Preliminary dressage

[thorney84]

Ive just started riding again after a 12 year break and my instructor wants me to enter a dressege test.

Has anyone here done a prelim test before? How did it go and how long had you been riding for? x x

 

[digitalangel]

Hiya,

i started dressage last year after a long riding break. Id been hacking and schooling for the previous 2 years.

1st test i did was totally scary, and we didnt place, but i am so so glad i did it and was chuffed for ages afterwards.

xx

 

[Sol]

Prelim is the simplest level of dressage (after walk & trot tests - though I've never actually ridden a walk & trot test... so no comments there) and as long as you can walk, trot, canter, and ride basic figures then you should be fine!
I wouldn't worry too much about placing or anything - just riding an accurate test (so riding CIRCULAR circles and doing transitions at the correct market etc) and enjoying it!

Bit of a change can be good right?

 

[BFG]

Prelim is only walk trot and canter so try not to build it up in your head. If you can do all 3 paces then i would go for it at least you will have something to measure your progress against.

As a rule of thumb the lower the number of the test the easier it is (most of the time).

Good luck, you will be fine.

 

[wizzi901]

First of all, dont worry!!

I hated the thought of dressage until last year when I actually got a little chap who I thought would do a test maybe.

I knew nothing at all about dressage...and i mean NOTHING!!

www.dressagediagrams.com have a visit, you can get your tests there with lovely diagrams so you can see the movements and direction you need to go in!!

Watch some tests on you tube.

You dont need to be a world beater, the judge will not be looking for an olympic star. Moreso they will be looking for accuracy at your markers in change of gait etc, rhythm (big one!! where we are crap we get marks for good rhythm!!), and really just a nice flowing consistent test.

I think I started in the 50% area and have gradually worked my way up with pony who is extremely strong, and normally goes in a gag! so using a snaffle is rather a challenge.....however I have to say we have improved and the nice thing is with dressage you can keep your sheets and hopefully see a progression upwards!!

Dont let it scare you, you can have a reader so if you cant learn it all, you can have someone remind you where you are going!!

There is nothing too technical at this level so get out there and just enjoy it.

Once you have some tests sheets to take home you can look at the areas (in my case it was ALL AREAS!) that need improving and off you go!

I am also pleased to report that we have actually won a few prelims this year, something i never thought possible of myself or the pony....

Go for it!!

 

[thorney84]

Yeah i never say no to a challenge but it is a bit scary! And ive only got 2 hours of lessions to learn the test. I dont want a caller, i think i should memorise it! x x

 

[kylie88]

I have ridden for years and never had done dressage up untill 2 years ago! I thought I could never do "Dressage" but prelim really is just basic schooling.
I was really nervouse at my 1st test just because I didn't really know what to expect, much to my suprise we did get placed and been hooked ever since!
Good luck and enjoy!

 

[Faro]

Go for it!

It took me over 15 years of horse ownership before I ever rode in a dressage test because I thought I wouldn't be good enough and thought I'd make a fool of myself. I'm still an awful rider, but I wish now that I had drummed up the courage to do more tests earlier on, even if just as a mark of progress of the partnership between horse and rider.

If you can, start with a local unaffiliated test, where the atmosphere will be much more down to earth and friendly. And don't worry about the possibility of forgetting your test. As someone said above, you can have a caller, and in my experience, at unaffiliated level if you do happen to make an error of course, the judges will usually have a friendly word in your ear and put you back on track again (believe me - I've been there, done it and got the T-shirt - and it's nowhere near as mortifying as I'd always dreaded it would be!).

Good luck!

 

[Evelynmary]

Beware! It's addictive.

Rode as a child and thru my teens. Gave up for thirty odd years and returned as a happy hacker. Like you my instructor encouraged me to have a go at a Prelim test. We were rubbish but have over several years worked our way to Elementary. It's been an enormous challenge to improve my riding (relearn most of it seemingly), traveling alone and recently even learned to do respectable plaits - huge fun and on occasion we get a rosette.

Smile, relax, enjoy! Good luck.

 

[wizzi901]

you dont lose any marks for having a caller and its not frowned upon!! most people have callers at this level lol, would have one for first test just "in case"!!!

 

[Kat]

You don't have to be "into" dressage or have a dressage horse or anything for a prelim test. As long as you can walk trot and canter in some semblance of control you will be fine!

It is mainly 20 metre circles, and changes of rein, but some tests have a three loop serpentine in trot or a half 10m circle and back to the track. They are fairly simple to remember but I always have a caller just in case, most people as our shows do the same.

People will be there on all sorts of horses (ours normally have a few on hired school horses as well as a selection of cobs natives and posher types) the turn out will probably be variable too so just do your best.

Even if it goes horribly wrong it is a good learning experience. The judges write some really useful comments on the sheet and normally manage to say a few nice comments.

I try to think that anything over 50% is a decent outcome. And have only not hit that once with a very difficult little mare and a particularly tough judge! Over 60% is good and over 70% excellent, although some judges mark higher or lower. I've been to shows where the winning score was 62% and others where scores in the 70s weren't getting placed.

Don't worry about not practicing it, it is better not to ride the test too many times as the horse might learn to anticipate. A girl at our yard had a cob that knew some of the more popular tests and would help her out if she forgot the test! As long as you can normally ride the paces and do school movements accurately to the markers you won't disgrace yourself!