Unaffiliated baby dressage - martingale?

pootleperkin

pootleperkin

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Please forgive my ignorance - it has been a while since I did this dressage malarkey - but I was wondering if anyone would give a jot if I left baby horse in her martingale while we did intro B at Myerscough on Sunday?

I know it's not really form, but given it's her first time inside and first competition under saddle, I could do with every little bit of security I can get! Taking her up to an indoor tomorrow night so she isn't too shocked on Sunday, but still anticipating lots of spookifying! I guess I can just pop a neck strap on if necessary.

Also, once again, is anyone going to care if I don't plait? Very neat manes assured - this one is because I can't be a****d to plait two up for unaffiliated shannanigans!
 
You can have a neck strap I think, but not the martingale, so if its just to grab - that would do.

I'd plait - particularly babies, I make sure I plait whatever it is we are going to so plaiting doesn't become linked with 'OMG WE ARE GOING SOMEWHERE EXCITING!!'
 
CrazyMare said:
I'd plait - particularly babies, I make sure I plait whatever it is we are going to so plaiting doesn't become linked with 'OMG WE ARE GOING SOMEWHERE EXCITING!!'
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Ha - they will defo know they are off somewhere exciting 'cos they will have been bathed for the first time this year on Saturday (bad mummy) and then are going to have to stay in overnight as a super early start on Sun! I think excitement is VERY guaranteed! :)
 
No martingale I'm afraid but you can definitely have a neck strap. I tend to plait for dressage but if it's your first outing and will cause you more stress, I wouldn't worry as long as your horse looks smart. Good luck!!
 
Nope, no stress (used to show them quite a bit), just really hate plaiting!! Up there for me with ironing :)

Thanks for the good luck btw - as long as they both stay reasonably calm and go in the arena without trying to kill the 'horrific, monstrous' dressage boards, I'll be quite happy. Oh, and also if I manage to stay on top of Sky, who can whip round on a sixpence if she sees a blade of grass, or perhaps in this case, a bit of fibresand, she doesn't like - quite a feat for a very large 16.2. warmblood
 
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We often used to take the babies in breastplates with martingale attachements to warm up and then remove the attachments to go in the ring. If there was a particularly 'interesting' youngster we would go HC with the martingale on.

Neck straps allowed at Intro and Prelim
 
pootleperkin said:
Nope, no stress (used to show them quite a bit), just really hate plaiting!! Up there for me with ironing :)

Thanks for the good luck btw - as long as they both stay reasonably calm and go in the arena without trying to kill the 'horrific, monstrous' dressage boards, I'll be quite happy. Oh, and also if I manage to stay on top of Sky, who can whip round on a sixpence if she sees a blade of grass, or perhaps in this case, a bit of fibresand, she doesn't like - quite a feat for a very large 16.2. warmblood
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You're very welcome - and hey if you can earn a few extra points by being smartly turned out, then go for it!!
 
ruth83 said:
We often used to take the babies in breastplates with martingale attachements to warm up and then remove the attachments to go in the ring. If there was a particularly 'interesting' youngster we would go HC with the martingale on.

Neck straps allowed at Intro and Prelim
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as I understand it you are not allowed to use any tack in the warm up arena that is not allowed in the test. ie martingale attached to breastplate
 
I took mare mare in a breastplate with no martingale attachment i personally wouldnt use a martingale even is first time out, my motto start as you mean to go on. Just practice a lot at home without it on then is the norm when you get their. you have the breastplate for backup should you need soemthing to hold onto. Am sure youll both be fine but do agree would plait up as think its shows curtious to the people who have put on the event that youve made an effort imo. good luck hope goes well and look forward to report. :)
 
I'm relatively averse to martingales tbh, but until she settles and starts working she is such a giraffe, so having her in one at present seems to be a sensible thing to do.

In the case of working at home, she is actually more in need of it there, as we don't have a school, just the field they live in and she gets highly distracted and silly. I'm less likely to need it when we go and work in a school (will let you know about an arena - that's an unknown quantity!), if that makes sense! Once she is more settle in her work (if ever!) then it will come off anyway. But at the minute, I have the mental security of the breastplate, although I can't remember, even once, actually grabbing it - although I know it's there, brain doesn't seem to think I need it..... maybe I'm a Darwin candidate at heart!
 
