Why have the FEI tests gotten so much easier?

[AllWeatherGal]

[QUOTE=grayarabpony;2865242]
The initial halt is actually a very difficult movement to do correctly, and as most event horses are very forward, especially the greenies at their first few events, why begin the test with an argument?[/QUOTE]

I don’t mean this to sound as snarky as I suspect it might … but why?

To show good training!!

I’m a wanna-be eventer, I admit it. I love the boldness and elegance of a great eventer. I love how they stand quietly and then explode into action. I love that someone else will risk life and limb to give me the thrill of watching X-C.

But even I almost fell down watching people in shadbellies POST the trot the first time I saw a CCI.

[grayarabpony]

In return, not to sound snarky – but have you been to an event before? Event horses hardly ever stand quietly and then explode into action. Only very well-trained ones and then only rarely. Have you watched the dressage at Rolex?

I’d be much more impressed by a beautiful crosscountry and stadium round (rare to see at lower level events) than an initial halt. And it is a difficult move. What is the highest score you’ve ever gotten for one?

[SillyHorse]

I got tired just watching that test! :lol:

[Tasker]

SH - Yep. And to think I used to complain how much sit trot there is in the PSG to my mom! It is a wonder she didn’t strangle me!!! :lol: Ignorance was bliss, I guess!

[NoDQhere]

I evented through Intermediate Level and I think taking the halt out of the Event tests was a poor idea. JMO, but I think that a horse that can’t do an obiedient halt has no business going cross country.

[SillyHorse]

@grayarabpony;2865267

In return, not to sound snarky – but have you been to an event before? Event horses hardly ever stand quietly and then explode into action. Only very well-trained ones and then only rarely. Have you watched the dressage at Rolex?

I’d be much more impressed by a beautiful crosscountry and stadium round (rare to see at lower level events) than an initial halt. And it is a difficult move. What is the highest score you’ve ever gotten for one?

Not to sound snarky? How did you think it would sound?

I evented to Prelim and I agree 100% with NoDQhere. If you can’t get your horse to halt obediently, you shouldn’t be going XC. The whole point of the dressage test is to show that your horse, while fit for XC, is still obedient enough to do a moderate dressage test.

[Velvet]

[QUOTE=NoDQhere;2865349]
I evented through Intermediate Level and I think taking the halt out of the Event tests was a poor idea. JMO, but I think that a horse that can’t do an obiedient halt has no business going cross country.[/QUOTE]

As a former eventer (who evented when I was VERY young and many moons ago) who thought dressage was just that stupid thing you had to do before you could go out on x-country and throw caution to the wind, I think a halt is still a good idea. I had a few tests in my youth when I couldn’t get the halt. The horse would not stop. I was penalized for it. I deserved it. The people who won had horses that were MUCH better behaved and safer on the x-country phase. My horse was safe only because he was very clever and wanted to take care of me. If not, I would have been a nasty statistic proving eventing is too dangerous. Years later, we figured out control and dressage, and the scores and safety of our rides improved dramatically. It’s a good thing to expect and demand, even at the lower levels. It sets up your future riding and safety.

[quietann]

Newbie’s thoughts

I rode my first dressage tests ever this summer, on a friend’s very forward, elderly TB mare. We did Intro A and B. The halt at the beginning, especially on the first test, was absolutely the most difficult part. I will admit I didn’t ask the mare to collect herself at any point; she just doesn’t know how and it was only a little schooling show. My goal was to get through each test without any major problems. The halt on the second test went better; there our screwup was the good mare deciding on one of the circles that my attempts to get her to have better impulsion meant “CANTER!!!” Whoops! :lol:

I have to say, though, that the judge was very kind to us and very encouraging to me to stay with it. And gave wonderful, detailed feedback.

BTW – not all event horses are that crazy-forward. The same friend’s new horse, a Connemara/TB cross, is absolutely one of the quietest eventers I have ever seen, and he knows his halt very well – but when she asks him to gallop out, he remembers his TB dam and does so! He is schooling at Prelim and was competing and doing well at Training before she got him.

