Nasty dressage judge?

M

MagicMelon

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 November 2004
Messages
16,386
Location
North East Scotland
Visit site
Has anybody else ever come across a genuinelly nasty dressage judge? I tootled off to an RC ODE today, the first ever ODE for my mare and her first dressage test. She was excited to say the least so everything was done at speed and she was uber sensitive but hey ho we did the movements. The judge actually called me over after the test and told me how awful my test had been! She totally slated me for 5 minutes saying how "horrific" and "truly awful" it was and that she wondered if she should let me go XC! I was shocked to say the least, the test yes was awful in my mind but this mare is still finding her balance and struggles in a small arena (especially with 10m half circles etc.), I couldn't even get her to canter un-disunited until very recently on the flat (yet put a jump in front of her and she's fine, very odd). Anyway, mare went on to jump a double clear (effectively, bar me walking XC wrong so I jumped the wrong bit of a drop but I rectified it - mare was awesome!), so she can't have been THAT dreadful. It also wasn't THE worst test mark (so god knows what she said to the girl that was!).

I'm just shocked that at what should be a fun RC level event, a judge could be so nasty! I've competed to 1* BE so I'm not new to eventing, yes my riding has taken a real knock since having my son but I know we / I are very much a work in progress and we're just having some fun. If that had been someone not as thick skinned then they would have been in tears! She's entered for her first BE 80 event and I'm now terrified of doing the dressage which has always been extremely nerve racking for me (jumping no problem) and now she's made it 10 times worse :(
 
That's horrific - I'd have a word with the organisers.

Don't share if you don't want to, but I'd be curious to know what your score was like - does the score reflect the verbal comments or was she really just having a go? A score of 50% BD is a solid "sufficient", for example!
 
She gave me 49.7 I think it was (the test went straight in the bin!!) - my worst test score to date. I glanced at the sheet prior to binning it and it consisted of all 5.0 and 5.5, her ending comment was "disappointing"! Very constructive, thanks ;) I KNEW the test wasn't good, but to be so dreadfully negative throughout my entire sheet and then to TELL me it to my face as well went a bit far I feel.

I do wish I could ride a dressage test normally, I don't know what happens. I just tense up something awful and because I always ride sensitive hot blooded types, they tense up too. Not sure what to do about it though, you'd think I'd be experienced enough at it by now considering I must have done hundreds of tests over the years by now. Doesn't help she's unshod and it was quite slippy today, but she's gone 9 years being unshod (I backed her last year) so I've been trying to avoid it as I don't think she'll like it.
 
Last edited:
That is horrible! I have posted my fair few high 40s and have never spoken to like that. Half the time the judge is laughing in the car as I laugh on top of the horse and puts a comment like 'I think he is keen to go xc!'

I am like you and generally hate dressage for the same reason you listed, I am sure at your event the judge will be far more professional and good luck!
 
some riding clubs arrange comp days where you ride a test in front of a judge and the judge then gives you a mini lesson and tells you where you could improve, you then do the test again and it is marked....and as you have had a trial run the nerves aren't so bad. I found this really helped me many years ago even though I am still a nervous Nellie competing... also if your horse felt unsure about the footing she will tense up anyway.. why not try some dressage on a surface until you have both got your confidence?
 
That's disgraceful behaviour from a judge I would definitely be having a word with the organisers. Its not even an horrendous score! I'd be one of those sensitive souls who would've cried and probably just gone home. Not encouraging at all. PLEASE put it behind you, it sounds like you have an awesome horse and the dressage will come together eventually. Sending hugs xxx
 
That sounds like a very unprofessional judge. How upsetting for you.

I dressage write for BE events. Occasionally, if a test has been rather hairy, I've known judges to have a word about a competitor with the chief dressage steward. The competitor's SJ round is then assessed with a view to pulling them from the XC if it is out of control. All done without hassling the competitor, just keeping an eye out for them. (In fact, all of them SJ'd much better than they dressaged, so were cleared to go XC).
 
I had a judge get out if her car and yell at me in front of the entire adjacent warm up for what she considered an infringement of the rules. I was in fact correct to do as I did, and completely within BD rules.
 
That is terrible and I share your pain. I had a judge ask me if I had ever ridden a test before and slated me for not going into the corners. If I wasn't made of sterner stuff it would have put me off. It was only a Prelim 4 at a small RC show and the horse's first test. He was spooking at the boards but she didn't think to ask me about the horse. Luckily it's not happened again but I haven't forgotten it.
 
Oh gosh that's so unprofessional. Assume not a listed judge? If so let BD know but I would also let the organisers know so that they don't use that judge again.

