When is a youngster ready to do their first test?

I_A_P

I_A_P

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When do you think a youngster is ready to do their first test? I am going to try and find a really simple prelim one for Digby's first test and im hoping he will not be overly spooky.

What do you think are the main things to get right?
 
I didnt take my youngster out until she was walk, trotting and cantering correctly, she was actually placed 2nd on her first debut with 68% and funnily enough havent done a test scince as have been mainly S.J. that was last year she is now rising 5 and will start dressaging again soon but she isnt a horse who winds up paticularly. How old is your boy?
 
If you are safe with other horses then it is ok .Your result may not be your best but they learn something everytime. Ours was out competing about 12 weeks after backing , just walk and trot to start but before he was 5 he had competed at the BD winter champs.
Good luck
 
his trot is going nicely-although serpentines are wiggly still.
His canter is going to take a while and he manages a 20m circle, always takes the correct lead etc but we are having to push him quite foward as hes got such a big canter he has to relaise he cant just be lazy. I have control in all 3 phases , again sometimes wiggly as hes not great at moving off my leg. I think he would manage with a straightfoward test with 20m circles-just dont want to go out and look a fool!

He is safe and calm with others so maybe i should give it a go
 
Yep give it a go, sometimes you can just sit on them at home and wait and wait thinking ooo hes not quite ready yet. You won't know until you try and it is only dressage
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hehe, he's been out jumping and proved full of confidence so give it a go!
 
I took mine when I could walk, trot and canter in a reasonable manner. I went with the attitude that someone had to come last and it was for his experience. Go for it.....
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When they can walk, trot and canter on the correct leg.
I like to take them out early, not worrying too much about having a perfect consistant outline
 
All the baby show horses go to Keysoe in Feb and March to do unaffiliated dressage before they go into the show ring. They were broken in November/December time. It is good experience for them to go to a party in a controlled environment!
 
i know nothing about dressage but the jays have unaffiliated on the 5th april, prelim 4 and prelim 18.havnt a clue if either of those are simple tests or whether the jays is to far for you. they also have a walk trot test .
 
i will go for it then:) Jays isnt too far but tbh unless i can warm up on the grass theres no way im warming up in the end of the arena!

his trot is going well just needs more activity behind which will come with schooling...but is so much more consistant in the contact...canter as i say work in progress
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i will try and get someone to film my lesson on weds night
 
I took mine before canter was sorted. We did a prelim and just trotted the trickier canter parts / cantered the long sides. I said this to the judge before hand so they didn't "honk" at me. Just got 3's for the trotted canter movements but it was good experience for both of us. Cantered all parts the next time. Go for it!
 
I would just go for it! Goddycanter is still not great, and he did his first ever test as part of a ODE
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He was very green and wiggly, but obedient and forwardm, and got a good mark because of it. Aslong as you have basic control (which we know you have!!) go for it
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I did Prelim 4 on my 4yo's first outing, and it was pretty straight-forward. I'd get him out as soon as you can, but accept that you may not be in the rosettes to start with (though you may be lucky - you never know!). Have fun and good luck!
 
cool thanks
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im sturggling to find anything in the next couple of weeks that hasnt got all sorts of loops and 10m circles which i just want to avoid at the moment.

There is an 85cm ODE which i may well cnsider and it has the PC novice eventing test which has a lot of transitions but it sticks to 20m circles but need to think about whether or not a whole ODE is ok for him atm!
 
I have just taken my very green youngster (well ish he is 6 but very backward!) out. We went to unaffiliated dressage this weekend. He coped really well with travelling the warm up and the sites and sounds of a show. Our walk is good! our trot is a little inconsistent and our canter is still unbalanced and a little fast! I got 51% which isn't great but I didn't come last! Also I was just so pleased with the way he behaved that it didn't matter about our %age.

I am now really happy and it can hopefully only go upwards now!!

Good luck. Oh and I done prelim 10 which I find a nice flowing test I even memorised it.
 
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