Learn Your Test(s)

Now that you have decided which test(s) to ride and have entered the show, it is time to practice the test(s) and commit to memory. Some people think you should not practice the actual test, that you should just practice the movements. Others think it is important to first practice the movements and put them all together to practice (and memorize) the test.

There are many articles online addressing dressage test memorization techniques. Search “how to practice a dressage test” to find many examples. Click here for the source that I adapted below.

  • Using a test sheet, with a finger (or a pen/pencil), go through the test movements until it becomes second nature.
  • When warming up your horse, walk through the test repeatedly. You can also walk the test without your horse using an actual arena (good exercise for you!), using an outside space with cones, or your living room floor. Carpets decorated with a dressage arena diagram can be purchased for this purpose.
  • Break the test into logical sections rather than learning it as one long sequence. For example, many tests have walk sections, trot sections, and canter sections. Practice each section alone; put the sections together when you are ready.
  • Use verbal cues and narration to engage your auditory memory. When you are practicing the sections, and the test, talk out loud (or just in your mind) the sequence of movements, using verbal shortcuts. For example, instead or memorizing “medium trot from M to K, then working trot, then leg yield left from E to B,” a shortcut can be “medium-working-yield left.”
  • When you arrive at the show grounds, standing near the arena (perhaps while you are the next rider to go), “write” the test pattern in the air. I find this helpful as a new arena can feel different than your home arena.
  • You can also use online tools to help with memorization. Examples are Dressage TestPro (click here) (USDF recommends this app), Real-Time Dressage Test Caller (click here), Learn a Dressage Test Board (click here), and others. It may also be helpful for you to watch online videos of the test – search YouTube with “how to ride a dressage test.”

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