Limited schooling opportunties between dressage comps during winter?

[Jericho]

With the onset of winter I now cannot do any schooling in my field and only can have a lesson once a fortnight in a nearby indoor school. I hack out once or twice a week.

I would like to do a couple of dressage tests, 1 at the end of Nov and one on 10th Dec. I will not get chance to have a lesson before the one in Nov and that means no serious practicing or schooling beforehand. I can do a little out hacking but not really a ride through of the test.

My new little mare was a seasoned competitor and has been well schooled by her previous owner so she knows what it is all about and she is pretty laid back at shows and I think it would be good to go to a few parties to keep her interest up but am I being a bit unreasonable? I dont expect to win just to do something different and use it almost like a schooling session.

How many other people compete in dressage in the winter where they have limited schooling facilities / opportunities?

 

[UKa]

I'd say go for it, just for the fun it should be great. your horse being such an experienced pony! and you can take the experience on for the summer season xx

 

[debsflo]

thats what were doing.going out as often as we can to low key dressage and sj on all weather arenas to compete but mainly to keep horse ticking over through winter as we keep her at home with no facilities and using it as a schooling session

 

[soloequestrian]

I've done it - dragged my muddy, unclipped horse in from the field and did an (unaffilliated!) Elementary. At least when we got a rubbish score, it kind of suited our scruffy image! Unfortunately we don't have the same excuse in the summer!

 

[eventing09]

i agree. just do it. at the end of the day you can always just go down for a day trip out and a chance to ride

i would just do as much practice of the tests in your bedroom without the horse but while out hacking test ourself. make a quick little 'test' say your going up the road, walk for 5 paces and then trot imediatly for 6 seconds etc. Good luck

 

[TGM]

If your horse is already well-schooled and experienced then you shouldn't have too many problems!

We don't have a school so opportunities for practising an entire test are limited, but my daughter still does well in dressage.

If you find learning the test difficult on paper, then just mark out an arena in the garden or on the living room floor and run round it on your feet!

You can practice transitions, leg yielding, collecting and extending the pace, etc out on your hacks, it is only things like circles which will be difficult to practice.

 

[sueeltringham]

No school here either, so I'm treating any dressage competitions as a chance to school with feedback. It's also a chance to work on a surface. I also school out on hacks as mentioned above. Once a month, I'm also trying to hire somewhre I can school. Winter is not easy but there's lots you can do instead.

Sue

 

[CastleMouse]

Well I can only ride at weekends because of school at the moment, and I compete as often as I can

 

[jnb]

Yes - we have only a tiny indoor (approx 12m x 20m) and I use dressage competitions as an opportunity to school.
I also have a lesson 2-3 times a mnth at local indoor and in between I;ve been trying to hire the outdoor full size arena up the road once a week if I don;t have a lesson.
It's hard but you can do it.
I'm praying for our PP to come through - YO has applied for a 40m x 80m split into 2 unequal arenas - fingers x'd!