Serpentine Shapes BD??

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DarkHorseB

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What is the correct shape when riding a 3 loop serpentine.

I'm probably not going to explain this well at all :o but on the test sheet I have with diagrams it looks more like 3 half 20m circles. Which means your serpentine barely has any straight part across the school at all.

However I was always taught to ride them with a straight bit across the school with a curve at the end obviously not a 20m half circle.

Is there a right or wrong way? It's an Elementary level test if that makes a difference.
 
I've been told same thing - straight bit and almost a square turn when you nearly reach the boards. Think the straight bit helps give you some more time to organise the change of rein/bend. Maybe judge looking for something different though at elementary - only ever competed at novice:D.
 
Is it a short or long arena?

I 'cut' the arena into 3 parts, ride a loop/half circle go across the school and then repeat if that makes sense.

Much harder to do a 3 loop in a long arena than a short one.
 
soupdragon71 said:
I've been told same thing - straight bit and almost a square turn when you nearly reach the boards. Think the straight bit helps give you some more time to organise the change of rein/bend. Maybe judge looking for something different though at elementary - only ever competed at novice:D.
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Ha ha - this one is in collected canter with a change each time so I will need all the time I can get :eek:

I know somebody told me there was a change of thinking on serpentines - or maybe I dreamt it.....!!

Thanks angelish I will have a look - though an 8 will be rather beyond us at the moment ;)
 
Britestar said:
Is it a short or long arena?

I 'cut' the arena into 3 parts, ride a loop/half circle go across the school and then repeat if that makes sense.

Much harder to do a 3 loop in a long arena than a short one.
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It's a long arena :(

If you ride a half circle though and have to go onto second half circle straight away you would be going more diagonally without a straight bit wouldn't you (or at least not a straight parallel to the short sides)
 
Hmm, I see its a canter serp (which Elem is this I need to avoid it!), so prob the 3 hald 20m are going to make it easier to do the changes. Is it simple changes or through trot?
 
Sadly not. Simple changes are canter-walk-canter, apparently without chucking your head about, opening your mouth going 'aarrrgghhh, she socked me in the teeth'.

If simple changes do it on the curve, if though trot make sure you have a bit of straighness 1st. Defo going avoid this test!
 
Britestar said:
Sadly not. Simple changes are canter-walk-canter, apparently without chucking your head about, opening your mouth going 'aarrrgghhh, she socked me in the teeth'.

If simple changes do it on the curve, if though trot make sure you have a bit of straighness 1st. Defo going avoid this test!
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Good job you pointed that one out then!! :o Not that it will make much difference to how they end up!!:p

To make it more complicated our first change of rein across the CL (not part of the serpentine) is through trot but the serpentine does require simple changes!
 
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Oh sorry, didn't realise it was in canter (and collected:eek:)! Might need to think of it as a half circle and have less straight bit, to help with the change of bend and rein? Think I did that when I had to do change of canter through trot on 2 half circles in the RC areas novice test.
 
angelish said:
don't know what was wrong with it its working now
its prob not much help though as its only a 20x40 i just did half circles with straight bits but with a 20x60 your not going to have much "straight bits"

sorry if that doesn't make any sense :o brain not working today
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Ah yes it is working now! Agree that was a very well executed serpentine and deserved an 8 - C looks lovely as ever. How is he doing now?
 
aww thanks :)
watching thats just made me miss him even more now :( but his leg looks great its gone down even more and a fellow livery couldn't tell what leg it was :D
someone more experienced would but its not bowed now just a slight thinkening so our showing days aren't over ;)

dying to get back on him just waiting for the weather to get more reliable so i can keep it up rather than stop-starting ,he's getting his next scan in a couple of weeks so going to put shoes back on after that and start the long boring job of hacking again :)
 
angelish said:
aww thanks :)
watching thats just made me miss him even more now :( but his leg looks great its gone down even more and a fellow livery couldn't tell what leg it was :D
someone more experienced would but its not bowed now just a slight thinkening so our showing days aren't over ;)

dying to get back on him just waiting for the weather to get more reliable so i can keep it up rather than stop-starting ,he's getting his next scan in a couple of weeks so going to put shoes back on after that and start the long boring job of hacking again :)
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The patience will be worth it - but it must seem like forever!! Was all the season a no go for him and he'll be back out in 2013?
 
Dont try to collect. You only need enough collection to stay balanced through the movement. No more. So think working and balance for the move

If you are struggling with the simple changes then remember that only the upward transitions has to be direct. Downward transitions can be progressive. You will get a better mark if you can do both direct...well. If you can do it progressively better then do so until your horse is ready.

So on the serpentine...turn, straighten, simple change, straight, turn....

If you find you are going to run out of room you can leg yield a little to give yourself a bit more space.

Good luck!:)
 
yes its all a no go really :(
i could make hutton at the end of year if i pushed it but would rather just take my time to be safe as much as ive missed it he's not worth the risk
so going to start again on the plan the vets gave me, but obviously can move through it a little quicker and hopefully he'll be back doing dressage by the end of the year and see how it goes
i still have the other one and he's good fun so he'll keep me entertained although i must sell him eventually :)
 
angelish said:
yes its all a no go really :(
i could make hutton at the end of year if i pushed it but would rather just take my time to be safe as much as ive missed it he's not worth the risk
so going to start again on the plan the vets gave me, but obviously can move through it a little quicker and hopefully he'll be back doing dressage by the end of the year and see how it goes
i still have the other one and he's good fun so he'll keep me entertained although i must sell him eventually :)
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I hope your patience will be rewarded with a most amazing 2013 season you really deserve it to be :)
Will you do any events with your little welsh project?
 
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