Unaffiliated dressage - calling the test

[Kayfm]

Each to your own. I can assure you that I am not lazy, no where near it. I can also learn a test but sometimes just go blank as soon as I enter the arena. Not nerves or panick, I just go blank sometimes. So having that little voice in the back ground just assures me and helps me enjoy the test even more. I really cant see a problem with a caller. Most of the dressage i go to, i would say 95 % of the riders have callers and i compete regularly at dressage.

 

[Gamebird]

Having a caller confuses me!

Not half as much as having someone in the next arena having their test called loudly - especially when it's the same test you're riding and one movement ahead of/behind you.

 

[posie_honey]

i had one for my first and only test - but she called AT the move not before and i got in a right muddle tbh i knew the test at home - but it was my first one and i wanted one just in case i forgot - next time i will just try to ensure i know it inside out and back to front... although if someone offers to call (a move in infront though this time) i'd not say no

 

[Gamebird]

i had one for my first and only test - but she called AT the move not before and i got in a right muddle tbh i knew the test at home - but it was my first one and i wanted one just in case i forgot - next time i will just try to ensure i know it inside out and back to front... although if someone offers to call (a move in infront though this time) i'd not say no

I quite often call for people and there's definitely an art in the timing - escpecially at elementary and above where the movements come very closely together. I always check whether the rider 'sort of' knows it or hasn't even looked at it as it influences how far in front of them you need to be.

 

[Puffin]

This is also my pet hate, I never had a caller because I'm always on my own at shows. (and I event and did PC many eons ago when I was young enough) I agree that the reassurance is nice especially when doing multiple tests, I got eliminated once because the two prelims I was doing were too similar, I stick to 1 prelim and 1 novice these days.

I actally think that you should be allowed a caller but be deducted at least 2 marks for having one - that way you are on a par with someone who went wrong or was so tense trying to remember where to go that they didn't do the best test. Doesn't help the people getting distracted in the next ring though.

I've recently invested in the BD laminated plan things and they are wonderous for helping you learn the test - I don't think about B/E I think circle in the middle etc so I can now visualise it so much easier (and they are better at drawing than me )

Thats just my 2 pen'orth.

 

[posie_honey]

I quite often call for people and there's definitely an art in the timing - escpecially at elementary and above where the movements come very closely together. I always check whether the rider 'sort of' knows it or hasn't even looked at it as it influences how far in front of them you need to be.

i knew the test at home back to front - but it was my first one and i was a bit nervous about the whole thing (call me daft - i can hunt all day but find the thought of someone judging my riding petrifying ) and i had asked her to call a move in front - but as soon as she didn't call a move when i expected her to i began wondering if i'd rememebed it correctly and panicing again def learnt my lesson there - learn it or ensure you and the caller know exactly what you expect!!
didn't do too badly though - 62% and 4th out of 22

 

[Saratoga]

That is where the deduction could work, it would put off the people that are too lazy to learn the tests, and try and get the majority to learn rather than rely on a caller, but those that genuinely need one for nerves or first shows etc can have one but have to forfeit a few marks for it.

As a rider that never has a caller, it does drive me a bit insane!!

 

[Honey08]

I never used to have a caller due to the fact that I have never had anybody bothered to come with me to events. Then my friend started helping me out and she calls for me occassionally but I must admit I like to try and remember my tests as it is more professional in my opinion. However after a couple of years of being able to learn to long arena tests at unaff nov and elem level in three days without riding them at home before my test (can never get the chance to use the arena in the menage at the yard as everyone else is in there) I suddenly became unable to remember my tests and badly lost my confidence. Since then I've convinced myself that I am well and truly hopeless and just don't seem able to remember them and of course it often turns out that I can't. There's a girl at our yard that competes affiliated. Wherever she competes she is usually surrounded by about ten people all of whom will read for her at the drop of the hat. She is very lucky. I am glad of my friend who is able to help me, but again this weekend I have two novice tests (luckily in short arena's) and I have again convinced myself that I will fail due to my memory.