I had a judge get out of her car at a RC dressage comp when I was riding a very tense ex-racehorse who was curled into himself. She told me that he obviously had a very sore back and I replied that I had just had his back done that week to which she replied "I would change your back person then". RC haven't used her since. She was a trainee judge and didn't continue with the training!

Don't worry about the 80 - BE, as you know, is far more professional although the judges don't have to be listed at that level.
 
I just don't understand why some judges are so negative, by all means state in the comments what's going wrong but I think it should always be backed up with what they feel needs to be improved upon in a positive fashion. I'd understand if I was doing BD but it was just a little RC ODE! I'm keen to get my very young son out competing eventually at PC type things, but after today maybe I don't want him in the horsey world to be open to nasty people like this :(

Nicnac, no I would be very very shocked if she were listed.

Loobylu, what where you doing that the judge thought was so bad?
 
What a horrid experience! As you say, that could have completely upset and put off another person.

I have never been nervous about doing dressage tests, apart from wondering whether I will remember it correctly.

I just think that it is nothing more than walk, trot and canter for a few minutes, easy (hum, the judge doesn't always agree, but I know what the remarks will say!)
 
Ha ha, well I sent the club who ran today a facebook private message to thank them for running today but explaining what happened and that I'd suggest they don't use the judge in future. Only to just realise that I think the judge may be on the committee of the club (first name matches, no surname was on sheet!) and may well be the admin for the page!! They've read it but I've had no reply... oh well, she needed to know!
 
Sounds like ranting, absolutely no way constructive or helpful. I think some times there's a fine line between taking a horse out for experience and a horse not being ready. Maybe yours just isn't ready yet? but still no excuse for that sort of verbal abuse. There's an interesting article on e-venting.co.uk "Things to avoid at BE80 & 90"
 
That's horrible, I have found a lot of comments made by dressage judges are in a pretty mean tone, they could re-word most of what they say to be encouraging and helpful instead of demoralizing. Not the case all the time, I've had a great dressage judge come over and give me great tips and tell me how much she loved my horse ! (just to put forward a nicer side , don't want to give the nice ones a bad name!)

How do they expect you to improve without practice? dressage , particularly at lower level is a work in progress. Don't let it knock you, keep working at it and go in for you and your horse. I am a bit concerned about that judge as it seems she is a bit over sensitive to imperfect tests ;)
 
Bantry said:
Sounds like ranting, absolutely no way constructive or helpful. I think some times there's a fine line between taking a horse out for experience and a horse not being ready. Maybe yours just isn't ready yet? but still no excuse for that sort of verbal abuse. There's an interesting article on e-venting.co.uk "Things to avoid at BE80 & 90"
Click to expand...

Thing is she is very much ready for the jumping bits, she adores jumping and flew round the SJ and XC - its just a shame there's dressage involved ;) She's fine elsewhere, I just don't tend to ride her in the arena I've marked out in my field as the ground is often not good enough (been raining last 3 days for example) so I just ride in the whole thing or go for a hack. Wish I had an arena, but sadly I just don't! Also, no matter how I ride at home / at other times at events, I just go into stress mode for the dressage no matter what horse I'm on which never helps.
 
The arena was set up as such that you couldn't ride around it before the bell, so I entered the arena before the bell as per BD rules, ready to turn down centre line. Got *******ing ( as in her standing at C shouting across arena at me, not a quiet word). I was allowed to ride the test on the poor first time out 4 yo but there was no apology or conciliatory word. I emailed the venue with excerpts from the rule book, in a polite manner and got sod all back. This was a listed judge!
 
"Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely". Unfortunately some people will use the slightest bit of power they have and use it to make others feel small, you see it in all walks of life from doctors receptionists to dressage judges! Ignore this negative, unhelpful experience and try to avoid this judge if you can!
 
My horse only did two good tests in his life, the rest were awful because he loses the plot when he hears tannoys. I have had 3 1's in the same test. I got 32.5% at one, but he did come 9th out of over 40 because he did a double clear (usually did) and it was a tricky XC course.

It took a while but I realised I wasn't going to sell him so I had to accept we wouldn't win prizes but we could have fun along the way. How awful of the judge to do what she did.
 
Last edited:
Maybe I just don't care that much but I'd name and shame.

Also if anyone had dared try and take strips of me at an RC event where I wasn't putting anyone else at risk they would be missing a nose. How dare they talk to you like that. I used to bite my tongue but these days I don't bother, the type of people who think it's ok to tear strips off people need a dose of their own medicine in order to restore their sense of civility.
 
