I posted this link in the New Rider Tests discussion, but wanted to discuss separately as well. It is really great watching and full of showing and training tidbits from, IMHO, one of the best judges and one of the best riders in the world (Janet Foy and Steffen Peters). It's kinda long, but believe me, you will want to watch the whole thing! (Spoiler Alert- Remember Conchita from Stephen Colbert's dressage lesson? Steffen rides her in the GP portion!)
I would love if people weighed in on a few things:
1. Judging: Janet explains pretty clearly how judges arrive at a score by starting with a score for gaits/overall training. There are lots of discussions on this board about how judges are biased to larger moving horses/dismissive of average horses. Given Janet's description of how a score is arrived at, do you think this system is unfair or flawed? Any other comments on Janet's description of how a score is arrived at are welcome.
2. Judging 2: On the second day of the symposium, Janet explains quite clearly the scoring differences between the national levels and FEI. Please share your thoughts on these differences, especially if you think some of them should be changed.
3. Training: Steffen works with all of the horses on improving their response to the aids and suppleness/submission to the aids (durchlassigkeit). This seems to be a hole in most of the horse's training, and in my experience with my students and watching people at shows, it is not exclusive to the clinic horses, but seems to be a major flaw in how dressage is taught in America. What do you think should be done to fill this hole? Should we give it an English word?
4. Training 2: Can someone please come up with some way that we can bottle Steffen's incredible skill so that I can inject it?? It would probably be a good idea to bottle some of his patience and grace while we're at it.
Of course feel free to weigh in on anything else that made an impression, or something that helped you overcome an issue you are having with training or showing.
I started the PSG portion last night and for all of you french folks her mentions the spanish riding school about foot falls and ALSO you can see the importants directly of walk work when doing canter/trot half pass.
This video is a must see IMO for us ammys IMO.
Earlier he also talkes about obvious give with flexions and half halts. Another thing the people who are doing the French method can see in action.
It is all paired with fantastic riding and these horses are not forced only improved
2007 ESDCTA New Test Symposium-Spin Off
It would probably be a good idea to bottle some of his patience and grace while we're at it.
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