 |
| Admittedly, dressage warm up was mostly ok |
Here we go with another Teach Me Tuesday. I understand what horse showing is (I think), but I'm curious what it looks like for my fellow bloggers.
I like to think of myself as the sort of person who shows horses, but even if I squint a little, I have to admit that Courage and I made it to a grand total of one show this year.
And it was terrible.
 |
| plus technically one clinic I didn't ride in |
There's lots of reasons for that--my car exploded, my job exploded, he's really green, etc etc etc. I was feeling kind of like a charlatan for thinking of myself as a "show person" when the sum total of my accomplishments for the year was one half assed show, but then I got wondering about it.
I'm a working adult ammy with no trust fund and a greenie. What does normal look like? Do you show? Clinic? Abstain? If you do, how often? To what end?
I do as much as I can, because I like showing. My budget is limited though, so it is what it is. Usually 6ish times a year? I will say - it's much easier for me to compete as an eventer at recognized HT's than as a jumper at A show level... it's a lot cheaper.
ReplyDeleteI show as much as I can afford time- and money-wise. Usually that ends up being 5-6 local schooling shows per year. It's fun, it gives me goals to shoot for, and I enjoy getting out to show off my pony and the skills we've learned. So yeah, I'd say that I'm a 'show person', but on the lower end of the scale. I also participate in clinics when I can, because I enjoy personal growth.
ReplyDeleteI show, but that varies widely from year to year. My husband is in medical school and I work at a University. Drowning in money, we are not. In fact, I typically spend my show season eating very little and abstaining from alcohol (it's SO EXPENSIVE!). I also try to save money by focusing on my goals. Goal #1: Get my bronze medal scores. This year, it was obvious getting my scores at 2nd was going to be a stretch. I got one score and decided to sit the rest of the year out, save money, and get better. Hopefully that means next year I can come out and get my scores easily, and maybe even show at 3rd. It was a tough decision, but one that I think will serve us well.
ReplyDeleteI can't say that I have shown this year but I used to say in general that I compete. Last year that was a handful of local unrecognized HJ shows, dressage shows, and mini trials as well as 3 sanctioned events.
ReplyDeleteThis year I bought a new saddle, dealt with a plethora of unexpected vet bills, had my car explode (tires, engine, body) and life got in the way. My riding future is very much up in the air due to thinking about why I ride and what my goals are for riding and personally.
I think that if you go to some shows you show but be honest about what those shows are. Everyone's measure of success is based on their goals which are all different for each of us. Interesting topic! :)
I really, really like to show and I knew that going into things. So I bought a horse I could have fun on, learn on and have the chance at being competitive on. To that end, I typically go to 5 shows a year, depending on finances and scheduling.
ReplyDeleteI go to shows because they're fun -- I have a great group of friends that I go with and it's basically like a girls weekend for us. We eat, drink and chat all weekend, surrounded by horses. Shows also really highlight my progress, and show me what I need to work on. I get so much accomplished in a weekend that it would take me months to learn otherwise.
I enjoy showing, but I'm somewhat limited because I don't have a truck and trailer I can use. (I have both, but the trailer's too big for the truck.) When my friend/barn owner has room in her trailer, my horse gets to tag along. This year, we went to 3 shows: two dressage shows and a combined test.
ReplyDeleteWhile I like competing, I almost like hauling out to trail ride and go to vaguely competitive events like the hunter pace more. It's low key, fun, and is great for hanging out with friends!
I'm just at the point I can begin to think about showing and clinics again. I enjoy showing, but explosions (ie car, job, Horse) don't make it easy. I have clear goals in my head I just keep working toward. That is what keeps me going.
ReplyDeleteI am sometimes envious of those that have no interest in showing. Looks peaceful.
It totally does look peaceful.
DeleteI get really lazy when I don't have a show schedule though... I go ehhhh we don't have anything on the schedule, I don't *really* need to do anything with her today.... showing keeps me crisp and motivated! I don't know how people with no drive to show actually get on and go every day!
