A typical horse show includes halter, showmanship, pleasure, horsemanship, western riding, trail, equitation, hunter under saddle and sometimes even pleasure driving and jumping classes. Each of these classes are challenging for various reasons, but which is the toughest? We asked some of the leading trainers and exhibitors in the industry the question, “What is the hardest class at the horse show and why?” You may be surprised at the results. Disagree with what our experts think? Let us know what you think by casting your vote now.
Cast your vote in our poll on the upper right-hand corner of this page and let us know what you think is the hardest class at the horse show. Check out the results of what our experts had to say at the end of this article.
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[NPI]/Media/16/jpg/2009/4/JonBarry.jpg[/NPI]Jon Barry, Western Pleasure Trainer, Missouri
The hardest to prepare for is the pleasure. It’s so very competitive with so many great trainers and great horses. The general public expects so much from these horses. We have priced these horses to where they are so costly and everybody feels that they have to come accomplish something. So everyone makes it harder on themselves, it makes it harder on the owners because of the cost.
The showmanship is the hardest class to judge because it’s very subjective – there are a lot of different ideas of what a really good go is. Even among the top level all-around trainers. There are just so many different styles. It’s not one of my favorite classes to judge but I don’t dislike it either. It’s part of the horse show. The key to that class is that the showman and the horse need to look like partners. That’s the bottom line. There shouldn’t be any extra movements – just do the pattern.
[NPI]/Media/16/jpg/2009/4/JillBriggs.jpg[/NPI]Jill Briggs, All-Around Trainer, Texas
For me personally it’s the trail because it’s either a good day in trail or a bad day in trail. It’s either a course that I can be very successful at where I can see my spots and I’m right on it or you can have an off day with your timing or your spots and it doesn’t matter what horse you’re on, you take them to the wrong area and there’s no turning back. The western riding is challenging but you have to give your horse a lot of credit in the western riding. You’re either on a really good one that’s really talented and it makes the western riding pretty easy and fun or if you’re on one where it’s more difficult and challenging for then it takes more work for the rider.
[NPI]/Media/16/jpg/2009/4/LukeCastle.jpg[/NPI]Luke Castle, Halter Trainer, Oklahoma
My answer is the halter because you have to hold a horse that’s 1500 pounds that’s wallering on ya. (Laughs) The pleasure driving is a tough class. It would be tough to have to have a horse hooked onto a cart and you’re riding it and you don’t have much control at all.
[NPI]/Media/16/jpg/2009/4/ShaneDowdy.jpg[/NPI]Shane Dowdy, Western Pleasure Trainer, Texas
I’d have to say the showmanship. Everything has to be so precise and you really have to be together with your horse. You’re working by yourself.
[NPI]/Media/16/jpg/2009/4/KevinDukes.jpg[/NPI]Kevin Dukes, English All-Around Trainer, Texas
For me the hardest class is the pleasure driving. The equipment alone makes it difficult. We have to carry wagons on top of the trailer and have to put them on and take them off. The prep at the horse shows is awful because there’s never any place to school with the carts without freaking other horses out so we don’t get to school. It also can be, in my opinion, the most dangerous class at the horse show. If you have horses in there that don’t know their job or aren’t prepared correctly. It can end up being a horrible wreck.
[NPI]/Media/16/jpg/2009/4/RobinFrid.jpg[/NPI]Robin Frid, All-Around Trainer, Texas
The hardest class at the horse show to prepare for would definitely be the western riding. No doubt. It encompasses everything that is in the pleasure and everything that is a control class being the horsemanship or the equitation. You have to present the horse in a manner that has complete self carriage that is doing it on its own but you have to control every single step that they take. I always say that the best western riding pattern is right on the edge of being out of control but still having control of it.
The toughest class to judge at the horse show would definitely be the showmanship because there are so many different interpretations. Each exhibitor has a totally unique style more than in any other class and it comes down to what that person’s style is, what that judge wants out of that style.
