A Closer Look: Third Level

Third level is probably one of my favorite levels, and is the next edition of this series. Yay flying changes! Yay half pass! Yay double bridle! Except that for some reason I can't find many pictures of me showing Third in the double, most of these pictures came from the two shows I showed in my snaffle, wtf.

Purpose of the Levels

To confirm that the horse demonstrates correct basics, and having begun to develop an uphill balance at Second Level, now demonstrates increased engagement, especially in the extended gaits. Transitions between collected, medium, and extended gaits should be well defined  and performed with engagement. These should be reliably on the bit and show a greater degree of straightness, bending, suppleness, thoroughness, balance, and self carriage than at Second Level.

These things are getting long! I think Third and Fourth level are about perfecting the things we've worked on previously- the impulsion from First level, the collection from Second. Putting those together to improve the engagement and the rest of that long list from Third. I feel like after the Second level purpose, Third and Fourth could just say "yah all that but MORE."

Warming up for third level

Third 1

Love this test. It's so friendly and warm. If it were a person I'd totally invite it to tea on a rainy day.

It's one of the few tests since First level that doesn't ask for a medium right off the bat. It's the return of the First level ice cream cones, but with shoulder-in and half pass. The thing I always see with this movement is people starting the shoulder-in too early. You have to go straight down the long side and develop it from straightness rather than in Second when you can develop it from the corner.

The trot half pass is quite shallow and friendly and has some wiggle room if you were to make your half circle a little more oval-y so you can get into the corner if angle is your problem. It can be a bit too long for a schooled horse, but again you can end your shoulder-in slightly early, make your half circle shallow, and get to the rail a touch early if you so choose.

Coming up centerline

You almost always start with medium paces (vs extended paces) when you have tests doing a medium and extension. I spoke about this before, but I recommend (unless you have a spectacular medium AND extension) just going for it in your first medium like it's an extension. Better to get an 8 on that and then a 7 when you perform the same thing as an extension rather than hold back for the medium and get a 6 with "not enough shown" and then a 7 on the extension.

The canter work is really kind. You start with a medium canter to get the horse energized, then you get a 10m circle to get your horse set up well for the change that occurs in the second half of the short diagonal you're asked to ride. Then you can hop and poke and wiggle and fix your shitty change with plenty of room before your extension. Same pattern the other way, with a trot transition at C. This pattern is a breath of fresh air from your crazy long Second level patterns. Phew.

You get your first taste of two scores for your extensions at this test- with the last extension both being judged on the quality of the extension (10 points) AND the quality of the transitions (10 points), get used to that shit.

Coefficients are the extended walk and both turns on the haunches. Pretty kind of them to not make a big deal out of the new movements like they loved to do at Second.

Ah yes, the realization that not riding with the right trainer and
not focusing on the basics = shitty half pass

Third 2

Ah Third 2, the return of the shoulder-in to renvers (which used to be at Second). I think that's an appropriate place for this movement, although I still personally introduce it at Second. After you go through what feels like a test's worth of trot work, you have to ride half passes from centerline to the rail. They are steeper than Third 1, but there is a lot of room to fuck it up if you want to, since they have you hit the rail at E and then sit around on the rail until you turn down the short side.

The canter gets a bit complicated as you pick up the canter in the corner from the walk, then immediately turn up centerline and at D start your half pass. You literally get a 10m half circle in canter to prepare for this. Hopefully by Third though, these quick movements are not a big deal.

Medium trot... ish, that saddle pad was just the worst

It's a nice long half pass to R and then you can change anywhere from R to M. The change from the counter canter and in such a tight spot (before you ruin your corner) is tough, but you're looking at riding your first tempis in just a couple of tests, so this is a good time to put the pressure on you. Plus you don't need to do the change AT a letter yet, so that's nice, and you could ride a steeper half pass if you wanted to give yourself more room to set up.

You also get a clear release of both reins at this test. They used to have a movement at 3-1 where you released one rein (and it was the rein that I liked releasing on Rico so yay). This movement is nice because it tests the self carriage, although it seems super random to me because after this test, you never do this again. But sure, throw that in.

You get to canter up centerline (then trot, then halt) to end, which I think sets you up really nicely for Fourth level where you have to canter up in the beginning. The entrance to the Fourth + tests can be kind of difficult, halting from the canter on a straight line is hard.

Coefficients are both renvers, the extended trot (but not the transitions), the extended walk, both flying changes, the release of both reins, and the extended canter. Damn. That's a lot of coefficients!

Ah shoulder-in with head tilting, can't wait til the fourth level
post when we actually got good- but damn what a difference the
right trainer makes

Third 3

Not going to lie, this test is beefy. It sets you up so nicely for Fourth 1 though, so no complaints here.

The trot pattern mimics the 2-2 pattern, shoulder-in to two half circles across the middle of the ring, to half pass. This time there is no wiggle room on your half pass, you have to get there by G and if you don't the judge will for sure notice. I recommend riding this pattern a million times, it's easy to make it look kind of blocky if you only ride the elements. My student doing it currently warms up with a 10m figure 8 first, then starts riding the pattern about 3-4 times each way when she works on it.

This test is the first one that you trot out of your rein back. Ideally this should be two beats from coming in in trot, to your halt, then rein back (2 beats) and trotting out. Though most people have to walk out of the rein back and then trot.

You get more time to prepare for your first canter half pass, though it is steeper (but again you have wiggle room) and you end on centerline, then turn the direction you're going. Immediately across the shorter diagonal and flying change. I like this pattern, although it's hard to hide a late-behind change since your butt is in the judge's face. I like that it sets you up well for having to ride straight after a half pass to centerline.

There's only one extended canter in this test, so that's kind of them, unless that's your strength, if so, sorry!

Coefficents are both trot half passes, the halt and rein back, the extended walk, both canter half passes, and both flying changes. They REALLY want you to understand how important half pass is, keep that in mind.

Tilting again (blurry but yay training problems don't go away)

Overall

Third is one of my favorite levels for a reason. I like how these tests are put together, I think they provide a lot of good stepping stones between Second level and Fourth level. First, you can see how the flying changes were developed starting even at Training level with the downward transition from canter across the diagonal. First level shortened the time between transitions, building up to a trot change. And Second level introduced simple changes and counter canter- two very important elements to the flying change. Third gave you three solid tests with simple patterns that prepare you really well for both zig zags and tempis, which you see at Fourth level.

The nice thing is that from here on out, you've now learned all the trot work. No more movements in trot (unless you count pi/pa, which you should not because they are different gaits). They just get harder with counter changes of hand and voltes.

Onto Fourth level! This time without the head tilt