Lameness in dressage test

ycbm said:
I have to say that while I have some reputation on the forum for spotting faulty movement patterns the ones I was least able to spot were the ones I owned! I don't know if it's familiarity or what.

One good trick is to turn your back or shut your eyes and listen instead of watching, especially in walk. "1,2,3,4" is what you want. The prevalence of "1,2, , 3,4" is very high.
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I used to hear that going down the road on the other side of my field hedge on a regular basis. It wasn't long before I could identify several of the regulars without looking, and that made me even more comfortable to have stopped riding and just have a couple of little retired ponies enjoying life.
 
ycbm said:
I have to say that while I have some reputation on the forum for spotting faulty movement patterns the ones I was least able to spot were the ones I owned! I don't know if it's familiarity or what.

One good trick is to turn your back or shut your eyes and listen instead of watching, especially in walk. "1,2,3,4" is what you want. The prevalence of "1,2, , 3,4" is very high.
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Or do a soft eye squint, so you see the whole horse but arent actually looking at it. If it looks off, its off then you can go back and look at each individual bit to work out where.
 
Shame the judges are not so fussy higher in the scale

Hope your horse gets through this

But it's pretty hard work in the arena for the less expirienced and hopefully it was showing that she is not quite ready for the pressure of competing following the injury


I'd be inclined to work on carrying herself in a different way if she passes the vet




It can be helpful to get your tests videod
 
I had the same although I wasn't eliminated. Test remarks were "a few uneve steps". I knew the judge who said he looked not lame but not right. It turned out it was the start of ringbone. This was many years ago. Once it had settled and shoeing changed to accommodate he became a hunter.
 
Tbf you'd have been elininated for having a non dressage legal bit so you wouldn't have been able to do the test, fair play to the judge for questioning soundness - I assume comments where to help you as others have said as all judges I've known have always tried ot be helpful and explain their decisions. Hope the vey check goes ok
 
ycbm said:
I have to say that while I have some reputation on the forum for spotting faulty movement patterns the ones I was least able to spot were the ones I owned! I don't know if it's familiarity or what.

One good trick is to turn your back or shut your eyes and listen instead of watching, especially in walk. "1,2,3,4" is what you want. The prevalence of "1,2, , 3,4" is very high.
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Click to expand...
I think when it's your own it creeps up on you unless something obvious happens. My one with wonky feet has a unique sound and because it's so unique that I can tell after a minute on tarmac if that's her normal or not - but I'd struggle to tell just watching her.

What was always eye opening was riding my Appy in rehab then getting on other people's "sound" horses - many feeling more stiff and wonky than my lame pssm mare!
 
ycbm said:
One good trick is to turn your back or shut your eyes and listen instead of watching, especially in walk. "1,2,3,4" is what you want. The prevalence of "1,2, , 3,4" is very high.
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okay, don't rub it in 🤣😅🤣
I can get a square walk uphill 😝 and every other Tuesday. Sometimes I even get a 2 time trot or a 3 time canter.
 
I would be grateful if a judge let me know any on my boys were unlevel or unsound, generally I can spot it but judges dont pull people lightly IME. You say you have owned horses for 30 years yet rode in a unlegal dressage bit, always worth checking the rules for starters. Hope your horse is ok.
 
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