There are ways that a person can become competitive in the show ring and not have to have a full-time trainer, but it takes dedication and the willingness to work harder than your competition. Using myself as an example, I can tell you how things came about for me. It wasn’t until my late teens that I became interested in horses, and by the time I did, it was too late for me to show in youth. So, I had to learn the ropes while showing in the open division.