8 Things You’ll Learn At The Show – Part 2

In Part 2 of the 8 Things You'll Learn At The Show, we'll go over four more benefits of showing that really have more to do with life skills than just winning ribbons. Click here for Part 1.

Become Friends With Tension

Ah! The old nerves!

Well, yes, showing horses fires up a whole lot of emotions, including those fear and flight feelings that we usually try to stay away from. After all, the whole context of putting yourself in front of others - from friends to strangers to judges - is one that requires you to take risks and put it all out there.

There is good news! The more you get out there, the more you expose yourself, make mistakes and live through them, the easier it will become to make friends with your tension and actually "rein it in" to make it work for you instead of hinder you. I've written about how to use your nervous energy in the show ring here.

Accept Help

You'll become better at accepting help - from friends and strangers. The unpredictable nature of horses may put you in a position of need to accept help from someone, anyone - and now! When things go wrong, you'll discover that other show goers are often willing to help out in times of need, especially when horses are concerned. You will eventually become more comfortable to approach complete strangers with requests just because you'll learn that when it comes down to it, we're all there to support each other.

While it is possible to show completely alone, most people bring along helpers (family and friends), grooms and coaches - for a reason! Aside from the obvious advantages of having several hands "to make light work," your show crew will bring with them their perspective of what is going on. They'll help you mentally and emotionally, and be in your corner when you need it. They can cheer you on and boost you up.

Be Social

While the other show-goers theoretically are your "competition", they are also fellow horse lovers and dedicated riders. They are also going through a similar path to yours - putting in hours of practice, caring for their horses, taking lessons for improvement, spending the time and effort it takes to prepare to show, and so much more. You likely have more in common with them than you think.

In time, as you meet people and share experiences, you may find that some of your best horsey friendships evolve in the show grounds and carry over into the rest of your life.

Understand What Really Matters

Without a doubt, you go to a show to do well. Or at least, do well in terms of your goals. There's nothing better than receiving a ribbon to boost your confidence and give you the positive feedback that will encourage you to reach farther.

But there will also be the other days - the ones you'd rather forget about. Those days when nothing seems to go right, and no ribbons make it your way. The days when your competition wasn't as friendly as you'd like, or your performance just wasn't able to meet your expectations.

This is when you learn the most valuable life skill. Showing isn't only about ribbons, accolades and achievements. It is as much about "putting yourself out there" as it is about anything else. It's about doing something with and for your horse. It's about going, stepping out of your comfort zone, taking risks, overcoming obstacles.

These accomplishments, while less readily apparent, are as much - if not more - important than any points earned or any wins.

So get out and enjoy the show, or participate in the plentiful horsin' around activities that are out there!

And let us know in the comments below what you plan to do with your horse this season.

8 Things You’ll Learn At the Show – Part 1

What you learn at the horse show — Photo Credit: JBoesveld

What happens when you head to a horse show? Is it just a simple walk in, do your thing and walk out affair? Or does something more profound happen in the process?

Shows can be more valuable than you might think. Most people make progress as they accumulate the judges' feedback but there is so much more gained than just riding skills. Sure, improving your aids and becoming a quieter, more balanced rider could be a huge achievement in and of itself. But if you take a deeper look at the whole thing, you'll be surprised to discover what really happens during those horsey field trips.

*Although I use examples from showing (Dressage shows in particular), the following list applies to pretty much anything you can do with your horse - from shipping somewhere to go on a trail ride, to performing in a musical ride, to demonstrating tricks for a crowd, and everything in between.

Humility

One of the first things we learn from putting ourselves "out there" is how to become humble. This happens because no matter how much you prepare yourself and your horse, the unexpected occurs, or something doesn't go right.

The upside is that experience will make you much better able to overcome these less-than-perfect moments. You will learn that the world won't end when things don't go to plan and you will become a better person for it. Among other things, you'll learn to be more accepting of your own and others' weaknesses, put others' needs before your own, stay calm and generally become more confident.

Satisfaction

There is much satisfaction in a job well done. A first place ribbon - or any ribbon, really - is a wonderful, concrete way to recognize your hard work and achievements. But it's not all about the ribbon.

Just taking your well groomed horse, doing your best on that day, and having achieved some of your riding goals should be cause for celebration. You may not get a ribbon every day, but every day that you can go out and expose yourself and your horse to new, more challenging situations, are accomplishments in and of themselves. And that is satisfying.

Stepping Up

There is that element of pressure when you step into the show ring. The surge of energy you get from being put in the limelight can become a good thing. Just let it collect into laser-sharp focus and don't be too surprised if you discover that you can do things a little better than you usually do it at home.

