The Horse Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Riding without intention of showing

4K views 25 replies 17 participants last post by  Saddlebred11 
#1 ·
My kiddo has been riding, she has shown in both schooling and C shows, but I guess my question is if any of you all ride but do not show? Can you try to explain the benefits of showing versus not showing. It seems like a strange question, but we have never been super competitive, and I can see my daughter at some point just not being interested in showing but still learning and improving her riding. To me (which is untrained, not horsey by nature, and learning the ins and outs of hunters), it seems like the purpose of learning this style of riding is to show. Someone school me on what else is the "purpose" (for lack of a better word) to hunter riding. Stupid question possibly. :oops:
 
#2 ·
I don't show, but I am an adult so I will compare to the kids I knew that rode.

There are many different types of riding - competitive jumping, XC, dressage, showing, foxhunting, trail riding, endurance, happy hacking (my favourite :)), mounted games, sidesaddle, plus all the western disciplines of which I know little.

Everyone is different, and we all like different things - whatever 'floats your boat' at the time. Your daughter might try out some things, she might change what she likes. Much of it will depend which has the most fun and most friends. The important thing to focus on is enjoyment.

Oh, and the point of showing?

Ummmm... A goal to aim for? A day out sharing your horse with like minded people?

The point of hunter style riding? Well, originally it was a chance to 'show off' your favourite hunter horse and enjoy a bit of friendly competition with your mates. Then less people hunted and more people had horses, and so the point of it is more to have a goal and to enjoy the competition. No more, no less.
 
#3 ·
My daughter is not competitive and would be happy just taking lessons or just goofing around on her horse. We encourage her to show because as a way for her to test her progress toward her goals as a rider. It's easy to get in a rut or believe you have mastered a skill if you are only looking at yourself. However, being in the show environment allows you to see yourself vs. other riders working on similar skills.

For us, it's not about winning or even placing at a show. It's being able to see incremental improvement. I'm at every single lesson and watch my daughter ride at least 3x per week... so I know she can ride. But showing really opens our eyes to where she is compared to other riders her age and it gives us new goals to focus on after every show.

I'm sure we will stop showing someday, but for now, we plan to keep on showing. We love meeting other riders (and parents) and socializing with friends on the show circuit. It helps us feel connected to the local horse community.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#4 ·
For me I go to shows because I really like the competition and the learning experience. As well it is like a huge social club where 150+ of your friends are out having a blast. I also enjoy running competitions (despite the few nasty competitors and/or their parents).

However, I coach quite a few folks who do not show! They like to spend their money on learning through taking lessons :) if you have a good coach they will be able to provide you with an accurate assesment and help you find " the next step" without having to show. I also have a Facebook page where I post interesting articles, photos and videos and lots of times I try to specifically find things related to problems students are having! Which is also helpful.

I would say the benefit to not showing is mostly financial, personally I encourage my students to learn how to show and to enjoy a day out with their horse every once in a while :)
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#5 ·
I do the occasional show here and there (and show for my college's equestrian team), but I'm in no way competitive :-p

I like showing because it teaches you the importance of being ready on time as well as losing and winning with grace. Beyond that, I love putting on my nicest clothes and showing off the ponies a little! It's also like "the final test" of if you have a skill down, horses are distracted, you're nervous, the pressure's on, and it's the best feeling in the world to have all these things against you, but pulling together a beautiful run.

That being said, it's in no way necessary. I like having a slow day out on the trails just as much. Some people like showing, some people don't. If she doesn't seem interested in showing, I might leave it until she brings it up. Then see if she wants to continue once she has a show under her belt :)
 
#6 · (Edited)
I haven't shown in almost three years. When I did show, it was only a handful of times a year due to the cost. I liked being able to show others, and myself, everything my horse and I had accomplished since the last show we went to. I found that showing is not only fun, but a good way to judge when you are ready to move up levels as well. :)

I haven't shown in the last few years because I've switched riding disciplines and am more focused on learning the ins/outs of my new discipline. I plan on showing this year just for fun and to see how I am progressing in my riding. It is not at all necessary though. A rider can learn just as much at home as they can learn through showing. I do feel it's good for a rider to get the experience of riding in a stressful situation, such as showing, so that they can be a more confident rider.
 
#7 ·
I did a couple of in-house competitions, and one away from home.
I enjoyed it, but I didn't have a wide community of competing friends.

I have a naturally competitive personality, and I stopped team sport and got in to riding because I was too competitve and kept getting super stressed when team mates couldn't do as I thought should be done. With riding, the only person I had to blame was myself.

I prefer training and learning. If I'd stuck with it, I'd probably compete; the horse I had would have been more than capable of it.
 
#8 ·
I dont show, but I would like to attend some shows in the future. Going to shows and winning is by far not what I hope to achieve through riding.

Going to a show and getting a ribbon, yeh its nice and all, but at the end of the day its the experience that I look forward to. I've only been to one show, and the best part of the day was actually competing in my show jumping class, not winning (not to mention i did pretty bad in that class anyway).

Where would the fun in life be if we all saw learning as simply something we must endure in order to compete? Doesnt sound like fun huh, the point in learning is to reach a goal. For some, that goal is competing, for others, it can be something as small as jumping a horse for the first time.

Im not one to set goals, i like to go with flow, so i set dreams (like goals without deadlines). Every time I achieve something I just feel so great, that I worked hard and it payed off. I have a list of things on my ipod that I wish to achieve. My previous dream was to jump, now that i have achieved that I would like to jump at a canter.

So for some, their goal may be to get first place in a show. Some might not even have goals, they may simply want to enjoy what they are doing.

