Tips for memorising more than one dressage test

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mudmonkey17

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Any tips on how people memorise tests? I used to be able to remember 2 no problem but this year seem to have a mental block and have managed at least one mistake in the second test every time.
Doing some at local riding club next weekend and debating whether to just stick to one to be on safe side?
 
I had this problem last weekend! Ended up with just under an hour between tests so learnt the first one in the morning and forgot about number 2 until after my test, then roped in my friend to call the second test as I walked it through on foot (complete with a rather snazzy trot and canter :) ) a few times while the horse had a munch before my second test.
I suppose it's sort of like cramming for a test but it works for me :)

I find repeating it back while you imagine yourself riding it helps aswell, as long as you have someone with the test open checking it ;)
 
I was always taught to learn the second test first. then learn the first test. Once you have then ridden your first test, get the second one out and 'trot' through it on your own two feet to remind yourself of what you learnt
cx
 
Learn one on the lorry on the way, and the second between classes! Worked for me, otherwise I used to get them muddled.
 
I made up little rhymes describing the sequence of movements in a test. I only then need to remember the first line of the rhyme to start me off and the rest of the poem just flows from there. Its a while since i competed so haven't used them for a while but i did find it a really effective way to learn them.
 
I don't / can't. I learn one the night before and then ride it at the competition. Then I learn the next test in between. If I don't have long I get someone to read it. Usually some unsuspecting mother of another competitor that gets drafted in by me even though I have never met them before.

If I try to learn two tests I start mixing them up.
 
Someone I know suggested learning the two tests as if they were one long one - you just ride the first half first and then the second half later
 
I learn mine by pattern recognition and draw out the pattern repeated with my finger at any spare moment until I can do this with both tests without any mixup (ideally couple of days before the show). On the day, I only look at the first test then once completed that, will have a look at the other, go over the finger pattern for it or also can walk through the test or visualise you riding it, if you good at such things.

I use the dressage diagrams rather than the plain sheets and have a quick scan at that before the test too

I find that it is easier to remember two tests that start in different directions. I must admit that I find remembering three hard work but still do-able with same technique.
 
I do pattern recognition too, so I print out excel sheets I've made into the right size boxes (either 20 x 40 or 20 x 60) and draw each movement into one box. I use green for walk, blue for trot and red for canter as I find the colours help me memorise. I use dots for collected, dashes for medium/ extended, and sideways curved slashes for the lateral work...

It also helps me to generalise so "trot, walk, trot, canter", or some are "trot, walk, canter" and so on, which helps me block out the movements in my mind...

Also, most of the lower tests are symetrical, so you only have to learn half and just repeat!
 
Thanks for all those replies and tips. Will try some of them. Got a friend on hand to read in case have a mental block x
 
I have to learn as a pattern too, and then once the pattern is firmly embedded then I add in accuracies of transitions at letters afterwards.

I start learning a week before the test, the theory, then every time I ride I use the pattern to warm up in walk, and then in trot....then I might practice the different elements randomly, then put it all together at the end of the schooling session...and maybe even walk off using the floor pattern too!

My typical week will be:

Sunday night - learn test 1 theoretically
Monday - school and practice test one.
Monday night, learn test 2 theoretically but also check that test one has stuck
Tuesday - hack....run through both tests in my head (whilst hacking, whilst eating dinner etc)
Wednesday - repeat Monday but with test 2.
Wednesday night, run through both tests in my head and check how accurate I'm being with transition in relation to letters
Friday - practice both tests in order.
Saturday - competition day! draw the pattern in the air, in the warm up, whilst sat on horse just before each test!!!
 
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