Warm Up or Wind Up!
Written By Alison Short
Back in the summer I went to watch an Inter 1 dressage competition and decided to sit beside the warm up arena hoping to pick up some pearls of wisdom, there where eight riders putting their horses through various exercises. As I watched with great expectations I decided to imagine the less experienced competitor observing their various techniques, how was this going to influence the rider at the lower levels and how it might change their approach in the warm up arena.
British Dressage’s statement is the “Happy Athlete” and that was my goal, to observe the partnership that really shone in confidence and athleticism, the one that met the words we so often have underlined at the bottom of our sheet, freedom, elasticity, suppleness, engagement, confidence, harmony. As I sat watching I saw a horse being asked to canter very slowly whilst the rider flexed first to the inside and then to the outside, the angle of bend being well beyond the point of each shoulder and the canter being so slow that the correct beat was lost. The horse broke from canter on several occasions followed by the rider acting sharply with the aids in a disciplinary way.
Another combination were attempting their sequence changes with the horse often being late behind and so receiving a rather hefty smack, the canter which the changes where being asked from had no suspension from the ground, therefore not allowing the horse enough time to lift his feet and land with them placed on the opposite lead. The knowledge that was needed to correct this was to develop more power from the hind legs and so create greater suspension in each stride, instead the rider pushed down hard with the seat and smacked the horse for what she believed was a lack of discipline, this only driving his back down and so pushing his hind legs even further out behind.
So the picture I saw was not one of a “Happy Athlete” in fact the word happy didn’t seem prevalent at all, grimacing faces and growling voices, their only saving grace being that they where not yet in view of the expectant judges! Yes of course we have all been there! Why won’t he do it NOW when it really matters?
He does it brilliantly at home!! But do YOU feel the same at shows? If I could achieve consistently at a show what I can at home I would be thrilled, but my expectations have to be realistic in order for me to ride with confidence.
Try to see your expectations in a clear way, if you are jumping two foot three at home try jumping two foot on show days that way you will be able to focus on a rhythm and which leg you land on, rather than being three meters away kicking like hell and landing in a heap the other side dreading the next fence. Dressage is the same, if you are struggling to ride shoulder in then choose a test at novice until you are riding shoulder in with ease.
“Confidence is not something you can ride without if you want to OOZE look at me qualities in the ring.”
We all like to be ambitious and I see it as a real quality in a pupil, but subjecting your self to constant disappointments is a big hole to dig and climbing out can seem impossible at times. Coming home with a smile on your face and more percentage than the time before is breeding good feel between you and your horse, leaving you reliving all those positive moments.
Have a game plan!
Always arrive in plenty of time and be realistic about how long it takes you and your horse to get ready, if you are riding two tests then make sure you don’t over cook him in the first warm up, or if he is really tired and gave you his best in the first test be prepared to withdraw from the second. A horse that is only ridden once or twice a week cannot be expected to pull two of his best tests out of the bag, it’s not realistic!
“Being a dodgem in the warm up is far from relaxing!”
Make sure you have at least the first five minutes in walk (off of the track) it’s easy to get to a show and feel harassed by the other riders to get out of the way and start zooming round, plan your route and give others space but you are all equal so watch out for the Prima Donnas!
“It’s fine to have a snaffle in your horse’s mouth but pointless if your shoulders are a straight bar!”
When you first start to take a contact try to replicate the same feel to the rein as you do when schooling at home, if your horse takes the contact by pulling his lower jaw against the rein check that your shoulders and neck are supple as this is where the true contact begins, try to keep your tummy slightly ahead of your shoulders.
If your horse is tense and excitable at shows see if your trainer will come with you the first few times, it can be invaluable. Sometimes it is possible to lunge at shows but not without the organiser’s permission otherwise you may just make enemies of your fellow competitors.
Spiralling circles are a good way of gaining your horse’s confidence and attention making sure he is truly round your inside leg, sometimes it is useful to place your little finger inside the outside rein to remind yourself to contain him in the outside contact. Separate your shoulders, the inside being supple and encouraging the bend and the outside feeling like it remains straight. When enlarging your circle guide your horse from your inside leg to the outside contact until you can maintain this going large with the same connection, this exercise can be used in trot and canter and is especially good for a sharp or tense horse to gain focus.
“Tension breeds tension”
The connection your seat makes to your horse is the most influential contact and often the most difficult to master, feeling a little pinched or pushing your pelvis a fraction forward in comparison with your confident feel schooling at home is often enough to change your horse’s responses.
One of the best ways to truly understand this is to think of how hard it can be to float in water when you are really trying, the more tense your body becomes the deeper you sink, that is because you are visualising staying above the water when in fact if you let it surround you, just covering your ears dropping into total relaxation then floating is easy! Now apply that method to sitting breathing through your seat, now you are in your horse not on him with the buttons becoming so much easier to find.
“Put a couple of coins in your pocket this will help you with maintaining a rhythm”
Keep focused about what you want to achieve in your warm up, the first element is the correct rhythm in each pace and this goes hand in hand with relaxation. Each step should be rhythmical with a moment of suspension not hurried like a sewing machine, try to challenge yourself to put some of the movements together and to listen to the rhythm, if you find this difficult then put a couple of coins in your pocket and listen to them, be subtle in your corrections so not to create tension.
“No mental stimulation, no conversation!”
Remember to keep a few exercises that you find useful but move between them, if you are struggling with something move on and go back to it, this is not the time to be breaking new ground but building confidence in your combined ability.
Be proud to be there on your horse or pony and smile from within, we all work so hard to keep and produce our equine friends if it doesn’t make you smile it’s time to wonder why you are doing it!
“Be your own judge!”
When you are moving up a level or needing to build your confidence at competing be your own judge and assess whether YOU felt it was a better test than last time, after all your judge will not know if that was a better canter than last week, progression is achievement keep this as your personal goal.
Top Tip
Having a commander is great but always know what movements are in your test, a fluently ridden test needs the rider to prepare for each movement. Could you be confident, supple and light on your feet if you where being told where to go with a blind fold on? A horse with no preparation is far less able to move with confidence and freedom.
Alison Short is a Freelance Trainer and a British Dressage Judge please call or email for bookings or advice 07719 900275 alisonshort@btopenworld.com
