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Dressage Success from Basics to First level
Chapter 7
Day of the Show
Have a List
First rule: Do not sleep in! Sometimes a rider is stressed the evening before the dressage show and succumbs to sleep only late in the night. Have an alarm clock close to the bed set at a reasonable hour. A mad rush on the day of the show will only leave you frazzled and stressed.
Second rule: Have a list! The list should be organized well before the show. It is a good idea to make copies of your final list so you can use it time and time again. Essential items for the list include (you can add more):
Horse
Saddle and bridle
Spare reins and girth
Two show saddle pads and a spare schooling saddle pad
Mounting block
Grooming box fully supplied with extras such as towels and wipes
An extra hoof pick and braiding equipment
Medical supplies such as bandages and gauze pads, antiseptic ointment and sprays
Fly repellents
Show halter. Good idea to add a safety pad over the ears for protection
At least 2 lead ropes, one with a shank
Rugs, depending on weather
Traveling boots
Working books or bandages
Treats for horse
Buckets for feed and water.
Hay net (always be careful that the horse cannot get his hooves caught in it)
Good idea to include a 5 gallon water container, in case water is difficult to obtain at the show ground
Feed and hay
Baling twine, rope, duct tape, hammer some useful screws and odds and ends
Rider
All show clothes: jodhpurs or breeches, show boots and socks, belt if worn, shirt and stock with tie pin, hairnets and hard hat.
Clothes brush and boot polish
Covers, boxes and hangers for show clothes
Raincoat and rain hat
Towels, wipes and fly repellents for you (can share these with your horse in an emergency)
Spare show shirt, jodhpurs, stock and tie pin
Safety pins and needle and thread
Complete set of casual clothes and muck boots.
Sun hat or head warmer depending on weather
Extra sweaters or wind breakers
Make-up and personal necessities
Pens and writing paper
Personal medical kit
Video camera and tapes (if you have them)
Copies of the dressage tests and coggins in plastic sheets
Food for all – this is important as everyone wants to have fun and relax after your ride, lots of food and a picnic atmosphere is a great way to end the day
Drinks and lots of water
Picnic hamper with plastic glasses, plates and cutlery
Champagne (optional)!
Once you arrive at the dressage show the first item on the agenda will visit the secretary’s office and collect your show packet. This will include your bridle number and the show program. Usually the show management will let you know when the ‘ride times’ will be posted on the club or the show management’s web page. Otherwise you can ring the secretary a few days before the show to get your ‘ride time’. Your ‘ride time’ is very important as all your show day plans are worked around your ‘ride times’. No-one ever wants to ride the first in a dressage class but always there has to be the first ride! Even if you have drawn late in the day you still need to rise in time to organize. Early rides create a certain tension, before your body has fully woken up and received a daily dose of caffeine. The early start will see you up around 5 am, catch a quick breakfast for you and your equine friend, dress in show clothes covered up with an ample overall or a skirt and windbreaker. The trailer should be fully pre-packed with all the show essentials, plus snacks and drinks for yourself or any helpers you have managed to assist you on the day. It’s wonderful to have a barn buddy or friend to help on show day.
Early ride times give you fewer options for the preparation side of the show day. You can choose to braid the day before or get up extra early to braid on the morning of the show.
Weather does come into your plans for braiding, cold, frosty mornings cause many rubber band failures! You need to braid with thread on such mornings. Some horses are great to braid the day before the show; others try hard to rub the carefully laid braids into oblivion! Your choice for braiding depends on necessity, your braiding skills and the horse’s personality. Braiding time, whenever it is done, provides a nice quiet time to be shared by horse and rider. If you feel incompetent for the braiding job there may be friends or professional braider's to help.
It is always good form to braid for any competition but if, for any reason, you find yourself unable to braid the mane them make sure that the mane is clean, brushed and pulled.
