I was @ a show & saw a rider that had a distraction in the dressage ring that I really had never thought you would need to school for:

A marching band.

There was a college football game going on across the street from ring 3, complete with a band and cheerleaders and tailgating and a CANNON that went off when the home team got a touchdown. Let's just say that was not their most relaxed dressage test ever.

It got me thinking: what are the things you've come across at a show that you simply never thought to prepare your horse for? Sure, we're supposed to school our horses so that they're ready to show but we can't be prepared for everything. I'm sure there are some good stories out there.

Last weekend: Minature costume contest. My horse tripped out over a "rocking" horse. (cardboard rockers hung over the tiny saddle so the mini looked like a rocking horse)

Another horse dumped his rider over a kid in a ghost costume sitting beside the rail.