Over recent years Dressage has become increasingly popular and many riders have enjoyed the magic of Anke and Bonfire performing their world class Kur.
Breathtaking, "If only I could do that!", I hear you say.
Well you can!
Freestyle, as dressage to music is called, is performed at BD affiliated levels and at Novice and Elimentary levels at Riding Club competitions. They differ in their rules so check with BD and RC for their own guidelines. The arena sizes are 20m x 40m for RC and 20m x 60m for BD. Your music is timed from your move off after your entry and salute. Each level has compulsary movements and interestingly BD tests can be riden with or without music. No BD grading points are given for any Freestyle competition, but in all other respects they are run in accordance with graded classes of the comparative level.
So how do you get going..........?
First of all you need to check what movements you are required to include in your programme, either RC or BD.
Then are you going to compete at RC or BD or both. What size arena do you need to prepare your choreography in? Some people like to put the music together for walk, trot and canter and then fit the programme to it. Others do it the other way round. To choose your music you need to get a friend to video you riding and then you can count how many beats per minute your horse moves at in each pace. Then find some music to suit you and your horse.
Having got your music together it must be registered with BD even if you are only going to compete at RC Freestyle cometitions. This is because of PPL Licence requirements. Details of this very easy process can be obtained from British Dressage Freestyle Administrator.
Want to know more? Why not speak to some NDG members who have enjoyed training and competing in this discipline? Feel free to contact Phillipa on 07988054537 or Janet on 07789616212. Look out for Freestyle clinics and demonstrations in your area too.
NDG organise one competition a year for both an NDG Class at Novice and Elimentary ( BD rules), and also an Area Qualifier for the Riding Clubs. The winners of the later represent their RC at the National RC competition at Addington in October. We are proud to acknowledge a great track record in NDG members qualifying both for the RC and BD competitions. In addition we also host an affiliated freestyle competition, refer to BD omnibus for details of next competition.
So pick up that phone and talk to other NDG members. We all have to start somewhere and it really is a great way to enjoy your horse.
Brenda Pamplin 07785 778036 or 01282 420833 evenings
