On The Same Page

 At a Canadian symposium,
Germany’s Dr. Volker Moritz (FEI “Ö” judge)
Challenges judges and riders to have the same goals.

Judges are responsible for the standard and quality of riding and should support the trainers and riders. Everybody who is involved or interested in the dressage sport has to speak the same language, he said. “They have to have the same goals.

The Correct Training Path
Moritz was clear in stating the correct way to train a horse: “The only way to do it properly is to use the scale of education,” he said. He handed out diagrams that consisted primarily of six blocks stacked on top of each other, labelled rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightening and collection. Another principle Moritz discussed was the correct position of the horse’s neck and head – the poll is the highest point with the nose slightly ahead of the vertical.  Moritz was questioned about this statement following the symposium’s 5- and 6-year old test demonstrations, where many of the six young horses did not demonstrate this requirement all the time. Moritz did not appear to be concerned about this fact in his assessment of the young-horse tests. “It is more important to assess the whole picture,” he explained, “and while the ideal is for the nose to be ahead of the vertical, it is possible for the horse to perform well and not meet this criterion.”

 “If you have the feeling that the horse is active enough from behind and swinging in the back, I am sometimes not so strict if the horse is a little on the vertical or even behind the vertical,” he said. “If the horse is engaged behind, then I think I can accept a little bit the short neck. “He added that some judges can be too strict on this point, without taking into account the rest of the horse. The FEI echo Moritz’s explanation, using the terms “more or less” and “as a rule” when referring to the position of the nose and neck.

Judge Education
Judges must be consistently educated in order to fulfil their role in supporting the trainers and riders. “Riders must try to ride the horse in the way that the judges expect”, he said. They have to have the same opinions,” he said. “I know this is difficult to reach and sometimes it can be confusing for the riders as they compare the test sheets.” The only solution, he continued, is “to educate the judges-that is one of the keys. Moritz points out the importance of looking for a solution in spite of the inherent difficulties, because the problem is central to “the partially disturbed trust in the relationship between dressage riders, trainers and judges.”

“Variations performance during the test” is another potential pitfall for judges. For example, a horse begins the test very well but then makes a few mistakes. Even though the rest of the test is good, it is judged more carefully than it should have been, as a result of those earlier mistakes. “Judge every test anew, movement for movement and only what you effectively see,” for the sake of the riders and for the sake of the sport.

Communication is the Key to Working Together
Moritz’s mantra was that judges, riders and trainers need to work together, not against one another. Communication is the key, and Moritz is a strong supporter of situations that allow judges and riders to share ideas and knowledge together. “To be successful in this sport and to develop the sport-better riding, better training-they all have to cooperate,” he said.

“I have very good friends in the U.S-riders and trainers-but when I come to a horse show to judge, they don’t say hello to me! It’s absolutely crazy. In Germany, all of the top riders, all of the trainers are good friends with me. After a ride that was perhaps not so successful, I can speak with them and say, ‘what was wrong with your horse today?’ or ‘try this, try another concept or whatever. It is not only to judge them but to help them.”

Although Moritz lists discussion between riders and judges at competitions as a subjectivity risk, he believes that open discussion between them is in everyone’s interest and should be encouraged, as it will improve the rider’s trust with the judges. Once again, the judge is responsible for preventing the interaction from influencing his assessment of the next performance.

Reprinted with kind permission from Dressage Today
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