Dressage Rules
Summer 2014 v2 by Mikky Heron
Dressage Routine
Entrance Protocol
The trainer and pony begin the routine just off the field, one on each side of the A sign. The judges will give the trainer the dressage round order note card and will indicate when they may begin. The trainer will signal, and trainer and pony will both take a few steps onto the field. The pony should be no further forward toward the slalom end than the trainer. The trainer will signal the pony to bow. The bow is always facing the end of the field where the slalom course is. Options include - Which side of the A card the pony and trainer respectively take, the method in which the trainer signals (using emotes, a crop, a whip, etc.) and whether or not the trainer also bows to the slalom end.
The trainer will then move to the first skill listed in the dressage routine order note card. The 5 skills are then executed by the trainer and pony, according to the order card. Options include - Whether or not the pony waits for the trainer to signal to come to the first skill.
General Skills Execution and Transitions Protocol
All skills are started facing the slalom end of the course. For the slalom skill, the pony starts facing down the slalom line. The pony shows a stop at the beginning marker. When starting the skill, the pony turns as necessary and executes the skill. The trainer will be allowed to move directly to the next skill once the pony has started a given skill. The pony shows a stop at the end of the skill. The pony then transitions to the next skill, following the trainer's lead. Judging is based on how both trainer and pony walk the field. Options include - signal method, whether or not the pony waits for a signal to start the skill or transition after the finish of a skill, the pony's transition method (i.e. direct, walking the perimeter of the field, etc.)
Exit Protocol
The trainer, followed by the pony, will return to the respective points on the field where they entered. The trainer will signal, and the trainer and pony bow to the judges. Then both trainer and pony will exit the field. Options include - signal method, whether the trainer and pony walk off the field forwards or backwards.
Skills Detail
Forward Line - Line C and Line H are the forward line possibilities. The trainer will stand with the line marker in front of her facing the letter sign. The pony will start at the mark, and walk forward on the line, stopping at the mark at the end of the line. (2 pictures)
Backwards Line - Line D and Line G are the possibilities. The trainer will stand with the line marker in front of her facing the letter sign. The pony will start at the mark, and will walk backwards on the line, stopping at the mark at the end of the line. (2 pictures)
Figure 8 - Figure 8 B and Figure 8 J are the possibilities. The trainer stands in the figure eight with the marker in front of her, facing the letter sign. The pony will start at the mark, face the slaloms, and then execute the skill. The pony walks the half of the figure 8 that the trainer is facing first, and executes 3 complete rotations of the entire figure 8. (2 pictures)
Circle - Circle C, Circle D, Circle G, and Circle H are the possibilities. The trainer stands outside the circle, with the marker in front of her, facing the letter sign. The pony begins at the starting mark, facing the slalom end. The pony turns toward the direction that the trainer is facing, and executes 3 complete rotations of the circle. Options include - The trainer may as an alternative stand inside the circle beside the mark, facing the letter sign. (2 pictures)
Slalom - Slalom E and Slalom F are the possibilities. The trainer will stand with the marker in front of her, either facing or with her back to the A end of the field. The pony will start at the mark, face down the line of the slalom poles, and will weave up the line of poles once, circle the last pole and weave back. Options include - which of the two sides of the marker the trainer stands on, how tight the weave is conducted, which side of the first pole the pony takes. (2 pictures)
Silent Dressage vs. "Normal" Dressage
Silent dressage was defined in the original Second Life Dressage Society rules as the pony knowing what skill to execute based on the trainer's body position. What was historically named "normal" dressage was when the trainer used verbal commands to tell the pony what skill to execute (i.e. "Circle G"). All dressage routines as practiced in SL today are silent dressage, regardless of the types of signals used, or sounds made by the signals. Silent dressage is now what is normal. Both the original SLDS rule set and the AliKat manual contemplated some type of signal to be used.