Would anyone like to see my dressage test? :)

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minkymoo

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I have entered a dressage test with Dressage Anywhere as I have no transport and my nerves get shot in the warm up so I thought this would be a good idea...

This is our first test since April last year (and the same one) and I am quite pleased. I know there are errors and my position is appalling but I practiced and practiced and even managed to memorize the test!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KzR_7fAp8k

DISCLAIMER: I do not mind advice, hints & tips that will help me improve those areas that need work, this is quite welcome, but please don't be mean, I work really hard and I constantly strive to improve (which going on my other past tests is happening - albeit slowly!) so play nicely!! :D

thanks!
 
Nice test and nice pone :) First thing that came to me was your pone is escaping through the shoulder on turns and circles so try and keep your outside leg on to stop this happening and try to get more bend through the body rather than just the neck.

Secondly , prepare for your transitions a little more by doing a half halt just before so the hindlegs are more underneath then you can do the transition more from behind which will look much better and more collected.

In the free walk pone looked like he was trying to stretch down much more but you were restricting him , allow him a little more rein and he wont snatch at your hand so much.

Finally - sit up !! it will improve the overall impression 100% and will make you look so much more confident.

PS I hope those comments are what you were looking for , they were not meant to be nasty in anyway :D
 
I really like your horse, I'm guessing by your sig that he is an anglo-arab? :)

He goes nicely forward and its nice to see a horse not having his head either sawwed down or winched in.

All I can say to improve is you look tense, possibly because you were trying to remember the test (I know I get tense when I concentrate) so try and relax a bit and sit deeper in the saddle. I think once you sit back a bit your horse will become lighter on the forehand.

But other than that I think you rode nicely and I do really like your horse. :D
 
Thanks BYR, no, that is perfect, I try to sit up, and even when I think I have & then look back on the video, I still sit like a duck!

Thanks Kokopelli, yes, I was trying to remember my test! set jaw, furrowed brow!! I need to learn to relax more, it is better when I am schooling - honest!

I will take that advice on board and start practicing for the next one :D

And thanks for the nice comments about funnyface! and yes, he is an Anglo Arab, not quite the IDx I was after, but i think he is a dude!
 
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Not sitting on my bum is THE WORST habit I have - I HATE that I do it, but I broke my Coccyx about 20 (!) years ago and I have a 'thing' about sitting back on it. As a result, 9 times out of 10, i sit like a duck.

sigh. i cannot get my butt under control.
 
lovely horse and a lovely test. you know your leaning forward but from what i could see it was knocking him on his forhand. other then the fact it wasnt powered totally from behind, i think it was nicely done.
 
im the same - i broke mine twice and i find it difficult to sit back. doesnt help that i rode in a close contact jumping saddle even for flat work :p

one of my old RIs used to make me ride with a jumping crop behind my back - it made me sit up properly but it really hurt :rolleyes:
 
youve got a nice little horse there!btw did you record that tape and send it away to a judge? im just wondering because ive never heard of it before and it sounds like a really good idea.
 
Really nice horse and lovely rhythm...

Only things I would say are..horse is falling out through his shoulder on turns/bends - you need more outside leg, outside rein.....and to bend him around your leg (less inside rein)...

You are aware of this already, but you are leaning quite a long way forward and are perching rather than sitting...this is making your seat unstable, putting your balance off and your are unable to use your seat aids effectively....it also means your seat is bouncing quite a lot in canter....

Little one - you also have your arms straight out in front of you a lot of the time - you need to bend at your elbows and have nice flexible relaxed arms and shoulders.

Hope that helps - it was a lovely video to watch and only a few bits to work on ;)
 
firehead181 - it is a neat idea, a girl at my yard told me about it. you can do all sorts of tests, either the ones for the month (eg the prelim 13 I have done) or any test as a practice test. you then video it from C and then upload it onto the site or email your youtube link. it then gets judged by a BD judge and you get a score!

I decided to do it as I think it is a fair benchmark of how you are doing and how you can improve (clearly in my case, there are a few areas!) without the stress of an away competition.

