How do you remember yours?

[JaneyB]

Dressage tests!

Do you do the 'at C canter a...blah, blah'

or

do you remember it on shapes and memorise where you're going? if you get what I mean!

 

[lizzie_liz]

i just learn the patterns but the letters where transistions occur well kind of!

 

[BroadfordQueen]

I learn it by dividing a peice of paper into little rectangles, depending on how many movements in the test (eg if there are 13 movements i draw 13 boxs) and then draw each movement in each rectangle. then i draw out another arena and draw the whole test over and over again till i know it

 

[peterthepony]

I draw an arena on a piece of paper, draw it in pen without looking at the Dressage sheet and keep doing it till its correct!

 

[JaneyB]

I learn the patterns too, I tend to know where the movements start, but otherwise rely on shape and not letters!!

The boxes sounds complicated!!

 

[rach1984horse]

I ride it through in my head. I read it and go through each movement as if I'm riding it through will know where my horse is likely to fall out on a corner or stick at a transition.

 

[JaneyB]

Yep do that too, but I couldn't always tell you what letter i'm at without thinking!

 

[teapot]

I draw them over and over again

 

[helenandshadow]

I just learn the pattern/shape of the test rather than the letters, and draw it out on a piece of paper!!

 

[MillbrookSong]

I read a section at a time - about 5 movements - them trace that put on the table and onces thats right go on to the next section!!

All in all takes about 1 read through now!!

 

[Tempi]

im one of the lucky ones who only has to read a test through once and i know it off by heart! Dont ask me how, i guess its coz i do so many that i need to be able to remember them quickly.

Ive learnt four Elementarys this week for the weekend!! Mum is amazed that i dont get them all muddle up, especially as in each one you track left after going down the centre line!

 

[Sparklet]

I shut my eyes in a quiet place and ride the test in real time- perfectly. I then ride it in my head on my horse working out where the problem bits will be and how to ride those bits.

 

[NAT22]

...I don't remember it - I always go wrong
Even went wrong last night - while having the test read

 

[loopeepee]

Yep im one of those lucky ones too. But its so frustrating when I can read a dressage test through once and know it, but then A-level work I could read through, write it down, read through again etc etc, and still not be able to tell you anything about what it said - even though I would be trying desparetly to do so!!
Horses!

 

[Patchwork]

Patterns... I wouldn't have a clue about which letters the movements involve. I learn it as a 'bird's eye' view of the test and then translate to an 'on the ground' version usually when I get to the venue so I know which direction I'm heading in for diagonals, etc.

 

[MagicMelon]

I memorise it in patterns too. I also check the arena Im in and go there before I get on to make sure I know which way Im going! (my mum never understands this but sometimes the arena is the wrong way from home! I must have some built in north, east, south, west thing!!).

 

[pootler]

I memorise patterns then ride it through in my head, imaging a perfect test and one where things go wrong that I correct. I still manage to get an error of course 50% of the time no matter how many times I learn it! durrr....

 

[goeslikestink]

i use coloured pens - and each dispaline has a dot or dash or little line where to trot and canter -- and memorise it

 

[Sal_E]

MM - thank-you, thank-you, thank-you! I thought I was a freak, LOL! I have terrible problems when I get to a comp & find out the arena is 'the wrong way round'! Whenever I say that people look at me like I'm a total idiot! I got really lost the other week because I suddenly found myself at the wrog end & didn't know where I was going!

I'm relieved to hear I'm not the only one with a bit of a faulty connection!

 

[JaneyB]

Sal I have exactly the same problem with the arena 'being round the wrong way', you try and explain it to anyone and they think you're mad!!

MM that is a brilliant idea and one i'm going to do, at least that way I know where A is and I can picture the arena before hand and do the shapes in that arena, as opposed to the one at home!!