How frequently do you practice tests?

[CHT]

From a coaching low level rider’s perspective: I find different students need to ride through a test more or less often. I have never had a horse anticipate transitions. But I have had riders get thinking too far ahead.

With most: I talk them through a test once when we first start to think about competing at a show (to help pick the best test). We find the weak points of the test and work on the elements that need the most help over the next few lessons. Then we ride through the test in the week or so before the show. We walk through it once (saying the gaits and transitions) and then properly ride it.

[Magicboy]

As others have said, I do ride it for diagnostic purposes with my coach. I will ride movements from all 3 tests at a level and sort of mix them up but still practicing the movements. I find watching good rides on you tube very helpful for memorizing

[JLR1]

Although every instructor I have ever had advocated against doing it…I am one who has always felt the need to “rehearse” my tests. This year at third level it backfired on me. My horse learned the test and then decided to anticipate and throw in the flying changes too early. Lesson learned. From now on I will only do bits and pieces of a test.

[joiedevie99]

Rarely. Sometimes I’ll ride the test once about 6-8 weeks out. Sometimes I won’t.

[Bogey2]

Depends on the horse and the person…I need to know how to prepare for the move, not just the move itself. How we ride the short side and corners is very important to me getting the changes, pirouettes etc. So we run through the test components once a week in during show season.

[Janet]

Depends on the horse.

Belle is MORE RELAXED if she know what is coming next (or maybe she is reading ME, and I am more relaxed if I know what is coming next). Anyway, with her, I ride the the test a LOT (at least once each ride) starting well ahead of time. As we get closer to the competition, I will focus more on individual pieces that need work instead of the whole test.

ETA that I make the anticipation work for me. I sometimes practice the test with the downwards a few strides earlier than the letter and the upwards a few strides after the letter. That way any anticipation works in my favor.

There is at least one top rider (forgetting who at the moment) who will not enter any competition until he has ridden and refined the test so many times that there is NOTHING he thinks that he and the horse “could do better”.