Help a hunter out: dressage clinic with BNT

[DarkBayUnicorn]

Somebody hold my hand!

My fabulous H/J trainer has booked an in-barn clinic with a local dressage BNT for this weekend. Not only will I be riding my A/O hunter in one of the lessons, as a special “treat” for us all, said BNT will be riding my 4-year-old future superstar hunter at the end of the day!!!

I know the dressage trainer and he is fabulous, and particularly good at dressage for H/J horses and riders (his wife is my trainer’s trainer). But any tips on prep? Turnout? And I’m guessing he won’t want to ride in my 16.5-inch, very flat Antares CC saddle…

[beowulf]

If he is good at dressage for H/J horses and riders, I bet he is used to the H/J attire and will not clutch his pearls when he sees your barn roll out in their customary H/J outfits. Dress the way you would for a GM clinic.

For a dressage clinic, I typically see the horses are bathed and clipped, with braided manes at the Very Fancy clinics and pulled/trimmed manes at the other clinics (FTR, I have never braided for a clinic with a BNT). Clean saddle pad, usually white or a non-distracting solid color, and some pairs go for matching polos. Personally, I like to keep the horse’s legs bare as I think polos can be distracting if they are white, though they do look good… Tail should be free of debris and combed out, we bang tails before a clinic but I think in H/J world you have a different way of dealing with tails.

As far as saddles go, ride in the saddle that fits your horse. It should not matter - you are not a dressage rider, so why would you ride in a dressage saddle?

As far as riding prep… work a lot on your transitions. Many of the clinics I have attended have really honed in on the accuracy and timing of good upward/downward transitions. Polish your leg yield and half-pass (if the horse knows it) and have fun!

[DarkBayUnicorn]

@beowulf

As far as saddles go, ride in the saddle that fits your horse. It should not matter - you are not a dressage rider, so why would you ride in a dressage saddle?

Thanks.

The saddle question is more for when the trainer is riding my youngster at the end of the day.

We’re mid-show season so all hunky-dory on the trims and mane pulls for the mare, and I will tidy up the boy tonight.

Mare does her lateral work. Baby is just learning sideways steps and we’ve recently been asking him for more longitudinal adjust-ability at all paces. Transitions are always a good thing to practice.

I’m actually quite excited!

[Texarkana]

If your horse doesn’t already go in a dressage legal bit, it might be beneficial to use one for the clinic, so long as you can do so safely.

For example, it can be challenging to achieve the appropriate levels of contact required for dressage in some bits that are perfectly legal for hunters, like twisted mouthpieces or giant correction ports.

Have fun! And if you’re anything like me, be prepared to be told to sit back A LOT! :lol:

[hoopoe]

agree that the purpose of this clinic is to how to improve your flat work . this means you need to use the saddle you have. I started dressage while riding hunter and you simply sit in the saddle. Agree to make sure you are using a simple snaffle. So many people correct the front end of the horse by bitting up, rather than working properly from the back to correct carriage and bend. clean neat and tidy like any clinic and you will do fine. gloves , black or brown are fine

[alicen]

You had better ask the trainer about the saddle difficulty.

[DarkBayUnicorn]

Thanks all!

Both horses go in french link snaffles so no issues there.

[SendenHorse]

I would not change saddles, no. White pad, black or white boots/polos.
There isn’t as much difference in good turnout as people think between the diciplines, a lot of horses do both.

[2DogsFarm]

Use the saddles that fit your horses. & that you (& trainer) are comfortable riding in - with priority to what fits the horses.
A good clinician will not care what horse is wearing.
I took a clinic with an O Judge (Goetz Weber-Stephan <SP?) and he did ask why I rode in my A/P Stubben, but when I explained it was my only saddle he was fine & merely suggested I might want to invest in a dressage saddle when I moved up the Levels.

[Saskatoonian]

Third, fourth, or whatever on not changing saddles. As for turnout, gotta admit that the few BNT dressage clinics I’ve done have been in TS, polo, shiny field boots - just to subtly keep expectations in check.
If someone’s going to video you (highly recommended!), white polos are great, but practice in them first because they’re also distracting if you have mirrors (what are those q-tips??!).
Have fun!