Royal - Thanks for your pointers, I think they are fair, I do school better (promise!), but for some weird reason I just get tense when I do a test. I am def going to do some more and try to relax more.

That is the great thing about horses though isn't it, there is always room for improvement! :)
 
thanks marianneip i am totally going to do that!!! ive still to get the towbar put on the 4x4 and dont know how long thatll take lol. would be excellent to get some pointers from a BD judge, however is there a fee?
 
yes, i think it costs about the same as entering a test any other way, £12 for a prelim, might be more for the other levels. You save on petrol too!

ooh, I hope you do do it! let me know if you do & show us your test! (you can do the test as many times as you like which is a bonus as I swore twice in mine and then forgot the test 1/2 way through a circle!!).
 
I just got my dressage result! I got 65.42%!!!

I can't believe it! Thank you to everyone who gave me advice, I am going to work on all the points you raised and see if I can get a better score next time!

Thanks guys! :D
 
hey well done!!!!
thats good for money aint it? i never even thought about the petrol there! so thats another bonus! ill defo see about it and put it up. HAHA! i swore in a local show too when my horse ran out at a jump, it was embarasing but pretty hilarious, totally wasnt expecting it.
cheers again marianneip!
 
I think you should be very proud of yourself, you and your horse kept up a lovely consistent rhythm and it flowed very well. Wish my first test would have gone as well as that LOL.

Just need to sit up and tin positive.

well done chuck!
 
I love the idea of this, could you let me know the site address please?
Well done on your test results, you must be very pleased with yourself.
 
iv just registered with that site too, what a good idea-thanks for that! i think this is a great way to boost confidence.

I am no expert but my advice would be similar to what others have said about your 'perching' etc. I would also keep an eye on that outside arm which tends to get a bit flappy (i noticed this because its a habit of mine too!) On the positive side- i thought your horse went really nicely and his halt was lovely. He has a lovely walk, he was really stretching out (which as someone said b4 you could improve on by allowing him more freedom with the reins) can i just ask, and i hope this doesnt come accross rude/ignorant -but what was the wee thing you did with your arms at about 1.12? not sure if you were just pushing him on a little. As i said, not being rude- just curious.
 
Sorry, just found this post as it got a bit buried! elsazzo, it was a give and retake of the reins over the center line (i got an 8 for that!!)

Quartz, the site is www.dressageanywhere.com (that won't count as advertising if answering a question will it?) and I got a rosette in the post for coming 4th so yes, am very pleased with myself!!

So, I am going to do another one I think. Don't too many of you lot do it or I shall never get placed again! ;)

And thank you for all your kind comments! :D
 
Regarding Dressage Anywhere

Just been looking at the rules and one of them regarding dresscode says this

''if a show jacket or hacking jacket is worn, then the horse or pony must wear boots or bandages''

Anybody know why this is? :confused:
 
@kenzo - it's because you're not allowed to submit a video of yourself doing the test at a "real" show. If you're wearing boots or bandages, it proves that you're filming specifically for Dressage Anywhere.

OP - that's a great result, well done! I did the W+T in September and won it, I may do prelim this month but our canter transitions are awful (horse is coming back into work after a 3 month winter break), I was very envious watching yours!
 
Yes, jiffy, that's why, otherwise you can wear what you like and well done in your W&T! Did you check the site constantly? I practically obsessed over it!!

It was lots of fun though I felt sorry for my OH who was filming as when I finished I would just say "going to do it just one more time..." ha ha!
 
My tip for riding straight up the centre line is: as you come off a corner look up towards the judge / A depending on which direction your going and you will naturally end up on the centre line. Also look at your next marker earlier, for example enter at A, C track right, as I turn right I would already looking at the next marker for the next movement in prelim 13 this is B where you do a 20m circle etc etc. I find this makes me sit 'on my bottom' as I'm not looking at my horse / ground. Hope that makes sense. By the way I love the way your horse totally ignores the nosy alpaca - Thats where I would leave the arena - not in an appropriate place at a gallop.

I think you could def hold your own at a competition.
 
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