Learning dressage tests... UPDATED

Rubic

Rubic

Equine Karaoke Queen
Apr 15, 2012
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Glasgow
Why on earth do I always leave it to the last minute!?! It stresses me out and makes me even more nervous than usual if I don't know them. I'm sitting in work sneakily trying to go through them both on my little school drawn out on my notepad :p It is going to be a really busy night as well. I am now dreading it!

I've got 2 tonight and I don't know either. I usually look at them and practice the elements separately in the run up and have one full run through of the test before I go but I've not been able to practice at all for about a week. This could be interesting...
 
Good luck! I hope your low expectations are exceeded and you end up pleasantly surprised. Perhaps the leaving it to the last minute is a sub-conscious recognition that you work better under pressure?
 
Give me 5 minutes to remember a course of 13 jumps and I'm just fine. Give me 6 weeks to remember a dressage test and I'm screwed!
 
Trot it in the kitchen on foot!!!

This is how I remembered ONE dressage test. I absolutely could not remember more than one at a time!!! Good luck sweetie!
 
Haha, a friend "rides" it in her living room.

It didn't go particularly well to be honest. Well I thought the intro test was fab but the judge obviously didn't like it and we came 4th (out of 6) with possibly my worst dressage score to date. Gutted :( Prelim was hairy with the usual crap canter. I give up, think I need to find another sport that I'm good at haha!:confused:

ETA I ended up getting someone to call it. Good job as I was going to get the intro and prelim muddled up!
 
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I find that the more I think that my horse went well, the worst scores that we get.

It's all good fun though, we are so used to coming last that it doesn't bother me anymore. At least my horse is nice and calm in the warm up.

Did you enjoy it? Hopefully yes.
 
To be honest I enjoyed the test until I came out and the woman who was writing for the judge came over and spoke to me and said that she thought I'd be disappointed with my scores. She said she thought the judge was really quite harsh on us and a bit generous with others. It didn't set me up well for the prelim to be honest and I just felt like going home at that point, I sort of wish I had. I'm disappointed because it was our last test before Honey is given back to her owners (she is on loan to my friends). I don't know how but we got a better score in the prelim where she was tense and rushing and I rode like a sack of spuds.

I have tried so hard with the small amount of time that I actually get to ride Honey to stop her from rushing and stropping and to end up with a bad result hasn't done my confidence much good. She can be a difficult horse to ride. I really did think we had been doing well. I think the bad score coupled with an awful hack back with Honey flinging herself around and 2 absolute moronic drivers, one who cut me up by about 1/2 a metre and another who overtook a police car (with flashing lights parked up dealing with a 1 car crash) then accelerated and wheel-spun as he overtook me just ruined my night. Honey just about exploded. It wasn't worth the time or money. If I'd got something constructive out of it then I wouldn't feel so bad but when I read the score sheet I felt like there was nothing good about our test at all.
 
That's the problem with dressage judges. Some are so harsh and seem to enjoy writing such horrible comments. But then you get the judges who write positive things and it makes the whole experience so much nicer.

I do know how demoralising it is see a test sheet which makse you feel terrible, but just remember it is one persons opinion and doesn't mean that they are correct.

I admire you for dealing with car drivers. I just couldn't do it. Give yourself and break and think positive things. How is Rubic at the moment?
 
Awww Rubic i really feel for you. Don't be disheartened.

I think the lady was trying to be nice telling you the judge had been harsh, but i think she should have waited until after the prelim to tell you that, i can understand how it sent your confident plummeting :(

I haven't done any dressage since last August, i really need to have a kick up the bum to get back into it
 
Aw Rubic, what a shame, I can understand your feeling. But, but ,but, you went and had a go and yeah, maybe didn't do quite so well as you usually do etc, but I tell you what, if I ever end up being confident and able enough to get out of my arena and actually do something, I will be pleased even if they find a place below last for me! Hahahaaa. I know that doesn't help you, but I respect everyone on here who has a go at anything, be it dressage, xc, hunting etc etc - I am in awe and I think you should cut yourself some slack. Boo hiss to mean judge comments though!
 
Mary Poppins said:
That's the problem with dressage judges. Some are so harsh and seem to enjoy writing such horrible comments. But then you get the judges who write positive things and it makes the whole experience so much nicer.

I do know how demoralising it is see a test sheet which makse you feel terrible, but just remember it is one persons opinion and doesn't mean that they are correct.

I admire you for dealing with car drivers. I just couldn't do it. Give yourself and break and think positive things. How is Rubic at the moment?
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Rubic was kicked 3 weeks ago on her bad leg and it needed stapled. She got the staples out on Monday so I'll see how she is next week and maybe get back on then. She seemed sound when I trotted her up before the vet arrived on Monday so hopefully it won't have had any adverse affects on her joint.
 
juliecwuk said:
Awww Rubic i really feel for you. Don't be disheartened.

I think the lady was trying to be nice telling you the judge had been harsh, but i think she should have waited until after the prelim to tell you that, i can understand how it sent your confident plummeting :(

I haven't done any dressage since last August, i really need to have a kick up the bum to get back into it
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I think she told me because she was angry about it, I don't think she was enjoying writing for that judge! I've written for her once before and didn't really like her much either although I didn't think her marking was as harsh as it was last night.
 
Trewsers said:
Aw Rubic, what a shame, I can understand your feeling. But, but ,but, you went and had a go and yeah, maybe didn't do quite so well as you usually do etc, but I tell you what, if I ever end up being confident and able enough to get out of my arena and actually do something, I will be pleased even if they find a place below last for me! Hahahaaa. I know that doesn't help you, but I respect everyone on here who has a go at anything, be it dressage, xc, hunting etc etc - I am in awe and I think you should cut yourself some slack. Boo hiss to mean judge comments though!
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Ahhh true. I think I'll be giving dressage a miss until I get another of my own to be honest though!
 
Sorry it didn't go well. But if YOU thought it was a good test and were happy with it then that is more important than the score you got. Have to say this is why I prefer showjumping though - a fault is a fault is a fault, and there ain't no opinions involved!
 
joosie said:
Sorry it didn't go well. But if YOU thought it was a good test and were happy with it then that is more important than the score you got. Have to say this is why I prefer showjumping though - a fault is a fault is a fault, and there ain't no opinions involved!
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That is exactly what I said last night! You either jump the fence and clear it or you don't! Simple!
 
Write it off . We had one of those sheets, unfortunately for a competition that was important to us . Test was good, not going to challenge the winners who had a mainly hired professional riders but we and other watchers were mystified not only by an appaling mark but by the comment, 'horse very naughty today'...wondered if she had dosed off half way and dreamt a test !!!
 
Hey it happens to us all. I now come out and say if I thought he went well and if I thought I did if it is a yes to both that's better than a good score or nice comments. X
 
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