Most challenging Prelim test?

viola

viola

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If you were to have a few days of progressive training with a little competition in the end and were only to choose one Prelim test to work on, which one would it be?
I will be doing some riding club rallies concentrating on improving riding a Prelim test and would be very grateful if you would like to share your experiences.
I won't know the riders until the session so cannot plan particular exercises to improve particular combinations but would like a test that seems most demanding and which really work the horse (at the level of course!).
I have a couple of tests in mind for that but would be great to hear your views
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Thank you for reading!
 
Prelim 18's a good one.

The last movement where you're cantering down the long side, then it's a trot transition and immediately after down the centre line to finish.

Tests accuracy to markers, plus if the canter isn't that balanced, you can fall into trot as you move round the corner and then you've got to get the centre line as straight as possible as well.

Prelim 10 - is also pretty good. The tear-drop test as I was always told. With the half 10m circles then straight back to the track
 
my daughter is doing prelim 12 tomorrow. only practised once
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. looks quite tricky to me and i
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have only had to read it
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Prelim 13 has a trot-walk-trot transition on the centre line to check if the horse is in front of the leg and also a give and retake in trot - its the only prelim test to contain these movements.
 
P12 is weird, those half circles over the centre line and then the half circle onto the centre line to finish. It always seems to me that the designers have thought oh, better finish now, quick, turn round onto the centre line!
 
I like P18 and don't find it particularly hard, it flows well. i think P13 and P14 are the hardest, movements wise with the 2-5 steps of walk and give and retake the reins. P12 is also quite difficult but more because of the 2 half 10 circles in walk and the canter down the diaganal, trot then canter again in the next corner.

I am doing P12 and P14 today aaaagggghhh, will see how I get on!!!
 
I always like P10 but do think that the canter all the way across the diagonal is quite a hard movement at this level. To ride it for maximum marks you need to hit the track a couple of strides before the marker (bearing in mind the view the judge gets) which means doing a stride of counter canter before the downwards transition. Normally looks quite messy as many prelim horses lose their balance coming all the way across the diagonal in canter.

IMO this one movement makes P10 quite a difficult test.
 
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I always like P10 but do think that the canter all the way across the diagonal is quite a hard movement at this level. To ride it for maximum marks you need to hit the track a couple of strides before the marker (bearing in mind the view the judge gets) which means doing a stride of counter canter before the downwards transition. Normally looks quite messy as many prelim horses lose their balance coming all the way across the diagonal in canter.

IMO this one movement makes P10 quite a difficult test.

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Yes I agree, my 5 year old finds that very difficult, especially when you have to then walk, or turn down the centre line just after
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I think that prelim 10 and prelim 18 are the most straight forward tests, and also the ones I found easiest to remember! The canter across the diagonal in prelim ten isn't too tricky of a movement for that level IMO.
 
Prelim 14 is a bit tricky in places. Has some walk for 2-5 steps then trot on bits in the corners and then a give and retake the reins in trot on a circle. But the rest of it is fairly straightforward. Have never done prelim 18 so can't comment on this one!
 
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think that prelim 10 and prelim 18 are the most straight forward tests, and also the ones I found easiest to remember! The canter across the diagonal in prelim ten isn't too tricky of a movement for that level IMO.

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If ridden properly on a horse in preliminary stage of training, the movements to get full marks are not straight forward at all, as require certain amount of balance and self carriage to be able to carry out the "counter canter" required on a change of rein. ALso Serpentines require balance and suppleness to continue in the same rhythm throughout the movement. When you ride a baby through the tests, you will see our point!
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think that prelim 10 and prelim 18 are the most straight forward tests, and also the ones I found easiest to remember! The canter across the diagonal in prelim ten isn't too tricky of a movement for that level IMO.

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If ridden properly on a horse in preliminary stage of training, the movements to get full marks are not straight forward at all, as require certain amount of balance and self carriage to be able to carry out the "counter canter" required on a change of rein. ALso Serpentines require balance and suppleness to continue in the same rhythm throughout the movement. When you ride a baby through the tests, you will see our point!
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Indeed, after spending weeks on teaching them the correct leg and bend, you completely confuse them in one movement!
 
Exactly, also the transition from canter to trot on a corner then straight down the centre line requires a balanced transition and obedience, difficult on a 5yo!!
 
I like P17 and P16 because they are in the long arena...

I think P18 is a fab test and the one Grace got 73% in... maybe that is why I liked it so much
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QR: Thank you all! Definitely a food for thought. My initial plan was to mix some movements from P18 and P13 but might change the latter to P10 after reading your replies
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I like the give and retake the reins in P13 as very rarely see people doing it correctly and you see more clearly whether horses are being trained correctly.
Looks like we should design a Monster Prelim Test 19 and put all the little bits together
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Thanks again
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just got back from test. class not split so she was competing against adults. We both could not believe it when she picked up a 1st !
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very very proud mummy. p.s. pony was an absolute doll. To top it all on her other pony, much more of a challenge, doing prelim 4 ( junior class) came 2nd.
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