moving from intro to prelim

GraceDawson

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Another thread from me!

My boy is rising 5 and has been competing in intro dressage locally. In our second outing, we came 2nd in the championships - 2 marks from 2nd.

I am now ready mentally (got the hand of remembering tests and preperation) for prelim. My lad is steady in walk and trot working in a true outline from behind. Our canter leaves much to be desired to be totally honest, but I think that we should go for it and just try.

He will work well sometimes in canter, but not consistently on the bit, but still tracks up. I do not have a school at home, so this means practicing in the field all the time and doing a test means it is also a good schooling session on a rubber surface.

I have a day off soon which coincides with a prelim 14 at the local riding club. Should I go for it or will I be laughed out the ring?

Please heko me guys, should I wait or try it out.
 
Go for it!

Prelim isn't called "preliminary" because they expect a finished product! What's the worst that could happen: you get a few bad marks until you get the hang of it?

Now I may get jumped on for this, because I'm a relative newbie to dressage tests in this country, but I don't think prelim is meant to be about having a horse in perfect "outline" and on the bit...it should be more about straightness, and a decent forward rhythm, and clean basic paces. I was a little disconcerted to see so many horses in "outline", but schlepping their way around the ring with no impulsion whatsoever.

I'm currently doing prelims on a counterflexed deranged giraffe, so you can't be any funnier-looking than us!
 
thanks for the reply, only just re-read my post, with many typos! Sorry all, and I meant we came 3rd at the champs.

I guess there is only one way to find out at the end of the day.
 
Go ahead!! The canter is only a few marks, most of it is trot, and the free walk will be doubled, so the canter won't change your mark that much. Practise makes perfect!
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What's the worst that will happen? You will go and not come home with a rosette
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Back in the good old days where you had to canter if you want to do dressage (young horse or not!) there were plenty of people who went and did not get placed for a year or two while their horse mastered canter.

I took my 17.2hh 4 yo Bavarian WB to a prelim test, his canter was awful but we went and tried and gradually got better, safe to say I didn't get a rosette til he was 5 and by then we had moved onto Novice, sadly I wasn't allowed to stick around the baby classes, my instructor insisted on progress!
 
Perfection of all things at all levels does not occur otherwise people would be getting 100% scores.
Just enjoy yourself and your horse. I have worked hard up the levels slowly sometimes attempting the next level but not wanting for everything to be perfect in the level before.
My horses mediums are not brilliant but coming SLOWLY!!!!! He is at Novice at,m just about to go ELE and I'm gonna have a go because he can do some of the requirements in ELE really well.
I also try to get pleasure out of inproving my riding and his performance. Sometimes we have good and sometimes not because he is a horse and I'm human and sometimes we make mistakes and sometimes we don't listen to each other. Horses are not always about winning rosettes.JUST ENJOY
 
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