With time and practice, you can learn to use your nerves to make you sharper and more accurate. Transitions come on the spot, your horse's impulsion flows easily, and you ride like a pro! Just the act of showing puts you in a position to try harder, be more accurate, reach for the next goal.

Consistency

There's really only one way that I know of that will bring about true consistency: doing it again and again until it becomes commonplace. Being consistent applies to everything!

For your horse, it means becoming used to things like:

braiding,
trailering,
leading in unfamiliar places,
maybe sleeping overnight in a strange stall.

For you, it means:

remembering everything you need,
developing a pre-class routine,
knowing when and how to complete a "just enough" warm-up,
riding in the show ring often enough until it becomes familiar and expected.

Your attention to detail and consistency will show up in everything from having your tack and grooming supplies when needed, to the regularity of your horse's tempo at each gait. At the show ring - consistency rules!

Read Part Two here

* Click here for Part 2!

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Five Secrets to Winning at the Horse Show

It is a given fact that people go to the horse show wanting to win the ribbons. The idea of competing (in anything) is to outperform our peers in a particular activity, and competitions at their core are about success and achievement . The problem arises when the goal turns into winning that ribbon.

Many riders get caught up in their placings at the horse shows. They want to win first place, acquire points, be better than the other people and prove how great their horses are.

Then they are disappointed when their goals are not achieved. Their horse spooks, or something small goes wrong, and their vision of achievement fades to nothingness.

It's no wonder that they leave disgruntled and disappointed. In getting "competitive", they forget the real purpose behind showing: seeing if you can perform at your best under pressure and find out how you fare in comparison to the standards of the discipline.

Here are five sure-fire ways that will prepare you to do your best at the show:

1. There is only one way to be competitive.

And that way is to NOT be there to compete against everyone else. The only person you are trying to beat is yourself. The idea is to perform personal bests, achieving a higher level of success than you did last time.

What were some problems you ran into last show? What were some things you worked on at home? Are you able to break through those problems this time at the show?

If you can do better than last time, rest assured, success will follow your hoofprints!

2. Set Goals

Before heading out to the show, set three realistic goals you want to achieve. Your aim is to do all the prerequisites up to and including those goals.

For example, if you had trouble keeping your horse round at the last show, this time, your aim could be to keep up a steady rhythm, keep the horse moving strong through his back and develop a balancing but soft contact that helps the horse stay round.

Whatever your goals, make them reasonable and achievable, knowing that thanks to the distractions of the unfamiliar surroundings (for both you and your horse), your performance at the show will likely be 50% weaker than what you produce at home.

3. Focus on the Goals

No matter what distracts you at the show, focus on the goals you set for yourself. Even if the sky falls around you, your mission is to meet those goals.

Do not focus on trying to make a placing. The minute you start thinking about beating others is the same minute you lose sight of why you went to the show in the first place. You are not in control of how the judge places you and how the other competitors perform. But you are in control of what you do and how you work with your horse in the show environment.

4. Win Your Ribbons at Home First

This one is the easiest but also the toughest part. If you can be patient enough to "win" your ribbons at home first, before you ever enter the show, you are well on your way to being successful when you do step foot into the show ring.

How do you win ribbons at home? You decide how well your performance should be, then work on it until you think you would have done well in a competitive environment. After a little practice, you will be able to pinpoint a "ribbon-winning ride" every time, whether it was at home, at someone else's barn, or at a clinic. You don't really need a competitive environment to win ribbons - give yourself a mental ribbon each time you can meet your own expectations!

5. Prepare for the unexpected.

Things don't go as planned on show day. Be ready for that, and be able to forgive yourself and your horse if everything doesn't fall into place at the same time. There is such thing as luck and it does play a factor in everything we do, and luck at the show is no exception. There are so many variables involved in producing your best performance at any given time that it is quite something when it all does come together nicely!

Going to the show should not be about the ribbons - it's about winning ribbons "at home", setting achievable goals and reaching your own personal bests. Get out there and have fun!

Top 6 Ways To Ramp It Up For Show Season

Preparing for the show season may not be as easy as it looks. There are many aspects that go into getting to the show ring, and even more that need to be done before you even set your first trailer tires onto the road.

Show Day — Have a great time at the show!

6. Set your end-of-the-season goals. What can you realistically expect to achieve by the championships? Break each goal down into a series of mini-steps that work you back to where you and your horse are now. Start at the beginning but set a timeline that enables you to achieve those long-term goals about a month before your championships. If you'd like a goal-setting workbook designed especially for the equestrian, click here.

