First dressage test

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gemmaw

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How good do you need to be before competing in your first test?? I want to have a bit of an idea how good people are before they start competing, I'm doing ok with my youngster and want to get him out but dont want to make a fool of myself and upset everyone else there!
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If his walk, trot and canter are reasonably established I would pick a low key venue and give it a go. If you ask the organisers for the first time of the day so the warm up arena is not too full and try to make it a jolly trip out - dont worry about scores too much.

He needs to come back full of confidence
 
Try an easy test like Prelim 1 or Prelim 4. I bet you won't come last! (and so what if you did!!!) Or you could always take him to a show ground and ride about without actually competing in anything just to see what he is like in that environment.
 
Thanks, there's a show just up the road about a mile, was thinking of hacking him there so i havnt got the excitement of going in the box to add on it, he loves travelling, almost runs up the ramp with me!!!

great idea about asking for the first time, i'm going to book him in as soon as there is another comp, cant wait now, thanks!! ;-)
 
I agree with Sparklet although some places will let you do walk & trot tests. An early time helps so you can lead them around the warm up ring if they are nervous / tense. The sooner the better in my opinion. Probably best to take him without a companion so there's no distraction. Good luck!
 
I took my baby to his first dressage on Sunday and we ended up getting 5th in the walk trot and 6th in Prelim 1!!! He was nowhere near ready in terms of being fully balanced and working fully from behind into a contact etc and making a great shape but thought I would take him out for a jolly and get him to see what the world of work is like out there without any pressure or expectations and I was over the moon when he was in the ribbons especially when both tests were fairly humiliating in terms of him listening to me and actually performing the movements that I was trying to ride but he obviously looked better from the ground than he felt and I was so so pleased that he tried and wasn't naughty! Sometimes the longer you leave it and the more you practice the more you expect so it was nice to go out and be fairly relaxed and just be happy with whatever you achieve if that makes sense!
 
go for it and let us know. im braving my first one on sunday, only had my youngster a matter of weeks and wasnt pleased with what i did in the school tonight and gave up but oh said i looked absolutely fine and should give him a break, my boy that is not oh, so im going to grin and bear a "simple" walk n trot test! aarrghh.
 
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