what would you prefer to see in a prelim dressage test?

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a horse behind the vertical, going quite well from behind but tense, or a horse going from behind, quite relaxed with head slightly above the verticaL

And, would you prefer to see someone give a quick flick with a stick if the horse needed to go more from behind, or someone who had their toes turned out and spurs in the horses sides?

Wjay
 
At prelim level i would just expect to see the horse relaxed and moving forward - being in an outline isnt the be all and end all at that level and i wouldnt like to see a horse behind the vertical at that level although its all too often rewarded incorrectly.
The spurs shouldnt be used for constant 'go' the rider should tap up with the whip if the horse doesnt respond.
 
I agree with charlie007. Also usually if a horse is tense in the back it generally can not be properly through from behind.
 
Although not an expert I have written for judges. A horse with it's head behind the vertical is marked down for being overbent. A horse is marked down for tension through the back. A horse moving actively forward from behind scores higher. Marks are given for a consistent elastic contact but it doesn't want to be hauled into an outline for prelim.
I'd say a tap with the whip is ok, not spurs though.
 
It depends on the degree to which both is happening. Ie. My sister's horse drops behind the vertical at times when he's going because he's still insecure and gangly and dressage is tricky for him. BUT he will get better marks than my horse who is usually above the vertical because he moves better and has a more pleasant attitude. And as for the spurs- they can only mark what the horse is doing and how the horse is responding. If you flick with the whip, head shoots up/ an obvious reaction you will lose more marks than the spur person.
 
I have done a lot of scribing for prelim tests and two of the most frequent comments made by judges are 'becoming overbent' and 'could go forward more'. I think a decent judge can tell the difference between a horse that is young and unbalanced and sometimes falls behind the vertical for that reason, and one that is pulled into an 'outline'.
PS I like the prelim where you have to give and retake the rein in trot as this often shows how genuine the outline actually is!
 
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