Having had a couple of amusing nightmares at shows, I thought I would share some and see what funny problems others have experienced;

At my first large show we were running late before entering a pleasure class, I ran off to get changed whilst Cheryl cleaned the saddle (including the stirrups). I quickly grabbed the reins and then walked into the collecting arena. A couple of female freinds pointed out that I had my flies undone. I discretely corrected the problem, put one foot in the stirrup, hooked my leg over the saddle into the other stirrup. My foot slid straight out and I went flat on my back in the collecting area.

Our first experience of hiring a horsebox resulted in a scene out the film RV starring Robin Williams. The loo was backed up and had not been emptied by the hire company, we did not have a clue what we were doing and ended up with green slime over my nice clean Justin boots.

At a show two years ago I managed to complete a Western Riding pattern with every lead change smooth and in the right place only to learn that I had started on the wrong lead and had just done the whole pattern counter canter.

During the same show I managed to complete one extra circle (not spin) in a reining pattern.

There are many more, what funny or embaressing anecdotes do you have?

In one show class I managed to get disqualified for holding the reins wrong???

Dumb or what?

Yes, we have a horse that's done so much showmanship she likes to make it more interesting by biting me, tripping me up, and at Hartpury pooing near the start cone and then refusing to go anywhere near it 'because someone has pooed and it's smelly'

My biggest cock-up was forgetting to take the boots of OH's previous horse before he went in the trail at the WES champs. The little horse was very stressy about trail but he managed to do a decent run, only to get DQ'd....
But if he goes on about it, I just remind him that he messed up a WP that he should have been in the top three of by letting her lope on the wrong lead both ways....

How about filly deciding to roll on the end of the lead in the inhand class at a "national" show

-or-

hearing your class called on the PA, believing you are running very late, legging it full tilt accross the car park and showground, very excited filly in tow - turning up at the entrance to the ring and apologising to steward for tardiness (in between gasping for breath), getting the nod from the judge to enter class and discovering your filly is now in the 2yr old colt line up!! DOH!! :o :

;D ;DAs the mother of a youth rider you can imagine I've had lots of nightmares involving horse and child but the one which sticks out was when we shared my horse at QH2000 the other year.  Firstly, after I had done my very first trail pattern; she was such a good horse she took me through everything with no problems but that still meant I did'nt come anywhere but I got cocky and thought I could do the amateur class the next day with no problems. how wrong I was, it is a big jump from novice amateur to amateur.  everyone came out of the ring saying it was really had and I thought it looked easy! talk about pride before a fall!! i went into the trail class and got lost a third of the way in and couldn't remember the way around the poles so i kept going round and round the poles, i think about twice or three times in total! before i remembered where to go and by which time it was too late, i'd DQ'd. and that was my last trail class!!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D  Then my daughter and i fought over my staying on the horse until the class was over as she wanted to get ready for her class!!!!!!!! of the joys of being a parent.

LOL Jude! Doug has done the very same thing but the opposite way round of course - with Mont early on in his showing career at a fairly large show in Melbourne - Oz. There was a supreme championship being held at this particular show and he and Mont had already been in and got Champion in the stallions class and were waiting around for the supreme - suddenly i don't know why but he decided to walk straight in to the championship for aged mares thinking it was the supreme being judged - luckly Mont has always been dead quiet and lined up next to the mares just fine until the onlookers managed to shout loud enough for Doug to hear that he's in the wrong class!!!!!! LOL he'll love that i shared that with everyone.

The nationals last year at Moreton Morrell i'm sure everyone remembers the downpour - we were in a quite cheap - ebay brought 6man tent which is fine in summer with not much wind and not much rain - well it flooded didnt it - soaking wet - now we just stay in the trailer much more comfy and weather proof!