The masters guide to dressage

[KBC]

Episode 1

How to start and finish your test…

Starting your test, on reflection getting more than 20 minutes practice before heading down centre line would make sense. Also make sure that you and your horse have practiced the same test, I am riding Intro, he is performing Intermediate A, love the judges audible comment!

Now to start your walk trot test

Also highly recommend when managing to complete said test, with only one further discussion about what level you are performing, to remember the correct order of things, halt, salute judge, then pat horse. The halt, feel so delighted to have survived that you pat said horse, then feel the other side of your brain screaming “you forgot to salute” so you hurriedly throw up some form of gesture to the judge, and hurry out never making eye contact.

How to finish your test in style

Please share your own master class tips, pictures or video especially welcome… :rofl

[SillyHorse]

More, please!

[Pehsness]

But the cheers were wonderful! Congrats!

[KBC]

@SillyHorse

More, please!

If per chance the weather means that the practice arena gets converted into a second ring for the day, you should probably take time to explain to your horse that while there has never ever been a table and a judge there before…today, well there they are.

If you are going to do a pirouette, make it a good one.

On reflection I could have made it a serviceable pirouette, but sigh, still would not of scored well “not required at this level”

[SillyHorse]

Wouldn’t it be fun if lots of people contributed?

[KBC]

@SillyHorse

Wouldn’t it be fun if lots of people contributed?

Oh yes…there must be others who have cast off their bath robes, headed out from the basement purely to bring some light relief to the show world.

I thought I had found some on the “Well that didn’t take long thread” but sadly it was just AB, doing his best.

[LilRanger]

I haven’t done a dressage test yet, but when I do, I’ll post!

[beowulf]

My horses like to teach me a lesson in humility when no one is watching. Sometimes I think this is enormously generous of them; other times I feel robbed my spectacular falls and dunks can’t be posted on SEU and the like.

[SillyHorse]

In every video I have, my horse, who can demonstrate some real jerk moves, looks like a paragon of dressage virtue, while I look like a sack of potatoes.

[KBC]

@Pehsness

But the cheers were wonderful! Congrats!

The cheers were amazement I think…Braam is a firm favourite around here, I didn’t know I was riding him until a couple of days before, then it was 20 mins practice, go do your thing… He did indeed do his thing, while I steered him in vaguely the right direction…do you know how SMALL the short arena suddenly feels?

But yeah, didn’t disgrace ourselves, so he, and me, got a good cheer