Dress code for first test

[ISH]

Our aim (well, mine ;) ) for 2007 is to do our first Dressage test. Just got a couple of questions aimed at those more experienced in Dressage :)

1) What TO should my horse have? She's a bay 16.2hh ISH. I would pull and plait her mane but is her tail OK if just left au natural or plaited? She has a snaffle flash bridle with French link bit, no martingale. Does she have to have a dressage saddle or is a GP OK?

2) What TO should I have? I have black long boots, white shirt and cream breeches. What colour jacket? Black/navy? Black gloves? Do I need a stock or tie?

3) What test would you recommend for a first test? Purely walk and trot I think as we're still working on our canter.

We're not ready just yet but I am aiming for Spring time :D

Thanks :)

[iloveshearer]

For prelim and walk and trot tests i don't really think it matters that much what you look like, more on how you perform, but it is nice to look the part!

-Her tail would probably be fine left natural or plaited.
-A GP saddle is absolutely fine.
-Your turnout sounds good, what colour hat/hat silk do you have? The colour of your jacket should match this, but either black or navy is fine, and gloves to match! A stock or tie is also fine!

Some of the prelim tests like 1, 4, and 7, are nice and simple ones, but i'm not sure about the walk/trot ones because i've never done one!

Good luck and keep us updated! :D

[andreaB]

all sounds ok to me too

most unaff dressage comps use british dressage tests , they all have canter , although there are one or two that dont involve a full 20m circle

if there is a walk & trot test being run the organiser will usually supply a copy of the test

personally i wouldn't worry about doing the canter , you do see quite a number of horses at unaff prelim that either stike off on the wrong lead , have a laboured transition , break the canter &/or are unbalanced

try to think of it as competing against yourself , to me there no point in getting all 8's & no comments from the judge , i'd rather get 50% & a useful set of comments to help with future schooling & to benchmark progress

good luck:)

[Daffy Dilly]

The thing with dressage is that you're actually marked on your performance, rather than your performance compared against somebody else (as with showing). So you can either make it about winning, by comparing yourself to the other competitors, or you can compete purely with the aim of improving on your last performance to get a higher percentage.

If you take the last approach, nothing can go wrong with your first test at least, so don't start worrying until your second when you're trying to up the standard. ;)

[ISH]

Thanks for the advice everyone :)

My hat is a Champion Ventair in black.

We can do 20m circles in canter but it's not amazingly accurate yet as she's still sorting her balance.

[*Sez*]

Some judges let you skip the canter and you just score 0 for that part of the test :) . Not useful if you're in it to win it, but good for scoring against yourself. Just make sure you tell the judges what you're doing, otherwise they will expect you to re-start the movement to correct your error! :)

[iloveshearer]

...

[eml]

At club level judges will just be happy to see clean horse and rider, see your club rules for what is allowed. Most will stick to BD legal bits but soem will allow you other bits with penalty points.


If you do a test that includes canter don't feel you must do it but let the secretary know in advance as the others say so the judge doesn't penalise you for 'error of course'.


When my daughter was tiny she didn't canter pony at all but did sitting trot for the canter bits to show she knew it was 'different'.

[ISH]

Well I have a lesson tomorrow so I will ask my RI to focus on our canter. We have spent the past few lessons focusing on softening her through turns and TBH we're getting bored so think we need something fresh to focus on.

I think I'll follow your advice and enter a test with canter included and just have a go because at least I'll get some comments and can see what we need to improve on.

:)

[iloveshearer]

Keep us up-dated then :D ....oh and have fun!!!!

[ISH]

Thanks, I will :D

[andreaB]

I think I'll follow your advice and enter a test with canter included and just have a go because at least I'll get some comments and can see what we need to improve on.

:)


thats the spirit , you may well surprise yourself , good luck:)

[Afellpony]

That's the best idea I think. Go along and do the test and hopefully, you'll be presently surprised!!!! Good luck