PucciNPoni
Well-Known Member
You do two tests under the same judge, on the same day, same horse, same arena....and the higher level scores way better than the lower, warm up test?
In my case, it meant that by the second test I remembered how to ride a center line, and that I was able to keep my horse in the arena! That's always helpful!
Had an outing at a small local dressage show - a day of many firsts: first time going out alone (tend to have a helpful friend or two), first time going to this venue (in ages), first time using studs, first time doing a Novice test. It all went pretty easily - nice friendly wee venue with friendly stewards and organisers. We're qualified to go to Lincoln so I'm needing to get out on grass as much as possible. I don't get many opportunities to ride or compete on grass and I did have a lesson a few weeks ago which went really really BAD - so it highlighted the need to get out and do more.
Quick warmup (on warm muggy days it's easy to over egg the pudding with my boy). Went in early, to get P14 out of the way I thought - wobbled on the first centerline but it went drastically wrong when my horse thought the collecting ring would be more suitable and tried to leave the arena at F - he got a boot for that with the outside leg, a mini strop, lept over A, a rather swift circle to get him back on track and picked up the canter again thankyouverymuch and continued on like nothing happened. Overshot A for second centerline (ooops) and was mortified at my poor riding.
Walked back to the lorry trying to psyche myself up for the novice test -- didn't have long to wait so went back to watch the two competitors in front of me and realised that without medium trot established (cos we don't) that I wans't going to beat either of them - but I didn't think we weren't too far off on the other moves - maybe just lacking a bit of polish. However, I did my test, felt rather relaxed and actually pleased to have done it.
Didn't expect to place with the Prelim test (and only barely did - but only cos there weren't many in the class) and the novice test there were only three, so knew I would get a third. But what I didn't expect was a score of 71.6% -- with my first ever 9! There wasn't much between the three novice test scores.
As far as results go - have placed better in bigger classes. But while it may seem like nothing to those that go out and compete alone on a regular basis - to me it was a really good day out. I left feeling pleased that it all went more or less to plan.
In my case, it meant that by the second test I remembered how to ride a center line, and that I was able to keep my horse in the arena! That's always helpful!
Had an outing at a small local dressage show - a day of many firsts: first time going out alone (tend to have a helpful friend or two), first time going to this venue (in ages), first time using studs, first time doing a Novice test. It all went pretty easily - nice friendly wee venue with friendly stewards and organisers. We're qualified to go to Lincoln so I'm needing to get out on grass as much as possible. I don't get many opportunities to ride or compete on grass and I did have a lesson a few weeks ago which went really really BAD - so it highlighted the need to get out and do more.
Quick warmup (on warm muggy days it's easy to over egg the pudding with my boy). Went in early, to get P14 out of the way I thought - wobbled on the first centerline but it went drastically wrong when my horse thought the collecting ring would be more suitable and tried to leave the arena at F - he got a boot for that with the outside leg, a mini strop, lept over A, a rather swift circle to get him back on track and picked up the canter again thankyouverymuch and continued on like nothing happened. Overshot A for second centerline (ooops) and was mortified at my poor riding.
Walked back to the lorry trying to psyche myself up for the novice test -- didn't have long to wait so went back to watch the two competitors in front of me and realised that without medium trot established (cos we don't) that I wans't going to beat either of them - but I didn't think we weren't too far off on the other moves - maybe just lacking a bit of polish. However, I did my test, felt rather relaxed and actually pleased to have done it.
Didn't expect to place with the Prelim test (and only barely did - but only cos there weren't many in the class) and the novice test there were only three, so knew I would get a third. But what I didn't expect was a score of 71.6% -- with my first ever 9! There wasn't much between the three novice test scores.
As far as results go - have placed better in bigger classes. But while it may seem like nothing to those that go out and compete alone on a regular basis - to me it was a really good day out. I left feeling pleased that it all went more or less to plan.
Last edited:
What for? Well done! I have never scored a 9 - although I did score a 20 once, but admittedly it was a dressage test performed for the local schoolchildren and 'judged' by them 
