Dressage warm-up arena etiquette

[ester]

curver folding steps are a good investment

 

[Marigold4]

I would absolutely not have got on a green horse on a mounting block in a warm-up arena. Ideally I would have a helper when introducing a young or inexperienced horse to a competition environment. The block should not really be in there as it is a potential hazard in a busy arena. When I organised dressage I used to make sure there wasn’t any equipment left in the arenas.

Having said that there are some terribly rude riders out there fortunately I’ve not met many. Although the other rider was inconsiderate things do happen in arenas - the other day someone fell off and horse careered around the arena and mounting in my opinion is one of the potentially most risky things we do. I’ve trained mine to wait for a treat and he is difficult to move until he has had it. It means I can mount almost anywhere pretty safely.

I too have trained my horse to stand rock still when mounted. He thought the other horse was going to run him down, so sensibly scarpered.

 

[Marigold4]

Definitely wouldn't mount in the warm up- particularly on a young horse that you yourself call silly.

The person trotting towards you didn't know your horse was young or silly.

In future, take a portable mounting block with you to shows so you can get on safely, wherever you are.

It was an intro though - so I would expect young and silly and children.

 

[eggs]

I always bring my own mounting block with me to a show /clinic / lesson.

In my experience the majority of riders seem to be fixated on staring at their horses ears in the warmup and have no idea what is going on around them.

Hope your horse is OK the next time you go out.

 

[maya2008]

Dressage warm-ups can be terrifying. Give me a SJ warm-up any day. At one venue I gave up going in at all on my 13.1hh young mare many years ago, and instead warmed up at home then walked around the car park. There are only so many times you want to experience near death experiences!

 

[Marigold4]

Thanks, everyone. It's been really useful to see both sides of it. I mostly just do local riding club events and it's quite common to see people mounting their horses in the corner of the warm up. This is quite a smart venue and a higher standard of rider attends who probably also does BD. I won't mount in the warm up again. We usually enjoy our outings but this morning was pants and I felt bad for giving my horse a bad experience.

 

[Marigold4]

Dressage warm-ups can be terrifying. Give me a SJ warm-up any day. At one venue I gave up going in at all on my 13.1hh young mare many years ago, and instead warmed up at home then walked around the car park. There are only so many times you want to experience near death experiences!

I think I will do the warm up at home and then load. I did this at the beginning of the year when we first started competing and it seemed to work OK.

 

[Marigold4]

I always bring my own mounting block with me to a show /clinic / lesson.

In my experience the majority of riders seem to be fixated on staring at their horses ears in the warmup and have no idea what is going on around them.

Hope your horse is OK the next time you go out.

Thanks - we have a few weeks now with no comps so hopefully he'll forget all about it. My motivation to keep competing is dented, though.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Hope your next outing goes better OP.

One of our local venues removes all mounting blocks when they hold competitions (they are out in corners of both arenas for arena hire). Its noted on the schedule and on line regs, that competitors needing one should bring their own.

 

[Tiddlypom]

One of our local venues removes all mounting blocks when they hold competitions. Its noted on the schedule and on line regs, that competitors needing one should bring their own.

Any idea why? Providing a mounting block is more hassle than it's worth?

Curver folding steps are good, but if you are on your own then you have to trust that they don't go walkabout while you are competing.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Any idea why? Providing a mounting block is more hassle than it's worth?

Similar to a post further up. Some clown made a mess of getting on and went down the route of rent a claims.... fortunately CCTV backed up the centre and claim thrown out but it all took time.

Those who go there accept this reg easily, after all, most of us hop on in a box park anyway.

 

[millitiger]

The person should not trot towards an unknown person who is mounting a horse whether they know or believe that horse to be young or silly or not. The rider was not showing due consideration for others.

An attitude like that makes me so relieved to have retired from the competition scene.

However to be fair, we don't know how close the person trotting actually was... Could be 10m or could have been just in the general vicinity.

People can be arseholes in any setting but you need to control the controllables as much as you can in any scenario- to me, having taken lots of youngsters out to their first outings, I would never get on in a warm up because you CAN'T control other people or horses- another horse spooking as OP was mounting could have had the same result.

It was an intro though - so I would expect young and silly and children.

And I would also expect nervous and novice riders who might not be used to riding in company and might not have experienced hotter or more reactive horses... Expect everyone in the warm up to behave like a moron and you'll never be disappointed!

 

[Marigold4]

The more I think about it, the more I think it was a stupid thing to do. Hey, ho. The steward and my husband did say she trotted straight at me though!

 

[Time for Tea]

It quite upset me that someone would do that. I then transferred my upset to horse so nothing went right after that. I need to get a thicker skin!

Unfortunately people behave with a total lack of consideration all the time, whether selfish or unaware of anybody else I don’t know. Or both. I would just expect bad behaviour then you won’t be shocked and can deal with it better. Glad you were both ok even if upset

 

[Sossigpoker]

I share a yard with an Advanced dressage rider and she told me that Charlotte Dujardin in the warmup is an experience and a half! She will not give way to anyone, you watch out for her and make sure you don't get in her way!

