FAO Dressage lovers!

[JackDaniels1]

Previous owner said my girl had done quite a bit of dressage - she has a few BD points from a previous previous owner and with them she had done several unaff tests - up to and including elementary, she came first six times and second five times at a good unaffiliated standard. In her one affiliated test with them she finished sixth. She got scores of 70% unaff elementary. She won at elementary level with her previous previous owner and was reserve champion at Oldencraig.

Had a dressage trainer and judge out tonight - she said the horse only has a few BD points with 65% at novice level and to them get 70% at elementary is a huge leap and basically said the previous owner is lying about the 70% unaff elementary. She said a horse that has got to elementary level would have a 2nd thigh

- even if it would of had 3 years off, the current muscles still would be visible. She said the horse isn't elementary standard. She said the only possibility would be that the judging was cr&p when horse did her test.

When she left I phoned up previous owner who said she definately did get scores of 70% unaff elementary and she is going to send me the scores sheets.

I believe the lady I bought her off was 100% genuine and was truthful in what she told me, she even wrote on the advert about the 70% at elementary.

I don't know what to believe, what do you make of it?

 

[spacefaer]

Have you checked on the BD website for how many points she has?

It is possible to get higher marks unaffiliated as judges tend to be more constructive and encouraging than at affiliated.

Not sure about the 2nd thigh - a horse can lose a lot of muscle in 6 months let alone 3 yrs.....

If you can see the score sheets, then that should prove the opwner was not lying

 

[JackDaniels1]

Yes, have checked BD site and she does only have a few points, not many.

I will wait and see if the score sheets arrive!

 

[millimoo]

I think it's possible.... obviously not seen the horse or you ride it, and one persons idea of alot of dressage probably differs from another.
65% at Affiliated Novice is a respectable score (65% and over is a qualifying mark for the regionals if you win, although appreciate it's got so competive you need to be capable of 70% plus

)
I must admit, my perception is that unaffiliated scoring is higher, I also think there's a bit of faces fit goes on at some venues - but that happens at Affiliated level on occasions too (from my perspective, so don't shoot me down

)
If you like the horse, I wouldn't worry about it. The affiliated history will be on BD's website. Also if you've not had the horse long it may take a little bit longer for you to get up and running - my mums taken 6 months, alot of help, and going back to basics to get what should have been an advanced horse going correctly - he's got the tricks but was not soft over his back and was creating a false outline which was ok, but will be his undoing in competition at advanced level.
I would however be suspicious of a horse with poor muscles behind doing Elementary. My mums other horse was working at adv medium (competing affiliated Elementary) until an accident 3 yrs ago. He's still got his top line and you can only just squeeze your hand between his thighs, he's hacked and lightly schooled 3 to 4 times a week - and its muscle, not fat.
What are you wanting to do with the horse, you obviously purchased her because you liked her,
Did the trainer and judge ride the horse, if not I think they were a bit rude to be honest - do you know and trust their opinion?
Hope you're not worrying, and hope it all sorts itself out as its obviously sowed some seeds of doubt.....

 

[Louby]

Id just take it all with a pinch of salt, afterall it doesnt really matter what she did unaffiliated wise but I would be inclined to believe her past owner. Please dont take this the wrong way but to defend the trainer/judge too, she may be right in saying she isnt up to Elementary right now, maybe she has been in the past but in her opinion at the moment she isnt but Im sure with work she will be again.
My horse got 74% unaffilliated and we came 3rd! The judge marked incredibly high and then Ive come 2nd with low 60's, then nowwhere with mid 60's.
IMO Its the affiliated ones that matter really.

 

[JoJo_]

Unaffiliated scoring can be a vast difference in my opinion. I've only had 4 outings unaffiliated - my first was judged by Hils from this forum (neither of us knew or had spoken to each other before that) who is a BD listed judge and she gave me 59%, my third outing I came away with 76% at prelim which was judged by a non BD listed judge! And I didnt even feel like my mare went very well on that test as it was sooo hot in an indoor arena and she was being sluggish.

It makes it so difficult to compare scores! I think there is a big difference from working at elementary in an affiliated competition than an unaffiliated. So your horses previous owner very well may have got 70%!

 

[spookypony]

Well, the easiest way to find out at what standard the horse is would be to work with it for a bit and then start competing!

I'm also curious to know if the judge and the trainer also sat on the horse, or if they just looked at its bum (or lack thereof)?

 

[Divasmum]

What the previous owner said sounds perfectly true. 65% affilaited is a good score. 70% unaffiliated is totally believable because on the whole they tend to mark about 10% easier. At least if the horse only has a few BD points it means you can affiliate and start at prelim if you want to. However affil prelim carries no points so you may want to go in at novice. Enjoy.

 

[Evadiva1514]

It's very possible that your horse had won points and gained 65%+ at Novice BD and then 70%+ at Unaff Elementary. My horse did exactly this before he went lame last year. He had qualified for regionals and was regularly gaining 65%+ marks, when he was ready for elementary i decided to try him in a couple of Unaff elem comps to see how he was progressing and he gained percentages in the late 60's and his last elementary gained an impressive 71.9% both tests judged by affiliated judges. So i knew he was ready to go and try some elem tests at BD. Sadly he went lame before i got to put this into practice.

Who was the dressage trainer/judge you had out last night? PM me if you'd rather... I have a feeling i may know who it is!!

 

[gummybear]

IF you know when she came reserve at Oldencraig in the Ele's - why dont you have a look on the Oldencraig website - they have most of their results on there, so depending on how far back it goes, you may be able to look for yourself. Agree with everyone else though - unaff. dressage marking is completely different to aff scoring!

 

[JackDaniels1]

No judge/trainer didn't ride the horse.