Is this allowed?

cava14una

cava14una

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I was at a Dressage show today and while riding round the arena before the bell rang to start her test one rider twice changed the rein by riding between the boards and across the arena.

Is this ok? Long time since I did dressage and only at Riding Club level but have never seen this before?
 
From BD rulebook -

82. Entering arena before the signal to start
Normally, no horse may enter any arena, other than the practice arena, except when
actually competing, on penalty of elimination. Competitors must wait until the Judge
has signified that they may start before entering the arena. Riders are not to enter or
ride around the competition arena during a break or whilst the Judge is not present.
Where the construction of the arena makes it impossible for the competitor to ride
outside the entire circumference of the arena before the Judge’s signal to enter is
sounded, they may ride inside the arena. Where a 40m x 20m arena has been created
within a 60m x 20m arena, the competitor is permitted to ride in the entire arena.
Depending on the circumstances, riders have the option of entering at A from inside or
outside the arena.
Any horse failing to enter the arena within 45 seconds of the bell being sounded will have
a 2 mark penalty per Judge awarded. Failure to enter after 90 seconds of the signal to
start will result in elimination.
 
Not everyone runs under BD rules. Even under BD rules I've been at venues where you are advised by the steward to ride in the arena, or to cut across it at one end because of the space available - which is clearly within the rules of course. If you are in doubt as to whether you can or not ask the steward at the ring entrance.
 
Its regularly done at BE events at Keysoe. There's no room outside the arena to work in apart from the warm up field. You then have to make the decision to either start the test off a turn, or exit altogether then come in straight at A.
 
I've been to venues that have a 20x40 indoor school so you can't ride around the outside of the arena. I presume it is partly down to the judge's discretion?
 
Quite OK if it was not possible to ride round the outside of the entire arena. Not OK if you can ride round the entire outside of the arena.

There was a long thread on the BD website a little while ago on this topic as a number of stewards/judges/competitors did not properly understand this rule.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. Sounds like it was ok although there was room to ride right round arena outside boards.

Can you give me link to the thread on BD eggs?
 
It normally also depends if the arena is solidily edged or if it is poles/boards with gaps.
Also if there is no room to change rein smoothly around the edge then also would be allowed.
 
Diamore said:
It normally also depends if the arena is solidily edged or if it is poles/boards with gaps.
Also if there is no room to change rein smoothly around the edge then also would be allowed.
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter whether the arena is fully boarded or not - you can only enter is before the bell goes if you cannot go all the way around the outside. If you can go around the outside then you cannot change rein by crossing the arena. You have to turn back on yourself.
 
eggs said:
It doesn't matter whether the arena is fully boarded or not - you can only enter is before the bell goes if you cannot go all the way around the outside. If you can go around the outside then you cannot change rein by crossing the arena. You have to turn back on yourself.
Click to expand...

This is impossible at a venue local to me,
Equally as per the rule it states "normally" so is entirely judges sense that is to be used.
 
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