When riding in front of a panel of judges, it’s only necessary to salute towards the President sitting at C. It’s entirely your choice whether you also give a polite nod towards the other judges during your salute. If I’m sitting at E, B, H or M, you will definitely not be marked down by me if you choose not to nod in my direction! If there are two halt salutes in your test, then to me it makes perfect sense to: First salute: salute towards the President at C only. Final salu

I’m definitely noticing more pats during tests these days, and also rein adjustments being made in a very noticeable way — sometimes demonstrating quite clearly that the rider can keep the frame whilst doing so. Personally, I think an occasional, small and well-timed pat when your horse has done something particularly well can be a positive thing. To me, it can underline that there is togetherness and harmony between horse and rider. But remember — horses generally prefer a s

There’s often confusion around the relationship between energy and impulsion, when it comes to the Scales of Training. Do we establish rhythm and suppleness first, create a connection… and then simply “add” impulsion? Not quite! A degree of impulsion is actually required to help create and maintain good rhythm in the first place. The horse needs sufficient controlled forward energy and activity from behind to produce a regular, purposeful rhythm. But that energy then needs to

Super-pleased to have @Heather Woodhead as wing-lady for the RingCraft Community’s FSM Swaggerers WhatsApp group! Heather has been a member of the group since January 2026, initially joining the Exam Prep Judge Mentoring side, and successfully upgraded to BD List 3 in May She’s a successful BD competitor up to Advanced Medium level and regularly competes in FSM too. Heather creates her own floor plans and is keen to share her knowledge and experience with others within the

MUSIC BLARING DOES NOT MAKE A FREESTYLE! When creating your floor plan, choose music that suits the stamp of your horse. A light, dainty Thoroughbred type probably doesn’t need heavy metal, however much you might love it! There needs to be a clear rhythm and beat that works with the footfalls of all three paces. Ideally, the music should change with your transitions too, helping the choreography feel deliberate rather than simply being a series of movements performed to back

Understanding the Collectives: It’s All About Knowing Which Box You’re In Sometimes I think a lack of confidence seen in a performance could easily be penalised in the Impulsion collective, because it can be linked to a lack of energy, engagement or “desire to move forward”. But actually, confidence is clearly addressed within the Co-operation collective. And I understand why there is overlap. With good co-operation, the rider should be able to give the horse the confidence i

The title of the RingCraft Community Quiz champion returns to the UK and goes to Sheena Grierson, with 26 / 30!! The Irish lasses from Dublin gave great chase on 25 / 30. Lots of laughs :)

If you can get your horse to relax momentarily and then increase the connection momentarily, both on tap, whilst remaining ‘on the bit’, then you have the ability to actually ride a connection. If you think you’re achieving this, yet when you look back at videos of your test riding you see the reins occasionally losing their straightness, I’d suggest you’re not quite there yet. Just because your horse remains in a round outline that doesn’t mean he's truly 'through' and suffi

Watching and studying the performances at Aachen has underlined a few things for me. Horses respond very differently to a big atmosphere. Some rise to the occasion, improving their swing, swagger and expression. Others tighten in the frame, and their riders inadvertently restrict the movement. So, because this is a partnership, where both have brains, feelings and nerves, this really is the true test of the bond between them. Being able to say “it’s OK” silently through the s

If I see a horse swishing its tail continuously through a test, and it’s clearly not related to flies, I do notice it. If it’s accompanied by ears back and the mouth opening, alarm bells start ringing for me. The word resisting comes out, and the mark lowers accordingly. There are, of course, some horses I know that swish their tails as a habit, even when they’re relaxed and working well. If that’s your horse, I’d be super-careful not to show any other signs of resistance — a

The smallest riders can create the biggest reactions from their horses. There’s something very special about seeing a horse respond to the most discreet of aids. This is an area that can, and should, be developed in training as well as in the pre-test preparation at competitions. At the higher levels, a tiny shift in weight can create a clear gear change underneath the rider. That level of communication and responsiveness will undoubtedly influence my Co-operation mark. At th

Back in the day, before social networking, YouTube and mobile phones (yes, I am that old!), the only people likely to witness a dressage test at the majority of competitions were the judge, the rider and a few helpers. I remember some people using camcorders, but not many. I also remember feeling accountable in a very different way. Reputation was everything. If riders read their sheets and felt they had been fairly and accurately marked, then my job was done. Today, I assume

Sometimes a horse shows more movement through the head and neck in canter than we would ideally expect. Horses with a bigger, more expressive canter are likely to nod their heads a little more, but it becomes noticeable when the head movement seems exaggerated in relation to the movement of the canter. It can be tempting to write “nodding too much for the movement”, but I prefer the more objective description: “Too much mobility in the head and neck.” That describes what I ca

As we head towards the RingCraft Community Summer Quiz — 7pm, Monday 24th August — our Wednesday Wine O’Clock Zooms are covering LOTS of ground that applies to every rider and every level! We’re looking at all those little details that can squeeze a few extra marks out of a dressage test… How to ride movements more cleverly Give & retake, stretches, trot–walk–trot, changes of rein, halts, mediums, free and extended walks, rein backs… and plenty more. The warm-up exercises t

One aspect of judging that often goes unnoticed is keeping to time. In most dressage classes there’s a scheduled break of some sort – or at least there should be. If I’m running late, perhaps because several riders have had errors of course or other delays that have extended their tests, I’ll often shorten the break or even skip it altogether. Equally, if there’s a withdrawal, the break can end up being longer than planned. Either way, my aim is always the same: start the nex

To me, the role of a dressage judge is to assess the performance presented in the arena, accurately describe what is there, and provide comments that help the rider continue their horse’s training in line with the Scales of Training. It is not my role to be a vet. Of course, if a horse is genuinely lame and clearly in discomfort, then the competition arena is not the right place for it. Welfare must always come first. But in over 30 years of judging, I can honestly say I’ve o

Shoulder-in is one of those movements where there are plenty of boxes to tick, even just to get a fairly good mark. Around a 30° angle A supple, uniform bend through the body A clear three-track position Reach and activity in the steps Fluency and consistency A well-balanced finish But for me, those alone aren’t enough to earn the higher marks. What I’m really looking for is evidence that the movement has improved the horse. I want to see the forehand raised ever so slightly,

The length of your reins has a direct influence on your position in the saddle. If your reins are too long (or too short), it’s much harder to maintain a balanced, effective position. That’s why learning to adjust your rein length seamlessly throughout a test — without interrupting the quality of the contact or connection — is a skill that deserves your attention and regular practice. Sometimes you can shorten your reins by creeping up them one shuffle at a time. At other tim

I’d be interested to hear other views on this – judges and competitors alike… @everyone We’re all taught that, ideally, riders should keep both hands on the reins throughout a dressage test. But what if a horse is clearly being bothered by a horsefly or kleg? Is it acceptable for the rider to briefly take a hand off the rein to swat it or brush it away? And if the fly causes a disruption to the rhythm or quality of the connection, would you expect that to be reflected in the

One thing I often notice when judging is that some riders put a huge emphasis on making every transition happen exactly at the marker. Whilst accuracy is important, it isn’t always the biggest influence on my mark. There are a lot of transitions in a dressage test. If every one is accurate but few are truly through, you’ll often score lower overall than a combination whose transitions are consistently through but occasionally happen a stride early or late. For me, a transitio