Tips
- Get up early
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- Have a comprehensive list for horse and rider
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- Copy the list for future reference
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- Know your ride times
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- Great to have a friend along to help
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- Braiding choices
At the Show
With all of the above completed, you are now ready to dress your horse for travel (suitable rugs, traveling boots and a tail wrap) and load up and drive off the show. Sounds easy! It really should be a smooth operation, as long as you have paid attention to the details. Haphazard preparation causes frustration, tension and sometimes failure to show to the best of your ability. You need to arrive at the showground at least 2 hours before your first ride time. Once at the show ground, you can organize your personal space. For one-day schooling shows try to park in the shade or in a protected area. Perhaps friends may park next to you and you can enjoy a party atmosphere and shared experiences. Try to make show days a pleasant experience for all. Once you are well organized and have picked up your show packet, you can take your horse off the trailer and make him comfortable in the new surrounds.
 Friends are a wonderful help as callers, comforters, for fetching and carrying, holding and grooming and making you feel relaxed in general. Now is the time to make the best use of your show preparation procedures. Walk your horse around the arenas and let him take in all the activity of show day, make sure he can see the judges’ boxes, tents and trailers; these can be the surprise elements on show day. If he is calm and relaxed you can lunge him if you feel this is necessary, remember you do not want to tire him out before the first test. There may be special areas allocated for lunging or at least a grassy patch which is fairly level where you can lunge. It is not good manners to lunge in a crowded warm up area as you can cause a disturbance to your fellow competitors. After lunging come back to the trailer and let your horse relax while you continue preparations. It is a good idea to be mounted on your horse at least 50 minutes before your first test. At future shows you will know just how long to work your horse before a test. At the beginning, this is an unknown factor and it is always better to be sure than sorry.
 Try to make the warm up just the same as at home, remember the horse is a creature of habit - no surprises! It is such a comfort to have a friend help you tack up and organize but often this is not an option and you must learn to cope with the details yourself. Make sure the tack fits comfortably and the bridle number is securely placed on the bridle.
Many competitors attach the number to the bridle while others attached the bridle number to the saddle pad or the riders' boots, particularly if your horse is sensitive around the ears and face. Once the bridle number is attached, the only thing left to do now is to mount and walk over to the warm-up arena. Now the show begins in earnest!
 It is a great help to have your trainer with you for warm up, but this is a luxury at your first show and not a necessity. However, a barn buddy for your “eyes on the ground” is a good substitute. It often helps just to have another friendly human-being watching you, telling you that you look great and reminding you if you tend to hurry or are not active enough in the working gaits in the warm up. The warm up arena is no place for schooling; you do schooling at home or in trial show rides. Warm up in your usual pattern, keeping the horse relaxed round and forward. No time for arguments now! It may take you the entire warm up time to supple and relax your horse. However, it may take only 20 minutes to have your horse nicely forward thinking, obedient and supple. Once you feel that your horse is with you and listening to the half halts you can praise your horse, give him a treat and walk around the showground on a loose rein. By now you know your horse’s personality and it may be better to free walk or it may be best to bring him back to the trailer, loosen the girth, let him sip a small amount of water and take a treat. This is your choice as only you and your trainer really know your horse and how best he can relax and prepare for the test, time and practice will guide your choices at future shows. About 10 minutes before your ride time start to warm up for the final time. Make sure that he is quick to the ‘aids’, supple and most important ‘happy’. Time for a final mental visualization of your ride, before the curtain rises! Take the time to mentally adjust to the show situation, it will pay big dividends.
Tips·
- Arrive at the show ground at least two hours before your ride
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- Try to make show days pleasant for everyone
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- Repeat show day preparation for walking and lunging, if necessary
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- Be on your horse at least 50 minutes before your ride time
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- Follow familiar warm up patterns
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- This is no time to school the horse
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- Finish the warm up once you feel the horse is with you and listening
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- Make time for final visualization
Ride Time – Go for it!
Several minutes before your ride time are a great opportunity to make. a last minute check of tack, wipe top boots with a towel, make sure your horse looks fresh and clean and then final spray or wipe with fly repellent.. It may sound silly but double check that you have on your coat and that you have removed the horse’s working boots or bandages. Once the judge’s bell rings you have little time to correct any tack or clothing failures.
