A few questions

[Jessey]

OK I am hoping to take Bo out to dressage this year, now we finaly have a saddle to fit and all that :p I haven't done a dressage test in over 15 years so bear with me :o

I have loads of questions so will bung them all on the same thread :D

1) Can I use a myler comfort snaffle with copper inlays and copper roller? or a straight bar happy mouth bit?

2) I assume I can leave his mane long (he is anglo arab)?

3) He can't wear boots right?

4) He has a black dressage saddle and a black bridle, don't normally bother with a flash just caverson and a white square, that OK right?

5) Can I wear beige jods and a tweed hacking jacket? with black boots and velvet hat? should I wear a tie or stock with that? should I wear a hair net?

6) Can I wear spurs? and/or carry a whip?

7) Roughly what manouvers would you expect at the lower levels? ie prelim and novice

8) Where can I get some example tests from?

I'm not a BD member or anything but would do it if worth while? initially I would just be doing some local stuff - if he manages to keep his feet on the ground and do well then I want to maybe go further with him.

Here is the fat boy (in a pelham preparing for a beach ride)
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/Jessey129/c9df773f.jpg

[ALP]

Hi Jessey

Done some BD dressage stewarding in the past so can answer a few questions.

No to spurs or a whip (whips are aloud during warmup, but must be dropped before entereing arena).
No to boots
Yes to saddle and bridle
I would say yes to a hairnet
Yes to tweed jacket, long black boots and velvet hat. Sorry unsure about stock/tie

Sorry I probably have not been much help. This is just what I experienced stewarding at an Affiliated ODE.

[Blackhorse]

1 No to the myler and copper rollers as it is 2 different types of metal in the mouth piece.

2 Yes you can leave his mane long but anglos should be pulled only pure breds left long.

3 No boots

4 Tack is fine

5 Tie or stock, does not matter. Yes your hair must be in a hairnet if it is past you collar.

6 Yes you can use spurs and a whip its only at certain championships they are not allowed.

7 Prelims are mainly walk trot and canter 20 metre circles on both reins change of rein. Some now have give and retake in trot and trot walk trot transitions. Novice same as above give and retake in canter medium trot and medium canter.

8 You can buy tests at your local tack shop or dressage diagrams on line.

[andreaB]

hi

most unaff comps use bd rules , pwesonally i wouldn't affiliate until you are established at novice , it costs around £100 a year to register you & ned & classes tend to be 50% -100% more in cost than unaff comps

re your questions

bit 1 no , 2 yes
mane is fine but you could plait if you want
no boots
tack fine
you fine , stock or tie & neat hair with net if long

spurs & whip are allowed bdsome rc's do however state they don't allow them but most do go with bd rules

prelim is basically walk trot canter, free walk , 20m circles , think 3 loop serpentines , 10m half circles pos just walk

novice brings in 15m circles , medium trot & canter , simple changes , change through trot , trot 10m half circles , there's rein back in one test

[Jessey]

Thanks guys, I didn;t think you could use the '2 tone' bits, but he likes his happy mouth anyway :D
I will probably do a latice in his mane - keep it out of the way :p and I will double check re spurs and/or whip with the organiser, we just need one or the other to get the Fat Boy's best work :rolleyes: though at a party he might not need quite so much encouragement :p
Both Prelim and novice are well within his grasp from the sounds of it, think I will just go order some tests to practice with before we look for a comp to go to :D

ETA: does your trot work have to be rising at the low levels or is it the other way round and it has to be sitting at the high levels? :rolleyes: :o

[andreaB]

you can do sitting trot if you want

only compulsory from medium , used to be elementary

eg for elemen , my ned collects better in sitting so would do collected trot sitting & the rest rising

[Jessey]

Great Thanks :D

[emlybob]

you can do sitting trot if you want



This is correct but judges like to see rising trot at the lower levels as the horse can then swing through his back more. At prelim and novice sitting trot can be look down at , as inexerienced horses are not yet strong enough to carry a rider and work correctly.

It obviously is up to you but as someone who has judged a few prelims and novices, seeing any horse being ridden in sitting trot to me makes them look tense and lacking engagement

[Jessey]

Hmm thanks, he isn't a young or novice horse, he was just trained western for years :D we are now re focussing on dressage :p he feels like he moves fine sitting, but I will get my RI's opinion on that.
My only reason for asking is that due to an old injury he tends to throw me onto the left diagonal no matter which way we are going and I thought doing sitting would be better than getting it wrong - we are obviously working on this, but its taking a wihle to break his habbit :p