Take it one level at a time, make it your goal to move up a level a year every year, and see how far you can go. Maybe I’m not understanding your question but shouldn’t every horse train up through the levels as if they were going to reach FEI levels? Some may top out at Second or Third they will let you know, but why would anyone have a long term goal of only showing at lower levels?
Im also confused by the friend’s comment about the horse being in a stall all day. How is that related to competing at FEI levels? Turn out varies from barn to barn but I know plenty of GP riders whose horses are outside every day as they should be.
The individual movements are important but the biggest gap and most frequent judge comment I’ve noticed at Third Level is horses / riders simply not demonstrating enough of what the level requires: not enough uphill balance, engagement, impulsion, collection. A lot of people seem to put a horse in a double bridle because it will do a flying change, and then proceed to ride it in a First or Second Level “frame.”
If you had to take your horse to another continent for an upper level FEI competition, the horse might have to be in quarantine… and thus in a stall too much for general mental health, during the quarantine period.
Otherwise, yes, I think that quite a lot of upper level horses are managed with a lot of hack and turnout time.
Dressage is the progressive development of the horse. Test riding is showing points along the path of the horse’s development. But for a horse who is ridden correctly and regularly without soundness problems, progress up the levels should simply happen. My training level horse is just learning how to bring haunches under her and fold her hind legs to sit in the canter, and while that is needed to be adjustable enough to do canter lengthenings and return to work canter at first level, it is the same mechanics for the change in the gait which lead to canter pirouettes and steep FEI half passes down the road. It’s most definitely also teaching the mechanics of q canter which is more athletic and able to do things like changes, as we have now hit the “throw in a change if you try to get too straight” stage.
A really good trot/walk transition, which by the way is what I go for before halting at X in training level, eventually leads to half steps which lead to piaffe for many horses - both of my mares, in fact. The youngster is never intentionally schooled in half steps, but sometimes we get a bit too much collection in our downward and get baby half steps. Walk turn on the haunches leads to walk pirouettes. Walk pirouettes can be used to teach canter pirouettes by doing a transition within them. Piaffe is a natural response to trying to pirouette the trot.
If you are riding dressage, I don’t know why you would decide you don’t want to improve anymore. Now, life and priorities can get in the way, and that’s totally OK. But if you have the time and desire to ride regularly and consistently, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be progressing without ever consciously trying to make your horse move up a level, but just treating each ride as the gymnastic work it is supposed to be.
I think you are confusing CDI competitions with FEI? Most local shows offer tests at the FEI levels. Competing at FEI levels for 98% of riders does not involve international competition.
Yes, I totally agree. And I see a lot of horses that have a bit of scope get sucked back at training and first level because they are green and make their ammie riders nervous with their athleticism, and because you can get ribbons at training level riding a nice big horse with good gaits even if he is under tempo. Typically these horse and rider combos do not ever get past first level.
I was specifying specific movements because j was not sure how much the fundamentals of impulsion and collection were in the OPs active horse vocabulary. OP has still not returned to answer my question of what formal level they or their coach has reached in dressage.
My guess is that OP is very new to dressage at least in any formal sense, and the coach may or may not know their stuff. The all or nothing approach to “going FEI” suggests OP at least doesn’t have much hands on experience with the various lower levels and how they ladder into each other.
Potential is a wonderful thing, and it’s possible for any reasonably decent sport horse to go up the levels if it has a good mind, stays sound, has a competent rider, and has training progress in a timely fashion so that you are introducing moves while they still have youthful energy to burn and they can change their way of going. However if the rider is also learning this will take longer because the rider will need to learn each movement along with the horse. If you do hit a roadblock on the rider’s side like “can’t sit the extended trot” your forward progress halts while you fix that.
If you are inside a sport you understand, a goal like “take this horse to PSG before he retires” is pragmatic, and you understand the many steps and the foundation needed to get there. If you are outside or at the very start, “going FEI” can just be aspirational or fantasy talk, a dream like winning the lottery or going to the Olympics.
I once knew a teen who was a nice kid with some basic talent but no intelligent adults in her orbit. She had a nice leg but couldn’t sit a canter, and was jumping cross rails. She said multiple times that her former coach at some up/down lesson program said she should be headed to the Olympics with her nice seat on a horse. It was rather embarassing because it was clear she had no idea of the amount of competition that intervened or even that intermediate goals existed.
Eventually her parents bought rural property, and she went through several coaches and horses before getting a solid horse in the mid 5 figures. Last I saw she had worked hard and was competing up to 3 feet with some ribbons, and would have been in her early 20s.
My point is that coaches will say especially to children, “you are a super star! You should be in the Olympics!” or to adults “Your horse could go FEI with those gaits!” but the coaches themselves may just be taking trash and have no idea how you get there.
I agree on the half steps, once we taught it, we have left it alone since it’s not really necessary right now to perfect it at this level.
