Taking a Look at 1-3: One Giant Leap

"The canter work is HOW LONG in this test?!"

As mentioned in my show recap, I'm setting my sights on 1-3 to see if Dino and I can qualify for our local GMO's championship class in the fall. The way the schedule works out, we have exactly one chance to qualify before the September championship show, so I need to have a good enough handle on the test to squeak out a 60%.

1-3 is, however, a bit of a reach for us right now, and there are a few things that we need to improve before this test will be feasible for us. As you can see in these wonderful diagrams, there's a LOT going on in this test, but also a few things that I think will work in our favor.

Elements of 1-3 that will help us out include:

• The leg yield is much shorter and going from the rail to the centerline. While this means I really have to be precise with my outside aids when it comes to ending the leg yield and moving into the 10m circle, I also don't have to keep my pony straight in this movement for the length of the entire freakin' court, which was difficult to do in 1-2, and it plays off his natural tendency to drift towards the center of the ring. 
• The stretchy trot circle isn't the second movement of the test (thank goodness) and comes after the leg yields, giving me ample time to get Dino really solid in the outside rein before asking him to stretch down. 
• The overall rapidity of the movements will, I think, help keep Dino focused and on-task without a lot of time to just toodle around and ponder his place in the universe. 
• The counter-canter loops aren't necessarily movements that play to our strengths, but counter-canter is a movement I've schooled with Dino for years, and he's very solid in it through movements like these shallow loops.

But alas, there's also a laundry list of items that give me pause!

• The canter work is LONG. There is A LOT of it. It DOES NOT STOP. Considering Dino's natural inclination to quit in the canter when he gets tired, this is probably my biggest concern when it comes to riding 1-3. Being able to make it through the canter work without a break in gait or seriously losing the quality of the canter is going to be a huge challenge.
• While the leg yields are shorter, they're also steeper, and right now the lateral work is not super sharp for us. 
• The simple lead change. Oh boy. While we can execute great changes, both simple and flying, on course while jumping, keeping it together for a tidy dressage simple change on the long diagonal is going to be tough, and my abs are going to be killing me. 
• The sheer number of things going on in this test is intimidating. There are a lot of movements, they all come up fast, and there aren't many places in the test to take a breath and re-group. Both Dino and I will need to be on our game to make this work. 

You guys know me by now, and you know that I HAVE A PLAN to improve what needs work so we can get that 60% in July! 

• Lessons. Hi trainer, call me. We've got work to do! 
• Conditioning. If we're going to make it through the canter work alive, we're both going to need to up our endurance game! That means more trot-and-gallop days, more cantering during schooling, and more trail riding. Dino is down with this plan. 
• Showing 1-3 once or twice before it "counts" in July. Thankfully there's a plethora of schooling show opportunities that I can take advantage of, and we can get in front of a judge to see where we stand before the qualifying show. 
• Working on making myself more accountable for my position. I can get flustered while riding tests and just do what it takes to 'git er done' eventer-style, completing the movements but sacrificing correctness from both myself and my pony. Really focusing on my own position and inviting Dino to meet me in correct posture is going to be way more beneficial for us in the long run than just flopping around and kicking him through the movements. 

1-3 still stands as a big, big challenge for us, but I'm feeling optimistic that with some thoughtful work, we can tackle it successfully. Here goes nothing!