dressage advice - very basic!

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SouthWestWhippet

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Hoping to take part in the Riding Club dressage competition next week at my yard. Not done a test on my pony before (actually NEVER done a dressage comp before) but really looking forward to it as hoping to event next season so looking for some tips on what to work on...

The choice of tests that I think would suit us are

Prelim 10 (2002) or
Prelim 12 (2005)

the others are novice tests.

Don't know what is in either of these... would anyone have any recomendations for me? My pony is very sharp and strong but has been going well lately and will w/t/c and do transitions in a fairly consistent rhythm/outline, circles of all sizes, flexible on either rein etc. Will never be a PSG horse (!) but goes resonably nicely if I can keep her under control...

The only thing I really struggle with which I know appears on some prelim tests is giving and retaking the reins in canter as she tends to think she is back in the jump off arena if I do this and shoot off
grin.gif
. Have mastered it in trot but still working on the canter! Do I have to do this in either of these tests as would rather avoid it in our first comp?

thanks in advance - any tips for mastering this movement would be great as well.
 
Could you enter both Prelims?

Give and retake reins is in Novice tests.

P10 has lots of circles and turns, and I find it good for an onward bound horse, as not too much 'all the way along the long side' movements
 
Oh good, I thought I had seen it in a prelim test, i must have been mistaken. If it is a novice movement that makes me feel better as it is something we've been working on but finding difficult!

I think I'll have a go at prelim 10 then, it sounds like the one for us. Lots of circles is always a good thing for keeping her steady!
thanks!
 
There is no giving and taking of reins in Prelim tests. All it is is walk trot and canter, nothing too hard at all.

Be accurate - make sure your circles are the correct size and shape and the transitions are by the marker.

Good luck.
 
Sorry, there is a give and re-take of reins in Prelim 13 because I've just done it!! I think that its the only one though. If you get your horse really between hand and leg on the 20 metre circle then you can give the rein over the centre line keeping your shoulder, hip, heel balance and your leg on. Hope this helps.
 
Just watch the canter change of reins across the diagonal as most horses tend to fall into trot.... aim for the marker a little before so that you are straight when you ask for the downwards transition
 
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