Dressage Trainers - East Midlands

[TarrSteps]

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TarrSteps- we were only joking, of course we are not suggesting that Baydale shouldnt have dressage lessons, that would be ridicolous!!

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I know, I'm just having a rant and a general sense of humour failure.

But I do hear people saying similar in all seriousness sometimes and I always think it's an odd thing to give people grief about, to want to improve. Particularly because it can take some people a long time to decide to get help and then they get made to feel like idiots for asking.

NONE of which applies to Baydale, who just want to make everyone else feel bad.

Hey, why not ask JP? Maybe he knows a like minded soul in your neighbourhood?

 

[ddd]

Would also recommend Jill Day very down to earth and not to dressagy, relates well to eventers and not to precious about how often you come, happy to do you weekly, monthly or just when you feel you need a boost.

 

[meardsall_millie]

Saw the title of the post and was going to recommend...Baydale...but then realised you'd posted it - so not much help eh?!

Carrie Adams is just down the road from me but have heard good and bad tbh (but that was probably just the person who was telling me if you know what I mean!

)

 

[volatis]

i used to have lessons with Andrew but dont now as wasn't overly happy with how he was training a friend of mine and her 3yo. Heard very good things about Jill Day and will be looking to have lessons with ehr when I get something of my own in work

 

[wizoz]

Hmmmm, I would highly recommend my trainer but I think we are about 4.5 hrs away from you

I think EVERYONE needs/should have a trainer, no matter how good you are, you need eyes on the ground to see the things you can't, so good on you N.

Sadly, I have NO idea who to recommend

 

[Kingmill]

have you ever tried john bowen he comes to lincs area every month to do training i always manage to get a lesson its organised by rutland rc and im not even a member he trains janette brakewell hes amazing hes got my 5yo down to 22 dressage

 

[KatB]

Andrew does have some very good recommendations, but think he is good as an "ongoing regular" thing, not a few to sharpen up, if thats makes sense?!

Darryll Thickett is who is recommended by Richard Davison in our area (straight from the horses mouth have you know

)

 

[Gamebird]

Could you squeeze in with Tracie Robinson when she goes to JP's? I know she does full days there fairly often and if she's good enough for the Olympic team.....

 

[kerilli]

Judy Bradwell, and the odd session with my trainer when he's here if you feel brave! (he's absolutely amazing, and come to think of it, i bet he won't make YOU spend the first 3 lessons in walk...!)

 

[Baydale]

Oh my goodness, so many different ideas and views.

The thing is that Hector must be going quite sweetly to be getting the marks that he is, but I need someone to massively improve his way of going so that the judge is stuck between a 7 and an 8, not a 6 and a 7. To me that means I need a trainer who is aware of the difference between those marks, so it's probably going to be somebody who is competing, or judging, at a decent level. (Oops

, that contradicts what I put in my OP, but that's the joy of this forum that it makes you think out loud and clarifies your thoughts.

)

I'd thought about Judy Bradwell but then heard mixed reports; Andrew Day sounds like he might suit if he's not pushy or loud; John Bowen doesn't suit, for just those reasons

(although he might have changed in the 11yrs since I last had a lesson with him); I'm working on Tracie Robinson via JP, but that may or may not happen; I've heard good things about Darryl Thickett and he's relatively local; Jill Day sounds lovely but I wonder if she's "current" enough -apologies if she is, I'm not really into dressage as you may have noticed.

Thanks everyone, and rest assured that I won't be wearing full makeup when I go - I can make myself look enough of a clown without doing that.

 

[SpottedCat]

Baydale, I don't think you're looking for a 'massive' improvement in his way of going to go from 6/7 to 7/8 - 'massive is to go from 6s to 9s!!

I reckon someone who has really, really good ringcraft and who can teach you some of that will make the difference you want - from dressage writing at the CCI* at Aldon a lot of marks were thrown away on ringcraft/presentation - the best test I saw the day I wrote was Nick Gauntlett's, and his horse was far from flashy, but it was such a well presented test with a relaxed horse that there was just nowhere to take the marks off from if that makes sense - it was really enlightening to watch.

So to that end, it might be worth getting down to a few BD venues local to you, watching people who get good marks and have super ringcraft and asking who they train with? Sometimes the best people to teach you this are the ones who've been quietly helping people for years, are not big names in the dressage world necessarily, but know what the judge is looking for - does that make any sense at all?

