Hi Guys,
In Training level test 3 there are 2 trot serpentines, HXK and MXF. In the first half of the serpentine the horse is bending back toward the rail, and the in the second half he’s bending to the center of ring, in the same bend as the upcoming corner, correct? I know that was not articulated very clearly, but its the way it is in my mind’s eye. thanks.
The horse starts (tracking right, let’s say), and is bent to the right as it goes through the corner - correct bend for the corner. Then as it crosses the quarterline, the bend changes to left bend because the horse is going to do a left loop. Once the horse crosses centerline, remain in left bend until about the quarterline, and change the bend back to the right for preparation for right bend in the corner. It is similar to a 3 loop serpentine, but a lot shallower…
The link below has a diagram of the training level tests. You should not be counter bent at any point of the movement. The 1st shallow loop is in the test is starting to the left a H. You should begin with a left bend until about the quarter line between S & R, switch to a right bend and then back to the left bend at the second quarter line between V &P.
http://www.mayidesign.com/dressagetests/2015%20USEF%20TRAINING%20LEVEL%20TESTS.pdf
change bend at each quarterline. don’t overthink it. there isn’t a “first half and second half” If anything, there are THREE parts to it. ANd don’t worry about changing posting diagonal - no one cares in dressage. It might upset his balance. Or, if it doesn’t, go ahead and change posting diagonals.
Agree with the consensus, change bend on the quarter line. I was advised not to change posting diagonal.
There are two changes of bend, as it says in the directives; there should be more bend coming out of and into the corners than in the big loop going through X. Changing the diagonal might not matter to the judge, but you might feel awkward posting on the inside diagonal while you’re on the loop. I find it more effective to change diagonal and bend while crossing over the quarterline.
thanks everyone - great clarifications. And now that I checked the link to the diagrams I realize that the kxf walk part is not a loop 
Actually, the free walk is on 2 diagonal lines, not a loop like the trot work.
Wow I didn’t notice that and have been riding it as a loop - just assumed it was the same! :o I haven’t gotten any comments on it though, so maybe I’m just failing miserably at my loops lol, but we usually get good scores on the walk portions. I’ll have to look back at my test from last weekend.
When I started showing T-3, I overthought this, too.
Because my mare was reasonably green, we took all corners in large, somewhat sweeping and gradual turns. So my trainer told me to start across the diagonal as we came out of the corner. Sweeping turn heading toward X. As I hit the quarter line he said “never mind, go back to the other corner.” Sweeping turn the other direction past X, so I was heading back to the second corner, then the natural sweeping turn we made at the corner. So basically, at that level nothing was sharp, so it was the start of one diagonal, end of a different diagonal, and the change from one diagonal to the other in the middle. That was way easier to ride than it is to type out.
Totally agree (mentioned this in another thread), in this shallow loop, do NOT ride too deeply into the corner, the whole movement flows better. This is Training Level, the horses should not be too deep into the corner anyway - we want them to be able to be forward and balanced!
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