DressageArena.org

Hi!
I compete in training level as well, and until last summer, I had never done any dressage either lol

1. It’s not hard, but you will be nervous considering it’s your first time. If you can, try to get a copy of the course when you get to the show because you might not always hear the reader(the person who reads the instructions for you during your time in the ring) another tip-DON’T make any noice once in the ring! no clucking to make your horse go faster, nothing! you will get deducted for this(I did once :S)

2. They might ask you for a working trot, extended trot, diagonal, (make sure your circles are very circular!) basic lead changes, etc.

3. I should think so if you practice and your horse already knows it.

4.maybe you could sign up for a show in the beginning of August, or mid july at the earliest?

5.white saddle pad, white shirt, white breeches, helmet(get a helmet cover if your helmet isn’t a dark color), english spurs(they are required in dressage), white gloves, and your tack color shouldn’t matter. i’m not sure if all of what i’ve listed is required.

Have fun and remember-a show is to help you learn, not always a contest! :]

i won’t repeat all the great info, already given.

i did want to tell you…the key…practice, practice, practice. (of course, a good trainer as well) if you are dedicated, you could probably get to your first show towards the end of this season (if you’re super diligent), but should be much better by the beginning of next show season. but you have to practice!!

best of luck!

1. It depends on your riding and the horse’s training. Training level isn’t normally hard and pretty easy to get though.

2. You do walk, trot, canter, free walk, and stretching circles. In two of the test you do some serpentines, but they aren’t to hard as long as you know how to change the bend. Leg yield doesn’t appear on tests until first level.

3. Sure, training level is very basic and you probably do all the movements when you ride at home anyway.

4. The same thing you need for other aspects of dressage: a coat (it doesn’t have to ba a dressage coat), breeches (white if you have tall boots, tan if you Just have paddock boots), a show helmet, a show shirt, and gloves (don’t wear white ones unless your hands are still enough).

http://www.usef.org/_iframes/breedsdisciplines/discipline/alldressage/dressagetestmov.aspx
Here is the site with all the tests from training level to fourth level. Don’t worry about it being hard, training is nothing until you get to the higher levels.

Hey!!

Training level is not HARD but it takes pratice.

Some things you will learn in training level is, leg yeild, sit trot, extended trot, counter canter, basic lead changes maby.

Summer is here, i would say you need about 6 months of trainging before i would start showing in smaller shows.

If you show at an open show, just a dressage saddle, breechs, polo(collard shirt), bridal, boots, chaps if you dont have tall boots. If your in a rated show you would also need a jacket, spurs, Tall boots.

I hope this helps, sorry if i spelt some stuff wrong, its lateXP

Check this site for the tests:
http://www.usef.org/_iframes/breedsdisciplines/discipline/alldressage/dressagetestmov.aspx

Training level is the lowest test – not easy though! You do basic moves, walk trot and canter with straight lines and circles. However these need to be done smoothly and exactly. You get marks for how soft your horse is, how he bends into circles, how he moves into transitions etc.

No reason why you can’t show – in fact even if you do terribly you get feedback from the judges on what to improve so you can learn a ton from it.

For training level the rules are pretty open about you need. Any english saddle (even GP, although a dressage saddle will help you). Clean light colored jods or breeches, jodhour boots or tall boots (breeches and tall boots are the norm). Jackets are usually not a requirement in summer low level shows, so a white show shirt and helmet will be fine. Your horse needs to well turned out – mane braided or not – it is your choice.

And most of all have fun! My horse is a training level horse of the year area champion – shown to level 2. Me…I am also at training level, training at first, but I can screw up a trot to canter transition like the best of them!