Flossy is well known to many on the British Dressage Forum as a teller of interesting stories and perhaps the odd joke or two. We have selected a few tales for your pleasure.
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Writers marks
Writer marks
Junior Trainer asked Senior Trainer to talk him through his first ever FEI dressage test sheet.
All the guide lines, theories ,lessons, scale of training ,every thing he learnt over the years and still he could not understand the sheet of paper he was holding.
The FEI paper was so different to what he was used to from British Dressage competitions score sheets, while BD test sheets were decorated with smiley yellow faces with a line of flowery kisses along the judges signature, all making one feel good about one self, the FEI sheet on the other hand was stern looking dark document with hardly a drop of ink on it. Junior Rider was at complete loss why one of the judges referred to his position in the saddle as perfect skiing posture when every one knows he hates water sport of any kind, including un necessary showers.
Senior Trainer knew exactly where Junior was coming from , it took him years to become proficient how to operate the enigma dressage deciphering machine, how to make sense of judges comments, so he went over movement by movement, comment by comment explaining to Junior trainer what is actually the judges message. By the end of the sheet Junior got the gist of things which are , the more subtle the comment more crucial the fault.
And then they got to the final mark the riders mark, Senior Trainer explained that historically it is called the rider mark but according to the enigma machine it is coded word for the “writer’s MARK”.
“WRITER as the one that helps the judge ?” Junior asked
“No No you don't get IT “ Senior Trainer interrupted.
Junior tried again “ Writer as a novelist you mean”
“Ohh for heavens sake you daft individual no wonder you cant win a BD walk halt test WRITER as THE ONE THAT WRITES THE CHEQUE” Senior Trainer said in exasperation .
“I GOT IT now I understand why I always get comments like not ENOUGH!, a little MORE! required for a HIGHER MARK , and when the judge comments about poor BALANCE it is not the horses balance HE IS REFERRING TO.
Senior Trainer acknowledged “Son you have just learnt the most important element from the scale of training YOU WILL MAKE IT”