First dressage tips for terrified rider!

[BBP]

Me and the pony beast are feeling brave. We are trying our first ever dressage competition next week at Keysoe (unaff). Okay, so only one of those statements is true, we are going to Keysoe, but I am most definitely not feeling brave...I am terrified! Last weekend he gave me a little confidence boost when we went to our first ever SJ competition. Okay so it was teeny tiny so that I could ask him to step over even if he was spooking at stuff, but the jumps weren't really the issue, the fact that he went and was rideable and thoroughly enjoyed himself, not a rodeo pony having panic attacks has given me so much more faith in him.

So as I said, we are going to try our hands and hooves at dressage! Any handy hints for me? I have always been terrified of dressage. I've only done a few tests and they were back before I had many lessons, on an arab who was like a giraffe on speed and I get terribly self concious and ride in a totally different, tense way compared to how I am at home. Little pony has a lot of potential, but is young and very green and I imagine he will find it all pretty exciting. Any tips on ways to keep myself calm/keep him calm/produce as good a test as we can? Warm-up tips? He has a sponsored ride on the sunday which should take the bouncy edge off him with the dressage on the tuesday.

Also, turnout? I have a blue jacket, beige breeches and stock, but I only have cheap chaps no long boots, could I get away with this as a beginning point? He is Spanish (75%) but has a scraggly mane at the moment (field mate scratching sessions!), do I do a spanish running plait and risk it pulling out, or go loose?

Should say we are going for a prelim and a Novice on recommendation of my instructor (I wanted to do walk trot!)- not aiming to compete against all the shiny horses, just to give him a good day out, i think the questions in those tests will be better or keeping our focus. I had a great support crew lined up including my lovely instructor, my sister/groom/rescue remedy distributor and my mother/camerawoman so will try to post pics!

I'm scared!!!!!

Practicing hard!

 

[Winklepoker]

Watching with interest as we too are doing our first party on Sunday!

 

[be positive]

For a start he looks lovely and you are riding him very well, so dont be so worried about competing you seem well prepared and your instructor thinks you are ready.
Learn your test movements well, if you are nervous it may help to also have them read, a calm reader can help you relax through the test.
Smile even if you dont feel like it, it does help
Make a really good entry onto the centre line, if you can start each test well it can make a huge difference to your riding.
Ignore the other horses, even the big black, shiney ones [yours is also black and shiney] the riders on those may be just as nervous as you.
Turnout sounds fine, dont forget you should wear gloves. I would do a running plait if you can so that your horse is as tidy as possible.
Enjoy yourself, think of it as a training day, to get a reasonable % and not a competition, you may be surprised how well it goes, good luck.

 

[BBP]

Thank you for that (and good luck Winklepoker!)...i will definitely try to remember the smile tip as i do tend to clench my teeth when i'm nervous and it makes my neck shoulders and everything else more tense. I might see if someone can read my second test so that I don't panic about forgetting both.
Those are the nicest photos I have, the rest my riding looks rather worse.

 

[Broodle]

My top tip (as a relatively inexperienced amateur) is, like be positive said, to smile even when you don't feel like it. Gives the judge a good impression and can really filter through to a more relaxed you and a more relaxed horse. Oh, and also to make sure you're always looking where you're going not down at your horse - helps you to prepare better for the next movement, but also presents a nicer more positive picture for the judge I think.

I would also second the idea of getting both tests read for you. Do still learn both well, but the safety net of having a reader there just in case your mind goes blank is invaluable and can save alot of stress.

i'm a bit rubbish on the turnout front, but I would say to go for the running plait and I think your chaps should be ok provided they are clean and match your boots reasonably well.

Good luck!

ETS - Also, do give the judge a nice smile/say hello when you trot past the car/box before your test. It's polite, obviously, but also it is quite reassuring to see a normal looking human smile back at you, especially when you get nervous and have built the judge up in your mind into this mythical all-seeing all-knowing creature!

 

[Britestar]

Learn your test as well as you can, but if think you may panic and forget it, have a caller standing by.

Smile - look like you are trying to enjoy it, and most of all BREATHE! Its amazing how when you're tense you'll take big breaths and them hold them. That will make you and pony tense, because he'll hold his breath too, and then you'll both be pooped by the end of the test!

 

[PucciNPoni]

I always find that I ride a more relaxed test if I power down the center line looking straight at the judge as if I'm going to ride through them, with the little mantra in my head TNT (tits n teeth) That usually helps produce a straight center line and after that, it's all good!

 

[BBP]

Right, so 'breathe, smile, tits n teeth', got it! Had a little practice at the novice this afternoon, I even plaited the little man up just for practice. I think its fair to say our score will be abysmal as we are so inconsitent at the moment but it should be a good experience for us both.

 

[FigJam]

Some good tips already, especially the breathing ones... I still forget at times...! I think I'm smiling, but when I look back at photos realise I'm gurning and grimacing away- I blatantly can't concentrate AND smile at the same time?!

If you find yourself getting really nervous, take a deep breath (a proper big in and out "sigh"), remind yourself it's all for experience and is supposed to be a fun day out for you both.

He looks really lovely in those photos and I am sure you will do much better than you think. Good luck, enjoy and make sure to report back!

You may be ok at unaff, but I know a lot of competition rules state that adults must wear either long leather boots or matching leather short boots and gaiters, not suede chaps... best to check with the event secretary/organiser first just in case- I'm sure it won't be a problem, but personally I'd prefer to check in advance.

 

[BBP]

I will check about the leg apparel! I tried on a load of long boots the other day but nothing fits my short stumpy legs, I'll perhaps look for some gaiters this weekend (have some long boots I bought 15 years ago, I may be able to get the zip fixed but they were hideously uncomfey then so I'm sure they haven't improved since then!). I don't want to let down the lovely shiny pony and his bling browband by being a scruffbag.

 

[amandaco2]

smile, breathe. helps you to keep tension away.
think forwards, rhythm in the test- so you arent rushing but are keeping a good tempo and into the contact.
and be accurate to any markers and with shapes. easy marks!
you already ARE one of the ones with a lovely shiney po!!!

for rider wear- check the rules- most RC and unaffil run to BD rules so if you are 100% sure you aint breaking them before you even start the test, thats a good thin that wont play on your mind.

learn the tests even if you have a (good) caller.