I try to get in the show ring once a month. That an depend on what's available around here as well. My main jumper goes to A and AA shows only and my baby has been learning to hang out at the cheaper non rated ones. I am a working ammie
ReplyDeleteNot having a huge budget means you have to reevaluate your goals a little. I love showing, but don't have a budget for six recognized events a season with a dressage show or two on the side. So I set out this year to just enjoy myself by doing anything that was fun, close, and cheap. Competing in a variety of disciplines, it wasn't the most structured of years, but I got a dozen shows in. That's winning in horse showing for me.
ReplyDeleteI like to show because I am a competitive little weirdo. But we never get close to winning, but that's ok, because I then compete against myself to see if I can better each performance. I dream of ribbons and awards, and damnit, someday I will get them. Plus, I get to play xc!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy showing for a few reasons. It is fun to mix and mingle with other horse people. In Montana our population is so sparce, that it is like one big reunion everytime you go to a show. Also, I think showing is just fun in general. When I was younger and didn't own my own horse, I showed simply for the competitive aspect of it. To win. Okay, I still show to win, but in addition to that it has become a way to track my horse's training progress. Life has massively gotten in the way of frequent showing as of late, and I don't really anticipate getting to show a lot until Junior is a bit older and finances are better (ie. double income again). Because of the cost, I am one of those people that only shows if I think we are ready and have the ability to win our classes....although I"ll tell you it's just for the horse to gain experience and doesn't matter what happens.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy showing, but I like to go to schooling shows and lower level shows for the more friendly atmosphere (and cheap entry fees!). I love going to clinics too and try to fit in as many as I can - but if I have a budget, I try to go with clinicians I LOVE.
ReplyDeletei love to show - and am currently focused on getting miles rather than working up to big goals. so i do LOTS of cheap local schooling type shows, in a variety of disciplines. i want a lot of exposure - both for me *and* the horse so that when we eventually go to expensive recognized events, we will be ready to show at our best
ReplyDeleteI used to show a ton. By a ton I mean like, every weekend or every other. I had Pony Club, 4H and eventing shows up the wazoo. It was insanity and I loved every second. Normally I brought 2 horses to each show and it was wonderful and crazy and exhausting.
ReplyDeleteThen I went to college and it sputtered out. I could only afford local schooling shows and an event maybe once a year. It sucked.
And here I am now, wishing and hoping, but I'm basically in the same position as you!
I"m a local only show gal. We're talking within an hour driving and more often in under 20mins ;) Before my job blew up last year, twice, I was showing avg once a month Mar-Nov. But last year, one show. So yeah, I still consider myself a show gal.
ReplyDeleteI just got back into showing 3 years ago after about a 5 or 6 year hiatus due to being poor starting out in the work force.
ReplyDeleteNow I event regularly but this year I cut back to try and focus on improving dressage. At the higher levels there really is no point to compete unless you are going to do well - just running their legs off otherwise!
With the young ones I try and do local cheap schooling shows to get them experience showing and it costs very little. I trailer share and that usually pays for the gas. Until the horses are going very well they won't get to go eventing, just too much $$.
Not sure what next years plans are other than some LL events with the two younger ones!
I liked show jumping at the lower levels 80cm-1m when I was in Ireland but i have not yet ventured into showing on the continent. Mostly because shortly after moving here the $h1t hit the fan with Kika and my confidence about riding in public to an almighty knock.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying I will never show again, but with a newly built apartment (ie: mortgage) & furniture purchases etc i don't see showing in my future anytime soon as not only would i have to pay registration fees for me & my horses; but i would also have to pass licensing tests (written & practical) to be eligible to compete. Again all at a price before you even factor in show clothes, entries and transport as i don't have that either lolz
However I do miss it
This year, I had planned out about 10-12 shows. I will make it to 7 by the end of the year. I'd also love to clinic, but there hasn't been an opportunity. To answer your question, next year I'm hoping on 10-12 again and maybe a clinic if it pops up... but I do what I can and try not to stress.
