Spotty botty BD report and novice debut

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rowy

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The phrases "I feel like banging my head repeatedly against a brick wall" and "the number '1' is obviously cursed" come to mind after today.

After doing so so well in prelims so far this year I decided to have a bash at an easy novice today. For those that don't know, Rowan is 5 years old. First time in our spurs and him having gone really really good in training recently I thought we had a good chance of improving prelim scores and was aiming for about 60% in our first novice.
So prelim first and, considering I havent competed him in 6 weeks, he was really good! No spooking and very forward in the test which is a change. Especially considering the temperature in the indoor was the equivilient to a sauna. A few stupid mistakes though- a jog in the free walk and he striked off on the wrong leg in the canter which was quickly corrected and the final halt he kinda fell in a heap so obviously knew that would drop our marks down but figured it would be worth about 63-64%. Was hugely disappointed with 59.something%. We got an 8 for our entry and it went downhill from there :(
So a bit disheartened I decided I was going to try my bestest for the novice and, bless him, so did Rowan. He truly tried his little heart out for me!!!
It was novice 27 so had 2 medium trots and canter give and retakes. He was really really forward throughout the entire test. Was amazed, he really gave it his all even through all the extreme heat. Was worried he might go back into canter in the mediums as they were straight after the canters but he didn't. First canter give and retake he turned into a cow but the second was much better. Canter transitions all perfect and excellent final halt and free walk on long rein (was determined not the make the same mistake) so considering obviously harsher marking for novice, predicted I would get around 61% ish, maybe a bit more as I do tend to mark myself harshly lol.
Was mega mega sad to get only 58.something.
Hugely confused and sad, have since watched the video of the test several times trying to work out what cost us such a low mark and still slightly confused. Obviously there were some movements that may have cost us 5/6s but some which were definitely worth 7s or maybe even 8s.

Have been having motivating talks from my family since they all came to watch. They were also slightly confused by scoring but they aren't very horsey but still glad of the support.
Any advice would be hugely appreciated. I am still hugely pleased with my baby boy, he tried his best and I couldnt of asked for any more. Just frustrated- its days like this I wondering why I do dressage!
So here are the pics (note the very red face trying not to die in extreme heat)
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Thankyou for looking and sorry about the huge rant and moan. mint choc frappe as reward for getting to the end ;)
 
Were you accurate, as that always gets good marks!?

From the pics he looks downhill (his build might not help as he looks quite croup high), so I would work on getting him off his shoulders, transferring the weight behind and getting the front end up....especially for Novice.

But don't be downhearted, we all have those days and this is what it's all about, improving and getting better scores next time :)
 
He is pretty even front and back now but still needs to chunky up a bit more in front. He keeps growing even now so think he is gonna be a late maturer. Will try and get vid up later but whenever I try it says it will take 8 hours to upload. :( the pics are from the first test as have no pics from the second test- just a video. He was moving more uphill in the second has he was going more forward.

Yup second test was accurate. All bloopers were in first test.
 
the diff between high 50's and low 60's in terms of actual marks is not that much, a few 6's and 5's instead of 7's and its easy to account for, so i would really try and not worry too much.

it could also be a case of him not being the judges type, which is a gamble you take with something a bit *different*, as much as it shouldnt matter, anyone who has done dressage for a while will tell you that judges are only human and have slight personal preferences.

you felt he was more forward, which is your main thing to work on atm, so focus on the fact you achieved that goal :)......perhaps he rushed a bit and fell on his shoulders, but he can be a bit naughty about dropping behind your leg so a sacrifical test or two where you really correct that and ride him strongly forward is a good thing long term training wise-when he's taking you then you can half halt and ride for more engagement and uphill carrige but currently he has just got to know that go=GO and that he cant wiggle and wriggle and try and drop you.

dont be too down, we all have days like this and he's going so much better at home its only a matter of experience before that flows over in to tests too :)

big hugs, youre doing a good job with him.
 
He doesn't look terribly downhill to me from the photos, I think the ouline is fine for Novice level. Perhaps appears a bit bum high because his back end is a more startling white and his front end more grey?

If I were you I would just chalk it up to experience and move on, but if you want more feedback you need to post the video.
 
Pictures look lovely:)

Did you look at the range of marks that other people got? It may be that the judge was quite a harsh marker and that they marked everyone lower than they would normally get.
 
what were your comments?

I do think if they ever have a tendency to look a bit down hill you need to be doubly sure to look up and shoulders back ;) or it seems to exacerbate (I'm forever nagging mum on that-- her mare is croup high but she looks better if mum sits up!) You do look pretty straight in most of the pics though.
 
