Schooling Third Level Test 3

I took the time on Wednesday to run through Third Level Test 3. We have a show tomorrow, one that I've been mildly worrying about because it's a show facility he's never been to and a judge I have a lot of respect for, so I'm hoping that TC holds it together and that I don't disappoint him. 

At least I know our turns on the haunches will impress him

I'm really happy with how these have developed!

We've ridden Third Level Test 1 at home a lot because 1) the first several times we did it, he bolted after the canter extension, it's a very forward, flowing test and he thought that it needed to be more so, and 2) I was really convinced he wasn't ready for Third so I rode it a bunch to convince myself. I remember stopping after one of the tests and asking myself "how many times do I have to ride a clean test on TC before I start realizing I'm riding a Third level horse?"

So, Third Level Test 3, I've ridden three times now: once before our last show, once at our last show, and then this last Wednesday. That's more normal for my show prep, I don't believe in over schooling a test because I think it makes people crazy (case in point, riding the 3-1 a bunch has made me crazy). If the horse is rideable, the test will be fine. 

And the horse was rideable and the test was fine! 

Easy direction for canter half pass

To the hard change

Hard half pass direction

To the easy change

I was really impressed with how he was in the test. The last two times I've ridden it, I've felt like it was right at the edge of our abilities in the canter pattern. He stalls out a lot in the half passes, dislodging from my seat so then I have to basically pull him around the turn and then the change is tough. This time, he stayed way more on my seat in the half passes so I could actually ride some quality changes! 

There were bad moments, obviously. One is that I definitely forgot my test and couldn't look at my phone because it was recording me. So I skipped the halt and rein back (also he spooked there) and then I went to ride an extended trot at the end only to remember that I'd already ridden them, so I had to find my way up centerline. So, uh, I need to work that out in my mind. This test and the 4-1 have always plagued me memory-wise. 

TC also made some mistakes, the spooking is fine, whatever, he spooks sometimes. But he definitely thought that I was going to ask for changes on the rail the entire time during our medium canter. So you can see me in the video blocking each change and trying to kick him forward. 

TC: Change?? Me: No. TC: Now?? Me: No. TC: OKAY NOW
it's such an ugly "extension," my god

Both changes felt STELLAR that test and I wish I could just keep them like that forever. Right on my aids, much better throughness than before, and no theatrics. Just quality changes. I'm so excited to get tempi changes on this horse. But I need to wait, boo. 

I think my big desire for the show tomorrow is to get him more energetic and powerful throughout the test. I knew he was underpowered throughout when I could a) sit the trot just fine and b) didn't think I was going to pee my pants in the canter. If you can sit the trot and the canter doesn't terrify you, TC is not powerful enough. Literally Tanya has said these things to me. The horse has to scare me, that's when I know I've got it right. My next horse is going to be smaller. 

Harder trot half pass direction

Another interesting thing that came out this week was that TC has been downright heavy in the bridle after getting his teeth done. His teeth did need to be done, but they weren't so bad that the vet thought he'd change significantly in the bridle. TC begs to differ. Immediately he was way easier to get over the back and into the bridle, especially in trot. But jeez, he was borderline TOO heavy for me in canter. I had to actually half halt in a way to get him to back off a bit vs his normal half halt, which is to connect the hind legs to the bridle more. 

I think that led to me riding him a bit underpowered for the test, the fact that I didn't know if I could stop him if he got really powerful. I sat myself down and reminded myself that if I got him into a better posture, I could add power within that posture and keep him rideable. So a few half halts to back him off and then putting more power in him helped. 

Having to learn to ride a new horse right before a test is a bit rough, but I'm glad that even when he's a bit underpowered, the test rides very well. Fingers crossed it rides well tomorrow at a new facility! Either way, it'll be a good story.