Walk and Trot Tests

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chriscrogul

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I have competed up to Novice level for many years on my older horse but I'm currently reschooling my new horse who is an ex flat racer. Like many exracers right lead canter is proving elusive (we now get it every 3rd/4th attempt with the aid of a pole in the corner). I want to get him out and about competing at little local venues before he gets too fit (!) so have taken him to three walk and trot dressages. Now, I am not going for rosettes (although he's been placed every time), its for the experience of travelling, being tied up to lorry while things are going on round him, warming up with other horses, and for the judges comments on the sheet. I struggle a bit with my conscience as there are a lot of children competing but I can say, hand on heart that my horse is truly of that level and is NOT ready for prelim.
BUT, I am amazed when I watch other competitors warming up showing moves such as 15m circles in canter, medium trot, shoulder in etc and NOT competing HC, and WINNING the class. Please don't think this is sour grapes, with my older horse I have been more pleased to be placed in a class of a high standard than to win a class of a lower standard.
What do you all think about this? These people may genuinely fit the criteria of these classes (ie not won/placed at dressage) but their horses are obviously capable of competing in prelim and sometimes novice. Would you compete in a walk and trot if the rules allowed you to or go straight to prelim?
 
I was watching a comp. last year, (not walk and trot) and heard the woman who won ,(with about 80%) say that she normally competed at PSG and just wanted to give her horse an outing. Fair enough, but why didn't she go HC? Most of the other competitors were kids or very novicey people. Not exactly encouraging to them I feel.
 
I agree with you that pot hunting in unaff comps is something that beggars belief.

I hope to do some walk and trot tests with my horse, as his canter is still so big, that the 20x40 makes him very tense (and me!)

I want to do the walk and trot so he begins to enjoy the arena, and so that the judge can give me an opinion that is not based on our canter!!
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I'm sure when I get there though, there will be very capable horses and rider in there for the "warm up"
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It is nice to hear that there are competitors out there with some morals! Kildalton, the rider you mention, was she riding her PSG horse in that test, if so then yes she should have gone HC.

At unaffiliated level I suspect it is very hard to police these types of things and does depend on riders being honest. Unfortunately it happens all the time.

I think walk & trot test are an excellent idea for encouraging people to have a go at dressage, for baby horses etc but will always be seen as easy pickings and chances of ribbons for those who would rather pot hunt.
 
hmm things like this do grate!

I am in similar position Friday coming no doubt. Taking newbie ex pointer for some experience (not even sure we will make it to the ring lol), I have no doubts that the pot hunters will be out in force when the event is planned for kids starting out, young horses and riders that are new to dressage.

I avoid similar events like mini cross country etc thinking it was for novices, when my horse could no way be considered a novice even though I was at the time, only to watch other

You have to start with the people organising if they dont make it clear, it has to start with them really.

The place on Friday has written in the schedule of exactly what it is intended for, so I am hoping that it wont be full of people racing around and pot hunting and will be the ideal poddle about for dressage virgins such as myself!

Like you I just could not go in something if I thought my horse was too experienced in it, its called having a consience I think!!
 
Hi, We are running the dressage that Marsden has commented on and I believe looking at the entries that most of the people doing it aren't the ususal bunch that compete in our other dressage comps. We have carefully written the schedule however.
I am sure there will be the odd one or two........
 
Trouble is if its an open competition its down to the riders concience (and some don't seem to have one
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). I know someone at our yard who will enter a prelim, novice and elementry on the same horse at the same competeion.
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Very Sad IMO
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Quite agree its pot hunting. Wonder why people do it. What pleasure can you get from 'winning' in those circumstances. I knew kids who used to go to the very small local show on their JA ponies. they cleaned up. Suprise suprise.
 
Things like this really make me angry too. A lady near me has bought a PGS horse very cheap as it has been branded loss of use. Now i understand the horse probably isnt up to PSG any more but she is doing prelim with it week after week and winning by sometimes 20% more than the second place!

I came 3rd in my first ever walk and trot test and felt guilty!
 
Pot hunters you have to love them! There is one local to me who's horse must have been a novice for more than 10 years and could easily compete at a higher level, but she regularly takes him out to compete in lower level classes to get a rosette. When i took my lad, also an exracer to his first ever dressage, she had the nerve to complain he'd won over £20 and wasn't eligible, because he'd won over £150 000 as a racehorse! Not really the same thing is it love!! I ask you!!
 
I'm off to a walk and trot test at the beginning of March on an ex driving horse, hence his canter isn't up to much, and this was one of my concerns. Had I been able to sort his canter out I definatly would have gone straight for the prelim. As his walk and trot work is fab it does worry me that people may see him as being too good for a walk and trot and if anyone dares to say so i'll just ask them to take him for a canter on a 20 meter circle and see if they stay on!!!!
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I cant understand people like this! I would be embarassed. I took my horse out last October after 3 years not competing (due to travelling, injury and behaviour issues) and did a couple of Prelims. I had waited until she was ready, although her canter was not good. On the day she came up trumps for me and was 2nd and 4th. She was genuinely entered but I still felt embarassed!!! So much so that I asked if the organisers wanted to put me in the restricted section instead as I didnt want people to think I was cheating!!! ( I wasnt)

When I last evented my old horse I moved him up through the grades before he won too much. This meant if at any time he lost confidence he could go back a step and have some fun. So I can sort of understand someone doing that. Also it was always useful as a tickover or fittening exercise to to something smaller.

The other thing I have heard of is dressage riders entering HC and the judge refusing to judge them as it is intimidating to the other riders!!! So I can understand why some people enter easy classes as a warmup but dont go HC.

Nevertheless for sure some people like to pothunt but thats their problem. The good thing about Dressage is you compete against yourself. If you know wht I mean!?! You look at your improvement and thats what really matters.
 
I have been competing unaffiliated prelim and novice (and one elementary) for the last two years and have seen certain riders entering the same classes for the last 8 years and doing very well! I am hoping to take our 5 yo rescued shire which we broke last year, to his first ever w&t and maybe P7 in May. Now here's the question ... do I go HC as I have competed at a higher level on my mare, or do I take Barney Bear and be glad (and surprised) to get placed ?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Sam,
Where are you doing your walk and trot test? i am looking to do it on William, as he can't canter very well. (ex racer and right rein is no existent).
I don't know of anywhere.
Jo

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm working on my riding clubs at the mo tbh
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To see if they'll add a little one to their schedule. One riding club does a "baby" prelim class where if you enter that one you can't enter the novice class, so they may be more amiable to it
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If I can't I just plan to do the baby prelim and advise the judge prior that I more than likely won't canter. I've done that there before and the judge was lovely. Gave me some very positive comments
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If you're looking for walk and trot tests to work with at home, I can recommend the classical riding club tests
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I'm a member of theirs and am hoping to find someone hosting a CRC dressage day near us this season
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http://www.classicalriding.co.uk/dressage/training

The good thing about the CRC tests is that they're marked in a much more practical way to the BD tests. ie, on an overall basis, rather than a movment by movement basis.

I do hope I find a comp!!
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