Grand Prix arena walk. Educate me please.

[Muddywellies]

Watching the GP Championships at Hartpury and noticed in the arena familiarisation, people pottering about in the arena doing their pirouettes, tempi changes etc etc. Whilst i was clambering up to the lofty heights of elementary, 'arena familiarisation' was an 'arena walk' and woe betide anyone who trotted. Don't GP riders have a normal warm up in a separate arena?

 

[milliepops]

some (mainly top level) shows do familiarisation that is different to the arena walk that you and I would take part in. so yes they can work the horses properly rather than just trudge round the outside.

 

[milliepops]

ooh not just pure dressage. here's some arena familiarisation in eventing

https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/european-eventing-championships-dressage-times-2-695122

 

[Kahlua]

When you say arena familiarization do you mean as the riders go around the arena prior to entering and beginning the test? If that is the case, the time before you enter is a chance to set the tone for the judges and get them a bit excited, even though they are finishing their papers for the previous rider, they will still look at you. Alternatively even if you are just trotting or cantering, you will see most riders doing slight transitions in the paces to really keep the horse on the job, and not get distracted by the “new” atmosphere after coming from your warm up arena. You can do what you like in this time, walk, trot, canter, changes - even if these aren’t in your test.

What I would refer to as arena familiarization is when you get in to the arena you are competing in, the day/s prior, as well as the morning of, and you would work your horse as normal, although you wouldn’t tend to run through the whole test as other riders are generally in the arena with you. This is something they do at bigger competitions, giving riders at all levels a chance to get their horse in the arena, take a look at flower boxes, judges seating etc.

All the riders would have warmed up in another area prior to the test. In the case of this venue, there is the first warm up, which is where everyone can be riding, then you move to the small warm up arena next to the competition arena and finish your warm up, usually when there is two people in front of you (so that there is only one or two people in the small arena warming up).

 

[ester]

MP I think they did it for the international driving at Pau too in the days pre competition, rara could confirm!