This weekend, I'm going to a dressage show - but without Kadey.
I put my hand up as a penciller/scribe. I figure it's a good chance to get my hand back in the game, maybe make some new contacts in the dressage world and learn what judges are looking for and at. Basically it's like having a lesson, free of charge.
Only thing is, my first classes are Elementary level. Eek! I haven't even ridden an elementary test before, and now I'll be taking notes for moves I may not have even SEEN before!
In all, a good opportunity to learn. I'm going to study the tests before hand so I understand the movements and what's happening.
Whee!
Showing posts with label dressage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dressage. Show all posts
Monday, January 16, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Dressage: UK vs USA
A great breakdown on the various levels of dressage in the UK (which I'm pretty sure we follow here) and USA (SOURCE):
Re UK dressage levels, affiliated dressage is governed by British Dressage (www.britishdressage.co.uk) which is similar in set-up to the USDF.
The various levels in increasing order of difficulty are (new movements introduced at that level shown in brackets):
Intro – (walk & trot tests)
Prelim – (working trot & canter)
Novice – (medium walk, trot & canter, counter canter ,rein back)
Elementary – (leg yield, collected trot & canter, simple changes)
Medium – (shoulder-in, half pass, extended & collected walk, extended trot & canter, travers, half walk pirouettes,
Advanced Medium – (flying change)
Advanced (4 times changes)
Prix St Georges
Intermediare I
Intermediare II
Grand Prix
A little bit about how our classes are divided: We don’t split classes by amateur/professional status, instead we have a system of horse & rider ranking. Horses accumulate points as they do well in competition & once they reach a certain level are upgraded & are no longer allowed to compete at a level. This stops a Prix-St-George horse from being able to contend an elementary class.
Riders are given a group level, entitling them to compete in the Open or Restricted section at a particular class level. Once a rider has experience in the level above, they must compete in the Open section of lower levels.
To compare, the US system (explained in Lauren Sprieser's blog):
Intro - walk/trot
Training Level - walk, trot, canter
First Level - walk, trot, canter, lengthening trot & canter, leg yield, beginning of counter canter
Second Level - collected trot & canter, medium trot & canter, shoulder in, travers, renvers, rein-back, simple changes, turn on haunches, counter canter
Third Level - collected, medium, and extended gaits, half-pass, flying changes, plus the stuff from Second Level
Fourth Level - basically same stuff as Third Level but higher degree of difficulty. Flying changes every 4th stride, canter half-pirouette.
Re UK dressage levels, affiliated dressage is governed by British Dressage (www.britishdressage.co.uk) which is similar in set-up to the USDF.
The various levels in increasing order of difficulty are (new movements introduced at that level shown in brackets):
Intro – (walk & trot tests)
Prelim – (working trot & canter)
Novice – (medium walk, trot & canter, counter canter ,rein back)
Elementary – (leg yield, collected trot & canter, simple changes)
Medium – (shoulder-in, half pass, extended & collected walk, extended trot & canter, travers, half walk pirouettes,
Advanced Medium – (flying change)
Advanced (4 times changes)
Prix St Georges
Intermediare I
Intermediare II
Grand Prix
A little bit about how our classes are divided: We don’t split classes by amateur/professional status, instead we have a system of horse & rider ranking. Horses accumulate points as they do well in competition & once they reach a certain level are upgraded & are no longer allowed to compete at a level. This stops a Prix-St-George horse from being able to contend an elementary class.
Riders are given a group level, entitling them to compete in the Open or Restricted section at a particular class level. Once a rider has experience in the level above, they must compete in the Open section of lower levels.
To compare, the US system (explained in Lauren Sprieser's blog):
Intro - walk/trot
Training Level - walk, trot, canter
First Level - walk, trot, canter, lengthening trot & canter, leg yield, beginning of counter canter
Second Level - collected trot & canter, medium trot & canter, shoulder in, travers, renvers, rein-back, simple changes, turn on haunches, counter canter
Third Level - collected, medium, and extended gaits, half-pass, flying changes, plus the stuff from Second Level
Fourth Level - basically same stuff as Third Level but higher degree of difficulty. Flying changes every 4th stride, canter half-pirouette.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)