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Penguin_Toes

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Hi everyone,

Not really sure what I am after, just feeling a bit terrible today.

Took my horse to an unaffiliated dressage test yesterday. I've been looking forward to it for weeks, had lots of sessions with my instructor in preparation. I've only had my boy six months or so but she has known him a good ten years and knows him inside out.

He can be quite stiff on the right rein so have been working on that a lot. Warmed up nicely and he felt ok in the test - he changed behind in right canter which obviously wasn't great but I was still quite pleased overall.

Once I finished with a big smile on my face the judge came running out and asked if I was aware how lame my horse was. I said I knew he was stiff to the right but that we were working on it. She shook her head and said definite lameness.

I am just so embarrassed. I have visions of the judge and writer saying how cruel I am, I'm imagining nudges and raised eyebrows when I warmed up, I just feel ashamed.

Got my scores back - 56 and lots of comments on uneven steps. Not only last in my class but by far the worst score of the whole day.

Now just so worried about my boy. Farrier coming tomorrow to watch a trot up, teeth to be done Thursday, back next Saturday. I hope he's ok so much. He's 17.

Sorry for the ramble. I just feel so cross with myself and my husband thinks I'm mad :(
 
The only thing to do is to investigate the lameness. Try not to eat yourself up over this, just focus on getting the problem identified and treated.
 
Hey, didn't want to read and run. Its rubbish when you feel crappy and husbands are a bit pants at understanding such things!
Id not worry massively at this point, If you know he gets stiff and he felt ok to you to ride. My daughter did a test last week and had a awful score when both her and me thought it was really good! Some judges are a bit weird I figure.
Chin up and keep smiling. hugs xxxx
 
I'd be more inclined to get a vet out than a farrier for uneven steps, especially considering his age. It could be he's feeling older, needs different work, has arthritic changes coming into play... All sorts of things that are sort-able, but just need identifying.

At least the judge told you. Reg has had a couple of tests where he's gone unlevel behind and you just have to consider why it happened and then try and sort it. For Reg, it was arthritic hocks which, once medicated, don't give him any bother at all.
 
Don't beat yourself up. You have been working with your instructor, so either he has just gone lame on the day or else she missed it too!

You are having him checked out now, that is the main thing. Frankly, if he really looked lame to other people at the warm up and none of them mentioned it then, they should be the ones to be ashamed, iyswim. I don't know anyone who would stand by and say nothing.

Go give him a big hug :) Fingers crossed it will not be anything serious.
 
Oh thank you for taking the time to reply :)

I absolutely don't mind the judge saying something! I'm so glad she did if there is a problem. It can't be easy to say that to someone, it would be easier to leave it to the comments on the sheet.

Farrier was coming anyway so thought I would tag on a trot up while he's around, then of course the vet will be out.
 
Hello, I totally sympathise with you! I had this happen to me at an affiliated dressage to music competition at the regionals. We had driven for 3 hours in the lorry to get there and about half way through one of the judges rang the bell. I was really confused as I thought that they rang the bell when you go wrong, but as it is a music test you can't go wrong! The judge got out of their seat and came over to me to tell me that she didn't think that my horse looked sound, and that I wasn't allowed to carry on. I was mortified! The worse thing was that they carry on playing the music as they didn't realise what was going on, and I had to wait for someone to move the white board for ages. I was absolutely gutted. There were three judges and one thought that he was lame. I had the vet out straight after but they thought he was sound. He had just been shod and I've been having trouble with lameness after shoeing. I hope your horse is ok, but just put it down to a bad day. If the judge thought that your horse was really badly lame she would have stopped you earlier. xxx
 
Thank you for making it all seem fairly normal. I think I just got a bit wrapped up in stress. I just want to look after him properly.

It didn't help that my parents were there to see me ride him for the first time. They were very confused and my dad was even asking if I was going to get in trouble, which wasn't helping!

They are non-horsey and he didn't mean it the way it sounds :)
 
Arizahn said:
Don't beat yourself up. You have been working with your instructor, so either he has just gone lame on the day or else she missed it too!

You are having him checked out now, that is the main thing. Frankly, if he really looked lame to other people at the warm up and none of them mentioned it then, they should be the ones to be ashamed, iyswim. I don't know anyone who would stand by and say nothing.

Go give him a big hug :) Fingers crossed it will not be anything serious.
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I really you don't get your point at all if I am at a competion I focused on my horse and my horse alone .
I am not looking at other horses I am certainly no assessing them for lameness .
Why on earth should others at the show be ashamed .
 
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