In the prelim the marks were quite odd. I didn't come last- 3 people got lower than me but also a few people got high 60s and 70s so large range.
Only saw first 3 marks of the novice which were also a very big range!
 
Ditto the others in that he looks a little down hill in the trot photos, might be angle or some thing else but it can make the diffrence if he was down hill. Also although you say he was nice and forward the canter photos look like your having to work very hard to keep him there, again might not be true but your legs in the canter are working much harder than they are in the trot, could make a diffrence to the over all apperance.

Chin up we all have bad days (although most of mine seem to be bad days where dressage is involved ;)) and echo what PS said about judges having a type although you would hope that at BD it wouldnt be so obvious. Sounds like he is going well at home so hopefully he will be able to pull off some higher marks next time out :).
 
Chalk it down to experience methinks. He's still got a bit of growing to do physically and mentally - but you're doing a lovely job with him - we all have our days so don't be too disheartened :)
 
Only have first sheet and comments were that test started well but became a little strong and unbalanced at times(he isn't strong but maybe my riding made him look strong??) needs more suppleness over the back to elastic contact now for more ease and fluency.
A few judges have commented on him needing more suppleness over the back but I don't really get what it means in relation to him??
 
Dafthoss- he was really forward but I was majourly having to work to keep him forward. I tend to get tense during test in canter as he has broken from canter before during a test so keep thinking he might do it again.
 
my father always said, look ahead and sit up straight and say to yourself "I am the Queen of Siam I am", works a treat a bit like gritting your teeth when you can't smile from a distance looks the same.

imo he looks like he is strong from his neck angle and the shortness of the reins, possibly you are overbending him which is shortening the reins making it look like he is strong.

he is bum high still but this will change with growth and also as he has quite a short neck over bending will make his bum look higher.

lovely looking pony though
 
Hi rowy, don`t actually know you but we were on at about same time in both tests. I only really saw you in warm up arena but personally I thought your little horse really improved out there and looked much more balanced in second warm up. I think the judge was looking for a much more uphill picture for novice, dont get disheartened it takes time to build these horses up to each level, and we have same situation at the moment, dropped 7% from prelim to novice even though we felt horse had tried harder!!!!
 
Its very hard to comment on just photos as they are a moment in time but what I get from them is that he is tight through his back and ducking behind the vertical. I would want to see him longer in his frame and slightly more up in front although he is looking a bit more uphill than previous photos so there is definitely improvement.

I would also say you are sitting a lot better than previously so big well done for that :) I would be questioning the spurs as in the canter your heel is coming quite significantly up and you can see clearly that you are jabbing him with the spur and in the trot you can see your leg has swung a fair amount between sitting and rising position.

I suspect the judge was looking for him to be softer and swinging over his back and working forward into the contact. he may well have been moving forward but it has to be forward all the way through his back.

I wouldn't worry too much about these scores, you know he is improving and you need to continue to seek that improvement. Remember it is all subjective so what one judge likes another may not. You cannot keep all judges happy all the time ;)
 
Hm, well speaking as one who judges these things, the requirements of Novice are a step up (as they should be) and horses should be showing an increased ability to sit up, take some weight behind and carry the transitions. You have a lovely young pony, but he does look his age and isn't as strong in the back as he could be. If he and you are happy to play with Novice for the experience, then there is no harm in doing some tests for the experience: if you want to WIN then he has to mature a bit and look like it is EASY for him. Not there yet (from photos), but no reason not to have a go, unless you are really hungry for the red rosettes.......
 
Thanks for the replies. Feedback is really interesting and I understand a bit more what the judge was seeing.
I did find he was a bit better in the novice possibly because there is more in it so he has to concentrate on me more or he will fall on his face. It also keeps me a bit more sane as I have done prelims to death. Maybe I will stay at unaff novice for a bit and see how he goes.
I was also thinking that so far this year all my competitions have been indoors and it has been warmer so this may be one of the reasons he is more slower and behind my leg in competitions so I may look out for some outdoor competitions and see if there is a difference though I do find sometimes that at outdoor comps he gets distracted by what is going on around.
Thanks again everyone :)
 
Where were you at I did stressage today and that arena looked familiar.... I love your boy though! Don't worry I had disheartening results today too.
 
Lovely Rowan :) I think for a 5yr old part welsh, he looks very grown up! He's looking a lot stronger now and you're sitting sooo much better! I agree he looks quite downhill in a lot of the pics but then he does look like he might be a bit bum high again. He'll make 16hh at this rate!! Chalk it up to experience and like has been said, he did what you wanted and he was powering on, which is a huge step in the right direction :)
 
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