[oldernewbie]

Thank you Dramapony and cada for adding to this, one of my most favorite, COTH threads! Welcome to the honorary society of dressage blooperees!

[Catie79]

I'll add some more bloopers to the pile. One of our 'off' days early on in the partnership:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAvzgNlWQEc

Go to about 4:20 for one of our more interesting interpretations of an entrance. A plastic bag tried to kill her just as we entered. The princess was in a MOOD and the bugs were just horrendous, so both of our tests that day had a certain tense, rushed quality to them that the judge just didn't seem to like. Go figure. You can't hear it but I was laughing after our entrance and through half of the test. There really wasn't much else I could do at that point.

This is the same mare that had a canter depart that involved all feet up in the air and got the comment 'overly expressive' at a show. I love it when the judges are kind.

But she's gotten much better! Other than the moment at 4:17 when she decides the bug in her ear has to go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAwP1KTw5OA

[leahandpie]

What an awesome thread. I've really enjoyed reading through it! Here is a photo series from our test where we made an unplanned exit!
http://www.piesblog.com/2012/02/19/i...ressage-arena/

[cnm161]

Now, all of you know how much I love a good thread revival (read: a LOT). So here's the belated review of some of our championship moments from this year. Like my ability to ruin even the best trot extension moment.


Or Bucky's WTF IS THAT IN THE JUDGE'S BOX moment.

Or taking the phrase "flying changes" literally.


Or the rise of the Dutch Harness Horse lineage.

I also have a 4-second video of my first GP this year, as filmed by my dad. It's 4 seconds of cursing at how hard videoing on a camera is, accompanied by footage of his feet. Hilarious.

Who else has got some fun photos from the second half of this year?

[netg]

Unfortunately we haven't had much of a second half of this year since I have been injured. My left leg mostly hung limply at my horse's side for several months as I tried to get it working again... and the first time I actually successfully put it on my horse, well, he was surprised...
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...16789487_n.jpg

[r.j.246]

LOL, I should try to scan a score sheet of mine. It was one of the first times I've done a dressage show and I didn't realize that I was talking to the horse (and probably myself) throughout the entire test. To put it bluntly, the comments basically said shut up, and the judge pulled me aside after and pretty much told me to shut up.

[oldernewbie]

This show season's highlights include my addition of a 10 meter circle in training level 3 - I have no idea why I did that and I had a reader! Hell of it is, I was having a super test to that point and then lost a few points on going off course.

It was even worse when we got to the end of the year awards dinner and I found out I missed 4th place by .004%! Ack!

Also had a pretty spectacular spook during another good test...!

Both of these moments are on video but they are not very interesting to watch, just to experience!!!!

[Wellspotted]

I don't have a picture, but my favorite was always, "halt at X, stretch, pee" proceed working trot.

[Superminion]

Oh, I'll add a Willow blooper to the stack.

She WILL be a dressage horse one day... when we can walk forward.

http://youtu.be/CzyPQD99Ksw

She gets confused sometimes, but she DOES have an engine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp5S8...ature=g-crec-u

[countrygal]

Terrible quality pic but... This was our first centerline ever at 2nd level and first show of the year. After an epic spook we managed to go off course after X by riding the wrong movement. Still managed a respectful score despite the less than stellar beginning :-P

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i2...avis/spook.jpg

[myhorsefaith]

First year showing my 4 yr old Standardbred gelding. He was started in Feb, and by summer I was getting him out and about exposed to various environments- big and small schooling shows, a weekend beach trip - stuff like that.

Schooling show... completely forgot what test I was doing...can't ya tell? LOL

And another...how are we not falling over?

ETA... one more...

This was taken the first time I rode him...his trot was so bouncy! LOL

[Wellspotted]

This thread is just so fun!

My first ever dressage show, I was riding a little paint mare whom I had borrowed from a woman who didn't believe in trimming manes or tails. As we were coming around the corner to head up the long side, the mare's tail got caught in white plastic chain they were using as arena sides. We went from lovely collected trot to a mind blowing extended canter, dragging the chain behind us. We managed to not only dismantle the entire arena, but also take down all the letters that weren't attached to something (so 'C') before I manged to haul her to a stop. We had to cut the chain out of her tail and it was almost an hour before they got up and running again.

It was seriously epic.

I know it probably wasn't funny at the time and could have been seriously dangerous but it made me cackle out loud and I needed that!

[Bugs-n-Frodo]

Like my ability to ruin even the best trot extension moment.

I do not have mirrors at my barn and sometimes I catch myself looking at my shadow for a second to see if everything looks OK... it looks like you are doing the same here.

[Sunsets]

OK, here is me at a schooling show a couple of months ago. As you can see, I have a bad habit of leaning forward when I am nervous. As you can also see, my lease mare was NOT HAPPY about me lurching forward onto her shoulders. I'm amazed I didn't get a buck on that canter depart. It would have been justified.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=3&theater

Oh, and my hands were awesome there, too.

[twinlights]

Ok, I'll play! Here is what my GRP did at a show a couple years ago. Extra style points maybe! LOL, so that is what "F" stands for....LOL!
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u...ts/buckatf.jpg

[psb]

On funny judge comments, my trainer said that years and years ago, she was riding an OTTB on a windy day. Dressage ring in middle of a huge field, people warming up all around the (distant) edges. Her OTTB bolted and tried to run away. Trainer got annoyed and made her KEEP bolting (careful of other riders and staying well out of the way), would not let her slow down, pushed her on until it was clearly the trainer's idea, not mare's, and mare was completely acknowledging this. Then finally let her stop, dripping wet. They were now on deck. Walked to the ring, entered, did a decent test.

But of course, the judge and everybody and his brother had noticed the OTTB racing around the (distant) edges of the field with the rider occasionally adding comments of, "NO, you B****, you don't get to stop yet! You wanted this, so DEAL with it."

The judge added in her comments at the end of the test, "Interesting warm-up strategy."

This had me laughing out loud! I can picture and totally hear it!
My horse's and my first test ever... Comments from the judge, lethargic, nice halt. She told my trainer later that day that she wanted to go in the ring and give him a push to get him moving. The only thing we did well was the halt.

[Sunsets]

Ok, I'll play! Here is what my GRP did at a show a couple years ago. Extra style points maybe! LOL, so that is what "F" stands for....LOL!
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u...ts/buckatf.jpg

Nice! You look pretty relaxed about it, though. Really textbook "if your horse disappeared from underneath you you would land on your feet" position.

[cnm161]

I do not have mirrors at my barn and sometimes I catch myself looking at my shadow for a second to see if everything looks OK... it looks like you are doing the same here.

So you feel my pain! This is (one of the many reasons) why it's hard not to have mirrors...

[Bugs-n-Frodo]

So you feel my pain! This is (one of the many reasons) why it's hard not to have mirrors...

I do... I really do. I caught myself looking during my ride today and giggled.