Dressage - what should I do next? Affiliate or Novice?

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vicm2509

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I took up dressage with Baron half way through the winter season around the same time as I started having lessons on him again. Hes got loads of potential and in the year that ive had him he is proving to be a little star.

Anyway as I had never done dressage before I am doing prelim tests. We have done 8 tests, got 6 1st's, 1 3rd and once we didnt get placed as I rode it wrong. My friend who has him on part loan had done about the same amount of tests and is doing just as well. My last test I got 81.5% and even got a few 9's

We always get lovely comments about how much potential he has at the bottom of the tests so im wondering what to do next. Should I affiliate him and do another season of Prelim or not affiliate him and have a bash at Novice tests?

Ive spoken to my instructor and told her I plan to do a bit over the summer and keep it at Prelim as I want to work on SJ for a few months but want to make a decision for the start of the winter season. She thinks hes come on loads and said we will start working on some Novice bits and bobs in our lesson.

Oh and if I affiliate him does that mean I cannot do unaffiliated comps?
 
It sounds like you are both more than ready to affiliate at Prelim now and whilst doing that start working at Novice.
Making the change from one level to another isn't just about doing different figures etc., it is about a change in balance and therefore outline. This can't be taught in a couple of lessons, training horses is always ongoing, like a journey that never ends.
Even if you don't want to compete in dressage for a while and want to do some SJ, the need or desire to improve the flatwork shouldn't diminsh and will actually help the jumping anyway.

Good Luck and be brave.......make the jump to affiliated.
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You sound more than ready to do novice tests especially if you got 80% in your last prelim, based on that mark you would still get a good mark at novice level.
 
We work at more of a novice (perhaps even higher than that) level in our lessons anyway, have him working in different outlines and going doing collected/medium trot and canter etc, but have never been through and novice tests. I know I cant make the jump to novice overnight which is why im planning now for the next winter season. I was thinking more about affiliating him though, have you any idea how I go about it or is it all explained on the BD website? Im not doing it just yet as I have a few prelim championship comps I have qualified for over the summer
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''She thinks hes come on loads and said we will start working on some Novice bits and bobs in our lesson.''

Sorry to misunderstand but the above led me to think that you'd not started working at Novice yet.

In that case you are more than ready to compete not only in BD Prelim but possibly Novice too.

Yes, everything you need should be on the BD website, if not, shout again!

Also, it shouldn't prevent you from still competing unaffiliated, but check the rules of the individual comp, as some might restrict affiliated riders/horses and some not.
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Sorry, maybe my words did get a bit gumbled up
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We have been working on prelim tests not novice ones but when we are not going through tests we do more advanced flatwork than in the prelim tests.

Ive just looked at my riding club website and it doesnt say anything about me not being able to do the non affiliated tests if hes registered
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I think I will affiliate him now then, that way I can do some affiliated prelim over the summer and perhaps start novice at the beginging of the winter season
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Vicky, having seen you and Baron in action, think you should definitely affiliate
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! & that you would have no problem at Novice at all - and I'm sure you'll easily carry on up the levels. No need to wait for winter either - lots of people do a Prelim test then a Novice at the same comp.
 
It completely depends on whether you would like to affiliate... If you think you would like to start working through the levels then it sounds as though you are more than ready to affiliate. However, if you want to carry on doing some unaffiliated through the summer, then that would be great too!

It really does depend on what you would like to spend the summer doing...

I have just affiliated my 5 year old which was quite a daunting thing to do because this is my first time at affiliated level too. However, I am hoping people on here can 'daddy' me through it all as there are so many things that I do not know. Like SQ and WQ after the test numbers means Summer Qualifier and Winter Qualifier, although qualifier for what I do not know
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