Fun Facts & Dressage Rules

NZ 2023

version

& Fun facts

written by a Judge Suzanne Inglis

ESNZ Dressage Judge

Dressage 101: Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2022 version)

Hayley Newington Photography

Dressage Rules

Love

NZ 20232on

your horse, be patient with the journey, practice perfectly &

version

support each other...

Foreword Whether you are new to the balletic charm of Dressage, or have been around the sport for many years, you will find these playfully written pages easy to consume. Suzanne Inglis writes in a style that is certain to prompt your memory wherever you find yourself needing to recall the rules, complemented with tips of the trade from an insightful judge.

The 16 topics covered in this booklet span wide-ranging prose on gear, movements, accuracy, musicals, supporting clubs and sponsors, and how to bring your best into the arena for the judges. To finish, we are left with some encouraging words from Melissa Galloway, our current highest ever FEI world ranked New Zealand Dressage rider, embarking on the 2024 Paris Olympics.

...

About Suzanne Inglis – Suzanne is a ESNZ Dressage Judge (B Level), DNZ Board Member & Technical Officer who through 2022, alongside a sub-committee of hard working volunteers, updated the Rule Book for Dressage New Zealand. Suzanne hails from the Nelson area, and is a valued member of the equestrian community through her Nelson Dressage Group participation & judging. She travels NZ to many Premier League and National championships, so if you see her, go say hi and give her your thoughts on her prose.

First Commonly things first : asked questions

Plaiting

It’s not actually compulsory to plait at any level for national classes. “Normal plaiting of the horse’s mane and tail, however, is allowed”, is what it says in the rules. However having the mane plaited does show off the horse’s frame a lot better, and just looks tidier in general. Any kind of mane plaiting is acceptable, whatever shows off your horse’s neckline the best. False tails may be used, but may not contain any metal parts.

Turnout

While having a sparkly clean horse in not a requirement of the test, putting in a little effort is appreciated by the judges. You want the judges to be sitting up and taking notice, and a smart turnout gives the impression you are ready to put on a good show and have come well prepared… hopefully! Just try not to be the rider with all the gear and no idea.

Horse leaving the arena during the test

All four feet must leave the arena to be eliminated, so if you’re quick enough to catch the horse with 3 legs out and 1 in and you can get all feet back in, you aren’t eliminated. If you have a horse that is skilled at leaving through the entrance at A, you could ask your organising committee if it’s possible for a gate to be used, however what happens for one rider must happen for all riders, so you may need to find your own volunteer to do the gate for the whole class.

Callers

When having your test called, the caller is only allowed to say what is written in the test, they are not allowed to add comments or you could be given course errors or eliminated. It is fine however to ask the caller to repeat a movement if you didn’t hear it clearly. Once you have started your test you can not have someone start calling from part way through, this becomes outside assistance, and will cause elimination.

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

Horse identification

during an event, at all times while on the grounds, a horse must be wearing an ID tag or bridle number. If tied up to float, or in the stable or being grazed out, the horse must have a ID tag on, and at all times when being ridden must be wearing two bridle numbers, one on each side. This is simply so your horse can be identified at all times, and should they decide to go for a wander round the grounds without you, the organisers know who to return the merry traveller to. ID tags should have the name of the person responsible for the horse, their phone number and the horses name, and either be attached to the halter or cover. Bridle numbers need to be worn either, on both sides of the bridle, or both sides of the saddle cloth, it is acceptable to make your own, but they need to be clear enough for the judge/writer to see as you go past.

Other people riding your horse

from midnight before the competition till the completion of the competition, no one else may ride your horse. You may though have a groom ride your horse, at walk only, on a long rein. If someone does ride your horse during the competition you will be disqualified for the rest of the competition, you may be allowed to ride the rest of your tests HC, if you go and ask permission from the organising committee first.

Saluting

You can salute with either hand, and you can have your whip in your hand that is lowered in the salute, however just be careful you don't accidently tickle his back legs when he's doing his best standing still (just to clarify, there used to be a 2 point penalty for saluting with your whip in your hand, this has now been removed). When doing your final halt and salute, just remember this is the final thing the judge sees before summing up your test… so don’t rush it! Make sure the halt is established, do your salute, put a big smile on your face and pat your horse. We like to see people make a fuss of their horses at the end of a test. We like to have the image in our minds that Harold is going back to the float to get a carrot, rather than a smack with the carrot stick.

Talking / tongue clicking

While chatting to your princess is encouraged at home, while in the arena it should be radio silence. However, you can get away with a small amount if your smart about it. A quiet little good boy if your down by A won’t be heard by the judges, on the other hand a loud “grrrrrrrr” in front of C, is a little harder to ignore. Same with clicking, before you start vigorously clicking away, take note of where the judge are, everyone seems to forget the others dotted round the arena.

ContinuedFirst Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

Commonly

things first : asked questions

Graded riders’ dress

Does mybumlook

Firstly, for a full list of legal dress and the penalties for illegal dress go to pages 72-76 of the ESNZ dressage rules.

These rules are for our own national tests, they may differ to requirements for FEI.

Jackets

For national classes at an ESNZ event, it can be any colour you choose. Up to level 5 wear a short jacket, and level 6 and above may wear short jacket or tails. Jackets are also optional at all training or local level events, however if you choose not to wear a jacket, you must be wearing a short or long sleeve shirt, with either the stock or tie pinned down to avoid slapping you in the face with every puff of wind. At regional events and above (premier league, Island Champs, Nationals, HOY) jackets must be worn, unless the OC gives permission for them not be used if it is excessively hot weather.

Breeches or Jods

For all levels, they don’t have to be white, can be any pale-ish colour like, cream, banana, grey or beige. They may have a contrasting full seat, but the contrasting colour must be a dark colour, like black, brown or grey.

Shirt

Stock or tie /choker collar. Any colour, but don’t go to wild.. Bear in mind that should the OC permit that you can ride without jackets on a hot day, your shirt shouldn’t be blinding the judges. Also if you are wearing a stock or tie and are allowed to ride without your jacket, the stock or tie must be pinned down, so keep a few wee safety pins in your tack box.

Boots and chaps/gaiters

They don’t have to be leather, but need to look like leather. You can either wear short boots, shorts boots and gaiters or long boots. If wearing short boots and gaiters, they should be the same colour.

Helmet

MUST be of current standard and yellow (previously red) tagged. Can be any colour and have bling. A helmet must be worn at all times when mounted at a competition, from the start of the competition till the end, and it must be securely done up. If you happen to have a groom riding another horse of yours in the warm up or arena familiarisation sessions, they also must be wearing the correct helmet.

