How many dressage tests/classes would you do at one competition?

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Lill

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2 or 3?

Am debating whether to do P14 and N28

OR

P12 P14 and N28

??
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I usually do 2 but am considering doing 3 at a competition soon so would be interested to see others views on this too
 
I would normally do 2, mostly because i find dressage takes ages and i don't like hanging around all day.

I wouldn't necessarily see a problem with doing 3 though, would still be a lot less work than at an ODE. Depends how fit they are and how long you warm up for i guess.
 
2 or 3 is fine - if the horse needs to be well worked in and learn to settle ive known people to more - at Nov levels its not too taxing - the worst bit is remembering tests!!
 
2 is the limit for my memory, & even then I need a good hour in between to refresh my recollection of the 2nd one.
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Depends how good your memory is - if they have horrible things you need to remember like G&R then I'd only do 2.

However if you have a caller then do 3 as you don't need to remember!!
 
I normally do 2.

IMO it depends on how fit the horse is and how much working in they need. If he/she is quite fizzy and unsettled at shows then doing 3 may work to your advantage. If he/she is pretty laid back about the whole thing then by the time you get to the third test it maybe lacking in sparkle.
 
I was going to post and ask this as well as I am considering doing 2 Prelims and a Novice next week. Just filling out my entry
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I would have someone calling all the tests for me.

I think he's pretty fit, he gets schooled 6 days a week for 30-40 with a bit of hacking in there too.

Last show we did one prelim test and a combined test with SJ and he certainly had plenty of energy left for the SJ.

But then he does not get het up at shows at all, so i do wonder if we may have lost it all by the time the its the 3rd test....
 
Depends on the horse and how far apart the times are to be honest. I have done 3 on several occasions but my horse was fit.

Also I like it when times are close together (ie 20-40mins apart) as you can do each test let them have a stretch (get off for 15-20mins if a longer gap) then just warm up for 10-15mins or so max just before you go back in and overall they do far less work than if you are warming up seperately properly for each test.
 
I was going to do it at the area festivals, use the 1st novice as a warm up without too much working in so he gets used to the arena/atmosphere then the other 2 would be 'proper' tests. He is laid back though so I do run the risk of overcooking him so to speak. I don't think 3 is too much to ask really particularly at the lower levels.
 
I did one short arena prelim, one long arena prelim and a short arena novice last year (and 2 SJ rounds
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I memorised the first 2 and got the last one called. Was absolutley fine and horse's scores got better and better so was well worth it.
 
Oh I don't think it's a lot to ask, especially if they are fit and they are ridden with 3 tests in mind. I just think there could be a chance of overcooking them in the first two that's all. But then I suppose it's not like we have to worry about it being a hot day
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I know Osc always goes better in the 2nd one as he's had time to have a look around first time, but that's not much help to me at the mo!!
 
My friend was stopped from doing 3 tests on one horse at an affiliated show a few weeks ago. Apparently it was "cruel". WTF!!!! Two novice tests and one elementary, each lasting what 4 mins, with minimal working in time before hand - hardly adds up to a 40 mins. schooling session, which would be what this horse does at home!
 
Interestingly in the Netherlands you are only allowed to do 2 tests a day at most affiliated competitions.
For me two is more than enough for most horses especially if you do a lower level and a higher level.
also i often have another couple of horses so it would not be possible but with warming up / down and then doing another test i think its a lot to ask.
Why do you want, or need to do three tests would also be a question that springs to mind. This is not a good habit to get into to have a more fatigued horse does not really make him/ her better.
At championships you often only have one test so learning how to get your warm up right would be a great deal more benificial as this for me is one of the most tricky things to get right. also it may be worth remembering that at afiliated comps you will rack up the points if you are not careful.
Anyway its just another veiw point , hope you enjoy whatever you choose!!
 
That's really interesting about The Netherlands, I can understand though. I only usually do 2 but after a recent experience would like to use one to acclimatise him to the atmosphere/arena and settle my nerves about the whole thing as much as anything else. I am still working on getting the warm up right and have never achieved it so far
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It wouldn't be something I would do on a regular basis and have to still discuss this with my trainer who will probably give me a slap and tell me to get on with it and stop being so stupid.
At my level of expertise I have no worries about racking up points, I'm just pleased to scrape 60%
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I think I'd struggle to remember just one test, but they're not really that long, and compared to a schooling session or a trip round the XC, it's not asking too much I don't think
 
I usually do 2. Im sure he is physially capable of doing another, but with all the hanging around he does tend to get rather switched off, and I dont want it to become a chore rather than something quite exciting ..
 
The person i help did 4 at a riding club event once, as her horse only needs a 10min warm up to get 75%
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but i did call all 4 for her !
 
I think that's a good point, cobden, it's not so much the fitness issue as the brain capacity for paying attention for that long, at least for my nag! Think he would happily do two tests and a hack or a sj round perhaps, but not three tests. He would probably start groaning on the third test, something he usually does two thirds of the way through our flatwork lesson, shortly before he switches off. But some horses thrive on more work, so you could try it and see. Let us know!
 
I do 3 ... and ask for 2 of the tests to be quite close, so that you don't need to warm up again much for the 2nd of those 2.

I use the first one as a warm up, and the other 2 as proper tests.

(this is at Prelim/Nov or nov with one elementary)... I can see that doing 3 grand prix tests is a bit much, but otherwise I agree.. its no more than a normal days work.

Even if you THINK you can remember 3, if you don't compete often enough to know the tests off by heart, I would have the security of a caller for at least one of the tests, and as you are not penalised, I would use one for all three if you are in any doubt.

Plus - by the time you are finished, the scores will at least be up for the first class!!!
 
really? blimey! I used to do two novice tests and one elementary at BD competitions all the time - horse didn't require much warm-up, but could be a prat in the arena, so needed the repetition of doing 3 tests.

I think 3 is absolutely fine, obviously, else I wouldn't have done it
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eta: the timings would be 15 minute warm up for first test, 5 minute test, 10 minute warm up for 2nd and 3rd tests plus 10 minutes worth of test - totals 40 minutes ridden schooling, which really isn't asking a lot.
 
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