Worried1
Well-Known Member
Be warned this might be long...
The Background:
My OH has trained at the TTT since he was a Young Rider who started off as an eventer. After he lost his Intermediate horse Hatmnadu he was given the ride on a promising Westfalian gelding who showed potential as a dressage horse. He subsequently him qualified for the Nationals at Novice, Elementary (he won the Elementary title) and Medium before he was PTS sleep following a rare brain infection.
Today:
He is a freelance instructor who still regularly attends the TTT as a trainer and is lucky enough to train with Arthur Kottas, Charles De Kunfey, Stephen Clarke, Klaus and other guests. He also has a regular trainer at home who has competed to Grand Prix.
Lst year he qualified a clients horse for the 6-y-o international and national final at the College. He currently competes our advanced horse at PSG. We also have a 5-y-o stallion and a 6-y-o mare both competing Novice?Elementary and have both done a couple of National Dressage Class qualifiers.
The emphasis on his training and education has always been the welfare of the horse and also to establish the scales of training and maximise the horse's natural potential in every pace.
Here comes the moan:
We pride ourselves on never rushing our horses but instead developing natural support and self carriage. The stallion has only recently begun his competative career having een given time to develop and mature (physically and mentally since we bought him in November 05) He has been out 3 times at Novice. First time out he was 3rd at Oldencraig, he won at Merrist Wood and was fourth at Stilebridge. All comments were things like this horse a very big future or one to watch. Taking this on board we thought we would have a go at Young Horse Classes.
At Oldencaig on Friday both horses excelled themselves. The Mare was 4th in the 6-y-o class so just missed out on qualifying.
The stallion finished 5th out of 24 with an 8 for his walk and 7.8 for canter, way of going and general impression.
He then got a 6.2 for his trot because they said he was unlevel. At one point in the test he tried to break into canter and took a couple of hop steps as horses do. In know way could anyone perceive this to be unlevel - it was at most a slight loss of balance! We watched other riders whose horses fell apart in the trot on a stretch, horses whose walk was lateral and no stretch shown. Horses with fabulous trots who actually couldn't do anything else.
We were so close to qualifying that we decided to have another stab and went to Fenning Farm yesterday.
Again Bitz was stunning, see the pictures in the photo gallery. He was accurate, obdeient with 3 clear correct paces. He can walk, trot and canter and change within the pace without blowing up or falling apart. I will concede that he doesn't have the flashiest exagerated trot that some horses possess but he does have a lovely way of going. He did an even better test than the day before, more polished and presented. I really believed that today was their day and they would qualify. We were truly gutted to get a score sheets back and see flat 7's all the way through. No mention of the irreguar trot but no encouraging comments either. They said he needs to work more from behind. Take a look at the canter picture and tell me if you agree?
We watched others warm up and saw much of the same thing, horses tight in their necks with huge flicky trots that were not always doing much behind, walks which were lateral or did not track up. Canters which verged on being 4 time or with hind quarters that were 'out behind'
The inconsistency in judges marks and comments is very disapointing.
I understand that we won't always beat the big boys and girls but it is gutting that judges can't always see beyond the fashy movement. We presented a well trained and well behaved horse with ability and correct movement and didn't get a look in.
Intrestingly the 5-y-o classes were huge but entries in the 6-y-o classes were tiny - I tjust wondered where all the 6-y-o had gone?
OK rant over, I feel mch better now so thank you if you got this far. I would love to hear your comments it would make me feel better to know other people feel the same way
The Background:
My OH has trained at the TTT since he was a Young Rider who started off as an eventer. After he lost his Intermediate horse Hatmnadu he was given the ride on a promising Westfalian gelding who showed potential as a dressage horse. He subsequently him qualified for the Nationals at Novice, Elementary (he won the Elementary title) and Medium before he was PTS sleep following a rare brain infection.
Today:
He is a freelance instructor who still regularly attends the TTT as a trainer and is lucky enough to train with Arthur Kottas, Charles De Kunfey, Stephen Clarke, Klaus and other guests. He also has a regular trainer at home who has competed to Grand Prix.
Lst year he qualified a clients horse for the 6-y-o international and national final at the College. He currently competes our advanced horse at PSG. We also have a 5-y-o stallion and a 6-y-o mare both competing Novice?Elementary and have both done a couple of National Dressage Class qualifiers.
The emphasis on his training and education has always been the welfare of the horse and also to establish the scales of training and maximise the horse's natural potential in every pace.
Here comes the moan:
We pride ourselves on never rushing our horses but instead developing natural support and self carriage. The stallion has only recently begun his competative career having een given time to develop and mature (physically and mentally since we bought him in November 05) He has been out 3 times at Novice. First time out he was 3rd at Oldencraig, he won at Merrist Wood and was fourth at Stilebridge. All comments were things like this horse a very big future or one to watch. Taking this on board we thought we would have a go at Young Horse Classes.
At Oldencaig on Friday both horses excelled themselves. The Mare was 4th in the 6-y-o class so just missed out on qualifying.
The stallion finished 5th out of 24 with an 8 for his walk and 7.8 for canter, way of going and general impression.
He then got a 6.2 for his trot because they said he was unlevel. At one point in the test he tried to break into canter and took a couple of hop steps as horses do. In know way could anyone perceive this to be unlevel - it was at most a slight loss of balance! We watched other riders whose horses fell apart in the trot on a stretch, horses whose walk was lateral and no stretch shown. Horses with fabulous trots who actually couldn't do anything else.
We were so close to qualifying that we decided to have another stab and went to Fenning Farm yesterday.
Again Bitz was stunning, see the pictures in the photo gallery. He was accurate, obdeient with 3 clear correct paces. He can walk, trot and canter and change within the pace without blowing up or falling apart. I will concede that he doesn't have the flashiest exagerated trot that some horses possess but he does have a lovely way of going. He did an even better test than the day before, more polished and presented. I really believed that today was their day and they would qualify. We were truly gutted to get a score sheets back and see flat 7's all the way through. No mention of the irreguar trot but no encouraging comments either. They said he needs to work more from behind. Take a look at the canter picture and tell me if you agree?
We watched others warm up and saw much of the same thing, horses tight in their necks with huge flicky trots that were not always doing much behind, walks which were lateral or did not track up. Canters which verged on being 4 time or with hind quarters that were 'out behind'
The inconsistency in judges marks and comments is very disapointing.
I understand that we won't always beat the big boys and girls but it is gutting that judges can't always see beyond the fashy movement. We presented a well trained and well behaved horse with ability and correct movement and didn't get a look in.
Intrestingly the 5-y-o classes were huge but entries in the 6-y-o classes were tiny - I tjust wondered where all the 6-y-o had gone?
OK rant over, I feel mch better now so thank you if you got this far. I would love to hear your comments it would make me feel better to know other people feel the same way
