Dressage - comments from judges

My most interesting comment was "lovely horse, needs to learn how to use all of the arena!!".

It was my young eventer's first dressage test and despite practising with white boards at home, he decided that they were horse eating monsters that particular day!! We trotted up the centre line, halted and then when I asked him to move forwards into trot, we did 2 strides and he took one look at the boards and ran the other way!! We did finish the test (great 10 metre circles as he refused to go anywhere near the boards!), but I've never been so relieved to get out of a dressage arena!

Thankfully he did get better and did get over his terror of white boards!
 
"horse seemed very tense entering arena" - I'll say he was - we arrived at a sensible time - to be told that we'd been given our time wrong and were due on in five minutes. At that point horse was still on the lorry, untacked and I was in my grubbies. I've never changed, unloaded and tacked up so fast - we trotted to the indoor arena as the bell sounded for us to go in. No wonder the horse was bloody tense!
 
'Charming pony who looks like he's more interested in the XC..... oh, I've just noticed his name: Little Charmer, ha ha!!!!!''
 
Bearing in mind that the minute my horse walks into the dressage arena, no matter how he's warmed up, he switches off and starts looking at what every one else is doing, we usually get:

"what a cheeky chappy, shame his mind wasn't on the job today"

"lovely horse with lots of potential, accurately ridden test", which I usually get when he's gone everywhere neighing and the only thing they can salvage out of it was that we got the right transistions at the right markers
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Titch doesnt do dressage....jumper through and through....comment was "when he eventually finds the jump in the arena I think he may settle better!"
 
not in the collective part but sis had "must not be allowed to snack en route!" on her free walk on a long rein once
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understandable when had no grass at home and the show was on thick lush grass
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"It would have been nice if you had shown some WALK steps"
Horse jogged, pulled and resolutely refused to walk at school's champs. I was mortified.
"fabulous elevation" on movement where we jumped out over the boards, then jumped the corner as you would a corner fence. It was my first dressage test and the very kind judge let me carry on!
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Well so far this year I have had many good comments, such as "beautiful test, well ridden" "Nice horse with excellent regularity of paces" etc. Last time however was a different story! I got "Horse did not accept bit, spent alot of time with its head in the air. Back to the drawing board I think." The thing was she was in the height season, I had spent 3/4 of an hour trying to calmher down, and the whole time she had her tail in the air, trying to impress every male in the area! I didnt think anything of the score, until when I picked up my test paper, a gent infront of me warned me that our judge was a harsh bi*ch! She hardly had a horse with a score of less than 40!
 
'Interesting salute' Had trotted down centre line, halted at X and as I went to salute, my horse had reared and waved his feet at the judge.
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For Mr. P best one was totally my fault as we were in a mad rush doing a comp. at Patchett's and I accidently sprayed the saddle area with silicon show shine.
The saddle slipped back and poor little Polaris (the horse) was doing little bunny bucks to shove it back forwards. She was such a good accomodating mare, however when Mr.P tried to adjust it he slipped off as the ssaddle slipped round.
Judges comments:
"A promising young mare with excellent paces ...and a totally comic rider!!!!!"

Another one was on a hired horse at a military O.D.E in the dressage section there were 4 arenas going at once next to each other. The horse he was on refused to bend at all on one rein and crossed 3 arenas at once sideways! Apologised profusely to other riders but judges wrote:
"cannot score this horse for several elements...see judges 2,3 and 4 for further comments!"
Needless to say there were a few fruity ones!
 
One of my favourites was "willing little chap" ... this after my friend who was riding him had to lie down and demand oxygen after the test as she had had to use her legs so hard ! LOL !
 
My favourite was "nice pony with good paces, a little hurried at times. Accurately ridden test, good position". I think that's the best comment I've ever had.

I've had tests with no comments at all at the end, and hardly any comments for the movements, find that rather annoying.

Oh yeah btw, if you get a comment saying "good!" for a movement, and then got a 6 would you be a little confused?
 
Just have to say what a wonderful post! I've been laughing out loud several times. Loving the horse going across 4 dressages arenas and the one waving at the judge with his hooves!!
 
I finally remembered to look!
"Very well ridden" (a few times)
"Well done to remain quiet and calm" He was a prized prat entering at A, went completely quarters in the whole way down the centre line so I laughed out loud, grinned and carried on!

Two others I liked were "Nice little horse with lots to like" and "Well done, keep at it!"

My second ever test was horrendous
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Every line said "Too fast, unbalanced, not balanced, too fast (again) It was really disappointing- enough to put me off for a while
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pretty normal stuff in the comments but in my first test "left the arena at A" and "disobediant" were nice understantements for his behaviour in his first ever test
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The best one I have read - not mine but a friends daughter on a flighty little Welsh A x Arab- was

'could have one first prize for the fastest ever dressage test'
 
I have had the odd "very agile" when he's been rather fresh........

Usually get "very active horse" as he's a Lusitano x so has quite a high front leg action. Quite often I get something like "lovely horse, potential to do a super test if.........." Damn ifs! Basically it would be IF my horse had a better rider on his back!!

Oh and I have had "Nice exit, he he" written on the bottom of my test when after I saluted at the end, my horse suddenly spooked and went nuts broncing me off and galloping out of the arena without me..... Lovely.
 
I've had a few "tactfully ridden" and also a "well turned out"...obviously my test left a huge impression
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Best one was "Lovely horse just a little onward bound today"

My friends horse cantered up the centre line and the judge helpfully wrote "canter not required"
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Had one with 'shame about the flies today'!!! Merlin had a huge bloodsucking thing stuck to his neck and took exception to being drained of blood so head shook like a demon for half the test...... and 'beautifully turned out combination' so nothing good about the riding there then!!!
 
My first test with George (which I was misguidedly bullied into doing when he was 3 and SOOOO not ready) - he reared span, I fell off and he legged it!!!
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The comment was a lovely horse who I am sure will do a lovely test one day when you have BOTH had more training!!!

I was glad I did it though as it well and truly shut the yard know it alls up, and I've NEVER done anything because of yard pressure again!!! A good lesson learned!
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I have had 'nice smile' after a wild canter transition. Not sure if the judge meant me or the horse but mine was an embarrassed type. I suspect hers was much broader - pesky mare.
 
Try to stay in the arena next time as my 20m circle took behind the judges car - it was safer than trying to go in front.

Tail Swishing! The horse just did it, I've seen vids of his dad and he did it, he wasn't unhappy just swished his tail.

Very nice when he is not being naughty and unco-operative. He shouldn't really have bucked when I asked him to canter

He's a big bit of kit

Most of my comments are pretty fair, always tend to be nice horse who needs to go forward more. If I ever do a test on Dolly I promise to scan the test so that you can all have a good laugh
 
My funniest was "super furry legs!" My cobs' legs were slightly overdue his hair removal so I just washed them and yes they did look sligtly furry!
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There is generally always a lovely comment about him. Maybe not so good about me
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The last Dressage judge put "Very, very smart horse"!! I took that as a huge compliment as her horses are bloomin gorgeous.
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Regarding Dressage sheet comments. A friend of mine went into the arena on a young, spooky horse. After wobbling up the centre line and rearing in halt she tried to attempt the test. The judge started off commenting in the first two boxes and completed the rest of the sheet with a huge "Oh dear"!!!
When we collected the sheets we nearly wet ourselves laughing. She said "Do you think the judge was not impressed"??
I have never seen a sheet like that since. That was 14 years a go. hehe
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