Dressage sheet comments

TiaPony

TiaPony

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Was just wondering what people expect/recieve on their test sheets ?
Took Tia out month ago for her first comp, did a nice test (60%) and not one positive remark from the judge or anything on how to improve, simply scribbling our faults down - please bear in mind I'm 14 and she's 5 and we're both new to this - and it really disheartened me
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So do you recieve positive/helpful comments normally on your sheets and I just got a moody judge?
Please enlighten me, I'm new to all this
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First off 60% for your first test is bl**dy good, so well done you!

Sounds to me (and I’m really no expect having only gone up to unaff Novice) that your judge was partially moody that day. Usually I find there is at least one positive comment on a sheet, or sometimes they just don’t write anything (which is actually more frustrating). Don’t worry about it, it was obviously quite a good test or you wouldn’t have got 60%, and you know Tia did good!
 
At least it was something, I tend not to get wonderful comments, generally 'tense' all the way down but niceish comment at the end.
I would look at it at least you have stuff to work with, I hate a blank sheet!
 
I tend to find the lower "class" the show the more positive the comments get. At RC, there usually Ok. At affiliated, they may as well just cut your confidence with a knife. Whatever the level, if your getting 60% your doing something right! Just keep at it! (and my comments for sky: are usually a nice pony with potential but spooky/nappy/naughty/tense today. Or for Chance: something along the lines of big heart, no potential!)
 
60% for a first test is good you should be pleased. Sometimes you get helpful comments sometimes you don't, I wouldn't woory about it, just work on improving your faults and you should do even better next time
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I find it varies between judges - affiliated judges tend to be more constructiive, but I have had some silly negative comments - keep going, judges arent out to get you but can be a bit blunt - and the thing about your age doesnt matter because we all compete equally against adults in dressage (I'm 16) and thats one of the great things about dressage, so you can't expect them to treat you differently because you're 14 - keep going!
 
WEll done on 60% in your first test, somedays I struggle to get that and I have 20odd years practice! I think you probably got a pants judge, it has only happened to me once at a ODE and the first remark was 'tense and hollow' 5, the judge/writer then ditto'd all the way down the column, and then no comments in the collectives at the bottom!
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Keep your chin up hunny and go knock em dead next time
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Personally I like negatives then I know what to improve on and decide on aims for my next test. I hate it (only had it at unaff.) when judges fill the sheet with "good", "good", "good" - well why haven't I got 80% then?! It's just not helpful at all! A kind/encouraging comment is always nice in the collectives section (the place for it IMO) but I like them to mainly point out possible improvements.

Remember the "observations" column is just that - say what you see so don't feel disheartened if it's negative. The place for constructive criticism is at the end. I'm sure you were just unlucky with your judge - most offer some encouragement even for the worst of tests, which from your result yours certainly wasn't one of them! Well done
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To make you laugh, I had the worst dressage test sheet of my life when forced by my boss to ride a 17.2hh Standardbred oaf to 'make up the numbers' at the yard where I worked. Once in the indoor school, we all quickly realised that horsey had a phobia of being in the school alone....he took off flat out, swerved by the judge and out the tiniest crack in the double doors. I bravely (stupidly?) went back in only to suffer a faster repeat performance. My comments -
'Against the hand' then a blank sheet with 'I gave up before you did!' written on the bottom by the judge!
S
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PMSL
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MY first ever test when I was about 7 was at a local riding school on my very naughty pony (my mum was writing for the judge) I went up the centre line halted at X and the little sh1T whipped round and dumped me on my bum!
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Have also done a test on my old JA pony who was in an uncooperative mood and went round like swan, the judge felt sorry for me after giving me 2 for just about everything and she gave my a 9 for my riding and put 'I would of killed her'!!!!!
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Have also done a test on my old JA pony who was in an uncooperative mood and went round like swan, the judge felt sorry for me after giving me 2 for just about everything and she gave my a 9 for my riding and put 'I would of killed her'!!!!!
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Excellent! Sounds like a great judge....
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It is rare for many positive comments to appear in the actual movement marks as the judge has only a few seconds to relay the mark and the comment to the writer who does not want to be writing an essay. So normally only the reason why you were given a low mark will be commented on. However a good judge should pick up and comment if you then do something much better (say left circle over right circle) and the mark will hopefully reflect this. However it is perfectly possible to a least say something that is contructive and positive in the general marks and section at the bottom, but do remember they are there to judge you not give you a lesson.

So don't be disheartened if the comments look negative it is not a bad thing and lets you know what you need to work on.

Hope that helps
 
There was an article I think in BD magazine saying that judges have to comment on what they see. They can tell you what you need to achieve, ie a rounder, softer outline, but they cant tell you how to do it. The reason being there are so many different ways to achieve the final result and everyone uses different methods. Therefore it is up to you to choose which way you want to do it.

A judge is a judge, not a trainer.

It is nice to get constructive advise or a nice comment but dont get disheartened if you dont. Carry on doing what you're doing, you're obviously doing something right if you got 60%.
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when i do any dressage with my old nag I always get stuff like nose poking out, needs to work in a rounder outline, tense, unbalanced etc etc... when hes tense and unbalanced at home, but they give you something to work with
 

I did my first ever dressage comp on my 6 year old a few weeks ago and I pmsl at the one commet!
On the transition to canter Arch bucked like a nutta and lept out of the arena! Judges comment........Disobidiant!!! (sp)
Really??? Id never of noticed.
Never the less we got 52.5%, wich I didnt think was too bad considering we bucked most of the test!!! I did my second test on a different horse!!
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My sister's best test (many years ago)
Tense transition to canter.
Canter a little hurried.
Out of control.
Out of arena!
OUT OF FIELD!
Returned to arena.
Tense.

She tore it up...
 
Well having ridden 2 tests yesterday, horse bronking in canter and been totally numb to legs/hand the judges very kindly wrote "horse tense and unsettled" and in the comments at the bottom of the sheet "lovely looking horse and on a better day when more settled could produce a nicer test"
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still managed to collect decent percentages when only expecting very low ones.
 
fiona C i used to get that sort thing a lot, nice horse on another day. WTF how would they know if he's better any other time. Anyway my favorite comment was 'naughty to canter' that was a polite way of saying the little sh*t bronced half way around the school when asked to canter!
 
On my first test (considering have only ever done two!) we got a 'well recovered' after we exited the arena and nearly impaled ourselves on a marker in a canter transition...judge did however give comments about how my horse needed to be schooled (as in 'horse needs to be lunged and schooled to half halts) which I thought was a bit cheeky to be honest
 
I always seem to get 'obedient' for my trot to canter transitions - does this mean they aren't very good? The horse managed to do the transition despite me? Or that I did it OK? I always feel that it isn't a very positive comment
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