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Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Pony club dressage

6 replies

Tashaburrows · 07/11/2014 21:40

My 6 year old dd and her shetland are of to pony club dressage on Sunday. We have had a couple of practices but it's mainly for fun and a day out with the pony. Does it get taken very seriously ? And any tips ? She did a dressage test at the yard last weekend and won by a mile but it was a fun test ??

OP posts:
Butkin · 07/11/2014 21:46

Can she remember the test or are you calling for her? If she can remember it that will stand her in good sted for the future. Try getting her to walk and trot it on the ground (from memory) in your garden/paddock until she knows it off pat..

Whippet81 · 08/11/2014 03:41

I judge dressage and will give up the day I upset a child on a Shetland (also a new mother hence the hour!).

It's encouragement all the way at that age - however just install in her the 'do your best' mentality and she'll be fine. Dressage judges are human (I do wonder with some though). It would depend on who is in the class as to if I would higher my marks or not although I do tend to generally give higher marks if it's a very novicey or childrens class - it means they are all marked on the same level but aren't all getting 3's and 4's. Obviously you can't do this affiliated but I do with unaffiliated I don't want to put them off before they start.

Call for her if you want (even if she knows it she will be nervous) and if she goes wrong it doesn't matter - the number of kids and adults who burst into tears is very upsetting!

Remind her she's only really competing against herself in dressage - if mums have to run in and help then so be it.

Most people lose marks on the use of the arena - easy marks that let the pony down so use of corners - riding to letters - shapes of circles. Even the stiffest of ponies can bump their marks up if a test is ridden accurately.

The only thing I would say is make sure she is turned out correctly - I am a stickler for it and it is so easy - I'm sure she will be if it's pony club but gloves, no bit rings etc and neat hair in hair net if needed - I hate hair flapping about.

Tell her she's meant to enjoy it and it's 4.5 minutes of her life! Which test is she doing OP?

Happy to answer any other questions you may have.

Tell her good luck!

Tashaburrows · 08/11/2014 06:52

She is doing the walk And trot test and the intro test. She is wonderful in that she doesn't realise how good she is ?? so a rosette is always a surprise to her. The best thing is her and her pony are a team and in the last dressage test got commets on there partnership. As long as she has fun I don't care where she comes and will be so proud anyway. I am going to be reading the test as at six she forgets her own name sometimes and would end up making her own test up.

OP posts:
Whippet81 · 09/11/2014 17:33

How did she get on?

Tashaburrows · 09/11/2014 22:01

She came first in her first test and then 4th in her second ??

OP posts:
Butkin · 10/11/2014 13:49

Well done! Sounds like she's going to have a fun Winter..

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