I got a 1!

[Lost_at_C]

I've always thought that a single 1 in a test is far better than a whole test of 3's and 4's... you can laugh at a few written-off moments if the rest doesn't prompt you to contemplate hari kari at X! And yes, I regrettably achieved that illustrious under-40% score on a ridiculously razzed-up youngster who just lost the plot completely the moment we left the warm-up area. I'd like to think of it as some kind of badge of honour, but it's probably best not to think about it much at all!

[LookmaNohands]

I actually got two 1's in a test where my horse barely put his hooves on the ground. We were airborne for most of the test! It was a CIC*. He was in rare form that weekend. He ran off with me on XC--was jumping well but I couldn't turn him and we ran past two fences. I have a great picture of him in SJ where he is jumping about 18 inches higher than the swedish oxer we were jumping.

That horse LOVED to jump!! Dressage--not so much!

I saw someone get a 0 one time. Horse slipped and fell in canter. No elimination. Just a 0.

[carolprudm]

I probably did for a test at Frying Pan Park. They had a model farm, with PEACOCKS. Unseen but not unheard. The judge said I did a great job of remembering the test and keeping her in the ring. A 30 % would have been generous. I did not pick up the test, just slunk out of the arena and onto the trailer as quickly as possible

[Blume Farm]

Thanks for all the comments! It was our first show of this season and we were trying to qualify for BLMs Didn't happen! The first day we actually had a lovely ride but only scored 61+% as I was responsible for mistakes....1) first travers left I thought "I'm gonna get a really good bend" and used too much outside leg and got a canter depart 2) my mare has a 10 free walk and I thought "I'm gonna go for it" and used too much leg and broke into trot...can't remember now what else I did but the mistakes were totally mine and made on coefficients . The next day was the ride in the giant indoor with the melt down! So no BLM scores for me this past weekend!!

[ccoronios]

A 0 is for a movement not done. You just did it really badly after a long wait, so you got a 1. I've got a 0 for supposedly not doing a circle in a freestyle that I did. Nothing I can do.

That would be why you have someone video! That, and so you don't have to listen to DH's discussion of golf/football/whatever, or friend's closeups of her feet, clouds, ..... :-) (we do photography now, but used to video...can you tell?)

[leilatigress]

Pony's bucking circle was a 3, he was technically doing the movement just not completely what we were looking for. Course there is the old stand by of down the centerline, halt at x and pee.

[oldernewbie]

That would be why you have someone video! That, and so you don't have to listen to DH's discussion of golf/football/whatever, or friend's closeups of her feet, clouds, ..... :-) (we do photography now, but used to video...can you tell?)

I have a great video that my husband took last year. I'm getting the ride of my life out of Mr Ay-rab - probably the first time we'd done a credible job at Training Level. At the same time he's video'ing me, a local "trainer" is spouting a running commentary about my ride that was, according to her, "dreadful", among other things. Well I beat the pants off her students all day, so yes, I guess it was dreadful, at least from her standpoint. I've re-done the video on YouTube to put music over her nonsense so I don't have to listen to it every time I want to watch that ride.

To know how much that ride meant to me, witness my one trip to a rated show, when one of my rides was a glorious 38.8%. Horse woke up on the wrong side of the bed apparently. I got the score sheet out today to see if I got any 0s or 1s, and I did not. A lot of 2s, 3s, and a 6 for the trip down centerline, the only thing he did right! Teaches ya to be humble, that's for sure!

ETA: I also have a great video of me adding a 15 m canter circle to TL3, for reasons known only to the senility center of my brain. She didn't ding me too bad for that but considering I missed a year end award placing by .006%, I sure could have used the points I blew being comatose. Did I mention I had a reader?????

[merrygoround]

Almost no where to go but UP!

Better than First Level tests I've read of that were ALL 4-5!

[Jazzy's mom]

I should go dig one of my old tests out. My boy bucked through most of the canter movements and then decided he was not going to go down the centerline for the final halt. We backed down the centerline, did a rollback to face the right direction and I quickly saluted. The funniest part was that we weren't last place!