Spurs

Are not compulsory in any level run under ESNZ/DNZ rules, but also can be worn at any level, please check the rules to ensure your ones are legal.

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

Take the Moment Photography

big in these

breeches?

Gloves

Optional for Intro and Non Graded level 1 only, compulsory from Graded level 1 upwards, this is one mistake a lot of new graded riders mistake. Can be same colour as the jacket, or black, white or off white, but unless you have very still hands stay away from the white…

Whips

Can be used in all tests from Intro to Grand Prix, except for FEI classes at HOY and Nationals. Maximum length is 120cm including flapper for hacks and 100cm including flapper for ponies. It doesn’t have to be a dressage whip.

Just the same as saddlery, there are a lot of bright, shiny flash gears available now, but you are there to show the judge how well you have prepared and trained your horse, not to blind them with colour and bling. Having said that, arriving well presented sets a good tone. While there are no extra marks for turnout (as much as I think there should be!), it tells the judge you have put in the effort and care to get ready for the day. And then if the test all turns to custard, you may still win the turnout prize.

WarmupEtiquette the do’s and don’ts You are allowed to be led up to the warm up surface, but nobody on foot should be on the warm up surface, we don't want the medical person run off their feet because your helper has been run over! You are allowed to be led from the warm up area to the competition arena, but the helper cannot go onto the competition arena with you; that then becomes outside assistance. Obviously, if you are doing a Lead Rein class, then please ignore all the above, and don’t leave your cherub to fend for themselves.

Equipment

You can only use equipment while warming up, that is allowed in your test, with the exception of a whip, boots and bandages or a running martingale or a fly/sun face mask. Remember you must have your bridle numbers (2) on.

Find out where

you’re allowed to ride. If there is a blocked off warm up section on the competition arena, usually there will be a restriction of how many riders can be there at a time. This would usually be advertised either in the program or in the event info.

Look around you

This is a warm up arena, not a game of pinball, so stop looking down at your hands (trust me they won’t fall off because you’re not looking at them) and look at your surroundings. Try to avoid doing an emergency stop without checking if there is someone behind.

Road rule:

Keep left shoulder to left shoulder, but be aware not everyone knows this rule (well they will now)

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

Other tips

Using your voice

Your horse might do his canter transitions a million times better with you clicking vigorously at him, but the horse/s next to you might also have the same signal, and you may not want a pile of horses doing their enthusiastic transitions all at the same time, so try to keep any verbal commands discreet and in your own bubble.

Coaches

If you are being warmed up by someone else, anyone on foot is not allowed on the warm up surface, so if you don’t have a set of ears on, it might pay to go to a quiet corner to get your instruction, you don’t want to be giving everyone a free lesson.

Keep your distance

Remember you can use a ribbon in your horses tail to signal to others. Red for a kicker and green for a young/novice horse. If you see someone having issues with an upset horse, give them space, but at the same time the onus is on the person with the misbehaving or upset horse to move away from others, for obvious safety reasons.

Higher level riders

get right of way. If you see a rider doing lateral work, try and keep out of their way. However, if you are the higher level rider, please be considerate of others when doing extended canters, and do them on the outside track, once you have a clear path. No one needs a horse thundering up behind them. But at the same time, adults please remember to watch out for young riders, if they happen to accidently cut you off, please do not give them a bollocking, but ask a steward to have a wee chat to them about warm up etiquette.

If someone is helping you remove boots or adjusting items, come off the surface so they can do it without playing dodgems, or if you are adjusting your girth don’t do it on the outside track.

When lunging, single direct side reins, or double sliding side reins (triangle) are permitted. Lunging is allowed with one lunge line only.

You are not allowed to ride a horse or pony while it is being lunged or to ride in single direct side reins or double sliding (triangle) side reins. Find a quiet area to lunge your horse, preferably away from where people are riding.

Remember, everyone is having their own kind of struggle in the warm up. For some it might be getting the best transition, or maintaining the contact, for others it might just be coping with riding in a group or staying on!

Be mindful of the fact that you’re not the only rider in the warm up area. If you cut someone off, say sorry.

Share the space and be respectful.

Be kind…it costs nothing.

Presenting

Judge Now

that we know what we can wear, dress our horse in and have mastered the art of warming up. Next up is, explaining the rules around presenting to the judge.

So firstly, be on time. Keep an eye on the arena and be ready to go onto the competition arena when the previous person has finished. You are allowed onto the surface as soon as the previous person has completed their final halt and salute. It is your job to turn up at the correct arena on time, at some of the bigger shows if you turn up late, you may get turned away, as they have tight schedules to keep to, and a few people turning up late can add a lot of time to all the riders after you.

It is respectful to stop or walk in front of all judge’s cars on your arena, so the writer can check your number and make sure they are filling out the test paper for the right person. Just as a wee test, next time you’re watching a horse with a bridle number on its bridle, try and read the number as it’s cantering round… trust me, it’s not easy!

Don't just assume they know who you are, the judge will usually have their head down completing the previous persons paper, so it’s the writer who needs to check. You don’t want to ride the test of your life only to discover they have the wrong person’s name on it!!

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

to the The judge sitting at C is the person in charge of the class, so if you have anything you need to ask or tell the judges this is the person you need to speak to.

Please be respectful of other riders on the competition surface, while you can walk, trot or canter around the arena, please keep an eye out for others doing the same, especially young riders.

If you are the first person in the class, especially after a break, you are not allowed onto the competition surface until the judges are in their cars. This is because it isn't fair if the first person gets eight laps round the arena, but the rest only get one. If you are the first person in the class, but you present early, don't be offended if the judge tells you to go away again. Judges may have several different tests to judge in a single session, and they need a moment to go through the new test before you start.

Should you choose to ride earlier than your time, once you have entered the competition surface, the judge can ring the bell at any time they choose.

Sadly, as above, you don’t get to ride around the arena until its your time… The judges have morning tea to get to.

Presenting to the

Judge (cont.) “ At 99% of dressage events, you are given a start time for each test, you are absolutely allowed to ride earlier if the riders before you have scratched, however it is also acceptable to ride to your time if you wish, the stewards may ask if you want (or can) rider earlier… again we all have morning tea to get to, but if you’re not ready, it isn’t your fault if the rider before you scratched.

