Elementary 43 help!

[equi2012]

Doing elementary 43 in a few weekends time, need advice! I have ridden one elementary test already on an advanced horse however now I'm planning my pony! He's 13.2 and capable of all the movements apart from medium trot-but, everything seems to come up so quickly in the test! Any advice for making movements flow together better? Also, how can I improve medium canter down the long side to collected in the corner please!? He's sensitive to rein contact so at the moment it's just a case of using my seat muscles and sitting relatively still. Is there any way to improve the transition?
Thanks!

 

[Farma]

I think 43 is a fairly straight forward ele and flows really well, also being long arena helps! If pony isn't up to med trot then may struggle with med canter also, watch this doesn't become obvious by 1/4 swinging in and think a little shoulder fore to prevent it, keep the inpulsion into collected canter so it doesnt fall flat, just bring him back with half halt and seat aids while leg aids continue to ask for activity from the hind 1/4. You haven't mentioned if it's bd or not but if it is you will he expected to show an increased level of engagement from novice, good luck xx

 

[kc100]

To get a better flow - make sure you know the test. I run dressage shows (both BD and unaff) and often read for the competitors, and I always notice the ones that dont know the test; their tests are jerky, awkward and dont flow mainly because they are waiting for me to read the next movement, rather than actually knowing what is coming next.

If you know the test off by heart, you can prepare for the next movement better, and in turn it will flow better and look smoother to the judge.

At Ele everything needs to be on the marker, not just between two markers so make sure you are preparing enough in advance for the next movement. For example with your medium canter, pretty much as soon as you have transitioned into medium you need to be thinking about bringing it back ahead of the collected. You should never really be using your reins for any dressage movements, it is all about the leg and the seat - however half halts are key in any level of dressage so that is the key to be able to bring him back out of medium and into collected.

If he is so sensitive he cant even cope with a half halt I really would question why you are trying an Ele - I wouldnt do a Prelim with a horse that wouldnt accept a half halt, so if this is the case for you and you have no way to do a half halt with him perhaps you should be going back to basics and get a few more lessons with a trainer to work on his contact problems? A judge will spot a mile away if he is fussy or sensitive in the contact and you wont score very well for any movement if the contact is not established at Ele.

Prelim you can maybe get away with a less than perfect contact and head carriage, but beyond Prelim if the contact is not soft and elastic you will be marked down in every area. Sensitive is good, you dont want a horse with a hard mouth that doesnt listen; but equally you dont want a horse that shoots his head up as soon as you take a feel down the rein in a half halt. What has your trainer said about this issue?

Practicing lots of transitions will also help with your flow - cant remember where it was I read/heard this but Carl H apparently said you should be doing over 100 transitions in each schooling session - that includes transitions within the paces, upwards transitions and downwards transitions. You should have him so on your leg and listening to you that you can play with the paces, pushing on into medium then back again, from walk to canter, then trot to halt.....play with the transitions, get him listening and that will help on bringing him back to you when you need him.

There is a nice exercise my trainer did with me, put 4 poles out on a circle in the 12, 3, 6 and 9 positions as they would be on a clock. Dont make the circle too small, but not so large either that this is a doddle - then do your transitions between each pole. That really helps speed your brain up to be more reactive and plan better, as you have no time to waste! so you could be in trot at 12, then before the 3 pole you need to walk, then as soon as you are over the 3 pole you have to trot, back down to walk again before the 6 pole....etc.

To help with collection you need the horse to be able to take more weight on the hindlegs, there are countless exercises you can do to help there - but the more weight he can take behind, the easier it will be for him to collect after the medium as he wont be falling onto the forehand and still rushing through the transition. Walk to canter, and canter to walk transitions are good for making the horse 'sit' behind and really use their hindquarters, polework and cavelleti are good as well - hill work out hacking also great to build strength.

Hope this helps and good luck!

 

[equi2012]

Thanks to both of you! It is unaff. and he isn't so sensitive that I can't half halt thankfully! Will defiantly try the pole exercise-sounds like something to stretch him and make him think!