Dressage?? Any tips for a beginner?? :)

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HorseyStar

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HI All

iv been riding for years - and since getting my Welsh D last yr he is super talented so iv decided to try and go down the dressage route with him....

im a beginner to dressage - iv got a dressage instructor and we have 1 hour lesson weekly - were currently working on circles and lateral work, leg yielding, rhythm in the trot, turn on the haunches etc etc (all new to me!)

i am wondering if anyone could advise the best shows to start in? or the best test for a starter / beginner etc etc - im a confident rider, re-trained standardbreds & my Welsh is a bit of a nut!! ha ha....but im just new to dressage and very green with all this technical stuff.... :)

although iv rode for years iv never wanted to compete - the most i do is just show them inhand when young, so i need a non pressurised show to get me into it as i can imagine i will be a nervous wreck so i need some comps to go to for fun!!

im a down to earth girl - and to be honest the few dressage shows i ahve watched didnt look to fun.... :( there was pushy mums, teenage tantrums at not being placed, snobbery and all the rest of it - so its kind of put me off..

if i dont compete in dressage i will just keep up with the lessons as its great to feel your improving your horses training capabilities weekly like self satisfaction - just a shame the fun goes out of it when you hit a show :(

any do's and dont's? tips? clothes to wear? things that will help me?

my Welsh is 14'1 from Hillgarth Stud & rising 6 years old and was started under saddle last year - we've just got thru a few months mad bucking faze and now he's starting to get on with his job! thank god!! lol oh and i'm an oldie at 27 yrs old :/

Thanks Guys!!
 
I'm pretty new to dressage, started last summer on a friends youngster while my boy was recovering from an operation.. Have started dressage with my boy beginning of the year & we're going into the intro b dressage class (just walk & trot) in 2 weeks time..it's a fun fundraiser local show so hopefully no pressure & just a good fun day to give us both some confidence & experience..
 
Where abouts in manchester are you?? I go to bolton and district and they do 'new to dressage' for riders and horses classes, they are good cos they are so laid back, and if it all goes wrong it totally doesnt matter

just try and relax, and enjoy it, visualise yourself jus riding through the test in your own arena, and concentrate on you and your horse, just shut everything else out, dont worry what others are thinking, they dont matter :)

other than that, jus make sure you and your horse and immaculate, then at least you know you look good and if the test goes down the swanny you can look posh doing so

if your open minded why not try some Bach flower remedies to help you relax, i do sometimes and i find they help control nerves or fears,,

enjoy! it should be fun :)
 
Im not sure which level of comps you have been to but lower level dressage is normally friendly and very easy going.
All the things you say you are working on ie lateral work arent required until elementary / medium so you would be wise to work on the basics ie accurate size circles, 15 and 20 mtrs, accuracy at markers ie working trot at c etc. Normally double marks are given to free walk on a long rein so practise getting a good free walk and a nice stretch to maximise your marks.
Also work on straight entry from a to c, square obedient halts and working in a relaxed and forward manner.
Other tips I can think of are never salute with your hand that holds the whip, you must wear gloves ideally light coloured, your horse musnt wear anything on the legs, just basic tack, snaffle bridle, plain white numnah and a number holder is helpful.
PS 27 is quite young at dressage!
 
Ditto Farma, I've never been to a particularly unfriendly dressage comp, from unaffiliated intro to affiliated elementary. Obviously there might be a couple of stroppy people at any competition, but generally everybody is very supportive of each other, and if you are too then you'll always find somebody nice to chat to! Same as anything else really, I'm also involved in county showing which I used to hear was really b**chy, and there probably are plenty of people like that round the sides of the ring, but also there's plenty of people in the lorry park or working in just giving support to each other and genuinely pleased by how well other people they know do.

I also find dressage 'shows' very chilled and low pressure - you know what time you're in (roughly), generally people aren't there to spend the whole day out unlike local shows so it's usually relatively quiet with a steady trickly of people in and out of the lorry park. I'm every so good at stressing myself out and winding myself up, and I don't manage to do it to myself over dressage - so it must be relaxed!

Ditto the others advice, get out there and have a go at some tests - start intro if you want (no canter), or prelim if you're happy with where your canter is at. As has been said, no need for laterals etc at the start, just a well ridden accurate test will help you pick up marks. Set your own achievable goals - you will dissapoint yourself if you convince yourself that you're going to get 75% and win your first test, better to set an achievable goal and then be uber chuffed if you exceed it. Bear in mind too he's a youngster and the first few times out he may well forget everything he's ever learnt! When taking less experienced horses out for the first time, we're happy with staying on and staying inside the white boards - everything else in a bonus ;)

Good luck!
 
For dressage you want to look smart. If you are serious about wanting to persue it it might be a good thing to join British Dressage.
It is expensive but if you have transport they have loads of clinics and lessons with trainers in your area and camps.

When you start competing at into/prelim/novice - until your horse gets used to it all I wouldn't fuss to much about where his head is. Esp. at Intro and Prelim its more about your accuracy then anything else.

I generally wear black jodphur boots and gaiters, white jodpurs, a white show shirt and stick. Navy/black show jacket, white gloves and a black hat. (I like to be ocd but tweed jacket and beige jodphurs with brown boots are allowed up to novice level.)

Horse wears a white numnah, and clean tack, the only time it gets cleaned!!! :eek:

Local shows are generally quite chilled and you can have a test caller if you find your nerves get the better of you..
I went wrong with a caller.. twice.. in the same test. It also happened on a seperate occasion :eek: :D
 
awww thanks everyone so far...your all putting my mind more at ease :) i had my lesson again yesterday and were working on perfecting the basics i.e 20m circles etc etc....my dressage instructor said she will bring a few intro test sheets for us to go thru and start off with... yea the show i seen was quite bad tbh - my other half was with me and was puzzled as to why i would want to put myself into this environment! ha ha - but i did say must have just come on an 'off' day when not much went right for ppl! :eek: it was mainly the young girls kicking off with there very expensive horses!!

anyways just need to concentrate on me and my boy and blank everyone else out! - im sure on my first attempt at competing it will all go to pot and i will forget everything! lol....oh well can only but try!

thanks again guys youv really made me feel lots better already!! x
 
First thing is, if you are not in a local riding club, join one!!

Then enter at prelim stage, I wouldn't bother with intro because at your level of confidence you aren't worried about canter so go for prelim.

Prelim 10 or 12 is good - and I agree, where his head is doesn't matter too much, it is all about accuracy of transitions and GOING FORWARD!!

If you have beige breeches and long boots wear them, a black or blue jacket and any kind of hat. And yes clean tack is a must.

And I also agree that most people I have met at RC level are not snobby or nasty, they are supportive and encouraging.

Just go and enjoy, it is all about having fun after all and as a Welsh your horsey will have lovely paces which will catch the judge's eye.

Keep your sheets and show them to your trainer too, she/he will explain what the terminolgy means if you aren't sure, but most of it is pretty straight forward.

Good luck, go for it!!!
 
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