Ring Craft

[dotneko]

I see a lot of little things while judging where riders throw points away. Can we start a thread to improve test riding skills?

Ill start:
When you enter the ring, turn inside of A rather than beyond it. It is much easier to slightly yield the horse to the center line rather than ‘steer’ them back. This is even more important at canter than trot.

There are two center lines (at least) in every test. All horses are pretty much equal on the center line. Practice riding them at home. I give most of my 9s and 10s there.

Know how long it takes to trot all the way around the outside of the ring. That way, if the judge rings the bell in an awkward place, you know whether or not you need to turn around or can continue in the direction you are pointing.

If there is something scary near your ring, ride your horse in both directions past it. They see differently out of their right and left so let them see it both ways.

If you don’t know your test, have a reader. No shame or point loss and it saves me having to eliminate you for 3 off courses.

Start rising a couple of steps early before the start of the stretch circle. That way, you can be sure to be on the correct diagonal - wrong does not cost points, but correct may encourage better swing.

Who else has some?

[keysfins]

Practice a straight, square halt. Make every halt straight and square when schooling, and it will become automatic. Ride the horse forward into the halt, so you will have the power to push off after the halt. You CAN get 8’s and 9’s for a very nice halt, and it makes a super first impression down centerline.

Be accurate in your figures and transitions, or you will give points away.

Don’t drop your head down when you salute the judge, that “chin to chest” can throw off your balance more than you realize, and your horse’s. A nod is sufficient, with the arm drop.

Know which movements are double coefficient movements in your test.

Use your corners to rebalance your horse.

Collect your horse just a bit before going into the extended gait; it will help to show the difference within the gait.

Know your horse’s strengths and weaknesses, and showcase that beautiful free walk if that is your horse’s strength. (Walk is usually a double coefficient, too!)

Will think of more…

[keysfins]

Oh, a biggie!

BREATHE!!!

If you can pat your horse for trying (without disrupting your test), that can be a nice moment to ease tension.

Look up, look ahead. Avoid staring at your horse’s neck or ears, instead, look where you want to go. This can help keep a movement straight, when it needs to be straight–centerline, walk work, etc.

Keep checking your horse’s attention and responsiveness, especially to half halts. Remember to release the rein.

Know how your horse is likely to behave at a show environment. You may need to be a bit more quiet with your aids if your horse is… energetic!, so you won’t have a huge over-reaction to your aids.

[dotneko]

Prepare your turn - especially off the center line. Many times I see a wonderful halt and salute, then the rider waits until the last second and pulls on the reins to turn - remember c track left (or right) is connective tissue.

[CFFarm]

Ride the appropriate level

[JenEM]

@keysfins

Be accurate in your figures and transitions, or you will give points away.

The test I rode this weekend had the final halt at G. I watched several other riders do this test while standing with a friend, and I actually turned and asked her “G is between H and M, right? I didn’t halt at the wrong spot?” because at least half of the other rides I saw halted at I. I know we’re not incredibly fancy, so being accurate is something I strive for, because that is one place we can be strong. I always like getting “prompt” or “accurate” as a comment.

[theresak]

If there is only one judge, they can’t see the horse’s head at the end of diagonals or long sides when your back is to them. If you need to fix a runaway or strong horse, do it there before the corner.

Make the gait very small in the corner before and corner after a lengthen, medium, or extended trot or canter. Especially if you don’t have big/fancy mover, the more difference you can show before and after, the more the judge can reward for the transitions and the medium/extended.

Don’t salute with the whip in your hand.

If there is some poop in your way for something like walk work or a walk pirouette, change your whole line just slightly so you don’t ride over it and risk a wiggle, break in rhythm, etc. I’ve seen this in TOH where someone rode right over the poop and her horse wouldn’t step in it during the turn, which really broke the rhythm.

Unless the horse will run away with you, give all or almost all the reins in the free walk. The more you practice this at home, the better you and the horse will get in the ring staying focused and straight in the free walk.

[beowulf]

MASTER YOUR COEFFICIENTS!

Seriously!! You can get SO many points if you practice and really perfect your coefficients! Especially at the lower levels when they are usually ‘easier’ movements - it’s practically free points.

I used to have a gelding that killed it at the freewalks - he wasn’t a great dressage horse (eventer) but working on mastering the coefficients yielded a big difference in the final score – also, don’t forget that the collective marks (at the bottom) are doubled…

It makes a big difference when you get an 8 for your free walk vs a 6 when it’s a coefficient… so… start practicing.

