Looking for tips to score more consistently in Novice test A - specifically the 2 loop serpentine at trot. I’ve seen diagrams of this movement and feel I understand how to ride it properly. That they should look like 2 half circles and not to go too deep into the corner after A and before C. However, I randomly get a poor score on this movement, although I use the same mental markers in each test. Last week I got 2nd place (yay!), but my score for this move was a 5 :(. Judge said my loops weren’t round, altho I have the video. The last show of the season is coming up. Who here consistently gets a decent score on this, so I can figure out how to make my loops rounder!
I know this might not sound super helpful, but practice really does help. If your trainer says you’ve ridden them correctly, then I would just go with this and maybe ask to focus on them a bit more in lessons. I still have a bit of a hard time with serpentines sometimes, and getting a really nice round loop can be difficult.
It can also depend on the horse you’re riding. I find that some horses are super easy to get a proper bend on and others are like bending plastic utensils. You can get some, but too much and it just breaks.
Assuming you can, perhaps get your trainer to show you serpentines on the horse you’re riding? I find that if I’m having a hard time with something getting my trainer to show me can be super helpful.
Last thing, you placed 2nd! Be thrilled! That’s rather tough! 5 on a serpentine at Novice (IMO) is actually pretty good, despite what the judge says. Unless you’re on a really nice horse, don’t expect to get really high scores on every movement. My last horse carried me up to Prelim and we never got a ton of 9s or even 8s. If you’re consistent and solid in your dressage, don’t worry about it.
What were you showing (Open, Novice Horse, Novice Rider, etc.)?
Edit: Also, understanding a movement can be very different than actually riding it. It’s like the concept of riding a bike vs. actually doing it. It’s different IRL.
If you count/know the number of strides on the short side you can count when doing the serpentine so you know where you are.
I ride in Open Novice. The horse I ride isn’t the most elastic mover, so I prioritize riding very accurately to get competitive scores. Horse is on the bit, but I almost ride in a shoulder-fore in our trot and canter circles, and that has served us well. I guess I may have to apply that method to the serpentine.
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Do you have a video…? Although posting a video on COTH is brave :eek:
Hard to give meaningful advice since we don’t know what it is the judge isn’t seeing that they want to see, but I have always had a better score when I ride thinking 3 steps hold the bend, 3 steps straight, 3 steps new bend. A big part of getting that good score is riding the transition from right bend to left bend well; sometimes turning off at the first circle at a slight over bend to exaggerate the change of direction can get you a better score.
I agree with the other poster. I’ve gotten my fair share of 5s, especially on horses that are not naturally gorgeous movers… it may be that is not the movement you get your best scores on. I knew with my last sewing-machine horse, that we would never get good marks on his movement, so we always made sure to NAIL both the center line and the halt, as well as any movement that had a double coefficient. :lol:
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Are you sure you are riding STRAIGHT for a few steps before starting the second loop?
This article may help:
https://therubbercurrycomb.com/2018/02/27/the-two-loop-serpentine/
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Thanks for these tips! Yes, I do make sure I am straight for a few steps when crossing over X. From the diagram TMares linked, maybe I’m doing too many? Usually I aim for 4 strides, but this diagram makes it look more like 1 or 2. Although I have video, I’ve seen too many posters here get hammered. I think I’ll ride the loops in a shoulder-fore to show a more dramatic “change” and ride fewer straight strides as I cross over X. Thank you!!
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4 is too many straight strides across x. Should be more like 1.5-2. You Also really want to really show the change on bend and just touch the long side. I think of it more like riding a large figure 8. [Eta squaty figure 8]
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^^^ Will do. This gives me a more concrete plan!
That they should look like 2 half circles and not to go too deep into the corner after A and before C.
?
Your geometry seems off.
You don’t go in the corner during the serpentines.
In a 20m x 40m arena
Going left
AC Serpentine
You come from K
You do the corner and go up to A straight
From A : You bend your horse and start the Half circle - You do not go into the corner - It’s a circle!
Your circle line should bring you to touching the wall between F and B for 1 stride. (or less) - Keeping the bend.
You then aim for X still bent left.
Half a stride before X you straighten you horse and start changing the bend to the right.
Your circle line should bring you to touching the wall betwwen E and H for 1 stride (or less) keeping the right bend.
Your circle line should then bring you to C - and not go in the corner.
Once you touch C - You then straighten your horse and go into the corner. It will bring you on the long side toward M.
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Lol I thought you might be asking because you encountered the same judge I did at a starter HT last fall. I rode the serpentine as two half circles and she proceeded to explain to me afterwards how that was incorrect because I was actually supposed to do this insane drunken weaving thing across the diagonal. It was a fix-a-test so she coached me through her version of the movement several times and it was bananas. As someone who has competed up to GP dressage and has a pretty good understanding of dressage geometry, I was quite stumped.
Come to find out she’s not licensed as a judge in any way and I think had maybe competed at 1st or 2nd a decade ago, but she owns horses ridden by a BNT so she’s clearly qualified to judge. :rolleyes: Management apparently got a lot of complaints about her. That also may have been because she was running 50 minutes behind schedule though! Fun times.
I think if you reduce your straight strides from 4 to 1 or 2 you’ll be fine. Good luck!
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In riding a serpentine, its curve is that of a circle til you reach to center line. In a two loop in a small arena the circle is one-half of a 20m. No corners , no straightness on the wall.
On the centerline 1, max 2 straight steps while changing bend and posting diagonals, if dealing with rising trot. Practice a tidy posting diagonal change. Then off to your second 1/2 20m circle
So it's 1/2 20m circle change bend on center line, and 1/2 20m circle.
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