Our first Novice!!

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Trakehner92

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I posted a few weeks ago for some advice for Novice 30. I got some really fab advice so thanks guys.

The test is this weekend and I'm super nervous. My lad is behaving well and we have learnt the test as much as we can but the last few times we've schooled he's been quite cheeky so I'm trying to forget about that! We aren't running over the whole test in one go because he gets clever and remembers what we are going to do next which generally ends up in a disaster.

I haven't told anyone at the yard that we are attempting a Novice because they all think we can't do it and I think they will try and out negative thoughts in my head. (they aren't very nice lol) Although i'm sure they will see the times on facebook on Friday and not be very happy that I'm doing it!


Any tips for on the day/battling the nerves? I'm not usually a nervous competitor but I'm starting to feel a little bit worried!

How did everyone else's first Novice tests go? :)
 
Mine went better than the prelim we did before! With more to do in the test I could keep his concentration on me a bit more.

Good luck, and don't worry about it :)
 
smja said:
Mine went better than the prelim we did before! With more to do in the test I could keep his concentration on me a bit more.

Good luck, and don't worry about it :)
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A few people have said the same thing to me. With a lot more to think about they generally do better. Thank you. I just want him to behave and listen and I will be pleased!
 
I'm in the same boat as you, except I'm doing the Novice 28 on Thursday.

I posted about an hour ago asking for help with nerves as well so I will be no help to you at all, but wanted to pop by to say good luck!

Please let us know how you get on.

Also, the people at your yard sound delightful... :lol:
 
Sprat said:
I'm in the same boat as you, except I'm doing the Novice 28 on Thursday.

I posted about an hour ago asking for help with nerves as well so I will be no help to you at all, but wanted to pop by to say good luck!

Please let us know how you get on.

Also, the people at your yard sound delightful... :lol:
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Oh really! I'm mega nervous!

Good luck to you too... let me know how you do :)

Oh honestly .. they are so horrible if they find out that your doing something. They have been known to turn up and watch you too. Sadly my horse is so happy there and the YO is fantastic so it looks like I'm stuck with them all lol!
 
I dodged a huge bullet in my first novice which was Novice 30 as it happens. He's always a bit hit and miss going from the right canter to the left across the diagonal with trot strides in between. 8 times out of 10 it'll be fine, but those other 2 will be a disaster, either disunited or on the wrong leg. Anyway, we did one of the 2 disasters, but put it behind us and got through it and was quietly pleased with the rest of the test. As I saluted, the judge (quite elderly and doddery) called me over and asked if I'd gone wrong as she had lost track of what I'd done towards the end. I didn't have a clue, I was so caught up in the moment and told her that. She said I'd have to run through the last bit again, starting from the right canter so off we went. He did the most perfect change he'd ever done, and we scored straight 8s from there on in to the end of the test! Ended up with 69.3% which is still our PB. Then got home, watched the video and realised I HAD gone wrong and confused her!

So, even if it's a disaster (which I'm sure it won't be) put on a big smile, act like it was meant to happen and just get on with the rest of your test! You might just fool the judge like I did!

Your yardmates sound lovely. Just doing it will be the best way to stick two fingers up at them.
 
annagain said:
I dodged a huge bullet in my first novice which was Novice 30 as it happens. He's always a bit hit and miss going from the right canter to the left across the diagonal with trot strides in between. 8 times out of 10 it'll be fine, but those other 2 will be a disaster, either disunited or on the wrong leg. Anyway, we did one of the 2 disasters, but put it behind us and got through it and was quietly pleased with the rest of the test. As I saluted, the judge (quite elderly and doddery) called me over and asked if I'd gone wrong as she had lost track of what I'd done towards the end. I didn't have a clue, I was so caught up in the moment and told her that. She said I'd have to run through the last bit again, starting from the right canter so off we went. He did the most perfect change he'd ever done, and we scored straight 8s from there on in to the end of the test! Ended up with 69.3% which is still our PB. Then got home, watched the video and realised I HAD gone wrong and confused her!

So, even if it's a disaster (which I'm sure it won't be) put on a big smile, act like it was meant to happen and just get on with the rest of your test! You might just fool the judge like I did!

Your yardmates sound lovely. Just doing it will be the best way to stick two fingers up at them.
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haha that is a brilliant story!

Trakehner92 we just need to keep both of our fingers crossed for a quite elderly and doddery judge for both your test at the weekend and mine on Thursday!
 
annagain said:
I dodged a huge bullet in my first novice which was Novice 30 as it happens. He's always a bit hit and miss going from the right canter to the left across the diagonal with trot strides in between. 8 times out of 10 it'll be fine, but those other 2 will be a disaster, either disunited or on the wrong leg. Anyway, we did one of the 2 disasters, but put it behind us and got through it and was quietly pleased with the rest of the test. As I saluted, the judge (quite elderly and doddery) called me over and asked if I'd gone wrong as she had lost track of what I'd done towards the end. I didn't have a clue, I was so caught up in the moment and told her that. She said I'd have to run through the last bit again, starting from the right canter so off we went. He did the most perfect change he'd ever done, and we scored straight 8s from there on in to the end of the test! Ended up with 69.3% which is still our PB. Then got home, watched the video and realised I HAD gone wrong and confused her!