Once the judge rings the bell you have 45 seconds to enter your arena, most judges will try and ring the bell as you are going past E or B, heading towards A, however if the judge is on a tight schedule sometimes they just have to ring it regardless of where the rider might be. While you have 45 seconds to start, it is expected that you take the shortest route back to A, so if you are heading back towards C when they ring the bell, you are expected to turn around and head back to A to start. Most judges will hang their bell out the car window for several seconds after ringing it, so if you’re not sure if it’s your bell, activate your neck swivelling feature and glance back and see if you can see the bell. You can enter from either the left or right rein, going round the arena on your better rein is usually the best option.

If you have a hearing problem that may mean you don't hear the bell being rung, please either tell the judge before starting, so they can tell you where they plan on ringing the bell to start, or have someone on the outside who can discreetly give you a wave to signal the bell has gone, but they then must move well away from the arena.

Any minor moments that happen before entering at A are not taken into consideration by the judges, and once you are through the gate A, take a deep breath, smile and enjoy the ride for the next 6 minutes.

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

Once the judge rings the bell you have

45 seconds to enter your arena

How to keep your judge Turn up on time

happy

At most shows, judges have many classes scheduled to judge in a day, often having to move arenas and judging positions; it’s a finely tuned jigsaw puzzle. So turn up on time, be ready to go as the person before you finishes. If your ride time is 10.30, that means you should be presenting to the judge at 10.30, not leaving the warm up about 10.30. Over the day judges may do up to 50 tests, if everyone turned up a minute or two late, they would not be happy campers.

Ride for gold

Come on to the surface ready to ride for gold. Judges are expert level at multi tasking, so while they are heads down finishing the previous persons sheet, they are also having one eye on the next rider, and are already forming opinions on how you present yourself and how you go around the arena. So look sharp and ready to go, we want to be wowed!

Let them know who are you. Now while you might be world famous in your own world, do not assume everyone else immediately knows you, the writers need to check you and your horse are the correct ones on the run sheet. So, unless you are at a big event that has an announcer, please please please, walk or stop in front of every car, so everyone knows they have the right person. If you have one of those uber fancy horses that cannot stand still outside of the arena, then maybe some more training is required, look at it as a good chance to do some last minute practice on those trot/halt/trot trans. All riders should have to spend some time in a judge’s car trying to read 6 little numbers as they flash past, it isn’t easy!

Horses first

Be kind to your horse. Mistakes happen in the test, but generally they are not in the arena alone, so do not put all the blame on them. How the horse reacts to a mistake tells us a lot about the rider, we all learn by making mistakes, they are no different, it’s how the rider handles it that is the major factor. If things really start going wrong, there is no shame in calling it a day and come back bigger and better in the next test. A kind sympathetic rider leaves a far better impression with the judges than someone who starts giving the horse a dental treatment.

Finally, look like you are enjoying yourself. Now while I get dressage is not the easiest sport, if it was then everyone would do it, but at least at the end of the test try and

smile and look pleased with your partner. Judges love seeing riders make a big fuss of their favourite four legged friend, it warms our hearts and makes us remember why we sit in a car all day, weekend after weekend.

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

How toridethe perfect centre line.

“the tone

Unless

The entry sets

“

for the rest of the test.

you are a GP rider on a GP horse riding at level one, chances are you can’t go the full sixty metres of an arena keeping the horse straight and having a bit of flexion. Yes you are quite right that you have a corner to go round once you get to C, but you have a lot of straight line and a halt to negotiate first, so just have your horses head in front of its body, you can ask for a little bend once you hit G.

Kids are experts at riding centre lines, because their one thought is to go from one end to the other, while adults unfortunately have a million thoughts going through their minds and like to backseat drive, which creates wiggles. As you are entering the arena, pick a spot off in the distance behind the judge car, stare at it and just do an active trot down to C, it is a lot easier to stay straight when doing a more active trot.

When you get to X to do your entry halt, do not rush it! At least make sure all four feet have hit the ground before starting your salute, there is not a prize for who can do it the fastest. The halt should be held for a minimum of 3 seconds; make sure the horse is standing still, on the contact before doing the salute and moving off again. You can salute with either hand, and you can be holding the whip in your hand that is saluting. You only need to salute the C judge, but go for gold if you feel the need to also give the other judges a nod as well.

At the lower levels it’s acceptable to do a few walk steps into halt, balanced and flowing is better than abrupt and nose diving. However, as you go up the grades you should be able to do it more promptly and still maintain the balance. For the depart out of halt, judges want to see a responsive horse that when the rider says go, it’s ready and goes with minimal walk steps, all the while staying straight, and not getting the speed wobbles from a quick acceleration. While approaching C to do you turn left or right (hopefully not straight ahead) keep the horse straight and do not bulge out away from the direction you are turning, while some judges are a little blind, we can see when you’re no longer straight in front of us.

For any halt on the centre line at X, you may well have a judge sitting at E or B, which surprise surprise is in line with X, so here is a handy hint when looking for X to do your halt… park in front of the car. Obviously, the judges on the short end cannot tell exactly where you have stopped, but the ones at E & B most certainly can.

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

You don't need to be riding Valegro to score well doing a straight line, but it does take practice.

Those other

important

low to mid level movements Give and retake the reins

This does require a little bit of practice. In most of the DNZ tests where this is required, it is both hands must go forward, now I realise some of the judges might look a little blind, but trust me we can see when you only move one hand forward, we can also see when you just lift your hands up. Your hands need to go forward up the neck line to the point where there is loops in both reins. When you move your hands forward, do it slowly, your poor horse is not going to stay relaxed with your hands shooting up behind his ears without warning. The judges are wanting to see that your horse is in self carriage and is not being held in the frame. Also it is often for 2-3 strides, surprisingly this takes longer than a millisecond, so again don’t rush it, if your horse can manage it, show it off well, or you are just throwing marks away.

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

Stretchy circle at trot /canter

The number one thing this tells us as judges, is if stretching your horse is something you do on a daily basis. Ideally the horse should follow the contact down as you let the reins slide through your fingers, they need to maintain the same balance, rhythm and tempo. You must maintain contact with the bit, the horses mouth should be ideally about in line with the point of their shoulder. If this is not part of your daily routine, start introducing it at the end of the ride when the horse is tired and will be more willing to stretch.

Leg Yielding

Before the leg yield movement, you possibly have a turn onto the centre line, so practice the turn and then going straight. Don’t start the leg yield from the momentum of coming round the corner, or all you will achieve is the horse falling out through the shoulder. Come round the turn, show a few strides of straightness and then start. The whole idea is to show that your horse can move away from your leg aid and that you can control the movement, both forward and lateral, so it’s not how fast you can get back to the track, but how well you can control the amount side motion so you get back to the track at the correct marker.

