dressage question - riding prelim 13

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sophiebailey

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Hi everyone!

Got a really numpty question to ask. When riding prelim 13 .........

On dressage diagrams it says for the 20m circles -

"at A circle left 20metres and before X working canter left"

Where in the school would you ask for canter? I find it easiest to ask in the corner after A so as I get the correct lead however some people have said I need to ask after F, otherwise it would say before F working canter?

Any advice? Don't want to lose silly marks :)
 
The transition really needs to be just before x, not just after f, if you are on a circle you are not going into the corners anyway and the horse will have the correct bend. Practice asking in different places on a circle, it is a fairly basic schooling exercise to be able to canter on a circle and will help with your transitions as well as give you something new to work on.
It is good for your horse to have more variety in its work and will really help improve obedience to your aids.
 
Great thanks, I'll aim just before X. I think my trouble is I ask for too much bend, so Bailey's outside shoulder is pushed out too much and thus he picks up the wrong lead..... Any solutions to keep him going round the circle but not over bend him?
 
Squeeze and release inside rein to ask for the turn but keep a contact on outside rein so you don't lose the shoulder. Outside leg behind the girth stops quarters swinging out, inside leg on the girth asks for impulsion. Ride inside leg to outside hand, don't just pull inside rein to keep on the circle, or horse falls out through the outside shoulder.

It sounds as if your horse isn't very supple, the only way to improve that is practice. Start with changes of rein, 20m circles and figure of 8, 3-loop serpentines and proper corners. An arena has 4 corners and 4 sides, not 2 long sides and a half circle at each end. Focus on proper bends and straight lines in these exercises.

Start in walk, on a circle, asking horse to bend round your inside leg as described above, the outside hand allows the bend. Carry your whip in your outside hand. If he falls out through that shoulder, bring your outside leg forward and use on the girth to straighten him up, adding a tap on the shoulder with the whip if you have to ask a 2nd time. Return outside leg to behind the girth to keep the quarters in position.

When you can get a good bend in walk move onto trotting. Every time he loses balance and falls through the shoulder, return to walk, re-establish a good bend then try again. Aim to return to walk before it all goes wrong, if possible, gradually building up the number of trot strides he can manage.

Good luck with the dressage test :-)
 
At prelim level the judges I have written for on this test havent been too bothered if people are asking at F, it says before, not just before (I queried this with a judge who said that it is when you move higher up the levels it actually says just before instead of before.

For the bend I would try not to use the inside rein for bend, use your leg and outside rein and make sure you are turning and pointing your belly button where you are going.

This is a really good bit of canter advice on a blog I read:

http://www.schoolyourhorse.com/2012/07/14/where-did-it-all-go-wrong/

Good luck :D
 
Thanks guys really really helpful! I've got a lesson this week so I'm going to be asking my instructor to show me all of your tips in practice!!! Thank you all :)
 
Ask your instructor to show you how to ride a shape like a 50pence peice using your outside aids to push the shoulders round the circle. It might help you with straightness.
 
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