BTW I appreciate this consigns you to a day of hellish cold somewhere - do you have any indoor venues?

 

[Baydale]

Thanks SC, I could go to Vale View or Keysoe (I think they do much higher level stuff), as long as I have thermal knickers on and a flask of hot chocolate!

On your point about ringcraft, I think that's one of my strong points because *whispers* I'm not actually that good at dressage, I'm just good at making it look like I am.

However, perhaps it's at the three days where my nerves get to me a little - I never get nervous about dressage at any other time - that I forget the ringcraft?

 

[SpottedCat]

Well that's the thing isn't it - I don't get how your marks make you think you are no good at dressage, but if the marks at 3 day don't reflect the marks at one day then you must be doing something different. There are a number of things I guess it could be, but the really obvious thing which springs to mind is that you are good at ringcraft and dressage in a 20x40 but haven't had as much practice, esp with these horses, in a 20x60? So maybe the other thing you need is to find lots of places to do long arena tests? I could be way off the mark and actually I have no place giving you advice at all considering how rubbish my dressage is in comparison, but it's just a thought? Maybe some training in a 20x60 might make someone pick up on what you do differently/not as well as in a 20x40 (if anything).

 

[kerilli]

SC, if you'd ever seen Baydale do a test, you'd know that ringcraft is not her weak point!
i'm on for a day at Keysoe watching the megastars though, will bring lots of hot choc!

 

[SpottedCat]

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SC, if you'd ever seen Baydale do a test, you'd know that ringcraft is not her weak point!
i'm on for a day at Keysoe watching the megastars though, will bring lots of hot choc!

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Well judging by her marks, none of it is her weak flipping point!

 

[TarrSteps]

What conscripting a judge you respect to watch you ride a test (perhaps video it as well) and discuss it with you in fine detail? Explain what he/she would want to see to improve the marks, even if the discussion is not so much about how to go about doing it. Then you can take that information home and get anyone competent to help you with it.

I do know what you mean, SC, about "taking marks away" - I had a trainer whose last comment before I went in the ring was "Make them take it away" and I always found that a really helpful approach. (Although he was awful in other ways!)

 

[Bossanova]

Andrew Day is good and it would be worth trying him

 

[SpottedCat]

[ QUOTE ]
What conscripting a judge you respect to watch you ride a test (perhaps video it as well) and discuss it with you in fine detail? Explain what he/she would want to see to improve the marks, even if the discussion is not so much about how to go about doing it. Then you can take that information home and get anyone competent to help you with it.


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How about someone who has judged you at three day? My experience of writing for three day compared to writing for one day is that the judges are looking for subtly different things and are far less forgiving of any errors however minor.

Shame you are so far away - this year Hunters I think it was did three days of one and two star tests in dressage comps, which I always meant to go to - I reckon that would be incredibly useful.

 

[Baydale]

Good thinking TS, so now I need suggestions of judges who I could ask to do that.

SpottedCat I don't think I'm any different in a 20x60 (when I can remember the markers

) but there was a very big discrepancy between the two judges at Weston 07 (the German judge loved him and the English judge - who'd tried to buy him as a 5yo - didn't love him). Then at Houghton I rode a bolder, braver test than perhaps he was ready for at that stage of his training (no major cock-ups, but he could have been more consistent in his contact and outline) and got the same mark. What peeves me a bit is that HumungaHorse did a very cheeky test at Knaptoft* and got a 48 without even trying, hence my assumption that Hector needs to improve his way of going as he is not such a wow mover, even if he is terribly obedient.

Some may say that if I'd been having lessons all along I wouldn't be in this conundrum now......

 

[SpottedCat]

Wasn't suggesting you are wrong - just trying to look at it from a different angle because if you are happy with the one day marks (better is always nice, but broadly speaking happy!) but not happy with the three day marks, then there must be something which is different between the one day and the three day tests you ride - not saying you don't need help to figure out what it is from a trainer, just that it might be something different from/as well as needing to improve his way of going? For example I know I present tests better in a short than a long arena because the patterns are firmly cemented in my head with regards to where the letters are and what distance they are from each other and the ends of the arena - I'm a bit more sketchy in a long arena so my circles etc tend to be less accurate if something else happens too (i.e. if I am trying to think forwards, bend, don't spook etc - something has to give because my brain can't deal with it all, and the thing I am least knowledgeable about/isn't second nature to me - whihc is where the blinking extra letters are, falls by the wayside).