So, even if it's a disaster (which I'm sure it won't be) put on a big smile, act like it was meant to happen and just get on with the rest of your test! You might just fool the judge like I did!

Your yardmates sound lovely. Just doing it will be the best way to stick two fingers up at them.
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Haha this has made my day!! This is my problem... The blooming canter to trot to canter transitions... I haven't practiced them because he gets too excited now he knows the test so we are just going to go and hope for the best lol!

ha-ha yes I'm sure they will all have faces like smacked bottoms when I get back on Sunday!

Sprat said:
haha that is a brilliant story!

Trakehner92 we just need to keep both of our fingers crossed for a quite elderly and doddery judge for both your test at the weekend and mine on Thursday!
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This is the only way forward ... we can hope at least lol. And if the judge looks young and on the ball .... We can crack the wine out ...

My instructor told me .... If your test feels like Pooh and your horse feels like Eeyore ... Just keep smiling lol.
 
Just enjoy yourself and don't worry about the miserable g**s at your yard.

You can't do any worse than my sister who was so nervous doing her first dressage test that she entered at B rather than A!
 
eggs said:
Just enjoy yourself and don't worry about the miserable g**s at your yard.

You can't do any worse than my sister who was so nervous doing her first dressage test that she entered at B rather than A!
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Thank you!

I have got a reader for this one with it being our first novice just to take the stress of forgetting the test off. At one of our first tests we did turn the wrong way down the centre line and then that ruined the whole thing for me. I got so worked up that I forgot the walk bit and only cantered one way .... oops!

It's only happened once though haha so with a reader we should be ok!
 
Just go and have a lovely time and sock it to the people on your yard, they sound HORRIBLE. I've only done one BD test on Mr B, Nov 30. I got nervous in the warm up, so we never got out of trot. He picked up on my tension and did his silly up and down trot which goes absolutely nowhere, I got the wrong canter lead in the walk to canter trans but he made up for the slow trot in the canter and we got faster and faster. Each long side must have looked as if we were in a flat race. It was truly appalling but you know what, no-one died and I can laugh about it now (just). I hope you have a lovely time, take someone with you who is fun and supportive and if you can avoid driving, have a stiff gin before you get on!! Good luck!
 
oldie48 said:
Just go and have a lovely time and sock it to the people on your yard, they sound HORRIBLE. I've only done one BD test on Mr B, Nov 30. I got nervous in the warm up, so we never got out of trot. He picked up on my tension and did his silly up and down trot which goes absolutely nowhere, I got the wrong canter lead in the walk to canter trans but he made up for the slow trot in the canter and we got faster and faster. Each long side must have looked as if we were in a flat race. It was truly appalling but you know what, no-one died and I can laugh about it now (just). I hope you have a lovely time, take someone with you who is fun and supportive and if you can avoid driving, have a stiff gin before you get on!! Good luck!
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Thank you very much :)

Well done for carrying on and keeping positive. If one thing goes wrong I find it hard to get past it and I get hung up. I'm a nightmare lol.

Yes I have someone else driving me so I might have a stiff gin haha. I think I'll need it !!

Yes they are very horrible. I put it down to not wanting anyone else to do well but hey ho. It won't stop us! X
 
Good for you, let us know how you get on!
Trakehner92 said:
Thank you very much :)

Well done for carrying on and keeping positive. If one thing goes wrong I find it hard to get past it and I get hung up. I'm a nightmare lol.

Yes I have someone else driving me so I might have a stiff gin haha. I think I'll need it !!

Yes they are very horrible. I put it down to not wanting anyone else to do well but hey ho. It won't stop us! X
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just remember it is meant to be fun. also when riding the test concentrate on each movement and if one doesn't go according to plan forget it and focus on the next one.....I used to halt just before entering the arena, take a deep breath and tell myself to relax . have a great day and enjoy!!!!! good luck
 
splashgirl45 said:
just remember it is meant to be fun. also when riding the test concentrate on each movement and if one doesn't go according to plan forget it and focus on the next one.....I used to halt just before entering the arena, take a deep breath and tell myself to relax . have a great day and enjoy!!!!! good luck
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Thank you very much. We will remember that. I know we can do the test at home so we need to forget that we are somewhere else.

We practiced tonight and got it more or.less spot on. Just a little drifting in the 15m canter circles. I can deal with that though lol. Feeling a lot better now!
 
