What does my horse have to be able to do to compete in novice dressage.?

Question

We are currenty competeing at preliminary level and getting constant scores of about 65%. Do you think we are ready to move up, and what will we have to learn to move up the the next level.

Answer 1

http://www.fei.org/Development/FEI_World...

Answer 2

Prelim level dressage simply wants to see you have your horse moving forward, balanced, accurate, has a nice, calm and controlled walk, trot and canter. There is very little collection needed, no lateral work, lots of the transitions (especially canter ones) are "between two markers", giving you plenty of time to prepare. The fact that you are scoring well at this level (I assume it is at official?) means you have this well under controll.

Novice, as already mentioned, does ask for a little more collection (not much, but horse must not be on the forhand!), or "on the bit", they expect more in the lengthens, the test is generally tighter, transitions must be on markers (the horse must be listening for the aids), circles are smaller (10 and 15m), and they can even introduce some lateral work (leg yeild). This is ontop of EVERYTHING in the prelim tests. Some examples of the movements are simple change of lead through trot, some lengthened strides and progressively lengthened strides in trot and canter, canter across the diagonal trotting at X or in the corner, leg yeild, halt and rein back, etc...

Now what you could do, which is where I am at with my horse, deciding whether to go up, or stay in prelim. I assume you are getting lessons, if not, I would recomend it! Talk to your instructor, have them run through all the novice moves, print off some novice tests and practice them at home, or where ever you can. When you go to the competitions, once you have finished, go watch the novice tests, even ask poitely to sit in the judges car to ask to learn how to pencil, they are more than happy to help! They will talk through the test and why they are marking the way they are, you will learn what the judge wants in novice. If you think this is definately your standard, then go for it! If you are still unsure, try competing unofficial and see how you go. However, you may drop in percentage as the level is harder, going down from a very respectable 65% to a 55%. If you are fine with that, feel you are up to it and want to chalenge yourself, go for it! Otherwise you can stay in prelim, and just train at the higher level at home, getting better and better untill you are well and truly ready for the next one up. It is up to you and what you feel will work for you and your horse. There is a rule of thumb, you compete at one level below what you are training at home. Personally, I have decided to stay at prelim untill I am getting more than 65% (I would like to place top 5 at states next year before I go anywhere), and we are training much higher, there is no shame in competing at prelim, just do what you feel will work for you and your horse.

Answer 3

I'm not a dressage nut by any stretch of the imagination, but I think you'll have to do more extension and collection for novice, and those half circle things will likely be in trot instead of walk! If you're consistantly doing well at prelim go for it - absolutely no reason why you shouldn't give it a go.