I want to know EVERYTHING i need to know about dressage please? :p

I don't think seat savers are dressage legal (don't take my word for it - please check, try the British Dressage website).
It's well worth practicing your turn up the centre line to get a good feel for when you need to turn, how tight etc - remember you will do this movement at least twice in one test (beginning and end) sometimes more than twice and the judge will ALWAYS comment on whether you turned early / overshot / wobbled up the centre line.
Accuracy is the key to collecting the easy marks so as mentioned before get a good feel for how early before a marker you need to ask your horse for a transition.
Judges will also be looking for activity and impulsion so make sure your horse is moving forward in a controlled way and try to get the correct bend on circles.
How is your free walk on a long rein? - this is worth double points, judges want to see a good active walk with a nice stretch taking the rein forward and down.
 
lctrouble said:
I don't think seat savers are dressage legal (don't take my word for it - please check, try the British Dressage website).
It's well worth practicing your turn up the centre line to get a good feel for when you need to turn, how tight etc - remember you will do this movement at least twice in one test (beginning and end) sometimes more than twice and the judge will ALWAYS comment on whether you turned early / overshot / wobbled up the centre line.
Accuracy is the key to collecting the easy marks so as mentioned before get a good feel for how early before a marker you need to ask your horse for a transition.
Judges will also be looking for activity and impulsion so make sure your horse is moving forward in a controlled way and try to get the correct bend on circles.
How is your free walk on a long rein? - this is worth double points, judges want to see a good active walk with a nice stretch taking the rein forward and down.
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I think that this information will be lost to the OP, she really only wants to know if she can have a seat saver! I think the details of a dressage test and how to ride it will be equally lost.
 
Come on - give her the benefit of the doubt. She says she's having a go at dresage because her horse has lost confidence jumping after a nasty fall so she wants to take things slow. She also recognises that dressage will help with her jumping.
This shows signs of common sense and logical thinking which I am happy to encourage and offer any advice I can.
I will freely admit I'm a pretty rubbish rider myself but have written for a few dressage tests so have seen things from the judges perspective and gained a little insight.
 
BSJAShowjumper123 said:
oooh ill probally past on that :p i dont think her saddle should need one
black country comforty but its hard after a long time siting in it :p are them fluffy seat savers things allowed? lol
thansk alot so look a C no were else got it :Dx
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No, seat savers aren't allowed, however i would use one at home to practice on and then take it off for the test.

Pastie2 - LOL means laugh out loud which means she was joking when she asked the question. No sarky comments needed. The amount of time it took you to respond with a nasty quip you could have just typed a helpful response.
 
I've just started doing prelim and novice unaffiliated dressage this year, and be warned, it does get seriously addictive!
Just make sure you know your test inside out, that way you can relax and focus on the horse, rather than worrying about where you're going next!
If things do go wrong, if you get the wrong canter lead for instance, don't panic, just stay calm and correct it as quickly as possible and just keep going :)
Accuracy is really important, even if your pony decides there is something very interesting going on in the distance and starts gawping, don't try and pull their head back into a "pretty shape", instead just focus on moving forward and being as accurate as possible, that's what will get you the marks.
My friend judges at Prelim level, and she says she always looks for a horse with plenty of impulsion and a desire to move forward, she values it over some horse with it's nose tucked in to its chest.
No matter how badly you think things may have gone, always smile when you salute and give your horse plenty of pats as you walk out of the arena, judges hate to see someone who's test wasn't perfect so stomps out of the ring in a huff..
Hope some of that's helpful, it's just a few of the millions of tips I've been given by people this year, and they've worked well for me! :) Good luck!
 
Oh - forgot to say make sure you know and abide by the 'rules of the school' in the warm up - people have being carved up while warming up. The warm-up ring seems to be the dressage rider's pet hate.
Pass left to left
Walk on the inside track.
Don't stop for a chat / remove boots etc on the track.
Give way to people doing lateral work.
I'm sure there's more - basically keep an eye out for others.
 
lctrouble said:
Oh - forgot to say make sure you know and abide by the 'rules of the school' in the warm up - people have being carved up while warming up. The warm-up ring seems to be the dressage rider's pet hate.
Pass left to left
Walk on the inside track.
Don't stop for a chat / remove boots etc on the track.
Give way to people doing lateral work.
I'm sure there's more - basically keep an eye out for others.
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bit like showjumping warm up then :p
 
kezimac said:
Tips - read the test - ride the movements accuratly - know the arena - i.e. H, K, F,M are 5 metres from the end of arena. and B and E are obviously 20 metres from end. so a 20m circle on left rein at C should touch the side of arena 4 metres after H then touch X then touch side of arena 4 metres up from M and then touch C.
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k, f, h, m, are actually 6m from the corners :p
 
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