Intro/ Starter dressage tests...

S

SnowPhony

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 March 2009
Messages
2,673
Location
Not where I should be!
Visit site
I'm planing on taking B to do some dressage in the coming months and was going to do Intro/ Starter tests to start with. I have no idea what she has done in the past other than being a broodmare for the last 6 years and hasn't been the easiest of mares. However, she is coming on amazingly well and I'm so proud of her but am worried about doing too much too soon as she has a tendancy to be a bit nervy and insecure.

I was talking to a friend about it and her reply was 'huh...bit basic isn't it? Why don't you just do prelim because that's dead easy?'

My theory on it is, I have no idea what B has done in the past, and while she is coming along nicely, she is still rather green. I'd also rather do an intro test at least first time out as I have no idea how she will react to a show day environment and would rather ease her in gently rather than completely overphase her and put us back to square one where her nerves are concerned.

Friend reckons I'm being over cautious...am I right or is she??
 
She is your horse, you do what you feel confident with! If you want start with Intro A or B, do it! You can always do a Prelim next time.
grin.gif


Go and have fun!
 
No way, i think your doing the right thing completly, if your both a little nervy and you dont know what shes going to be like i would definately start her off doing an introductory test, ease her in nicely and if you do well on that one then think about doing a prelim
laugh.gif
at least then if she does well you can say you started off on a good note and if she does bad you can at least say you were sensible about the whole thing and saw what she was like and what you can work on
laugh.gif
plus theres alot less pressure on the both of you
 
Im going to try a prelim in a couple of weeks, me and Bear have never done it, in the test you only do a canter once on each rein, we've got to start somewhere! Good luck!

I think its prelim 24? I bought it off the BD website.
 
If it feels right to you then go for it. I started D off with Walk and Trot because it keeps it all nice and calm and you've got one less thing to think about. She's moved up to Prelim now but it was definitely the right place to start for her.
 
We've only just started canter work and finding going on the correct lead a bit tricky, but we shall get there and to be honest I'm still over the moon at how far she has come in the 8 weeks I've been working with her!

Just I guess my friends comments made me feel like a bit of a wet lemon for only doing walk and trot.
 
Dont worry about it hun, Bear's done 2 years of ridden showing. He still has his naughty days lol! All we can do is have a bash at it, sod it lol!
Go and enjoy yourself! Thats what me and Bear are doing!
 
I think you should do exactly what you feel comfortable with.
Competing is stressful enough, without over facing yourself or the horse.

Go out and have fun, if it's not enjoyable whats the point. I would stick with what you belive, don't move too quickly because someone else says you should.
 
I'm of the view that seeing as you don't know her past other than as broodmare then you are doing the most sensible thing by starting with a walk and trot. Yes t might be basic but its a good grounding to build on

Go ahead and enjoy it - just don't forget to let us all know how you got on
 
Do what you feel is right, better to start off at the bottom and build you and your horses confidence. G and I did walk and trot tests to start with, he had really done dressage and I never ever had and it really helped build my confidence without terrifying me! Good luck
 
Its only easy if...

both you AND your horse are relaxed on the day, you have practiced the test, it's within both your capabilities and something you enjoy.

Pick a test that suits you and your horse, not because someone else says it's this, that and the other.

Intro A/B are great little warm up classes for first timers and horses that need to settle a bit before a prelim, to be honest if you think your horse will be a bit tense then really its nothing to worry about, most of them are on first outings etc.

Be there in plenty of time, walk her around in hand a bit so she feels less nervy, grab yourself a coffee, then take your time warming up and give it a go, you won't know unless you try, either way it will be good experiance for her, if she's a bit silly in her test, so what it happens to everyone at some point...even the top riders!

smile.gif
 
Ah I remember the days where it was prelim or nothing
smirk.gif


Prelim is designed for horse's that have only just established work in the school, yeah you're not going to get any rosettes if you are just starting out but Prelim is really designed to get them out to shows show them the arena etc. Alot of people just use it to warm up for novice tests to settle the horse so chances are if you really are at prelim level you won't win anyway as you're competing against novice level horses.

I think you'd be fine doign prelim unless you are a really nervous rider that doesn't like to canter.
 
No I'm not a nervous rider, but she is a very sensitive little mare who has only just started canter work. I'm not planning on taking her til probably early september so got a fair while to work out whether to do intro or prelim.

As for the friend who completely pooh- poohed the idea of inro tests....she claims to be a dressage expert and tried to make me look silly by saying that prelim was the first and there was no such thing as intro....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top