Making the transition to the next level in dressage can be nerve-wracking. It can be just as nerve-wracking for the poor, hapless friend who assists the dressage rider by calling out the directions during the test! I had my first opportunity to be such a friend today and found it was a little more than I had bargained for. Who knew reading the test could turn out to be so complicated!
I volunteered to assist my friend a mere 24 hours before the test. She needed a little bit of security since she was riding this test for the first time. She was worried that she hadn’t spent enough time memorizing the test and would draw a blank at some point during her ride. I offered to support my friend by reading the test out loud, since it is allowed in the lower levels. I’m an equestrian – how hard could it be?
Ha! The first thing a test reader needs to know is that he or she needs to have some knowledge of dressage tests. Luckily, although I have never actually ridden a test myself, I have taken dressage lessons and have been to a few shows. Unfortunately, I had never actually witnessed a test where the instructions were being called out. That experience would have made things much simpler.
So…what do you need to know? First, you need to know where to stand. The reader needs to stand outside the court at either B or E. This gives you a fairly central position to see your rider and less distance to have to project your voice. Keep in mind that you really have to speak out louder than you would think is necessary because the wind can carry your voice. I thought I was speaking loud enough but was asked to turn up my volume after the first practice run. Thus said, it is crucial for the rider/reader team to have a practice run before the actual test and be sure to stand upwind!
Reading the test to your rider is a lot like being the navigator in a vehicle. You have to read the directions well in advance so the driver can anticipate turns. If you give the directions too far in advance, the driver might become complacent and miss the turn. If you wait until you are five feet from the turn, the driver will undoubtedly miss the turn because there wasn’t enough time to react. The dressage rider is the driver and the reader is the navigator. Ideally, the reader should stay one letter or movement ahead of the rider.
I highly recommend that the reader have a photocopy of the test with a small schematic of the labeled dressage court included on the page. The reader can then make notes along the margin so he or she knows exactly when to cue the rider. Remember that all cues must be read exactly as the appear on the test. Any phrases in parentheses are meant for the judge only and must not be read out loud. Also, you cannot read any notes the rider may have written because it is considered “coaching.” Read only what is there, beginning with the obvious “enter at A, halt, and salute.” In the end, readers will find themselves riding the test vicariously with their riders. You’ll find it a real bonus it you have a talent for visual/spatial thinking.
If you need to use a reader, take my advice and prepare them before your ride. As a rider, you’ll be less anxious if your reader is confident in the task at hand. You certainly don’t want your reader to run away screaming as your test begins. I am proud to say that I survived my first test reading experience and would do it again if need be. Now I know the secrets to being a competent reader.
