How to Memorize a Dressage Test
For many people, the fear of not being able to memorize a dressage test keeps them from ever showing their horse. This is an understandable fear! The very first training level test has 13 movements to remember, and it increases from there--on up to 32 movements in Grand Prix. You are allowed to have a reader in most levels, although it is not allowed in championship FEI tests. However, memorizing your test will make you look more professional. In this article, I have included some memorization tips to help you memorize a dressage test so that you will always be prepared, avoid errors and look professional.
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Instructions
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Obtain the most recent USEF or FEI dressage tests from the USEF website. See Resources below.
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Copy the test movements with pen and paper. This way, you are reviewing the sequence with your eyes and your hands.
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Walk through the test on foot. If possible, do this in a dressage court. Otherwise, any space is fine--make sure you know where the letters are where each movement is performed!
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Think of the test in terms of patterns. Many of the tests are set up logically, such as both trot circles at E and canter circles at B, or half of the tests as mirror images of each other.
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Practice portions of the test on your horse, but try not to run through the whole test on him too many times or he will memorize it!
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Tips & Warnings
Having a reader does not guarantee you will not go off course. Readers have been known to read the wrong movement (or test), mumble or otherwise be hard to hear or understand. You can get distracted and miss a direction, so memorizing it is best.
