kids :)

Best of luck in the next one anyway!
 
Oh poops. Very frustrating.

Just get out to more parties and keep at it. As you say, travel seperately if you can.

I like Trish C's comment. I'm going to try that with me never mind the children lol :D
 
Oh dear, but it happens to a lot of us when going to competitons with another horse from the same yard, it is annoying when you have worked really hard and then it all goes down the pan because your horse is only bothered about where their best buddy is, I'm sure next time you go on your own it will be a different story and hopefully a few ribbons involved.
 
I happens to me too, I have to go on my own or my horse just screams at everyone that I have kidnapped him -he is so loud :confused:

If two of us want to go to the same comp we have to travel in seperate trailers, park at different ends at the venue and only get together when we have finished or we are doing the pairs at a xc!
 
At least if she comes across same judge again & pony behaves judge can only be pleased at their progress. Just have to watch some top riders to see sometimes things go wrong even for the best of them. It's a learning experience, at least you know to go solo next time. With each trip you'll find out another thing that'll help the day go smoothly & keep pony & daughter calm. At least you've got a good chance of her next set of marks being an improvement!
 
Poor thing! That's horses for you though! You can guarantee they'll make you look stupid!!:rolleyes:

First dressage I did with my mad cob he did wall of death round the school, farted through the whole test and ran into the school like he had a rocket up his bum!! The judges comments were 'enthueastic(sp) entrance!' 'canter not gallop asked for!' 'rider controlled very sharp horse well' and 'congratulations on a good test on a insane horse!!!!' Lol!!!

Went again a few weeks later and the judge said 'oh I was hoping the entertainment was coming..and here you are!!' and of course my horse entered the ring as plod the cob..wouldn't keep in canter, stopped when I asked for walk and generally couldn't even be bothered to fart!!!:rolleyes:

I'm sticking to XC and jumping...at least he enjoys those!!!!
 
Chin up, it happens. Keep going and keep trying. No one keeps trying more than me I can tell you. If I get a knock back I carry on. The other day at Bury Farm, in arena 1 my poofy pants horsie just didnt like it at one end of the arena. When I managed to get him any where close to that end he just shot passed it like an out of control motor bike lol !. I just carried on and finished. Got a wonderful 46 % (lol) but still had a go. The next class was better with 62.1 %. Carry on girl, these things do happen. Dont let it knock you back. Horses will be horses !!
 
Thought we were the only ones to suffer equine separation anxiety! Have always envied those who bring two ponies who don't mind being split up at events. My daughter's show pony is a nightmare if we take another along, just won't settle and can suddenly do unscheduled flying changes and bunny hops! Annoying!!!!Was hoping someone on this thread would have a cure......
 
Oh so glad we are,nt alone with this problem !!. Shall go on our own next time and play hide and seek with her friend as they will be going too , At least daughter will know the test inside out !, thanks everyone for your replies which have not only made us feel better but provided alot of laughs aswell , at the end of the day they are animals and ponio still got cuddles and kisses even though she had been a numpty , would'nt change her for the world as the joy she brings far out weighs any naughty bits :)
 
I have a friend who used to compete at international standard dressage, but at one test his horse took offence to the flower boxes round the edge of the arena. He couldn't get the horse off a 10m circle in the centre of the arena, and the judge (who he knew) was in tears of laughter. They scored 0 :p

Happens to the best of us!!
 
jsr said:
Poor thing! That's horses for you though! You can guarantee they'll make you look stupid!!:rolleyes:

First dressage I did with my mad cob he did wall of death round the school, farted through the whole test and ran into the school like he had a rocket up his bum!! The judges comments were 'enthueastic(sp) entrance!' 'canter not gallop asked for!' 'rider controlled very sharp horse well' and 'congratulations on a good test on a insane horse!!!!' Lol!!!

Went again a few weeks later and the judge said 'oh I was hoping the entertainment was coming..and here you are!!' and of course my horse entered the ring as plod the cob..wouldn't keep in canter, stopped when I asked for walk and generally couldn't even be bothered to fart!!!:rolleyes:

I'm sticking to XC and jumping...at least he enjoys those!!!!
Click to expand...

He he you cobs 'enthusiastic' dressage test did just may me giggle!
 
Awww what a shame. Unfortunately horses can be a bit like that...no matter how perfect they can be....it can all goes t*ts up when it really matters!!

Tell her not to worry, and that practice makes perfect. Everyone has bad days, even the professionals have days where their horse just does not want to behave!!! xoxo
 
I was once eliminated from a dressage test when the horse locked onto one of the white boards marking the edge of the arena and jumped it beautifully. :o :rolleyes:
 
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