Is the horse able to remember a routine?

[candyflosspot]

Just wondered if someone could answer me the following please...I am just watching the FEI dressage competition on horse & country tv & was wondering if the horse remembers the"routine" they should be doing?do you think the music plays a part as well?
Or is it they just listen to the instruction from their rider?

i have never been that fond of dressage as found it boring to watch however i have sat & watched a couple of programmes this weekend to look at riders positions & quite enjoyed it.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Wow, I'd love to hear what people think about this one. I was watching Carl 'Ester's gold medal winning performance yesterday and found myself wondering exactly this.

 

[Midnight_Ashes]

I'm not sure "remember" is quite the word I'd use, but they do associate.

If a rider does a test to death in preparation for a competition the horse will begin to anticipate what is next - never a good thing! It's much better, IMO to practice the individual parts and only "test ride" the test once or twice if needed.
As for music tests, I think that again if the horse has done it alot they will begin to associate sounds with different things.

It's really simple if you think about it - we teach them by association; they learn that good behaviour is rewarded and that disobedience is reprimanded.

 

[popularfurball]

As MA says, why I personally wouldn't practice a complete test

 

[Skib]

Even at a very basic level, surely, yes. That is one reason in a lesson it is so easy to repeat one's mistakes.