How to memorize dressage tests (and other riding patterns)

I was not planning to blog about how to memorize dressage tests this week. Instead, I was looking for an online dressage court diagrammer (which I failed to find… hmm). In my luckless diagrammer search I found a great book: Dressage Arena Sketchbook.

I really don’t do dressage anymore… but it’s a great beginning step for any discipline, and it’s an integral part of many subdisciplines, such s Cowboy Dressage and Working Equitation. The dressage court provides a basic layout for many exercises and games (which is why I wanted a digital one that I could add to…).

I have not found that diagrammer, so I will have to painstakingly create diagrams, or create a diagrammer. In the meantime, I will do a brief post on how I memorize dressage tests (or any pattern). And how i don’t.

How not to memorize dressage tests

1. Ride them over and over. Very bad idea.
   • This can make any horse sour.
   • If you have a smart, eager to please horse, she (or he) will memorize the pattern long before you do, and begin to anticipate every movement.
   • Do not over-train your horse. Don’t ride them over and over again.
   • You should practice the individual movements. Just don’t do them in the order of the test(s).
   • Remember, horses have very good memories. Certainly better than mine.
2. Wait until the last moment, and read them over and over (propped on your steering wheel) as you drive to the show.
   • You might get in a car wreck.
   • Not very effective way to memorize.
   • It’s probably too late if you get at all nervous.

How to memorize dressage tests.

1. Do the test yourself, on your own two feet. Walk, trot, canter, stop, salute.
   • The truly dedicated might want to get down on hands and knees to better simulate a canter.
2. Draw them with a pen/pencil/crayon/marker on whatever you have lying around.
   • I used to fill every inch of scrap paper, backs of used envelopes…
   • An organized person would have a neat notebook. I was never that person.
3. Draw them in the sand or dirt as you stand by the side of the arena, waiting your turn. I’ve done this a lot.
4. Rehearse them in your head as you fall asleep.
   • For maximum effectiveness, try for full visual rehearsal. Feel yourself on your horse, posting or sitting the trot, halting, cantering, feel the bend…
5. Ride them with other horses.
   • Preferably horses that won’t be asked to do them in a show within the foreseeable future.
6. Some people recite the words. I’ve never found this effective, because for me, words are just words. I need to match them to physical movement. But it might work for you.

Why memorize when someone can read them to you?

1. Your reader might not be available (if she is a trainer, other students can have emergencies)
2. Your reader might get confused (especially if he’s your non-horsey parent)
3. The sound system might fail.
4. A train might pass by.
5. You will do better if you know what to expect, even if you also have a reader.
   • Once you’ve ridden enough dressage tests, you will have an idea of what comes next no matter what test you are riding. But if you are a beginner, it’s a really good idea to memorize tests… Even if you have a reader.

Some resources to help you memorize patterns.

1. Books of dressage arena templates like the one that sparked this blog post: Dressage Arena Sketchbook.
   • This book (Whinny Widgets) looks really cool if expensive. Especially the large print option.
     • or Get it at Riding Warehouse
2. Dry erase boards. Horze.com has one for a full size dressage arena.
   • You could also use any dry erase board, I’d get a big one (Amazon Basics version)
   • (confession: I want a dry erase wall to draw all sorts of things on)
3. Print a template from a google search (“printable dressage arena template”)
4. Phone app. It allows you to draw out entire patterns. You can use it to make your own pattern, or practice a test.
   • I’ve used Dressage Lite for Horse Riders. There’s a limit to how many tests you can save (at least on this free version), but for memorization purposes, it’s great if a bit fiddly.
     • There is a paid version that presumably has a lot more features and allows you to save more tests.
     • It can be glitchy, and forces you to do impossible and “illegal” maneuvers, but still useful.
   • Equisketch is an option if you are an iPhone user.
   • There may be other apps like this one, but I don’t know them.

Related posts:

Training idea # 1: A surprisingly challenging yet fun warm-up exercise

Training idea # 2: An advanced warm-up exercise for your horse