Intro A 2008 Dressage test - a few questions

[EmmaLouEquine]

Hi,

I am doing my first show this weekend. it is walk and trot intro A dressage (2008) I have a few questions so if you know the answer to any, even if it's just one of them please do reply! thanks in advance.

1- about how many strides is walk for 1 horse length?
2- the pony i am riding tends to rush when i give her free walk on a long rein (which we have to do changing the rein across diagonal) what exercises can i do to help stop her doing this? any tips?
3- what colour gloves should i wear?
4- does my pony HAVE to be plaited?
5- am i allowed to carry a shot crop?

if you have any other tips that might help please let me know

you'll have to excuse the fact that these are probably stupid questions to most of you! but this is my first show and i need to make sure I know what i'm doing, lol. thank you!

 

[leflynn]

It depends if they are running under BD or BE rules as to gloves and whips, if BD then light coloured gloves and a long whip, if BE then no whip and any gloves (light preferred). Pony doesn't have to be plaited but I always think it is worth the effort to do it

Just make sure your transistions are at the letter with Intro A, rather than between of before or after, 1 horse length is usually 4 strides, can't help on the rushing sorry, but good luck!

 

[Chirmapops]

If you're under BD rules you can carry a whip of any length you like, so long as it doesn't disturb the other competitors, so a short crop is fine if you'd rather carry that than a schooling whip.

For the rushing, try keeping your own breathing slow and relaxed - if you know he rushes, you're probably tensing up getting ready to "catch" him.Also practice doing your stretch on a circle at home, which will provide a natural "handbrake" because of the turn. Good luck!

 

[Batgirl]

Hi,

Firstly good luck

1- about how many strides is walk for 1 horse length?
About 4
2- the pony i am riding tends to rush when i give her free walk on a long rein (which we have to do changing the rein across diagonal) what exercises can i do to help stop her doing this? any tips?
Practice practice, bear in mind it is a LONG rein not a loose rein, so keep a contact (nice and firm if she rushes) and sit quietly.
3- what colour gloves should i wear?
Any colour is allowed, pale colour preferred for BD rules.
4- does my pony HAVE to be plaited?
No
5- am i allowed to carry a shot crop?
Max length in BD is 1m20cm so you should be fine unless we have a very different idea of short

I am presuming as it is an Intro test it is being run under BD rules.
Tips:
Relax and enjoy it
Don't force an outline, most judges are looking for regular rhythm, accuracy and smoothness (though if pony goes in a nice outline go for it)
Accuracy Accuracy Accuracy at this level, use your corners properly, don't ride circles as squares and when it says 'at A' or what ever letter it means when you are level with it not your horses nose.

Hope that isn't too much but you sound keen!

Have fun!

 

[Batgirl]

My answers are in the quote!

 

[EmmaLouEquine]

Thank you very much! this answer is a big help thanks for clear explanation and those tips have given me something to think about. Many thanks

 

[dappyness]

I second the'long rein not a short rein'. I often see people with washing line reins dong their free walk (its not good) - remember to keep a contact but allow the horse to stretch.

 

[SaffronWelshDragon]

Batgirl has covered everything. Just relax and enjoy it! Looking forward to the report and pix!

 

[khalswitz]

Just to point out, under BD rules there is no colour preference for gloves. PaddyMonty pointed out to me last month that the rules have changed, and now it is 'Gloves must be worn' in the rulebook with no colour preference. I've gone back to dark gloves for BD now!!!

 

[Casey76]

Very interesting to see the differences in rules for BD and FFE!

 

[kc100]

Just to point out, under BD rules there is no colour preference for gloves. PaddyMonty pointed out to me last month that the rules have changed, and now it is 'Gloves must be worn' in the rulebook with no colour preference. I've gone back to dark gloves for BD now!!!

This is very true - as long as you have gloves on, it doesnt matter what colour they are. Dark gloves tend to hide the movement of the hands, so if you tend to fuss with your hands dark are better. But generally you will see most dressage competitors in white/pale gloves because judges want to asses your riding and like to see a nice quiet rider with quiet hands (hence the pale gloves preferred). But that is NOT an official rule, simply a preference that has been around for some years.

All your other questions have been answered I think, in terms of the free walk on a long rein you just need to practice allowing the pony to stretch. I like to keep in mind Carl Hester's way of training - he stretches the horse at the start of a session, then picks them up into an outline (well at his level it is an uphill frame and outline comes naturally but dont worry about that), then after a period of hard work (10-15mins for example) he allows the horse to stretch again.

So think of free walk as a stretch - the pony should want to seek the rein down into a stretched neck position, lengthening the strides and relaxing. So dont throw the reins at your pony and hope for the best, instead keep in your head a stretch idea and an opportunity for the pony to relax after a period of work in an outline. The nose should be stretching down to the floor, strides getting longer (not faster). It isnt something that can be learnt overnight unfortunately, teaching a horse to want to stretch is a lengthy process - can you ask your instructor to start working on this with you in your lessons?

