Long arena dressage

[BallyRoanBaubles]

After a fabulous lesson today my instructor has convinced me to do our first long arena dressage test 😬 prelim 17a.

We have qualified for our RC champs which only has long arena tests, so seems sensible to have a practice. We only have a short arena at home, I’m going to have a reader on the day. I’ve learnt the ‘pattern’ of the test so I can at least practice that at home. Any other tips for practicing long arena tests in a short one?

But arghhh long arena, scary!

Pic from today 😍

 

[AdorableAlice]

Long is easier at the lower levels, far more time to prepare. You will enjoy it.

 

[Wheels]

Good luck - I much prefer long arena tests

Enjoy

 

[Littlebear]

Once you get through your first long arena test you’ll never want to do short arena again trust me!
Just practice the patterns you’ll be fine x

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

That’s pretty much what my instructor said

 

[silv]

Once you get through your first long arena test you’ll never want to do short arena again trust me!
Just practice the patterns you’ll be fine x

This,

I haven't done a test in a short arena for year, I cannot imagine how alien it would feel. I am fortunate that my own arena is 60x20 would hate to ride in anything smaller.

 

[McFluff]

To practice long arena I squashed the movements into the 20*40 arena - found that worked quite well. As others have said, the long arena rides well and gives you more time and space to prepare. Good luck

 

[teddypops]

I put all the correct letters out in my school at home, it’s a bit longer than 40m but nowhere near 60m and learnt the test. When you actually do it in a 60m arena it’s so much easier with much more time to do everything. The hardest part for me is staying straight down the longer centre line which seems to go on forever!

 

[smurf]

My tip would be to work out where your 20m circles will be. So if for example at C 20m you want to aim to be 2m past the S-R line. If at E or B you need to be 2m inside the S-R and V-P line. Having those details worked out before you ride the test will help on the day. Otherwise your reader says "B circle right 20m" and you think "Sh1t - how big is 20m!"

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Ooh yes that long centre line 😱

Thanks Smurf that’s helpful, I was thinking how I’d work out how big 20m is 😂

 

[smurf]

All the markers are 12m apart except for the corner ones (K, H, M, F) which are 6m from the short end.

 

[Jenni_]

Learn the markers! Not as easy to rely on learning just the 'shapes' like you can in the short arena. I learned the hard way - cost me a good placing at BRC qualifiers in July

Don't let your first centre line get too onward bound - its a long way to C!

I love long arena tests. So much more time to prepare for movements / transitions, especially when you're on a big horse.