I know exactly what you mean! I forgot both my first tests at BE one year, and was a nervous wreck at the third event because I thought I'd do it again. Its a vicious circle. I'd done the test a thousand times at home (on other horses!), but it was purely nerves!

If I have someone call for me, I usually find that I'm actually riding the test from memory anyway, and that they read it later than I wanted, so had I forgotten, it would have been a ill prepared movement anyway! I sometimes call for my friends/son, and find it very hard not to chip in helpful comments (ie "turn down the centre line at C", so makes sure you ride into the corner and get a good turn... - must be the instructor in me!)

I can see the point of walk and trot tests, for very nervous novices and first timers. For everyone else I can't - I have a young horse that doesn't go into corners etc in canter, but still would choose prelim - so you lose a couple of marks in that part of the test... I also took it to shows as a 4yr old when I was competing other horses, and walked it past flower displays, white boards etc to prepare it for its own time at shows. I asked a local gutter firm for old white gutters (which they gave willingly) and put them round my yard initially, then the field where I school... This way the horse is not remotely spooky at its first show/dressage tests. You shouldn't be introducing a babay to these things in the first competition - its not fair on them! I also think people want to be in classes that they can win nowadays, rather than entering ones that they should be in. There are so many prelim queens round us, gettin 65-75%, which should obviously tell them they are pot hunting! Prelim is short for preliminary, which means beginner or initial. People forget that.

 

[charlie76]

I have a caller, I ride between 4 and six tests starting at prelim and ending at medium during a competition, quiet often I don't have a lot of time between tests to learn the next one well enough hence the need for a caller.

 

[Halfstep]

I find that I definitely ride worse when I have a test called, so try very hard to learn my tests. I think I concentrate too much on the caller and not on the horse's way of going. But other people having tests called don't bother me. If you are riding a lot of different tests at a variety of levels, I can totally understand having them called - they can be so confusing!

 

[Booboos]

I think I probably disagree with everything in the original post, sorry!!

Having done BD for about the last 12 years, I think tests have become more complicated, there are certainly more things happening at the lower levels. There are also more of the tests at each level and more venues offering more choice.

Luckily I find it easy to learn tests, but I would never call other people lazy for not being able to! People's memories work in different ways! I can remember very well things I see written down, but have no memory for oral conversations, does that make me lazy?

 

[Saratoga]

What i don't understand is why is it ok to hav a caller in dressage, but if someone helps you remember the course SJ or XC it's called outside assisstance and you can get eliminated for it??

 

[Honey08]

What i don't understand is why is it ok to hav a caller in dressage, but if someone helps you remember the course SJ or XC it's called outside assisstance and you can get eliminated for it??

Inrteresting point! I could easily forget a SJ course too through nerves too! XC nowadays are often roped off, so you can't go wrong! I had an ex boyfriend that rode and he was forever moaning, wishing that you could get sat nav for horses competing!

I can't see how dressage tests have got harder. Perhaps thats just me. Twenty years ago it was pony club tests we were doing - and even the starter tests had canter in them (Still do, and are much beter for a novice than walk and trot tests..), and there were a lot of prix caprillis around- where you had to jump a small jump during the test. What happened to them?

 

[soloequestrian]

I love having a caller because I INVARIABLY forget the little twiddly bits if I don't have one - the things you have to do within a movement like release the rein, trot for a few strides within a canter circle etc. I very rarely have a caller though as I have to go to stuff on my own. I don't remember the tests of my youth having so many of the twiddly bits!

 

[Louise_88]

I once worked at a Dressage yard where the rider was doing an Elementary test and there first Medium test, both on the same horse (only one horse going to the competition). I was a groom/rider and was going to the competition to groom for them. I was also asked to read the tests for the rider. Having evented myself and having had, afew times, to learn 3 different tests, showjumping tracks and 3 different XC courses in the same day and also having to be rider and groom (excluding mothers help) all on the same day i was slightly gobsmacked to say the least that this so called 'professional' couldn't learn two tests but maybe i just have a good memory.
I can see why some people need them, for instance my mum doesn't have a brilliant memory when she gets nervous, which is all the time when out competing, so having a caller could help her but actually she refuses to have one as she says it would confuse her more which is how i would feel i think.