In some of the lower eventing tests, the canter transitions are between letters, IE, between A to K – C to M – on the side the judges are on, they can’t always see the corners or your horse’s head – a good place to plan transitions if yours are less than stellar and the movement calls for it.

[Mondo]

The turn onto the centerline is 1/2 a 10 m circle in the corner. No more, no less. Practice it at home.

In higher levels, when entering at canter - start collecting well before X so that you don’t “slam on the brakes” for the halt.

In free walk, start giving the rein just as you turn the corner and start to straighten. That way you won’t get “late to develop” comments.

Prepare for every move ahead of time - transitions should never be abrupt.

If you aren’t going to use a whip, DON’T CARRY ONE!

Even if you have a reader, memorize your test.

Training and first level riders: there is NO collection at these levels. GO FORWARD

I’m sure I’ll think of more.

[Draftmare]

@dotneko

When you enter the ring, turn inside of A rather than beyond it. It is much easier to slightly yield the horse to the center line rather than ‘steer’ them back. This is even more important at canter than trot.

Finally figured this out this year, and my center lines have improved so much. Instead of overshooting and then having to get back into line, by undershooting I find myself right on the line each time.

@dotneko

If there is something scary near your ring, ride your horse in both directions past it. They see differently out of their right and left so let them see it both ways.

Amazes me the amount of people who forget to let their horse see the judges box out of both eyes.

[SillyHorse]

Going across the diagonal, aim for a spot a little before the letter. You will be at the letter and going straight after you make your turn.

[atlatl]

@Mondo

The turn onto the centerline is 1/2 a 10 m circle in the corner. No more, no less. Practice it at home.

I don’t think this is correct for all levels. I was taught that the corners should be ridden no larger than the smallest circle/volte in the test which can be less than 10m. A well ridden corner of 8 or even 6 meters is a place to collect your horse and gain points.

[theresak]

For the shallow loop - aim for E or B out of the corner instead of X. You’ll get a much clearer change of bend and have it correctly positioned over X instead of before or after the center line.

[Mondo]

What part of turn onto the centerline translates to “well ridden corner” to you? I wasn’t talking about riding the corner, I was talking about hitting the centerline the first try.

[atlatl]

@Mondo

What part of turn onto the centerline translates to “well ridden corner” to you? I wasn’t talking about riding the corner, I was talking about hitting the centerline the first try.

Sorry I wasn’t clear enough for you. Turning onto the centerline is riding a corner as in a 90 degree change of direction. It’s not “in the corner” per se, but it is, geometrically speaking, a corner.

If you want to hit the centerline the first try, you can ride an appropriately sized 90 degree turn in the corner of the court, go straight, then do another appropriately sized 90 degree turn onto the CL which will, when well ridden, score a boatload higher than doing half a 10 m circle. Sheesh!

[keysfins]

Read and understand the directives of the test and level you are riding. Read the “Purpose” of the test, and what movements are introduced.

Make the most of the collective marks that are available to earn. Impulsion is a double coefficient in 1-3, for example, so show the horse’s willingness to move forward with engagement from behind.

Know your geometry, especially the circles and half circles that are smaller than 20m. Similarly, know your geometry when your test has a movement that is not simply across the diagonal.

If you go off course, try not to panic. Listen to the judge, take a moment to breathe! Then pick up the test where you are directed, and think ahead to your next movement. Think forward and ahead, don’t dwell on the error as it is behind you.

Put your horse in a slightly shoulder fore position (slightly) if the horse is looky or spooky at a flowerpot or photographer.

A smooth, flowing transition a step early or late is usually better than a poor, abrupt transition precisely located at the marker.

This is is an odd one but can help a rider with confidence if the rider can do this without becoming confused.
Instead of memorizing your test from the beginning, memorize it from the end, backwards. It is typical to memorize in A-B-C-D… fashion, which makes sense as one movement flows to the next. If you can also memorize it as Z-Y-X-W… you will always know the next movement and ‘landmark’ that is coming up. All the tests end with a centerline, halt, salute–that is “Z” in this method. “Y” would be the turn on to centerline. “X” would be movement before the turn, and so on. The idea of “back chaining” the movements in this way helps the rider’s confidence that s/he knows the next movements coming up. Ideally, this helps the rider to know the test “backward and forward”.

