How Do I Start

[Lucy J]

I would very much like to do dressage with my youngster. What are the first tests like? what will be expected of me? does anyone have an example test you can post for me to practise? Can I use a flash noseband and is a white polypad OK? I know I can't use boots. Any help is appreciated. There is an equestrian centre close by that does such tests and I would like to go.

How do I practise? I've never really done dressage before.
Thanks

[Mehitabel]

unaffiliated dressage is quite easy to get into and good fun. flash nosebands are fine, and most places are fairly easy going about turnout. i'm assuming you aren't planning to jump right in at affiliated level?
prelim tests are quite straightforward, the kind of thing i do with people in lessons. one of them (prelim 2 i think) doesn't have any canter in. prelim tests are a good way to introduce your baby to competing without asking too much of her. things like 20m circles, changes of rein, 1/2 circles and that kind of thing.
have fun!

[Lucy J]

our 20m circles look like squashed melons!!!! best start working!

I didn't think about affiliated......unaffiliated is fine for me!!! I want to affiliate her with BSJA to showjump in the future, but I feel I should force myself to do some dressage now to teach her what she needs to learn, I am not one for schooling, but she needs it, so if I can compete (even if that is badly!) it will make me teach her and gives me something to work towards.

[Tina J]

Why not ask at the equestrian centre if they would be prepared to organise a dressage training half day. They could talk you through what is expected, get someone to ride a test, giving a running commentary on what sort of marks they would be getting and how they could improve, and then take you through the individual movements of a couple of tests, and then get you to ride a practice test after.

A centre local to me did this last year and it was a big hit, even for people who didn't want to compete, but wanted to find out more. I took my chap along, as up to then we had been working entirely on our own, and I wanted to work him with other horses around, in a non-stressed atmosphere. We made useful guinea pigs and it helped him a lot.

If you can find a local riding club to join, who run unaffiliated competitions, you could also suggest that they do a similar course. Maybe with sessions split for those who want to progress beyond novice level, and those who are total beginners at competing.

[Lucy J]

only problem at the moment is there is not much local (I'm in a small livery yard) and I don't have any transport - I have to wait until someone else is going to a show, which is difficult.

[Tina J]

That is difficult. You could still ask the equestrian centre about doing a half day introduction to dressage though, but using school horses. (Which is mainly what happened at the place I mentioned - there were only two of us brought our own horses). The more people you get to know as well, the more chance you have of finding someone who shares the same interests and doesn't mind giving you a lift now and again.

[Lgd]

All the prelim tests have walk, trot and canter in them. Half 10 m circles in walk and trot, 20m circle in canter. All in working trot/canter no lengthening. Walk is medium walk and free walk ona long rein. I don't have my test sheets with me but I do have them on my home computer. I'll save them to disk tonight and try and e-mail them to you on an attachment tomorrow so you can have look - they are in Lotus WordPro so if you are using MS word you will have to specify the file type. Unaffiliated will mostly use the lower level ones such as 4 and 7.

Mark out a 40x20m area at home if you can to practice the tests.

Most simple snaffles are permitted for dressage (if you tell me what you've got I'll tell you if it's legal), flash noseband is OK, as is polypad. No bit rubbers, martingales, boots, fly veils in the test. (you can use the last two when you are warming up, just remember to take them off)

[Lucy J]

I just ride her in a german hollow mouth loose ring snaffle, I was thinking about using a fulmer snaffle too, but I doubt that would be legal. She goes fine in a hollow mouth with a flash. She's a bit young yet for 2 reins I feel, its hard enough for her understanding 1!

[Tina J]

You have to ride in a snaffle of some sort at prelim and novice level anyway. Can't use a double bridle until you get to the higher levels!

Good luck when you do get to your first competitions.