This was an original article and video designed especially for Eventing Nation.
Getting ready to head to a show soon? In this video, I have five tips to help you get a new personal best dressage score at your next event! I know, I know, jumping is way more fun…but the dressage portion of the event is just as important as your show jumping and cross-country phases. Oftentimes, the judges will determine the winner of the whole event by the rider’s dressage score. Plus, practicing your flatwork and dressage principles will help you do better in your other jumping events as well.
Though I am mainly a dressage rider, I do have students who are eventers, and so I have compiled these top five tips specifically based on the common themes that I observe. Here are my top five tips to help you improve your eventing dressage scores:
Steady Tempo
One common thing that I see eventers doing is rushing through their tests and riding over tempo or with an inconsistent tempo. However, rushing your horse can cause them to be tense, inconsistent in the contact, and run on the forehand. In your test, remember that you can relax and take your time. Practice counting your horse’s stride. Breathe, relax, and go for a steady and consistent tempo as you ride through your test.
Ride Accurately
Riding letter to letter is super important. Judges like to see that you have correct geometry and are riding accurately throughout your test, as this indicates that your horse is on your aids. Remember to use your corners, and ride each figure letter to letter.
Practice Your Walk
Most of the time, the walk is a coefficient in your dressage test, which means that your score in the walk will count for double points. Practicing your walk and getting a nice, relaxed, and active walk can really help improve your test scores. Plus, practicing your walk is a great way to give your horse a break, and help them relax. Focus on getting a consistent rhythm, with your horse over-striding and stretching down into the contact.
Centerlines and Halts
Your centerline and halt in your test is your first and last impression to the judge. Therefore, it is a great thing to practice! It is super common for horses to get tense and nervous during this movement because they feel restrained, so I recommend first getting your trot-walk transitions down, and then practicing a few walk-halt transitions. Try practicing your walk-halt transitions along the rail first, and really focus on getting your horse to halt through your seat; this will help them halt square and round.
Breathe, Smile, and Have Fun!
Something that I think we all can forget when we are at a show is to just breathe, smile, and have fun with our horses. At the end of the day, we love our horses and we went to the show to have fun and enjoy them! Don’t forget to pet them, reward them, and say “Good job!”!
I hope that these five tips help you at your next show. You can also use the video above, where I go into more detail and demonstrate each tip. Let me know in the comments below what your favorite tip was! A big thank you to Eventing Nation for collaborating with me to help make this video possible.
Happy Riding!
Amelia
