Hey all, trying to understand what’s being asked for in a green-as-grass dressage test for my local show organization. It states “C turn left, E turn left, B turn right”. It “looks like” a figure 8/serpentine, but the way it’s written makes me imagine corners which seems awfully hard for this ultra-green unrecognized level. All of the GAG tests include a turn like this - I think I have to be reading it wrong. Thoughts?
I think they want to see the beginning of a corner. More like a figure 8, but they want to specify that you’re not just cutting across the diagonal.
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They want to see that you can control the bend. The point of the exercise is to show you can ride your horse on a straight line (i.e., not crooked), then bend through the turn, then a straight line, then bend, then straight, etc. Show that you control the horse’s position across the arena. You don’t have to make the turns like 8 m circle corners at this level - make them as large as needed to maintain the rhythm and balance. Just show a difference in the horse’s position between straight lines and turns 
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Got it! Hopefully I can shake free the time to get the young one there. She’s not “ready” but I don’t think we will make asses out of ourselves.
Thanks all!
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You ride this to show the straight down the rail then a turn at E across the arena over X to the turn at B.
the half circle you likely do from centerline to the long side after C should mean you can make a reasonable turn at E , which is actually 1/4 of the turn you just made at C, to allow you to show some straightness over X to the next turn.
draw this out on paper to help you see it
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It depends if you have done your young horse homework, by exposing her to stimulating environments 
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No, a figure eight is circle to circle.
This is a change of direction straight across the middle.
Ride it like it is literally wrote. E turn left. Start turning slightly before E, leg yield into the outside rein, they want to see the straightness then change of bend when you turn at B. Leg yield into the new outside rein.
This is a perfect test for a green baby horse. It only gets harder from here. This is designed to prepare the baby horse for the next levels questions.
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lol, thanks captain obvious. It’s not her first show, or her first trip off property. It will be her first trip to this venue, and there’s only so many miles that can possibly have been put on a 4 year old. 
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I guess I’m comparing it to eventing tests, not straight dressage tests - that’s where I got the “wtf is this” response.
I love my flatwork but I’m no dressage diva.
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Really ?
Eventing tests are dressage tests. No difference at all in how they are ridden. Don’t let that myth into your head LOL
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Oh I know. I was more talking about the movements. I’ve not seen it worded like that in my (admittedly) low-level tests.
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Really.
I event, so flatwork is part of my repertoire. It’s something I enjoy, in fact.
But I don’t aspire to go to many straight-dressage shows. To me the art of flatwork is to get to the jumps better, not an end all.
I think there are lots of people like me.
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The current (2018) USEF Novice test B ( https://useventing.com/resources/documents/Novice_Test_B_2018.pdf ) has EXACTLY (in mirror image) that movement.
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Loooowwwwww level.
Edit: I had a move to novice planned for the following year with my late mare. She was euthanized prior to me being able to prepare for it, unfortunately. I’m back to square 1 with my new mare.
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I realized after when I re read your post lol
You should see the new eventing tests for next year…hope everyone has been practicing their dressage 
That’ll be me this winter! I’ve been doing 10x the flatwork than jumping, but haven’t read through the tests yet. I’m excited!
so sorry you lost your good mare.
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Well, I’m entered in the show. I scrapped the idea of the GAG tests and will show the intro ABC tests instead. I think turn left/turn right is OK across the width of the arena, but the GAG tests have them on the 10m mark and she’s not ready for that. Heck, the intro tests even specify that any turns to the centerline aren’t to be ridden with corners.
