GoHorseShow.com is pleased to feature the first installment of Sarah Elder Chabot’s series, Working It. An amateur exhibitor on the AQHA circuit, Chabot offers tips on how to make showing work on a limited
budget. Look for her future articles for working amateurs with topics such as time management, support systems, and mental focus.
Early mornings longing, late nights braiding, four plus hour drives home on Sunday to get to work the next day, balancing checkbooks, picking up odd jobs, emailing from the saddle, taking conference calls from the horse trailer… as an amateur chasing two dreams: A World Championship title and a career, I am exhausted.
For the last 13 years, I have spent more hours at the end of a longe line or ponying my horse than I care to recount; and as an amateur working a full-time job, I find my time spent actually enjoying my horses is much more precious than I ever gave it credit. With the help of my longtime friend and trainer, Karen Mundy, I knew it was time for some changes if I was going to stay sane and stay on the path to reaching my dream.
I had competed in the past on horses that had “challenges” because it was what I could afford to ride and show. I thought I was gritty enough and smart enough to figure how to make them better and make up for what I didn’t spend on training or purchase price. Although they all certainly improved (from rearing up and turning right to top tens at the Congress and World Show), the return on investment was not what I was expecting or hoping to find, and it was double the work.
I was trying to balance being a Marketing Director for one of the world’s top hotels, and give enough time to improving my riding skills to reach my goal of being a world champion. So in the midst of it, I gave up a lot. I found myself turning down invitations to friends’ weddings, family vacations and outings, holidays, and skipping out on buying new work clothes. I even gave up calling my friends, and starting a family…all for the dream and focus of reaching my goal.
So I looked back on what I did to make things work–what I gave up, why it was so hard, and I still wasn’t reaching my goals. I realized what Karen was trying to tell me …what I needed to do was to get a new horse.
Karen and I went about several months swapping emails with YouTube links; talking over the phone about goals and budget; and figuring out what classes I could live without competing in–deciding what my strong assets were, and finalizing our timeline.
Finally, we took a trip to Connecticut to look at a horse. We spent two days riding with Dave Miller and Scott Jones of Showstring and looked at a four-year-old gelding – A Well Dressed Man, “Calvin.” I immediately fell in love with his face and the fact I needed spurs to get him to lope off. After years of riding uber-sensitive horses, I was quickly convinced this was the horse for me! I needed a horse that wasn’t completely finished in his training, but had the potential to do everything I had dreamed of without a lot of energy management issues. Calvin seemed just what we were looking for–he already had a great start over fences with Dave, and had shown once with Scott in the Hunter Under Saddle. However, he hadn’t been hauled a lot and still needed a few finishing elements to go show in the classes I wanted to compete.
Calvin has turned out to be just what we needed. He is low maintenance, easy going, and super sweet, and so far we have been tickled with his success. Most of all, I have really enjoyed showing him! I remember the first hunter Under Saddle Class with Calvin, I came up with a first and second, and a face full of tears. I saw Karen’s eyes get big, and she said “What is wrong? That was a nice go!” (There’s no crying in horse showing, right?! ) I stammered around and said, “These are tears of joy, I have never ridden a horse so honest on the rail.”
Since then, we have put more than 75 points on him, qualified for the world show in six events and find ourselves hanging out in the AQHA high point standings in several classes. I haven’t accomplished my goal yet, but at least I know I have a better chance now. With a horse that requires so much less of me, I am able to catch a movie with my super-supportive husband here and there, and that is just as important!
So for all of you amateurs out there are that are scrambling to make ends meet just so you can spend your paycheck at the horse show this weekend, make sure it is worth it! For all that you give up in your career, your family, and your friends–you should also see some benefits too. If it isn’t a gold trophy, it should at least be tears of joy and a good ride!
About Sarah Elder Chabot:
Competing on the AQHA circuit for more than 20 years, Sarah Elder Chabot
has grown up showing American Quarter Horses in all classes from the
hunter ring to the roping pen. With a diverse background in showing,
Sarah is also a past contributor for the American Quarter Horse Journal,
GoHorseShow.com and other equine publications. She currently competes
on her horse, A Well Dressed Man, in amateur hunter classes, and can be
seen traveling around with her favorite companion Elise, an Irish Jack
Russell and her ever supportive husband, Andy. Outside of showing horses,
you may see Sarah putting in a quick run, traveling to far off lands,
and tasting great wine–all a part of her day job!
Jumping photo © Sally Blackwell Photography