ReplyDeleteWell, last year I was an "owner" and I loved it. I missed actually showing myself but I got to enjoy being at the shows, getting my horse ready and seeing him to do awesome. Next year it will be me in the irons and I am sure there will be a lot more frustrations but I don't care. I love showing in anyway I can.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy shows - they are a good benchmark for our training progress, and I think they're fun! This year I did 2 registered HTs, 5 local shows, and 2 clinics. My preference is to do more HTs and less local shows, but sometimes you need quantity over quality, as Hemie did this year for dressage. If I had a trust fund, you can bet I'd do as many HTs as I could. They are such a blast.
ReplyDeleteI love to show because it's usually my comfort zone and I ride better/learn more. That being said, I've shown one form or another since I was three years old and it took as hell of a long time for me to love it as much as I do. The last few years, I've really only done 1-3 shows per year, mostly due to time and being indecisive about boarding locations and trainers. Showing is always my goal though. With Indy being so green, I'm going to try to attend as many clinics as possible in the next few months before we show. I think that if you have shown and are aiming to show again, then you are a show person :)
ReplyDeleteThis year was supposed to be heavier on the showing, but then Paddy got hurt and we only ended up at a few local shows. Next year I'm looking toward rated shows to see if we can get scores for year-end awards... we'll see how that goes. I'm hoping to do an away show every 3-4 weeks, but again, only if it seems like we'll score well enough for it to matter. Otherwise, I'll invest my $ in lessons until we have what it takes to do well.
ReplyDeleteOooh yes, year end awards and Championship shows are so funsies!
DeleteI love love love to show. There are seasons when I get do it more often than other seasons in life for all the usual ammy reasons. I used to plan plan plan my show season and historically that approach has nearly always blown up in my face. At the lower/ammy levels I think you do what you can, when you feel like it. Showing should be fun, it's too darn expensive and time consuming not to be. I've learned with time that it doesn't matter if the show is rated or a schooling show. I like to show when I know I’ll be competitive at the level- meaning I work at home to perfect the level I plan to show at before I ever put my horse on a trailer. I usually don't use shows to gain experience or test confidence for my horse or myself, I use schooling field trips, clinics and off property lessons to do stuff like that. I LOVE show clothes and the ritual of getting my ponykins ready. My husband is my official groom, he’s getting pretty darn good after a few years of it ;)
ReplyDeleteI think it depends. For me, I show for two main reasons: 1) to get miles on the greenbeans, and 2) to win. Greenies go to the show with the single goal of not dying, and coming home with some experience of things being all OK under their belts. Seasoned horses to go win. I don't go to shows unless I plan on cleaning up. I don't bother spending the money if I know we're going to be in last place, or middle of the pack, or know that our dressage really needs work or our stadium is full of rails or XYZ other problem is going on. Shows are for winning, sorting those issues out is for home. Showing is SO expensive, so I try to be smart with my money!
ReplyDeleteClinics are also AWESOME! But, if I bother going to a clinic,my horse needs to be ready to go somewhere to learn things... they need a certain set of basics solidly down first before I spend the money, and it depends on what the clinic is.
That all said, I love showing. LOVE showing. Live and breathe showing! Work so super hard to afford it, and work just as hard at home training for it. I want to go to a show to showcase the partnership and training my horse and I have together - a show is the culmination of all the hard work we have done, and the prizes we come home with are our rewards and acknowledgement from others.
We will show next year together! C-rage and R-Dawg will take the valley by storm
ReplyDeleteI think as an eventer, I show a fair bit less than your average h/j rider. But in my experience, we also do a lot more schooling. So while my hunter buddies may go to 4 shows for every 1 of mine, I'll be shipping my mare out to have a xc school, or jump around a stadium course, or run through some dressage tests instead.
ReplyDeleteThis summer was an interesting one for us in terms of shows- our most successful show was the dressage show we attended in the spring as our 'warm up'. We raked in four 1st and two 2nd place ribbons over the three day show... and didn't get a single ribbon all season after that! :P We basically spent the majority of the rest of the summer schooling, but I'd still consider myself a "show person" and my mare a "show horse" in spite of the lack of empirical evidence from this past season to back up that claim!
