As if showing horses doesn’t present enough challenges, introducing children into the mix can certainly complicate an already challenging task. The thrill of competition is overshadowed when the distinct sound of your screaming child can be heard at the beginning of a pattern or when a trying teenager is testing your patience in every way possible. Despite these negatives, raising children in the horse show setting provides them with unique experiences and the opportunity to get to know people from around the country or possibly even the world.
My inspiration for this article came from watching my own son grow up in this unique atmosphere and how we have addressed some of the challenges. After talking with three other moms, Kaleena Weakly, Lori Augsburger, and Kendra Weis, we have some words of encouragement for those moms who are balancing horse showing and raising children.
Kaleena Weakly
Kaleena Weakly is a successful exhibitor, showing Hours Yours and Mine to an AQHA World Championship in Amateur Showmanship as well as numerous other prestigious awards. Recently, she has been blessed to introduce her baby boy, Jax, to the wonderful world of horse showing. Turning two at the end of January, he is quickly becoming accustomed to the horse show life.
According to Weakly, age makes a huge difference in how children handle situations. As Jax gets older, showing is becoming easier for Weakly since he is starting to listen better and to have more respect for the horses and safety. After attending a recent show at Gordyville, Weakly says she was “amazed at how well he stayed back from passing horses and didn’t run up to every horse that was near like he had at the AQHA World Show. He seemed to be a lot more aware of their size and some of the dangers around.” Persistence is the key when teaching children to respect these 1,000-pound animals. Learning to handle and respect large animals is an opportunity horse show kids have that many other children do not.
Having children often affects how frequently and to what extent some mothers show. For example, Weakly says that having a child affected the number of shows she attends. “We try to hit large, high quality shows versus the quantity of shows.” She wants her son to be with her, which requires more planning in advance. Therefore, a strong support staff of friends and family is key to involving our children at horse shows.
Keeping a young child busy at horse shows can also be a challenge. Weakly has found success by involving Jax in showing and helping him find friends. He loves playing with Weakly’s trainer’s five-year-old daughter. After watching his friend, Shayne, show in Lead Line, Jax decided he was ready and debuted in his first lead line class at the recent Gordyville show. Weakly says “that’s all he talked about the day of the class. He even left his cowboy hat on for the entirety!”
Becky Wood (Author of article)
My son, Austin, is five years old, and he has been showing Lead Line since he was 22 months. I cannot imagine going to a horse show without him, and he is becoming more accustomed to the busy setting. Like Weakly, I have noticed it is getting easier as he gets older. I did not attempt a big show with Austin until he was two, and it did not go well. He cried all night, every night, and we got very little sleep. We spent the next couple of years only going to local shows, and finally, the past year, when he was four, I attempted traveling again, and he loved it.
He now shows Lead Line at every show. When he knows we are getting ready for a show, I have to tell him the show is closed right now to calm him down. Even then, he is constantly asking me, “Is the show open yet?”
Having a child has affected the extent to which I show. I don’t show in as many classes as I used to when I competed for All-Arounds, but I now show the classes that I enjoy the most, which has actually helped my focus. I have also noticed that with a five-year-old I have to be ready to answer a ton of questions. Some of the questions have made me laugh, but it has also helped me see horse showing in a different light. Enjoy the child perspective; it certainly helps lighten the tension and stress associated with horse shows.
Lori Augsburger
Lori Augsburger has a ten-year-old daughter, Cheyenne, who has been showing since she was 18 months old. Cheyenne has been relatively easy to keep busy at the horse shows, mostly because she enjoys them so much. According to Augsburger, “When Cheyenne was younger, all she wanted was to be on a horse, and we couldn’t just let her because she was so little. She would scream when we took her off.”
Cheyenne continues to be involved with the family showing. As she got older, a struggle developed between the demands of school and the horse shows. To overcome this, the Augsburger family decided to homeschool Cheyenne this year to prevent her from getting behind due to missed days at school.
Kendra Weis
Kendra Weis is a highly accomplished trainer and AQHA judge who has raised two sons—Blake, 27, and Audi, 22. I have been fortunate to train with Kendra for 14 years and have watched both her sons grow up in the horse show world. When her boys were young, she always took toys and dogs to entertain them. As they got a little older, Weis purchased Porky the Pony, who became Blake’s first mount in walk-trot. Audi wasn’t as interested in horses, but Weis took a ball so the kids could play kickball.
As long as the boys had something to entertain them, all went pretty well. There was one time, however, at the Tom Powers Futurity when it was extremely hot. According to Weis, “Audi ran around in a soggy diaper, and Blake ran around on his pony, befriending a town boy and riding his pony over to the child’s house unknowing to me. I thought he had been kidnapped until he came back a couple hours later with a nice little boy about Blake’s age.” The young man has certainly progressed from wandering around on Porky the Pony to one of the premier riders and trainers in the nation.
Children will be trying in all situations, and raising children in the horse show setting certainly has its challenges. At the same time, it also provides priceless memories and experiences that are not available to all. What better place to teach children responsibility and dedication? Just be sure you take something to keep them occupied, don’t force horses on them if they aren’t interested, and have fun. Raising children is an adventure, so sit back and enjoy the ride.
