Dressage test advice please!

Weezy

Weezy

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OK so tomorrow I have my first dressage comp for *thinks* 16 years
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P WAS working really well, over her back, into a light contact, however, she has been pig headed again this weekend and holding on the right rein and I have to do a lot of hand movement to keep the bit moving softly in her mouth to make her come soft and work through.

Anyway...my question is this - if she decides tomorrow that she doesn't want to play ball and look pretty, should I

a) ignore head carriage, just ensure she is off my leg and we ride a precise test even if she isn't at all in a contact

or

b) ensure I am seen to be working to get her into my hand even though she may well look tense

I would happily do a) but even if I ride a precise test will I be hideously marked? I was last in my last comp, so there is only upwards to go
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Personally I like to leave the schooling outside the dressage arena and try to ride quietly and as precisely as I can in the test. I think that lots of "corrective action" during the test just draws even more attention to the problems (my mare gets tense and forgets correct bend as soon as she enters the arena). However, I am no dressage expert!
 

I would go with A myself but then I'm no expert.

Me and Bodey have our first dressage test on Saturday and that's what I'm going to do. For us it's all about a calm/ pleasant experience then going for marks.
 
At prelim they like them to be quite forwards, so if trying to get her off your hand is going to make her stuffy and tense I wouldn't try in the arena. I used to lose tons of marks by riding inaccurately, it really is amazing how many more marks you can pick up by just riding accurately and making sure your transitions are accurate too.
 
I would say that you should go for A. Outline only gives you some marks - precision, an active horse and accurate transitions are much more important as they are what really can get you marks
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If it's prelim go for a). They'd much rather see a horse going forwards if not in an outline than being against the hand. You can also make up marks for accuracy so yes, be precise.
 
Dont school in the test leave the issues for home. Be happy with the good bits and relax. So that way she does not see the test as a place that 'mum' gets all obsessed and fidgety.
Then use the test to give you a guide to what you need to go away and work on at home, the aim being the next time, hopefully sooner than 16yrs!!!,you can get rid of a few of the 'issues'.
Goodluck.
 
I'm in the same predicament Weezy! Have a test next Sunday.

I have been working on getting better bend with April as I'm tending to clamp my outside rein and hold her out with it.
However the schooling methods I've been taught to correct this in my last few flatwork lessons (loosening the outside rein and using inside rein up and outwards in over exaggerated fashion) really draw attention to the problem so on the day I am just going to ride as best I can and hope that the schooling has paid off !! lol
 
Thanks guru! TBH I actually think so knows the test, she was doing it all by herself yesterday, although the work we have done on walk/canter transitions has obv really planted itself in her head as after the change of rein in walk, when I ask for trot we have the most super walk/canter transition ever as she knows it is coming
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Anyway, going to go and enjoy it, aim for a 50, and try not to jump the boards
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As you haven't been to a dressage competition for a while then I would go for riding an accurate test and ensuring P is responsive and going forward. Once you have done a few more tests then start asking for more in a test.
 
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As you haven't been to a dressage competition for a while then I would go for riding an accurate test and ensuring P is responsive and going forward. Once you have done a few more tests then start asking for more in a test.

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Going forward - will be interesting, and as for "doing a few more tests" HA, don't think so
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Just give P a good gallop in th warm up, to psych her up a bit! I have been suggested that with mine!

Am sure we can get you to do a few more tests!!!
 
I truely wish she WOULD psych up, but she doesn't, she is too restrained
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Off to drag her in now, will give her 2 scoops of rocket fuel for tea and hope it works
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I had a horse like porridge and the way to get him geed up and listening was to do loads of leg yielding - I also used to warm up as close to the XC as poss.
 
Haven't read other replies but in my opinion A is the best option and would be what judges are looking for at prelim level.
Obviously a nice outline and acceptance of the bit is a bonus but if this is not going to happen then just work on good forward pace and an accurate test. I wouldn't risk her getting uptight by trying to get her to do something that she doesn't want to or can't do.

Good Luck and let us know how you get on!!
 
If you are doing prelim -
They are looking for a horse moving forward positively and preferably into a contact. So keep your leg on, make sure your horse is really going forward. If you can get a contact even if you have to play with the inside rein a bit (disguised if poss) then so much the better. What you don't want is a horse roped in tensely at the front and thus thinking backwards. Leg, leg, leg is going to help you here.
Have you done lateral work/flexions to try to get her to soften....
You will earn more marks for A than B though.
 
Do what you can in the warm-up (suggest working her shoulder-fore plus inside & outside flexion), but settle with what you've got for the test. When you're riding away from the judge, you can sneak in a wiggle or bit of flexion or even TOUCH of shoulder-fore, but other than that, go for accuracy & think of your scales of training - rhythm & suppleness come before contact...
 
I have just got in from my test - we got 63 and a bit % with the comment (amoung other things) that he should be starting to be more supple across his back now to look rounder - so I would go with option A
 
I would settle for A. I have experience of this, Charlie entered at A, stargazed down the centre line, nearly got himself eliminated by kicking the flowerpot ??? in temper, showed tension throughout the test, achieved right lead canter, rather than left lead. Continued to stargaze around the arena, the mark was 50% I was amazed, as I truly belived that it would be a really low mark. I coped with the behaviour, by riding an accurate test, smile a lot and put that particular test down to experience.

Good luck and most of all enjoy the experience.
 
Think I'd probably do b, but I normally get shite marks unless I'm a good horse so don't listen to me!! You are very brave doing dressage weezy!! My main mission is to remember the test (i usually decide to look at it for the first time 5 mins before my test!
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) and stay inside to boards!
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Good luck! Have you done anything else with her recently?
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Just a good luck from me....my marks have been shocking this year, so just forget the dressage and treat the whole day as a schooling outing is my advice! All you want to do is jump anyway....
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