5. Build momentum. Setting a routine is an essential component to showing. You need to develop momentum in everything from knowing what equipment you need to take with you for the show, to establishing habits for packing all the extras that you will need once you are off-property.

4. Take your horse on a field trip. Just like people, horses need time to develop their routines. Although your horse may have loaded perfectly by the end of last show season, taking him on a trip to another friendly and low-key facility will enable him to get into his groove. He can get the feel for unloading in a strange place and performing immediately after arrival. Have a blast during the field trip and you will help develop a positive attitude that will transfer to the show ring once the pressure is on. Take more than one trip if necessary. Your horse will tell you when he has found his routine.

3. Practice your show requirements. If you are showing in dressage, know those tests inside out and backward! If you are going for a hunter/jumper round, practice the common courses you will likely see in the show ring. Practice the patterns for western performance, and break down the barrel runs into mini-components that require the horse to go through the motions of show day. If you compete in competitive trail, take your horse away to a friendly trail system and ride half the distance of your event at competition speed. Try to "win your ribbons" at home before you even leave your own sand.

2. Pack a good attitude. Know that you and your horse are going to do your best on the given day under the given circumstances. Set your reasonable goals for the day and try to achieve them. Ribbons are the icing on the cake, but I guarantee that "if you build it", the ribbons will come! However, if everything falls apart, don't despair! Just go home, regroup, and get back on the horse for another day. It happens to all of us!

1. Do it all again! It is true that it takes several shows for you and your horse to get accustomed to all the routines and variations in your day. Showing in the morning will feel very different from performing in the afternoon or at the end of the day. Different locations will offer differing amenities and both you and your horse need to experience and adapt to those changes. There is no replacement for experience, and with practice, your day will flow smoothly and effortlessly.

So get out there and start ramping it up for your show season! Is there anything you do differently from the list above? Let us know in the comments below!

Be Productive With Your Nervous Energy at the Horse Show

Butterflies in the stomach.

Fear of the unknown.

Dealing with a multitude of eyes watching your every move.

Wondering if your responses to the horse are "right".

There are so many feelings that run through you when you head to the horse show. Most of us feel the tension and nervous energy run through us as we enter the warm-up ring or head to the show ring. We watch others as they watch us, and at the very least, we feel nervous or even worse, we might feel intimidated or insecure.

All of these feelings are completely normal but in the moment, it is important that you know how to make your show experience the best possible. The tension that builds in you during the warm-up ride can be very useful if you know what to do with it.

First, acknowledge the nervous energy.

The jitters you feel are GOOD and can help you achieve even better results than you would on a normal riding day "back at the ranch". Use the energy to focus internally - feel your joints, your seat, your legs and hands, and work with even more clarity toward helping your horse in his performance.

Jazz up your attitude!

Use the tension and energy to allow yourself to pick up mentally; rather than letting the tension disable you, use it to catapult your frame of mind into a party zone. Enjoy yourself and your horse! Mingle with your friends and competitors. Bask in the glory of the day, watch the beautiful horses and riders, and let them give you the buoyancy you need to perform at your best. Expect the best from your horse, but come from a place that allows mistakes and cuts him slack when needed. Create a buzz in you and your horse, then let the chips fall where they may.

"Zone in" to your horse.

Wrap yourself into a virtual bubble and visualize just you and your horse. Feel the horse's movements and respond sympathetically but supportively. Focus on the specific movements of your class and work on releasing both you and your horse's tension through the warm-up session. Then let the focus take you to your best performance!

Finally, remember that you are doing your best on that day, in those circumstances. The stars may not all align as exactly as you would like, but learn from every trip and strive for your own personal bests. Know that the ribbons are the icing on the cake - if you achieve your goals, you did what you came to do!

And remember to thank your horse, for you would not be at the show if it wasn't for him!

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Available as an eBook or paperback.

If you enjoyed the above article, you may enjoy the following ones as well:

Do You Have the "X Factor" at the Horse Show? Some tips on how to be your best at the show.

Scoring the Hunter Round: A guest post written by a Senior Hunter Judge - all you ever wanted to know about how a hunter round is judged!

So Ya Think Ya Got Something To Prove? Then don't go to the show. Seriously.

Is Dressage Judging All That Bad? Weighing in on the controversy.

Do You Have the “X Factor” at the Horse Show?

You know it when you see it...

the flawless performance

the harmony

the sense of joy

the ease of the ride

the expression in the horse

the glow from the rider.

