Demoralising Dressage (+ guess the scores)

[BronsonNutter]

Not going to give the scores as that would ruin the fun! Please guess & give any suggestions/crit (I don't care how harsh you are - couldn't possibly get any worse )

Took Wibbles out dressaging today for the first time since I finished uni for the summer. Tried him in the drop noseband for the first time as he doesn't like a flash and in a cavesson he was just beginning to open his mouth to evade.

He was very obedient - did everything spot on the markers, got right into his corners, circles very circular etc in the first test, and in the second he just had one 'moment' in the canter (they were running an SJ warm up in the field next to the dressage arena and someone tried to razz their horse up by galloping right past us on the other side of the fence - went canter, halt, head up, leap, canter, carry on) and his medium trot was rather rubbish. He wasn't quite as forward as I'd have liked, but I didn't have to nag, and he wasn't quite as round & soft as I'dve liked (mainly due to the lack of *oomph*) but nor was he tense/flinging his head around like a loony.

Bearing in mind we were just doing P18 and N28, approximately what marks would you have given based on the above description and the following pictures? (not many pictures as the memory was running out! up to halt is P18, after halt is N28)

I'll post the actual marks/comments later, just wanted some unbiassed opinions first to check that I have not gone crazy!

Ta There will be brownies tomorrow (of the edible variety, not child variety, before anyone gets worried...)


Edit: Nearly forgot! Turns out you CAN get the staff these days - breakfast in bed this morning

 

[Lolo]

Dunno... Mid to late 50s in both tests? He's pretty above the bit in the photos of the prelim, and in the ones where he's more rounded I think that's more a prelim outline? Accuracy is important but it's a 5 for just doing the move in the right place (was told that by a judge at a BE event... not sure how true that is?)

He looks so well in those photos, perfect weight

 

[Apercrumbie]

I am by no means an expert but maybe 45-55%. Sorry I know that's a huge range but it really depends on the judge and it's quite hard to tell without a video. I've also been told about the 5 for simply doing the movement correctly. He just looks very above the bit in the pictures and while a little above the bit is fine (I definitely prefer that to overbent) he is more than a little bit above it and doesn't seem to be stepping through behind. Sorry if that's a bit harsh, obviously I am only going off photos so ignore me if I've misinterpreted them.

 

[PucciNPoni]

Agree with the others he's a little above the bit in the prelim photos and looks a little backward. Around my neck of the woods we see worse tests than that getting about mid to high 50s, so guessing about 60%

The novice test looks a bit softer and forward, but not sure how many marks you lost (over how many movements) you got for the hiccup - and did it affect the rest of your test? And with the lack of mediums possibly giving a couple of 4s...going to guess mid 50s

Ironically, I find that with my horse I can get good marks in Prelim, rubbish marks in Novice, and then decent scores in Elem again! So my brain automatically sees a Novice test and assumes low scores! LOL

So go on...how'd you do!?

 

[EstherYoung]

I'd guess on mid to late 50s too.

Mind you that said our Spud got mid 50s with a test that started 'enter at extended angry-flounce and tranter right' and continued in that ilk PMSL. Judge's comments included 'beautiful but inattentive' - you're telling me!!! There's a reason we don't do dressage very much. He got good marks for all his transitions, it was just the bits in between that were a tad random.

 

[snopuma]

I'm gonna guess at 62%

But,

I just want to drop your stirrups by about 4 holes! its making you tip when short and sticking him on the forehand...imho

 

[mtj]

For a very accurate test, the prelim possibly high 50's, maybe nudging 60. Guess collectives might not be pretty from the photos.

The novice, around my area, sounds more like a 50 at best.

Something to bear in mind, we always get higher marks from BD judges (in unaffiliated) than judge volunteers who have not been trained. My horse is very correct, but not flashy. Was the judge BD trained?

This post is not meant to be a dig at untrained judges. I'm well aware that many low key events would not happen without their gracious help.

 

[DarkHorseB]

Really impossible to tell from the pics I hope you got a good mark for your halt in the prelim as that looked square!
Agree with the others he doesn't really look like he is through into the contact and working properly in the pics - though the photos could be completely misleading!! He also looks a bit on forehand not sure if he is croup high and built a bit that way or the way he was going.
Again re the mark impossible to say as would depend if judge generous or mean - I am guessing mean! If mean was she generally mean and where did you finish overall in class. Often where you are is of more relevance than % and also how far behind the winner you were, some judges use a huge range of marks and others less so.