Final halt and salute

I’m just going to mention this again, as a reminder….. don’t rush it! While this final part of the test, might be the first time some riders have taken a breath since starting, just take a few moments to do it well. Make sure the horse is standing securely, make sure they are attentive and on a contact, take a deep breath, do your fabulous salute and smile, drop your reins and give your wee star a big pat. Just remind yourself you have paid a lot of money to be in front of those judges, so make the most of your money and don’t rush it.

Those other

important low to mid level movements Continued...

Free walk on a long rein

Unfortunately, this is not a well-timed rest break mid test.

Your horse should be able to walk faster than you can, so if it takes you five minutes to go across the diagonal at walk, then it’s a safe bet that your horse isn’t marching. Teach your horse to walk actively at home, every time you give him a rest break, make sure the transition to walk is a good one, and then practice letting the reins out and make him march, think purposeful steps, and then practice gathering the reins back up again.

What you do at home is what you will get in the arena, and you want to be able to do as little as possible and leave it up to your trusty stead to do the work for you. Your horse isn’t a mind reader, it can’t be expected to know that at home it’s allowed to mooch round, but at competitions it must be active and loose and swinging. Just remember every free walk or extended walk from level 0 to Grand Prix is a double coefficient, so it’s worth practicing and getting right. Just like in the stretchy trot, the horse should follow the contact down and out with the nose being the most forward part. They should have ground covering steps and swing over the back. Do not bring your hands wide and down to pull the horses head down… judges aren’t keen on that picture. The idea is the horse follows the contact you allow, while still maintaining a contact.

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

Show a few lengthened strides

Whether in trot or canter, the judges need to see clear transitions in and out on a straight line (obviously doesn’t apply to on a circle), so sorry but that means you can’t or shouldn’t use the corners to accelerate or brake. Make sure the horse is straight before asking, the power can’t come through from behind if the horse is crooked. If the test says show lengthened strides in trot, at the point when you think it feels amazing, STOP ASKING or you will be in canter by the time you hit the track. Lengthening does not mean going faster, if you’re struggling to find the lengthening button, try doing it over trot poles, and just gradually move the poles out so they have to stretch more for them, and then try and continue that trot on. Also, until you have found the button, try doing it along the wall of the arena or a fence line, it helps them balance more. Practice the transitions in and out; no point doing a fabulous expressive lengthening if it takes you the next three movements to come back. Judges want to see your horse is adjustable within the pace, so practice going forward and back, until you can do it maintaining the same rhythm and balance.

Serpentines

Most serpentines are 3 loops, which means three 20m half circles, so in between the half circles for a couple of strides you should be parallel with the short side of the arena. The idea is you are showing your horse can go from one bend to the other without interference, and that is equally supple on both reins. What we don’t want to see is triangles, all that shows us is as a rider you have no idea what shape a circle is… If you’re unsure, there is a picture of a serpentine in the test book on page 85.

Just one more thing to ponder; do you reward your wee precious for getting things right or simply for trying? Many riders never give their horses any positive feedback, they might be quick to tell them they have done it wrong, but not so quick to reward for a good try. Just imagine next time you have a lesson if your trainer said nothing all day but “do it again”, 99% of us would be assuming we are getting it wrong and would try a different approach, even though we may have actually got it spot on, but they just hadn’t told us.

Horses are no different; they don’t know if they are doing it right or wrong unless we tell them. But remember to give them a silent "good job" while in the arena... no chatting (well not when close to the judges).

Everyone likes to be told they are doing a good job... posh dressage ponies are no different.

accuracy { ak-yer-uh-see } If someone or something performs a task, for example hitting a target, with accuracy, they do it in an exact way without making a mistake Synonyms: precision, correctness, exactitude, exactness

Not

Collins Dictionary

everyone who comes to dressage is riding a purpose built dressage machine. In fact many riders are riding home built, backyard specials, but that doesn’t mean they still can’t produce an awesome dressage test.

If you’re not blessed with a horse with an excellent 10 trot, but instead a fairly good 7 trot, then it’s up to you as the rider to make sure you are doing everything you can to stay on that 7.

Some riders can lose up to 10% of their marks just down to inaccurate riding, which is just throwing marks away.

prepare, prepare, prepare!

If you aren’t sure just how big a 10m/15m/20m circle is… work it out, put some poles out to help you get the feel of the size of the circles, then practice riding those circles round the arena, in the corners, at various markers, so at any point you know exactly how far into the arena you should be going. Just remember though, circles don’t tend to have corners or straight bits, so ride those circles all the way round, and think turn, turn, turn.

Half 10m circles… That means each half of a circle is 5m. It’s not 10m each side of the marker, you’re riding an egg at that point, it’s no longer a circle. The half circles are often at E or B, and guess what, there is a judge sitting there, watching you go way past the point 5m would be. If you finding you have a lot of straight on the centre line between half circles, then yeah, it’s no longer a half circle, it’s a half egg.

Use the corners and short sides! A vast amount of tests have movements starting at a quarter marker, and immediately before that quarter marker is a corner, and if you have just let you horse slob around that corner, it’s unlikely you are going to be well set up for the movement coming up fast. So go as deep into the corner as you can while still maintaining a good rhythm and balance, get your horse straight and set up for the next movement, so when you hit that quarter marker you are giving yourself the best chance of doing that movement to the best of your ability.

Dressage 101: Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

Accuracy

is for

just down to

up to 10% of their marks

“

“

Some riders can lose

inaccurate riding,

which is just throwing marks away.

While your horse might be quite a superior being, it’s most likely not a mind reader, so warn it when something is about to happen, make sure they are listening (half halts are your friend) and ready for your aids before giving them the signal. Don’t rush movements, you (or the financier of your dressage day) has paid a decent amount of money to be in the arena, don’t hurry things, remember to half halt, rebalance and set movements up properly.

prepare, prepare, prepare!

All movements start at the first letter of each movement, so movement one carries on until the first letter in movement two, etc. Each movement starts when the riders shoulder goes past the marker.

When movements are on the diagonal, the movement must be performed on the straight line of the diagonal, before the horse’s nose reaches the markers. For example, if the movement is across the HXF diagonal in canter left lead, and trot at F, the trot transition needs to happen while still on the diagonal just before the F marker, while the horse is still straight.

