I struggle with the friends part, I’m quiet and keep to myself. I also struggle with the “ask for help” thing, but that’s a life-long struggle for me.
I can do it! lol
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I have let it be known that I would like a reader when I checked in at a schooling show a couple of times. I know my tests but like the security of a reader. (belt and suspenders) One time they told me if I didnt find someone they would have the test runner read for me. The other time they told me to ask at the “X” barn van.
It is better to have someone you know and have heard before. And someone who knows when to read each movement with a carrying voice. Once my barn owner read for me but told me to ride a "10 millimeter circle! I giggled through that part of the test.
I also managed to go off course even with a reader. I heard her, but sometimes when you are tense it just doesn’t register (not to mention my left-right issues)
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I was at a schooling show last year where they had set up the letters incorrectly. I was the 2nd or 3rd ride of the day and I guess the previous riders hadn’t noticed. But as I headed across the diagonal for my trot lengthening and the letter I was aiming for was the wrong one, I was trying to figure out whether I had turned the wrong direction at C and why the judge wasn’t blowing the whistle. So that was a fun test.
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Oh god, that would be horrible! I guess I don’t memorize the letters specifically when I’m without a reader, but if I had a reader and was looking for a letter it would be full blown panic mode.
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A common mistake is to ride the diagonal, ie. straight to X, instead of aiming to arrive at the centre line before X so that you are straight on the centre line as you cross X.
I find thinking about changing the bend at the quarter line, as in the straight step between bends is the one crossing the quarter line, then the change in bends doesn’t end up rushed at X.
As far as a reader goes, I memorize my tests ever since my coach missed three movements when calling a test for me. Since it is against the rules (in Canada) to read any movement prior to the last one read, she had to stay silent until I caught up! The few times I’ve had readers since I’ve found they don’t read the next movement early enough for me to prepare properly, probably because they’re used to reading a specific way. But I did appreciate the last minute, random bystander being willing to read my test as a safety net! I’ve been that random bystander myself for others.
One year I was showing two horses at two different levels and had all three tests for each level memorized. I also remember riding my second horse’s very last dressage test and blanking near the end as I went through the AF corner. I asked for canter and ran through the entire test in my head quick enough to realize I had to trot across the diagonal instead of canter up the long side, and shut down the canter before he completed the first stride. I was surprised to be at the end of the test - I really felt we hadn’t been in the ring long enough to have done the whole test.
At Training and First the pattern tends to repeat, one rein then the other. I figured out the patterns and ignored the letters, and then just had the non-mirrored part, and which way to turn at C 
to also memorize.
When I was walking my tests off the horse I also added in what I would be doing to prepare for the next movement and that helped my pattern flow instead of being a list of separate movements.
Good luck! And have fun!
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I’ve never shown at Fox Valley so I’m not sure you will find them there. Look for Joel & Susan, Joel will be riding a buckskin. Susan no longer rides but reads tests for Joel & helps him at the show. I’m sure if you asked, she would read for you. They are 2 of the nicest people you will ever meet. I’ve shown with them at Excelsior & Winsom in the past.
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I don’t show anymore but go along to help friends out sometimes. If I read for my one friend, strangers will often ask me to read for them. I don’t mind at all. For sure ask the show when you check in and I wouldn’t stress too much about it- it’s a common request 
Good luck at the show!
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Well, I did it sans reader. Mare managed to spring a hind shoe overnight (got cast? Kicked the cattle wire stall front? I don’t know. Horses), and I pulled it in the morning. She maybe wasn’t feeling the best. I pushed her on through it anyhow - perhaps not my best horseman move, frankly. Let’s call it character building for her, because she’s often “the sky is falling” type of horse.
During Training 3 she spooked at something which required a one rein stop. At that point I forgot where I was on my 20m circle in relation to the next move, and got the bell. He told me where to go and we were good from that point forward.
I still got a first in that class, which I whole-heartedly did NOT deserve.
And that will be my only show for the year, because I’ll be trailerless until September.
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Are you me? This exact thing (diagonal, trot lengthening) happened to me last year and I lightly freaked out. Lost a couple points for “breaking gait” and no acknowledgement from show management that anything was wrong.
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This show did fix the letters after I pointed out that they were wrong. (Well - after I came out of the ring and confirmed with my trainer that they were wrong and I hadn’t just lost my mind).
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Not quite the same situation but slightly related:
I hauled a friend to a small local dressage show, and had agreed to read her test. Before she got on her mare, she took a swig from a bottle of Chianti she had secretly stowed with her tack. We laughed and off we went to the rings.
When it was her ride time, she was punctual and ready to go. The test began, and all was well.
But about half way through, when I called out something like “M Working trot, C Working canter left lead” she abruptly stopped her horse, looked around, and shouted to me, “WHERE THE HELL IS M ???”
I froze because I didn’t know if I was allowed to respond. The judge was silent. My friend ultimately found M, and finished the test.
She was a retired commercial airline pilot who flew trans-Pacific routes. I always wondered if she ever asked her co pilot, " Where the hell is the island ?"
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I attended my first dressage (schooling) show recently. I’m a recovering jumper rider 
…and my jumper trainer was helping me. To his credit, he has an excellent foundation, and his partner is a high-level dressage rider. So I asked if he would read the test for me just in case. I knew the tests, but a little assurance for my first show helped ease my mind. He was going to read for his partner as well, so all was good. Well, when I started, I was waiting for him to call, and I didn’t hear anything. So I started my test. After I halted and saluted, I heard him call my test. During my second test, it happened the same way. Then I was talking to his partner, and she asked me, did he call “enter working trot…” etc., and I said, no, he sure didn’t. We both scratched our heads. She then asked him, hey, did you call out the first part of the test? He looked at us and said, in all seriousness, “I thought that part was obvious.” Haa, he didn’t think we needed the first part. We all had a good laugh about that. Good thing it was a schooling show, as I guess they could technically have a problem with the test not being called as written. 
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This made me laugh out loud!!!
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I wish I’d had the sense to have a reader today… I made an error then totally lost the plot during the canter tour and ended up with a 1 for a with a comment “lots of trotting.”
Frankly I was lucky not to get eliminated. Not my finest hour! But my first test in 4 years at a new level with a new horse, and we live to ride another day.
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That’s the essence of it! 
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you were correct. You cant repeat or aid. if the judge does not ring the bell the rider is on their own. Once the judge rings the bell and redirects the rider, you can resume.
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