Five minutes before the scheduled ride time you need to be close to the competition ring, checked in with the ring steward (who may also check your tack, girth, spurs ‘if worn’ and your snaffle bit) and then you trot towards the dressage arena and start to circle at rising trot,so you can observe when the competitor before you has saluted the judge at the end of the test. The ring steward will tell you if the ring is running late or on time. If the ring is running early, you do not have to ride until your official ride time, unless you choose to ride early. Schooling shows are less formal than official recognized dressage shows and dress protocol does not require a coat or other formal attire for the rider. If you are serious about riding and training dressage over time, then it is best to make schooling shows a dress rehearsal for open recognized dressage competitions.
Dressage is a discipline, steeped in history and tradition. If this is your chosen sport then follow the expected protocol, the rewards are tremendous! If possible have your ride video taped by a friend or professional. This enables you to have a permanent record of your first ride at your first show. It is a good idea to keep both a videotape of a schooling session and the actual show videotape of your ride as a record of your progress up the dressage training ladder.
.jpg) Now as you circle the competition arena, while the previous competitor exits the ring, you need to focus, relax and think only on the test and your preparation for the movements and transitions, no time for nerves now, there is too much to think about. Ride past the judge’s booth and present your competition number on the side that is visible to the judge or scribe. If the judge speaks to you, feel free to answer any question asked, it is okay to say, “good morning” or tell them your bridle number if they ask. Then continue to trot around the ring, practicing half halts and variations in the trot as you feel are required to keep your horse ‘on the aids’ and attentive. Get a feel as the pilot, to how the co-pilot is reacting, pet or speak softly to him; let him know that you are there for him and do all you can to make your horse feel confident and happy.. If you horse looses confidence in your ability as pilot then you had better prepare for a crash landing! The art of a successful warm up is to arrive at this moment cool, calm and confident. The bell rings and you prepare to enter the competition arena. A final pat for your horse and you begin to focus on the test ahead. As your circle at ‘A’ before entering the dressage arena you focus on a forward and straight entry with a square and obedient halt at ‘X’.
Tips for Riding the Introductory Dressage Test
Now some ‘tips’ or hints for riding the introductory dressage test: Ride forward straight down the center line, look up above the judge’s booth as this really helps for straightness.
As you ride down the centerline, prepare for the halt with as many half halts as necessary. Remember the better the trot, the better the transition will be. At the halt you hold the reins and whip (if carried) in one hand and place the other hand to your side as you nod your head in a salute to the judge, remember to smile at the judge.
Even if the judge looks grim, smile anyway, it never hurts, and makes you look like a confident competitor. Most judges will smile back at you and this will make you feel ‘warm and fuzzy’.
If you are going to turn right at C, try riding a circle to the right before entering at A. Although you will be riding straight on the center-line, it will give you a better feel of inside leg to outside rein and will make the right turn simple to execute. The last thing you wish to do is to surprise your horse as to which way you are going to turn at C. The green horse tends to back off the long side of the arena (they are wary of the chain link or the sound of the sand from the horse’s hooves hitting the side fence) they generally attempt to run into the inside leg and then to proceed on two tracks down the long side. To prevent this do not attempt to ride too close to the long side, chain or fence, and make sure that you ride the corners correctly and not too deep, try to bring the outside shoulder a little to the inside of the hind legs. Once the shoulder is positioned you will be able to pick up on inside leg and outside rein. If you lose your outside rein on the turn, it presents an open invitation for the horse to fall on both reins and run into the inside leg. This is nearly impossible to fix until the next corner, transition or circle. It is so important to ride correct turns and once executed good corners and turns result in straightness on the long side. This sounds so simple, however, all dressage riders know that these basics are difficult; riding with precision through the turns will give you the chance to stay in the pilot’s seat, with the horse nice and straight on straight lines and bent and positioned on the turns he will be more willing to listen to your half halts and better tuned to you aids.
