tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post1530446690301157094..comments2024-03-26T05:15:39.663-07:00Comments on Equestrian Ink: Show WhatJami Davenporthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259390150273030284noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-56006617263963696092012-03-16T08:17:46.989-07:002012-03-16T08:17:46.989-07:00Why don't you go to a small, affordable school...Why don't you go to a small, affordable schooling show first. I like to take my babies or spooky horses to a cheap schooling show and enter class after class till they are relaxed and calm and realize shows aren't so bad. After they can go to those shows and do 1 or 2 classes only and be happy, calm, and responsive is when I enter the bigger ones. Smaller shows has less competitors, people are more relaxed, overall it is setting the younger inexperienced horses up for success. <br />My goal for showing is always to better myself and my horse if we win some money and prizes great, if not I still know I have the best horse for me out there.Cassiehttp://www.naturalperspective-cass.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-67630258281488132922012-03-15T14:37:05.707-07:002012-03-15T14:37:05.707-07:00Francesca--You know I don't compete any more a...Francesca--You know I don't compete any more and don't want to, but when I did compete, the place I arrived at was much like what kel describes (horsegenes). I did my best and tried to be indifferent to scores/placing. And everybody has good days and bad days. You have to be able to shrug the bad days off. That said, I have had enough competition for one lifetime, thank you very much. If I were you, I'd haul Qrac to a couple of shows BEFORE I entered anything--and let him (and you) feel out how it is to be there together. Ride in the warm up ring...etc. If it goes well, it may take away some of your anxiety and if it goes poorly, well, maybe you'll know you need to work more at just being there before you show. Either way, you might learn whether you really feel drawn to compete...or not.Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-65937308807817750512012-03-15T14:04:59.719-07:002012-03-15T14:04:59.719-07:00I try to never compete against anyone but myself. ...I try to never compete against anyone but myself. My goal is to be better than I was the last time I showed. That keeps me focused on my horsemanship and not what everyone else is doing. That just adds to much stress for me. We had our first reining show weekend before last. It was set up to be a disaster for us. I hadn't ridden the week before, the warm up pen was unusable. We got a short warmup in the main arena and then we had to go get it done. And you know what? We did. I told myself to ride for a 70 (which in reining is an average - no minuses, no pluses score) And we got a 68 and 69. It was a better than we had done all last year. For me that is a win. I have no idea where I placed in the grand scheme of things. Don't really care. If I get a little money back, it will be icing on the cake. <br />I think that for me, showing is a conformation by a third party (peer) that my horse and I are progressing and learning. And I love getting my scoresheets back and seeing where I need work. Gives me something to work towards.horsegeneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08614136458074519322noreply@blogger.com