Show Report - BD Debut and seeking advice for next time!

Embo

Embo

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Hi all, long-time lurker in Competing/Training section finally making a first post! Warning - long!

B and I made our BD debut on Saturday - we registered just before Christmas and have been trying to get out since then but many hiccups (including horse injury and transport woes) have meant we've only just made it out.

We've made loads of progress in the last few months so I was feeling ready, B felt on top form last Weds when we had our weekly lesson so I was feeling quietly confident but with the usual nerves.

So off we set to Pachesham EC for P19 (bronze).

Didn't get off to good start at all as there was a bloke that started jet-washing his motorbike right in front of where we parked. B is very reactive to loud noises, so he was pawing the ground and flinging himself about... Tried to ignore it as it then winds me up which makes him worse and that's never any good.

Hopped on for the warm up and he was tense but moving forward and seemed to be listening, which was good. Thankfully it was a very quiet day, only 3 riders in my section and another 3 in silver so plenty of room. He wanted to look at the things around the arena (and the daffodils) but I managed to keep him with me... until a plane and a helicopter flew overhead simultaneously! Completely lost him, he was fidgeting and jogging, head right up in the air wanting to run. Put my leg on to get a huge (for him) buck in return. He was really wound up so spent the remainder of the warm up just getting him settled and back with me. Finally got him moving nicely off my leg again, so tried to do some quick suppling exercises and transitions before we went into the test.

So short break in the collecting ring. Going into the test, he was a totally different animal. Trotting around the arena, he felt much more relaxed - but also totally switched off to my leg and much more interested in staring off into the middle distance! Bell rang... the less said about the actual test, the better I think... Had to kick him around most of it and the shape/size of my 15 & 20m circles left a lot to be desired... although our final circle with a stretch was quite good.

Very fair comments from the judge - the jist is that he has correct paces with some good steps shown but needs to be more through with more consistent contact. Mostly 6's with a couple of 6.5's with one 5 to finish on 59.7%.

So we came 3rd in a class of 3! 1st and 2nd place were both 61.something% so we weren't miles away. Bronze is definitely the best place for us for now. The photos are shocking, I look like a great fat sack of spuds in most of them, there's only one which was actually a lovely photo of us both (where you also couldn't see his tail)...

...speaking of which I should mention that I also forgot to undo B's tail before going into the test so we did the whole thing with a plait!! Judge didn't say anything and nothing on the sheet so I guess it wasn't a big deal but I was still embarrassed when I realised! Big whoops!!

We are off to Merrist Wood this Saturday for another go. P14 this time, so short arena which should make it a bit easier for us.

So... any tips for keeping my Jekyll/Hyde horse with me at all times and not switching off in the test? We go out quite a bit for lessons, clinics, and arena hire etc so it's mainly the show environment which sets us both off. He can be spooky and has his sharp moments but he's usually very rideable.

I definitely didn't overdo it in the warm up and had no whip or spurs. I tend to mix things up at home so sometimes have whip or spurs, or both, or nothing at all. It was very warm so do wonder if that go to him (fully clipped, though). I know I made lots of mistakes myself, but I so desperately want to improve and ride the test I know we are both capable of.

Thanks for reading!

Emma & Bowser :)
 
well done, you've done the hardest part by getting the first one out of the way.

My sec D can be a bit jekyll/hyde too, she is often quite buzzy in the warm up and then a bit backward in the test - but then she's a bit weird all the time anyway! I'd say you just need more match practice. Keep going out there and doing it.

I found arena hire with white boards helped mine because she seemed to get stage fright when we entered the arena, but sounds like yours is more about atmosphere. Do you use ear covers? That can help some horses to tune distractions out a bit.

Perhaps take a whip in with you if he gets behind your leg, if you would usually pick one up at home... you need to make sure you are riding consistently as you would do anywhere else, rather than getting tense and being ineffective just because there's a judge watching.

Also, make sure you learn the test really well. If you know the test inside out then it's easier to let the steering go to autopilot and use your brain to ride the horse ;) if you have to think too hard about where you are going, then it's much more difficult to notice where you are dropping marks because you've lost connection with your horse.

Can you do 2 tests in a day? I used to find the first test was difficult when i started taking K out and about, and the second one was more settled and rideable.
 
milliepops said:
well done, you've done the hardest part by getting the first one out of the way.

My sec D can be a bit jekyll/hyde too, she is often quite buzzy in the warm up and then a bit backward in the test - but then she's a bit weird all the time anyway! I'd say you just need more match practice. Keep going out there and doing it.

I found arena hire with white boards helped mine because she seemed to get stage fright when we entered the arena, but sounds like yours is more about atmosphere. Do you use ear covers? That can help some horses to tune distractions out a bit.

Perhaps take a whip in with you if he gets behind your leg, if you would usually pick one up at home... you need to make sure you are riding consistently as you would do anywhere else, rather than getting tense and being ineffective just because there's a judge watching.

Also, make sure you learn the test really well. If you know the test inside out then it's easier to let the steering go to autopilot and use your brain to ride the horse ;) if you have to think too hard about where you are going, then it's much more difficult to notice where you are dropping marks because you've lost connection with your horse.

Can you do 2 tests in a day? I used to find the first test was difficult when i started taking K out and about, and the second one was more settled and rideable.
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Thanks, Milliepops. Yes, we do use ear covers but sadly they don't seem to do very much in terms of tuning things out - if there is noise, he will react to it (funny how he doesn't bat an eye when the red arrows fly over on an aerial show day if he's turned out...). But will keep on using them, they definitely help if it's windy (he's reactive to that too).

I had learned the test well so knew where I was going - we've been practising it since January when we were first meant to go out and do it :D doing two tests is possible when budget allows, so will definitely bear this in mind. Not always possible though, so hopefully just getting out more will settle us both.

