Putting Dingo to the test

Have you ever trained at home, thought you were doing well, and then got to a dressage competition and felt like it was all falling apart at the seams?

I have certainly done that. And it doesn't feel that good. So, today I decided to put Dingo and my training to the test.

I did my normal workout, and then I did a made up dressage test. I pretended it was the real deal, like in a dressage competition, and I just observed what happened.

Well, what happened was that it all fell apart. Why? Well, the devil's in the details. For example. I ride down the center line in trot and ask for halt. The horse stops moving forwards, for sure, but sideways? Hmm ... I don't know. Do I practice trot to halt? Well, not really.

So, the sideways going horse feels somewhat agitated, but we continue. Trot circle goes alright, but then I ask for a canter in a part of the arena that I don't normally canter in. And the transition is all over the place. Coincidence? I don't think so. Because when we continue our canter onto the normal circle, all of a sudden it improves! Horse attitude, or rider confidence, I don't really care which, it makes a difference.

Back to trot, then walk across the diagonal on long rein. Why is the horse weaving? And how often do we really do a long rein walk across the diagonal? Once at cooldown perhaps? Ooops?

Overall I also discover that in a dressage test I am much more business like, than in training. Transitions have to happen on the letter, and that's final. Don't argue with me, because we're in the middle of a dressage test. Hmmm ... perhaps, some of my training should be conducted in this mode too so that the poor unsuspecting horse doesn't get a shock in the dressage arena.

The experience is a real eye opener. I definitely walk away with the following points:

1. Practice all the movements of a dressage tests. Break it down. Get it right.
2. Combine dressage test movements into little combinations and practice those.
3. Practice all dressage test movements in different parts of the arena.
4. Get yourself into "I am now doing a dressage test" mode, and train your horse in that mode for some of the time. I guess that's kind of your "working" mode, as opposed to "warm up" and "cool down" modes.