Events with dressage on the surface?

[viola]

Just idly wondering: do you know of any events in South East (or anywhere really) where dressage is held on a surface? The horse I am going to event this season is really different on the surface than he is on the grass

He is much more supple and through in the arena but on the grass it is very difficult to make him sufficiently submissive and relaxed.

Eventers, is it good to have dressage phase on the grass? Or would it be better to have it on a more even surface?

 

[Skhosu]

No way do I want it on surfaces, I think that dressage horses suffer because so much of their time is spent on a surface, grass for me I'm afraid!

 

[viola]

Hmm, I do ride out and enjoy it and I am all for variety but I seem to prefer dressaging/competing on a surface...but then I might also want sj phase on a surface

 

[kerilli]

as long as it's the same for everyone, i don't mind either way tbh.
of course, if it's rock hard in summer, i'd rather all 3 phases were on a surface...

 

[viola]

Funny I am rarely bothered with the lack of perfect conditions when going xc but dressage and sj are rather artificial and technical and I always wonder whether it is fair (especially on higher levels) to ask the horse to perform on the ground full of bumps and lumps..?

 

[Jul]

Burnham Beeches and Keysoe both do their jumping on a surface (well have done previously anyway) but both have the dressage on grass. The thing is at all the BE events I've been to they have to run so many dressage arenas at once they just don't have the space to put them all on a surface. So I presume that's why dressage is always on grass but SJ can sometimes be on a surface as they only have the one ring for SJ.
Doesn't bother me - if the going is good enough for me to do the XC its generally ok for the dressage to be on grass. I do prefer SJ on a surface though, but its not usually the case.

 

[viola]

[ QUOTE ]
The thing is at all the BE events I've been to they have to run so many dressage arenas at once they just don't have the space to put them all on a surface. So I presume that's why dressage is always on grass

[/ QUOTE ]

True, didn't think about this (but then I am very much of a BE beginner).

 

[keysoe]

As above, logistics would make dressage for a one day event pretty much impossible.

We do not do "day before" dressage, so require seven arenas running at the same time (for part of the day) to achieve maximum numbers.

More important to consider if event looks after the dressage working in area (you will spend 40 minutes there compared to 4.5 in the arena!)

If horse does not like hard ground, then trauma in the jumping phases will be much greater anyway. We have all weather SJ working in and arena, and that saves us more in wet weather than dry (we do not have to move fences, as take off / landings can survive a full day in the same place whatever the weather)

It takes a lot of work to treat all of the XC / working in / dressage / working in (and SJ / working in); if your horse is "footy" pick events carefully where you know they either manage the ground, or have very light ground to start with (sand or peat). BE is too expensive to use as combined training

 

[viola]

Yes, makes sense.
No, he isn't footy as such, just seems to be very excitable on grass as he knows he is going for a ball shortly!
While in the arena he relaxes and 'lets go' and is 100% more ridable.