Prelim Dressage

Yes you can, a friend of mine has trouble with her knees and always does her tests in sitting trot. You shouldn't be penilised for it but you may be the only one doing it! If it's not for any health reason I personally would rise :)
 
I have written for a judge a few times and I've noticed that most of the riders that did do sitting trots got comments that the judge had wished they'd done rising trot. This was because the horses didn't look comfortable with sitting trot. If you and your horse are comfortable with sitting trot then this seems to be acceptable to the judges, if not then rise.
Good luck with your test
 
At prelim the judge prefers to see you in rising trot (unless you have a medical reason not to) as it shows the horse moving over the back properly forwards and freely. Sitting trot is only compulsory from Medium level upwards for a reason :)
 
interesting, the only reason is because he can be a bit spooky and if he does a massive spook when I am rising I am likely to fall off :)
 
If you are riding the horse fowards, into a good contact and he is off your leg and listening then the spooking should be at a very bare minimum and preferably non. This is generally the point of dressage - that the horse is moving forwards freely in a relaxed manner and listening to the rider.
 
Tempi said:
If you are riding the horse fowards, into a good contact and he is off your leg and listening then the spooking should be at a very bare minimum and preferably non. This is generally the point of dressage - that the horse is moving forwards freely in a relaxed manner and listening to the rider.
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Oh we are going to come last! ;)
 
I have done a lot of writing for dressage judges. There is no penalty for riding in sitting (and the test does say you could) but you could be seen to restricting your horse.

Now something I haven't tried but maybe someone else can answer is - can you mix it? ie. do sitting and rising or do you have to have one and stick to it?
 
I always do sitting trot at intro eventing and prelim/novice level dressage on my mare, as she goes much better in sitting trot. I've never had any comments on it, or low marks for my riding. I do agree its quite unusual, but as my dressage instructor said, my horse likes me better in sitting trot and works through her back more.

I'd say, if its your first time doing dressage, do whatever you feel comfortable doing. If that means sitting trot so be it. You can learn from your comments, and go forward from there next time. Perhaps do some sitting and some rising, and see how the judge comments.

As for coming last, so what! Its a new experience, and you can aim to get better marks each time... Good luck, and remember this is a hobby!!x
 
I know that if your planning to do sitting trot in dressage, then you probably have a good seat, but i have seen some girls doing a sitting trot in their tests because they were trying to look fancy and it really didnt look good, they were bouncing all over the place and balancing on their horses mouth.
If your going do a sitting trot, PLEASE LOOK NEATTT :) There nothing worse than a messy trot :p

Again, not accusing you of not being capable of a sitting trot, ive never seen you ride and your probably almost deffinately better than me, not hard! Just thought id tell you how much of a mess it looks just incase :) :)
 
horsegirl said:
Oh we are going to come last! ;)
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Don't worry about that - just relax, breathe and imagine you are in your school at home. Enjoy it. Someone has to come last. At my first dressage a few years ago with my first ex-racer, I entered at A and exited straight at C, almost into the judges car! Never mind, these things happen and I did see the funny side, as did the judge!
 
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