Prelim Dressage Tommoz - Help!

golddustsara

golddustsara

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I am doing prelim 7 tommoz at Pinkmead and was wondering whether it was acceptable to do it in sitting trot as someone told me that for prelim you may get marked down if you do sitting?!!!

Also he is really lazy and inflexible so I have been doing lots of lateral work. But.. he still fights with me if I even ask for flexion. So our outline is pretty poo as u can imagine! Walk good.. trot baaad and canter not too bad (except when he strikes off on the wrong lead as is sometimes the case on the right rein due to a stiff stifle). If you have any suggestions in the warm up for acheiving a more consistant outline feel free to share!

I have been working on all this with clinics and instructors but thtey all say 'oh he's never going to be a natural dressage horse' 'he's so laid back he's horizontal' or '**** irish sod!

Hmmm I'm just gonna try to get over our target of 58%!!!!



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Why do you prefer to go sitting? I do think generally for Prelim they like them nice and forwards and you would be better rising. BTW, I am 2 mins from Pinkmead. Wherabouts are you?
 
You are allowed to do either sitting or rising, but for a lazy horse rising should be a lot easier as you can use the movement of your hips to encourage him to engage. Perhaps I've read this wrong but I understood that the main problem is impulsion without which it is impossible to get the horse to come through, so I would work on that. See if you can't 'rev' him up a bit, loads of transitions, or go for a really forward going canter first.

Good luck!
 
I think I just relax more sitting - I am not tense through my back and he is therefore not tense.

I'm in Southsea, pony in Dundridge (Bishops Waltham).

I quite agree about the impulsion tho, last time I went to a show he worked beautifully cos he was fired up. I do try about 50 transitions every schooling session and even hunting doesn't rev him up that much so not sure what else I can do with the laziness!

Hopefully the show atmosphere will get to him!
 
Try relaxing your knees and thighs off the saddle as this frees up the shoulder and can help some of them be more forwards. If he goes well at shows though that sounds perfect!
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I live 2 mins from Dundridge !

[/ QUOTE ]

Haha Dundridge is the most horsey place ever! There are way more horses than ppl there! Well if you ever fancy a hack..

Yes I deffo think bcos my boy is quite small I do move my legs up to squeeze and then can grip with my knees. I shall think 'long legs' tommoz! Thanks for the advice.
 
I've got a lazy horse who prefers to be ridden in siting trot. He'll let some people go rising after a couple of minutes and some have to stay sitting whether they like it or not. Someone show him the book and tell him it should be the other way around please!

On a more helpful note, I find rein back and lots of 10m circles help him to engage and go more forwards when schooling. He doesn't do it at a competition.
 
Well we did it despite me not being able to breath with nerves the whole way round! We got 57% which I'm pleased with for a 1st prelim (hugs Paddy)

We lost marks for lack of impulsion, nose poking and striking off on the wrong leg (bloody right canter lead).. I am a bit disappointed that i let the nerves get to me cos i think my position was poo!

Thanks for all your advice! I've deffo got the comp bug now and will be working really hard to hit the 60% mark next time!
 
Well done!
At least you did it, survived, and got a reasonable mark too - and you've got the comp bug - wayhay!! No stopping you now - good luck with your next competition.
 
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