Make sure you are incorporating stretching into every schooling session, between periods of work in an outline allow the horse to stretch and relax in a long and low frame. That is the essence of your free walk really, the judges are simply looking for over-tracking strides (back feet overstepping where the front feet fall) and a horse that is clearly seeking the contact down towards the ground, nose towards the floor but not poking forwards.

The more you practice at home, the more your pony will learn to stretch and enjoy the stretching (because it is a break from working in an outline) and the free walk will improve as your schooling at home improves.

And as for working in an outline in an Intro test - I'm afraid a judge will be looking for some sort of outline, if a pony is going around with its neck stuck in the air and ignoring the contact it will not get more than 5's and 6's. Even at Intro you are still marked against the scales of training, yes Rhythm, Suppleness and Relaxation are important but Contact is one of the scales of training and they will be marking you against it.

Accuracy is always helpful so make sure you dont throw away silly marks by doing an 18m circle instead of 20m, but ultimately even if you ride the most accurate test if your pony resembles a giraffe you are not going to get much beyond 60%.

But good for you for getting out there and giving it a go - I remember my first test and how nervous I was, and because it was my giant horse's first time out he resembled a giraffe on speed so it was not pretty! Just remember to relax, breathe, and that we supposedly do this for fun so whatever happens, enjoy it and learn from it. Let us know how you get on!

 

[khalswitz]

This is very true - as long as you have gloves on, it doesnt matter what colour they are. Dark gloves tend to hide the movement of the hands, so if you tend to fuss with your hands dark are better. But generally you will see most dressage competitors in white/pale gloves because judges want to asses your riding and like to see a nice quiet rider with quiet hands (hence the pale gloves preferred). But that is NOT an official rule, simply a preference that has been around for some years.

Yeah, there used to be a whole 'dark gloves versus light gloves' thing until the rules changed to 'light gloves strongly preferred' for a while, but it has changed back again. I'm personally one who would rather not draw attention to my hands, so I have gone back to dark gloves in the meantime...

 

[SaffronWelshDragon]

Yeah, there used to be a whole 'dark gloves versus light gloves' thing until the rules changed to 'light gloves strongly preferred' for a while, but it has changed back again. I'm personally one who would rather not draw attention to my hands, so I have gone back to dark gloves in the meantime...

Haha see I have quite nice, still hands, so I wear cream gloves to show them off. It's great to have the choice

 

[Laafet]

The gloves things was silly, BD just stipulate gloves now not which colour, white gloves cover up my hands as my boy is almost completely white.

 

[Batgirl]

And as for working in an outline in an Intro test - I'm afraid a judge will be looking for some sort of outline, if a pony is going around with its neck stuck in the air and ignoring the contact it will not get more than 5's and 6's. Even at Intro you are still marked against the scales of training, yes Rhythm, Suppleness and Relaxation are important but Contact is one of the scales of training and they will be marking you against it.

Just to emphasise I said don't FORCE an outline, most judges (me included) would prefer to see a rhythmical test rather than someone sawing away trying to get their pony in an outline on their first test (particularly at Intro) and I would be bloomin chuffed with 60% first time out. Scales of training are of course applied but I and many other judges see too many people trying to force their horses head in and throwing away other marks when it goes in a pleasant contact. I would prefer and mark higher a giraffe than a stuttering head shaking pony that cannot go forward softly. Rhythmn and suppleness are first in the scales of training, then contact. Soft forward going rhythmical test, then contact (outline less important than a nice steady contact), then impulsion.

You know your pony best so if it will go nicely in an outline go for it, if you are going to fight every step of the way go for the rhythm, forward going and steady hand.

 

[JFTDWS]

Just to emphasise I said don't FORCE an outline, most judges (me included) would prefer to see a rhythmical test rather than someone sawing away trying to get their pony in an outline on their first test (particularly at Intro) and I would be bloomin chuffed with 60% first time out. Scales of training are of course applied but I and many other judges see too many people trying to force their horses head in and throwing away other marks when it goes in a pleasant contact. I would prefer and mark higher a giraffe than a stuttering head shaking pony that cannot go forward softly. Rhythmn and suppleness are first in the scales of training, then contact. Soft forward going rhythmical test, then contact (outline less important than a nice steady contact), then impulsion.

You know your pony best so if it will go nicely in an outline go for it, if you are going to fight every step of the way go for the rhythm, forward going and steady hand.

Agreed - particularly at unaff, you often see horses getting 65%ish for accurate, rhythmical tests without any real outline - I have the test sheets to prove it! I'd rather have a horse going forwards in a relaxed outline, than one curling back behind the bit being fiddled or hauled in and not moving forwards correctly.

As I shall be demonstrating with my 4 year old at his dressage debut this weekend - he carries himself beautifully when he's "in the zone" but I'll put money now on him spending at least some of the test resembling the lovechild of an ill-mannered yak and a speeding giraffe...