Good News Bad News : everything works out!

So good new, bad news. I’ll start with the bad news:
My showing lately has been boring, I have been told for over a month that I will be moving from the 1.0m to the 1.10 and up to 1.20 by the end of the year. Well the end of the year is in a few weeks and I havn't moved up. And each show my parents and myself are expecting me to move up then it doesn’t happen. It’s making me lack confidence because I keep thinking: “Whats wrong with me? Maybe I just suck at riding and no one will tell me. I must be horrible or I would do it already. My wins and ribbons are just luck I don’t deserve them. I’m the worse person in the class I shouldn’t even be there” exc. Yes, I’m a bit harsh on myself. And I know I do well but now I’m not motivated to show at the level I’m at, its not challenging, my horse is bored and used to much higher jumps and I have been told over and over again I will move up but then when I approach my coach about my entry’s its like I’m falling on deaf ears.

So this show on Saturday I was entered in the 1.10. ENTERED So I am on the order of go! I have been so excited all week, back at the gym, just so happy and working very hard with my horse. I had a lesson yesterday at 1.10- 1.15 and it was amazing. So I had to sign some paper work and wow guess what. I’m getting dropped out of the 1.10 class. The reasoning behind it is not what I want, its not a lack of ability at all its just my coach wants me to go to championships at the 1.0m level and I just don’t.

I felt horrible, I hate when people tell you they’re going to do something then don’t, I felt like a promise had been broken. I was so disappointed and mad, I actually cried home ( yep I’m a big baby lol) It makes the shows a waste of time and money, I’m not doing what I want to do and I don’t care about points so I’m done showing for this year. I’ll go this weekend because I said I would drive someone but after that I’m done for the year. I’ve accomplished ALL of my goals except to move up and that’s not going to happen that’s been made pretty clear. So I will not lose out on anything if I stop now. There’s only 3 shows I would miss anyway. My parents are on board with me stopping for the year, my mom was very very mad and sad that I’m not going to compete in something that I was so excited for. She’s not too impressed to say the least. She knew championships was never my goal, I could really care less about going.

So.. Good News?? -- EVERYTHING happens for a reason

SOOOOO!!!! I’m going to a George Morris Clinic!!!!!!!!! LIKE WOW Its been on my bucket list ( only 22 ) but I never thought it would actually happen! And the great thing is everyone who goes this year gets a spot on the clinic next year!! I am SO HAPPY! So my choice of stopping showing this year that money will go to the clinic!! I would much rather spend my money on a George Morris clinic ANYDAY that go to some show I that I don’t want to be at anyway! So I may actually have to thank my coach, because if she hadn’t of scratched me from the 1.10 class I would have continued to show and I wouldn’t have the extra money for the clinic!!

I hope me saying I don’t want to show sounds bratty, I know all shows are experience but they are suppose to be fun, and right now I’m not having fun

That is a sucky situation ! Maybe you need to sit down with your trainer and have a long talk about what YOU want, not what she wants.

Im so jealous you get to ride with george morris !! That will be awesome ! You need to get lots of pictures =D

I think the experience of a clinic is better than a show where you think you will be very bored. Also, doesn't the trainer get money when she goes to a show w/clients?

Yes my coach does get paid to go to shows with me as her day fees. I will get TONS of videos and pics, it will be an amazing 2 days. It will test my self confidence, I have heard in all of his clinics everyone cries at least once! Lol

Find a new coach. That's all I've got to say. If your not getting what you want out of this coach, theres another one out there for you.

How selfish of her to drop you because she wants to have you win. She has no confindence that you can win in 1.10 or what?

Maybe you dropping out of showing will be an eye opener for her.

Are you acting in a bratty way? Probably. But...its your money, your time, your experience...and if your not having fun...then yes its time to get out.
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I don't think she is acting bratty at all. Its her money and she should get to pick what classes she does with in reason. If she was too scary or not doing well at 1m I would say her trainer is right. But she is doing fine and is ready to move up.

I would go looking really neat and having simple tack !

Your coach is behaving like a life manager, not a coach.
A coach should teach you how to show, how to evaluate what classes you should be entering and how to set yourself up for year end success, not be filling out your forms for you and telling you where to sign.

However, you are not behaving like a student either.
A student needs to listen to their coach and the reasons for not entering a certain class. A student needs to listen and learn how to evaluate what classes to enter.

I fill out all my own entries, but enter classes based on what my coach has suggested. I was ecstatic when I was allowed to enter the I1 this year, and allowed to do an I1 Freestyle and allowed to ride the whole shebang in a CDI. And now because I have waited to enter those classes, I am totally confirmed and go out and have a great time. It is such an awesome feeling to me to be schooling at home things that are above the level I'm showing and to be able to waltz into the show ring and do the test without worrying about things being confirmed or not. And I thank my coach for pushing me to wait and train over winter so that I can now succeed at the higher level.
The difference in jumping between 1.00 and 1.20 is HUGE and not just by 20 cm, the courses are far more technical, the distances are tougher and it requires a certain finesse and technicality to ride at that higher level that can take a winter to develop.

If you are bored at the level, then yes, stop showing so you can begin your training for winter now. Start schooling more technical courses at a lower height, start improving your riding through flat work and become a thinking rider. I think George Morris is an awesome experience and I hope that the way he pushes you (or shoves you, or throws you down on the ground and beats you) will really show you what it is like to be a rider at the higher and higher levels. It becomes so much less about the height of the fences and so much more about set up, striding, riding and details, details, details. Riding higher levels is not about how high the fences are, it's about who has the best foundation of basic riding and training.

Good luck!

Anabel: I totally understand you saying I'm not acting like a student by not going with what is planned. I believe my coach has my best intrest in mind and doesn't want me to get hurt or have a bad experiance that will set me back. I am schooling at a higher level at home which makes it just really really confusing for me. She's the one on the ground and may see things I don't feel and see things that could be bad for me or my horse.

At the show today I will ride by butt off and hopfully have nice clean well put together rounds. And I will have to talk to my coach.

GypsyGirl: I will be making a thread closer to the date to get some inside tips on tack, extra etiquette tips and all the fun stuff.