Read what the test actually wants you to do. “MXK Show lengthened strides in trot” does not mean use the M corner to wind the horse up, do as much as you can across the diagonal and then use the next corner to come back. The judges need to see clear transitions in and out on the straight line, don’t ask for too much, as soon as you think this feels great… stop asking! The horse’s natural momentum will carry on for a few more strides and then come back.

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

Many tests have marks just for the transitions, because they are actually semi-important, and they tell the judges a lot, so every transition you ride at home, ride it for a 10, so you’re more likely to get a good one in the arena. One transition very few people ride well, is the one at the end of the lengthening, medium or extended trot and canter. It’s not just your boldest handbrake off canter we want to see, we also need to see the a transition back, within throwing distance of the marker, not two movements later.

Accuracy

Practice halts and free walks. Every test has at least one halt in it, as it goes up the grades maybe 3 halts, so teach your horse to stand square at home, so on competition day there is a fairly good chance they will just automatically square up in the halt, and try and keep on the contact. Every test also has either a free walk or later an, extended walk, and they always have a co-efficient of 2, so practice your walks, practice letting the horse take the contact down and out and bringing it back without jogging or getting distracted.

It takes 10,000 repetitions for something to become a habit, so practice practice practice at home so it just becomes second nature in the competition, so on the off chance your nerves kick in, your horse will have it all under control! The more you are disciplined at home to ride good forward transitions, halts, corners, etc, that is the same work you will get in the arena.

You can't expect your horse to know it can do slightly sloppy work at home but not in competition...

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

Don't settle for a 6 for that centreline.

Keep practicing until you can do

10 every time!

We have all made them!

Even ‘Charlotte’ has

For

a full rundown of rules regarding course errors and the penalties incurred see pages 36/37 Article 448 of the ESNZ Dressage rules.

At most local competitions, tests up to and including level 6 are allowed to be called, however there are some instances such as the super 5 class at Regionals, HOY or Nationals that can’t be, but these are usually well advertised. So, if in doubt ask someone on the organising committee before the competition so you don’t get caught out on the day.

Once the test has started, you cannot have someone start calling from part way through (as this then becomes outside assistance). If you have forgotten where you are going, and feel all hope is lost… go and talk to the judge, and they may allow someone to call for you, but you will have to ride as hors concours or ‘HC’ (a non-competitor).

Firstly, yes you can still receive course errors even if you having your test called, surprising how often this happens! It is acceptable to ask the caller to repeat something if you didn’t hear it, they just can’t say anything that is not in the test.

Ok so there are two types of errors during the test, “course error”, which is if you turn left at C instead of turning right. Then there are “errors of test”, which is for example, rising trot in your medium trot instead of sitting.

Course errors: Basically if you deviate from the plan, then the judge will ring the bell and hop out the car… DO NOT PANIC! If you know exactly where you went wrong, either go down to C and speak to the judge and let them know you have it under control, or clearly signal to the judge you are under control, come round and carry on from the movement before you went wrong, but do make sure the judge is back in the car first, hard to give you good marks if our backs are to you.

Course Errors

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

Course Errors cont.

If you are having a complete mind blank, ride down to C to talk to the judge, (and please do go down to the judges car, do not expect the judge to come to you, we use all our energy thinking, don't make us walk as well) they will tell you where you went wrong, feel free to ask where the judge would like you to start again from, which should give you a few more moments to compose yourself. Just remember its only 2 marks off (per judge in DNZ national tests) and you can make that up somewhere else.

For fancy FEI riders, it’s 2% off the total mark, so really 2 marks for a course error is nothing.

Many riders go into full blown panic when they make a course error, and they feel they need to correct it at F1 speed, then end up making another one because they race off and end up starting the test either in the wrong place or in the wrong direction, so as I said, do not panic! Slow down and listen to what the judge is telling you, rather than thinking you have it under control and get it wrong again.

For an error of test the judge may opt to not ring the bell if it will spoil the flow of the test, however if it is a mirror movement and they don’t stop you after the first one, they can’t mark you down for the second one. But regardless of whether or not the judge rings the bell you will still receive a penalty for a course error.

If you have started a movement, and it turns to custard, and you decide to re-ride that movement, you will be given a course error and the judge will only mark the first attempt, however it may then mean you get a better flow onto the next movement. At the lower levels, if you find yourself on the incorrect canter lead, do try and fix it, especially if that canter goes on for several more movements, better to get one terrible mark and get back on the correct lead, than get 4's for a series of movements.

In DNZ National tests, for the first course error you receive 2 penalty points per judge off, second course error 4 penalty points per judge, and third is elimination. For all FEI tests it’s a little more costly, with 2% for the first error, and elimination for the second.

The biggest obstacle is to not let the error take over the test, the best riders in the world make course errors, just take a deep breath, let it go and carry on, many people have still gone on to win a class with a course error.

Dressage 101: Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2022 version)

Musicals:what does your horse like to boogieto!

So

what

are the rules around musicals?

For

the most part it’s the same as riding a normal test, except you’re the only one who knows where you are going... From the time the bell rings you have 45 seconds to get into the arena, so don’t faff about too much getting to your “music starting” place. From the time your music starts you have 20 seconds to enter the arena. The time your musical starts is when you move off from your entry halt, and it stops at your final halt… All going well, at the same time as your music ends. Each level will state what the time allowed will be, and yes there could be someone timing it. You will receive penalties for going over or under the time.

Each level has a set of movements you will have to show, you can also add into your test any other movement that is performed in any normal test at the level you are riding or lower, for example a level 3 rider could put leg yielding (level 2 movement) into their test, but not half pass (level 4 movement. If you deliberately show a movement not allowed, there are tough penalties. However, “deliberately” is the key word, if in your counter canter at level 3, your super keen steed does a super flying change, clearly that isn’t deliberate, however if you then do a flying change back to correct, that one is. So always be careful of the correction.

The other movement that seems to trip people up is leg yield left to right in level 2 (or vice versa). You cannot go from one direction to the other without clear straight line steps in between.

Just for a moment put yourselves in the judge’s car seat and think… If I didn’t know where I was going would this be clear. While the judges have a sheet telling them the list of movements you must do, they are blind as to when or where you are going to do them… and to be honest, at times are still wondering that when the test has finished.

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

It’s up to you as the rider to make the movements as clear and as obvious as you can so judges aren’t left wondering what movement it was suppose to be. It’s up to you as the rider to make the movements as clear and as obvious as you can so the judges aren’t left wondering what movement it was suppose to be. Also, we are too tired from all the thinking to have to

keep getting out the cars to check with other judges as to where in the test you may have hidden that secret shoulder in left! This might come as a surprise but occasionally the judges blink, and if in your leg yield zig zag you only had one stride of straight, well then we will have missed it. So make things clear, it’s a fine line between super fancy and just too busy.