[NPI]/Media/16/jpg/2009/4/RustyGreen.jpg[/NPI]Rusty Green, Western Pleasure Trainer, Texas
I’d say the western riding. It’s a single horse pattern, there’s a specific spot you have to hit all the time, you have to have control and timing. I love that class because of the degree of difficulty. It’s one of those classes where you’re going to go out there and mark yourself and whatever job you get done, that’s how you’re going to score.
[NPI]/Media/16/jpg/2009/4/MeganMachesky.jpg[/NPI]Megan Machesky, Youth All-Around Exhibitor, Minnesota
If I had to pick one I would say the western riding because they have to be so athletic to do that many lead changes in a row and be that steady. They have to be a good loper to be able to change like that. That would be my bet. Plus there’s a pole in there so there’s a little trail thrown in too.
[NPI]/Media/16/jpg/2009/4/BrettParrish1.jpg[/NPI]Bret Parrish, Western Pleasure Trainer, Georgia
I have a lot of respect for all the disciplines. To be good at anything you have to work hard at it. But I’m going to say the western pleasure is the hardest class because it’s such a mental game that we play with them and it’s supposed to be the class that’s the simplest but it’s very hard to keep your concentration and keep your body control without it looking like you’re working hard. Mentally, you have to challenge them. Horses that go in there and they’ve done that same routine over and over and we’re asking them to do it in a certain way on a routine basis and sometimes they get tired of that and look for a way out. They are calling the gaits differently now and we really encourage that. At the rider’s meeting a year and a half ago, we talked about calling for the gaits differently so that it breaks up the monotony for the horses, for the riders, and for the fans in the stands. It also makes our job a little easier because the horse is not as apt to cheat as quickly if he’s not sure what’s going to be asked for next. Over the years they got into a narrow routine and it makes it easier for a horse to know what’s next and when to cheat with it. This way breaks up the routine and makes it easier for us.
[NPI]/Media/16/jpg/2009/4/EHPait.jpg[/NPI]E.H. Pait, Western Pleasure Trainer, Arkansas
The hardest class is the western pleasure because to have a clean ride you have to have perfect balance in a horse for a long period of time with minimal and invisible cues. That’s a lot harder than it sounds! For me to be happy with a horse it needs to be able to maintain its balance for at least three laps around the pen at the lope both ways without touching it. It also needs to hold itself during downward transitions. That is all very challenging.
[NPI]/Media/16/jpg/2009/4/Cheyenne.jpg[/NPI]Cheyenne Peterson, Youth All-Around Exhibitor, California
Trail because there are so many obstacles and so many factors to it that it’s distracting. It can either all go down hill or it can be steady throughout and it’s hard to maintain. They have to be a good mover and have a steady top line and not hit anything! That’s half the battle when you’re out there.
[NPI]/Media/16/jpg/2009/4/WesWetherall.jpg[/NPI]Wes Wetherall, All-Around Trainer, Oklahoma
I have two answers – the pleasure and the showmanship. The pleasure because it just takes a special horse to do it. Those are very few and far between and are hard to find. They have to be natural and want to go slow on their own. And they also have to be good minded so you can put a novice rider on them and they will stay and do their job.
I also say the showmanship because I watch my wife Dana do the showmanship and she has to work her tail off to be good at it! (Laughs) It’s hard to get all the parts to work together. It takes a lot of time to get there.
[NPI]/Media/16/jpg/2009/4/KaleenaWeakly.jpg[/NPI]Kaleena Weakly, Amateur All-Around Exhibitor, Indiana
I definitely think western riding is the hardest class. As far as there are so many variables – straight lines, getting your centers, keeping the same speed throughout. It’s like horsemanship times three. It’s all about consistency and keeping things the same. The class is harder with a green horse but when you have an aged horse they want to anticipate and you have to go through teaching them not to anticipate and dropping their shoulder. You want the basis of a good pleasure horse to compete at the top level because you need good quality of movement to be able to compete there.
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Our Expert’s Results
Western Pleasure – 29%
Western Riding – 29%
Showmanship – 14%
Trail – 14%
Pleasure Driving – 14%
Side Note: The hardest class to judge?
Showmanship – 100%
