Now what is there to be learned from this?

I really cannot think of one thing that can be learned from that dressage test.  I am calling it a fluke.  I have never had a ride like that on that horse and it is in no way, shape or form a hole in training or even bad behavior issues, it was not lack of preparation nor was it a fitness issue.  Now you may ask yourself if it is none of those things then what is it??  It is unequivically, bad planning and random circumstances.  The circumstance I could not help which were; I didn't ride enough the week of the show because of all the madness at home, I can not change the circumstances that I own a OTTB or that he does not function well when stalled or that you add on to that the temperature dropped 25!!! degrees in a matter of 2 hour drive to the horse park, then plunging farther over night.  Those all had their impacts on the situation and things I had no control over.  But what I did control and where I did mess up is that I then should have changed up my plan accordingly.  Having never experienced this senario before with him I didn't know.  Hind site is 20/20.

What I COULD have done differntly to ensure a better out come.  I should have assessed the situation for what it was and considered what it might take to warm Steady up and get his body relaxed enough so that he could use his brain.

Mistake #1- I SHOULDA' ridden the night before.  Raining or not I should have taken him out when there were very few horses in the arenas and ridden him and gotten him used to the environment.  I should have ridden him quite hard.

Mistake #2- I COULDA' taken him out early in the morning when there were few people in the arenas and figured out what kind of mood he was going to be in. 

Mistake #3- I WOULDA' found out that he was crazy super hot and had the space, time and opportunity that I would have galloped him.  That is what he needed.  He needed a moment where he could be in his element and know that all was good.

What I did do was, pull my horse out tacked up and ready to go about an hour before my ride time.  Then headed to a warm up arena with 20 other horses walking, troting, cantering and even some bucking and running away.  I found out how insanely hot my horse was and began to try and work him out of it.  After 30-40 minutes of this I started to let it all get to me.  I started becoming the same ball of nerves and stress that my horse was and that concluded our warm up.  That start really set the tone for the rest of the day, which I feel could been mostly avoided had I had a better plan in place.
There it is SHOULDA', COULDA', WOULDA' ain't it a bitch?!

Do you want to know the score???  You have to be curious how bad it really was.  It will surely make you feel good about your worst ride ever because I am guessing we topped it.  So now you can know that no matter how poorly you score on a dressage test that at least you did better than Amy and Steady.  Drum rooooolllll...........................................we got a.................................................whooping.....................................................................................................
                                                                     





                                                                          51!