Good luck and let us know how you get on! Just imagine you're acting in a film, it works for me, although we're still rubbish but it means I remember to ride the test rather than not breathing and going completely blank! I wish I could be at your yard to see their faces when you come back with a frilly :-)
 
Brummyrat said:
Good luck and let us know how you get on! Just imagine you're acting in a film, it works for me, although we're still rubbish but it means I remember to ride the test rather than not breathing and going completely blank! I wish I could be at your yard to see their faces when you come back with a frilly :-)
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Good idea !! :) I'll give that a go thank you :)

Haha me too !! It will be great :) x
 
I don't have any advice re the test as I haven't done a Novice yet, but I just picked up on how awful the (probably inadequate armchair riders) others at your yard are. Although you say your horse is happy and you get on well with your YO, have you thought of moving?

I'm saying this because I used to be at a similar yard with negative opinions around me; having moved to a lovely yard nearly a year ago I have had a fantastic time with my horse and taken part in lots of things I thought were out of my reach. Although I still have the odd wobble and it sounds like you are doing much better than me anyway, I just thought it was worth mentioning as your experience sounds so similar to mine. I feel so much better being away from those nasty and bitter people and I have a great set of yard friends now, and it has made such a difference.

Best of luck for Sunday and keep us updated! :)
 
Aren't people horrible !! (Tbh people are quite often horrible when they are jealous).
I have done 2 novice tests now. Some may say I'm not quite ready but b*****cks to them all ! I've enjoyed the novice tests that I've done and done better in them than I thought. They are far busier than prelim so give the horse something to actually concentrate on. I'm enjoying the challenge and have no problem coming last as long as we have learnt something and know what to improve on for next time. I get crippling nerves but I'm just trying to get on with it as we won't get anywhere unless we put the effort in. So ignore those horrible busy bodies and ENJOY the experience. I reckon you'll do better than you think. Oh and don't be intimidated by all the posh people on their posh horses 😊
 
I am doing my first prelim with my girl in a couple of weeks so kudos to you. Such a shame about the people at your yard though. At my yard we were all joking that we would be competing for last place at the comp in a few weeks. We are having a practice day at the weekend where people are going to go in the judges box and jump around so the horses get used to it :D
 
if the doom and gloom people on the yard say anything to you try doing what a friend did when she said that if it was not for people like her then people who were such great riders like they were would not look so great. that shut them up because the ones in her case a) were far from great b) were unlikely to ever go to a show and let someone judge them and c) hated to be put in a position where they could not say anything without admitting they were not as good as they made out :D just go and enjoy yourself and ignore people who are probably jealous of the fact that you are getting out and doing something. when you started doing prelim you probably felt the same sort of thing and you will probably feel the same again when you do your first elem :)
 
Thank you for everyone's help and advice.

I have thought about moving but decent yard are few and far between in my area and it's taken my lad so long to settle I'm not sure I could put him through it again. I'm hoping the others leave to be honest lol. I tend to keep everything that I do quiet so they don't find out until after lol.

I've practiced and we've learnt the test we can do all the movements and we've competed at the venue before so I just need to get on and do it.

I'm really enjoying out dressage at the moment so I won't let people get to me. We can do it.... I know we can :)

Just need to pull it out of the bag on the day !
 
We did our first Novice in February in awful weather (I put a report on here if you want a laugh!). We got just over 60%, and were 3rd of 3. Last Monday we did our third Novice (30, by coincidence), got 66% and won it! It's definitely something you get better at with time and experience. For some reason we are now rubbish at Prelim :D

Just leave enough time to work your horse in, and try to remember to breathe and relax. I find it helps if you can think one movement ahead, so you are prepared. Good luck! Looking forward to the update.
 
Cowpony said:
We did our first Novice in February in awful weather (I put a report on here if you want a laugh!). We got just over 60%, and were 3rd of 3. Last Monday we did our third Novice (30, by coincidence), got 66% and won it! It's definitely something you get better at with time and experience. For some reason we are now rubbish at Prelim :D

Just leave enough time to work your horse in, and try to remember to breathe and relax. I find it helps if you can think one movement ahead, so you are prepared. Good luck! Looking forward to the update.
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Thank you !! I will post an update once we are home on Sunday. We are doing the prelim as well which I'm feeling confident about so hopefully we will get some half decent results !! X
 
I remember your original post, best of luck with it. Just remember the saying 'tits n teeth" excuse me but you get my drift. Smile and you will enjoy, especially as you have learned it now. As for the yard people, they seem to be on most yards, we have them. Love to see you not go out and have a good day. Just enjoy yourself and make a big fuss of your horse at the end, I think the Judge likes to see a happy owner.x
 
Thank you very much !! :)

I'll remember the big fuss part. Mind you I always give him a massive pat and a cuddle but it's good to know :) xz
 
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