Long arena dressage - stupid question!

[blaze]

OK, I realise this will be a daft question to many of you, but I read something about 'long arena dressage' and I'm just not sure what it refers to. Does it mean normal tests but in an international-sized arena?

Just confused as the info I have says it's great for young horses as well as big horses - but if starting young horses off in the bigger arena is good, and top-level competition is also held in a larger arena, why aren't all competition arenas that size?

Sorry not sure if it's my cold making me dense, but would rather ask the question!

 

[H-J]

Long arena is a 20X60 sized arena, some higher Novices upwards are in 20X60 arenas and they have set tests for that arena using all the extra markers. A 20X40 test only uses the markers in a 20X40. Does that help!! or just confuse!!?

 

[Sal_E]

Yes long arena tests are 20 x 60 as opposed to 20 x 40 - the tests are different though as it includes the additional letters. Have a look at P16 & 17 as the only long arena prelim tests.

As to why short arena tests even exist, I guess it opens up the opportunity for competitions in far more places as there's lots of places that don't have long arenas. At the lower levels, people don't want to necessarily be travelling a long way to a top competition centre. So my guess, it's a practicality thing.