If you have a reader, be sure the reader knows that s/he may only read the test movement once, and may not otherwise speak to you until you exit the arena. If possible, practice with your reader so you are comfortable with the pace of calling the movements.

BTW, good topic, Dotneko!

[Dutchmare433]

^^Learning it backwards is one way, I make sure I know it from any point, so I can start in the middle (or any point in the test) and get to the end. A lot of people only memorize from A enter ______ and it’s harder to pick up if you make a mistake.

Accuracy is super important, and something that everyone can do, whether you have a fancy mover or not. Ditto movements like halts, centerlines, rein backs, and turns on the haunches (little different category than the others, but you don’t need a world-beater walk to do a solid TOH).

It’s easy enough to set up cones and practice movements.

[BigMama1]

At the lower levels:

If you break from canter to trot early or during your circle, don’t just keep trotting to the next letter. Pick up the canter immediately and make the trot transition in the correct place. Same if you get a wrong lead. Better to fix it than leave it wrong and continue to the next movement.

In Training and First you don’t get bonus points for doing the test in sitting trot. If your horse goes better in rising trot, if you ride better in rising, or you tend to get tired and start bouncing in sitting trot during the test, rise for the whole test.

In loops to X and back to the wall, GET TO THE CENTRE LINE. The judge can clearly see when you don’t make it to X.

Practice the free walk and stretchy circle endlessly at home. These are the biggest places I see people lose easy marks when I scribe (and the stretchy circle is my nemesis)

I thought this was an obvious one until a young girl at our barn got eliminated for disobedience because she didn’t know the rule - if you horse refuses to go past one corner, the judge’s booth, etc, don’t make an issue of forcing them to do it and eating up your time allowed. Make the turn before you get to C or do what you need to stay on course and continue with your test. Better to blow one movement score than to get eliminated.

At all levels - Halts are supposed to be immobile. Count at least to 3, preferably to 5 before moving off.

if you go off course or forget your test, don’t ask your reader, coach or someone on the rail for help. Instead halt in front of the judge and he / she will instruct you where to resume the test.

If your horse has a complete meltdown and / or you blow two or three movements in a row, come up to C and salute the judge to retire from the class. Then politely ask the judge if time permits you to continue with the test hors concours. Your score will not be posted and will not count, but you will still get the benefit of the judge’s comments and marks.

[J-Lu]

There are a lot of good ideas on this thread, and at the risk of repeating them, I’d like to add my two cents.

Accuracy in figures and transitions are the keys to the kingdom! Know where in the ring you should be for a 20m, 15m, 10m circle.

When reading your test, think about how each movement prepares you for the next movement and ride it that way (that’ll also help you remember the test).

If something goes wrong in the test, remember it is ONLY one movement. Quickly regroup, breathe deeply, let it GO, and move on like nothing happened.

If the test is going south because your horse is having a hard time or is taking advantage, then be prepared to use your test as a training opportunity. You already paid for it. Give a big, noticeable half-halt or two if necessary. Throw in a step or two of leg yield or shoulder-in. Halt (for a course error) and then move on. Circle (for a course error, and break up the momentum). Give an obvious correction if necessary. RIDE. Some horses learn that they can get away with things in the ring because the rider is trying to be subtle. If you have to, “school for the future”. Your scores might get low for a movement or two but a) you might fix the rest of your test and b) you’ll likely get rewarded for RIDING in the collective marks. Of course, if your horse is having too hard a time, simply retire and call it a day. That’s “retiring for the future”.

[TwoTrickPony]

Corners are the secret. Use them. There’s nothing to really judge there, so unless you do something bizarre, it’s your free zone. Use those corners to get the bend, off the inside rein and leg into the outside. You can supple and bend here as well as collect. You can push a little deeper and force the horse to step under into a more collected frame to rebalance, or prepare for lengthen or extended.

Almost all movements are some version of off the inside leg and rein into a steady, collecting outside rein and leg. It’s your circle, turn, and all lateral movements, whether you move into or away from the bend. It is needed for the pirouettes.
Lengthens/extensions are straight, but thinking slightly shoulder fore to the weaker side can really improve the movement, as it can in piaffe and passage. Changes and tempi changes are straight, but straight can come through bend.

Mistakes are fine. Better to get a minus two than completely blow a movement or several.