What sort of standard is Flora's dressage - advice needed?

She was tense and spooky in the first test we did, but I thought she (and I) had relaxed a bit in the second one. Perhaps I didn't (or not enough anyway) which certainly wouldn't have helped matters.
I do go to my RC's clinics but they are in group format rather than individual, and though it is v good experience riding her in company, there obviously isn't the time to spend on 1 person's problem in depth. Also had lessons with John Bowen last year, but I don't think he's coming over any time soon again. I will try and put my thinking cap on and get someone, or else as I said before, be very honest with current instructor and get a kick up the bum.

FIona
 
I wil be back at that venue a few times anyway in the next month, as our eventer's dressage is run there so hopefully she will start to relax there and go a bit better.
If she doesn't settle there, she is unlikely to be any better eventing (where there are normally a couple of SJ rings or the XC course nearby).
I wish John was coming over to teach this year though. He is v honest and calls a spade a spade with regard to where you sre at at present and what work you have done/what you want to achieve.

Fiona
 
She is lovely, but as previously said, she is still green! I think your main thing to help at the moment, is to slow everything down alot. She looks a little bit rushed still, and by slowing your rising so she has to concentrate on what you are telling her, you can then work on transitions and engagement. My boy is built very similarly, so it is doubly important to keep everything slow and very controlled in Rhythm so she can learn to balance and work uphill a bit more.

It will come, you have done a brilliant job so far, and she is lovely, so dont get disheartened!!
 
Right have watched both vids and have read responses - and the first thing I want to say is please don't get disheartened - the thing with dressage is the more you both go out and do it - the more experienced you will both become - you looked happy with your mare after the test finished so try to keep that in the back of your mind whilst you take on people's constructive comments.

A few pointers that I picked up that judges always comment upon are that your horse isn't supple and swinging over her back - she's not straight and shows this by falling out through her shoulder on circles and if you watch your turns from B to E and backwards - when you ask her to turn she doesn't bend around your leg to turn, and thereby stepping into the tracks of the forefeet with her hind - she bends her neck (to let you believe that she's bending
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) and then swings her back end around - The lack of forwardness and impulsion can be dealt with once she becomes more supple and straight but I'd work on half halts to help with her balance and to try to encourage her off her forhand.

A few riding tips for you - I noticed that throughout your test you weren't riding accurately - you threw marks away for this - judges like to see you ride from marker to marker - that your 20 metre circles are actually 20 metres and touch the sides of the arena - not becoming 16-17metre circles - and use your corners - they are meant to be your friend afterall - instead of rounding them off - use them - ride into them, half halt and ride out - it helps rebalance your horse and prepares her for the next movement - whether a trot across the diagonal - or a lovely straight trot down the longside - also ensure that you ride next to the arena edge - not a metre in from it - all these things will help pick up extra marks here and there - But basically I think you are both doing well - it'll get better the more you practice - and getting out there competing is all part of the practice!
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Kate x
 
Thanks Kate
Falling out thru outside shoulder is something we HAVE been told about before, I will watch vid again to see if I can see what you saw. I was watching it earlier, but it was making my eyes go funny trying to see if she was tracking up.
Ditto accuracy - she may have been trying to fall out again which wouldn't have helped the circle size.

I have just remembered, quite a bit of the trot work had the comment 'uneven contact', and I was slightly confused by this (yes I know that I am a muppet). Did the judge mean that my hands weren't still enough, or mean that she was fiddling with her mouth do you think??

Scrooge - I didn't think your boy was built downhill at all, you must be able to disguise it well, he looks great any any photos/clips I have seen.

Fiona
 
Thank you! The uneven contact from what i can see in the Vid is her fiddling with her mouth, but that can be improved by taking a firm but very still contact with your hands and really pushing her into it from your legs. This also encourages the leg to hand contact, and if you control the trot rhythm through your seat, will encourage her to reach for a constant contact and hopefully swing through her back!

My Boy is very deep and big shouldered, and weak through his back end with straight hocks! But he also carries his head quite high most of the time which disguises it...
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Please don't be disheartened.

My boy looked like this and got low 50's when we did our first dressage test when he was 5 after a full year of being in work, and 9 months later was placed at national level - and I didn't get any better at riding in that time
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She just looks unsettled and not strong enough yet. Lots of work on getting her into a consistent contact - don't worry too much if her nose isn't tucked in, so long as you have a cosistent contact and really push her into your reins, she will come right.

Lots of work long and low in trot to build up her muscles, and lots of transitions.

It's horrible when your marks don't reflect how hard you have been working, or how much you have improved, but keep going - she will get there!
 
Thanks Jo.
Can't imagine going to any sort of national champs, just a test in the 30's (60%+)at intro or PN would be great.
Lots of good tips for me to work on and hopefully lessons starting again the week after next.
Found out last night that we got our photo in the local horsy paper from that competition, so that cheered me up a tiny bit as well. Just shows how a still photo can be misleading - we both looked great!!
FIona
 
Saw the photo Fiona, she looked beautiful!! In fact a great phoeo of you both! You obviously impressed the photographer. I think that judge is a tough marker, well has been with us LOL.. chin up you did great..
 
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