Progressive transition ok? N36

shadowboy

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We are competing on the 17th and in Novice 36 there is a movement from medium walk to working canter at C. Our woalk to canter transitions are ok, but he tends to hollow a little. It says on the test that a progressive transition is ok (this part is in brakets lol) but the actual movement is medium walk to working canter, but my question is- is it better to do a good progressive transition or an ok walk to canter transition. which would the judge favour?
 
I think the judge would favour a stride or two of trot rather than a hollow or unbalanced direct transition. I think at Novice level it is still acceptable to have a stride or so of trot.
 
It may be acceptable but would not get a very good mark but then neither would a poor direct transition, it depends on the level of the other competitor but most will be doing direct. Keep working on it , a small circle ,in training, before trans. may help, and ask for a little more softness before the trans
 
QR:I did this test last Sunday, did it progressive as the school was very deep and I didnt think my horse was capable of doing a Walk to canter off that surface, I got a 6. I did the same test today, did it direct and got a 7... I think the judge prefers to see you keep the harmony, opposed to spoiling it for the sake of mega marks!
 
At novice you are not expected to do a dirrect transition. I would much rather see a smooth balanced progressive transition as this will be the correct training path to be able to do the dirrect upward transition required at elementary.
It is about rhythm, connection and inpulsion= balanced transition in the contact through the back and infront of the leg=good marks!!
The fluency is paramount.
 
No you are still marking both out of 10. I dont hold marks back and only judge out of say 8 for the progressive and 10 for the dirrect. Its not demanded at novice so its up to the rider and therefore if either transition is exellent it gets a 10. its about the quality and fluency of A transition you wouldnt really see ' not dirrect' on your sheet and therefore its up to you the rider to decie which way you feel you are able to do best.
Its a similar decision at elementary with the dirrect down ward transition where you are allowed a couple of trot steps to help the horse and rider understand that the transition should be foward and fluent not stopping like the hanbrake being applied and use too much hand.
All judges are trying to guide you through the elements of the test along the 'scales of training'
Sorry to sound so judgie!!!!
 
Dressage Chick is a judge
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Then obviously at the next judge training clinic its something we need to look at!!!!.
I am also a judge. List 4.
It just goes to show that interpretation of the critera can be a problem.
I am also an international rider and trainer and it is always my priority to develope combinations along correct lines by encouraging the desire to get each stage correct for the reasons i have stated already especially at the lower levels. A real case of being able to run before you can walk.
Having spent a long time in Holland and Germany this would be where and why we have our problems in getting our dressage right.
 
Steady on! No need to go off on one- in my judge training, sitting in etc etc- in most instances people performing a good quality direct transition have been scored higher than those performing a progressive (similar quality transition), perhaps I should have said in most instances. A direct transition of poor quality obviously shouldn't be awarded a high mark.
There are obviously occassions where a combination can pull of a beautiful progressive transition and then no I wouldn't hold marks back- because it is our job to mark what we see. But it is not always the case.
We are all entitled to our opinion and dont feel you need to quote your qualifications to us all in order to have yours.
 
at no point have i said that your opinion is not valid infact it has , as far as i am concerned been an interesting area for both the riders of this test trying to get it right and for the judges trying to judge it. For me i think having this transition in the novice test at all is ambiguous and it is this that is actually the problem.
Discussion, even animated is how we explore issues i wasnt quoting my qualifications any more than yours were quoted to me so i feel that was a little unfair and certainly not how i intended my comment to have been taken.
It was a case of qualifying my remarks as in this space i think that it is important or anyone could perport to have specific knowledge of a supject and not actually have any leading to the possibility of even more confusion.
 
Well said dressage chick
Judging is a nightmare, its all someones opinion.
The quality is the important thing but at sometime you have to try direct trans. and if it means you loose a mark or two so be it we are all trying to improve and I still think a direct trans that is of equal quality to a progressive should get a better mark, but what do I know?
 
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