Every month there are online dressage and working equitation competitions. For Working Equitation details, please visit here. For dressage, please continue reading...
The Light Hands Dressage monthly online tests are for people who are interested in the art of dressage and good horsemanship. These online competitions can provide you with the option of joining with others who don’t wish to be forced into riding in a way they do not really like or enjoy. It will provide a platform of training and competition where you can ride in whatever saddle you like and even ride in a halter if you wish.
Competing in an online dressage event is easy and fun to do. There is no travelling, no stress, no riding in public and a whole month to get your test ridden, videoed and submitted. We have an ever growing variety of classes from which to choose from.
Light Hands World Dressage Championships: Each month we will also be hosting the Monthly World Light Hands Dressage Championships. In order to be eligible to represent your country:
- There must be a minimum of three riders entered from your country that month
- You can ride any of the Light Hands Equitation dressage tests
- When both of these criteria are met, you will automatically be representing your country in that months Light Hands Equitation World Dressage Championships. Winners of the Light Hands Equitation World Dressage Championships will be announced online. This is a wonderful way to represent your country and improve your horsemanship.
- Each month, once there is a minimum of 3 riders, all test scores from each country are added together, and an average score is got for each country based on that months entries. We will publish the Light Hands Equitation World Dressage Championship leaderboard on this page each month.
What we are looking for: Light Hands Dressage is where good horsemanship comes first and responsive, confident and happy horses are our first priority, thereby providing a relaxed and fun range of activities for you to participate in, through the art of dressage with the lightest contact on the reins and soft and supple horses. This will be a place where relaxation and softness in the movements will be judged higher than extravagant movements with tension.
How do I enter? Entering your online dressage test is easy. All you need is:
- A digital camera, iPhone or Android phone to video your test. If filming on a smartphone, hold the device in the landscape orientation. Zooming - please include some zoom when the rider is at the A end of the arena
- Access to a computer
- A level area to ride which is 20m x 40m and clearly marked with dressage letters.
- Choose the test you'd like to ride
- Someone to video your test. Please ask them to stand at 'C' where a judge would normally be located.
Payment: You can pay via Paypal.
What is the process to submit a video?
- Record your video, upload your video to youtube and set it to 'unlisted'.
- Your video must be 1 take only. You can not record 2 or more shorter videos and edit them together. The test must be 1 full unedited recording.
- STANDARD FEEDBACK: For test sheet only feedback, it is $20 AUD. Entry fees will not be refunded once an entry has been accepted. Click to pay for test sheet only feedback.
- VIDEO FEEDBACK: For test sheet feedback PLUS your private Steve Halfpenny video feedback, it is $67 AUD. You can complete the 'Dressage entry form' here. Entry fees will not be refunded once an entry has been accepted. For this option you will also get a video of Steve doing a video of him talking through how you can improve your dressage test results. Steve will record it over your dressage test video so you can see what he is talking about. Click to pay for test sheet PLUS video feedback.
- COMPLETE THE ONLINE ENTRY FORM: Fill out the form here.
- When is the closing date? The closing date for entries is the last day of each month. So for example in the May competition, you must submit your video between May 1 to May 31. Entries will be judged and the winners announced in June.
Camera person instructions (very important):
- Stand behind letter C, where the judge would normally be.
- Video in landscape mode only. Do not video in portrait mode.
- Video must clearly show both the horse AND the arena letters. Do not do closeups of the horse where the arena letters cannot be seen.
- Your video must be 1 take only. You can not record 2 or more shorter videos and edit them together. The test must be 1 full unedited recording.
- No other horses, people or obstacles should be in the arena while you record the test.
- After your have recorded the video, please check to make sure the full test from start to finish has been recorded, before you upload the video to youtube.
What test should I enter? It is important to note that these tests are designed in sequential order. We highly recommend that everyone begins with Walk Test 1, regardless of your riding experience, or your experience in other dressage competitions.
How are the tests scored? When you read each test below, you will see that the great marks for every test is for soft feel. As guidance, any movement in any test, that does not include a soft feel is likely to score a maximum of 5 points. The development of soft feel is a critical part of these dressage tests and our goals in Light Hands Equitation.
When are the results announced? The results will be announced the next month. We will email you a link to download your scores and any extra comments from Steve Halfpenny. Each ebtry will also receive a Light Hands Dressage certificate of achievement. Steve's decision will be final.
What tack can I use? You can ride in whatever saddle you like, or bareback, and in any bridle, halter, hackamore or bridleless, as you choose.
What tack can't I use/what can't I do? No martingales. No over-flexion (behind the vertical). No gadgets that mechanically encourage a horse to adopt a certain posture.
What are the tests? You can submit a video of any one of the following tests. These tests begin with walk only tests, and progress onwards from there.
Right click on the test you want to download the linked file or it will open in your browser.
Arena: Download the arena map here
How many tests can I enter each month? You can enter a maximum of 1 of each test each month.
How much does it cost? The cost to enter and represent your country in the Light Hands Dressage Monthly Championships is $20 per video submitted, or $67 for extra video feedback from Steve.
