Merrist Wood

Tempi

Tempi

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14 November 2005
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Parisienne Dressage
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Can anyone tell me what its like BD wise? Thinking about competing there at the end of May as its only about a 2hr drive from us.

Are the tests indoors/outdoors? Whats the warmup like?
 
Classes are normally held in the indoor arena (which is huge)

Warm up in the outdoor arena which is also a really good size

Both surfaces ride really well.

I really like competing there.
 
i used to hack down there for BD. tests indoors - 2 arenas set up end to end as normally they only do 20x40m tests. mirrors at one end - raised seating along one side. warmup is outdoors - nice rubber surface but a bit small for the number of horses - fairly similar to Sparsholt though. pretty good organisation - normally test times 30mins apart.
 
thank you for that info both of you
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Ive had a look on their website at pictures aswell to see what its like.
 
We went yesterday and it is really nice. Fantastic surfaces and lovely big warm-up.
If there are two short arena tests then they both run at the same time in the indoor school though! I nearly had heart failure as I was reading for my OH and halfway through his test a bell sounded and I cr*pped myself as I thought I had sent him wrong - it was the other judge signalling for the other person to start their test though
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Can anyone tell me what its like BD wise? Thinking about competing there at the end of May as its only about a 2hr drive from us.

Are the tests indoors/outdoors? Whats the warmup like?

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Hi there!!

It's lovely
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....

and it's only 15 mins from me so i can come and watch!
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if they run two arena, one goes on a tinkly bell, the other on a horn. the are very friendly and helpful too!!!

warm up can be hairy though, as with them all, and there can be a bit of a log jam at the entrance to warm up!

Bx
 
Like the others have said - nice venue. I didn't find the warm up bad, 20x60 outside right by the indoor.

Huge indoor school, both tests run concurrently with rings by each other. My horse was quite spooked to start with as viewing gallery is above you but settled quick enough.

Normally big entries.

Just be aware that if doing 2 tests you may end up doing the qualifier before the non-qualifier, if its a problem be sure to write which test you want to ride first on the entry form.
 
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hmmmmm warmup sounds a bit too much for us at the moment - mayb later on in the year
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oh - don't want to put you off, but even with a green & red ribbon in Bonnie's tail people ignored us and she fly bucked alot!

however, that was jumping comps, not sure if dressage types are better mannared or not!!!

at the end of the day - depends how busy it is, and if you can get early times you would be OK.

don't be put off purely by me, i'll feel bad!!!

Bx
 
not put off purely by you at all - i dont like the idea of two tests in an indoor, and also as Archie has huge paces i try to do tests in 20 x 60s as much as i can, especially in new venues. Otherwise in 20 x 40s i do 3 strides of canter and we're at the other end of the arena!!
 
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not put off purely by you at all - i dont like the idea of two tests in an indoor, and also as Archie has huge paces i try to do tests in 20 x 60s as much as i can, especially in new venues. Otherwise in 20 x 40s i do 3 strides of canter and we're at the other end of the arena!!

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OK - just didn't want the decision to be made coz of me LOL!!!

you can also hear hte caller in the other arena if you are unlucky...

at my lowly level, it didn't matter !
 
At dressage the warm up tends to be very civilised. It is plenty big enough for the volume of horses (don't think there has ever been more than about 8) and it is normally well run and very organised.
The indoor is huge so you get a full 20 x 40 for each (even BSJA they only use about 2/3 of it). The mirror end is very good for youngsters- not spooky. The other end is slightly spookier because of the viewing gallery but still not as bad as some.

I am aiming Bailey's first outing this year to be there.
 
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At dressage the warm up tends to be very civilised. It is plenty big enough for the volume of horses (don't think there has ever been more than about 8) and it is normally well run and very organised.


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lol - you obviously haven't been there on the same days as me then! dont think i've ever been in there with less than 8 horses and sometimes 20 or even more, including an awful lot of very posh riders on huge warmbloods who were obviously far superior to my little hairy cob and passed us far too close - luckily my pony doesn't care, but many would!
 
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