novice 30 question

[mavandkaz]

am off to have my first bash at affiliated dressage - well 'my quest' - this weekend, and my second attempt at a Novice test.
was running through the test yesterday with my instructor and noticed that there appears to be a walk to canter transition, which I thought was a bit harsh for Novice (but am new to all this so maybe not). My question is that it doesn't say 'walk to canter transition' it just says:
free walk across diagonal to M
M-C medium walk
Between C and H working canter.

so does it need to be a straight walk to canter, or could it be progressive? just wondering as horse can do walk to canter but tends to hollow, so maybe a couple of steps of trot maybe better so that he stays soft?
any thoughts or tips for this test?

 

[Britestar]

Its a direct trans from walk to canter.

 

[Batgirl]

It is a walk to canter however you will get a little leeway if it is a little progressive (i.e. you won't get hammered but you won't get a sparkling mark either)
Couple of tips for this test -
Halt with your body at A and count yoru seconds - lots of marks lost on inaccuracy!
On your canter changes on a straight line prepare properly and make a transition down, get your change of bend then a transition up - a lot of people fall into trot, trot half a mile and then hope for canter and get the wrong leg or a hollow strung out transition, they don't change bend and it is all rather messy. Really treat it as a collecting exercise - come here horse, now trot horse, come here horse, now canter horse.

This test is all about self carriage and balance (if you look at most tests carefully they have a theme) so make sure your warm up is about getting your horse balanced and listening and under you.