 

[Mouse19]

I share a yard with an Advanced dressage rider and she told me that Charlotte Dujardin in the warmup is an experience and a half! She will not give way to anyone, you watch out for her and make sure you don't get in her way!

That’s interesting.
I do find warm ups intimidating. Not that I think I’ll ever be in a warm up with Charlotte so I don’t need to worry

 

[hock]

I hate warm ups. I’ve ridden at big internationals and it’s still carnage with so called pros.
I was out at a small unaff a few weeks ago with a green horse and ended up yelling at a teenager who should have given way to me to pass left to left but didn’t and dived up a corner to chat to her boyfriend. She apologised but I felt a fool anyway as my horse had a meltdown in the test and we retired. I was in the cafe after and heard the boyfriend say “you’ve beaten that grumpy cow”

I’m sorry they were really shit and rude but I’d have laughed long and hard at that! I’m sure that’s been said about me as well.

 

[hock]

That’s interesting.
I do find warm ups intimidating. Not that I think I’ll ever be in a warm up with Charlotte so I don’t need to worry

No shock there … makes you want to practise halting just at the right time, sorry Char

 

[Sossigpoker]

No shock there … makes you want to practise halting just at the right time, sorry Char

If you get in her way you'll know about it!
But everyone apparently knows the score and makes way for her.
No cameras allowed either , it's not all love and cuddles, let's put it that way....

 

[shortstuff99]

If you get in her way you'll know about it!
But everyone apparently knows the score and makes way for her.
No cameras allowed either , it's not all love and cuddles, let's put it that way....

She once ran me over as a person and I got a less than friendly look . Although to be fair she did then say sorry as was actually her fault.

 

[DressageCob]

People constantly pass far too close in the dressage working in. My horse's one worry in the world is other horses getting too close so it has taken some work to get him happy in that environment.

The majority of venues I ride at have a block in the working in. It's just common sense to give that area a wide berth when someone is about to mount. Sounds like a horrible experience for you and the young horse; I hope the next outing is better.

 

[hock]

If you get in her way you'll know about it!
But everyone apparently knows the score and makes way for her.
No cameras allowed either , it's not all love and cuddles, let's put it that way....

That is my understanding too, I wonder if she gets away with it on the continent, I suspect not.

 

[Sossigpoker]

She once ran me over as a person and I got a less than friendly look . Although to be fair she did then say sorry as was actually her fault.

You're lucky you didn't get put in draw reins and get a good few smacks to boot.

Interesting how the public persona is very different from what happens when no one is watching....

 

[Sossigpoker]

I'd love to go with my yard buddy to a show where CD will be and wear my tiny hacking camera discreetly by the warm up arena and see what I can capture..
Although I'm sure she's far from the only one at the top level who does some questionable things !

 

[Goldenstar]

I share a yard with an Advanced dressage rider and she told me that Charlotte Dujardin in the warmup is an experience and a half! She will not give way to anyone, you watch out for her and make sure you don't get in her way!

The warm whole thing of dressage warm ups at high level and international shows is an eye opener .

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I'd love to go with my yard buddy to a show where CD will be and wear my tiny hacking camera discreetly by the warm up arena and see what I can capture..
Although I'm sure she's far from the only one at the top level who does some questionable things !

Sadly I think she is probably in the bottom 5% of international riders who do questionable things... it's a sorry state out there in a lot of instances.

 

[SDMabel]

Unfortunately in any walk of life you have inconsiderate humans like that individual.

I take foldable steps and get on outside of the warm up, we tend to do a few laps of the parking area if poss just to get her looking at things and listening with transitions before popping into the warm up just before our class/test for a very quick warm up to avoid the carnage .... but appreciate you cannot do that with every horse.

Maybe pop a red ribbon in their tail ? Even if not a kicker, it may make selfish individuals back off

 

[SEL]

That’s interesting.
I do find warm ups intimidating. Not that I think I’ll ever be in a warm up with Charlotte so I don’t need to worry

Ha! I was thinking the same.

Although Baby Cob is doing a good job of clearing himself a decent section of the warm up at the moment due to his over enthusiastic bouncies. My instructor made me feel better by saying the youngsters at affiliated are just as bad even the top class ones.

 

[j1ffy]

That’s interesting.
I do find warm ups intimidating. Not that I think I’ll ever be in a warm up with Charlotte so I don’t need to worry

I was in a warm-up with her once and she was lovely, much to my surprise! Even when I nearly collided with her

 

[Hallo2012]

people are just thick and/or ignorant.

young pony championships yesterday (clue is in the title-YOUNG pony!!!)

only 4 riders in approx 30 x 80 arena so huge.

I am on a YOUNG stallion feeling his beans (squealing and passaging, not doing anything dangerous but clearly thinking about other things!!!) and someone does medium trot in to his head.

with all that space, in to his head was the only available line for medium trot.......

i just tell people to "BE CAREFUL" loudly and clearly and to "F OFF" for a second offence now.

sick of the stupidity!