You need to know your music extremely well, not only so you know where you should be during the test so you are to time with the music, but also should something go wrong with your music during your test, you can recognise it doesn’t sound right and stop. If your music is skipping and doing weird things and you choose to carry on, you will get marked for the music that played, remember the judges don’t know that its not suppose to sound like that. So should things with your music go wrong, stop and go talk to the C judge, its their job to talk to the music person. Should your music go wrong or stop completely during the test you have a few options: If they can get the music playing correctly again without much delay, then you can either start from the beginning or from the point where you stopped, or anywhere in between. If you choose to start from the beginning of your test again, the movements and marks already been done will not be marked again.

Should the music not be able to be sorted quickly, with consultation with the C judge, you will be given another time to come back and reride your test, either at the end of the class or in a break. Again, it’s your choice where you start the test from and again marks given on movements already ridden will not change.

Something that has cropped up recently is hearing stories of riders asking the music person to stop the music when they finish the test… Well, that is a big ole no. The music person will start your music when you give the signal, as to when the music finishes is up to you, that is all part of the marks, keeping in time with your music.

Musicals are suppose to be fun, so try to keep the elevator music to a minimum and show off you and your horses best moves.

Tips!

Tips!

Tips!

Now that we all know the rules around riding your musical freestyle, here are some tips on riding your best test...

Entry

Mess up the sand in the arena

Dancing down the centre line

You want to start with something catchy to grab the judge’s attention. If you are rider number 27 of the day, sadly the judges have heard a lot of Abba, and probably whatever Charlotte used last season. So, you want something to make them perk up and be ready for the excitement about to happen.

You can enter at any pace, it’s the transition to halt that will catch you out. At novice you wouldn’t do a canter to halt in a standard test, so make sure there are clear trot strides on the way to the halt.

Space the required movements out

Some people can come in and will be whizzing all round the arena, and two minutes later, they still haven’t done anything (other than halt) to give a mark to, which makes the writers get very nervous as they think the judge has fallen asleep when they stop talking.

Try keep things vaguely symmetrical

Its quite reassuring to the judges if after seeing a pattern on one rein, they might know where you are going the other way if it’s much the same. Obviously, this isn’t a requirement, but it does tend to make the test flow better.

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

Tips!

Tips!

Tips! Tips!

Remember you don’t have to do movements marker to marker, you can make your own diagonals, use the ¾ lines, you have the whole arena at your disposal, so mess up the sand as much as you can, the only things that need to be in a specific place are the two halts on the centre line, and even then, you have basically 60 metres to choose where you park.

It’s a fine line between being busy, interesting or boring. But just remember there are people watching your test trying to work out what you are doing, and the busier you make it, they then become so frantic trying to keep up that they don’t get to enjoy and experience your test.

The best tests to judge are where you can work out what the next movement will be from the preparation the rider is doing before it in the corners. Busy isn’t always better, use longer lines, don’t show just the bare minimum required, because just one stride less on the day may mean you come up short. When placing movements, think about where the judges are going to be sitting, if you are trying to hide something, doing things in a hidden corner, may pay off, but at the same time, if we can’t clearly see what your doing, then we can’t give you big marks. Especially in the walk, if you have a great one, don’t do it going away from the judges, all they can see is walking – not the full effect.

The walks!

Judges can often do an entire class, and can be scratching their heads at the end of it, not being clear on the difference between the riders two walk movements they showed. There needs to be a difference shown. All walks will say, for example 20 metres continuous; this means that movement needs to be continuous, it doesn’t mean the walks in total need to be continuous, do something in between the walks to make it clear there are two, rather than they bleed into one.

Walk music; the walk has a beat, and the walk should be active and marching, so don’t pick a piece of music that you would take a slow romantic stroll by the river with. Music should enhance the horse and the test, so use music that gives the impression you’re marching and worse case it may make you keep your horse active to keep in time with the music.

c i s u to m

Vocals

Singing in music is quite accepted now days, but try to keep the hard-core rap to a minimum. Well accentuated words during certain movements can look awesome, and add some punch to the test.

Remember, musicals should be fun, so enjoy it and hopefully the judges will as well.

o h W

do I talk to about questions/queries/concerns?

We

all have best friends (or FB pages), but friends don’t always have the correct answers, so if you have a query, the best people to ask are a judge or steward or someone on the organising committee of the show you’re going to, because chances are they know the rules, and if not, they know where to find them. The full dressage rules are on the ESNZ website, they are easy to follow. Have a wee read, you'll be amazed what you find out you can and can't do, and worse case, it will help with insomnia.

If there is a rule you are unsure about… ask! But please do have a go and finding out the answer yourself first. Yes we know the rule book as a “trillion” pages, but it also has a index… Unfortunately saying you didn’t know after the fact, won’t get you off the infraction. Whatever saddlery/dress you are using, run it past an official so you know absolutely you are not using illegal gear that could get you eliminated.

As the rider it is your job to know the rules that concern you, don't always assume there will a trusty steward on hand to stop you going into the arena with illegal gear on. Also don’t assume since you didn’t get pulled up at the first show for incorrect gear, that you won’t later down the track, don’t think of it as being unfair when you do, more that it’s just you were lucky to get away with no one noticing up to that point.

Once you are at the arena, the minute you set foot onto the surface you are under the control of the judge/s. The judge sitting at C is the chief judge for that class, and should you need to tell or ask them anything, this is the person you need to speak to. Same applies at the other end, if you have questions or concerns about your test. Go and ask at the office if you could speak to the judge/s and they can organise a time with you for this to happen, please don’t go and track the judge down.

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

Most judges are more than happy to sit down with you and go through your test, but just be mindful that they may have been working all day and might not be available till the end of the competition. Bring your test paper with you, and please don’t be offended if they don’t immediately know who you are, they may have judged 40+ horses that day. All judges want to be giving out 8’s & 9’s instead of 3’s & 4’s, so if we can help you in any way, we will.

Outside of the arena, you are under the control of the stewards. They are the loveliest bunch (and quite possibly the hardest working) at any competition. They are there to ensure that everyone is following the rules, that everything is safe for horse and rider, and that the welfare of the horse is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. These are the people you want to make friends with at each show, because chances are if something goes wrong, they will have something in their bag of tricks to help you, like makeshift numbers, etc.

