2023 Tests are available!

[KathyK]

https://www.usdf.org/competitions/compe ... o4u_WTpbCE

[blob]

I was really hoping they'd update 2-3 so the canter tour wasn't SO LONG. But alas, that cc serpentine is still there and so you still canter all over town and back. At first glance looks like 2-1, 2-3, 3-1, and 3-3 are all unchanged.

[KathyK]

I don't have a whole lot of experience riding 3-2, but at first glance it doesn't look different to me. Am I missing something?

[StraightForward]

First-3 and 2-1 look exactly the same. Maybe someone will summarize the actual tests/changes that DID change.

[blob]

First-3 and 2-1 look exactly the same. Maybe someone will summarize the actual tests/changes that DID change.

2-1 is the same, but 1-3 actually has a significant change. The canter and trot tours are broken up. Previously you would do all the trot work (except the final lengthening) and then walk and then do all the canter work. Now you do one direction trot and canter, walk, and then other direction trot and canter. I'll be interested to ride it and see how it flows, could really benefit some to have that canter work broken up like that, could be harder for others.

[Ryeissa]

I'm thrilled 2:1 is the same. great test. the other second level tests are very similar based on my quick view.

[exvet]

I'm relieved to know that 3-3 hasn't changed (if at all it's not much). This old woman doesn't really 'want' to have to learn any 'more' new tests than she absolutely has to; but, to that point, I'm also glad for the new 1-3. I do better if the test is a mirror image in both directions Usually there is some explanation as to why certain aspects were changed which I would be interested to hear/learn. There's a symposium here to demonstrate the new tests which I'm not sure if I'll be able to attend or not but I would like to for no other reason than to learn about the 'why' behind the changes.

[StraightForward]

First-3 and 2-1 look exactly the same. Maybe someone will summarize the actual tests/changes that DID change.

2-1 is the same, but 1-3 actually has a significant change. The canter and trot tours are broken up. Previously you would do all the trot work (except the final lengthening) and then walk and then do all the canter work. Now you do one direction trot and canter, walk, and then other direction trot and canter. I'll be interested to ride it and see how it flows, could really benefit some to have that canter work broken up like that, could be harder for others.

Whoops, I was trying to look quickly in five minutes before a meeting and apparently clicked the 2019 link.

[StraightForward]

Now that I am looking at the right tests - I'm thinking I'll be doing T-3 and 1-2 to start with Tesla next year, and 2-1 and 2-3 with Annabelle. The 2-2 test just seems wonky. Plenty of time to ride through them and see though.

[blob]

T-3 has gone back to the shallow loop serpentine at the trot it had in the 2015 tests instead of the 3-loop. When they changed to the 2019 versions i remember the explanation being given that they brought in the 3-loop because they thought the shallow loop didn't adequately show changes of bend. I understand them wanting to get rid of the 3-loop, it made those tests long. But kind of surprised they went back to the shallow loop after they made a point to say it wasn't meeting the need seems odd.

[StraightForward]

It now says to leave and return to the rail slightly after/before the letter, and has a diagram of the horse parallel to the rail at the letter, so maybe that is to show the change of bend more clearly rather than people basically riding out of and into the corners? I actually feel like it's more challenging to ride well than the 3-loops which are essentially half 20m circles in the full court. It's hard to show the more subtle change of bend and ride accurately through X!

[blob]

It now says to leave and return to the rail slightly after/before the letter, and has a diagram of the horse parallel to the rail at the letter, so maybe that is to show the change of bend more clearly rather than people basically riding out of and into the corners? I actually feel like it's more challenging to ride well than the 3-loops which are essentially half 20m circles in the full court. It's hard to show the more subtle change of bend and ride accurately through X!

I agree it's harder! Just seems a bit like maybe they don't always have as clear reasons for the changes as they make it sound like they do. I think the new directions on the shallow loops in both the trot in t-3 and in canter in 1-3 are not actually for a different loop, they're just trying to help peopel ride it more accurately.

[Ryeissa]

they took that third canter thing out of 2:1. Always hated that. it was werid

[Tanga]

I'm so glad I don't have to memorize any new tests!

I can't remember which test it is they needed to change really badly, but when I scribe, the judge and I always complain about it. I know Osinski was saying it was going to change. There was just a long area of nothing going on where we were just twiddling our thumbs.

On the loop thing, maybe they went back to the shallow loop because the full arena loops almost always had something in the middle, but there were corners instead of loops in the end? When I scribe and when I judge there are always a lot of comments about there are no corners in circles or serpentines.

[Chisamba]

Well they changed four 1 quite a lot. They removed the shoulder in on center line which was always judged differently from SI on the rail and they changed the three flying changed to the other diagonal. I'll have to ride the new one to see if I prefer the flow.

They have changed four two as well including extended canter on the diagonal to a flying change after the half pass zig zag and change. I like the SI to mediums which are still in there.

[blob]

It does seem like both the 2019 and the 2023 tests have made an effort to make 4th level a bit easier. I know many riders felt the 2015 version of 4-3 was harder than PSG.

At closer look, I've also noticed that in some cases even where movements haven't changed much, scoring has. For example at 1-3 the canter lengthening and return to working canter are now 1 score instead of 2.