CentrestageSHS
Well-Known Member
I didn't want to hi-jack the other persons post but I would like a bit of info too!
Ok, I am just starting to go out and compete on Josh at dressage comps. I'll fill you in for people who don't know, basically I broke my leg last year and cannot jump at a high level anymore so I have started British Dressage on my best horse, he is 17hh 5yrs old, just been gelded and he is by Negro, out of a Don Schufro Mare, I bred him myself and backed and broke him. He has done a season of BSJA before I broke my leg, did very well jumping upto new/fox at lots of venues indoor/outdoor.
Now the thing is, he is not a spooky or tense horse but is a complete show-off and finds it hard to concentrate for the duration of a test. When I took him sj this was great, the bigger the crowd and jumps, the more he rose to the occasion and he was amazing. Now I am doing quite a lot of schooling on him at home and not so much fittening work or competing. He is built very high on his front end (typical ferro), His backend sits and is very engaged and I have to be careful his trot is not too "passagey". He has a very big neck due to just being gelded which is set on very high so this accentuates it even more. He would look great if he was doing a Grand Prix test, but at Novice and Elementary level he looks too tense in his back and too high. His outline is similar to Bjorsell's Brior to give you an idea. He naturally moves like this in the field too and has done since a foal so it is not due to training.
Now at home when I lunge and work him, I always start by working him long and low, he really doesn't like this but he's starting to get the idea. I am concerned that by the time I have actually managed to get him long and low, it is just because he is starting to tire. I am considering using draw reins just so i can get him low from the start, do you think I should or just persevere? It is so hard because he is naturally built so uphill with a very nice arched neck, and is very soft on the contact. Do you think I should continue trying to get him long and low or just ride him in an outline?
Now for the other thing, when I go to a comp. and it is quiet with no crowds, he is fine and concentrates and does quite well. Now if I go to a comp. and there is crowds around the ring and they clap after the last horse left the arena and i am entering, it is like he is playing to them , he grows 2" and starts placing his feet in walk and bouncing a little in trot and I just feel like he is looking more at them than listening to me. I know it sounds silly, he is not frightened, he is very used to crowds and has competed a lot but it is almost like he is showing off. I am just hoping it is due to a few hormones still leaving his system and that when we get to more difficult tests he won't have time to look at them.
One last thing, he finds his work very easy and has good self-carriage, now because he is only 5 and I am just starting out in dressage I am wanting to work up through the grades and hopefully get to somes finals and qualify for things at each level, but I am finding that when I am doing prelim and Novice tests, there is too much time in between movements and he is losing concentration. He is capable of doing higher level movements and can already do flying changes, half-pass and walk pirouettes and large canter pirouettes amongst other things. But I don't want to go out at a higher level straight away and miss all the lower levels out. My trainer rode him and told me to forget about prelim, Novice and Elementary and go straight in at Medium. I don't know what to do, he learns very quick and gets bored easily so I really have to keep him thinking and loves it when you challenge him to do harder things but I don't want to push him too fast even though he is capable, until he is older and stronger.
What do you think? Sorry for the endless post I am just new to dressage and want to do the right thing. BTW he is scoring over 70% in Prelim-Elementary most times and even when he is distracted scores around 67-68%. He does not have any points yet as I keep taking him in the unafilliated sections and training sections as I don't want him to get out of points before I decide which level I want to do with him.
I would be very grateful for any help and opinions to ease my mind!!!
Ok, I am just starting to go out and compete on Josh at dressage comps. I'll fill you in for people who don't know, basically I broke my leg last year and cannot jump at a high level anymore so I have started British Dressage on my best horse, he is 17hh 5yrs old, just been gelded and he is by Negro, out of a Don Schufro Mare, I bred him myself and backed and broke him. He has done a season of BSJA before I broke my leg, did very well jumping upto new/fox at lots of venues indoor/outdoor.
Now the thing is, he is not a spooky or tense horse but is a complete show-off and finds it hard to concentrate for the duration of a test. When I took him sj this was great, the bigger the crowd and jumps, the more he rose to the occasion and he was amazing. Now I am doing quite a lot of schooling on him at home and not so much fittening work or competing. He is built very high on his front end (typical ferro), His backend sits and is very engaged and I have to be careful his trot is not too "passagey". He has a very big neck due to just being gelded which is set on very high so this accentuates it even more. He would look great if he was doing a Grand Prix test, but at Novice and Elementary level he looks too tense in his back and too high. His outline is similar to Bjorsell's Brior to give you an idea. He naturally moves like this in the field too and has done since a foal so it is not due to training.
Now at home when I lunge and work him, I always start by working him long and low, he really doesn't like this but he's starting to get the idea. I am concerned that by the time I have actually managed to get him long and low, it is just because he is starting to tire. I am considering using draw reins just so i can get him low from the start, do you think I should or just persevere? It is so hard because he is naturally built so uphill with a very nice arched neck, and is very soft on the contact. Do you think I should continue trying to get him long and low or just ride him in an outline?
Now for the other thing, when I go to a comp. and it is quiet with no crowds, he is fine and concentrates and does quite well. Now if I go to a comp. and there is crowds around the ring and they clap after the last horse left the arena and i am entering, it is like he is playing to them , he grows 2" and starts placing his feet in walk and bouncing a little in trot and I just feel like he is looking more at them than listening to me. I know it sounds silly, he is not frightened, he is very used to crowds and has competed a lot but it is almost like he is showing off. I am just hoping it is due to a few hormones still leaving his system and that when we get to more difficult tests he won't have time to look at them.
One last thing, he finds his work very easy and has good self-carriage, now because he is only 5 and I am just starting out in dressage I am wanting to work up through the grades and hopefully get to somes finals and qualify for things at each level, but I am finding that when I am doing prelim and Novice tests, there is too much time in between movements and he is losing concentration. He is capable of doing higher level movements and can already do flying changes, half-pass and walk pirouettes and large canter pirouettes amongst other things. But I don't want to go out at a higher level straight away and miss all the lower levels out. My trainer rode him and told me to forget about prelim, Novice and Elementary and go straight in at Medium. I don't know what to do, he learns very quick and gets bored easily so I really have to keep him thinking and loves it when you challenge him to do harder things but I don't want to push him too fast even though he is capable, until he is older and stronger.
What do you think? Sorry for the endless post I am just new to dressage and want to do the right thing. BTW he is scoring over 70% in Prelim-Elementary most times and even when he is distracted scores around 67-68%. He does not have any points yet as I keep taking him in the unafilliated sections and training sections as I don't want him to get out of points before I decide which level I want to do with him.
I would be very grateful for any help and opinions to ease my mind!!!
