dressage Q...uneven behind?

K

katiejaye

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Just a query really as to the meaning behind a comment on one of my test sheets from sat. Louis did a cracking Novice test but when I got my test sheet I noticed that I only got 5's for my medium trots when normally we get 8's or 9's as it's his strongest asset...his party piece so to speak! The comment said that while he was showing extensive he was uneven behind. I don't q what the judge has written but I just wondered what this means and how I should interpret it. I was concerned they were implying that he is not 100% right? I rode him for my trainer the following day and he said he was possibly a little stiff on his right hind and not totally bringing it under but nothing too obvious. The medium trot felt good when I was riding it and my reader (who is also an experienced rider) said it was a good extension in her view and a lot better than some of the others she had seen.

I am surprised that in a Novice test I was marked down so much and he got good marks for his medium in the elementary test
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Do some judges just pick at certain points more than others or have pet hates?
 
I would read that as not 100% right, but some judges see different things and if you instructor thought he was OK I wouldn't worry.
 
that's what I assumed as well and worried that maybe he was sore/stiff behind but after watching him hooning around the field earlier I am satisfied he is feeling ok!
 
He may have just banged his leg or something stupid on the day. I wouldnt worry too much if you feel he's alright. Just keep an eye on it (and get your trainer to do the same from the ground). Is he generally lazy at all?
 
You're probably right, it just seemed strange that an hour later in the Elementary test he produced a good scoring medium trot. He's not normally lazy but like you say it could have just been something on the day. However in the warm up he felt great and I didn't notice any imbalance. I am just not sure the judging was really that accurate to be honest.
 
In this context 'uneven behind' means just that,eneven not unlevel. The implication for you is that in that test he was not taking even steps. this may be because you did'nt have quite the balance you needed for him to carry the weight evenly on all his legs. For there to be correct lengthening of the pace we must first establish collection. Any loss of balance ,no matter how slight on the turn on the diagonal will effect this balance.All horses like ourselves have a stronger side. Just like if i asked you to hop down the school you would go to your stong side,if you are right handed then this would be you right leg. this is the same for the horse. so in this movement in this test he just took a little more weight in one of his hind legs during this movement.Probably he was very slightly inclined onto his front and not quite in self carriage. This is an important aspect of this movement and hence this judge has picked up on something she deems as important in terms of training. Dressage is a critical sport that tries to identify training issues that may hinder your progress, so rather than seeing this as a problem maybe the judge actually did you a favour.
 
Thank you for your response, I appreciate the explaination. I understand the technicalities of the movement as you explain it and what may and can unbalanced him. I would accept her judgement had it been a case of Louis consistently getting low scores for him medium trot, however he consistently scores well for this movement over the last year (8/9's) in novice and elementary. I can normally feel if he is unbalanced and always collect the trot before I ask for an extension, while is is slightly stronger on his right hind he is normally and consistently even in his medium trots. I was just concerned that she was suggesting he was not "right" especially as she marked both medium trots with the same comment. The only thing that I can assume is that he was slightly inclined onto his forehand and not pushing 100% from behind, however it didn't seem that extreme to warrent a 5.

He seemed to regain a balanced trot and good marks for mediums in his second test and I have ridden the movements for my trainer since sat and he is happy that his medium trots are still good however, i'll keep practicing and keep an eye on it to ensure he is balanced during the movement.

thanks again
 
My horse has one hind leg that he can tend to not work as through on as the other. Its very inconsistent (depending completly on how im riding and how he feels / is going) and the vets and chiros cant find anything wrong with him and put it down to a schooling issue (he can be a lazy sod
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). It's improved enormously over the past year as Ive learned to work him from the hind end better but there are still occasions when ive not got him together properly or he's being lazy, that it shows. As the other poster mentioned, mine is much stronger on one rein than the other and it corresponds to this seemingly weaker hind leg.

Im pretty sure if he wasnt right-right (i.e. unsound), then you would have picked up on it really.
 
K - Having seen his elementary test I can vouch for the fact the his Medium trot is very expressive
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Was this a judge that you ride for regularly? Perhaps you could catch up with her at your next comp and talk to her about it? Or maybe there's another way to get in contact and ask her, perhaps theough the venue.
 
You may find it was something as simple as your horse just hit a bit of uneven/hard ground and so lost his balance slightly behind? the surface getting churned up is pretty common at shows where the tests involve the horses powering across the diagonal/long side.

If thats the case its just one of those things and there's not much you can do about it..
 
i wouldnt worry about it hun. different judges see different things, and you are right some have a 'hang up' on certain things aswell. However maybe he just knocked himself or something, or was a little stiff in one of his hind legs which meant he wasnt as 'correct' behind in the medium, as obviously more 'push' has to come from behind in this than in normal trot, so it would show up more. It is wierd that you got good marks for your medium trot in your elementary tho, and it was on the same day, however maybe he had loosened up properly by then?
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Thanks everyone for your feedback and thanks FinnMcCoul, I haven't come across that judge before but I would like to ask her what she meant by it. I 'm pleased that you confirm that he didn't look lame or uneven behind.

bbmat you're prob right that it may have just been one of those things and there's not much I can do about it now. The surface was not fantastic s it could have been that. Actually as I recall it he did stumble at one point coming down the short side in trot so it may have been an uneven surface or he may just not have been really paying attention to his feet enough!

P_G he may well have loostened up by the elementary test, also he was in his double bridle for the E and he is normally much more up in my hand and collected behind in it so he may have just felt a little more balanced.

p.s. how's archie going?
 
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