Dressage judges/ those who know!

[Flowerofthefen]

I have been having trouble keeping my horse on the left leg. It was after training for an elementary , I used my left leg too hard and he did a yang change, now he won't stop!! I assumed I wasn't helping as I was then tense and doing all sorts to keep him in the left leg but I made it worse. Today I popped his event saddle back on, got my bum out of the saddle in canter and he didn't change!! So definitely me! So my question is is if your a judge or know how it would be scored, what sort of score would I get for sitting up, looking proper but throwing flying changes as opposed to bum out of the saddle, on the left rein but getting a nice relaxed canter without the changes? I will have to go bum out the saddle route for a while whilst we sort ourselves out but would be interested to know! Thank you!

 

[ihatework]

Well bum out of the saddle and doing the movement as set out in the test would definitely score better than switching leads.

But I might quietly suggest that it’s better to fix this at home and not go out competing. If it’s arisen from a minor misunderstanding it should be a quick fix. If it isn’t fixed quickly then lead changes (if not due to very wonky rider) are often due to physical issues.

 

[Velcrobum]

You would lose marks from the movement(s) and also lose mark(s) for the rider part of collectives. My suggestion is the same as ihatework fix it at home perhaps ride bum out of the saddle in your dressage saddle while working at home.

 

[sbloom]

And ultimately the less you can use your leg for cues, and the more your weight and seat, the less you're fighting compensations, and instead facilitating the move, might be a good moment to look at/work on that too. And just be sure dressage saddle isn't making it more of an issue too (though I do completely hear you that there seems to be a definite cause/trigger sometimes it reveals underlying issues ie rider fit).

 

[Leandy]

When judging the movement, the judge is looking at what the horse does. If your horse does a flying change when he shouldn't then you are going to get a max of 4 for that movement and quite possibly less depending whether you can correct it and how correct the rest of it is. If you are doing something a bit odd but the horse does not change then the judge will judge what they see the horse do. It will score well if the movement is accurate and shows the scales of training as appropriate for the level (so rhythm, suppleness, contact, straightness etc). If in doing something odd yourself you make the horse crooked or tense or whatever then there will be deductions accordingly but they are unlikely to be as much as for a break/change. There may be a deduction from the rider mark in the collectives but as this is closely linked to the marks the horse gets (because by definition the rider achieved the performance the horse gave), I wouldn't worry about that. With a problem like this though, if it was just a quick misunderstanding then it should soon be sorted in training. If it persists then it is likely the rider is crooked or the horse lacks suppleness so it finds the left lead difficult to maintain (presumably in counter rather than true canter?). If you mean that you struggle to maintain a left lead even on the left rein then I would suspect the horse is uncomfortable somewhere.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Thank you all for your replies. At this stage I think ( know) it's me!! The difference getting up out the saddle was quite noticeable, he was a lot happier. I will use event saddle a few more times then try it with dressage saddle and go from there. He has regular physio and they never seem to find much wrong, just the normal stuff but if it carries on I will investigate further.

 

[Squeak]

Just as a word of warning that being happier when you're up and out of the saddle would make me more not less inclined to think it's pain related. It sounds like it should just be a quick training correction due to a misunderstanding if it was caused by what you think it was so if it wasn't being a quick fix then I'd start looking at other things and tbh would be more inclined to go vet than physio.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Just as a word of warning that being happier when you're up and out of the saddle would make me more not less inclined to think it's pain related. It sounds like it should just be a quick training correction due to a misunderstanding if it was caused by what you think it was so if it wasn't being a quick fix then I'd start looking at other things and tbh would be more inclined to go vet than physio.

Yes you could be right. Thing is, since we have had this issue I've been all over the place in the saddle, like I'm throwing him off balance. I will give it a week or 2 and see how we progress...

 

[nikkimariet]

Yes you could be right. Thing is, since we have had this issue I've been all over the place in the saddle, like I'm throwing him off balance. I will give it a week or 2 and see how we progress...

Quicker to get the saddler out than it is to treat a sore back imho

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Quicker to get the saddler out than it is to treat a sore back imho

Had physio out on Monday and nothing found. I'm sure it's me, doing all sorts in the saddle to try and keep left leg. Less is more .....

 

[Katieg123]

Have you tried getting out of the saddle in the dressage saddle? And/or sitting to it in the event saddle? That might give you a better idea if its you or the saddle.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Have you tried getting out of the saddle in the dressage saddle? And/or sitting to it in the event saddle? That might give you a better idea if its you or the saddle.

I rode today in my event saddle and sat in it. The canter wasn't as nice as right rein but no change of leg so I think it's me. Think we have lost our confidence a bit on the left. Just going to keep building it up slowly.

 

[Wizpop]

Have you recently had your dressage saddle checked for fit?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Have you recently had your dressage saddle checked for fit?

No I havnt. I usually wait until grass starts coming through and he puts a bit more weight on. I think I will use my event saddle until then.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

So this morning it was event saddle but with me sat in it. We got a lovely left canter with me putting more weight in right stirrup. We nearly got a full circuit before he threw in a change. I clocked where he was doing it so asked for inside bend slightly and put my left leg on. Up until then I'd left him alone, so pleased with him!!