Penalised for collected canter??

[casey]

I have not had my horse long, he is an novice eventer, but hasn't competed in that sphere for a long time.
His owners have asked me to have him for a year, while she has her baby. I originally wanted him to jump, but realised he needs extensive flatwork and a complete new way of going.
So I decided to compete him in dressage for the time being.

Anyway, yesterday I competed him in prelim 7 although I got 62% the judge commented to me after that my canter was too collected, and he would expect to see this canter in elementary and above. And next time I compete in a prelim, could I move the canter on a little...........??

Can anyone give me an insight into this thinking. Surely this shows a higher level of training and shouldn't be penalised for.
:)

[Lgd]

The test specifies working canter , so if you are riding a more collected pace it does not meet the requirements of the movement.

At Novice you only have to show medium and working canter, but at elementary you may be asked to show working, collected and medium canter in the same test.

[entreat]

I agree with Lgd. Otherwise you'd get a whole bunch of smartypants winning the Prelim just to get more ribbons. Not saying that you are said smartypants, but I'd stick to what the test asks for.

[casey]

lol, no not said smartypants.:D Actually didnt read the test before going in, got caller instead.

[LynneAC]

Yep, same as doing flying changes if your horse goes into canter on the wrong lead! You don't get credit but you DO get told that it isn't necessary at this level :) They expect you to come back to trot and try again (assuming, of course, that you actually realise that you're on the wrong lead ...... something that I can do when I'm thinking about it but blank out if I REALLY need to check it!)

[virtuallyhorses]

Its not to do with harder or easier, you as the rider need to show that you understand the differences between the required paces and can ask for and receive the correct quality of work.

So if working is asked for you must be able to give it. It's no different from say being asked for medium and you give extended or being asked for a 20m circle and you give a 15m - sure 15 is harder but that's not what's required in the test.

[IrisSilverMoon]

actually i've never seen a judge tell anyone they should have been doing medium and not extended, there's so little difference.

Of course the real problem comes later when you have a test that askes for medium and THEN asks for extension.

So that's pretty much it, what others have said, you need to show you know the difference between the gaits. At a level where you are doing working trot, they want to know your horse is freely moving forward at a good pace. you aren't supposed to be doing collections, whether you are or not, you need to show you know the difference, otherwise you might get marks along the lines of, "horse not forward enough" or "needs to be freer with gaits" Some judges do recognise that you are doing collected canter on purpose and mark you down for that, but others will assume you aren't doing that yet, and assume it is another problem.