Remembering Dressage Tests? Surely it not that hard!

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Learntobounce

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Has anyone got any tips for learning and remembering Dressage tests.

I am moving up to Medium level and need to break free from the comfort blanket that is a caller, i learn the tests but struggle to remember them, especially with a few nerves mixed in. Also the tests are getting more challenging so there is more to remember!

Any tips anyone? :) :confused:
 
The only two ways I ever learn them properly is to actually do them in the school on foot (yes, lots of potential YouTube moments there) and to draw them . . . over and over. I am old, infirm, and forgetful.

P
 
Kitchen works for me - there are tiles so I can follow the lines! Also draw them on a piece of paper about 20 times saying the movements out loud.

I actually find having tests called quite distracting and enjoy being in my bubble.
 
I looked at a Medium test the other day, as really hoping we can do one before the end of the year and it hurt my head!

For me it's much easier to visualise in my head doing the test and also learn patterns in my head. If I learn it as it's on the sheet that's when I struggle. I used to be awful at remembering them but am now a lot better now I visualise.
 
I always draw out a arena, have the test next to me and start to copy. I say the movements out loud before getting out of that comfort zone. Just repetition!
 
I would say you need to figure out which way you learn best :D

Some people are visual and drawing helps. Maybe also try downloading the test and listening to it while you ride at home?
 
I do this (also medium level, so you end up with a lot of annotation on your diagrams!):

- Create a spreadsheet with multiple cells on it of 20 x 60m proportions (or PM me your email and I'll ping mine over to save you 15 mins faffing!)
- draw out each movement of your test using green for walk, blue for trot and red for canter. I use dots for collected work, dashes for extended work, and curved dashes for lateral work. Add little notes on the plan, like "G and R" for give and retake where needed.
- look at it and learn the order of the paces, i.e. trot, canter, trot, canter, walk, or trot, walk, canter and so on
- now look at the repeated movements on each rein (this halves what you have to learn!), i.e. 10m circle, medium, demi volte on left, is then followed by the same on right
- now take any old scrap paper and doodle the movements over the top of one another as one continuous line. Don't worry if you have to look back at the plan to start with. Keep doing this until you can draw the pattern in a cont line (I don't worry about colour at this stage, just all blue pen!)
- if you still don't know it start trotting around the living room floor, ideally with a helper holding the test and you reading out the letters and movements as you go (ensures no cheating and gives OH a jolly good laugh as you extended canter across the diagonal!)
- If you know the arena you'll be going to I find it useful to visualise riding the test in that arena too...
- Now practise on the horse!
 
Thankyou everyone, polotash that sounds like a great plan, I'll try it, I'm good with excel so will give it a go.... There's hope for me yet :0)

Would it be cheating to use wireless headphones and listen to a recording of the test as I ride it lol ! ! !
 
I am ok with one - but rubbish at remembering 2!
I draw it out on paper and also run round the arena myself!!!! hoping the more I do the easier it gets??!? :eek:
 
luce1 said:
I am ok with one - but rubbish at remembering 2!
I draw it out on paper and also run round the arena myself!!!! hoping the more I do the easier it gets??!? :eek:
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Yes I'm positive it gets easier. I had a break from dressage while at Uni (well, I did BUCS/ BUSA, but that's the same one very easy test week after week!) and then played polo for a few years. Before Uni I could happily do 4 or 5 tests in a day (2 or 3 horses, inc music classes) but after the break I found it tough learning two!

Having been back competing at Ele/ Med for a year now it has def got easier to remember them. I find learning the walk/ trot/ canter sequence first stops them getting mixed up in my head.
 
its worse if the two tests you are riding both have a left turn at the top of the centre line or vice versa!

I run round it myself, have post it notes to create the arena in the kitchen. Was always told to learn the second test first then the first one last so its fresh, on the day you will pick up the second test quickly.

repeat repeat repeat is the answer I think. not on the horse but on your own feet! :D
 
kerilli said:
I go through it on an 'arena' on a piece of paper, with my finger tracing the route and being the horse! repeat repeat repeat until it is stuck. I don't learn the letters, just the patterns, I find this much easier.
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This ^^^^^^ I can be seen walking round my delivery waving my finger around going through the movements :o

I also find it easier to remember a test if I learn it bit by bit over a week or so. The first day I learn the first few movements until I know it off by heart and don't have to 'finger-wave'. The next day, a few more movements etc etc rather than trying to cram it all in at once.

Although I know where all the letters are I still have to look for them if in a lesson instructor says at M do such and such.
 
Learntobounce said:
I am moving up to Medium level and need to break free from the comfort blanket that is a caller
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Start doing some tests before Medium without a caller. med is hard enough without it being your first time solo.

Personally I hate tests being called, and never have a caller. I'm a 'finger pointer', and luckily I can recall the tests - something to do with being a bit dyslexic, you learn to remember rather than have to read it all the time.
 
Learn the pattern :) I've never learnt the arena letters - I have corner letters, invisible letters, middle letters, top end and judge end!!
 
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