RC comp tomorrow...warm up?

Calluna

Calluna

Well-Known Member
Oct 14, 2010
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Leicestershire
I have recently joined the riding club at the RS I go to now and my first outing is tomorrow. It is low key, only intro and prelim tests and I'm doing Intro A.

We have practised the test in lessons and I think that is going to be fine. What I am less sure about is the warm up. I won't have the instructor, obviously, so it's up to me. I have mentally alocated 20 mins and have got some ideas in mind including 20m and 10 m circles in walk and trot, centre lines and plenty of transitions between paces ( the walk "one horses length and resume trotting" is probably the stickiest bit in the test) however any tips for making a warm up really effective?

I have picked my favourite horse. He is a smiley happy fellow, generally willing and pretty even on each rein. He can produce a super ride and work really nicely...when the rider does not hold him back!

This is my second ever outing of this type, so feeling really lacking in experience! I don't want to just go through the motions, I want to make sure I'm working properly, but won't have the eyes on the ground that I'm used to. Any tips gratefully received.
 
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Don't over think your warm up. Do what you would normally do in a lesson. The main thing it make sure the pony is sharp off your leg so lots of transitions in you warm up and I mean lots also remember to practise your halt.

To get good scores be accurate and use the corners but more importantly smile, relax and enjoy it.
 
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Are you using the RS arena so starting in the arena or are you out with an arena marked out by boards?

If the former, make sure you do a smooth turn onto the centre line. It's easy to overshoot. If the latter, make sure you are straight before you enter.

Use the corners: the arena is not an oval but a rectangle so make sure you get some straight strides in before turning. When circling, ride from point to point, only touching the track at each point. Use the letters to orient you so the circle is big enough. Especially if you are in a marked out arena. Most people make circles too small and don't use the full space.

It is much harder to 'work properly' than it is to be accurate but you lose more points for lack of accuracy than for a poky nose or being on the forehand! Sp focus on accuracy. Think and plan ahead to set the horse up well for each move. Smile, relax, have fun and enjoy!!
 
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It is a 20x40 test and the arena is 35x60 so there will be boards. Have a stupidly stressy personality, but will do my best to relax! Always enjoy my horsey time. Good point re accuracy, thank you.
 
The point of a warmup is to warm the horse and rider up, so don't beat yourself up if youre not working perfectly to start! Start off just moving around the warmup ring, walka round the outside to get your bearings and let horse see, then ask the horse to walk faster then slow down again to check you have your breaks and forward button working. Then the same thing in trot. Then yes lots of transitions! I also like to watch the person two ahead of me, and say my test in my mind to check they are doing the same test as me (I have learnt the wrong one before!) then when the person before me goes in I just do some last minute circles and transitions.
When you're in the test, do smile it relaxes the body even if you think youre grinning like an idiot haha! Also if you do one movement badly, jsut ignore that and move on, thats jsut one thing youll be marked down on so let it go and dont let it affect the following movements cause youre still thinking about the mistake!
Good luck and please let us know how it goes!! I'm sure you'll be fine, the horse sounds lovely!
 
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Well I was quite pleased!
I was in second in the running order, so warm up was not too hectic. Made use of your advice and thought warm up ok. Had caller for test, but misheard and went wrong, so lost 2 marks for that, but the judge was really nice and got me to redo the movement rather than half do/ miss it out and I ended up getting a 7 for that bit and 62.82% overall and a constructive sheet. All in all a really good first outing and there were lots of nice friendly people there, none of whom I usually see on my lesson days, but they were all supportive ... and there was cake!

It's a monthly thing, so definitely going to have a go at the next one too.
 
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