Tension in Dressage

emfen1305 said:
I think I'll look in the New Year, there are quite a few venues near me so it is worth dropping them a message. Ooh that sounds fun, I just really enjoy doing it, much more than I did stewarding for showing as you don't really get much out of the judges there!
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I am sorry as I don't know your preferred sport, but it may be good to volunteer to judge at a BE event too, as that is different again.


ETA - Ooops, cross posted with TP!
 
As someone that can't be accused of being in any clique (I'm a new member) I'll throw my opinion in to the mix. We all love our horses, all have our own opinions and can easily take others opinions to heart. However, Melodra has unfortunately taken a very defensive approach when I feel people were genuinely trying to help. There's little point in asking for people's opinions when you only have one answer you want to hear. Mrs Jingle, it's nice to see you've got Melodras back but what about the harsh words she said about others?
'I believe you are not as knowledgeable as the image you like to purport.' Ouch and very personal.
 
emfen1305 said:
I think I'll look in the New Year, there are quite a few venues near me so it is worth dropping them a message. Ooh that sounds fun, I just really enjoy doing it, much more than I did stewarding for showing as you don't really get much out of the judges there!
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Definitely do, I think venues are usually crying out for helpers and writing is such a useful insight into the sport. When you get yourself known as a useful bod in the area then it's easy to get picked to write at regionals etc which is even more useful. I like writing for a judge somewhere other than c for the different perspective you get.
 
at least my post re writing for a judge has some other people who agree that it is so helpful to watch the whole class and therefore understand where the judge is coming from......at the beginning i couldnt understand why a horse which was going ok and made no mistakes ended up behind a better moving horse who had mistakes....once i wrote for a judge i realised that the horse that made a couple of mistakes was going so much better for the rest of the test and was getting at least 1 mark per movement more and therefore the few marks they lost were not as much as the extra marks he earned the rest of the test.... i find writing for the judge very interesting and enjoyable even though i dont compete anymore...
 
Totally agree splashgirl I really find it so useful and sometimes writing for a class you don't normally participate in can give unexpected insights.
The first time I wrote for a freestyle it was a real eye opener about how difficult it can be to identify exactly what movement some riders were supposedly showing 😱
Good info to have up your sleeve, no dribbly half passes or odd shaped circles here, lol!

I also wrote for a para judge a couple of years ago which was really interesting having had nothing to do with that before. I love writing 🙂
 
Sorry Splashgirl I knew someone had brought it up but just couldn't remember who - but I wholeheartedly agree, especially when a test is pretty much symmetrical its nice to see when a horse gets a 6 for the first trot for example then can get a 7 or an 8 for the next one because they've settled or had a canter, it makes me think about my own warm up and picking the right tests to do which is something I had never considered before.

Thanks TP, MP and RN - I'll definitely get in touch with them in the New Year - no preferred sport actually ( I would love to do an event one day!) but just like learning and helping out and asking questions so will look into BE too!
 
Bellaboo18 said:
As someone that can't be accused of being in any clique (I'm a new member) I'll throw my opinion in to the mix. We all love our horses, all have our own opinions and can easily take others opinions to heart. However, Melodra has unfortunately taken a very defensive approach when I feel people were genuinely trying to help. There's little point in asking for people's opinions when you only have one answer you want to hear. Mrs Jingle, it's nice to see you've got Melodras back but what about the harsh words she said about others?
'I believe you are not as knowledgeable as the image you like to purport.' Ouch and very personal.
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Water off a duck's back bellaboo... there are plenty of button pressing opportunities in this thread I think but the the actual discussion is too interesting to merit getting posts deleted etc I think 😉
 
I found writing for judges really beneficial and is something that I try to do as often as I can. It’s so easy to think that only the best people are out there doing it and that everyone will be perfect when in reality it really is a mixed bag, which is super to see, as everyone needs to start somewhere.

The time absolutely flies and you learn so much.
 
Sooooo back to the original post, why does a lazy horse in a prelim test get marked more favourably than one that is tense? My answer is because the scales of training are rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness and lastly collection. A tense horse at prelim level will not show rhythm or suppleness, however happy and motivated whereas a lazy arse horse could show both even if it needs a bit of a boot to keep it going. I claim my prize!
 
Maybe change your name to Melodrama, OP.

You’ve certainly taken a melodramatic tune to some the most helpful replies by some of the most experienced people.

No pleasing some folk is there...
 
oldie48 said:
Sooooo back to the original post, why does a lazy horse in a prelim test get marked more favourably than one that is tense? My answer is because the scales of training are rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness and lastly collection. A tense horse at prelim level will not show rhythm or suppleness, however happy and motivated whereas a lazy arse horse could show both even if it needs a bit of a boot to keep it going. I claim my prize!
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So you're saying it's fine to boot, batter and abuse your horse around the ring?! You discust me, you're uphauling!
 
I wrote for Delia Cunningham many many many years ago when I was preparing for my BHSII(T). It was one of my first seminal moments - I learned more from an afternoons writing for her than I believed possible! Despite a busy schedule, she made a real effort to help me with my "eye" - she slipped in several "What would you mark that movement? Why?" moments, which were brilliant, as we had a quick discussion about my mark v her mark and why in between tests. Great lady, and so generous with her knowledge
 
for what its worth if you are happy with the way your horse performed, that is the most important thing, you are sitting on the horse the judge is not, you know in your own mind the truth of how it feels.

and a dull horse being kicked round is not ready to be presented to perform a test at all ,i value willingness over all other qualities,, and while rhythm and balance are paramount a horse with sparkle probably has more potential to train on at the higher levels or might be easier in some ways, but for god sake do not try to subdue and ruin that enthusiasm, just find away to sculpt it constructively with proper training, to retain that liveliness with achieving rhythm and balance, then you can get straightness

on the day judging is all well and good but potential to train on is just as important to me, to see the bigger picture than the dull obedient horse and not put down horses who may very well perform much better when going higher level as i have seen done. because it may be on the day but this is dressage! the whole idea is to improve! and move upwards not just what it does today.
 
ester said:
It's like fburton were here with us!

oldie what sort of prize were you thinking?
Well I am very easily pleased, World peace? A bit of humour inserted in everyone's DNA? A new sadde that makes me competely straight? A new body that is 40years younger than I am? I keep thinking about that man from Boston Lincs who drove around with the winning Euro Lottery ticket in his van for six weeks, what would I do with that amount of money? I think that should be our next new thread!!!


badges?
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