Does my dressage have to be perfect before I enter ODE?

[opinionuk]

I am looking to do a few unaffiliated ODE this year, having looked at a few videos of people doing ODE at 80cm which is where I want to start, their dressage is elegant and in perfect contact etc etc

Do you think I should wait until mine is ' near perfect' am I going to look like a numpty on my 6 year old, although she has a nice walk and canter and generally well balanced paces our trot work is pretty inconsistent, transitions are pretty hit and miss and getting her in a perfect outline is a nightmare although I am working on it.

Should I wait until it improves before entering? I was hoping to do one in 3 weeks.

Also can you alternate between sitting and rising trot during the test or does it have to be one or the other

 

[*hic*]

No you don't have to be perfect! As for alternating sitting/rising AFAIK there's no reason why you can't but you'd be better off with a younghorse sticking to rising.

 

[Lolo]

God no! I spent 5 years doing local ODEs at 2'9 level or so on a horse I was lucky to get 45 on. A 40 score had me bouncing round the lorry park with excitement! The other 2 phases made up for it My horse was the master of 'being a twit in the stressage' and so I did the best I could and he did his best in the SJ and XC. Still got lots of frillies though

 

[MissChaos]

Double check the rules it's run under (will usually run under BE rules even if it's unaffiliated) but at 80cm, I believe trot can be sitting/rising/mixed.

As to whether or not you should go, it depends why you're entering. If your priority is BE points, maybe not, but if you want to go to have some fun, have something to work towards and importantly, to get your six-year-old out more, do it! The only way they will get the practice is by getting the practice Go and enjoy it.