When do you decide to start doing affiliated Novice tests?

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Grace went to her first affiliated competition last week (P17) and ended up coming 4th and getting prize money! I was absolutely thrilled with her as she has only been out doing unaffiliated five times before we took the plunge
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She got 65.83% in the Prelim and very nice comments. There were a few moments when she lacked impulsion, but that was mostly my fault because I had worked her in too hard due to her being an absolute prat when I got on
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So, because I am new at the BD thing, I didn't know you only started getting points at Novice... A lot of the people who did the Prelim that day also did the Novice so they were quite a good standard in my opinion. The lady who came joint 4th with me also did the Novice.

I would like to start getting some points on Grace now she has affiliated, but I wasn't sure when you decided to start competing at Novice? I would obviously do the Prelim and then the Novice at the competitions and see how she gets on I think.

She has never done counter canter, but I tried her last night (she was VERY pingy because she had three days off in a row due to my commitments) and although it was not the best counter canter in the world, she did manage it.

Thanks,

Rebecca x
 
Whenever you feel that you and Grace are ready
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I'd go for it now tbh, and then you know exactly what you have to work harder on after seeing your novice comments and marks
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I'd go for it too! And if your counter canter isnt particularly good, the majority of novice tests dont have any anyway, so you have nothing to worry about! Just be open minded and have a go, my horse finds novice easier anyway as there are more transitions to hold them together! And I personally think Novice 24 is the easiest one, if you want a recommendation!
 
Thanks... I think I will try the Novice next week then.

I didn't know whether we would be frowned upon for doing it when we are not quite ready. There are a few things she needs to work on like her medium canter (trot is quite good) and the counter canter. Other than that, she is quite good when it comes to her lateral etc.
 
i think you will find most Novice tests have counter canter in actually, apart from a couple which have change of leg through trot over 'x' instead.........
 
It's only one movement - go for it!

I went up to Novice after 1 outing purely due to the fact I relied on my dad driving the lorry and he's not good at early starts!
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That is another bonus about Novice... just had my time for Wednesday, 9.36am
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That means that to get her plaited up etc it is going to be a very early morning
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Why don't you have a look through the novice tests and see which might be suitable? I have to do that: I've got lists of "can do", "maybe if there's nothing else" and "not yet"! For example counter canter's not a problem for my girl but a canter/trot/canter over X could get a bit hairy!
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Te he... must be something about those tests
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The one next week is N38 which looks quite a long test in my opinion, so going to hire a long arena and have a ride through next week sometime I think.

R x
 
you will be fine in a long arena!! Its really not that different apart from a few extra letters!!

N38 is lovely, no medium canter so all you need to concentrate on is a nice rhythmical canter in the counter canter and a balanced transition to trot and you will be fine! Make sure the trot/walk/trot transitions are active (thats Archie's downfall, he falls behind my leg in these) - and apart from that its a nice flowing test.
 
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