 

[Baydale]

I like your thinking SC, and maybe it is partly that, partly that they are less forgiving at 3 days, or that the standard is higher and I'm just not good enough - simple as that! I shall go and look at the evidence (what's on the camcorder and dvd of Weston) while I have the chance (OH is out hunting so it's possible to get hold of the telly remote control) and report back. If I wasn't such a technophobe I could get it on here so you could have a look....but on second thoughts, nah! In fact, Elf posted some of me on H at Aston Intermediate, have a look at that and tell me that the words "through", "supple", "swing" and other stressage buzz words don't spring to mind?

 

[SpottedCat]

Your dressage videos make me want to cry at my own inadequacy! Yesterday I saw some pro pics of my dressage outing last weekend, poor horse, poor poor horse

At least I know why he doesn't go terribly well in the Novice tests now.....

Ok, having wallowed in self pity I will go and look for the ones Elf posted - mind you I know next to nothing about dressage and will probably say words like 'pretty'

 

[Thistle]

Bev Brightman is excellent, does regular clinics at Caxton (between Roysto and huntingdon) or you can go to her she is just off the A1 at Colmworth

 

[SpottedCat]

I can't find it...anywhere.

 

[maestro]

My daughter trains with Jenny Ward (Northampton) She is also a list 1 judge so is brilliant at picktng up on mark improvements as well as training for the all over improvment

 

[Baydale]

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I can't find it...anywhere.

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Ask Elf nicely and she might give you the link to YouTube.

 

[Baydale]

Thanks Thistle, I'd thought of her but she's just a bit too far for me to feasibly fit that into my work or hunter-filled days at the moment.

Ditto Jenny Ward Maestro, but thanks for the suggestion.

 

[connie1288]

I have found judy bradwell really helpful, she is great because she rides and judges at the highest level so knows exactly what the judges want. She is also very happy to get on your horse and feel what you feel rather than just looking. Caroline Moore is also great especially at helping with confidence, i have her for jumping lessons but i know she is on the BD list aswell. Ian Woodhead is also good.

 

[HairyHatMan]

How far are you willing to travel? We have Simon Battram:

http://www.stepintodressage.com/

who comes to our yard (Barton-in-Fabis, near junc 24 of the M1, Nottingham side) twice a month.

Peronally I think he's brilliant but a lot of dressage "purists" don't as he's quite classical in his approach.

He's much along the same lines as Andrew Day but a bit less complicated (those who know Andrew will know what I mean)

 

[ddd]

Being a dressage bod I have found it really interesting to read all your posts. Baydale I would not try to sway you in any direction but I know nearly all the trainers mentioned on here and have worked or seen most of them work.

From what I can make out you can produce a good test on the day but dont necessarily feel like your horses are going as well as they could and with a bit of help from a dressage specialist could make the test easier to ride and produce those extra few marks needed.

Good riders can produce good tests in a cosmetic sort of way but dont always have the horses working through that extra little bit to turn a test from ok to good.

You have had suggestions here of a variety of trainers for a variety of reasons.

My advise would be if dressage is not really your thing then stay away from the classical trainers, they may be good but not the right ones for you. Sounds like you dont like the pushy loud ones and have eliminated them already.

Jenny Ward is good but as you say too far. Daryll Thicket looks possible but is one of the ones I haven't seen so cant pass comment.

Tracy Robinson is team trainer but she doesn't get them onto team their own trainers do that she just keeps them ticking along once they are at a team competition.

Jill Day I have watched a lot and is very very current, still rides but doesn't compete, was BD Director of Training for six years until June this year. Trains Sharon Hunt so you could email Sharon for her opinion. Jill also had three riders at Nationals this year. The other advantage is that because she doesn't compete anymore herself she concentrates purely on training others without her own competing getting in the way.

She was doing a regular clinic at Laughton Manor, not sure if she still is as they messed her around a bit but if she is could be near you. Not sure where you are but other names to consider are Hannah Esberger Shepherd, Laura Fry, either of the Moody girls, Sarah Payne, cant think of anymore but check BD website and if you find a name near you run it past all of us.