Can you find your "X factor" at the show?

Find your own "X Factor" at the horse show!

Attitude

Have that LOOK AT ME! air about you. It is essential that you go into the class thinking that this is a "performance". Be ready to show off! Believe that you and your horse are truly amazing. Try to attract everyone's attention (including the judge's eye) by having that extra sense of expression. Turn their heads!

Accept constructive (or any) criticism with humility and evaluate later on. The show is not the place to challenge someone's opinion or try to argue your position. Just say "yes", do what needs to be done, and then consider all the other factors later when you get home.

Go in with a positive attitude. Have fun - enjoy the ride, because that's what it is really all about. Use any nervous energy to make you (and your horse) better, sharper and more "with it". Think of it as a party - you are out there to celebrate your horse as well as your own accomplishments with the judge and the other competitors.

Skills

Know your skill requirements/movements inside and out. Although you will always invariably learn something (good or bad) at the show, your goal should not be to learn anything new. The show is the place where you want to demonstrate your already acquired skills. Think of it as a "culminating task" - the test, the project, the demonstration. Study the requirements of the show and practice it all at home before even thinking about pulling the trailer out.

Have the horse technically above the level of the show. If there are components of the show that you or your horse are not fluent in, then stay home and practice. Or head over to a friend's barn and do a "not show" in an environment that will test your horse but where you can feel comfortable and focused without the added stress of the competitive atmosphere of a show.

Get to the point that you don't have to think about the movements. Muscle memory is where it's at! Both you and your horse should be so well practiced in the required movements that there is no thinking in the moment. Just do. If you can be working at that level of performance, you will suddenly discover oodles of extra time for you to consider things other than just skill - things like strategy and fun!

Goals

Set three (or so) goals that you want to achieve. Before you head to the show, consider three realistic goals that you want to definitely achieve. The catch is that these goals should have already been practiced at home. There is no room at the show for you to try something new - what have you mastered already that you can "test" at the show?

Strive each time for a personal best. Again, reality is the key here. Although the point of the show is to compete against other people, your goal should never be to try to beat someone else. Instead, focus on beating yourself. What has been your best achievement to date? What would be just one small step higher? Have you been achieving this at home already? Can you work toward it at a show? It stands to reason that if you progress even just a little each show, there will be a lot of improvement by the end of the season.

Re-evaluate your performance at home. Save the debriefing of the show for later. If you are disappointed in the results, take the information home with you and consult your coach, or support crew. What went right? What went wrong? What did you learn about your horse? What did you learn about yourself? What is your new homework to work toward the next show?

Homework

Be fit - make sure you are both conditioned beyond the required level of performance. Both you and your horse have to be adequately conditioned to be able to physically and mentally handle the pressures of the show environment and schedule. As you build up toward the show, consider how much physical exertion will be required and slowly develop your stamina to that level.

Show at a lower level than at home. Always practice the more difficult skills at home. Do not take them to the show until they become the easy skills! Having adequate muscle memory dictates that the show requirements are easy for you and your horse - not vica versa!

Don't train at the show. Have you seen people trying to teach their horse something new under the stressful environment of a show? They insist that the horse has to "get it", right then and there. Avoid being one of those people. Neither you nor your horse will be able to learn a new skill in one warm-up session; you will only be setting both of you up for failure. If you find yourself training, you know you should not have gone to the show.

____________________________

Well, to be honest, finding your "X Factor" at the show is not an easy feat. So many things must fall together all at the same time. But you are not entirely powerless! Just focus on the above tips, and see if they help you achieve that little bit extra to catapult you to higher heights!

There must be other tips that help you get through your show day. Share some below in the comment section!

Don’t miss a single issue of Horse Listening! If you like what you are reading, become a subscriber and receive updates when new Horse Listening articles are published! Your email address will not be used on any other distribution list. Subscribe to Horse Listening by Email

New! Horse Listening – Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success

Available as an eBook or paperback.

More on showing here:

Five Secrets to Winning at the Horse Show: The fun part about winning is that winning isn’t everything!

Top 6 Ways to Ramp It Up For Show Season: Preparing for the show season may not be as easy as it looks. There are many aspects that go into getting to the show ring, and even more that need to be done before you even set your first trailer tires onto the road.

Be Productive With Your Nervous Energy at the Horse Show: The tension that builds in you during the warm-up ride can be very useful if you know what to do with it.

So Ya Think Ya Got Something to Prove? Then don’t go to the show. Seriously.

Read our guest post on www.proequinegrooms.com

Horse Listening was invited to do a guest post on www.proequinegrooms.com - read to see our "listening" twist to grooming (and lost more good info on the site too)!

