Maximising marks

WANTING TO IMPROVE YOUR SCORES OR DECIDING TO MOVE UP A LEVEL? WE CHALLENGED FEI 5* JUDGE AND TRAINER CLIVE HALSALL TO OFFER SOME GENERAL ADVICE.

In dressage, preparation is key and small ad ustments can ma e significant differences.

Looking back at training and competition videos, as well as test sheets, can really help you to identify strengths and wea nesses. ry to consider the general impression of the test, as sometimes what the judge sees is different to what you eel. hilst wea nesses may need a longer term training approach, you can often build on the ositives. A ew hal mar s gained in a test can sometimes make the difference to roduce a uali ying score or a lacing. As com etition day a roaches, it is im ortant to review your daily training schedule: full training days, stretching hac ing and days off may need to be ad usted to suit your horse. Following the Covid break it is vital to consider how your horse will cope with travelling, warming up with other horses and the com etition arena itsel . orses need to eel sa e in a new environment to er orm to the best o their ability.

ABOVE: AT HOME, AIM TO WORK AT THE LEVEL ABOVE WHICH YOU ARE CURRENTLY COMPETING. LEFT: ANALYSING YOUR PERFORMANCE TO IDENTIFY STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES CAN REAP BENEFITS IN THE COMPETITION ARENA, SUGGESTS FEI 5* JUDGE AND TRAINER CLIVE HALSALL.

ABOVE: THINK HOW YOUR HORSE WILL COPE WITH TRAVELLING, WARMING UP WITH OTHER HORSES AND THE COMPETITION ARENA ITSELF. RIGHT: ACCURACY HAS A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON MARKS.

Each movement is awarded a mark based on the all-important training scale. The main in uencers on higher mar s are: way of going according to the scales of training,

CAMILLE PETERS uality and harmony. ower mar s are o ten related to serious rhythm issues, signifi cant mista es and resistances. otal scores can also be aff ected by errors o course so nowing the test is invaluable to achieve a ocused personal best. It’s always a good idea to know where marks are awarded in the test. Some movements carry a coe cient and accuracy is a real modifi er, in uencing movement mar s both u and down. In every test at every level centre lines, transitions and corners will be re uired. he fi rst centre line is an o ortunity to create a good im ression. ransitions re ect training and highlight reaction, willingness and obedience. Corners, correctly e ed and balanced relative to the level are incorporated into movement marks.

As you rogress through the levels, your horse s ability to lengthen and shorten steps, stride and frame will be tested. iff erences within the aces are e ected and transitions from one pace to another become more demanding. These transitions develop elasticity and balance, are great communication tools and are crucial on the ourney towards collection.

Double transitions such as AT TRAINING AND halt-trot-halt or walk-canter- COMPETITION VIDEOS, wal are o ten the fi rst ste s on the ladder to collection and half AS WELL AS TEST SHEETS, halts, which are game changers CAN REALLY HELP YOU TO in any test. al to canter and sim le IDENTIFY STRENGTHS changes are an im ortant tool in AND WEAKNESSES training ying changes, which o ens the door to Advanced Medium level. Transition goals should always be to train these aids to be so subtle they become almost ADAMFANTHORPE invisible. Every transition/half transition tells a story, even the seemingly innocuous halt-walk-halt. the best introduction on the way to the more di cult ateral su leness is also essential to rogression lateral shoulder in travers, renvers, hal ass and irouette work ‘gymnasticises’ and strengthens and it is vital to the e ercises. As sim le e ercises get easier, more demanding goal o straightening your horse. It s fi rst introduced as a e ercises can be introduced. I roblems occur, brea ing move away rom the inside leg to the all im ortant outside e ercises down to easier move away bend around the leg rein and the develo ment o e ion, rogressing to move movements is often the best solution. away and bend around the inside leg. ual e ion bend gives you a straighter horse, one that ABOVE MAIN: AS YOU PROGRESS THROUGH THE LEVELS, YOUR HORSE’S can ush evenly rom both legs to both reins. ABILITY TO LENGTHEN AND SHORTEN STEPS WILL BE TESTED. urn on the orehand, leg yields and shoulder ore off er INSET: THE CENTRE LINE SETS THE FIRST IMPRESSION FOR YOUR TEST.

FOLLOWING THE COVID BREAK IT IS VITAL TO CONSIDER HOW YOUR HORSE WILL COPE... HORSES NEED TO FEEL SAFE IN A NEW ENVIRONMENT TO PERFORM TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY

LEARN TO LOVE YOUR DEMONS! Martha Jobling-Purser, 15, is competing for Ireland at Pony FEI level and trains with Clive.

“I started off with show ponies, and had previously competed up to Elementary. We purchased Valido’s Starlight (Star) in 2018 for my last year in ponies, where the tests are at Medium level.”

Martha says that she found the increased level of accuracy required to be a challenge at fi rst and has worked hard to make her transitions and corners more precise.

She comments: “Walk pirouettes were my least favourite movement – they made me freeze and I blocked Star. Clive told me I had to learn to love them!

“We just seemed to get stuck and the pirouette often lacked bend, suppleness and turning of the shoulder.”

To help her, Clive suggested riding shoulder-in and travers on a 20m, 15m and 10m circle to get Star more responsive and attentive; developing half halt in travers also helps with collection.

“Using a quarter pirouette helped me to get started. Then riding the whole working pirouette gave me more time to establish the feel of the movement and to control each step. Star is also very laid back so can get sluggish, but if I push too forward I lose collection then the pirouette is too big,” explains Martha.

“I’ve been working on acceptance of the bend and and keeping him more even in the rein, and also sitting more in the middle of him rather than sitting against him. If we ever get stuck, then using the training exercises helps overcome any diffi culties.”

It’s always advisable to be training a level above competition. Balance and ease of movements is critical to taking the next step up. Keeping things simple and listening to your horse is often key as sometimes you need to a roach things with a diff erent mindset. ot all horses develop at the same rate; their talent may vary in some exercises and some horses are more trainable than others.

Most of all enjoy the journey and the time with your horse.

LEFT: LATERAL WORK ‘GYMNASITICISES’ AND STRENGTHENS AND IS VITAL TO THE GOAL OF STRAIGHTNESS IN THE HORSE.

KEVIN SPARROW

ABOVE: MARTHA JOBLING-PURSER AND VALIDO’S STARLIGHT.