Equestrian Life May 2018 Issue

dressage
ANYONE CAN
GET A SUB
30
dressage score!
WORDS BY TINA CANTON BHSI BSC (HONS) UKCC LEVEL 3
Yes, this is a bold statement,
but I truly believe that with a
bit of focus and effort even an
ordinary moving horse, with an
average rider can present a test that the
judge just has to give good marks to! I
often see people throwing marks away
with things that are a very simple fix. So,
by following the few suggestions below,
let’s see if we can put a smile on the
judges’ face, and yours when you go to
the scoreboard!
UNDERSTAND THE
1 GERMAN SCALES OF
TRAINING
• Rhythm;
• Suppleness;
• Contact;
• Impulsion;
• Straightness;
• and, eventually,
Collection
This is what all judges base their marks
on. If you fulfil them - it is very hard for
them to justify a bad mark!
The most important one at lower levels
is RHYTHM. No matter what level the
horse is at this is key! I often see horses
being rushed out of their natural rhythm.
Try to get yourself videoed riding a test
or even schooling at home. You will be
amazed how rushed it often looks. Try
slowing it down a bit in schooling. It
may take a while for the horse to learn
to balance and stay in front of your aids
but, it will make test riding easier as it
will buy you some time to think. It also
allows you to prepare movements better.
Often people rush as they confuse speed
with impulsion - they are totally different
creatures!
TRY TO MAINTAIN A
2 CONSISTENT OUTLINE
Number 3 on the scales of training is
contact. This is only as good as your
hands! Remember both ends of the
rein counts. If your horse is difficult or
resistive in the contact it may be time
to go back to basics. Obviously check all
the obvious thing such as dental care,
saddle fitting, lameness, injuries etc. At
home we often go back to working horses
from the ground - specifically lunging, to
re-educate them to soften to the pressure
of a contact. Avoid at all costs see-sawing
at a horse’s mouth. All this does is annoy
them and create a wobbly nose and a
sore mouth. It is always worth looking at
your horse’s mouth conformation. Often
horses with a big tongue work better in a
ported bit - but this would not be suitable
for a horse with a low palate. There are
bitting clinics available for specialist help
- or ask your trainers advice.
TRY TO BE AS ACCURATE
3 IN YOUR MOVEMENTS AS
YOU CAN
How many times have we all missed a
38 May 2018 Equestrian Life