Click here: Zen and the Art of Grooming

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Don’t miss a single issue of Horse Listening! If you like what you are reading, become a subscriber and receive updates when new Horse Listening articles are published! Your email address will not be used on any other distribution list. Subscribe to Horse Listening by Email

Scoring the Hunter Round

At Horse Listening, we are emphatic life-long learners of all things horsey. You will be reminded time and again about how there is so much to be learned from horses and other horse people, if only we listened.

This guest post is by Laura Kelland-May, a Sr. Judge in Hunter Jumper Hack and Equitation and founder of the Thistle Ridge Skill Builders Series © of Horse Show Clinics andThistle Ridge Skill Builders©. She is available for judging and developing clinics and riders in your area.

A well thought of and ‘in demand’ coach and trainer with 20+ years of experience, Laura continues to develop and brings her experience online and has been featured guest with “How to Market Your Horse Business” (Facebook discussion) and Featured Guest with “Horse Family Magazine” on #horsechat. In addition Laura offers weekly lessons on her weekly live Q & A session.

Scoring the Hunter Round

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Laura

Hunter Horse — Hunters should have good form and have their knees up and even

Riding a show ring hunter has come a long way from the field hunters of yesteryear. Originally the horses found in the hunter jumper show ring were field hunters that used to be ridden to the hounds. Now-a-days show ring hunters are a breed unto themselves and are required to be superior athletes, easy to ride and sound competitors.

Have you ever wondered how the judge keeps track of the horses they like?

We have all lamented about “the judge just doesn’t like my horse”. Well, that usually isn’t the reason why you placed or didn’t place in the show ring. The judge probably DOES like your horse and is hoping it will put in a good trip. Your horse may not have won because it didn’t perform as well as some of the other competitors –OR- you don’t understand what the judge is looking for.

When I sit in the judges stand I often see a horse come in and think, “ ohh, what a lovely horse. This is going to be great!” Then all of a sudden the rider buries the lovely horse in a bad spot or falls into the trot through a corner. As judges we are looking for the best in your horse and we are rooting for you. If you find a bad take off spot or get a wrong lead, then we will have to penalize you.

Judging Criteria for Show Hunters

People who take their showing seriously know the rules and have an understanding of “what the judge is looking for”. Sometimes, however, people (by people I mean trainers, coaches, riders and parents) overlook what the judge really wants to see (an athletic horse that has good form over it’s fences) and concentrate on whether the leads, striding and braids are good.

Ideally, the judge (that would be me) wants to see a well turned out horse and rider combination come in, with purpose, and jump all the jumps out of stride and in good form. It is important to remember that anything that detracts from a rhythmic, steady round (breaking to a trot, wrong leads, adding and leaving out strides) will cause the score to go down. Major errors such as refusals, nappiness at the gate, bucking, rearing (God Forbid!) and knock downs are heavily penalized.

Usually judges are in the same ball park for major errors. A refusal will be scored in the 30’s. A horse that refuses may have the best form over fences but a refusal should knock it out of the ribbons.

A knock down is also heavily penalized. I score a horse that has a knock down with a front leg more severely than if it hits a fence with a hind leg on the way down. This is from the old field hunter school. If a horse hits with its front legs taking off for the jump, it may have a terrible fall or flip. For this reason I score a rail down with the hind legs less severe than a rail with the front hooves. A knock down is considered a major error and I score a 50 for a rail. If it is a bad jump with a rail down I will note its jumping style and a rail by giving it a score in the low 50’s. If it is a rub that robs a nice horse of a first place finish – I may be generous and score it the highest of knock downs.

Horses. Riding. Life.

Category: showing

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Horse Listening – Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success

8 Things You’ll Learn At the Show – Part 1

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Want to advertise your business on Horse Listening? Click here for more info.

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

Five Secrets to Winning at the Horse Show

1. There is only one way to be competitive.

2. Set Goals

3. Focus on the Goals

4. Win Your Ribbons at Home First

5. Prepare for the unexpected.

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Top 6 Ways To Ramp It Up For Show Season

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

Be Productive With Your Nervous Energy at the Horse Show

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – Book 4: 20-Minute Exercises To Add Variety To Your Riding Routine

Do You Have the “X Factor” at the Horse Show?

Can you find your "X factor" at the show?

Attitude

Skills

Goals

Homework

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

New! Horse Listening – Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success

Read our guest post on www.proequinegrooms.com

Scoring the Hunter Round

Scoring the Hunter Round

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