I definitely need to be more consistent - all the training and hard work goes out the window when I'm competing and I end up flapping about and basically forget how to ride and am totally useless! Brain transplant needed? :)
 
Embo said:
I definitely need to be more consistent - all the training and hard work goes out the window when I'm competing and I end up flapping about and basically forget how to ride and am totally useless! Brain transplant needed? :)
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nah, just a change of mindset. Try not to think about the judge sitting in the box for a few outings, because that will probably make you ride differently to how you would at home. So if you are riding around the arena and you think "you know what, at home I'd give him a tap with the whip because he's gone backward thinking".... then give him a tap with the whip. Even if you're right in front of the judge. Better that you address the problem you've got than try to cover it up and dribble away further marks.

I think it helps if you can get to the point where you'd be prepared to throw a test away in order to correct a problem with the horse's way of going. It will never get that drastic! But being prepared to do that means you will become more effective in the ring :)
 
Perhaps just concentrate on one thing with him in the test, so think that you are going to ride forward, get a nice positive centre line to start off with and take it from there. Don't worry too much his outline etc but concentrate on forward and rhythm (although that is two things) as it may be that you stop riding forward once in the ring, particularly if he settles. Be aware you may need to "throw the test away" and not worry too much about the mark provided you feel you are making progress.
 
You did great for a first time out, well done.

You can practice at home as much as you like but you can not foresee all the issues and problems that happen at a show. At one show I had a Sea king helicopter take off in the next field, as I mounted and it flew off over our heads. The only way to get over the nerves , the fears, the worries and all the other stuff is just to go. You will never quite do as well in the show ring as you do at home. Ring craft is something you develop overtime. I would focus on just going and relaxing, maybe try a few easier classes /levels until you are both more relax. Still a good score to start with. I never really worry about where I am placed in a class, I look at the scores. I keep my sheets so that i can plot if I am going in the right direction with each judge. Sad I know :)
 
It sounds as though you had a fair bit to contend with and both managed to get on with it.

I've found that a lot of horses can drop behind the leg in a test after doing some nice work in the warm up. I think a lot of it is because the rider unconsciously rides differently when they trot up the centre line towards the judge. I had a horse who started to do that with me and I 'threw' a couple of tests by giving him a good flick of the whip whenever he dropped me. I had another youngster who used to get stage fright so I would ask the venue if I could hire the test arena during the lunch break and take the horse fully plaited up, warmed up and then rode a 'test' in the arena. Without the pressure of having to get it right at an exact moment we were able to take the pressure of and he learned that the arena was not a scary place to be.
 
Thanks all for the advice so far! Lots of tips to take on board. I really like the idea of hiring the arena during lunch break, that's a great idea!

We will see how it goes on Saturday, I'm wondering if I may have to throw a test or two in future to get him in front of the leg if he continues to drop me in the test... but I'm hoping just remembering to carry a whip in the first place will help!!

So annoying when they can go so well at home. Last night schooling he was mega, totally in front of the leg (in fact stopping - rather, getting a decent halt - was our issue last night!). I might enter some online dressage classes too, see what the judges think of us in that scenario.

Thanks all again, I will post again after Saturday and let you know how we get on :)
 
If the first and second places were 61 . something then your score of 59 was brilliant ! Ive now done 40 odd tests with my pony (ten ish doing BD) and i am learning all the time. there is sooooo much to learn - not just about riding, but ring craft, mental attitude, and learning to take the good out of a situation even if you feel things have gone wrong - ive had to retire a few times, as im sure many other people have too. The single MOST IMPORTANT thing is to enjoy it !! If you enjoy it, then go for it ! And practice practice practice practice practice
 
Agree with the suggestions of two tests, riding like you mean it (even if you 'throw' the test) and experience count for a lot.

We started 4'ish years a ago now, Topaz would drop me in tests and go behind the leg and spooky, 4 years on her (and mine) confidence has grown and we can now ride reaching for the marks rather than hand holding and coaxing her round, well outside we have, inside is still a work in progress :o.
 
I'd be interested to hear how you get on at MW. I get a similar reaction at Pachesham so had always thought mine didn't like the surface in the ring (fine in the warm up). I usually take a whip in my left hand, just in case I need a bit of extra oomph on that surface. Well done, and best of luck for Saturday!
 
Thanks all :) spoke at length with my trainer last night and he agreed I might need to throw a test or two in order to get him to stop dropping me in the ring. Basically he said exactly what many of you have said, focus on where I'm going and set the rhythm without worrying too much about his outline.

So in my lesson we worked on keeping him forward in a rhythm and 'meaning it' - B spooked a couple of times at someone down the side of the school so this only helped, really! To ignore what he does and to insist that we remain in the rhythm I have set. Sadly, this also meant we didn't get any breaks :D so kept going for a full 30 mins lol.

The other problem I seem to have is that once we've been going for a while, B will start to interpret any half-halt as a 'stop' command. So we get that half-step as if he's going to walk, so then I come stronger with the leg which disrupts the rhythm even more... lots to work on!
 
How fit is he, working on fitness might help? You could pop a walk break in (only when you've asked though ;)) and then go again? Just as sometimes they are saying they are tired and need a break rather than just being inherently lazy :lol:.
 
AlexHyde said:
How fit is he, working on fitness might help? You could pop a walk break in (only when you've asked though ;)) and then go again? Just as sometimes they are saying they are tired and need a break rather than just being inherently lazy :lol:.
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He's not super fit, but certainly fit enough for 30-40 mins moderate work with no break. I try to give him a break whenever he's done something well but I think when I'm on my own I let him have too many :D
 
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