Yes my trainer has competed through FEI on multiple horses she produced & has a really great training style! One of the few in my area who has helped my horse & I develop a well-rounded dressage education both in and out of the saddle.
I will definitely keep an eye out for subtle behavioral changes if the current work seems a little too bland or strenuous. Thank you, your reply was very helpful!
Hi, sorry I haven’t been active & forgot to answer these questions, they probably would’ve been helpful to put in the original post. Personally, I have ridden through 2nd/3rd non-competitively, my first dressage trainer was based in an area where we didn’t have access to shows/clinics besides anything small we held ourselves. I believe she brought a few horses up through 4th competitively & then just schooled up through Grand Prix before I met her. The next trainer I trained with was a USDF Gold medalist & my current trainer is a USDF silver medalist who has competed up through Intermediaire. Before that, I extensively rode with hunter trainers but I’m not sure how relevant that is.
I also don’t know if this is helpful either but I’ll pop it in anyways. My horse is an 11 year old Morgan sport horse who I bought as a 5 year old & have been bringing along under the watchful eyes of my trainers since then.
I also want to clarify that I’m not looking to compete extensively when I mention riding at the upper levels, more so just developing & schooling up near that point if it’s beneficial mentally for my horse. I competed a lot as a hunter so I’m not all that eager to show often.
I do recommend going to some schooling shows at least as a reality check. Because phrasing it as “going FEI” logically implies riding tests at those levels. If you aren’t riding the tests, FEI doesn’t enter into it. I’m not super competitive myself either, but last year when I was riding an older school master it was extremely interesting to do just some first levels tests and see how precise and on cue one needed to be even if we were capable of doing much of third and fourth level at home.
To put it into jumper terms, it’s the difference between being able to clear a single fence at say 3 or 4 feet, and being able to ride a full course of related distances and different combinations at the same height.
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Of course you don’t have to show at all, you can school some or all of the moves as you please at home, in any sequence that works for that horse. But that’s not “going FEI.”
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From one Morgan owner to another, I cannot imagine your mare would be anything less than enthusiastic about learning something new. Morgans are famous for their eagerness to work. I don’t think its emotionally unfair at all, and I think she’ll like it as much as you.
Though many people think the lifestyle of a highly trained horse is lonely and confined, wrapped in bubble wrap, its not true in many many cases. Many highly trained equines live perfectly balanced, “normal”, wholesome lives with variety and companions and space.
Just be sensible about fitness, follow the training scale (it was created for a reason!) and enjoy the ride wherever it goes!
It is designed to keep both the horse and the rider happy and from getting bored.
The real question is are you the rider up to it? You will have to work.
Just continue what you are doing. Turnout, feed, etc. If the work really increases you may need more protein for those muscles. That is the only change I can think of.
FEI doesn’t mean a change in management. No one ever said horses need to be in stalls to do Grand Prix work. Look at Carl Hester/Charlotte D, their horses are turned out most of the time. Uta Graf is amazing all her horse live outside. You might be hung up on an idea of what FEI means. The only reason people put talented horses in stalls is because they are expensive and they are trying to minimize financial risk. But that isn’t what horses need, and there are as many injuries, maybe more when they don’t go out regularly and get to be a horse.
About “Should I go FEI” with my horse. Instead ask yourself, can and are you an FEI rider? Are you willing and capable to do the work to be the rider that YOUR horse needs? Any sound and generally good minded horse can probably do PSG in a good, correct training system. Many riders are told their horse can’t do. Nonsense. A QH may not get scores that a WB will, but in a correct training system, can be a very capable PSG horse at least.
The best advice from an Olympic judge: every horse you train (if you are the rider, then you are his trainer) you should see and absolutely believe as achieving Grand Prix. That doesn’t mean you push him, but believe in him or her. That means educate yourself to what the pyramid of training means, get good help and coaching along the way, know what your horse needs for good management.
FEI doesn’t mean a change in management. No one ever said horses need to be in stalls to do Grand Prix work. Look at Carl Hester/Charlotte D, there are so many. Uta Graf is amazing all her horse live outside. You might be hung up on an idea of what FEI means. The only reason people put talented horses in stalls is because they are expensive and they are trying to minimize financial risk. But that isn’t what horses need, and there are as many injuries, maybe more when they don’t go out regularly and get to be a horse.
You also bring up “Should I go FEI” with my horse. Instead ask yourself, can and are you an FEI rider? Are you willing and capable to do the work to be the rider that your horse needs? Any sound and generally good minded horse can probably do PSG and in a good training system. Many riders are told their horse can’t do. Nonsense. A good moving QH may not get scores a top WB will, but in a correct training system, can be a very capable PSG horse at least.
The best advice came from an Olympic judge I knew: every horse you train (if you are the rider, then you are his trainer) you should see and absolutely believe as achieving Grand Prix. That doesn’t mean you push him, but believe in him or her. And educate yourself to what the pyramid of training means, get good help and coaching, know what your horse needs for good management.
