To prepare for the work-off in a medal class, it is important to study the course board and practice a few possible tests to keep your horse alert and awake. Perform as best as possible during a work-off with advice from an experienced trainer in this video on riding and jumping horses.
Let's talk a little bit about being prepared for the work off after you've finished the first round of a medal class. After you finish the first round of a medal class, if there's a chance you're going to be called back for additional testing, it's really important that you are as prepared as possible, in order to give yourself the best chance at success. So, right away, when my students have finished the first round, if they're in contention to go back for the work off, we go over and read the course board and make sure we're very confident in the fence placement and the fence numbers of the course. So when they get the test from the judge, they'll feel confident that they know which jumps are included in the test. The next thing we do before we go back for additional testing is just make sure your horse is alert and awake. So if you have time, this might be a good time to go back to the warm-up ring and practice a couple of tests you might experience. A trot jump or a counter canter are always good tests to be practicing. If you don't have time to go to the warm-up ring, just make sure your horse is moving around a little bit and is in front of the leg. If you do get called back for additional testing, a couple of things to think about when you go in the ring are: make sure, when you listen to the test, you come up in your mind with your plan. What is going to work best for you and your horse? Couple things to keep in mind in that are where you think you are sitting in the class? If you're in fourth place, you may want to be a little more aggressive in the test that you try to do. If you're on top, you may be more conservative because you don't have to move up any placings in order to win the class. Once you come up with your plan, do watch the other riders go, and if there's something that you see that you like that incorporates into your plan, go ahead and use it. But, make sure that again you're thinking about what's best for you and your horse. Think about your strengths, your horse's strengths, and both your weaknesses, and if you calculate all those things, you're prepared, you're going to give yourself your best chance to win.