I had a similar problem at Gatconbe. One judge loved my horse and had a score of the low 30's and in the top 20 or so out of 65ish. The other absolutely hated her and had her very close to last even though she did a mistake free test. I was over the moon with her and it was her best ever test but when I saw the scores I was distraught as they was nearly a 20 mark difference. Where they even watching the same test?! The judge who gave me the bad score wrote comments that were not complementary at all and I wanted to have words as I felt they were totally unjustified. Sometimes you just have to ignore the although that is very difficult. Dressage is personal opinion and you can't be everyone's cup of tea. As long as you feel the horse went well and is improving then that is all that matters.
 
She sounds a pleasure! What a horrid lady. Most dressage judges try and say something positive. I've had 'well tried shame horse is tense today' and other equally bland comments which I know is a judge trying to be nice about an awful test.
I think you were just an unlucky with that judge. Forget her, don't let her comments spoil your next competition for you.
 
How horrid for you! I had a lovely little Welsh C & we did well at dressage up to elementary, unafilliated, Trailblazers etc. We went to out 2nd round elementary TB qualifier & rode a neat & accurate test, just the medium trot lacking which was just because of her type & build, everyone else was on big warmblood type horses. The judge told me afterwards that she "Thought I was very brave to even attempt this level on something like that" I was so upset that I wrote to BD although not their show & said how could they hope to encourage ordinary riders to join if that's what the judges think & not everyone wants a massive WB. They replied & said that although TB wasn't run by them they would contact the judge as she was listed & call her in for re training, result! Oh & we went to the finals & came 12th, very respectable! So don't let her put you off!
 
I've been sat writing for a judge when someone came in whose riding could only be described as abysmal, judge was furious with the rider, and it was really awful to watch, rider didn't seem to have a clue, smiled all the way through it. Even in that case the judge restrained herself and didn't have a word, she was careful what she wrote in her comments and flagged up her concerns to the relevant people.
 
I wouldn't have a word, I would have an official complaint...

Since I started doing affiliated dressage I haven't had a single nasty comment, despite horse being a total thug in pretty much every test. We DESERVED nasty comments ;) (we're trying to expose him to new venues, he isn't taking it too well, we've gone from scoring 70% consistently in places he knows, to fifty-something, in two weeks) We've had nasty comments at unaff tests for fairly decent rides. I think if you can possibly afford it, go affiliated, it is so much more professional.
 
Totally wrong, judges are meant to be critical but there is constructive critcism and there is down right rude criticism and it sounds like hers was the latter. Judges are meant to guide, help and encourage, and always put something positive or constructive in the write up and not just be full of negativity.
 
I've had one similar, she brought me to tears, the organiser saw me crying and came over, lets say I wasn't the only one to complain and she was never used again
 
I used to do a lot of dressage writing, for PC and for venues that hold BD and unaffiliated and the general rule I found was that less experienced/qualified the judge was the more critical and unprofessional they were, PC ones were dreadful.
I refuse to write rude comments, if they want to write something rude they do it in their own hand writing, most of them do not have time to read the comments anyway. One child had her test slated at a ODE, my comment was I bet it goes clear XC and as a mother all I am bothered about is its safe, I checked the scores and it was clear SJ and XC.
I think at lower levels they think they have to prove how much they know, when in fact they are just showing what k*obs they are. On a basic level they are putting off customers, that why the big venues tend to have the listed judges even when its unaffiliated, you want your customer to come back and enter more.
We had a very good PC pony who could do Test 7 practically on his own, but in his own way, his scores were consistently 7 with and odd 6 where ever we took him, so if he came in with 5's or less we knew the judge was s***.
Unless its a welfare issue, ie abuse I think they should keep their views to themselves, they are not there to give a lesson, yes give a low mark for the rider, but its funny they hardly give a high mark for the rider.
 
ok slight different spin, i did not see your test, but even you agree that your horse was not balanced, i think you implied that she might be disunited at canter sometime etc etc you say it is the worse test you have done

but if you watching something like this as a member of the committee of the riding club possibly (your words), you might be very worried about the safety of you going XC. people running this event have a duty of care to you and to other people. perhaps she could have phrased this better and possible as you say you get stressed with dressage then it might be the wrong words was said?

if i had seen this i might also have questioned going XC
 
Last edited:
hollyandivy123 said:
ok slight different spin, i did not see your test, but even you agree that your horse was not balanced, i think you implied that she might be disunited at canter sometime etc etc you say it is the worse test you have done

but if you watching something like this as a member of the committee of the riding club possibly (your words), you might be very worried about the safety of you going XC. people running this event have a duty of care to you and to other people. perhaps she could have phrased this better and possible as you say you get stressed with dressage then it might be the wrong words was said?

if i had seen this i might also have questioned going XC
Click to expand...

This was along the lines i was thinking. Granted Judge might have delivered the concerns in the wrong way, but there is a level of responsibility for riders going XC that its not dangerous to do so,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top