If you plan to step into the competition arena, expect the unexpected. Few sports have more variables than riding. What might you expect to go wrong in the horse show ring? In this issue, I’ll put on my judge’s hat and share common mistakes. So common, in fact, that every horse show score sheet has a menu of mishaps and a box to record their numerical deductions.
As a kid, I never knew what Good Friday was all about. Overshadowed by Easter Bunny anticipation, I knew it had something to do with Jesus and a cross. An analogy’s found in crossing the horse show rules and finding the horse shows judge’s amazing grace.
The calmness and manners expected by competitors in the western horse show world is admired by other riding disciplines. This was one of the factors that attracted me years ago to the quarter horse horse show circuit. “Well-broke”, they stood still while mounted, ground tied and ALWAYS loaded. I’ve carried over the expectation of manners into the coaching and training I do with all horses and riders. So if calm and mannerly good…is MORE better?
As a kid, I never knew what Good Friday was all about. Overshadowed by Easter Bunny anticipation, I knew it had something to do with Jesus and a cross, but I sure didn’t know why He died…As horse show competitors, we’ve got to ride by the rules…
The latest horse show rule books were delivered to my mailbox.
These are the rules. These are the ring dimensions. These are the tack restrictions.
With clear, well laid out rules-of-play, we’re free to push the limits of excellence, within the limits of the rules of the ring. With clear, well-laid-out fence lines, horses are free to buck, play and graze.
I guess a “you-do-you”, “follow your heart” view of the world doesn’t really work, regardless of how cool it sounds in a song lyric or Disney movie…
I’ll be speaking at Ontario’s Grey Bruce Horse Day this weekend – The Science of Bits, Spurs and Training Tack: How we choose, use and sometimes abuse them.
In light of this, and of the annual unveiling of horse show rule amendments, I was glad to see that Equestrian Canada has added a 2021 horse show rule “restricting” (pun intended) tight nosebands.