Unaffiliated Elementary Dressage - Questions!!

[peanut0611]

Hello

I've recently moved country (from Germany, to Holland, and am now in England) and am wanting to do some unaffiliated dressage with my mare. She is well up to Elementary level and does a lovely job in the double bridle. Seeing as every country has slightly different conventions, I've got some questions for you all

1. Is it mandatory to wear black show jackets? Or am I allowed to wear a grey show jacket?
2. Are fly-hats allowed?
3. Am I allowed to ride in a double bridle at Elementary level?
4. What is the maximum difficulty that can be asked in an Elementary test? I've seen leg yielding, reign-back, medium trot, collected trot/canter, and I've heard some of them have counter canter...?

If there are any rules specific to unaffiliated, or any specific english rules, please do let me know, however obvious they may seem!

Thank you!

 

[peanut0611]

OH and another one -- in trot, is it mandatory to do rising trot or sitting trot if it's not specified?

 

[Bethie]

If its unaffiliated then the organisers don't have to follow British Dressage rules, but most of them will adhere to the rules to the most part. The current rule book can be found on the BD website here http://www.britishdressage.co.uk/rules. Rule changes come into effect on 1st December, but shouldn't affect what you are asking here .

Jackets should be a "conservative dark colour" so grey may well be ok, depending on the shade/any pattern, etc.

Fly hats are ok for outdoor competitions but not indoors, again must be a conservative colour.

Double is allowed at elementary.

There will be counter canter, simple changes, medium and collected work, some lateral work. Send for the tests from the BD online shop to have a look, or join http://www.dressagediagrams.org/31/mainstart.asp?width=1280&height=800&first=no&mess=-1 to access tests online.

You can do sitting or rising trot at elementary.

 

[Britestar]

Hi.
I'm pretty sure a grey jacket will be fine unaff.
Fly hats are allowed outdoors but not indoors.

 

[ellie_e]

As above, you can either rise or sit to the trot

 

[peanut0611]

Thanks everyone! Too bad about the fly-hats, the tests will be indoors. What would you do with a mare's very thin, silly-looking forelock for dressage? Plait it? Leave it??

 

[Kikke]

If you have competed in holland then it's comparable to L2 or M1. Minimal lateral work and some rein back. Yes to counter canter but that starts from novice level as does medium work. collected starts at elementry level but only short bits. Good luck