Rising or sitting in Elementary tests

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titch

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I know it is optional to do rising or sitting in an Elementary test, but is it ok to change between the two? I would prefer to rise, but for lateral work (particularly leg yield) I would like to sit, would this be acceptable? Or would judges prefer to see consistency of one or the other?
 
All trot work at Elementary must be sitting apart from the medium trots where you have the option to rise if you wish.
 
Roody2 said:
All trot work at Elementary must be sitting apart from the medium trots where you have the option to rise if you wish.
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Rule 81 of the 2011 rule book says you can do either for Prelim, Novice AND Elementary! I have done both in test before and noone has ever said anything!
 
You can do either sitting or rising trot at elementary now, changed about 3 years ago I think. I'd say if you're happier doing your lateral work in sitting then sit, just obviously make sure you keep your horse forwards enough especially if the leg yields are in working trot.
 
Trot work may be sitting or rising and it doesn't matter mixing it up. If you need to sit for certain movements, that is fine.
 
As above sitting or rising just a note though from writing for judges many do not like swapping as a lot of riders don't transition well between the two especially if going from rising to sitting and then it looks messy
 
Never heard that from a judge before!

On the contrary...its better if sitting is shutting the horse down and the rider decides to go rising...they like that!
 
OneInAMillion said:
As above sitting or rising just a note though from writing for judges many do not like swapping as a lot of riders don't transition well between the two especially if going from rising to sitting and then it looks messy
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The rider should do whatever makes the horse go best. If the rider loses balance going from one to the other then they have to weigh up which will cost them least marks and the judge should be concentrating on the horse more than the rider.
 
I switch and change during tests between sitting and rising and have not lost marks or had any comments about it from judges or spectators.
 
I guess with anything involved with stressage there's always things certain judges will/won't like, but as long as the majority don't mind then I'll go for it!! :D
 
millitiger said:
I switch and change during tests between sitting and rising and have not lost marks or had any comments about it from judges or spectators.
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Thats really interesting. I'd always assumed swapping was a big no no so I rise even though I prefer sittting just in case I can't sustain it for the whole test on my rather big striding horse.
 
In my experience the riders who went rising in Elementry tests score higher marks than those who go sitting. The majority of horses will go more forward when rider is rising - with more impulsion - this is true for all abilities of horse from those at novice to those at AM + unless their rider is incredibly strong in their seat when sitting and can keep the impulsion through the movement.

I know that when writing for list one judges I have always heard them say oh I wish she would go rising when a horse is clearly not propelling itself forward from behind.

I've not known a judge deduct marks etc for someone swapping, the opposite infact - the judges i have written for have been happy to see someone opt to go rising halfway through test and the marks have reflected it.

Sitting is only mandatory from Medium level.
 
I would happily start a Elem test sitting, and then go rising if the trot was shutting down. If I started a test in rising then I would stay in rising through the whole test.
 
You can do Elem in rising now, my mum is a judge and prefers to see people rise as it frees the horses back more and allows them to go forward as previously mentioned. Also some riders make sitting look so uncomfortable for the horse she has tactfully mentioned it on the sheet at the end!

It doesnt matter if you want to go sitting for the lateral work ( I do! ) and then back to rising for other work. No marks should be deducted for this :)
 
OneInAMillion said:
As above sitting or rising just a note though from writing for judges many do not like swapping as a lot of riders don't transition well between the two especially if going from rising to sitting and then it looks messy
Click to expand...

Never yet written for a judge that has not liked the rider swapping from rising to sitting - most will mutter that horse would go better if rider rose instead of stifling the horses movement by sitting.

If your horse goes better in rising then rise - if he goes better sitting then sit.
 
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