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Advantages and disadvantages of late castration – A veterinarian's perspective
Fie Wilken Dømler
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You might have participated in a dressage competition and afterward disagreed with the judges’ evaluation and grades of your performance. We have created a list to inform you on the matter: what do the judges look for when you ride? To do so, we have firmly looked into the rules made by Dansk Rideforbund – the Danish version of FEI. These rules are part of the education to become a dressage judge, and they are the foundation for most dressage competitions in Denmark – whether you are competing on a “normal” level or a very high one. And for your information, they are simpler than one should think.
When you are an educated dressage judge the most central part of the education is to discover whether the horse is ridden correctly by the rider. This is both the case at the small competitions as well as the big ones. In connection with levels are also different demands in terms of the horse’s performance. But more or less, the judges are looking for the same kind of errors no matter the level. For example, they look if the horse develops relaxation, and if the different exercises are performed correctly.
10: Excellent
9: Very Good
8: Good
7: Pretty Good
6: Satisfying
5: Approved
4: Unsatisfying
3: Quite bad
2: Bad
1: Exercise not shown
Overall, the judges distinguish between two types of errors: The ordinary ones and the basic errors.
Ordinary errors only occur sometime during the performance. The judges are instructed that ordinary errors will accommodate a lower grade with 1-2 points in the specific exercise. Ordinary mistakes do not affect the grade in the overall impression. The overall impression is the last part of the judge’s statement. But if the riding is continuously incorrect several times during a dressage program, it will affect the overall impression.
Overexcitement, galloping on two tracks, or a tongue out of the horse’s mouth are considered basic errors, if this is shown throughout the program. It's the same if a horse is consequently performing behind the vertical line or has crooked tail guidance. This is an indication that something is challenging or that the horse is ridden wrongly. A basic error will cause a drastic reduction of the grades – most commonly 2-3 points in an exercise or series of exercises. The difference between ordinary and basic errors is that basic mistakes also impact the overall impression. In other words, a basic error is sometimes the reason for an exercise not being approved at all.
Correctly performed exercises are shown by a calm, indulgent, and flexible horse. It has to follow the riders’ instructions with trust and willingness. The rider has to show calmness and ride the horse with gentle signals. If you can show this at your next competition you have trained well.
