First Time Going to Dressage Schooling Show - Ride Order

[JenEM]

IME of local dressage schooling shows, while levels themselves may run out of order (ie, First before Training) I haven’t really seen the tests within the levels run out of order. It’s almost always been Intro A, Intro B, Intro C, or T-1, T-2, T-3. Not at all the case at multi-ring recognized shows, but at single-ring schooling shows where most of the rides are Intro or Training, that’s been my experience.

Some schooling shows have started grouping a little differently since Covid just to let barns with big trailer loads all ride around the same time regardless of test and be done, space a few people in between the next big group, and scores are final at the end of the day. (I was in a random 4 person section of Jennifers Doing Training at one show last year, just to make rides work out ) But running totally out of order like that would make it even easier to accommodate your request.

[Grey623]

@SillyHorse

Be careful with this, and check with the show secretary or manager. In general, once a horse goes HC, it cannot compete for scores/placings/prizes for the remainder of the show. I don’t know whether changing riders affects that.

Yes I think that’s probably true. I admit I assumed that hunter/jumper folks taking baby horse to a dressage schooling show where Trainer hopes to ride first just in case were there for the experience more than the ribbons.

Grey

[IPEsq]

I also agree that usually the tests within a level will run consecutively (even if broken up by an intermission with another level test to spread out horses or riders), so if you enter Intro B and your trainer enters Intro A, there’s a pretty good chance your trainer would be scheduled to ride first. At least, this is how it went for me doing a couple different tests at training level all last year. But if your trainer enters Training 1, for example, there would be no guarantee if that would go before or after an Intro test.

[lorilu]

Yep. I forgot about that……thx.

[spacehorse]

I am a show secretary for a small GMO. I schedule based on first come first served requests. We score danish system, so class order isn’t relevant.

You could easily be accommodated

[Feathered_Feet]

It’s a schooling show, folks. If it’s well run, i.e., for the benefit of providing a safe and fun show environment for horses and riders who are green or “show curious”, they will gladly make an effort to accommodate a polite request. Especially if it is in support of the horse or rider welfare (i.e., a green horse and new-to-showing rider that feels it will be more positive and/or safe for everyone if the trainer rides first). But let them know sooner rather than later so they don’t do allllll the scheduling work then have to re-do some stuff.

Your specific request is exactly the kind of thing they want to accommodate. Especially if it keeps everyone safe!

Have fun

[emeraldcity]

I secretary for a schooling show- I would not be at all bothered by a request like this, and would do my best to accommodate it in scheduling (and would likely be able to as long as I didn’t have conflicting requests). That’s assuming I get the request before I start setting the schedule

[rothmpp]

OP - longtime former show secretary for both recognized and schooling shows.

As far as the class order - there are lots of factors involved in scheduling ride times. Special requests, horses being ridden by more than one rider, horses in multiple classes, rider on more than one horse, etc… It’s not always as simple as running the classes in order. As an example, at a schooling show, you may have only one or two horses wanting to ride 2 or 3 tests at second level. Some riders would be fine riding those one right after the other, others may want a break in between.

In addition, schooling shows don’t always use the most experienced judges, and bouncing between tests can get confusing, for both the judge and scribe. When I’ve had to scribe for a judge bouncing around among a bunch of tests, they can end up leaning on their scribe to make sure rider is still on course. Schooling shows also don’t always get the most experienced scribes.

A nice, polite note to the show secretary, explaining what you’d like to see schedule-wise is your best bet. But be understanding if they cannot meet all of your requests.

[joiedevie99]

It’s a schooling show! Write a nice note on the entry asking for what you want. I don’t know any secretary who wouldn’t try their best to accommodate.

[webmistress32]

I do the back end IT for a saddle club that holds two schooling dressage shows a year. The software is very difficult, much more so in some ways than just planning rides on paper. You should certainly ask for accommodation but be aware sometimes it’s very tough for the person handling the scheduling software to actually get you where you want to be.

[A_Winter_s_Tale]

Thank you all for the advice! I’ll check back in after the show to update on how it goes. This is the baby horse in question on the day I tried him (his feet are much better now). He was started as a trail horse, ridden for a summer/fall, then tossed back out for about 9 months before I tried him.

[A_Winter_s_Tale]

Post-schooling show update!

Baby horse was wonderful (after getting some initial bucks out in the lunging ring on Friday, and causing some drama Thurs by pulling a shoe, then for the first time ever refusing to get on the trailer) and only considered jumping out during a test once. His tests were all 60s+ (highest was a 69), though I think the first day judge was maybe on the generous side. The show secretary was able to accommodate my ride order request (and I put it in very early) and I thanked the office again at the end for all their help.

I loved the ride times and getting to see the judge’s comments (nothing I didn’t agree with). I was a little disappointed it wasn’t the same judge the second day, since I would’ve liked to have seen if I improved from her perspective, but was still great getting two different people’s thoughts/advice.

[SillyHorse]

Congratulations! It sounds like you had a good time. Thank you for thanking the office! Their days can be stressful, and knowing that they are appreciated can go a long way.

[2DogsFarm]

He’s adorable!
I love me some Draft & a Roman nose.
What’s his name?
So I can say it in a whispery voice
I’m glad you had fun

[A_Winter_s_Tale]

His name is Bill (the place he came from had been calling him “Roanie”; I don’t think he minded the name change lol), no show name yet until he decides what he wants to be.

I also love a Roman nose, but boy is his head just giant overall! I had a fly bonnet custom ordered for my mare who I thought had the largest ears, he needs like another half inch.

Screenshot from one of our videos over the weekend: