5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Earlier
Sometimes people tell us things that drastically alter the way we do things for the better, sometimes the knowledge they share is so amazing, we just wish someone had told us earlier. Here are 5 horse show things I wish someone had told me earlier.
1.Trail is not a race.
Its OK to take your time and take a breather mid course! Sometimes when you and your horse begin getting too far ahead of yourselves, perhaps from adrenaline or nerves, things can get a little messy. Take a moment to gather your thoughts, relax, and plan your next move. Your horse will appreciate this too!
2. The fastest horse won’t win the Hunter Under Saddle.
For the longest time I was under the impression a HUS horse needed to be fast, cover lots of ground, and have you rising so quick you couldn’t feel your legs. I used to push my poor 14.3HH gelding so quick we would be doing laps, and I never understood why we didn’t place well. A HUS horse should have a comfortable, forward and fluid movement that gently sweeps across the ground, but these things do not mean fast! Show your horse at a comfortable, fluid pace that looks easy to ride that doesn’t leave you puffing like you ran a marathon.
3. Accuracy in a pattern will always win.
When I first started showing patterns I thought that my manoeuvres had to be perfect, and the rest of the pattern wasn’t too important. It didn’t matter if my circle was perfectly round or ended on the wrong angle as long as it looked good and his lope was nice, right? WRONG! It didn’t matter if I overspun one of my turns as long as the turn was good? WRONG! The person who shows the pattern the most accurately will win over the person who looked nicer but missed all their lines, angles and points of execution.
4. Presentation matters.
When I began to really get my sh*t together, and started showing classes correctly and consistency placed, I started slacking on my presentation. Why? Because I thought if my horse went nice enough and I showed him well enough, it didn’t matter if his socks were a little dirty or his mane was not trimmed or I showed in the same shirt with a dirt stain on it that I wore yesterday. I didn’t look well put together, and I didn’t look professional. Yes my horse was going better and better, but I was looking worse and worse! A well presented rider and horse shows respect and dignity towards the judge and the sport, it shows you want to be there, and you have the presence in the ring that makes the judge think you know what you’re doing, even if sometimes you don’t!
5. You don’t have to enter everything at the show.
Sometimes you may feel the pressure of others to enter more events than you’re comfortable with. “Why don’t you do the HMS? You should do the showmanship, your horse is really good!”. Or sometimes your Trainer/Coach may encourage you to enter classes you’re not comfortable with for the sake of experience. Or again perhaps you were under the impression that entering every class you’re eligible for is a good idea. It is common knowledge that both horses and humans get tired, grumpy and sore after a long day of showing. Sometimes entering the extra HMS or Pleasure class for the sake of experience can have a negative affect, because sometimes you and your horse are just “over it”. Keeping your schedule of classes small enables you to concentrate more on those specific classes and what they entail, and keeps you and your horse fresh and happy for the next show.
Comments