This message is from: Starfirefarm <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Dagrun Aarsten wrote:
> The performance tests were judged pretty strictly ........................And > they have to > stand completely still for mounting, in a rather exciting, new environment. > SO that was tuly a humbling (and inspiring) experience for me, to see the > level that is required! Whoa there Dagrun! Let's not frighten anyone away from participating in the Introductory Performance Tests! The categories for the introductory riding, driving and draft tests are general, focusing on the horse's behavior, acceptance of it's training and way of going. Here is how the score sheet reads for the Intro Driving Test: 1. Behavior (1-10 Points x 2) Enter, dismount, remount, drive off. - If your horse is confident and obedient, it's EASY to get a score of 10 (therefore 20) points right off the bat. If your horse takes a step or two, you might get a half or a point off. If your horse moves away several times you might get a couple of points off. If your horse becomes dangerously unsettled enough that your header has to step in and take control, you might get a very low score. 2. Movement at Walk and Free Walk on Long Rein (1-10 points) - Here, the judges are looking at the quality of the walk, looking for a nice, forward, rhythmic walk that displays relaxation and swinging of the back Also, how well the horse uses himself through the body. 3. Movement at Trot (1-10 points) - Is the trot rhythmic and regular? Does the horse use his whole body, or just his legs? Is the horse relaxed in the trot, with nice long strides, or does it have short, choppy strides? Is it using it's hocks well, pushing off of the hind end and well balanced, or is it heavy in front and pulling itself along with it's front legs, leaving it's hind legs out behind? Is it a pleasant, forward trot, or lazy, sluggish and dragging it's feet? 4. Quality of Transitions (1-10 points) - Here the judges are looking for the acceptance and obedience of the horse in the upward and downward transitions. If your horse is prompt in response to your aids, you can get a 10. If it's sluggish and you have to tap him with the whip several times to get an upward transition, your score might fall to 6 or 7. If your horse runs through the bit during every downward transition, is nervous and resists the downward transitions by throwing it's head, your score could be quite low. At Days Creek, we saw several well driven horses that had lovely, obedient, upward and downward transitions. 5. Behavior - Halt/Stand/Rein Back (1-10 points) - Here, again, if the horse is confident in it's work and knows it's job, it's easy to get a high score. Submission (1-10 Poinst x 2) Attentiveness, confidence, obedience, stability, willingnes to work - This is the only other place where there is a coefficient of 2. Even if your test is not as forward as one might like to see in a driven dressage test, if your horse is obedient, displays willingness in it's transitions and is confident in it's work, you can achieve a high score. Impulsion (1-10 points) Forwardness, elasticity of steps, relaxation of back, engagement of hind end - This is where people who have experienced competing in open driving competitions, especially in driven dressage, may have an edge over folks who drive only for pleasure. A horse that moves forward, with nice impulsion and self carriage (not dumping on the forehand) will garner a higher score than one that is either rushing and nervous or sluggish. A tense, nervous, jigging horse will not be relaxed in it's back, nor will it have engagement. A lazy horse might be relaxed, but will also not show engagement. Body Position (1-10 points) Relaxation, suppleness, ability to flex and bend, acceptance of bit - This is where I make comments about whether or not the horse is properly flexed or counter flexed through the circles and corners of the test. Is the horse correctly bent for the size circle it's on, or is it falling through the inside shoulder? Or is it running through the outside rein? Does it bend correctly on both reins or only on one rein? Does it counter flex through the corners, but not on the circle? Note that the reference to the bit says ACCEPTANCE of the bit, not whether the horse is actually on the bit or not. At this level, it is enough that the horse shows acceptance of the bit (in otherwords, isn't twisting it's head in the forward work, isn't bearing down on the bit in the transitions or rein back, etc.) If the horse happens to be on the bit, so much the better. That's all! Eight categories, two with a coefficient of 2. The Introductory Riding Test has an additional category for the quality of movement at the canter. In the Intro Riding test the category with a coefficient of 2 is Submission. The introductory tests are designed to be as uncomplicated as possible, yet still giving a prescribed, conventional, set of figures which reflect the basic, generally accepted, training of the horse for each discipline (Riding, Driving and Draft.) To help level the playing field (if you will) for the participants and to give the evaluators a standard by which to judge the tests. Granted, the performance and skill of the rider/driver does affect the performance of the horse. In my experience, in both judging and being judged, the scores can tend towards giving the horse the benefit of the doubt when there is a question of pilot error. I have seen, frequently, that if a rider/driver goes off course, he or she is asked to repeat the movement to give them the benefit of the doubt. If a rider/driver is very nervous and makes mistakes, but the horse is "ho hum" about that and just does his job, rather than feeding on the handler's nervousness, you can bet that that particular horse will score well in the submission category. I have seen handlers that are novice to both riding and driving get scores high enough to garner Blue ribbons in their tests, so please don't let Dagrun's description scare you away from participating in an evaluation. If you get a score in the Blue or Red level, you still qualify to go on to the Advanced tests, if you chose (and if you've pre-entered the Advanced test.) The standards for the Advanced tests, understandably, are higher, and are therefore reflected in the scores. It is in the Advanced tests that a judge would expect to see a horse consistently on the bit, bending the proper direction for the circles and turns, with the ability to show lengthening at the walk and trot (as well as extensions in the Utility part of the test), changes of speed at the lope in the Western Riding test, and very obedient to the handlers' aids. Something else to think about is that the Evaluators are looking for the participants to be successful, not looking to penalize every little thing that goes wrong. Evaluations can be a great, and rewarding, learning experience for participants as well as observers, so I say, GO for it! Beth -- Starfire Farm Beth Beymer and Sandy North http://www.starfirefarm.com