[Dorienna]

Speaking of harder tests - I remember I was “lucky” enough to ride YRs the year they had the tempis on center line, the 4s going away from the judge and the 3s going towards them if i remember correctly. To add to the challenge, my horse had just started doing 1 change cleanely in the spring, and so being very green to tempis, would swing almost from quarter line to quarter line. Try looking at the judge in the eye while doing that, quite embarassing:eek: It sure taught me how to try to ride them straight…

[millerra]

I also vote for putting the halt back in the eventing tests. It was a point where both of us, after entering the arena, could go “ahhh, relax” and move on. It was a tiny bit of a breather. And even my old mare, who BOLTED down centerline due to the video guy behind us halted… well, sort of…

Good brakes are essential…

[AM1]

I understood that the initial halt was removed from lower level dressage tests not because eventers couldn’t halt but rather because they couldn’t get the horse going again.

[dressagediosa]

[QUOTE=Dorienna;2865545]
Speaking of harder tests - I remember I was “lucky” enough to ride YRs the year they had the tempis on center line, the 4s going away from the judge and the 3s going towards them if i remember correctly. To add to the challenge, my horse had just started doing 1 change cleanely in the spring, and so being very green to tempis, would swing almost from quarter line to quarter line. Try looking at the judge in the eye while doing that, quite embarassing:eek: It sure taught me how to try to ride them straight…[/QUOTE]

Remember all the walk work on the centerline too? OHmygod.

[grayarabpony]

Oh brother, it’s not a matter of getting the horse to stop, but doing it quietly and obediently. I evented too, and my horse was not crazy.

But I suppose you wouldn’t think it was right that I used to let my OTTB mare walk on when I first got on her too. If so I don’t think you would have gotten along with her very well…

[pintopiaffe]

The horses have changed. Size, movement, type of movement.

The tests have changed to suit the horses.

Now, whether that’s a change for the better or not is a hotly contested issue on the SHB.

[millerra]

[QUOTE=grayarabpony;2865800]

But I suppose you wouldn’t think it was right that I used to let my OTTB mare walk on when I first got on her too. …[/QUOTE]

Ummm, no. My OTTBs start walking when I get on. Not worth the fight initially and now I’m so used to my horses walking on that I’d probably land on a horse’s neck that stood still…

[AllWeatherGal]

[QUOTE=grayarabpony;2865267]
In return, not to sound snarky – but have you been to an event before? Event horses hardly ever stand quietly and then explode into action. Only very well-trained ones and then only rarely. Have you watched the dressage at Rolex?

I’d be much more impressed by a beautiful crosscountry and stadium round (rare to see at lower level events) than an initial halt. And it is a difficult move. What is the highest score you’ve ever gotten for one?[/QUOTE]

Okay, honestly? You made me laugh out loud!

And thank you, Sillyhorse.

I never said the initial halt wasn’t a difficult movement! Just that it does demonstrate excellence in training. I absolutely agree that it was the most difficult part of every test I rode.

And I’ve probably been to more events than you have, since I’m usually on “the other side of C” or holding a walkie talkie at a jump and don’t have to cough up those fees

I see LOTS of horses, including lower level ones, just hang around at horse trials and let their riders visit. Yes, they start getting amped when they go into the starting box … but that’s what I mean!

And yes, my OTTBs also walked on as I was mounting at first. I didn’t teach them not to, they taught themselves for which I was very grateful.

Now, remember to thank the volunteers that make your showing experience possible and consider not snarking in response to a genuine observation … just once.

[Dressage62]

[QUOTE=grayarabpony;2865221]
I think no initial halt for eventers is a brilliant idea. :lol:[/QUOTE]
I remember seeing an old video of dressage at a major three-day event…when one horse would not halt and do the rein-back Luncinda Green commented, “Well, event horses are principally trained to move forward.”

[SillyHorse]

And dressage horses aren’t?

[grayarabpony]

My “snarking” has nothing to do with volunteers at shows, as I too, have volunteered, as well as shown.

[grayarabpony]

I think this whole “argument” about the initial halt is at cross purposes – I was thinking more in terms of relaxation, not obedience. Could I always halt my mare at X? Yes (or in the neighborhood :lol:) Was it square, immobile? Probably not really. I considered a good halt one where I got to salute before she started going on. I kind of liked it when they took the halt out, because then the flow wasn’t interrupted.

Relaxation, especially when eventing was all TBs, has always been a problem with eventing dressage, more than straight dressage. When I went to Rolex back in '97 I saw maybe 5 good tests. I’m sure that’s not true anymore, but there were a lot of excellent crosscountry horses who were not good at dressage. Were they out of control? No, or they wouldn’t have been good cross-country horses. Were they tense in the dressage ring? YES.