When you leave the arena after riding your Olympic qualifying test, you have several options on what you do next. You can exit the competition area, hop off and lead your horse back to the stable or float to give him a well deserved hug and carrot… Or you can go for a wander around the grounds and cool your horse down, then back to the float, or you can choose to carry on doing some schooling and attempt to fix some problems you had in the test. If you choose the option of further riding, there are some strict rules around what you can and can’t do. These can be found in the DNZ Rule Book Annex 11 (pages 74-75). But in a nutshell, it states that you can only do corrective schooling for a maximum of 10 minutes after your test. If you are going to carry on doing some schooling after your test, please also be mindful of where you are doing your schooling. If the warmup area is small, it might be best to go somewhere else, as it’s not fair to those trying to prepare for their tests to have someone come back in and use the space, often in a slightly more excited state than they were before the test.

o h W

do I talk to about questions/queries/concerns?

Cont.

Once you have left the arena, the next lot of volunteer’s spring into action. There are the test paper runners who clock up considerable km’s on a good day, they then go to the scorers to add up your test papers. Now the next time you are at a show complaining at the length of time it takes for you to get your score… just consider often the test paper collectors and the scorers are also riding, so if you want your tests scored fast, offering to help with either of these jobs might be the way to go! Most area’s use Evo Events so you can look up results as they come up, but remember these are only provisional scores, and can, and sometimes do change. Once the whole class has finished, the results need to be checked and signed off by the head judge before the final results and test papers can go out. There is also sometimes a delay should there be a discrepancy or judge training happening after the classes have finished which can hold up the test papers going out.

If you feel you have ridden the test of your life and your 5 friends also watching felt you are ready for the Level 2 Olympic trial… but the judge’s comments and marks differ from what your friends saw, go and discuss with the judge, they are the one person who can tell you where you’re going wrong and how you can improve, because unless your friends are scoring 90% then they might not have all the answers either.

A brief description of the people in charge at the events: OC – Organising committee: People behind the scenes running the show.

GJ – Ground Jury: These are the bosses of the show, everyone reports to them, and

if any issues need dealing with, warnings handed out… you will get to meet them.

TD – Technical Delegate: They are there to ensure the show is being run correctly, that all the officials are following the rules, that the grounds are safe, arenas correct.

Stewards: They are there to ensure the riders are following the rules and as an advocate for the horses.

Judges: Well we all know what they do.

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

The best saying I heard recently was don’t ever complain sideways, only complain up. Moaning to your 5 friends that you disagree with the judge, other than getting you some sympathy, won’t actually help, but going to talk to the judge just might.

Remember everyone who is there in an official capacity – judges, stewards, TD’s, organising committee – are all there to ensure you enjoy your riding and have as a successful day as possible, and are always happy to help, so please remember to be respectful.

A smile and a thank you goes a long way.

nexpected incidents

“ Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

Boom!

Just when we think everything is going perfectly… Boom!

Something happens. So what do we do when unexpected incidents happen?

From

the time you enter the arena at A till the time you leave the arena at A, you are not allowed to dismount, or you may be eliminated. So if during your fabulous final halt and salute you drop your whip, don’t jump off to fetch it. Should you drop anything in the arena, or if you spot an unexpected item in the arena, finish your test, leave the arena and either give someone your horse and run back in, or send someone else in to grab it. Or go and let the judge know (after you have finished) that there is something in the arena that needs removing.

If in the middle of your test, a loose horse decides now is the time to have a play on the arenas, just stop and wait for the wee cherub to be captured again. Then go and talk to the judge and ask what they would like you to do. It is at the discretion of the chief judge at which point the test will be restarted. If your horse is quite unsettled by the incident, you may be able to ask if you could represent later, should the schedule and the judge allow it. You will only get marked from the point in the test where you stopped, the portion of the test already marked will stay. But for this to be allowed to happen it does need to be quite a substantial disturbance. A leaf blowing through the arena is possibly not going to cut it.

For tests to be stopped it generally needs to be for a significant reason that affects more than just one rider. And sometimes it’s just bad luck/timing that you may end up riding at the windiest part of the day, or have the heavens open and you get soaked. Always remember your horse should be listening to you and not what is going on around them, and often the horse is oblivious, it’s the rider that is having a quiet freak out over the conditions, so just take a deep breath and carry on.

Same conditions apply for musicals; should your music fail during the test, or if your music is not playing correctly, stop and go and speak to the chief judge. Should the problem not be able to be fixed immediately, you may be sent out and another time decided to come back and carry on with the test. It is up to the rider where they restart from either from the beginning or from where the music failed, but again the marks for movements already given will remain.

If in the middle of your test you hear a bell ringing, before slamming on the brakes... look up or around and check it is your judge. Many riders have stopped mid test thinking it is their judge ringing the bell, when in fact it is the next arena starting their rider. So if you’re heading away from the judge, activate your neck swivel feature look up to see if there is any movement in your judges car, if you can't see them with the bell out the window or they aren't halfway out the car, then chances are it’s not your bell.

Should you have an equipment malfunction before starting your test, go and find the steward or someone in charge immediately and see if it’s possible to move your start time to give you more time to fix the problem, even at the big competitions there is usually some flexibility if you ask nicely.

As much as we would like everything to be perfect all the time, things do go wrong, and with horses they can go wrong quite often. Just remember everyone there helping is doing their best so the riders can have an enjoyable day - you get a lot further ahead by asking for help than demanding it.

What can

you

do to help your local group?

erydressage evno payment Behind group is a usually small bunch of hardworking individuals, 99% of whom are ehind –every Bvolunteers made for the many hours they put into the event & whose main aim is to make sure you as the rider have the best day you can…

So what can you do to help?

Check you are in the right class

if you just read the schedule, surprisingly its not been designed to just be line the bottom of the budgie cage, it actually has important info in there.

With most entries being done on Evo Events now, it’s very easy to pop back in and check you have entered the correct classes, don’t leave it till the draw comes out to contact us to say you’re in the wrong class. While many event secretaries round the country are very much “god like”, they don’t know every single person entering, so if you enter hacks instead of ponies, they may not always realise you are in the wrong class.

Get your entries in on time

Don’t complain about your start time

Firstly. READ THE SCHEDULE! 99% of your questions will be answered

There are a substantial number of jobs that need to be done once the entries close, and for each person who asks if they can put in a late entry, that is a delay in getting other jobs done. For every extra test ridden is another 8 minutes that needs to fit into a usually tight schedule. Tell us at the time you are entering if you have some special requests, we are happy to oblige (if we can). It’s easier to alter things before the draw is started, than after.

