Dressage help needed!!!

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lilyoftheincas

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Hello everyone :)
I'm (hopefully) doing my first dressage test around Christmas and need any kind of advice on dressage and plaiting (never plaited up before) I'm doing Intro A, so I think that's walk trot and canter but we haven't got the test yet. Also the horse that I will ride is quite lazy so any transitions advice would be helpful too!
Thank you!
 
Intro tests are walk and trot - for canter you need prelim. Most people plait, but it isn't in the rules so is your choice. Make sure to have some gloves (pale ideally).

For transitions - do more and don't accept anything poor. Practicing transitions is only as good as the quality of transitions you accept. Warm your horse up to be supple - flexing and lateral work, before picking up and working on transitions. If your horse doesn't go off your leg then a flick with a whip and ensure you are allowing with your hands and elbows.
Good luck!
 
ThePony said:
Intro tests are walk and trot - for canter you need prelim. Most people plait, but it isn't in the rules so is your choice. Make sure to have some gloves (pale ideally).

For transitions - do more and don't accept anything poor. Practicing transitions is only as good as the quality of transitions you accept. Warm your horse up to be supple - flexing and lateral work, before picking up and working on transitions. If your horse doesn't go off your leg then a flick with a whip and ensure you are allowing with your hands and elbows.
Good luck!
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Thank you! For plaiting, is it the right side of the neck that I plait on? :confused:
 
Yep! If you don't plait much then I would have a practice or two before your comp so that you don't have a stress on the day! If you can get to grips with it then needle and thread is heaps easier and quicker, and gives a neater finish too.
 
lilyoftheincas said:
Hello everyone :)
I'm (hopefully) doing my first dressage test around Christmas and need any kind of advice on dressage and plaiting (never plaited up before) I'm doing Intro A, so I think that's walk trot and canter but we haven't got the test yet. Also the horse that I will ride is quite lazy so any transitions advice would be helpful too!
Thank you!
Click to expand...

First of all, good luck!!

personally for dressage I like to see horses plaited, on the right hand side of their neck. (remember its odd number of balls with the forelock making it eben :) ) you can leave the tail tho to give a nice flowing movement as the horse moves.

Intro tests are only ever walk trot, once you go to prelim canter is added.

For a horse that is a bit lazy, I would make sure I allow myself about 20 mins warm up (every horse is individual for what they need in a warm up) but make sure you get it off your leg before you go in for the test as this will make it much easier for you to do the test. so lots of changes of rein, lots of transitions, walk to trot, trot to walk, walk to halt, trot to halt etc etc, and a little canter on a 20 meter circle I find is good to loosen my horse up.

Make sure you look smart, white, cream coloured jods, make sure all your tack is clean, your boots etc, your hair is out of the way and tidy etc, white saddle cloths and a snaffle are a must! :D

You can have your test read out to you if you wish, this is good if the nerves are kicking in and you feel you may forget it, but always learn it in case the reader doesnt tell you the next move in time! :)

Relax, breathe and have fun!! :D :D
 
Also, my sister has just said she'll help me with the plaiting. Although she's never plaited a horse before shes very good at plaiting human hair! (can do french plaits, fishtails etc)

So how long do you think it will take with the two of us? I'm guessing about an hour or so as it's our first time but what does everyone else think?

By the way, I'm going to use bands, not a needle and thread.
 
Hiya everyone, just a quick update on how things went!

We came 1st! Was so surprised haha :D Got 62.something%, so definitely a lot to work on but hey ho! Didn't plait Jack up in the end as he was so mucky from the field it took ages to get it all off! Didn't even manage that but the rest just came off when it dried.

He spooked a little at the white boards but after lots of encouragement he realised that they weren't going to eat him XD
Will defo try to do some more, hopefully with a pony that I'm riding now, he's just a little green at the minute but maybe in the summer we can attempt some. Only walk and trot of course :P

Thank you all so much for the advice!
 
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