How do you write a dressage test on a write-on/wipe-off board?

Red30563

Red30563

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2009
Messages
844
Location
Isle of Mull
Visit site
I am doing a dressage test on Saturday. It's my second one, and just a walk & trot.

I bought one of those write-on/wipe-off boards with a diagram of the arena printed on it (about A4 size) to help me learn it. (We will have a caller but I think it's helpful to know or be familiar with the test.)

I have drawn the test out on it, using a dotted line for walk and solid line for trot, as it says at the bottom of the board. But it looks like a bit of a mess!

I can see the benefit of using the board as I have done the test on it 'walking & trotting' with my fingers and it is helping me to learn it but is there a trick to using them so the test is clear to follow?
 
Last edited:
I think the trick it to use the pen like you were your fingers.

Rather than looking at the whole big messy squiggle at the end, it's more the process of drawing it out that helps remember it.

At least that's how I do it.
 
Agree with Suzi - its the drawing out that helps you learn. You run through the test rub it out and run through it again. I do solid line for walk, dotted for trot and dashed for canter and imagine myself riding it as I am drawing- it still looks a mess though. I also dance around my lounge with paper markers - my old dog used to get excited and join in :D
 
I do the same as suzi - I draw out the movements, but rather than doing dotted lines etc, I just talk myself through it, so I go "walk walk walk" or "trot trot trot" where I should be doing that. The end drawing ends up like a tangle of lines, so I never look at one that i have done previously - just keep drawing new ones! (I don't have one of those boards, I just have a pad of paper in my dressage test folder, and use that for learning tests)

Once I know where I should be going around the arena from drawing it out, I then have a few minutes sitting still, where I visualise riding the test. So I imagine I am riding the test, what aids I will be giving, what I will be seeing / feeling etc. Its sounds bizarre, but I have really found that it helped me ride better tests, more accurately, and I don't get so nervous about riding them, as I feel more prepared.

Good luck :)
 
Ah! That makes sense. Thank you!

I am looking forward to the test. I don't have my own horse but I am lucky enough to be riding my RI's beautiful Andalucian. He has won quite a few BD points with my instructor riding him, so I think he could more or less do the test by himself!
 
Ok

You are not to laugh!

I use the wipe clean board briefly when learning a test, then I take my post-it notepad into the kitchen (the only room I can do this in) and put a post it note on the wall with an 'A' and repeat the process until I have a 'human' dressage arena, then I walk, trot and canter through the test! my free walk on a long rein involves bending forwards while walking to demonstrate the horse stretching down!

Yes I know it sounds daft, but it really helps me to remember my test as I have ridden through it myself! I try not to use a caller as for BE you aren't allowed.

Try doing the test on your own two feet, its fun and always makes OH laugh his socks off!

;)
 
Yep, have walked it out in the sandschool (was told u walk an SJ course so why not your test!!)

And have been known to wander round in circle in the office in my lunch break 'practising'!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top