Novice Tests without counter canter???

[JadeyB]

Helloooo...

I have decided to get motivated and have a go at going up a level in dressage because i keep getting comments about how i should but the problem is my wonderful boy has been a show jumper all of his life so flying changes are automatic!

He moves like a dream, has lovely lateral and medium paces and looks like a proper dressage horse but the flying changes are so programmed in it's going to take a ot of time and work for both of us learn about how not to change. We can strike off in counter canter but you can just see the confusion on his face and generally he does a beautiful flying change on the corner (mainly my fault, can't get my body position right to help him yet)

We don't compete at BD so there's no hurry for us to learn this and he's a sensitive sort so i don't want to stress him out but i would like to try a Novice/Elementary which doesn't have counter canter or a canter across the diagonal in it... can anyone suggest one please?

 

[LS1993]

Just learning Novice 34 for the weekend, and it has no counter canter or cantering across a diagonal!

 

[Kokopelli]

24 and 27 have no counter canter and probably the easier tests so a lot of places have them

 

[dianchi]

Technically cantering across a diagonal is not counter canter, it would pay to practice this, I have an ex grade B so would much rather do a flying change but lots of practice gets them out of it! 24, 27 don't as Kokopeli has said.

 

[kc100]

I reckon some of the lower numbered novice tests dont have counter canter (cant confirm without my test sheets - they are all at home!) - I'd imagine if you do the ones numbered under 30 then you will be ok. I know with my old horse we were doing Novice and I must have done 3 or 4 tests none of which had counter canter in so there are definitely some for you to try.

I've never competed Elem so not entirely sure here, but would some of the more advanced Elem tests replace CC with a different movement? I know simple changes come in somewhere so perhaps if he's already so good at them then you could go for the higher level Elem tests?

 

[JadeyB]

Great, thanks everyone! We'll defo be practising staying on the same canter lead across the diagonal and trying to maintain counter canter but he's so sensitive and sweet that if i even glance in the other direction he thinks i want to change! bless him! So for now i think it'd be good to try a few tests without and see how we get on with the bits we can do.