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Yes, it is permissible to ride around the outside of the arena in front of the judges’ booth prior to your test- however, you need to wait until the horse in front of you has finished and is OUT of the actual competition arena before you go in yourself, Macy. This reduces or eliminates the possibility of an accident at the in gate, because the two horses are never going to be in close enough proximity to kick at each other. It’s also permissible to speak to the judge or scribe and introduce yourself, provided that you do this BEFORE your test starts. Once the bell has been rung or the whistle has been blown, you must be silent. If the judge asks to speak to you after you finish, or says "thank you", then you should respond in kind.

Not everyone observes these courtesies, but most riders generally do. I try to make sure that I say thank you or offer a pleasant response and a smile when I finish a test. Likewise, I ALWAYS ride around the outside of the arena and past the judges’ booth at every show, so that I can be sure that my mare will not be spooked by looking at the booth or its occupants. Different shows have different ways in which they provide numbers- at the last show I was at this past Saturday, for example, I had to WEAR my number tied around my waist the way an eventer would. There are other venues I have competed at this season which give you a number that the horse wears on its bridle- and I actually prefer that to the other way. In those cases, the correct placement of the number is on the left side of the bridle in the browband below the horse’s left ear. The reason you may want to tell the scribe your number when you first enter the arena area is so that he or she can confirm that the runner has provided the correct score sheet for you. Score sheets are normally delivered to the judges’ booth by runners, who are also responsible for taking them to the scorer once the rides are completed. Once the tests are scored, they are then returned to the show office where they can be picked up along with any ribbons you may have won, once you turn in your number. Most of the time, judges will already know the numbers of the riders in their classes- but it’s good practice to reconfirm this information, just like you reconfirm an airplane ticket during long trips. As for the judges’ knowing the test levels, these are printed on the score sheets, along with other identifying information about the horse and rider in most cases.

I hope that clears up your confusion !

Charlie, at most of the competitions I have been at, whether I was by myself, or with my former employer ( who, as I indicated below, is an "S" or senior level judge in the sport) YOU DON’T GET ELIMINATED for not introducing yourself to the judge. That is TOTAL nonsense. Haven’t you ever watched the Olympics or the other international competitions, Charlie? NONE of those riders ever introduce THEMSELVES to the judges before they start riding- in fact, they are prohibited by regulation from doing so. During this past season, I NEVER had to introduce myself to the judge prior to starting my tests at any of the venues I rode at, and NO, I didn’t get eliminated for not doing so. I will check with the ring steward to make sure the show is running on time, and to find out if there have been any scratches which might necessitate my moving my ride time up, but otherwise, I don’t really communicate with the show management all that much. I’ve never heard of a case in which introducing oneself to the judge or judges was mandatory- and since my former employer is also a competitor in addition to being a judge, I used to watch her a lot. She never introduced herself to the other judges when she was riding, only when she was working with them. Obviously, if someone at her level was able to ride without doing this, that says something about whether it should be considered mandatory or not. It’s just a courtesy, nothing more, and no, it is not a requirement.

what i do is trot around the arena and say "hello. i am riding __________ and my number is_____." then they will ring the bell or whistle and then you start the test. after when you finish your salute, you walk strait to the judges and say thank you. i dont know if you have to do that, but i do! i hope that helped!!!

When the previous horse comes out of the arena, you trot your horse outside of the arena, inbetween the arena and the letters, you ride round infront of the car. The first time you stop and talk to the judge. The judge will ask the information she needs. You can ask how long she will be before she puts the flag out.

You can continue to work your horse around the arena a couple of times if you wish, before circling outside "A" and entering the arena.

It’s all a but scary the first time, but judges are nice people !!! they will understand if you get a bit mixed up.

Starlight:
At most dressage competitions it is COMPULSORY to present to the judge, and immediate elimiation occurs if you do not present!
The Steward outside the the arena, tells you if you need to or not.
The only time I haven’t had to present was at a State championship, where they needed to get through the riders quickly.

When waiting to go into the ring, there will be someone checking you in and telling you when it is your turn to go. They are usually easy to pick out as they have a clipboard with names and numbers on it. Many lower level and local dressage events in the UK don’t actually hand out numbers anymore as it costs them money that they don’t really need to spend. Check with that person whether you need to give the judge and scribe your name. If so, when you enter the arena, ride to the judge, halt and politely tell them who you are and if relevant your number. The scribe should already know your test as they will have a score sheet with your name ready to write on.

Then you should start to warm up around the outside of the test area. In most cases this will be outside the markers but in some tests held in an arena you may actually go round the test area as there is no room outside it. Watch a couple of other competitors before you go in to see the protocol. When riding around the outside most competitors just trot, but you can walk or canter and change the rein to suit you and your horses needs. This can be particularly useful if your horse is having a look at something on the outside of the ring. Once the buzzer or bell goes you normally have 45 seconds to enter the ring at A but don’t panic, just calmly trot your way to the top of the arena and get a good line round to A. Once inside the ring, you may not speak to anyone unless the judge rings the bell again to tell you that you have made a mistake and speaks to you to explain.

At the end of the test, you halt, show immobility and then salute. After my salute I usually hold my horse still, pat it on the neck and nod and smile or say thanks (even just mouth it) to the judge. Your halt is facing the judge so it makes it easy for them to see without you having to actually ride over to them. After that you should leave the ring on a long rein in walk.

I hope this helps. Try to go and watch a class at your local showground so you know what to expect. Good luck!