MAKING A MISTAKE

Inevitably, mistakes happen, but you can plan ahead for some possibilities, just in case. For example, if you think you might mess up a simple change, a trot circle, or a leg-yield, then be mindful of where in your floorplan you might be able to repeat that movement — this is one advantage of having a professional design the floorplan for you.

“Correcting mistakes is the reason why you need to know your music inside out,” says Kelly. “I always listen to my music on constant repeat on the way to a competition. This way I know where I should be at various points within the arrangement, not just where the obvious transitions are.”