Wellington, Fla.—Jan. 7

Riders spent their week at the Robert Dover Horsemastership Clinic learning about being well-rounded horsewomen and better trainers. But today the goal was to prove they could be excellent test riders as well.

Each rider chose a test and then presented it before either Janet Foy or Charlotte Bredahl-Baker. The two judges often stopped the tests, having riders repeat movements a little differently, or made suggestions and offered scores throughout.

“My goal was to tell them they’re sloppy,” joked Foy, who’s in her third year of helping with the program and is also an FEI four-star judge. “But really I want to impress on them that it’s very important they make clear transitions and aren’t sloppy in how they finish a movement. It’s important that a ride have the same amount of energy throughout, and you could see that in some horses. I think the quality of the riding gets better and better every year. The riding today I thought was thoughtful, very sympathetic, good seats, all the way across. Everyone was very coachable and athletic.”

The tests ranged from second level through the Under-25 Grand Prix. Some riders discovered their horses improved after a full week of lessons, but others found they ran out of steam coming from warm-up into the main ring.

“I was very impressed with the quality of the riding and of the general attitudes and work ethics,” said Bredahl-Baker, who’s the newly named USEF Assistant Youth Coach. “It was different for each one today. Some of them are very experienced riders, so we were working on getting the 7s to the 8s. Others, this was their very first time in a particular test, so we ended up working less on the test and more on the things that were the weakest part of the test.” 

Kalie Beckers and Carush, a 22-year-old stallion, did the Under-25 Grand Prix before Bredahl-Baker, and the rider ran into some issues with the piaffe and passage. Carush wanted to stop and bounce on his hind legs during those movements.

“He might be a little ring smart. That’s why it’s good to practice like this, so you know what they’re going to do,” said Bredahl-Baker. “If he’s getting naughty in the piaffe, I’d let him creep forward so he doesn’t feel stuck in it and stop. In the passage, think about riding him back to front. Push him into the passage and don’t pull him into it.”

When the horse started shutting down in the one-tempis. Bredahl-Baker had Beckers do just four or five at once, and then once he lost his throughness, to ride him forward and out of it.

“He gets up in his neck and blocks you out, and you have no chance,” said Bredahl-Baker. “Push him through so the neck doesn’t come up at all. Don’t compromise this in the schooling. In the ring you have to do them, but in schooling, just do a few and then go forward until you can keep him through the whole way.”

Janet Foy judged Rosie Simoes on her borrowed mount, Thys, in a third level test. Foy was overall impressed with the quality of horse and rider, giving them what she estimated was a 70 percent, but she offered some tips for bending and balance. She also wanted the rider finishing each movement with precision and with the same care as in the beginning.

“What I want you to do is go back and do your two trot half circles again,” said Foy. “I want you to really think about that inside leg, that you finish with him really up and into that outside rein [before you go into a half-pass]. You need to have your bend before that half circle. Three strides before, you have to have your shoulder-in. Take care of your bend before the turn.”

Rachel Chowanec and borrowed mare Ella took on second level, test 3, in front of Foy. The horse was dull to Chowanec’s left leg at moments, and Foy targeted that for improvement, as well as the steadiness of the contact.

“You need more outside leg in the corners,” said Foy. “This is very interesting because this is what 90 percent of the world does in haunches-in, but did you feel how you slipped off to the left? Part of that is because the horse is not as good off your left leg as it could be.

“Second level is collection, but you expect to see the collection come and go a little bit into the working gaits still at this level,” she added. 

Molly Paris also found her horse, Diamant Sky, lacking some enthusiasm during her FEI Young Rider Team test.

“The main thing is he gets behind your leg,” said Bredahl-Baker. “The pirouettes were the biggest challenge there because of that.”

Bredahl-Baker had her go back to walk and focus on pirouettes at that gait before attempting at the canter again.

“Do whatever you have to to get him in front of your leg,” she said. “If that means medium down the longside, that’s OK. Be elastic with your hands so that you’re both thinking forward.” 

Mattie Zepernick and borrowed Leandro tackled third level, test 3, in front of Foy. The team worked on keeping the horse in front of the leg and on keeping him supple through the movements.

“If you don’t have suppleness, creating energy doesn’t do any good,” said Foy. “It’s like saying, ‘I have a traffic jam on my freeway. I think I’ll raise the speed limit, and that’ll fix everything.’ No, you have to get rid of the traffic jam first. He gets those little jams in his muscles by being stiff and resistant. You can put your leg on all you want, and he just says, ‘No, I can’t do it.’

“Make him look easy to ride. You want the judge to want to get on the horse,” she continued.