Skylla's Sidestepping Start!

[HufflyPuffly]

Skylla long legs made her BD debut yesterday . We have solved the saddle issue and her napping is currently in check, so asides from canter still being exciting I felt the time was right to have a bash!

I'm not use to Prelim tests so the early start was a bit of a shock to the system . Arrived, tacked up and got a lovely man to steadier her whilst I got on. So first bit done and a big tick for Skylla, I can take her on my own with little issue!

Next bit the warm up! Last time out she was a menace in the warm up and attached herself to another horse and pratted about until it was time to do the test . This time though she was super , let her have a good nosy about and then asked her to get on with it. She was very brave about the other horses, did get a little excited about them cantering off in front of her but did settle and warmed up sweetly enough.

So into the first test and asides from the plaits we survived .

We may have struggled with the concept of the arena being smaller than it 'should' be, so 'may' have jumped the boards a little bit... I'm sure the judge didn't really notice . We were a bit wibbly wobbly, lots to look at, this weird thing of the arena being shorter and general greeness meant it was a sweet but inconsistant test. Came away with around 57%, which with the -2 for leaving the arena I didn't think was too harsh for the attempt.

Back out for the second test and she was much more settled this time and starting to show herself better. Felt much more together and I made sure to keep her in the boards rather than expect her to understand . Test was going well until erm we might have exited the arena again... in canter... :eek3: The cheeky wotsit nipped out of the entrance as I wasn't quite on top of her, so steering with no safety net of a fence is clearly on the agenda now! But for me she went super in the second test and asides from the great escape I couldn't have asked any more of her really. Plus we got every single canter lead today :lol:.

So I was very taken aback (considering it was the same judge) to see we scored less in our second test, despite it being much more consistent for frame and wobbliness, she was polite, kept a soft outline and did everything in the right place . I wasn't expecting anything too high with our second exit , but was expecting an improvement from the previous score as that was one movement and we came back and got straight back on with it... I would be really interested to ask the judge what he could see as he wrote 'tense' a lot of our sheet which she didn't feel at all, so we must be doing something to give a poor impression.

Mind as about 60% of both classes also had sub 60 scores we were not alone or indeed last overall, I'm not sure how normal this is for the prelim classes as for the higher ones it is very unusual to have such a high percentage of a class with such low scores, as we are gold we even managed our first BD rosettes

I am still super proud of Skylla, no our scores weren't very good but she was just a little darling to take out and what more could you want. The scores will improve I'm sure of it .

 

[Cortez]

What a good baby Good luck with all the wobbly bits, and well done.

 

[milliepops]

ahhhh well done baby Skylla, onwards and upwards (not literally, no more jumpies unless it's combined training lol).

Can you pop some poles on the ground as a fake arena edge at home, so she learns the importance of staying one side as opposed to having a go on both?

 

[PorkChop]

Yay - well done

Love the cantering pictures

 

[HufflyPuffly]

What a good baby Good luck with all the wobbly bits, and well done.

Thank you, baby horses are so rewarding and she did so well, the wobbly bits can be improved on but her temperament is just lovely and for me that counts at this stage.

ahhhh well done baby Skylla, onwards and upwards (not literally, no more jumpies unless it's combined training lol).

Can you pop some poles on the ground as a fake arena edge at home, so she learns the importance of staying one side as opposed to having a go on both?

:lol: Yes poles will be out and practice of being able to stay inside them will be done! It was a lovely jump though, if she can get over her aversion to mud she might make an eventer yet, especially as her canter is starting to become more adjustable .

Yay - well done

Love the cantering pictures

Thank you, it's funny I was a bit concerned about the canter but it should have been steering I needed to worry about :lol:.

 

[milliepops]

Thank you, it's funny I was a bit concerned about the canter but it should have been steering I needed to worry about :lol:.

every day is a school day

 

[Bernster]

She looks super smart. At least you made a re-entry after each unexpected departure haha. The canter looks marvelously uphill! I only did a few tests last year but found the scoring a bit perplexing, although at unaff that seems to be more expected. Sounds like a very educational day though, well done.

