Volunteering at White Fences – I did not need to hear that or see these…..

Wednesday dawned overcast and in the 70’s – pretty good weather for a horse show.  Even though the forecast said no rain, there were - of course - periodic sprinkles throughout the day.  As you can see, White Fences is a beautiful facility.  It is a veritable arboretum with barns and 5 dressage rings in the midst. Trees are everywhere and not just your standard palm trees.  Although in a perverse move, the far end of the arenas features palm trees.  On a windy day, as it was yesterday, the fronds wave back and forth – a lot.  It was the undoing of quite a few horses as it made that end of the arena a “not going there, no way, gonna get eaten, scary monsters” zone.  Sort of tough to introduce yourself to the judge at C if your horse won’t get within 20 yards of that end of the arena. 

The schooling show also had a novel “X” division.  This division permits the rider to be “mic-ed” so that their trainer can coach them through the test.  They get a score, but no placing. So many times, you see first-time competitors freeze as they enter the arena and literally stop riding hoping the horse will take them through the test. It can be intimidating – you are the only pair in the arena, there is no place to hide in the event of a melt-down, and the judge is going to give you a score and comments for every single thing you do. And, it can be a long walk of shame (54 meters) out of the arena at A if the final movement has you ending at G (see diagram). Having your trainer’s voice in your ear can go a long way to overcoming show nerves and imbuing confidence. 

In the morning, I was assigned to be ring steward for both Rings 1 and 2, and I was paired with a really nice woman whose job was to keep track of riders and horses in the warm-up arenas and get them to the test arenas on time.  That said, there were several upper-level riders who simply announced – at their designated ride time – that they weren’t ready and weren’t going to the ring.  Honestly, if you don’t have it together at 8:15, the likelihood that you will have it together at 8:20 is pretty slim.  Dressage shows run on a tight schedule; in fact, you know the exact time you should be in the ring 3 days before the show.  You enter the ring to ride your test just as the previous rider has completed their ride, hoping to get a few laps in to familiarize your horse with the ring before you have to start.  Once the judge has finished writing the collective comments for the exiting pair, she/he is ready to score the next ride.  You better be in the ring.  If you aren’t and you don’t enter the ring within 45 sec of the cow bell being rung, whistle blown, or bike horn sounded (ring specific) you are eliminated.  This entitled attitude infuriated the judge in Ring 1.  I scribed for her in the afternoon and got an earful about the morning’s miscreants. 

As ring steward, you step back after the rider enters the ring and you end up standing near the trainers behind A.  And the stuff I heard!  Surprise at a correct lead change, moaning as a horse stopped to poop during a test (a cardinal sin), running commentaries on the errors of horse and rider, exasperation, elation, and in one case absolute fury that the rider did not make the horse go forward during the test – which was communicated to the rider for all to hear as she exited the arena at the end of the test.  You also get the equivalent of a fashion show.  😊 The United States Dressage Federation recently rewrote the guidelines for attire in an attempt to make the sport more attractive (?).  Truly, the focus is supposed to be on the horse and the quality of its movements and the harmony of the partnership between horse and rider. However, many riders want “bling”:  helmets that sparkle, spurs that sparkle, coats that complement the horse’s coat (think dusky mauve and a gray horse) – all the matchy-matchy things.  At the USDF Finals competition this year one rider went so far as to give her horse this unique clip. 

 The rules of attire are pretty relaxed at a

schooling show.  However, many still dressed as if for a recognized show.  Most attire was classic white breeches and dark coats, with the occasional coat of color.  While placing limits on what you can wear (i.e. no neon coats, no stripes, no sparkly or reflective saddle pads), USDF pretty much removed all restraints on boots. Note the ostrich pattern of the rider's boots above. I saw a lot of brown boots, they looked lovely.  However, my head was turned by this pair – they had Kari Washburn written all over them.  They made me momentarily rethink the standard black leather boots I have.  They are made in England and you get to design them yourself.  You also get a second pair at 50% off.  This rider claimed to have 6 pairs and to sometimes wear these boots out to dinner as a fashion statement.  (I think the spurs are removeable).  To wear these, your leg better be perfectly positioned and giving imperceptible aids at all times.  Fortunately or unfortunately, I have not been able to track down the manufacturer on the web.

I spent the afternoon scribing.  The judge never takes their eye off the horse and you have to capture exactly they say and the score for that movement in a legible manner using a universal shorthand in a tiny box. This was a great learning experience although you are too busy with your head down trying to capture scores and comments to be able to actually look at the rider/horse pair to see the basis for the score that was given.  For those who don’t ride dressage, the first movement of any test is to enter at A, ride straight down centerline (no weaving), halt precisely at X (all four hooves underneath the horse and aligned squarely), show immobility for 3 seconds (no head tossing, no calling for your buddy), take your hand off one rein and salute the judge (don’t use the hand holding the whip unless you want to pop your horse), pick up the rein again (still no moving), and trot or canter off directly to C/judge’s stand (remember the waving palm fronds?). The fact that the judge did not give a score until the rider was at C reinforced that this movement is not solely about the quality of the halt, but also the quality of the horse’s movement coming into and out of the halt.  So, the halt can be imperfect, but quality movement, suppleness, and harmony elsewhere can offset the poor halt.  So, I will now stop stressing about the halt and look to optimize the other parts of the movement.  And, of course, ride thinking ahead instead of developing an inner monologue of what just went wrong.  There is no do-over in dressage.