04/04/2024
Notes from the Janet Foy "New Test Clinic" to learn about the brand new USDF/USEF dressage tests for 2023. Hallie Ahrnsbrak @ Chesapeake Dressage Institute was the clinic host, and I'd like to acknowledge my deepest appreciation to both.
We had riders of each level on horses of various breeds show every test at the level, starting at Training Level and ending with Fourth Level.
I will try to separate each level into ideas for competitors and comments for judges. Some comments apply to all levels, Janet just may have made them at a certain level.
Although "24 meter ovals" is her pet peeve.
Training Level
For the competitor:
Your biggest key is accuracy.
Poll=Wither is low enough on free walk.
A short neck=BVT w/ tension not marked down-if a training issue score is less than environmental/green horse.
Make sure you understand the placement/size/shape of the 20-meter circles.
Be clear about where any of the movements begin and end.
3 - 4 walk steps into the halt on centerline are required; no bonus points to not.
Do not exaggerate your nod/salute or move or wiggle your seat in the halt as it will often unbalance the horse; try to have equal weight on your seat bones into the halt.
When you pick up the reins after free walk pick up the inside rein first and think about almost leg yielding towards the outside rein to prevent stiffening.
For the judge:
We are looking for steady tempo and correct basics.
Q + B
Quality always first, followed by Basics
+ E essence of movement
+ M modifier/comes into play 7^
If you canter out of the halt it is a “5.”
When judging a stretchy circle think about how high the neck was before start (i.e. horses with a high-set neck can stretch down a lot less then horses with a low-set neck).
When judging free walk, judge 50% legs, 50% top line.
First Level
For the competitor:
If you keep a slight shoulder-fore into the halt on centerline you will have better suppleness.
It is important to show a clear down transition from lengthening.
Think about a slight shoulder-in before the half circle 10 meters.
On the diagonal the horse’s shoulders should touch the letter that they leave and the one they arrive at.
For the canter depart at the end of the diagonal– do it right at the letter.
Don’t go past F and start it on the long side or in the corner. Ride it in the spot where a flying change would be.
Geometry must be accurate.
If you make an error, just keep going. Do not stop and attempt to correct the error.
Bend in the corners.
Change of movement should occur as the shoulder leaves or touches the letter.
Keep bend in direction of the lead in serpentine loop.
Do not hold the head down in free walk.
On the stretchy circle - the inside rein shows the way down and keeps the bend, the outside rein controls the shoulder.
Get as much done as possible before the new movement starts = prepare, prepare, prepare.
For the judge:
For the change of lead through the trot we want to see 3-5 steps with the front legs.
Second Level
For the competitor:
The halt just needs to be settled, but you don’t have to hold it for 3 seconds yet.
In counter canter the hind legs should be on the rail so it has a slight renvers feeling.
For the half-turns on the haunches – center the turns onto the quarter-lines, that gives you plenty of time to set them up and they have a nice balance.
For the judge:
"If I (as the judge) am relaxed as I watch them perform then there is enough collection. "
If the horse is shown above the level of balance then it looks
like they are struggling.
In the rein-back count the back steps of the front legs and the fwd steps of the back legs.
Third Level
For the competitor:
In half-pass it is important to go to the exact letter, you don’t get brownie points for arriving sooner.
Start the half-pass with a little shoulder in.
In your canter extension, uphill is more important than power.
How to ride the shoulder-in to renvers:
From your shoulder-in before E or B increase angle to four tracks and then change the bend into the renvers, rather than trying to go directly from shoulder-in into the renvers.
You need to feel your extension in the collection and vice versa.
For the judge:
If a hindleg is resting in the halt, it can't be more than a “6.”
Extended walk must have contact and needs to show overstep.
When we add length (extended vs medium vs collected) we take away height.
When trying to decide between a “7” and an “8” in gaits, if the horse shows more freedom in extensions use this to go up.
Turn on the haunches: if against the outside leg and thinking backwards it is a “4.”
Fourth Level
For the competitor:
For your canter entry use a little shoulder-fore to stay supple, then use your very collected pirouette canter before X and into the halt; the halt should feel like snow floating to the ground.
For an expressive depart practice going to medium trot from the halt.
Half-pass has the most bend, shoulder-in has medium bend, voltes have the least bend in body when you compare these three.
A counter change of hand means two half-passes in a different direction, a zigzag is considered three half passes or more in different directions (important when designing a freestyle).
If you are showing walk on the straight line that judges see from the front keep the poll high.
In the half-pirouette think about the strides like pieces of a pie and make them the same size.
If your horse has a walk that can tend to get lateral make your
walk pirouette a little larger rather than perfectly on the spot to help maintain proper rhythm.
This was a place where again, Janet recommended taking the 6.5 or 7 rather than make the pirouette on the spot and risk losing rhythm which would result in a 5.
There are many things that any rider can do regardless of experience, level, fanciness of horse or confidence. The most important of those things is to know your test and what is expected in it.
Again, a huge Thank you to Janet Foy, Hallie and all of her crew for organizing this fantastic educational opportunity!
