In the Driver’s Seat with Elisa Marocchi Photo Mac Henderson Photography
How to Improve your Dressage Score Without Having to Get a New Horse (and without your horse having to get a new driver!) Part 2 Continuing from last month’s article, here are a few more easy pointers to help you garner higher marks on your test. 20 • JULY 2021
SADDLEUP.CA
Pay attention to specific requirements Be aware of the number of steps required for reinbacks, and the amount of time required for halts. ADS Training Level C test asks the driver to halt for 3-5 seconds, and to rein back for 2-4 steps. Halting for 2 seconds or for 8 seconds, or reining back 1 or 6 steps will not meet the requirements of the test. I understand how long 3-5 seconds can seem! We halt for what we think is enough time, only to find the comment “halt not long enough” on our test. So as you come to a stop, take a deep breath and slowly count to four or five. If we know our horses will rein back perfectly from the very first step (i.e. with diagonal pairs of legs), we could ask for only 2 reinback steps. However, sometimes the first step the horse takes is not perfect. Because of this, ask for 3-4 steps. The judge may see one poor reinback stride, but it will hopefully be followed by 2-3 correct steps. Our goal is for our horse to rein back perfectly! But asking for 3-4 steps will give you a bit of a cushion in case things don’t go quite as planned. Make the best of glitches What if your previously willing pony has decided not to budge when asked to rein back? You’ll have to use your judgement, however you should attempt the movement or you will risk being deemed “off course” or receiving “0” for “not executed.” Use your same good judgement if your horse is anxious and won’t stand. It’s better to get a few really good seconds of immobility and be slightly short on the test requirements than to get into a battle and have things deteriorate. Understand the geometry of the arena Understanding the landmarks for various figures is essential. You need to know where the quarter lines are, the distance between letters, and how the figures fit into the arena. Look at the diagrams for the test you’ll be driving and ensure you know exactly where the figures will be positioned. Practice looking up at landmarks you’re driving towards. For circles, looking up at your next quarter-circle landmark and picturing the arc in front of you can help keep your circles round. While we need to “check in” with our horses and observe how they are reacting to our aids, we also need to look up and pay attention to our intended track. As I tell my students, unless your day is going very wrong, your horse will always be right there in front of you so look where you’re going! Serpentines are driven as half-circles connected by straight lines. To begin a three loop
