Maclinda
Well-Known Member
This is probably going to end up a bit long winded so apologies in advance. My instructor has always said my horse is very forward thinking and because she is so big he always wants me to slow her down in order that she engages her brain and doesn't let all her activity head out the front door. Recently I was lucky enough to have a lesson with an ex Olympic dressage rider and he said exactly the same, slow her down, slow her down, slow her (you get the idea). He said that because she is so active I can afford to slow her in order to again engage her brain and help her relax more. And if she made a mistake and dropped down a pace I was not to automatically kick her but to pat her and try again. I did question whether the sllloooowwwww pace was working trot (I do prelim/novice) and he said "this is working trot".
So fast forward a couple of weeks and I've been really working on this, I feel it's making a huge difference in making her relax and accepting of the contact and much softer so today took her to her first dressage test in a long while. I thought both test went lovely but when I got my sheets back all the comments were "not going forwards, behind the leg, needs to be ridden more positively etc...........
So now I don't know what to do. Do I continue with what I'm being trained to do and ignore the judges comments, or when riding a test do I make her much more "forwards" and risk her rushing and getting upset.
I know forwards doesn't mean fast but with a horse that I've always been told is very forwards I am now confused about what is for the best.
Thoughts would be great!
So fast forward a couple of weeks and I've been really working on this, I feel it's making a huge difference in making her relax and accepting of the contact and much softer so today took her to her first dressage test in a long while. I thought both test went lovely but when I got my sheets back all the comments were "not going forwards, behind the leg, needs to be ridden more positively etc...........
So now I don't know what to do. Do I continue with what I'm being trained to do and ignore the judges comments, or when riding a test do I make her much more "forwards" and risk her rushing and getting upset.
I know forwards doesn't mean fast but with a horse that I've always been told is very forwards I am now confused about what is for the best.
Thoughts would be great!