34/ JUNE 2018 THE RIDER


The Pink Ribbon Ride: Through The Judge’s Eye With Don Barnes


By Kathy Farrokhzad What is the first and last


movement the judge sees in a dressage test? The center line, of course! It was no coincidence that


we were enjoying a sunny Satur- day morning at Heather and An- drew Warner’s Centre Line Equestrian, watching horses and riders decked out in pink, and considering all things center line! We were learning all about what goes into judging a dressage test and sharing thoughts under the expert eyes of Judge Don Barnes at his “Through the Judge’s Eye” clinic.


More importantly, all pro-


ceeds from the clinic were going to the BRIGHT RUN, in support of the Juravinski Cancer Center in Hamilton, Ontario. Amber and Crystal Ripa started their Pink Ribbon Ride 12 years ago to combine their passion for horses and competing with a fundraiser for breast cancer research.


The Beginning and the Ending Don had a few things to say


about that center line. The judge is looking at the straightness of the line and the squareness of the halt. If the rider comes in with a strong, bold center line, she can create a first impression that lasts. As pretend judges, we were


told to look for any wobbles, ei- ther coming to the halt or leaving the halt. We wanted to see a horse that moved calmly forward. The halt should be clear and immo- bile. In training level, the riders could come into and out of the halt through the walk, but starting


at first level, we were looking for a clear transition from trot to halt and back to trot. It all sounds so simple!


Transitions Transitions are critical to all


the marks where there is a gait change. Don indicated that we needed to look for “soft” transi- tions – smooth and easy, and in the required place. At Second Level and above,


transitions marks are added into the test specifically for the medium and extended gaits. Many riders slide into and out of the mediums and extensions; we were looking for a clear differ- ence at the beginning, and then again, at the end of the medium or extended gaits. This is one way that riders can improve their marks significantly.


Stretches The horse should reach for


the bit, taking the head and neck as low as possible, not curling in (nose toward chest). We are look- ing for a swinging back and an active, engaged hind end. In the walk, we want to see the over stride of the horse – that the foot- prints from the hind legs reach farther ahead than the footprints of the front legs. Most important of all is that


the horse is able to sustain the tempo of the gait and not speed up or slow down through the movement. Keeping the tempo was a large part of the mark for the stretch. Collective Marks – General Impression


We went over each of these in detail.


Gaits: Rhythm is very important.


Each gait has a clear rhythm to it: the walk has four beats, the trot has two, and the canter has three. We must be able to see clear foot- falls of the horse and hear an un- wavering rhythm throughout the test.


The horse should show an


acceptable level of activity, espe- cially in the hind end.


Impulsion: Impulsion is very important.


Was the horse on the forehand? Was the back locked? Was he en- gaged with the hind quarters?


We were looking for the


horse that was up in the front, light and demonstrating self-car- riage appropriate to his level.


Submission: Good submission would


allow for a flowing, uninterrupted test with little disruption. The horse should show confidence and fluidity in the movements. The horse should appear to be doing the work with pleasure. Technical correctness is key espe- cially in freestyles – we were told to always look for “correct” movement. Accuracy should always be


rewarded more than glitz.


Rider: The rider that keeps vertical


lines from the ear to the shoulder to the hip to the heel without much variance can earn as much as a 7. There should be obvious harmony between the horse and rider.


There was so many things to


know! We watched as horse and rider combinations of various lev- els performed their mock tests while we marked up on our own judging sheets. Then we com- pared our marks with the judge’s, and discussed the rationale be- hind the marks given for each movement. What a great day this was –


to not only sit in on a judge’s commentary on many tests and levels, but to also have the oppor- tunity to collaborate, compare and discuss our impressions with Don Barnes! Thanks to the riders who brought their horses, ran


through their tests, and allowed us to stumble through our “judg- ing” efforts and then got the feed- back they really wanted – from Don!


And to top it off, we were


supporting a very important cause along the way. With a large Silent Auction of top quality product and service donations, the fantas- tic barbeque lunch, and a special lunchtime Grand Prix freestyle demonstration by Laurel Adams and Deagan, and a visit from the


Therapy Dogs, we were treated to a fabulous day, AND we raised $3700 towards cancer research and patient care at the Juravinski Cancer Centre. If you’d like to support


breast cancer research at the Ju- ravinski Cancer Centre, you can join the Bright Run team and fundraise for the 1K or 5K walk, run or stroll held on September 8, 2018 at the Dundas Valley Con- servation Area. You can also do a quick donation online


at


www.brightrun.ca. Bright Run funds support


cancer research that potentially impacts the lives of thousands of patients right in Hamilton. Horses, learning and a great


cause? It was a no brainer! Plans are already underway for next year’s Pink Ribbon Ride. If you want to “test” your judging eye (or just watch others doing that), join the Pink Ribbon Ride Face- book Group so you can get noti- fications as soon as they are available.


Bio: Kathy Farrokhzad is an EC coach and author of the Horse Listening book collection, and Goal Setting For The Equestrian: A Personal Workbook. If you liked what you read here, check out her blog at www.HorseListen- ing.com for many more articles about horses, riding and life in general.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52