Ever wonder why, in acres of pasture, horses choose the same well-worn path?
A predictable environment for a prey animal is a safe environment. Horses thrive on a predictable training system and feeding schedule. No surprises.
Horses are designed to be drawn to the safe and predictable for their very survival. A place where meals and turnout come on schedule. Where he knows where he stands in the pasture hierarchy. A horse feels “at home” – safe, when the cues of his rider are clear and predictable.
Yep, horses have a homing instinct. So do we. A longing for belonging. A place of peace…
I see it in the show ring. A horse digs in his toes at the trail bridge, stalls on approach to a jump or balks to enter the ring altogether. He may plant his feet at the wash stall or get stuck at the pasture gate unwilling to leave his herd mates. Why does a horse get stuck? What are some do-able solutions?
“Is it a need or a want?”
The horse show world is well, competitive. One needs to be well mounted and well turned-out to be a player. Off-balance, however, the consumer falls into Consumerism – use it and replace it.
When I began judging horse shows, I was struck by how little influence fashion trends had on my scorecard compared to performance and penalties.
After spending many years in the show ring, many hours attending to grooming details and many dollars on tack and turnout, I’m more inclined to ask “Is it a need or a want?” Will this influence the judges or impress only those outside the show ring?
Coaching, training, judging – I’ve my living observing horses and riders!
Riding coaches, act as mirrors. Reflecting what we see. Choosing words as descriptively and simply as we can. “Teaching has made has made me more reflective and intentional in my own riding.” Lindsay Grice, riding coach.
Creative problem solving, humility, humour, life perspective (“this too shall pass”). Good coaches are mentors – teaching life lessons alongside riding without stirrups! Because its’ more than horse shows. Our students may take away a ribbon as they exit the ring. But if they don’t take away character learned from the pressure cooker of competition, we’ve failed as coaches.
Use your corners. Advice from an Olympic dressage rider and useful tip for hunter riders and western show competitors. But come to think of it, it’s good daily life advice… For me, inspiration tends to happen in the corners of life.
Seems there’s a link between higher scores on the horse show judge’s card with higher scores on the Equine Body Condition Scale (the horse equivalent of the bathroom scale).
First impressions are lasting impressions in horse show flat classes. Enter the show ring with confidence – in show mode, not training mode. Though judges aren’t yet officially scoring, they’re forming opinions as they organize bookwork and check tack. Get in there promptly. Don’t dilly-dally and contribute to a delay. That’s irritating to a horse show judge – the judge you’re hoping to impress. As a bonus, making an early entrance into the show ring carves out extra warm up time while the judge is recording numbers…and waiting for the tardy entries.