Have you ever been embarrassed in the show pen? We spoke with several individuals in the horse industry to discover their most embarrassing moments and what they learned from them.
We appreciate everyone being such great sports and sharing these laugh-out-loud moments with us. We would also love for you to share your most embarrassing moment. It’s all in good fun, and many of us can relate and have been in many of the same situations. Check them out below…
Heather Lange – I love this picture (main image). We were at Silver Dollar Circuit in Vegas. The pattern called for an extended trot through some cones and then a square corner to the judge. I was ready to slay! Then, I caught my toe on the square corner and face planted in front of the judges. I think the whole arena did a collective gasp. I stood up and asked if I could trot that corner again. Attempt 2 was successful. The judges and ring steward were so supportive and gave me some kind words as I headed to the other end of the arena to repeat the pattern for the second set of judges, sans face plant. It was not the first and probably not the last time I will trip in the showmanship pen. I received so many kind words following this fall, and so much teasing from my friends, that I absolutely needed to buy the photo. That’s what I remember when I see this photo – everyone who came up to me after with a story of their own or kind words about how I handled it.
Jamie Hartman – If your horse bucks in the preliminaries and only one judge sees, don’t return to the finals because it doesn’t get better. But I think embarrassment is a wasted emotion (per Cliff Hartman). I usually learn things the hard way. I have had multiple shameful experiences, and that number increases regularly. Thank goodness for great horses and clients who can laugh with me when I live one of those glorious moments in real time.
Shelly Boyle – I was showing in Berrien Springs, and it was raining, so we had to show in that tiny indoor. Still pretending to be an all-rounder, I showed Micky (Put Your Spurs On) in the showmanship. For one element, you had to trot a circle to the right, close the circle, trot straight to the judge, and set up. It just so happened that where you had to trot the circle was a corner that Micky thought was scary. He spooked and – you guessed it – spun to the right. Hard. He spun so hard that he pulled me off the ground. I didn’t let go of the lead, so I was being flung around him in a circle. My feet never stopped running, and to this day, Laurie Hoopes (who I was training with at the time) and my mom say I looked just like Mary Poppins with Micky as my umbrella. Lesson learned…brush it off, laugh a little (or a lot), get on, and try again.
Another time, I was showing in the equitation in Centre Hall with Put Your Spurs On. We were showing outside in the dark under the lights. There was a hand gallop. Of course, during the hand gallop, Micky spooks at a shadow. His go-to move when spooking is to spin – hard. Needless to say, he went right and I went left. Thankfully, he didn’t make too much of a scene afterward, but the judge caught him for me. Who was the judge? None other than Nancy Sue Ryan. Of all the judges, I was mortified to fall off in front of a legend. Lesson learned? Heels down, stay ready, and don’t hand gallop Micky in the dark.
Katy Jo Zuidema – Nothing makes me more mad or embarrassed than when my horses don’t back well. It has happened twice at the Congress and cost me the win both times. I know that because the judges told me after the horse show that it cost me winning in both instances. To make it worse, I try to be one of the first to back. So then, I have to sit there seething with anger at myself for the duration of the remaining backers and through all of the individual and final placings. It’s a simple maneuver; there is no excuse. I call myself a good horse trainer, but when that happens, I’m mortified. The first time was on Knockin It Out in the Open 3s. I ended up second. The next time was last year in the Novice Horse Western Pleasure class with License To Chill, and I ended up third. Still mad about it, to be honest.
Emma Brown – My most embarrassing moment in the show pen was at the Congress. It was a crisp showmanship morning. I was about to show, and I got to the cone, and Brett freshened up. He did not hold a single pivot; he ran a circle around me. I had tears in my eyes by the end; I was so embarrassed. It taught me that horses aren’t always perfect; they have moments, too. It also taught me that no matter what happens in one class or at one show, it doesn’t set the tone for the rest or the future. Always keep a positive outlook.
Kaitlin Riker – Before going in the show pen, for any class, including showmanship, my sisters always tell me, “Good Luck, don’t fall off.” Well, it nearly came true with my last show partner, Kobe, in Party In The Clouds. While my sister was filming with excellent commentary, I barely saved a fall via a ‘Flamingo pose’. I still get teased about that very move. While I have certainly hit the ground practicing showmanship since then, I learned to keep my boots tight and myself in the correct position with my horse while trotting.
Perry Jackson – Well, I have had two – one was not my fault. We lined up for the back up when the judges walked up to me to back – my gelding spread his legs and started to pee. We had to wait for him to finish but not only did he pee; he exploded with the biggest fart I have ever heard. It was so embarrassing. The second was my fault – I was showing in western riding, and my trainer asked if I knew the pattern. I said, “Yes,” so I went in and started the pattern. All of a sudden, the tracks in the dirt did not go where I thought they were supposed to go, so I stopped. I rode over to the judges and said, “I’m sorry, I don’t know where I’m going.” They laughed, and I rode out.
