Draw rains for warming up for unaffiliated ODE?

SuperCoblet

SuperCoblet

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As title really, can you use draw reins to warm up for dressage in an unaffiliated PC/RC event?

Im not asking if I should personally use them, it works for me, just can I use them warming up for 15 minutes prior?

thanks :)
 
It depends what rules it's run under- BD and I think PC, RC and BE are all no, their own rules will obviously vary so check with them, but if under BS then you're fine, though it would see odd to have dressage of a ODE under BS rules!
 
No, 95% sure you're not. You can lunge with side reins, but nothing that goes between the legs is the general rule.
 
thanks everyone, i had a quick look through the PC eventing dressage rules and i cant see anything to say you're not. Can I turn up with them then just take them off if a steward asks me to? its only an 80 course, and am i lead to believe I can carry a whip at this level for PC?
 
SuperCoblet said:
thanks everyone, i had a quick look through the PC eventing dressage rules and i cant see anything to say you're not. Can I turn up with them then just take them off if a steward asks me to? its only an 80 course, and am i lead to believe I can carry a whip at this level for PC?
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Definitely not at PC at all, ever... Not allowed to lunge in them, let alone ride in them. When they say 'exercise' that includes riding in.

You are allowed a whip :)
 
Ah okay then, thanks for clearing that up everyone :) might try the riding in a Pelham before hand because he goes nicely in that :) his snaffle work at home is coming on brilliantly but it will go out the window without any assistance at a show!
 
SuperCoblet said:
Ah okay then, thanks for clearing that up everyone :) might try the riding in a Pelham before hand because he goes nicely in that :) his snaffle work at home is coming on brilliantly but it will go out the window without any assistance at a show!
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The bit you warm up in must be the bit you ride in during the test...

You could technically warm up in the SJ, and then change bits around and go to the dressage warm up if you were willing to risk it- I've not seen the people I know who do that be pulled up or even noticed. But technically, when you're in the dressage warm up, you should be in the bit you're doing the test in.
 
Lolo said:
The bit you warm up in must be the bit you ride in during the test...

You could technically warm up in the SJ, and then change bits around and go to the dressage warm up if you were willing to risk it- I've not seen the people I know who do that be pulled up or even noticed. But technically, when you're in the dressage warm up, you should be in the bit you're doing the test in.
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Is this a PC ruling? As I have warmed up for BE dressage in a Pelham before, then switched over just before going in, and pretty certain the rules allowed me to (and nobody stopped me :o). Although this was about 3 or 4 years ago now, so rules may have changed.
 
charlimouse said:
Is this a PC ruling? As I have warmed up for BE dressage in a Pelham before, then switched over just before going in, and pretty certain the rules allowed me to (and nobody stopped me :o). Although this was about 3 or 4 years ago now, so rules may have changed.
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PC ruling- BE anything goes.

But it states you have to exercise in the tack you then compete in in the rule book, and 95% of PCs interpret that as riding as well as lunging in our experience.
 
Lolo said:
PC ruling- BE anything goes.

But it states you have to exercise in the tack you then compete in in the rule book, and 95% of PCs interpret that as riding as well as lunging in our experience.
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Cool, I was just wondering if some new BE ruling had passed me by :rolleyes:!
 
Sound slike your riding needs a kick rather than using draw reins if you can get him going nicely in a pelham or draw reins, he can do it, just needs more schooling! And if you need draw reins and a whip you definitely need to re evaluate! My bet is he's trundling along on the forehand with his nose held in not working properly. Most people will look at you and wonder what you are doing if they see you in them at events.
 
I'm sorry I thought I said I wasn't asking about if I personally can use draw reins or not. I have owned him for 4 years. Spent most of that picking up pieces of his ruined past and gluing it back together. I have spent all winter schooling him with an instructor by my side who has told me to use draw reins. He isn't over bent, far from it thanks and I know what I'm doing with them and he ddoes work properly in them. Re the Pelham, I haven't ridden in it for ages it's just that he used to go nicely in it, I know thats due to the nature of the bit.
 
Lolo said:
It's PC, you'll get caught by another mummy without a question :D
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That is going to be one of my all time favourite quotes!

Do wish they would agree be set of rules across the disciplines though. Was out with an (eventing) friend at dressage and she went off in a grackle..allowed in BE but not in BD. cue scramble to put another bridle together...
 
PC seem to make it up as they go along, last season we were not allowed to do dressage, at an event, in a grackle the steward had a list and checked it sending anyone with a grackle back to change it, no amount of arguing was going to work it was not worth it so we changed.

As for the OP draw reins are not going to be allowed, rightly so, before the dressage phase, go without and do your warm up without.
I have no issues with using them as a retraining aid but you must not rely on them, if the horse is going correctly they will not be in use most of the time anyway, maybe try in your next lessons tying them up and working without them, if you are really using them correctly you should find the horse goes just as well without you holding them.
 
Thanks be positive, that's what I do, I'll only use them every now and then but I'll only do 10/15 minutes then either take them off or tie them up. They're loose most of the time anyway (when he puts his head up obvs the reins will come into play) and when he gets going nicely I'll soften as a reward and he'll stay in an outline without any assistance and I can drop the draw reins onto his neck. Hes almost perfect in walk now, trots getting there but were working on canter haha but he's made a huge improvement from the pointy nosed cob he used to be that had no feel of the bit!
 
I lunge mine at home in a pessoa before dressage if he's been stabled the night before, seems to loosen him up and encourage him to stretch through his back. Might be worth a try for your horse?

I don't personally like draw reins (though admittedly have used them on mine in the past as he's prone to rearing, but they definitely didn't help his flatwork) and would be worried using them at an event, because of the stigma attached?

What do you feel the draw reins do for you? Is he more respectful for a certain amount of time afterwards before he realises he doesn't have them on any more? Because obviously you're going to need to take them off at some point, and I would worry that suddenly taking them off before your test would be more detrimental to his way of going than if you worked him in without them. Is his problem that he hollows?
 
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