The yawning abyss between First and Second level

[SadieRidingHorses]

Hello dressage friends - I am visiting from lower level eventer world. When I returned to riding three years ago, I gave myself two goals, one of which was to get my bronze. After a weird year of my horse being lame, many lease horses, and catching rides with a kind barnmate to shows, I’ve managed to get my first level scores. My wonderful mare is now sound - and she us more than capable. But man, I just looked at those second level tests, and they are hard.

Any tips/thoughts/exercises on what helped you get from first to second?

[SillyHorse]

You have to develop collection for second level. The common wisdom is that the shoulder-in is the best exercise for that. Your canter-walk transitions are excellent for this, as well.

[SillyHorse]

Let me add that many of the movements in the tests can be looked at as exercises. Take them separately, and work on them as individual exercises. Shoulder-in, 10m canter circles, counter canter, the transitions, etc. It’s a big leap from level to level, but the one from first to second is particularly hard because now you have to show collection for the first time.

[outerbanks77]

Recent thread on this topic: The canyon that is the gap between 1st and 2nd level

It’s hard. There is a lot to unpack to get through all the second level tests. I’m in that muck right now.

[Bogey2]

I learned a lot years ago when I had to stay in second level hell another show season. Shoulder in to canter especially on the stiff rein side and a lot of counter canter transitions. Trot to canter transitions a few times if you get stuck to get the jump back in the canter. I am praying this knowledge makes it easier the next time

[MsM]

I find the gap between second and third to be greater. That may be because I am blessed with a horse with a natural affinity towards collection. So far consistent clean flying changes are elusive, so the jump to third cant happen yet.

[Long_Time_Lurker]

I think it is especially hard if you have a big moving horse, the kind that really shines at training and first level where the gaits are such a big part of the score. And hard when neither the horse or the rider has experience at that level. And hard when you come from another discipline because now you not only need the beginnings of collection, but also the ability to have pretty fine control over each part of your horse’s body in the lateral work and the tighter figures. And stay reliably on the bit. And sit the trot throughout the test. I think it was less of a jump from first when you already had to sit at first level.

[Long_Time_Lurker]

As far as tips, this may be the time to get some extra help with more dressage lessons or some clinics from an accomplished dressage trainer, who has brought multiple horses and riders several levels beyond your current level, and preferably at least to PSG if you want him/her to get you to 3rd. He/she will have a bigger “toolbox” than a trainer who has barely gotten to 2nd/3rd themselves. Ideally such a trainer could also provide the opportunity to have some lessons on a schoolmaster for whom the 2nd level movements are fairly easy so you can get a feel for what you are aiming for on your horse.

[Libby2563]

^ Pretty much exactly what I was going to say! It’s best to learn someone who can teach you with an understanding of where all the movements are leading, not just how to push your horses shoulders/haunches in or out and string a bunch of poorly-executed movements together. I think a lot of people get stuck at this level because neither they or their coaches truly understand collection. When I first did 2nd level as a teenager I know I didn’t have a clue! Thankfully I had an amazing trainer and the youthful ability to do exactly what she was telling me to do with my aids. Deeper understanding came later.

Since I know you’re a thinker, OP, if you ever have a chance to audit Part 1 of the L Program I would highly recommend that to learn some theory, hone your eye, and understand what judges are looking for. If it’s local I might do that with you again, since I learned so much the first time. I also have a pretty good dressage library if you want to check anything out!

[Janet]

A GOOD instructor.

[SusanO]

This is what separates the men from the boys and the horse has to start to carry. Not just float along long and low puttering along on the forehand. With its head flexed. If you haven’t ridden past this and you have an instructor that hasn’t done that either, then you might not realize doing the same thing won’t move you up to second level and above.

My old horse was a trot machine and his canter was pretty meh. But it got really better after I started walk-canter transitions and the horse started to carry himself at the canter. But he couldn’t hold it for long. I remember the old second level tests where when you got to the canter it lasted forever. And my horse started the canter really nice and then he got longer, flatter, more on his forehand as we went along. On and on and on - worse and worse. The counter canter is a collecting exercise. But not for this horse - he just kept getting more strung out. If the horse isn’t able to carry then you aren’t going to score very high and you won’t be able to progress to higher levels. It isn’t keeping the head flexed in and getting to go sideways - second level is full of exercises to develop carrying power. I think some people don’t understand that or are able to relate the exercises beyond “things that you do” vs tools to develop the horse.

[Samondel]

As someone side-eyeing this move, I have Concerns about canter-walk. Our local 2nd level test has simple changes through walk. Our walk-canter is 90% of the way there… Or I think it is.
But canter-walk? Always a few trot steps in there. I’m working my way down from half a dozen trot steps to just a couple, but moving from a couple to zero seems beyond us.
Tips? Help? Give up and stay at 1st for forever?

[RedHorses]

@Samondel
Carefully, and for a very short period of time, try doing a little lateral move into the walk. Just to explain what you want to the horse, and help you feel how you need to maintain your contact through the transition.

It’s been years since I did it, and I’m not sure what I used - maybe leg yield, focusing on the. inside hind leg. Remember the actual lateral work here is not important, it is how the aids affect the walk transition so that you can keep that feel through a straight canter-walk transition ASAP.

[outerbanks77]

@Samondel

But canter-walk? Always a few trot steps in there. I’m working my way down from half a dozen trot steps to just a couple, but moving from a couple to zero seems beyond us.
Tips? Help? Give up and stay at 1st for forever?

Try going for a couple steps of canter almost on the spot, and then forward again. When you can get that reliably, the C/W is not too hard. Ask for the down transition when the poll is at the highest point in the canter stride, and think of floating down softly into the walk.

[SillyHorse]

@outerbanks77

Ask for the down transition when the poll is at the highest point in the canter stride, and think of floating down softly into the walk.

Keeping your leg ON!

[CanteringCarrot]

Nice little description there!

[CanteringCarrot]

@Janet

A GOOD instructor.

This.

Natural feel and understanding is a huge plus, but a good instructor is truly necessary and so helpful.

[Mander]

This this this. Even on my saintly schoolmaster, the key to unlocking the C/W transition was collection of the canter before the transition. It feels a bit like “hold, hold, hold, SIGH” where the sigh is the transition to walk and during the “hold” steps, you’re actively pushing UP into the canter - you can’t let it fizzle. Think of deliberate canter steps, not just small ones.

[CanteringCarrot]

I have this somewhat weird visual about jumping rope and canter to walk. I used to jump rope a lot as a kid, mainly in groups, so two others were holding the rope whilst I and other children jumped. You have to jump in and out at the right time while the rope is going in order not to get tangled or disrupt things.

Similar to canter walk transitions. You have to be aware and ask at the right time in order for it not to be disruptive, awkward, or otherwise not good. At the same time you still have to keep some momentum going.

I basically pictured the rope coming at me, still high up, and this would be when the horses poll is the highest in canter, and as the rope came toward me and down to the ground I imagined following it with my seat. As in I sat back and down into the transition, but also lightened my seat right away (as the rope would leave the ground for the next cycle) to allow for a good forward walk and not just dumping into the walk and losing momentum.

So I sort’ve sit back, down, but keep my core engaged and make sure that we transition out of canter and into a nice walk keeping the hind end active throughout (not dumping on the forehand for example) and thinking “upwards” and forwards.

No idea if any of this makes sense to anyone else

[iconoclast]

I found two good videos of the winning AA pair from First and Second levels at the US Dressage Finals. Maybe this is helpful as a visual reference? The horse is only 5.

First Level - https://youtu.be/hKs53k9tQhY
Second Level - https://youtu.be/MSG_dAjgc_s