(“How big a deal are the new tests?”)
How big a deal are the new tests, or any tests for that matter? Do you think Lisa Wilcox or Steffen Peters couldn’t perform any movement you asked for any time you wanted? Even if the requests were pulled out of a hat seconds before they were performed? So whether they are an important part of your training or whether you just do them when the judge wants to see them performed, don’t make a big deal about it all. Just do it.
A few little pieces of pattern are different in the 2015 Training Level tests, but there’s really nothing of consequence you should worry about. The stretching circle has been removed from Training Test One and first appears in Test Two. You might note that in all the new tests the collectives are slightly different from in the past tests. Now you only get two rider scores instead of three. It was felt that giving a separate score for harmony when there was already a score for submission was redundant.
First Level Test One—the return of the “teardrops.” This, or the “ice cream cone,” is a pattern we saw for years, and it only disappeared from the tests recently. Now it’s back. Shorter lengthening have been introduced in trot and canter with half of a 15-meter circle to re-gather the canter. This was will make it more evident if the transition back really works.
Test Two offers slightly easier leg yieldings than in the old tests—a shallower line which should make it easier to keep the horse straight and moving forward as well as sideways.
In Test Three—a counter change in leg yielding from the corner to X and back out. In some ways this is simpler than the old requirement when the lateral movements were interrupted by a figure eight.
This test also includes a turn across the ring from B to E with a halt at X. In recent years the only halts below Second Level were at the beginning and the end of the tests. Seems like a good idea to reinforce this part of the training. Teach them to stand straight, quiet, and immobile.
The familiar order of canter work is retained—Circle, Lengthen, Loop. Horses have no reason to anticipate this, but it’s one of those things that riders can drill into their heads to remember.
Second Level:
Some Mediums are still shorter than the long diagonals formerly asked for—better to keep your horse balanced, thoughtful, and light.
There is now the assumption that you can do counter canter and simple changes at will. The new tests have them arrayed in new places so you can prove that premise—a 3 loop serpentine with simple changes at the center lines in Second 1 (like an old Test 4). Now in Test 3 there’s a serpentine without changes (as in the expiring Test 1) to prove you can hold the lead if you want it even if your horse knows how to change In Test 2 you’ll find a 20-meter half circle in counter canter and a simple change from counter to true on a straight line, in Test 3, changes on the short diagonal at specified locations— I and L.
Also of interest: at one point in Test 1, a canter to walk, the walk maintained through the corner, and then a new depart, this to catch the ones that anticipate and don’t wait for the aids.
Turns on the haunches and rein back remains as before. In the trot work: you’ll encounter shoulders-in and travers but renvers has been moved to the middle of Third Level (probably an acknowledgment of its difficulty for Second Level horses.)
On to Third Level: Test one is basically the same as before. Third Two has the shoulder-in to renvers as well as trot half pass.
The canter half pass is on an easy line: D–R, with the flying change placed between the letters (R and M) at the rider’s convenience. “Barbara’s Brother” remains in this test.
The trot portion of Test Three remains as before. In the old test there was canter half pass to a flying change on the centerline towards the judge. Now there is still a half pass from the corner to X, but then straight ahead for one letter, a 10 m half circle to the track retaining the lead, and on the long diagonal (S–F) a flying change near the centerline.
In Fourth Level Test One the trot work remains unchanged from the old test. There is a canter depart at G headed towards H, a novelty for the unwashed. The flying change after the canter half pass is at the corner letter. That shouldn’t rock anyone’s boat too much. The very collected canter over the centerline on a 20 m circle is still on the slate. The three spaced flying changes for which you don’t have to count the strides are now moved earlier to Test One instead of appearing in Test Two.
The trot work for the new Test Two is unaltered. There is also still a canter half pass to a flying change and a half pass back to the centerline, but this time it starts on the right lead and the change is right to left.
The working pirouette is different. It is done at the apex of a triangle coming out from H to the centerline and turning back towards M. Test Two now has three changes every fourth stride.
As for Test Three: At each incarnation of this test complaints are always registered. “It’s too hard—harder than Prix St. George!” “It’s too easy—there’s too big a jump from it to FEI.” This time the new test is both. The trot is fairly straight forward and simple. Half pass to the centerline and shoulder-in from X to G.
An interesting inclusion (and a telling measure of suppleness) is the schaukel or “swing.” Four steps back, directly without pause to four steps forward, directly without pause to four more steps back, directly to trot. This hasn’t been in our American tests for a long time!
Another movement resurrected from an ancient FEI test is drawn from the 1983 PSG. Right lead collected canter at C, R to I to S two ten meter half circles with no change of lead, flying change at E, then two more ten meter half circles maintaining the left lead and then straight to F for another flying change! This is hard but it reveals the quality of the horse’s training for sure!
The half pirouettes are the same. Three “3 tempi” have been added back in to go with 3 every four. All in all, this test is much more challenging than its predecessor.