It’s regional championship season in American dressage land. For many, it’s the final (or semifinal, if they’re aspiring to attend the US Dressage Finals in Ohio) stop of a competitive year, and you have spent at least a few months practicing that championships test in order to qualify for it, so the fact that the big show is upon you (the championships kicked off over the weekend with the GAIG/USDF Region 2 Championships in Michigan) shouldn’t come as a total shock. But there’s always room for improvement.

Here are the things I’m thinking about as I guide my qualified horses and riders into our last hurrah of 2025.

Read the rest at The Chronicle of the Horse!