Jessie Landry – My most embarrassing moment was showing a two-year-old who wasn’t ready to show at Congress. When we turned the corner and he saw everyone in the bleachers, he froze and put his head straight in the air. I could hardly get him to do anything; he was just frozen. I have learned that I’m not ready for the show pen if I don’t feel like I have 100% control in the practice pen.
Cindy Kaufman – I have had so many embarrassing show pen memories, but one that sticks out is my first “enter the arena at an extended jog” request about a year after my return to showing. I thought, “Well, I am going to get after it; more is better, right?” That mentality and show nerves made me look like I was coming out of the gate at Churchill Downs. My trainers, Chad and Brian joked that my horse Nono looked like he was trying to be a hunter under saddle horse. I have learned, although not mastered, that taking a deep breath is typically the best response and asking question after question because you don’t know what you don’t know, and sometimes, more is NOT better. Now to consistently put that into practice…
Ashley Neitzer – When I was seven, I went to my first horse show on an Arabian we had just started leasing. My dad saddled my horse for me. As I trotted down the rail, my girth came undone entirely, and my spirited Arabian launched me to the pen’s center. We caught my horse, and my dad went in the pen to check on me, then immediately asked if I was ready to get back on. I learned two lessons quickly. 1) Always double-check your girth before you get on. 2) You must always get back on the horse after a fall.
Marissa Dalton Ledford – One of my most embarrassing moments was in the 13&U Western Pleasure at the All American Quarter Horse Congress. I showed my mare, Vested Faith, whom we bought from the Oakley family. I made the finals, and while the other splits were going, my trainers (Dan and Darlene Trein) told me to take my horse Faith on a walk. In my mind, that was a trail ride. So, Tate Oakley (who also made the finals) and I went on a trail ride towards the Buckeye barn, a far walk from the Celeste. No one could find us; everyone was running frantically, looking for us because the finals were going in, and we were nowhere to be seen. There is no worse feeling than when the pen of riders and everyone in the stands are waiting for you to show up. Needless to say, I know that when I am sent to go on a walk, I only walk my horse in the warm-up area.
Patty Bogosh – It was the Florida circuit 2020/2021. We had to show the horsemanship super late at night, and it was cold and dark. The arena was huge, so the judges sat in the middle to keep people from using the whole arena. Patrick did not see them until we were halfway through the pattern, and we had to do a sizable fast lope towards them. He spotted them and checked out. I got him under control without falling off (everyone clapped, and the judges said “nice save” as I loped by), but I learned to tell him when the judges are in the middle as I enter the arena. Maybe it helps, perhaps it doesn’t, but he hasn’t spooked at them again.
Kim Quinn – While there have been many “character-building moments” over the years, one that stands out is when I was about ten and very new to the Quarter Horse circuits. I misjudged the infamous “hurry up and wait.” After scrambling to make it to my horsemanship class, I put down a solid ride and even placed well – only for the judge to inform me that my hat was on backwards. I was MORTIFIED. You only make that mistake once. I quickly learned a harsh lesson in horse show time and ensured I was dressed, including hat (on correctly), with sufficient time to spare.
Natoshia Kelly – The most memorable and embarrassing moment I can think of from which I genuinely learned something was about 15 years ago. I went to show a halter class. I had been running around all morning as I had braided horses the night before. I had my horse spiffed up, walked to the cone and the judge, and she asked me to stop. I was confused as I had a gelding and knew I didn’t have to show his teeth. She said I’d like to judge your horse, but you need a hat. With all that rushing around, I guess I didn’t remember I needed to put my hat on. So with that, I exited the class, handed my horse off to a friend, ran back to my stalls, put my hat on, and returned to the arena. I grabbed my horse and proceeded to start the class over, and the judge said I just wanted to make sure you could get judged. To this day, I have never forgotten my hat.
Jimmy Daurio – Years ago, I was showing in the reining when my stirrup broke on a stop, and I fell off. I was so embarrassed and thought everyone at the show saw it. Not a single person mentioned it to me – s*** happens!
Leonard Berryhill – It was the mid 80s – I was at the Palomino show during the Tulsa State Fair. I loped into an arena, swinging a rope, thinking it was the lunch break. The little girl that was showing in the Ranch Horse class gave me a “go to hell “ look, along with a few choice words, and the judge just had a big laugh. Those shows were huge; of course, there was a huge crowd to see me be a fool. I learned you can’t test fate because she married me several years later.
Have you had an embarrassing moment in the show pen? What did you learn from it? Let us know in our social media comments.
