Fall is in the air and along with the changing colors come the season’s biggest horse shows. Whether getting ready for a local championship show, your Association’s season finale or maybe your very first horse show, there are some tricks to getting off on the right foot. As we all know from riding horses, getting off to a good start is half the battle. The following will help you and your horse get off to a good start regardless of the size or scope of the event.
1. Know the Rules
No matter what game you are playing, you must learn the rules before you play. With horse people, perhaps because there are so many rules outside of the show ring, they seem to think they know the rules without reading the appropriate rule book.
Each organization has a different set of rules for their events. It is imperative that before competition you find a rule book and read the rules for the show and classes that you want to compete in. Do an online search for the hosting organization. Many rule books are now available online.
2. Be Prepared
Life at the horse show will be hectic enough without having to clip, bathe, clean your tack or polish your boots. Do as much as you possibly can at home. Start by making a list of everything you will need to have packed in your trailer, tack trunk or car trunk to go to the horse show.
Make sure everything on the list is cleaned, fits properly and has all of its components before loading it. You do not want to get to the horse show, step into your favorite old showmanship pants only to remember that the zipper had broken last season. Try everything on, take everything out of its bag and do a visual check for stains, rips and tears.
3. Know Where You Are Going
Feeling lost is NOT the way to start a successful show day. Call ahead, plug in the GPS, MapQuest, pull out the trusty Rand McNally – do what you have to do to get directions to the show grounds.
If at all possible, find out exactly where you go once you get to the grounds. Find out what driveway will be open to pull into. If you are stalled, get the barn location and stall number. Ask if there is a turn-around or will you have to back out (especially important if you are not comfortable backing your truck and trailer). Do everything you can to minimize the stress of getting to the proper place once at the horse show.
4. Settle In
Once you are at the show, allow enough time to settle in. Keep your space clean and neat, aisles swept and void of extraneous stuff. Clutter is not only dangerous but it often leads to panic at the most inopportune times. Keep noise levels to a minimum. Horses react instantaneously, instinct sends them into fight or flight mode without a moment’s notice. Ensure a safe environment for your horse by keeping your stall area neat, clean and quiet.
Don’t get tripped up or hung by electric cords. Keep them out of the reach of busy bored mouths lurking in stalls and out of alleys where they can cause you or another to trip. Hay nets should be tied high, tack in the tack room separated from nosy neighbor horses and check that stalls doors close securely. It is no fun to arrive to an empty stall in the morning because Harry Houdini escaped overnight!
Never tie your horse up with your show equipment. Take the time to put on a halter and cotton rope and make sure you are tying to something secure. Bring a padlock and lock your tack room at night. Hang buckets where they can be easily reached by water hoses and horses alike and roll hoses up when finished using them.
Do not ride on concrete! And if you must ride across it to get into the show arena, make your horse’s feet stay at a walk – concrete and horse shoes are a dangerous combination. Safety first in everything you do. Safety for you, safety for your horse.
5. Get Acquainted with Your Surroundings
Once you get your horse situated, in a stall, comfortable and the trailer parked where it can stay for the day, take a look around. Locate the show office, arenas (both show and warm up) and anything else you will need from the facility for the day.
Grab your papers and checkbook and head for the show office. Introduce yourself to the office staff. Show secretaries are a font of information — people who know things you need to know. Don’t get frustrated if they are a bit frenzied first thing of the day. They have a big job getting everyone’s entries done for a timely start of the first class.
Familiarize your horse with all of the facility you will need to use prior to the show start. Ride in the practice area and the show pen or lead your horse around so he or she can see all there is to see. This process eliminates something new startling your horse. Everyone can take a deep breath once they understand the circumstances.
6. Prepare for your classes early
Give yourself plenty of time in getting ready for that first class. Get your hair done and your makeup on early. Do the grubby part of cleaning your horse up before you get dressed. Allow enough time for the class to come up early. Remember, the show WILL GO ON WITHOUT YOU! Just because you made friends with the show staff, do not expect them to wait for you to start your class.
Keep your ear close to the ground as you put the finishing touches on your horse and plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your class. Make sure you have a groom bucket ready with fly spray, rag, brushes and anything else you may need for you or your horse at the pen. This should be prepared and stocked at home from your original to-do list.
Make sure your numbers are in place and they are the correct numbers. You don’t want to have last week’s numbers attached to this week’s show pad. Do a quick check to make sure you have everything you need. If you are the nervous weewee type, run to the restroom quick before you get to the show pen and have no one to hold your horse.
Speaking of nervous weewees, has your horse been standing in the aisle for a very long time? Does he or she need an opportunity to urinate? Put him or her on the trailer or throw him back in the stall for five minutes to see if they have to go. You will have a happier horse if you do.
You are ready to go show – have fun! This is what you have been waiting for, enjoy every minute of it. School will be here before you know it and the horse show will be over. Don’t waste time being disappointed or frustrated, instead be grateful for the time you get to spend with your horse and horse friends at the horse show.
About Stephanie Lynn: Professional Horseman Stephanie Lynn coached her first AQHA World Champion in 1988. She has since coached, trained and shown World, Congress and Honor Roll horses across disciplines. She is a judge for AQHA, NSBA and APHA and has judged World Championship shows for each association. Most recently, Stephanie is the author of The Good Rider Series and A Lifetime Affair: Lessons Learned Living My Passion. The Good Rider Series is a library of resource material that is both practical and applicable in the barn and show ring for riders. Stephanie can always be reached through her website: http://www.stephanielynn.net to answer your questions, schedule a clinic or lesson.