 

[peanut]

Gorgeous horse

 

[HufflyPuffly]

every day is a school day

:lol: definitely :lol:

She looks super smart. At least you made a re-entry after each unexpected departure haha. The canter looks marvelously uphill! I only did a few tests last year but found the scoring a bit perplexing, although at unaff that seems to be more expected. Sounds like a very educational day though, well done.

Yes straight back in and into canter, naughty Skylla I could almost feel her giggle! Ah yes she is very uphill, I would have to do something very wrong for her to downhill with her conformation . Scores were super odd, the first test ranged from mid 50's to mid 60's so fairly even grouping if a little low, but the second class had the majority at 50's to low 60's and then one just below 70 and one just above. the rest of us were clearly not delivering what the judge wanted .

Yep lots to work on and take home with us .

Gorgeous horse

thank you

 

[Lanky Loll]

She's looking fab, these babies do love to test the boundaries

 

[Jenni_]

Wheyy <3 Skylla even if she is grey....

Super day out and scores to beat!!

 

[Walrus]

She's lovely, sounds like a lovely positive experience for her. Quick question - how big is she and is your box a 3.5t van conversion (as opposed to the coachbuilt styles?) thanks,

 

[HufflyPuffly]

She's looking fab, these babies do love to test the boundaries

She was just checking I was paying attention I think :lol:

Wheyy <3 Skylla even if she is grey....

Super day out and scores to beat!!

Aww she will be thrilled she has managed to change one grey'ist :lol: , yes I think we should manage to keep an upwards (for scores only!) trajectory .

She's lovely, sounds like a lovely positive experience for her. Quick question - how big is she and is your box a 3.5t van conversion (as opposed to the coachbuilt styles?) thanks,

Oh just poke the stick right in , I am currently in complete denial of her height, last measured at 15.2hh (and never to be measured again ), but in reality pushing 16hh these days . Box is a normal van conversion yes .

 

[eggs]

I was once calling for a friend at Addington and she was very nervous as David Trott was judging. Her horse decided to 'jump' the arena boards - well not so much jump as trip over them and knock them down. David leaned out of the judging box and called out '4 faults' which made my friend giggle.

 

[JennBags]

LOL @ eggs' story :lol:

She's looking fab. Interesting about the scores, this happened to me fairly often when I went out with G - I often felt he'd gone better in the second test but we usually scored lower. I think photographers could make a killing at dressage if they videoed tests for competitors and sold them at a reasonable price, as often when you look back you can see why the judge has made those comments. He could, however, have just made his mind up after seeing your first test of course!

 

[Bright_Spark]

Aw well done to you both, she is such a lovely horse

If it makes you feel any better, at my mares first (and only) dressage test she had a 'moment' and reversed out of the arena!

 

[milliepops]

I know it isn't really the point of the day, she needed to go and get her first dressage party done, but could the marks differential be about the structure of the test/mark scheme? we usually do our harder tests second? Dunno which ones you did but I've noticed the more recent tests have had the marks redistributed so e.g. a transition has 10 whole marks attached where previously that 10 marks might have covered the trans plus travelling half way round the arena. Just a thought. Anyhoo, it's done and dusted so quite irrelevant now

 

[HufflyPuffly]

I was once calling for a friend at Addington and she was very nervous as David Trott was judging. Her horse decided to 'jump' the arena boards - well not so much jump as trip over them and knock them down. David leaned out of the judging box and called out '4 faults' which made my friend giggle.

:lol: I'm happy it's not just us :lol:, hope she regained her composure for the rest of the test!

