MOADT

Mother Of All Dressage Tests.

aka Fourth Level Test 3.

aka the test I am showing this weekend.

shit.

First level

So I am just a little less scared of 4-3 since I have run through it in the ring once back in March. It is indeed a doosey, things come up very quickly, the pattern makes zero sense and if you don't use your corners you will be up a creek with no paddle.

The pirouettes are making great progress, but will still be a hail mary in the show ring. The changes are mostly good as long as I don't let him get downhill - then his croup comes up and they will be late behind. Of course I can't forget all the other movements either! I really have to nail the things we are good at to get as many points as I can if we screw up somewhere. And by we, I mean the rider.

Fourth level is much like 2nd level in that it really tests the rider's ability to ride a test. Can you use your corners? Can you string all these movements together without really having much of a rest? Do you hate yourself? Are you into bizarre self torture? Then fourth level is for you!

Second level

Third Level

So what's my plan this week?

We will do two days of piro work, probably a changes/other stuff day and A LOT of forward and back. I've also be lighting him back up and maintaining the show trot for longer and longer. I think we can get a 7 on gaits if I can keep that up for most of the test. But it's not easy. It creates tension and it's a FINE LINE between good tension (makes him fancy) and too much (lose suppleness, he starts to run off with me). I'm also going to incorporate a lot of pole work this week to keep his back mobilized.

And of course, the usual "de-yak-ing" of the horse has commenced. I have his legs clipped and I dyed his tail! (A first for me, I need to do a post on that). I still have his face to clip, ears and bridlepath to trim, and random other goat hairs to eliminate. (eh hum ... man-scaping).

He may just look like a show horse by the weekend!

I hope I can ride well and do him justice.

Fourth level