 

[TinselRider]

Numpties like me need their test called because our brains go blank half way through due to nerves

 

[MissTyc]

Callers confuse me as I end up paying too much attention to them, even if I know the test. My mare also listens to the caller which gets difficult for transitions!

 

[Cash]

I wouldn't ever have a caller I don't think- firstly, because I think it'd put me off the actual riding as I'd be constantly trying to listen for the next movement, and not actually remember to ride properly!!
And secondly because I only really do dressage as a means of practising for ODEs, which is what i really want to do, and obviously you can't have a caller for that.

I have no problem with it for people who are genuinely nervous/have really bad memories and find it makes it easier. I don't think it gives an advantage (IME..) so it doesn't bother me

 

[applecart14]

As a returner to dressage after a number of years I've noticed that the majority of competitors have a caller for their test, (just talking unaff. prelim level here at local venues) whereas in my youth we would never dream of having someone call our test, learning it seemed all part and parcel of the occasion. Why do you think this is? I'm curious! They've not become more difficult over the years from what I can see.

I may just have found a new way to learn my dressage tests AND REMEMBER THEM!! I have been watching You Tube videos of people doing their tests. If you manage to find a video which has been filmed from behind A it is easy peasy lemon squeezy (she says - but bet she still forgets on Saturday)

 

[MerryMAL]

I would never ever have a caller, because:
1. I'm sorry to those that do, but I would die of shame
2. My mum is the only one that comes with me to events and she calls my test during the week before my event while I gradually learn it...but she is awful like someone else said
3. I was told that you should be able to "Draw" the test in the air with your finger without thinking about it, in the same way you dont really think "I'll circle for 4 circles, then I'll change the rein...no I'll walk" when schooling, you just DO it like riding a bike - you need to be able to concentrate on your horses outline, paces etc. and the size and shape of your circles etc.. IMVVVVHO one cannot possibly do this if they have not subconciously apprehended what the next movement is - if they are waiting for the caller to say it they are doing just that and when I have a test called by mum at home my horse invariably goes worse because I'm just waiting for mum to speak not riding the horse.

***JUST MY OPINION THOUGH!***

 

[soupdragon71]

I don't like to use a caller but I think dementia is setting in! I have been eventing all summer with no problem - only one test to learn at a time I suppose, but last month went dressaging and had a complete meltdown in second test! Went wrong twice - luckily judge was very understanding - has a tendency to do same when competing and has been eliminated for going wrong 3 times in one test!! Was so angry with myself and then embarassed to win by quite a long way. This has happened twice this year. In my defence we were doing 2 novice tests that were very similar but still no excuse - I had an hour and a half to learn second test!!

The few times I have used a caller (on second test) I haven't enjoyed it - I don't think you ride the test, you end up just steering. Also my old horse once took exception to my caller and everytime went passed her we did the most amazing lateral work at high speed, ending up on centre line, even when we weren't supposed to!! The counter canter work was, ehm, interesting!!! He was a quirky ex-racehorse, but still there really was no excuse!

Also don't understand the whole walk and trot test thing - really think it is dumbing down and how can the horse and rider be judged if only showing 2 out of 3 paces? If horse and/or rider is not ready to canter why go out and compete? Think there is too much push to get out there and compete so you can say that's what you do. Understand that it is educational for young horses but think there are too many out there doing it that are not needing the education.

 

[Cyberchick]

I only ever have a test called when i'm on my own horse. This is because he can be a little sod and we have been known to start with a ' A enter at sideways canter ' and I can find it difficult to remember the test and concentrate on getting his concentration back. I do learn the test myself though and try not to rely on the caller.

 

[Honey08]

I may just have found a new way to learn my dressage tests AND REMEMBER THEM!! I have been watching You Tube videos of people doing their tests. If you manage to find a video which has been filmed from behind A it is easy peasy lemon squeezy (she says - but bet she still forgets on Saturday)

Interesting idea...Hmmm...*trots off to youtube*