I also rarely focus on year end awards/points/rankings/etc. I did when I was showing my pony in the hunter world, but at the moment my main priority is bringing horses along, and we often end up upgrading at inconvenient times if you're looking at it from a points perspective.
DeleteI love going to champs though, and for us champs is based on qualifications rather than points/rankings, so if the horse is running well I'll aim for champs instead of year end awards & such.
I only showed once this year, and I'm not sure how much showing I'll do next year. Probably just a few local shows. I miss A-rated shows like crazy, but they are totally out of my budget right now. I'm not into chasing points or anything like that, I just like the atmosphere and I usually have fun at the A shows. I am also a wussy ammie and won't show if it's too hot, too cold, or too wet.
ReplyDeleteAs another adult ammy with a greenie, I got to a grand total of four shows this year. Two were local one-day combined tests, and two were two-day horse trials a few hours away. Nothing rated, and nothing too exciting this year: I just focused on getting the kid out, relaxed, and enjoying himself. I did not always enjoy myself (I cry about dressage.... a lot.) but all were good learning experiences. I want to show more next year, but it's not like more money is materializing in my bank account, so I'll probably stick to the same few shows and just... complain bout that, I guess.
ReplyDeleteI like to think I horse show and I dream about it, but so far it is once a year and livinh vicariously through others. Money and time are huge factors. I think it is healthy to daydream and identify yourself as what you want to be!
ReplyDeleteI'm in the same spot with most. I enjoy showing at some points... But honestly I'd rather put the money into learning and teaching my horse more than attempting to have a good experience in the show ring. Woodstock was AWESOME for us and honestly... I'm happy to have called that my only showing experience in the last year I'm really proud of. Why spend money on a situation that may be a bad experience instead of a good one. Set you and your pony up for success. It's about the relationship, not the ribbons.
ReplyDeleteI love showing and make it to 5 - 10 shows a year. We show both schooling shows and rated (USDF). I am a regular AA, but since I am in my 40s, my income is a little more stable than it was in my 20s or 30s. :0)
ReplyDeleteI would like to try getting back in to showing, but only for fun and to try something new with Charlie. I'm really not in it for the points/prizes. Money is a huge problem, though, so no showing for me any time in the immediate future :(
ReplyDeleteWe take it a month at a time for shows, sometimes we can, sometimes it's just not happening. This way I don't get all worked up about missing anything. Most of all I'm just out there to have fun!
ReplyDeleteHnnn, well.
ReplyDeleteYou read my blog, so you kinda know my situation. I ride at a lovely A circuit barn with a BNT and absolutely adore it, and have the *opportunity* to show as much as I want to.
But I don't really cash in on that.
This year I went to seven horse shows, I think? Which is still plenty. It's expensive as hell to show, and I frankly do not show as much as I would like to due to this. I have no trust fund, and actually grew up quite lower-middle class, not a lot of extra money for anything! So to have this decadence now is quite amazing, and I try to pick and choose carefully and really enjoy every moment of it.
There is (currently, unless I go as a working student!) no WEF or anything like that in my future. But I am super lucky to get to show on the A circuit both locally and nationally, and ride where I ride. I think of myself as a "show person" too, but I am less about the show and more about the improving at home and THEN going to the show - where I feel that a lot of my peers don't really care too much about doing anything at home, they just want to horse show all day erry day. Which I don't really get.
This year I had the interesting experience of actually winning (quite a bit of) money for the first time. This transformed at least one of my show weeks into a $0 experience. (You know, not including board and all the lessons etc that actually led up to it!) I would like to continue that but, of course, it's not so easy to win the classes all the time!
I would like to do some clinics; there is simply no point with the trainer we have right now, though, since we have the ability to learn SO MUCH every lesson and I would infinitely prefer to ride with him if he's around. But when he's not, I would really like to get out and so some! There was a McLain Ward clinic I was going to do this year but then it got canceled. Very sad.