Dressage “10”s

10 Signs Your Dressage Test Needs Some Work

1. Under judges remarks she writes only: “Nice braid job.”
2. Horse confuses dressage arena rail for a cavaletti; exits at K.
3. Your circle shape reminds the judge that she’s out of eggs.
4. Your serpentine was perfect, except that it was supposed to be a centreline.
5. Sitting trot has caused some fillings to be loosened in lower molars.
6. Your horse believes “free walk” means leaving the arena and heading towards the nearest patch of grass.
7. Your working trot has you working harder than your horse.
8. In your salute, your inadvertently use your whip hand, causing your horse to perform airs above the ground.
9. The judge asks you to take the broken letters with you when you leave.
10. Impulsion improves after the horse sees monsters in the decorative shrubbery.

10 Commandments of the Dressage Rider

1) thou shalt not be hard of hand......
2) thou shalt be light of seat and of tongue except when thy neighbour critisises thy horse.....
3) thou shalt blame thyself first and thy horse last....
4) thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's passier......
5) thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's WB..
6) thou shalt not take the name of thy horse in vain.
7) thou shalt obey thy trainer and thy vet.
8) thou shalt give praise unto thine horse.
9) thou shalt not utter false witness to potential horse buyers
10) thou shalt love the horse, thy friend, and hold him above all others

Or...
1. Thou shalt work without thy stirrups every day.
2. Thou shalt not be afraid to grab mane or leather in times of trouble.
3. Thou shalt reward thy horse generously when he doth something excellent (or even remotely good).
4. Thou shalt make atonement to thy horse in the form of food when thy maketh a mistake.
5. Thou shalt be obsessed of thy horse and not of showing.
6. Thou shalt use every spare cent to buy thy horse's food.
7. Thou shalt not covet thy friend's Ansur, WB, or truck and trailer.
8. Even if thou shall win the lottery and become rich, thou shalt not be come DQish.
9. Thou shalt not beat thy horse, even if he shall displeasith thou.
10. Thou shalt not maketh fun of them that are below thou in riding
ability, for when we were yet beginners, our trainers taught us.

Or how about...
1. Thou shalt not become a DQ in manner, speech or apparel!
2. Thou shalt not use "quick fixes" in place of time and training.
3. Thou shall take an extra 15 minutes per day just to brush, talk and praise thy horse, who is thy closest friend!
4. Thou shalt not show off in front of others to the detriment of thy horse.
5. Thou shall speak up when thy trainer does something that thouest do not approve or agree!
6. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s understanding horsey husband!
7. Thou shalt maketh thy barn a place of joy and learning (this just gives us an excuse to skip housework :)
8. Thou shalt ask for honest effort, from thy horse and thy self and be honest in thy appraisal.
9. Thou shalt not put thy self above thy horse in matters of pride.
10. Thou shall sit straight, keep heels down, and head up!