It's happened D: Please help fellow sufferers of Dressagitis

Polar Bear9

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I caught myself looking at matchy-matchy

I quite like my friends sparkly browband.

My stirrups are gradually getting longer.

I'm starting to worry more about half pass than cross poles.

Oh god, I've caught Dressagitis :'( Help!!
 
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Eeeeek. Please tell me it isn't contagious and that I won't catch it after reading this post!!!

I recommend you go out and jump the biggest scariest jump of all so you can remember how awesome jumping is and how boring dressage is :P

Sending you good vibes for a quick recovery!
 
Thanks Rivendell :/

I fear it is contagious, I believe I caught it from a friend who has had a bad case for many years now.

A boggy school and arthritic pony may have helped the virus to spread however, if you have a decent surface and a jumping horse you may yet be safe.
 
Now It's very important you seek help, I have no idea what you thought a bunch of strangers on a forum could do to help you. This is serious! I'm not sure if there is a cure.......you might spread it.....aaaaaggh !!!!!
 
I'm coming down with a mild case of it myself, I bought a blingy bridle by choice on Friday and we did our first comp on Saturday, and I got a ribbon. I think the key to a return to normality is to have no success in either training or competition. If you are successful in any way, I don't think there is much chance of a recovery from this terribly expensive disease.

Save yourself from the white bandages while there is still a chance!!
 
Now It's very important you seek help, I have no idea what you thought a bunch of strangers on a forum could do to help you. This is serious! I'm not sure if there is a cure.......you might spread it.....aaaaaggh !!!!!

OMG it could go airborn!! i might not be safe even over here, i don't want it , i do trail riding!!!
OP .... book yourself into a western riding school, massive saddle, neck reining, huge stirrups, lots of yeeehaaa, that should cure you!!!:D
 
Afraid I've already caught it although I do recommend trying some aversion therapy - otherwise known as screwing up all your courage up and heading towards a cross pole (it helps the therapy if you can keep your eyes open whilst doing this!).

If all else fails embrace the fact that dressage saddles are more comfortable to hack out in than jumping saddles.

Vibes for a speedy recovery!!!
 
Thanks for all the advice. I do in fact ride purely in a dressage saddle and have for a while, maybe this is when it started :/
Time to haul the GP out and prescribe myelf a course of intensive jumping clinics methinks
 
I'm really sorry but there is no known cure for Dressagitis... I have been a sufferer for a few years now and it gets progressively worse... I wish I had better news for you.
 
I have to agree with Miss_c, the symptoms that you have now are only mild but very soon you'll start to feel that despite having ridden for years, you actually can't ride very well, your horse isn't forward, straight or through, riding a 20 m circle becomes almost impossible as there is just too much to think about and worst of all you will feel compelled to get a proper "dressage trainer" who will suck their teeth, shake their head and promise you improvement only if you do 6 hours of no stirrup work each day. However, by the time these symptoms become obvious it will be too late.
 
I have to agree with Miss_c, the symptoms that you have now are only mild but very soon you'll start to feel that despite having ridden for years, you actually can't ride very well, your horse isn't forward, straight or through, riding a 20 m circle becomes almost impossible as there is just too much to think about and worst of all you will feel compelled to get a proper "dressage trainer" who will suck their teeth, shake their head and promise you improvement only if you do 6 hours of no stirrup work each day. However, by the time these symptoms become obvious it will be too late.

I've already got these symptoms D: The trainer was installed a few months ago with the thought of 'improving our flatwork to improve our jumping'. Now he just sucks his teeth and the pony haven't seen a jump since he arrived. How did I not realise sooner :( Its already to late. I'm going to have to hide my bandages from my showjumping sister and do dressage in secret.
 
Oh no!! I hear its an almost incurable disease :( but there is an upside (maybe), I also heard that if you jump over a course and across country you get the much more manageable eventeritis! Hope you recover quickly!
 
I've already got these symptoms D: The trainer was installed a few months ago with the thought of 'improving our flatwork to improve our jumping'. Now he just sucks his teeth and the pony haven't seen a jump since he arrived. How did I not realise sooner :( Its already to late. I'm going to have to hide my bandages from my showjumping sister and do dressage in secret.

Oh no this is how it got me too! Better canter, better jump right? Roll on a year and we have been fully sucked in, registered BD and spend all my money on lessons, bling, matchy matchy (and with a black horse EVERYTHING matches!) and competitions :( :(

Save yourself now you've realised!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Oh my goodness, you have come across a "carrier" This "improving flatwork to improve jumping is a common ruse, as is the " jumping is just flatwork with jumps" approach used by lots of dressage trainers to infect more victims. i am afraid you are now completely incurable.No doubt we'll start to see you posting videos of tests soon. Never mind although dressagitis is a chronic condition it is rarely terminal but the symptoms do get increasingly expensive to alleviate!
I've already got these symptoms D: The trainer was installed a few months ago with the thought of 'improving our flatwork to improve our jumping'. Now he just sucks his teeth and the pony haven't seen a jump since he arrived. How did I not realise sooner :( Its already to late. I'm going to have to hide my bandages from my showjumping sister and do dressage in secret.
 
Oh no!! I hear its an almost incurable disease :( but there is an upside (maybe), I also heard that if you jump over a course and across country you get the much more manageable eventeritis! Hope you recover quickly!

I'd love the symptoms to develop into eventeritis however I fear a severe case of 'chicken' prevents that happening.

Today the pony sat on her hicks and stepped under properly on a circle for the first time and I couldn't stop grinning.

Surely someone has a cure?!
 
All fellow sufferers, I feel your pain. I too had a trainer installation and before I knew it I caught a severe dose of this after completing an awesome simple change from canter to walk, it felt amazing and I've been chasing the dragon ever since.

It all started with the horse getting older and I thought, ok, not so much poles now, more flat work. Now we have a dressage saddle and yes.... black tack!

Eugh! I never liked black tack before! I haven't progressed to the matchy matchy or bling extreme yet as some poor souls have. But I have found myself dribbling over navy jackets.

Pregnancy and new baby have put a temporary halt to this infliction, but it is likely to return with avengance given time.... Where will it end? BD affiliation?
 
Me too ,entered the tack shop and gravitated to the matchy stuff and bling browbands.......looking for a new horse to join all the dressage clinics and competitions setting up near me.
 
No, no, not a new horse!!!! You will be seduced by a trot that you'll never be able to sit to, your legs will wobble about and press buttons you didn't know the horse has and in a few weeks the horse will have sussed out that "you cannot ride" and will refuse to do anything except eat. You will then spend the rest of your life roaming the world in search of someone to show you the true way of lightness and throughness which will be tantalisingly close but never "quite there". It is an impossible quest like searching for the holy grail.
Me too ,entered the tack shop and gravitated to the matchy stuff and bling browbands.......looking for a new horse to join all the dressage clinics and competitions setting up near me.
 
No, no, not a new horse!!!! You will be seduced by a trot that you'll never be able to sit to, your legs will wobble about and press buttons you didn't know the horse has and in a few weeks the horse will have sussed out that "you cannot ride" and will refuse to do anything except eat. You will then spend the rest of your life roaming the world in search of someone to show you the true way of lightness and throughness which will be tantalisingly close but never "quite there". It is an impossible quest like searching for the holy grail.

Usually the ejector seat button?
 
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