What was your first experience like?

So this Saturday Gidget and I are going to our first gaming event. Not sure how great we'll be since we still need lots of practice but thought we could do it for fun and gain the experience.

Does anyone ever get nervous about it?

What was your first gaming experience like..didyou love it,did it turn out bad,etc.Would love to know!

I definitely get nervous but my first experience was quite comical hah I rode a little 13h pony with an attitude haha. Just have fun and don't worry bout what others think. You will do fine.

Mine was quite embarrassing. Seeming that I wore western pleasure clothes...in barrels.
But other than getting OOBER nervous, I did fine!

Were you hooked afterwards?...I plan on wearing tshirt and jeans,lol

I had my trainer right there with me the whole time. I was about five years old the first time I gamed by myself (I did leadline before that)

I was so nervous, she ended up slapping my horse on his fat butt and pushing me right into it! I ended up doing okay for a peewee. After that I totally got over it and kept pushing....Although I did get into more performance events, and am just now deciding that this year I want to put my entire focus back on gaming, leased a barrel mare for a trial period before I decide if I want to buy her, and away we go!

The adjustment period from performance back to gaming is hard, but its like riding a bike, you don't forget how! After we both get a tune up it'll be okay, and your Gidget has some talent so I'm sure you'll be fine.

I was older when I competed (if you want to call it that) in my first playday (aka gaming event?). It was a just for fun event put on by our local roundup club. I had a blast. I was riding my first horse - a two year old strawberry roan draft cross. He was humongous, and I remember getting teased about how tall he was. Found out he was a real dead head - he would walk and trot all day long, but absolutely refused to canter. That was okay by me - we didn't get last place in most of the events - so we weren't the slowest ones there. It was so much fun.

I've loved playdays ever since then - but I am NOT competitive. For me, the playdays are just that...play!

I was in my early twenties, before I had children and we'd just bought a retired 18 year old Paint mare named Tonka's Jewel. She had done barrels, keyhole, flags and poles in her day.

We bought her as a hubby horse, but when I got up on her she wanted to GO and I rode her into the arena with the barrels set up. I could feel her tremble with excitement beneath me, then we were OFF! I basically hung on since she did it all herself. WHAT A BLAST!

My heart horse was like that. I bought her at an auction, truck broke down on the way home and I had to ride to find a phone (no cell phones in those days!). Good thing she turned out to be a good horse!

Rode her on a trail ride the next Saturday - she didn't put a foot wrong - it was the best ride I had ever had. Rode her in a parade and grand entry the Saturday after that - she did great! Third Saturday was a playday. I had already lost my fear of riding a strange horse (after all that, who wouldn't?), and she totally SHOCKED me at the playday. We actually WON the keyhole race (with me hanging on for dear life!), and did very well in pole bending. When we got to the barrel racing, I was getting a little worried about what she would do. Turned out, it was time to drop the reins and hang on to the saddle horn! She didn't jump the start, fortunately, she waited for me to give her the signal to go, but then it was Katy bar the door. I literally dropped the reins in favor of the saddle horn! She slid to a halt in front of the gate - I was so glad the guy manning the gate was paying attention and knew I didn't have hold of the reins! We didn't place, but I have a feeling that was my fault. I sure got a lot of ribbing - and a LOT of compliments on my new horse. I sure miss her!

Wow,guys!
Maybe I won't be so nervous. I guess I am nervous mostly because I haven't ridden in a western saddle for nearly a yr so making sure I sit on my pockets and not leaning forward is a big issue for me. I was use to jumping Gidget so I started leaning forward >.< Now I gotta make sure I can stay in my seat while running like the wind. I won't push ourselves since it's our first event. I,however am I competitive person but I'm not the type that gets mad at my horse if we don't place. I just want to know she tried :) She has heart.

I don't remember the details of my first show, as I was only 4 years old. But I do not remember being nervous. We did it for fun, and my mom stressed that. If we happened to win, great! But do things slow and correct, treat your horse right, and have a good time.

Nowadays I do get some nerves before I compete; moreso for some events than for others. But I just take a deep breath and visualize us completing a perfect pattern in my head, while we are still warming up, and that usually does the trick.