Advice need for dressage

Hannah24

Hannah24

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Nov 10, 2017
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Hey, the horse I ride for dressage ( a 20year old riding school horse) is extremely lazy and stubborn and becomes quite dead to my leg, when I have my privates on him he is perfect but when in the warm up ring and show ring he is awful I spend my warm battling with him and when I finally get him forwards he will have a fit but on a good day he is amazing in the warm up ring just gets distracted by the door being open. As soon as I go into the show ring he losses all the energy I have built up and we end up with bad marks as he wasn't forwards enough, also I'm having difficulty getting him in the bit like he won't go on at all. Any help and advice for this would be amazing
 
What level test are you doing? I find my boy quite hard to get going off my leg, but improves immeasurably if I have a canter before the test starts, even if only doing an Intro (walk/trot). Warming up correctly is of massive importance too. Loads of transitions- walk to trot, walk to canter, lots of practicing halts, leg yields (even if they aren’t in the test). Circles on both reins of varying sizes. Make him work and really listen to your leg.

He has a big trot on him but has a huge tendency to be lazy. I had to work so. flipping. hard. to get a decent trot out of him on a show day a while ago- dressage first, jumping later. he saw the white boards and realised there was to be no jumping. Cue me working hard to get him going. Jumping him 2 hours later- on sight of a coloured pole- bang! Massive trot. The git. o_O

If they could just mark out the dressage arena with coloured poles not white boards... :D

I’m borrowing some beautiful bay ears to sit behind and try Intro B and prelim 18 on Monday. I’ve done lessons and jumping on this guy, but never dressage before. Should be interesting!
 
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What test are you doing? You don't need the horse to be working correctly at the lower levels. The judges shouldn't actually be expecting it either.
At twenty he might be offering you what he can and as much as I would say it's down to the rider to get the horse active, you might benefit from a different ride. My elderly tb was naturally forward but in her twenties we lost marks elsewhere.
 
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HaloHoney said:
What level test are you doing? I find my boy quite hard to get going off my leg, but improves immeasurably if I have a canter before the test starts, even if only doing an Intro (walk/trot). Warming up correctly is of massive importance too. Loads of transitions- walk to trot, walk to canter, lots of practicing halts, leg yields (even if they aren’t in the test). Circles on both reins of varying sizes. Make him work and really listen to your leg.

He has a big trot on him but has a huge tendency to be lazy. I had to work so. flipping. hard. to get a decent trot out of him on a show day a while ago- dressage first, jumping later. he saw the white boards and realised there was to be no jumping. Cue me working hard to get him going. Jumping him 2 hours later- on sight of a coloured pole- bang! Massive trot. The git. o_O

If they could just mark out the dressage arena with coloured poles not white boards... :D

I’m borrowing some beautiful bay ears to sit behind and try Intro B and prelim 18 on Monday. I’ve done lessons and jumping on this guy, but never dressage before. Should be interesting!
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I am doing p14 and yh he's exactly the same first look at a jump and we are off the silly thing but I'll Defoe try ur tips
 
newforest said:
What test are you doing? You don't need the horse to be working correctly at the lower levels. The judges shouldn't actually be expecting it either.
At twenty he might be offering you what he can and as much as I would say it's down to the rider to get the horse active, you might benefit from a different ride. My elderly tb was naturally forward but in her twenties we lost marks elsewhere.
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It preliminary 14, I don't it though he is perfect when it's a private lesson but in the warm up he gets stubborn
 
Trewsers said:
He might be already doing his best at twenty, it's not very young and maybe he has the start if some stiffness issues you aren't aware of.
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See I was thinking this but when I jump or do xc he goes for it with little leg from me
 
Mine enjoys jumping more than her schooling. But would be distracted with a venue and others about.
Maybe yours is just like that as at this age unlikely to change now.
 
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newforest said:
Mine enjoys jumping more than her schooling. But would be distracted with a venue and others about.
Maybe yours is just like that as at this age unlikely to change now.
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Plus he's not mine shame there aren't jumps in a dressage test
 
newforest said:
Are you at a riding school that holds competitions? Maybe suggest a class. The basic jumps are only 1ft3 and can be done from trot.
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Yes I am I might suggest to them or say to do it on a pony camp then I can demo :) honestly sounds a lot of fun and it's something new
 
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Hannah24 said:
Nope, since I compete on riding school horse we can only do the shows there which is every month but I have qualified for the championship so I'm excited
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Only asking because I was dressaging today too- sounds like you did brilliantly! Well done! :D
 
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