Anyone else do something really stupid in their first dressage test?

[Can_tFindMyWhip]

In my very first dressage test I had a reader just in care I blanked out in the middle or something. I chose a grumpy old lady I knew because she had a loud mouth and I would be able to hear her loud and clear. This is foreshadowing

We go down the center line, halt, salute, no big deal. My reader says track right, but I know I’m supposed to go left, and I assume she misspoke or something and continue on my way. She didn’t misspeak, she was reading the wrong test and starts yelling, “no, you’re going the wrong way, TURN AROUND!” It was super embarrassing, and I eventually told her to stop or shut up or something. So I got an error because of my reader and her big mouth.

[mswillie]

Almost jumped out of the ring on the canter circle. Judge’s comment was “nice save”.

[alibi_18]

@Can'tFindMyWhip

In my very first dressage test I had a reader just in care I blanked out in the middle or something. I chose a grumpy old lady I knew because she had a loud mouth and I would be able to hear her loud and clear. This is foreshadowing

We go down the center line, halt, salute, no big deal. My reader says track right, but I know I’m supposed to go left, and I assume she misspoke or something and continue on my way. She didn’t misspeak, she was reading the wrong test and starts yelling, “no, you’re going the wrong way, TURN AROUND!” It was super embarrassing, and I eventually told her to stop or shut up or something. So I got an error because of my reader and her big mouth.

Ahahaha!

On the other hand, the judge was nice as you could have been eliminated for that.

[DMK]

Not my first test our show, but my first rated ridden dressage show…

What do you do at X? Halt and…? Yeah, salute. Even in the driving side. S.A.L.U.T.E. it’s not rocket science.

So I trot in, execute a lovely halt and wait for the judge to nod.

Nada.

I get a bit confused, thinking I’m not AT X (I am) and move up a step and wait for the nod with both my hands firmly on the reins.

You know that wave Jeff Goldblum gives the aliens in Independence Day when they are downloading the virus software? Yeah, that’s the wave I ultimately got, so I proceded with the test, utterly clueless as to my mistake, until I read the test/error/comments.

I still have NO idea why I forgot, I’m not one for show nerves and I didn’t get rattled by the judge “failing” to nod and the rest of the test was pretty good. Saluted at X when I was done too.

Her next judging stop was Aachen. I’m fairly certain there was a humorous retelling of the cute Fjord with the clueless rider. 😁

[wildlifer]

Not my first test, but with a previous young horse, first time I had ridden the lower level eventing dressage test when they made that weird half diagonal at the beginning. Having several decades of “enter, proceed down centerline,” that’s exactly what I did.

As soon as I turned in front of the judge, I remembered that was wrong & my internal monologue slipped out, so I loudly exclaimed, “Aw, SH!T! Uh, sorry, can I get a do-over?”

I heard the judge snicker & thankfully, she was kind enough to say yes.

[bip]

Not my very first dressage test, but one of my first. I got a 70. But sadly, it was a combined test and that was penalty points, not %. Young OTTB was very tense and I was too inexperienced in competition to help him.

[tbchick84]

My horse did a fantastic counter-canter circle in training test 3. Too bad it’s regular canter. Judge did remark on his nice balance though.

[JLR1]

@mswillie

Almost jumped out of the ring on the canter circle. Judge’s comment was “nice save”.

Lucky you! Not on my first dressage show, but I wasn’t so lucky and got eliminated for jumping out of the arena. Totally pilot error and the judge was kind enough to wave me back into the arena to finish my test.

[BrookdaleBay]

Very first show with my boy, walk/trot test at a schooling show. Trotting around the outside of the ring, a flower pot next to one of the letters tips over, horse spooks, I exit stage right over his shoulder. Luckily the bell hadn’t been rung yet, so my coach hurries into the ring, quickly dusts off my back, and gives me a leg up and we continue on to the test.

[Groom_amp_Taxi]

First dressage test at first show ever in which I was the exhibitor. Intro C. I hate Intro C, but dammit, if I’m going to show, I’m going to canter. Tracking left, had passed C at the trot and turned down the long side when there was a giant boom as a porta-potty nearby was emptied to try to retrieve a dropped phone. Mare spooked hard left, and I added a 10m circle to the left to get back to the rail. Oops, Error, -2. But I really did feel like it was a fairly elegant solution.

[RubyTuesday]

Not my first test, but my first test back to showing: stopped and dropped a salute where it wasn’t called for. I think it was after entering the arena and going to X. Stupid new tests! Why are they making them like that now???

[belgianWBLuver]

Up center line, halt at X, spread hind legs, pee. Yes green mare was in season. The judge smiled, at least we gave her a chuckle…

[J-Lu]

My first dressage test was quite good.

Later on in life, I did, however, do a first level canter lengthening down the long side with a mare I evented, and she locked on the arena rail and jumped out.

I also went off course with a reader twice because I kept turning “the other left”. Twice. Twice.