What's the difference between.....

......"medium" and "working" trot???

We've been learning all about the different gaits in a dressage test at my riding school and I think I've got most of them figured out...
I mean - its obvious what "collected" and "extended" trot/canter means, as well as "free" walk etc. but for the life of me, I can't figure out the difference between the two above gaits?
Has it something to do with speed, the aids you give the horse, stride length etc. It's killing me!

I'm pretty sure a Medium trot is in between a working and extended trot... it requires more forward impulsion from the horse than a normal working trot. Although its not a full extended trot, the horse still needs to work though his back end and lengthen his stride. You will notice the horses movement will seem bigger and bolder than in the working trot, but not a great deal faster :)

Hope i got across what i meant :P

Yup! I understood that perfectly!
Thanks for replying so quickly. I must seem really stupid, but its been bugging me like crazy! I've got my first dressage test in two months and I'm so nervous!

Oh, almost forgot...does anyone have any pictures of a horse and rider in medium and working trot to share?

NO way!! It didnt seem stupid at all! I had my first dressage test a few months ago and completely know what its like! I did the prep 2 test and did horribly.. but still had a ball! My pony whinnied through the center line, stuck his nose in the air the WHOLE test, and point blankly refused to listen to me. Trust me, you cant get worse than THAT! hehe.

Besides the nerves, it really is a fun day, and great experience. If there were no such thing as butterflies in the tummy then it would make things a whole lot easier!

Good luck :) You'll do great. Just remember not to hold too high expectations for your first go. Having a laugh after is almost the best bit.

Here, i found this website with some pics on it for you! :)

Wapedia - Wiki: Trot (horse gait)

Hope it helps!

That website is EXACTLY what I'm looking for! Thanks, Becky! That sounds both hilarious and awful what happened to you at your first dressage test! I bet it wasn't funny at the time!

No worries :)

Lets just say me and Socks were the ermm 'bogans' of the dressage comp... hooligans even! I felt like crawling under the horse trailer and getting squished by the time the test was over, and to make matters worse, Sockshead decided he didnt want to go home and wouldnt load!

Makes for a good story though!

Threadjacking but omg I haven't heard bogans in years roflol

Now I feel really old and homesick to boot.

hahayeah bogan is such an aussie term. are you an aussie ex-pat? Socks is such a pain sometimes haha! I didn't know about the whinny haha!