In the introductory tests 20-meter circles at trot are required at the markers your horse, think ahead and plan the preparation for the start of the circle. It is very obvious to the judge if you try to pull your horse around on the inside rein in order to start a circle line. Instead try to remember your basics, remind your horse that a change of direction is coming with a half halt and then start to turn the outside shoulder about 6 meters before the start of the circle. The circle starts at the marker not past it. By USEF definition the horse should execute the transition to the next movement as the horse’s shoulder passes the marker. Next you will be focused on the circle and you will be looking, with swiveled hips, to the line of the circle. A circle has four tangents and you need to keep your circle line consistent between the tangents, this way the circle will be centered and you will start and finish the circle on the same marker. The usual problems which occur while riding a circle are the shoulders falling in or out, horse moving on two tracks and not riding a circular line are generally caused by rider error. Sometimes the problem is that the rider is simply not looking where they are going or thinking sufficiently ahead, other rider errors can occur due to lack of ability to turn the horse, to bend the horse and ride a circular line. Remember, a circle is a circle is a circle!
.jpg) The walk should be marching, regular and forward thinking with the horse seeking a steady connection with the bridle. Transitions between the medium and free walk need to be clear and confident. The free walk is generally executed across the diagonal of the arena. First try to ride a good corner, before the diagonal, this allows you to be better positioned to lead the horse across the diagonal line right at the marker. Remember to allow your horse to stretch down freely with head and neck as you release the reins. It is your option to ride the free walk on a loose rein or a long rein. The long rein option is to maintain a light connection with the bridle while allowing the horse to stretch down as much as he wishes with the nose ahead of the vertical. The loose rein option is to allow a loose rein and give more freedom to allow the free walk to develop; in practice this is very difficult for a novice rider and a novice horse to choose the loose rein option. Most horses at Introductory and Training levels tend to stretch with the loose rein but also wander off the diagonal line and present a very wobbly free walk. In general it is easier to manage a free walk on a long rein, where the horse is generally more confident to march resolutely forward and straight with the long connection. On a loose rein the schooled horse has learned to stretch down and relax on the complete giving of the reins. Sometimes the green horse will speed up or jog on the giving of the reins. He is confused and not yet confident to take the lead and walk freely forward across the diagonal. Also there is the possibility of a steering problem with a loose rein. Certainly we have seen horses that jog across the diagonal, stop to scratch a leg, and pause to snatch at some grass or weave their way across in a series of zigzags. As always, there is a transition to medium walk coming up after the free walk. Take up the reins again before the end of the diagonal so the transition occurs at the marker as required in the test. Try to take up the reins smoothly with an inside leg and outside rein feel. Once the outside rein is secure, the transition is easy and the horse is ready and able to bend around the next turn.
The trot is always working trot rising in the introductory tests, if you can ride a forward and free working trot with a consistent connection to the bridle you will be marked kindly. The neck should not show constriction, but remain long and round, as the horse seeks the connection, though a swinging back and active hindquarters.
 Sounds easy! The beginning horse and rider cannot be expected to produce a cadenced and expressive working trot at the beginning; this will all be gained over time and with training and at this stage you will be delighted if your horse is with you and moving freely forward as nature intended. Transitions from trot to walk and walk to trot will probably decide the winner of the introductory class. Remember the “proof of the pudding’ is shown in the transitions. Clear, confident and obedient transitions will tell the judge, loud and clear, that you and your horse are ready to move up the dressage ladder. The transition from trot to halt can always proceed through the walk at this level. As you ride resolutely down the centerline for the final salute, look the judge in the eye and smile, feel free to pet your co-pilot also. It may feel that you have only been in the ring for a few seconds or it may feel like a few hours. In actual fact you will have been under the spotlight for about 4-5 minutes. The judge has given you full attention for that time and has give their assessment of your ride in writing on the test sheet.
 Once the class has finished the results will, in due course, be posted and your test available for collection. After you have completed your first dressage test, plan to have some quiet down time for both you and your horse. You need to slow down, sit in a comfortable spot and relax before you need to activate again for your second dressage test.
Tips
- · Make the schooling show a preparation for a recognized show
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- Take a video of the ride if possible
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- You need to be close to the competition arena at least 5 minutes before ride time
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- Make a final check of tack
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- No time for nerves as the judge’s bell rings
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- Suggestions on riding an introductory test
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- Try to have no surprises for the horse in the test
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- The rider must think ahead for circles, turns and transitions
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- Transitions will probably decide the winner
Results and Reflections
Your ride or rides are over and you have taken the tack off your horse and he is resting. Try to make your co-pilot comfortable and as relaxed as possible, give him a thorough rub down or hose off, followed by fresh hay, treats and water.
