Our Attempt at Prelim 12 this weekend - video for gentle critique lol

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Clare-22

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Apr 30, 2005
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I don't normally post my tests in here as I don't class our attempts as dressage but here we go :eek:

We ventured out for our second outing away from home on Sunday. Quick recap Loki has just turned 6 and I have had him just over a year, when we started he had no schooling. We are getting there with walk and trot, canter still has a long way to go, but we only felt recently that he is ready to start canter so our canter is only a few months old.

I struggle with flatwork and would like a body transplant so I can ride better, arms, legs and back should do it :D

It has been pointed out that my saddle is not helping my position, I am saving for a dressage saddle but that is a long way off so going to have to make do with what I have for now.

I know my many :p faults, but what I wondered if anyone whilst critiquing could offer exercises that could help me improve, such as my wishywashy contact and leg far too forward.

I was pleasantly suprised with our score, we got our first 8s which balenced out the 4s! Our score was 60.9% and we came 6th, I was very proud of my my boy :D

The judge comments were "lovely horse, just got unbalenced and tense in canter, but some promising work"

Enough rambling here is the video please be gentle I know I have a lot of work to do on me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V47l9Fp3K9c
 
Morning,

Well done on the test I partocularily liked your free walk on long rein as he has a lovely walk and really stretched down for you. Also you were really accurate its so important in dressage - doesnt matter ho wthey are going you need to be accurate its the basis of a good test. As for excercises to work on with him - I think there are 3 areas that you could work on:
1. pace and rhythm - he seems to vary his pace particularily in trot, sometimes speeding up dramatically
2. Assuming - sometimes he seems to be assuming whats coming up next
3. Canter & head carraige - when his head is in place he looks amazing! however sometimes he gets it up away from you esp in canter

I would do some work with him on transitions - upwards and downwards it will help him as he will stop assuming whats coming next as a transition from trot could be walk, canter or halt not necessarily canter.

I would also work him on circles and figure of eights practicing keeping his head in place and also working on teaching him to half halt. The half halt will help you when he tries to speed up on you mid pace.

His canter might be helped by lunging him and maybe with side reins. I usually find if you can get them working consistently in walk and trot, canter becomes easier as they get used to working consistently in correct outline and in a steady pace.

I hope this helps I think you are a lovely combination!
 
ahhh.... i just wrote loads of stuff and then my computer when back a webpage instead of deleting a letter :mad: will try and remember what i wrote...
3rd attempt....

Firstly a massive well done! you have pointed out a few things and you are correct. his canter is green but it is there.

he is very forward and you want to keep that but just get him sitting on his bum a bit more as it sometimes looks a little onward bound. as mentioned ina previous post, you need to work on half halts as that will get the back end more engaged and should help balance.
I would work on a lot of spirals. My horse used to have a problem with going disunited in canter and swinging his bum out all due to lack of balance and going a bit fast. if it tried to slow him down he'd go disunited. spirals really help balance, collection and suppleness so i would suggest you do them. I used to do them EVERY time i rode in my warm up and his canter is vastly improved. start in walk on 15m-ish circle and spiral as small as he is comfortable with, you will have to use a lot of outside leg to hold the hindquarters and turn your body a lot. hold the smallest circle for 1 or 2 steps and then leg yield out. a few times on both reins and then in trot (remembering the trot circle can't go as small as the walk unless you want to piaffe ;)) the leg yield will be useful for those spooky areas, it looked like the A-end was a bit spooky and that was what made the trot a bit irregular in places. half halts will help too.

Your position isn't as bad as you made out. your rein contact is a bit inconsistent, you need to be more definate. something that might help is to put a bridge in your reins. Set it to the width of the bit and the length you are comfortable with. the bridge will mean you have to move your arms more as you won't be able to slip your reins... i find bridging reins very annoying but it does help. another fun exercise is to ride with on hand behind your back and one hand holding two reins as you will have to use your legs more for steering and it is often easier to maintain the contact with one hand. you can then swap hands, then hold the reins in two hands again.
you are right about the saddle not helping and a dressage saddle is well worth it IMO. you need to get your thigh muscle out from under your leg as that will give you a better connection and will help deepen your seat. take your feet out of the stirrups and one at a time take each leg back as far as you can and sort of out away from the saddle (watch you don't cramp your hip, if you do, bend your knee and hold your leg up on the saddle so you look like a jockey, its not common for you to cramp but i find i sometimes do) and after that out and away put your leg against the horse and then slide into normal place. your leg will look longer and at first it won't feel as secure but after a while it will, it will also make your toes point forwards. i would also ride without stirrups a lot. that will help your muscle memory so the stirrups don't take your legs forwards as much. the only cosmetic problem with that is you have a lot of saddle sticking out infront of you leg :p

it was a nice test (Prelim 12?) and is set to improve :)
 
Well done. Haven't seen it all yet as I am on dialup but so far it's pretty good. As the others have said you have a few points to work on, but hey, at least you are out there trying and you can only get better.
He is a lovely horse and you ride very well. I have similar problems with my mare re the head carriage. When your horse is working well he looks great.