LOL @ eggs' story :lol:

She's looking fab. Interesting about the scores, this happened to me fairly often when I went out with G - I often felt he'd gone better in the second test but we usually scored lower. I think photographers could make a killing at dressage if they videoed tests for competitors and sold them at a reasonable price, as often when you look back you can see why the judge has made those comments. He could, however, have just made his mind up after seeing your first test of course!

Yeah videos often give such a different perspective, but my friends (who didn't see the first test) said it looked a good test apart from the blip...

Aw well done to you both, she is such a lovely horse

If it makes you feel any better, at my mares first (and only) dressage test she had a 'moment' and reversed out of the arena!

:lol: the best horses have character I'm told :lol:

I know it isn't really the point of the day, she needed to go and get her first dressage party done, but could the marks differential be about the structure of the test/mark scheme? we usually do our harder tests second? Dunno which ones you did but I've noticed the more recent tests have had the marks redistributed so e.g. a transition has 10 whole marks attached where previously that 10 marks might have covered the trans plus travelling half way round the arena. Just a thought. Anyhoo, it's done and dusted so quite irrelevant now

We did P15 and P19 so on checking fairly similar in structure and difficulty, )and actually the sharper turns in P19 we negotiated them quite well despite other steering issues ). I'm writing it off as our first attempt and next time we shall remain in the arena at all times .

 

[j1ffy]

Well done, it sounds like an educational day! She looks lovely in the photos.

Those scores do sound unusually low for a Prelim, it's rare to see that many sub-60. I wouldn't dwell on it too much (though I know it's easier said than done!), maybe the judge was having a bad day or maybe they'd been to a judge training session recently and were looking for something specific. It sounds silly but it does happen!!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Well done, it sounds like an educational day! She looks lovely in the photos.

Those scores do sound unusually low for a Prelim, it's rare to see that many sub-60. I wouldn't dwell on it too much (though I know it's easier said than done!), maybe the judge was having a bad day or maybe they'd been to a judge training session recently and were looking for something specific. It sounds silly but it does happen!!

Thank you, yeah he was definitely looking for something we weren't doing it would have been useful to ask what! Will do some more work, go back out and see what another judge thinks.

 

[rachk89]

Well done! Dont worry about the board issues just practice that at home. Important thing is she went and didnt freak out, she behaved well.

 

[lar]

Of the two or three listed male judges I've encountered in Cheshire, none have been what you'd call high marking. In fact one was so bad I swore I'd never ride in front of him again.

The important thing is you both had a positive first experience - onwards and upwards from here (and you're not the first and certainly won't be the last to go out the side entrance at that arena!)

 

[ossy]

Well done!! And if im right from those photos the venue is cockshot which is notorious for harsh marking anyway.

 

[MrsMozart]

Very well done! Out and at 'em

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Well done! Dont worry about the board issues just practice that at home. Important thing is she went and didnt freak out, she behaved well.

Exactly, steering is easy to work on, it just wasn't something if given much thought too . She's got a lovely level headedness which is lovely and so refreshing after Topaz :lol:

Of the two or three listed male judges I've encountered in Cheshire, none have been what you'd call high marking. In fact one was so bad I swore I'd never ride in front of him again.

The important thing is you both had a positive first experience - onwards and upwards from here (and you're not the first and certainly won't be the last to go out the side entrance at that arena!)

Haha I can imagine it is quite an inviting nip out entersnce isn't it . I don't mind low scores and mostly the comments were spot on, it was just the tense comments and marking the second one harsher than the first despite it seemingly to go better, but I am definitely not a judge!

She was a good girl and that's what matters.

Well done!! And if im right from those photos the venue is cockshot which is notorious for harsh marking anyway.

It was indeed and that's funny as Topaz always gets good scores there compared to elsewhere, but then she likes this venue so maybe if she relaxed everywhere we'd get higher scores .

Very well done! Out and at 'em

Thank you , and just to prove you can never count your chickens with horses, the blooming ruffian squished me tonight bringing her in so is on the naughty step .