Today I’m sharing some tips on how to ride the pirouettes in the Prix St. George test.
First, you start with the left pirouette. The directive states that you proceed from H towards X in collected canter, and before X, perform a half pirouette to the left. It’s crucial to complete your pirouette before reaching X, if you go past the center line, the judge will deduct marks. To avoid this, cheat your line slightly by staying a bit to the right of the diagonal after you exit the corner. This way, after the pirouette, you’ll land back on the diagonal towards the corner letter H. If your pirouette is larger, you’ll need to cheat the line even more to maintain your alignment.
These pirouettes are coefficients, meaning they have a higher value, so make sure you execute them well to maximize your score.
After the pirouette, you’ll continue in counter canter from H to C, and then do a flying change of lead at C. It’s important to keep your horse as straight as possible, with only slight positioning to the left. Ride forward a few strides before the change to ensure it’s expressive and balanced, even though there’s less room for preparation compared to changes on the diagonal.
Next, you perform the right pirouette. The approach is similar: keep a slight left alignment off the diagonal, maintain a straight line, and then collect your horse before turning. Be mindful not to let your horse cheat by going haunches-in before the pirouette, as this can make it harder to stay uphill and balanced. After the pirouette, ride forward in a balanced canter, and then smoothly transition to your flying change.
These movements come up quickly, so it’s essential to stay focused and execute them precisely. When done correctly, they can be beautiful and earn you valuable points.
I hope these tips help!
Happy Riding!
Amelia
