Any tips for riding long arena Dressage tests?

[Lollysmum]

I've entered L and BD for their first long arena tests on Sunday. She is doing P15 and N35 - having now looked at both of them after entering, I think I have thrown her in at the deep end rather She's done loads of short arena tests, but I was just wondering if anyone had any tips - either for these specific tests or just for riding in a long arena in general??

Thanks in advance and peanut butter chunky kit kat for the best advice

 

[Farma]

Yes enjoy it - its much easier riding in long arena - much more time to prepare

I found I had to study the test sheet to be sure where to make the shapes start and finish as first of all I wasnt sure about sizes having gotten used to short arena. The horse wont find it any different its just for you to get your head around something new. Once you've done a few you wont want to do the short ones any more!

 

[JustKickOn]

Make sure you ride to the correct marker.
For example, say you have to ride FXH, aim just between S & H and you should hit H bang on. That's what I foudn anyway...
Although, being in a long arena allows you to demonstrate more of the horses paces too, so if you have a medium trot along the long side or across diagonal, then you can really show that off.
Good luck, and enjoy

 

[philamena]

My top tip would be to remember the test in terms of shapes rather than letters. I freaked myself right out when I did my first one and as I got in realised that I'd thought of the extra letters on the long side as being on the 'wrong' side of the usual letters and suddenly it looked like none of the letters were where I was expecting!!! Cue minor palpitation. But because I'd remembered the test in terms of shapes (ie diagonal which rejoins the track one marker early) I didn't need to think about the letters, just which part of the arena I was in and even got the comment 'very accurately ridden'!!! ha ha!