 You need to relax as well at this stage, try to watch some of the other rides, particularly at the training and first level, by watching we learn and always watching is for free. Support you barn buddies’ rides and help them if you can, nothing is as good as a helping hand on show days and as the old saying goes, “many hands make light work”. You may have time to eat, snack and chat about the day’s events. Experience the good and the bad moments, the fun stuff and the disasters, your Yin and the Yang for the day. Read and discuss your dressage tests with your trainer and friends and reflect on your ride. You may have some show ribbons or rosettes from the day to show off and proudly admire. Finally it is time to pack up and trailer back to the barn. The schooling show is over and tomorrow is another day!
 Once you have recovered from your first show it is time to reflect on the tests and the results. How can you improve? Did the judge feel the horse was not sufficiently forward? Or did the judge feel that you were rushed and hurried? How were your transitions? Now you are officially started up the dressage-training ladder and have the copies of your first tests. Create a file named “dressage tests”, make a copy of the tests as well and check to see if your scores and placing can contribute to end of the year dressage chapter awards. Now is time to consult with your trainer, arrange a time when you can show the video and test sheet to your trainer. Your trainer is not only your teacher but also a mentor their opinion of your progress and show record does count big time! Clear your mind of all outside chatter and listen keenly to the comments as you both view the video. It may be humbling to note how crooked you were after the first turn but a good recovery will bring favorable comment. Lack of preparation can be clearly seen and the overall flow of the entire test can be discussed. Look carefully and learn from hindsight, without regrets and with a confidence that you can improve the ride next time! The “collective marks” are placed at the bottom of your test sheet. They consist of four items in the introductory level. The first collective is for the ‘Gaits’ of the horse, in the introductory tests this mark has a co-efficient of 1. In the training level and above the co-efficient is times 2. At this stage in dressage training the judges are looking for better quality movement. At the introductory level the USDF directive is simply for the freedom and regularity of the gaits. The next item is’ Impulsion’ with a co-efficient of 2 and for a good mark the judge wants to see the horse relaxed and moving freely forward through the back and from behind. The third mark in the collectives is ‘Submission’ and this also has a co-efficient of 2 and the judge is looking for a happy and obedient horse that has little resistance to the riders’ aids. Submission is judged by the horse’s attention to the rider, harmony and lightness and acceptance of the bit, the judge is not looking for a fancy horse but will weigh the marks toward a happy and submissive horse. The last of the collectives is for ‘Rider’ position and this has a co-efficient of 3; this will really make or break you in the introductory test. The judge wants to see a rider sitting correctly and quietly giving the aids sympathetically and effectively.
The collective marks, are to a degree a mirror the actual dressage test. If a horse performs a wonderful test then a low mark would not be appropriate for the rider score. On the other hand the judge is able to reward certain training features despite some mistakes in the ring. A horse that is happy, forward and relaxed will be scored well in the impulsion and submission sections, even if the gaits are not the strong feature. After the reflections and comments of the test sheet and then the viewing of the video, wipe your mind clean and look towards the future. Training is always progressive and the climb up the dressage ladder is ongoing one step at a time. Every show brings with it, trials and tribulations, heartbreak and joy, but more important are the benefits of experience, learning, discipline, comradeship and a strengthening of the wonderful bond between horse and rider.
Over the next months you will become confirmed at introductory level,
compete at open recognized dressage shows at introductory level, this way you can gain the scores, ribbons and competition experience necessary to jump up to the next step of the dressage ladder to training level.
Viva the Horse!
Tips
- · Time to reflect on the show results
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- Discuss with barn buddies and other competitors
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- Make copies and file all dressage tests for the record
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- Have your trainer assess the video of your ride
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- How to improve your ride. However humbling
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- Make future plans for competition
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- Ride introductory level at recognized dressage shows
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