But keep the requests to a minimum, wanting a late start because you have other things you want to do on competition morning (don’t we all!) probably isn’t going to cut it.

Pay your entries on time

Someone has to go first, and there is usually a long list of people who have to ride at a certain time to work around their jobs they are doing to help the group, so if you are not one of these people, then offering to do a job just might get you a more favourable start time. “I don’t want to go first, the judges need time to get there eye in”…. actually no, our eyes are fine thanks, they tend to have started working as soon as we wake up. Doing the draw and judge placement is like a giant jigsaw puzzle, and most of the time it is set out the way it is, to make all the pieces fit.

Again, it is time out of someone’s day to contact you to remind you. Make sure your registration is up to date, and you have the correct membership. If for some reason you don’t receive an email telling you how much to pay… go old school, grab the calculator and work it out, ya know, like you had to before it was done online.

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

continued

group?

What can you do to help your local

Offer to help

Thank your hard working committee

Thank the sponsors

Walking past the office?

Many areas are struggling to get volunteers, so to keep the events running they are having to pay people to do the jobs, which means entry fees go up.

So bringing a packet of bikkies along on the day, is lovely but not really helping the problem. Offer to write for an hour, offer to pick up test sheets, learn how to do the scoring, help wash the dishes, the list is endless…

Most groups rely on sponsors to keep the groups afloat, and all they want in return is a thank you. Again, without these sponsors, entry fees would soar, so if nothing else thank them for helping keep the fees down.

Stay for prize giving

Yes, we know you have had a long day, and you want to get home… So do the organisers of the show who have been on the grounds since before any riders have arrived, and will be there after the riders go home, having to clean up. So, stay and support the prize giving, you just never know when the sponsors might be in attendance.

Don’t gripe about your score

or the judge who gave you that score. Just remember, judges are just like you, they have off days, they make mistakes, they get tired towards the end (aren’t you pleased you rode early now!), try sitting in a car for 8 hours + and still be able to concentrate as well as you did at 10am. Don’t assume that judge you moaned about is not also kicking themselves for making a mistake. They have made approx. 3000 snap decisions that day, I can guarantee one of them was wrong.

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

After a long day, a smile and a thank you goes a long way. We are all involved in the sport because we love it, but unless you look after and support your committees, you just might find one day they aren’t there anymore.

If you are, call in and ask is there anything I can help with?

Maybe a test paper needs to go back to a judge to get a mark, or a paper is not signed. You have no idea how a smiling face at the door asking if you need hand can turn a pretty shite day/moment into something amazing. We feel the love.

I know it seems daunting and that everyone looks like they have jobs or know what they are doing but just the offer to help is great and plus you may just meet some pretty amazing new people who could be your besties for ever!

Let’s talk Sponsorship…

How many of you have thanked the sponsor

of the class or the event you have been too?

How many even if you of you have didn’t win thanked the anything? sponsor

to How choose support that many business

of because they

your you support sport?

Fun facts & Dressage Rules (2023 version)

We

all know how expensive things are right now, competing is not a cheap hobby, but god bless all those amazing sponsors out there, that help keep the sport a tad cheaper, just imagine the costs without them…

At a national level, a couple of seasons ago, Dressage New Zealand raised approximately $140k worth of sponsorship, which was roughly $90k money and $50k in products and vouchers! This is just national level sponsors, so add to that all the local area level sponsors, it’s probably double. The $140k raised equates to roughly $90 per horse registered with DNZ… so ask yourself this, would you rather pay another $90 per horse you compete, or send a quick photo/card/letter/email/Facebook post thanking a sponsor? But please think about how you are thanking the sponsor, thanking them in your Facebook post might give you the warm fuzzies, but unless you can tag the sponsor in the post, they will never see it and is effectively pointless. So jump on their Facebook page or send them an email and do the right thing… or go completely old school and send them a thank you card, as a sponsor, we love this!

Sponsor’s give what they do because they love the sport and they want to support those who also love the sport… but sponsorship can’t be a one way street, for sponsors to support you, you have to support the sponsors… it’s that simple. Like everything in life, people are more inclined to do things for others if they feel appreciated, and if sponsors stop feeling appreciated… they stop sponsoring.

Sponsorship was something that was discussed a couple of years ago at DNZ conference, and one of the main issues was, how to get more riders to thank a sponsor… Should be a simple thing to do, yet a huge percentage of riders never do it. It was quite disheartening to hear one prominent national sponsor say they had received a total of two thank you’s for the season! Whether you are in the placings or not, the sponsor of that class has provided in some way, the funding for you to have cheaper entry fees.

Just imagine if you are a sponsor, and you have paid $1000 for your name to be on the class ribbons at the event, and you come along at the end of the day, and there are a pile of uncollected ribbons, for whatever reason… that is not something that is screaming out ‘that was a good use of my money’. Please go and collect your ribbon, go to prize givings, collect your prizes, take a nice photo with your prizes/ribbons, and if you want to donate the ribbon/prizes back to the group do it after the event. Think about what your actions or inactions are saying to those who are subsidising your competing.

Equestrian sports is an expensive hobby for most riders, so just imagine how much more expensive the sport would be without sponsors; entry fees would go up, prize money will be dropped (already happening in many areas), most likely no rugs as prizes, the list goes on. So next time you get home on a Sunday night from your competition and you’re sitting down with your well deserved wine… do a spot of multitasking and thank those sponsors involved with your competition; really it’s the least you can do!

Have fun out there “

At

the end of the day, we have just one life, so enjoy it and live it to the fullest. Take risks and do the things you have always wanted to do. Give yourself the best chance to achieve your dreams – you just never know what lies ahead... I’m living my dream!

“

Melissa Galloway

FEI Dressage Athlete World rank No. 27* FEI Dressage Horse World rank No. 31* – Windermere J’Obéi W Holder of the NZ Grand Prix Musical Freestyle record

&enjoy the ride *FEI Dressage World rankings as at Dec 2023

Photo by Libby Law, WEG 2022 Herning

NZ 2023on versi

Fun facts & Dressage Rules 2023 version. Reproduced with permission.

Words

by Suzanne Inglis ESNZ Dressage Judge, Dressage New Zealand Board Member & Technical Officer (Nelson Dressage Group)

Imagery by Hayley Newington | Hayley Newington Photography

(Auckland Manakau Dressage Group)

Design&editing by Sarah Holmes | HERDD.nz

(Auckland Manakau Dressage Group)