It also depends on what the judge uses as their standard mark. Some "start
" with a 6 and add for better performed movements some start at 5

Try not to be too disheartened we have all had days when the mark just does not seem to match the test we did at all - and sometimes it is a better mark than you think too but human nature being what it is we tend not to dwell on those so much

 

[BronsonNutter]

Only apercrumbie is correct at this stage! Few more guesses or shall I just spit it out now?

Lolo - he's only started having hard feed again this weekend after a spell on nothing! Going showing on wednesday, so chubbiness might be good
PnP - the spook/stop/launch only affected that one movement - I just gave him a pat and he carried on like it hadn't happened. There was also only one medium trot, so at the time I didn't think it would have lost us that many marks to warrant the score he got...
Snopuma - I know I ride like a jockey In my defence, I had a pretty bad fall not that long ago and all my core is still pretty weak/painful, and so short stirrups just work best atm. I'll force myself to ride longer at home
Mtj - no idea if they're BD trained or not - never seen her at a BD comp though. She was judging up to elementary.
DHB - he is very croup high (about 2-3 inches difference?) so will never look uphill unfortunately. The comment for that halt was 'not square' - now, one hind leg might be a few cms behind the other, but still looks square to me and everyone else who saw it

 

[Badders]

I daren't guess!! Though if the judge was disparaging of the halt, then I'm thinking really not good!
Do they have regular competitions where you've moved to? We're looking to do lots of practice! Mind you, if it's the same judge, perhaps not!!

 

[SpottedCat]

The thing is, if he halted then stepped to make it square, you will lose marks and the comment 'not square' is perfectly valid even if the picture shows a different story. Without videos, there's no real way to tell, but if the pics are indicative of the way of going throughout the test, I'd say 55% ish, if everything else was accurate - less if it wasn't.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

going on what you've just said...52/53?

he looks a bit braced and tight generally.

 

[Amaranta]

From your description and the photos I would say 50-55%, he looks like he is not really travelling forward and is above the bit in the prelim pic. Impossible to say whether the halt was square or not from the photo as it is from the side and at a slight angle. The novice pics look like more of a prelim outline and he looks to be tilting his poll in the last picture but he does seem to be travelling forward more, thing is you would have lost marks on both the spook and the medium trot, a generous judge may have given you a 5, but a more discerning judge maybe a 4 or even a 3 for the spook, this would also have affected your collectives. I suspect that his free walk also lost marks looking at his way of going.

I am another who would like to see your stirrups down by at least 3 holes! This will stop you falling on your fork and putting him on the forehand.

Saying all that, keep going, get him more forward and the outline will come better

 

[TarrSteps]

Remember, too, any resistance or blips will affect your coefficient marks, not just the score for that movement.

Unfortunately way of going is a sort of ceiling in a test. Accuracy etc will maximise your available mark but if the horse is only doing 5 or 6 work that will be the limit and any other problems will take away.

 

[BronsonNutter]

Right, will share results now.

P18 - 53% - despite me completely missing out the serpentine and then the subsequent trot down long side (two whole movements!) which the judge didn't even notice, gave marks for and comments. No mention of error or deductions Not a single 'nice' or encouraging comment on the entire sheet - just resistant written for everything.

N28 - 47%. Worst mark I've ever got, for a test that was no way the worst test I've ever ridden Two movements were dodgy, the rest were obedient. Again, not a single nice comment, just resistant written everywhere.

Just wish we'd got it on video so I could try and understand just what it looked like, as it didn't feel like the marks it got. It definately wasn't the best work he's ever done in a test, but it was the most consistent and obedient he's ever been...

Badders - this was at Sykehouses, don't think new yard does any competitions? You'd have probably been fine, there were some good marks given out for the flashy WBs and chunky cobs, just think Wilby offended her somehow! Think I'll be ringing them up to check who's judging in the future.

SC - he didn't step and adjust himself in the halt - hasn't quite grasped that idea yet! If I give him a nudge in the halt to move a leg he just walks off Daft pony.

 

[PucciNPoni]

Hmmm, find it rather amusing that they never noticed missing out the serp!

I take it was the same judge for both tests then?

Try to not feel too bad about it - we all have crap days but they do generally improve

 

[mystiandsunny]

Some days you just have to write down to experience. Next test!