when do you start learning/practicing your test?

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blood_magik

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Just out of interest. :)
I'm doing an unaffiliated competition a week today and I have two tests to learn - Prelim 12 (which I've done quite a few times) and Novice 30.
I think I may have left it a bit late. :o

How long before a competition do you start learning and practicing your test?
 
I'm so unorganised its usually on the way in the lorry! But if it's qualifier I will learn it before my last schooling session and practice it then. I really should be more organised!! :o
 
I usually have a read through when I put my entry in and see if its a test I've done before. If it is I usually just need a few reads to refresh it in my head. If its a new or more complicated one I need to read it over and over for a few days and then a ride through to check I can remember it and if I go wrong it's back to reading it over and over again! I never have a caller so have to know where I'm going!
 
I learned my last one on the bus on the way to the yard to do it! The test itself was the first time I rode it (or at least the first time I rode it in a long time, I have a vague recollection of doing it/a very similar test before.)

So you'll probably be ok. Although with two to learn it could be a bit trickier.
 
to be honest, the novice actually looks ok - ill need a few run-throughs with dad's horse to make sure I can get the mediums looking good seeing as I don't ride him that often.

I might just be lazy and take my old boy into the novice instead of the prelim :D
 
3-4 weeks in advance! I like to practice the test time and time again when schooling. You often hear you don't want to over practice because the horse will start to anticipate.............. Fine by me if she knows what we are doing saves me from having to remember during the test :p
 
I'll have a quick look before I enter most of the time. Then I might look at it might before, then read it properly just before I get on. Most of them I've done before so it's just a refresher.
As far as practice goes - not at all as I don't have a school.
 
With pure dressage I have a look to see what movements are in the test when I enter, and practice any weak areas in my schooling. But I don't actually learn the test until I get there. If I am riding more than 1 test I only ever learn the one I am about to do, other wise I get very confused and end up doing a hybrid :rolleyes:! I then learn the next one in the gap between tests. If I can have a reader I will have one :p. For BE I tend to learn the test when I get there (or on the way if I i'm not driving). As there are only around 3 tests used per level I tend to be pretty familiar with them all so it is just a case of reminding myself.
 
Glance at the test when entering, then register is there are any tricky bits, and then learn it the night before... I can learn up to 3 for one event I've found because I'm lucky and quick at memorising.
 
I've ridden most of them before so will generally just have a read through a few days before and not worry about riding it through. If it's a new one I'll make an effort to learn it a week before and have at least one run through of it and practice any movements that might need a bit more work.

I've done 4 different ones in one day before, all from memory. Struggle most when they're quite similar to each other, better if they're very different.
 
I have a quick read through when i'm entering, then learn my first test a few days - the night before.

On Saturday I have a novice and 2 elems so I know the novice and have read through the elems, but will go over the elems about 10 mins before I do them :)
 
About 6 months in advance :D




... In all seriousness, probably about a week or a week & a half before the actual test... I have the worst memory in the world and have always been terrible at remembering them! :o x
 
That all makes me sound like such a swat !

I like to learn tests as soon as I know what I will be doing, so they are well and truly in my head. I will ride them to sort out any bits that aren't going well and practice the individual movements.

All this happens in an open paddock, as I don't have an arena, but have one I can travel to at the weekends. I have a full run through the weekend before.

I don't ever use a caller and I really hate it when there is one being used in the arena next to me, but a different test :mad:

I don't get dressage as a "pop quiz" - it's a test after all, and you are allowed to learn it. :)
 
Well depends on the level and the horse!

Generally Prelim/Novice on the way ;) or at the competition (when you have 4 tests I read all the night before, if I have them :D then just 'learn' the first I'm doing, then the next etc etc in between the tests).

When Elem or above (which I haven't done for a few years) I read and learn before hand, incase I want to practice a specific movement to movement. If this goes ok, I will forget it and re-learn the night before/day of competition!

I seem to be pretty darn good at learining quickly (touches wood frantically as now bound to get myself eliminated for going wrong too much!) and them forgetting the test as soon as I've finished it! :D

When BE'ing at a specific level you generally only have 2 tests which are used all year, so could probably recite them both off by heart at any time!

As for practising, I generally don't go through the whole test. My last 2 horses we're too blumin clever and would know exactly what was happening, so would anticipate. I'd rather they would listen to me, and wait for me to ask rather than go, ohh extended trot, bye!!! before we're fully round the corner! :)
 
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