What’s In A Score: Opinion or Ability?
I’d just ridden two First Level tests at a lovely dressage schooling show and was sitting down for a quick bite with a friend while we waited on our results. One of the very friendly volunteers who had worked the in-gate that morning sat down next to us. We got to chatting, and soon into our casual conversation she asked what we thought about the judge. I had yet to see my scores, so I had no real opinion to offer. “Well, we’re getting some complaints,” the volunteer said. “Some of the comments were quite harsh.” I frowned and felt a pit grow in my gut. Now, I couldn’t wait to see the scores. (Thankfully, they turned out alright.)
A few weeks later I had a similar experience, this time at a recognized event. I rode my test and was disappointed in my scores, but that’s life. Then another competitor told me that they actively try to avoid riding at horse trials where this particular judge is working.
The issue:
There is certainly an extensive rubric for judging. No judge sets out to be one without completing rigorous certifications for whatever discipline they choose. But in dressage and even the hunters, judging is subjective to some degree. It’s nearly impossible for it not to be. Judging either sport is a complex process and I would imagine it takes years of commitment to master. But Jay Duke brings up an interesting and poignant question as it relates to judging in horse sports: Is it based solely on opinion or does technical ability and execution actually play a role?
IMO:
As an amateur who competes in both the hunters and dressage, I understand I’m speaking in broad strokes here. It’s really apples and oranges to compare one discipline to the other. At least in dressage, you get direct feedback about your scores from the judge. In the hunters, you may get a numeral score in a class like a derby, but a lot of how the class is pinned is never revealed in a scorecard. I may not always agree with how a judge pins the class or their perception of my horse’s gaits, but that’s something I can’t control. What I can control, however, is riding an accurate test or course, and understanding that my best effort on that particular day may not be the same as someone else’s best effort. Sometimes, it comes down to luck. That almost feels like a metaphor for horses in general, doesn’t it?
This hot take originally published in the Heels Down Spark in March 2021. Get more conversation starters in your inbox every weekday morning by subscribing to the Spark now.