[xQHDQ]

All of these stories are making me feel so much better about our rides this weekend. First test, horse spooked and leg yielded instead of circling at the canter and then leg yielded again at the end of the circle to get away from that scary monster at B (we got two 4s and a 5 for the depart, the circle, and the downward transition, which was on the quarterline instead of on the rail). Second test, my warm-up got totally messed up because first we had too much time and then we were rushed due to scheduling mishaps. Horse was grumpy, stiff, and tired, so needless to say, the test was sloppy at best.

[Janet]

You can't get a 0 unless you're not in the arena.

Yes you can.

As a scorer, I have seen a "0" for a movement that asked for "counter canter", but the horse was in true canter.

And, if you leave the arena, you get an "E", not a "0".

[ACMEeventing]

When your non-horsey friends ask "how was the show?", you can very casually say: "well, I don't want to brag, but let's just say the number 1 was significant" (wink wink)

Awesome stories. I've had some 2's but never a 1. Oh well, always the bridesmaid . . .

[mjhco]

One class under Hilda Gurney we came across the diagonal for an 8 on our twos. Then came down another diagonal for a 1 for our 1's. I think we did one 1 the rest were groupings of 2s and 3s and something that resembled a canter.

[netg]

My 1 was in a canter. It went:
tracking right, left lead at C...trot... LEAP... buck... left lead... trot... LEAP... right lead canter 2 strides before the end of the movement/start of the right lead canter circle on which we got a significantly higher score.

This on a horse who when not trying to stare outside the arena and anticipate my aids at the same time will typically fight me on picking up the counter lead.

[oldernewbie]

No dressage support and consolation group thread is complete without this:

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/sh...hlight=blooper

I am so ready to start the show season - I'm moving up a level and so I expect to have many, many experiences to share!!! We never seem to do things the easy way, but we do eventually get there!

[Judysmom]

When your non-horsey friends ask "how was the show?", you can very casually say: "well, I don't want to brag, but let's just say the number 1 was significant" (wink wink)

Awesome stories. I've had some 2's but never a 1. Oh well, always the bridesmaid . . .

OMG that made me actually LOL.

I have gotten a at least one 2 that I can remember. I have had some truly awful dressage tests over the years, mostly due to riding really fit TBs looking forward to galloping in an hour or two...

The worst movement I can remember (sadly can't remember the score) was the not-suitable-for-children pony reared in the free walk to medium walk transition. Right in front of the judge too. And then, I was addled enough that I had an error of course. Good times!

[dfsaz]

I had a -1 after the first halt--and was thankful she didn't tack on another -4 for use of voice when I told my horse that standing on his hind legs and turning in a circle "That was RUDE!". It was an interesting test and the first time I did not wear my helmet on him.

[Beentheredonethat]

That would be why you have someone video! That, and so you don't have to listen to DH's discussion of golf/football/whatever, or friend's closeups of her feet, clouds, ..... :-) (we do photography now, but used to video...can you tell?)

I actually did have a video of me doing the movement "not done" that I got a 0 on. There was nothing I could do. The judge gave me a 0 and the td said they couldn;t change it. That kinda sucks.

[leilatigress]

Best test I have ever seen was trainer on her grand prix horse after a long layup. It was a schooling show and she had decided third level seemed a good starting point for said horse. Now said horse is not famous though his pedigree lends it self to the famous side. Darling boy is extremely athletic and proved it in every single movement of that test. From the extended trot down the centerline with more of a milk man stop than an actual halt to the half pass that had him contorting his neck like he was an arab instead of the fancy WB he claimed to be. Punctuated by the leaps into lead changes and the olympic worthy pirouette for the rein back. Canter was more gallop and roundness was more of the giraffe kind. Last transitions were full out bucks and to top off the test he popped a hip at the last second for the finish halt. Judge was trying so hard to keep a straight face for the test and since I was scribing it was truly an interesting dialogue for the comments.