Presented by Dressage TestPro
Hannah Sue Hollberg and Carsonstown. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Let’s be real here: memorizing a dressage test can sometimes feel like trying to learn an interpretive dance routine designed by a particularly sadistic choreographer. One second, you’re trotting along confidently and the next, you’re blanking out so hard that your horse starts making executive decisions, and usually to the tune of a score between 2-4 for that movement. As you move up the levels, the tests become more and more technical, which means the mental gymnastics become even more panic-inducing (if you’re anything like us).
It may be Kentucky week, where the true pros who very rarely (but sometimes do! They are human, too!) go “off course” in a test, but if you’re like me and find big time events like this to be inspiring, watching the quality of test we often see at this level makes me want to learn more about how to really ride a test. That starts with knowing it, which really, truthfully, can be a really difficult part of the job. To add on, not everyone learns in the same way.
But fear not! With a little strategy (and maybe a great sidekick like Dressage TestPro), you can hack your dressage test and ride with confidence in your ability to remember where the heck you’re going.
1. Break It Into Bite-Sized Chunks
Trying to memorize your entire test in one go is like trying to eat an entire pizza in one sitting: technically possible (no judgement from us, I just did this on Friday, if we’re being honest), but inadvisable.
Instead, divide the test into sections:
- Opening movements (centerline and first few turns)
- The meat of the test (transitions, changes of pace, lateral work if applicable)
- Final movements (the home stretch)
Memorize one section at a time and only move on when you can mentally ride through it without hesitation. As Sharon White mentioned on the most recent episode of The Go Eventing Podcast, she doesn’t want to be thinking about the test when she’s in the ring. She wants to have her full focus on her horse, with the test itself being second nature due to the practice she’s put in to know it well.
2. Walk It Out
You might look slightly unhinged marching around your living room whispering “K-X-M, change rein” under your breath, but physically walking your test really does help cement the pattern in your brain (don’t like, we know you’ve tried it at least once!). If you have a big enough space, use cones or random household objects to recreate the dressage ring.
3. Visualize Like a Gold Medalist
Your brain doesn’t know the difference between actually riding the test and vividly imagining riding the test.
Top riders swear by this trick: close your eyes, breathe, and mentally ride through each movement as if you were in the arena. Feel the rhythm, the transitions, and the geometry of what you’re riding.
4. Say It Out Loud
Some riders recite their tests like a script or subject their significant other or barn friends to endless repetition. But repetition is a key to learning! Repeating the test out loud reinforces memory and helps with timing.
5. Use Dressage TestPro Like a Secret Weapon
We’ve really embraced technology in recent years, and there are now several educational equestrian apps and websites available. Dressage TestPro is one such tool which lets you study your test on the go, quiz yourself, draw it out on the screen (with a feature that will correct you if you go the wrong way!) and even watch it played out on a virtual arena. It’s like having a dressage coach in your pocket—minus the judgmental eyebrow raise.
Dressage TestPro leverages the idea of visualization and varying learning styles to help riders stress less about this key part of our sport. There are several editions of the app available, depending on which test you need and what country you’re in. You can view all of the available editions here. In-app purchases of either monthly or annual access to all available/current tests cost $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year (note: the price is subject to variance depending on your currency and country).
6. Drill the “Oh No” Moments
Identify the trickiest parts of your test: the movement that always trips you up or the transition you inevitably ride too early, or maybe your circles are just a hair off-center. Ride those sections more often than the easy ones so they feel automatic when you’re under pressure. Remember: repetition is a skill we all need in this sport (and beyond!).
7. Look at the Test from the Big Picture
While breaking the test down into chunks or practicing specific movements on repeat are excellent tips, it’s also useful to look at your test from the big picture. Remember: the test-writers aren’t just writing down movements arbitrarily. There is a rhyme and reason for each, and for the sequence of the movements. Sit down and read your test from start to finish (and better yet, find a video and watch it being ridden) and look at it through the lens of how each movement complements the next. You may be able to identify more of a flow than you originally thought, and when something feels natural and complementary, it becomes easier to commit to memory.
And if you want even more help? We can guarantee that you can find a dressage judge who’s willing to sit down with you to read through the test. If you check out your local calendar of events, you may also find a “Fix-A-Test” clinic near you; these are set up with an arena and a judge, but the premise is to ride your test and receive feedback from the judge directly afterward. They’re very useful practice events!
By following these tips (and downloading Dressage TestPro for an extra edge), you’ll have your test memorized in no time—and hopefully with less likelihood your brain will suddenly go blank and cease to have a single thought (of logic, at least – intrusive thoughts seem to remain regardless) as soon as you enter at A.
Now go forth, ride those movements like a boss, and may your centerlines always be straight!
Want to learn more about Dressage TestPro? Click here to read our full review!
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We believe that product reviews are the most useful when they’re honest. We will always let you know if we’ve been compensated in some way for writing a product review; in all review cases, we reserve the right to write with honesty on our experience with a product. This review of Dressage TestPro was compensated as a part of an advertising package. The review reflects our writer’s full experience using this product.
