Hartsfold, Saturday 22 July 2023
Each pony performs the same sequence of movements, from memory, in a sand arena marked by letters around its edge. X is the centre. The judge sits in a box at C and scores every movement out of ten.
10 Excellent · 8 Good · 6 Satisfactory · 5 Sufficient · 4 Insufficient · 2 Bad · 0 Not performed
1. Enter and halt
She trots in alone down the centre line, stops dead at X, and stands while her handler walks out to her and salutes the judge.
Criteria: Straight on the centre line. Halt square, weight even on both hooves. Bells and tail silent within one stride. Immobile until the salute is complete.
6 · Square, but she was leaning to go before he'd finished his salute. Bells spoke at X.
2. Extended trot
Across the arena on the diagonal at her biggest trot, knees as high as she can lift them.
Criteria: Stride clearly lengthened, not quickened. Knee to the horizontal. Chest up throughout; no tipping forward. Rhythm unchanged from the working trot.
7 · Lovely lift. Tipped forward at K and knew it. Coloured.
3. Stand for inspection
Halted at A. The judge leaves the box and goes over her by hand. On the word she widens her stance and holds it.
Criteria: Immobile under the hand. Stance widened in one movement on the word, then squared. No movement toward or away from the hand. Arousal is not penalised. Seeking contact is.
5 · Spread promptly and squared well. Very wet, which is no fault in a worked pony. Pushed into my hand twice, which is. The second time she knew exactly what she was doing.
4. Rein back
Four steps backwards in a straight line, steered by the reins alone.
Criteria: Four even steps, straight. Responds to the reins without voice. Head and eyes forward throughout.
6 · Three good steps. On the fourth she looked round for him.
5. The whip
One stroke across the hindquarters, then straight back into trot.
Criteria: No break of pace or contact at the stroke. Rhythm restored within two strides. The work should improve for it.
5 · Lost the bit for two strides and sulked as far as F. She came back to him, not to the work.
6. Free walk
The reins let out to their full length. She is free to stretch her neck down and swing.
Criteria: Neck stretched down and forward. Swing through the hips and tail. Rhythm kept with no contact. Mouth soft.
8 · Foam to her chin by X. Tail swinging. The best of her test until 7.
7. Stand to the rail
Halted at E and bent over the arena rail. Her handler uses her from behind, reins short in one hand, her tail lifted aside in the other. He decides whether to give her the word to finish.
Criteria: Hooves immobile throughout. Head forward. Silent. Does not push back to meet him. Finishes on the word and not before. If the word is withheld, holds the stance until he steps away.
8 · Taken hard. Her breathing through the bit could be heard from the box. Every stroke rocked the tail in her and the hair swung with it. Hooves never moved. He finished; she was not told. She held the stance afterwards for a long count, trembling, and at the end let out a single whine through the bit, very small. I have not marked it against her.
8. Trot on from the rail
Straight from the rail into working trot, once around the arena.
Criteria: Moves off on the word, not before. Rhythm found within a few strides. No rushing, no break of pace. Carriage restored.
7 · Trotted on unfinished and wild-eyed, wet to the knee. Bigger action than anything all day, and no idea she was doing it. Nearly rushed the corner at M and pulled herself back. A break of pace would have ended her test, and she knew it.
9. Final halt
Down the centre line again, halt at X, salute.
Criteria: Straight, square halt. Immobile and silent through the salute. Head high.
6 · Square, but she could not keep the bells still. A small sound through the bit at the salute. Flushed to the collarbones, which I did not mark.
Collective marks (×2)
Paces 7 · Impulsion 9
Submission 6 · Takes correction personally.
Carriage 8
Handler 6 · Withheld the word at Novice, which is showy. She carried it, but she should not have had to yet. She would do anything for that voice; he should use it.
General remarks
A proud pony with a soft mouth and a lot of feeling in her. Still too interested in where he is. When she stops checking, she will be very hard to beat.
Total 130 / 190 · 68.4% · Placed 3rd
H. Sedley