Dressage - comments from judges

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Butterbean

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What are the most memorable comments you've had from judges in the collective part of the dressage sheet? This bit is the part I'm usually most interested in, to gauge the judge's overall impression. (I normally avert my eyes from the marks!)

OH had a lovely comment from his first Novice test last week - "A quality horse that fills the eye" - it just seemed so fitting for Marco, a 17hh chunky hunter type.

For Merlin (15hh whizzy Welsh D) I always used to get comments like "What a cheeky chappie" (we had probably left the arena at some point
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) and "Neat fun horse" (translation being "probably more suited to XC"!).
 
I always get something along the line of 'gorgeous horse with great potential - pity was a bit spooky today'. Always makes me feel like I am not doing enough to reach her potential.
 
My best (or worst) was "horse needs to rediscover the desire to go forwards"

and one from Chloe's sheet - "lovely little horse" She might only be 15.2 but she's not little!
 
I think the best was 'bravely ridden', 'well sat' and 'interesting test' after a particularly hairy dressage I did sidesaddle once when Patrick decided the patch of sunlight on the floor in the indoor had to be jumped and spooked at everytime we went past with progressivley bigger spooks each time. I very nearly came out the side of the sidesaddle which is quite a feat in itself!
 
Lillie - no, Marco's a big chestnut with a white blaze, he was lean and gangly when we bought him but over the last 3 years has really muscled up and grown into his body - such a gorgeous boy! The comment about "Filling the eye" seemed so appropriate.

Another comment I remember (re Merlin) was "evidently your horse doesn't like windscreen wipers"
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- I seem to remember I couldn't get him near that end of the arena !
 
I get all sorts of comments - need to learn to shorten frame and engage the back end to come through the back to the bit'

Reg - lovely looking boy, will go on just needs to learn to either relax, or connect from behind'

1 off - I lovely test to watch and judge - now that was my proudest
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. Esp as previous to going in my horse was vertical rearing and napping
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My last couple of tests ive had 'super combination with lots to like' - 'super horse with lots to like, pleasure to watch' - 'lovely test' and the bit that is on most of them 'watch those hands or do not wobble her head...lol
 
1st dressage test "Try to sit back in canter...you looked a little like you were in a race!"
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I was 13 on a pony who liked to speed canter!
 
Most memorable two were ..... "overturned at A" - I'm sure he stayed on all 4 feet
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"Oops, oops, oops, this is novice not Ini I" after he did 3 time changes across long diagonal - saw judge afterwards (was list 2) and she said they'd have been marked well if they had been required at the level!
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I liked someone else's (can't remember if it was a HHOer or not) - "Submission marks apply to the horse, not the rider"!!!
 
Mine are normally pretty boring - nice horse, shame about the rider kind of stuff - my best was my first test with my horsey - the sun was shining on the silver car and he just wouldn't go anywhere near that end of the arena!

"promising horse - shame he was a little unsettled today" Understatement of the year!

Next test 20 mins later, the sun had moved round and he was fine and came 3rd - bless him!
 
my first test - 'very well ridden on what looks to be a challenging horse'

my favorite - 'lovely horse with scopey paces, looks to have plenty of character....' Yes, im not sure i would have called it 'character'!!!
 
"try and give and retake your reins even more gently next time to avoid take off mode. "

You can tell what happened there can't you

Another test with low scores and many just ! in the comments boxes finished with

"well sat"

Dressage judges are often masters of understatment in my experience.
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Then there's my lovley score sheet when Bananaman juging which starts with 8 'sand 7's and lovley comments then just a line drawn through the rest.

Can you guess what happened there!

Hmm reading this back am thinking the judges aren't missing my presence in the arena at the moment
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I usually get 'Stunning horse... lots of potential' but I got a 'bravely ridden' in my last test when Pash decided he was 2 not 20 and cantered down the centre line and proceeded to find the whole test very exciting. The good thing was he was VERY forward and we got a few comments like 'beautiful elevated trot' and 'lovely extension... he really likes to flick his toes doesn't he!'. Funnily enough we got our best score ever from a List 4 judge as apart from the cantering down the centre line I managed to control him the rest of the test and we came 3rd
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Mainly Boss's comments were 'very tense today, bet he'll enjoy the xc' (yeah he will, doubt I will!)
'Lovely horse just not on the same wavelength as rider' (how very true!)
'Oh dear!'
 
Id love to take your horse hunting!!

He wasnt helping much today was he?

Loss of concentration ( Not surprising really, an aeroplane was coming into land in front off him!!!)
 
Mine normally involve
"lovely horse with promising moments just needs to work over the back more or needs more weight behind"

I have had many say 'accurately ridden', 'well sat' 'not your day'
 
my best has to be (after bucking into canter and then all the way around a 20m circle!
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) obedient to canter but very jolly!!

The last test I did I got "Well done for completing the test - horse a little highly strung at points!"

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My best comments have been had with my beloved old Anglo Arab Wallaby..... hes wasnt the biggest fan of dressage - it was just something he had to endure....... ususally our tests contained bucks occasionally a rear and lots of spooks Judge comments included
"Quietly Ridden" (had that lots!!)
" Try to keep him more between hand and leg - easy for me to say that sat here!!!" (at least it showed she had a sense of humour"
 
my best comment was 'well ridden under difficult circumstances'. I tend to get massive essays of comments when ive dont my test.... they must feel sorry for me!
 
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