Keep up the good work, and keep us updated with your progress.:)

Edited to add, your horse has a lovely walk. With a walk like that I'm sure everything else will fall into place.
 
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your horse has nice paces essentially but is inconsistent in rhythm & often rushing in both the trot & canter leading to loss of balance & accuracy in movements

to me working on his rhythm is going to be key to your progression , don't let him rush off & the moment you feel he is quickening the pace uninstructed correct him , once he has an established rhythm test riding will become much easier & less 'hairy'

transition work will be very useful , preparation here is always key , use your body & make sure he is listening to you , until you are happy that the pace you are moving from is of appropriate quailty & he is listening to your preparation instructions do not make the transition , as it will only be poor quality , you can then move towards positioning of the transitions for tests

i think part of the above problems is coming from the inconsistency in your rein contact , the inconsistent connection gives him the oppertunity to do his own thing a little , so for you hands are the thing to 'fix' imo , you will probably need an instructors help here , good hands can be so difficult to achieve , it can be useful to ride with a whip held across the wither area girpped by both hand , this should give you a more consistent contact & help you not to fiddle when he looses concentration & puts his head up

the up side is his walk work looks promising & the free walk on a long rein was nice , imo the walk is the hardest gait to improve so this is an area where you can potentialy pick up those valuable extra marks

good luck , i'm sure you'll progress just fine:)
 
Morning Clare-22!

Firstly, well done- you made a very good-looking combination! He's gorgeous and I'm jealous!
I rode a dressage test last night in my lesson, the first full one I've ever ridden! I was quite nervous, which is ridiculous I know, but once I got into it I was too bust concentrating to be scared. My RI called it, and it went ok- she gave me 7.5 out of 10, and some good constructive criticism. I forgot to ask her what kind of level the test was, but having watched yours I think it was about the same- there was cantering and free walk on a long rein, a very similar test actually- was it Prelim 12? I'll be dead chuffed if I've just ridden a Prelim!
You looked so much less "flappy" than me- I felt like a Thelwell picture, although I don't think I looked quite that bad!:D

Just realised the title of the thread says it was Prelim 12- d'oh!
 
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I think you have a cracking horse and you are a good rider- sympathetic and quiet without any horrible kick pull mentality!
Try to keep your elbows to your sides more- will stabilise the hand and make it more consistent. Don't get in to the shorter and pull mentality as you do very well with the gentle contact (and he'll prefer it) but just needs to be a bit more stable. Legs are not as bad as you think and all it takes is practice to get the muscles used to being there. Only other thing is to keep your shoulders back/head on top. Like me you tend to do a mini hunch which is made worse under pressure! Once the shoulders are back (or chest out is better!) and the back is relaxed it will stabilise the legs etc.
Also wanted to say that you obviously have a good relationship as he is listening all the way and trusts your aids. Beautiful trot and the canter will come with time. Good luck :)
 
Fenshaw thank you :eek: I will try what you say with my elbows, I have tried shortening my reins and taking a stronger feel but it felt wrong, and now I feel although I am hitting my head against a wall in regard to progress in that department, so it is nice to hear someone say that isn't always the way to go. I shall school night saying elbows to myself all the way :)

PurpleUnicorn, well done with your test, you sound like your cocerntration is better than mine, I can have a lesson and do great, and then RI will say "just run through your test" and I forgot all she has said and go into survival mode :eek:

AndreaB thanks for the whip tip, will try that also :)

Shakia will definately keep you all updated with our progress, we have qualified for a championship show in the walk and trot class, really looking forward to that, no canter - no pressure :D
 
Just to say well done - I think you look like a nie calm quiet rider! I've dug this out from a search for prelim 12 stuff as that's what I am doing this weekend - so I'm really pleased that I've found a video of it! Thanks for that!

ps you did a nice square halt and he has a great walk! :)
 
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