POLLDARK said:
as I understand it you are not allowed to use any tack in the warm up arena that is not allowed in the test. ie martingale attached to breastplate
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This is certainly true at BD affiliated but we have always found that, at unaffiliated low level, the organisers do not mind if you ask. They would rather have riders in control than an accident.
 
Took my baby for first dressge last w/e. Bright yellow webbing neck strap! No plaits ( but he's a newfie so could get away with it). He was such a good boy, I was a very proud Mummy
 
I always started with a hunting breatplate (martingale attachment removed) on my 'rather excited' youngster. even at dressage.
As he calmed down i took it off after warming up. Its a MUCH sturdier hand hold than a 'neckstrap' if you need one.
If you need a martingale you'll be in trouble at dressage! :D

Plaiting is up to you. I see loads of unplaited horses round near us (NE) but i always try if it isnt going to kill me.

Have fun and good luck.
xx
 
sounds like you need to do a bit more homework!! go hire the dressage venue complete with boards! set out a dressage arena at home with white boards! hire as many scary venues as you can and practise and school away from home! absolutely NO POINT in setting out to fail. if you really feel you need your martingale then wear it and enter HC. you will be illuminted if enter wearing a martingale. good luck keep going it will all get better the more you put in and get out and about!!!
 
Headed up to indoor school tonight, not far from home. Two very calm and well behaved horses, neither tried to kill the dressage boards, so all bodes well for weekend. Gully was rather puzzled by a shaft of light, but got over it in the end :) Not too much giraffing from Sky - as I said, the martingale only really there to help with the initial calming down phase - once I get her attention, she is lovely and round (see coloured in siggy), so it isn't really necessary. I'm not scared of not having it, just couldn't remember if you could wear one or not, so asked! Have to say, after tonight, I wouldn't miss it on Sunday, but it is defo a good tool when we ride in the field at home!

Ofcourseyoucan - tonight was the main homework, but homework gets boring after a bit, and we have done plenty in friends' arenas and the like, I promise ;). Sunday is a low level unaffiliated show and we are doing intros with both and a prelim with Gully - it's time they both got out and did something and this is an ideal opportunity. Don't worry, I don't plan to set out and fail - far from it; I'll be happy if both head into the school, are calm and sensible and pretty much do as I ask in the tests, which I think is very acheivable! I do hope I don't get illuminted ;) :)

I think I might have made them sound worse behaved and less experienced than they are.....both showed at big county shows in hand as youngsters and I chose this dressage meet as Sky's debut under saddle as I don't think you could find a more calming type of show. Gully was fabulous tonight in the school - very relaxed and Sky was far more relaxed and settled than I thought she would be.

So, at the weekend, hunting breastplate for me to hang onto if needs be (think I won't need), so that's question answered - thanks all and thanks again for the good luck :) Will need it just to stand OH's grumbling.....don't think he is going to take to dressage grooming very well - waaay too boring for him!
 
Links to bits of vid taken tonight at the indoor school so you can see how horrified they both were of being indoors! ;)

http://youtu.be/z9olRP9jObc
http://youtu.be/dZZGS1H_MW4

Apologies for comedy commentary - OH was suposed to be calling for me, but hasn't *quite* grasped the concept!

Sky (very grubby coloured!) was great for first time, very calm. Just wish I had longer legs to wrap round her, as I need to push her forward a bit more to really get her working, but she is sooo wide and she is so reactive that it is difficult to get your legs down and underneath you and balance effectively. I'll get there! Having trouble getting a saddle that fits she is so wide and big moving (lots of 'twist'). We are on to cob sizes at the mo' and saddler working on getting something 'perfect'!
 
Quick report - have written a bit more in another thread with vid - but Gully got 2nd in intro with 70.8%, Sky 3rd with 66% (and no high jinks!) and Gully 4th in Prelim with 62.7% so all went as well, or better than I expected! :)

No martingale necessary, breastplate intact, no plaits, but then very few people were plaited up.
 
Polotash - she has oodles of potential - I just have to buck my ideas up to be good enough for her - quite daunting as she is a big powerful girl, but very nice with it! Had both since they were 6 months and it is so rewarding starting to get good results :)
 
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