So, to me, whats the point in doing something if you dont plan to show? The process, working hard up to something and achieving a goal :)
 
#9 ·
A lot of good responses! Thanks! I can see that a show can confirm your abilities as a rider. Shows are fun but they can become costly and they its a long day for everyone, especially this mama! LoL! It will be interesting to see where she goes in terms of riding. Her pony is not a perfect hunter pony and its hard to compete against fancy ponies who have been there and done that so to speak. I've also found that the judging is so subjective and its frustrating to know that you've done well but the cute kid who rides at the hosting barn gets the blue ribbon. Just a few rambling thoughts on my end and some things I've observed since we've been showing.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#10 ·
As an adult novice, I just enjoy the riding experience. Once I improve I may possibly enter shows, but doubt that I will. The younger set seem to love it and I agree that the competition and experience is healthy.

If your daughter wants to go in that direction I would certainly encourage it, but I wouldn't push it. I would hate to see her eventually dread or stop her lessons because she felt pressure. We all have have different goals. Mine is currently to not fall while cantering. :)

I would however take her to several shows merely as a spectator (especially at the entry level). You sound like a good mom.

My very best to you both.
 
#11 ·
I used to show and often in hunters and equitation classes.
I am not competitive by nature with others so found I really did not like the show ring. It was not "fun" for me but I did it as it paid the bills {part of my job} and afforded me some incredible rides I otherwise would never had.

For myself... the only person I choose to compete against is me.
I ride for me, take lessons for me, have horses for me and love the animals and interaction I have with them. I am not out there to impress anyone but myself so could care less what the current "in" trend is at the moment.
Classic riding is classic riding, that is what real hunt seat horse classes are about. The art of communication and being one with your mount...

I ride and compete, when I compete, to see what areas of my riding needs improvement, where I am doing well and where I am having difficulties that another very educated eye is seeing...
I ask to see the judges cards, speak politely with the judge and get their opinion if they will give it.
I ride to have fun mostly, but it is nice to occasionally see what someone else has to say about "your style" if interested.

The day showing was not fun was the day I said enough, no more for me. To expensive a sport, both in time, equipment needed and entry fees spent regardless of who is footing the bill..
If your daughter/son chooses not to compete but to be a better rider for themself...I say go for it and leave it alone.
You only need to please yourself... there are thousands out there that never step into a ring and they are fine riders, ride often, own horses and very happy...they do their own thing and are proud of that fact.
This goes for not only "English" riding but any discipline of riding or activity with horses...there are many ways to have great enjoyment with the animal...you just need to do some searching to find your contented spot.:wink:

jmo...
 
#12 ·
Allieloveshorses, my daughter often competes against kids on horses that cost 5x what I paid for our mare. It can be frustrating when you watch the judge place the fancy horse with a professional groom and a warm up rider over your child on her willing, but not nearly so well bred/trained horse...that she had to groom and warm up herself.

However, we love our horse...she is the perfect horse for us and we are very proud to show her. My daughter knows that she has to work harder to get the same result as those kids on the more expensive mounts. She is ok with that.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#13 ·
Based on the type of riding you do if you want a judges opinion you can go to a schooling show and get feedback. You don't really have to compete to progress.

I don't show. Mostly because money is finite and I would rather spend my money at a clinic than at a show.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#14 ·
No question is a stupid question. :wink:

I do not show, but I enjoy learning and perfecting everything. That's what I love about dressage- there's just SO MUCH to learn, and you're never done learning! It keeps it interesting!

Right now I do not have the money to show, and I probably won't have the money or time for a few years at least. And even then, I don't know IF I'll show. Until then, I plan on riding my horses and learning as much as I can. For me, the goal is to master one small thing per day. I don't have any interest in blue ribbons or the spotlight. My feeling of satisfaction comes from executing a perfect move, or teaching the horse something new and having the horse understand. But it really depends on what type of person you are. Some people are more goal-oriented. I'm the type that just loves to enjoy the journey. :)

As a side note, I did know a teen whose mother just pushed and pushed to improve her riding skills so she could show. It was completely turning the teen away from horses altogether, and the trainer saw this, and took the teen under her wing. She put off the mother so that the girl could enjoy learning, although I know there was quite a bit of pressure to show, show, show still coming from the mother.
My father did the same thing with me and softball and martial arts. I was born with a good throwing arm, and good upper body strength. But everything became a competition to him, and it ceased to be fun for me.

So really, it depends on how you approach showing. You might let her dabble in it, and experience it, but I wouldn't push. (Which it doesn't sound like you're that sort of parent anyway!)
 
#19 ·
As a side note, I did know a teen whose mother just pushed and pushed to improve her riding skills so she could show. It was completely turning the teen away from horses altogether, and the trainer saw this, and took the teen under her wing. She put off the mother so that the girl could enjoy learning, although I know there was quite a bit of pressure to show, show, show still coming from the mother.
My father did the same thing with me and softball and martial arts. I was born with a good throwing arm, and good upper body strength. But everything became a competition to him, and it ceased to be fun for me.

So really, it depends on how you approach showing. You might let her dabble in it, and experience it, but I wouldn't push. (Which it doesn't sound like you're that sort of parent anyway!)
What a relief to hear from a non "horse show mom"!!
I have some clients who pushed their daughters into showing so seriously that it took every bit of the fun away, turned the girls snotty and eventually destroyed the whole family!
I particulary hate to see horse show moms trying to live through their daughter acomplishments and want to tell them- get your #%&%$ butt out there and try it yourself!
I showed hot and heavy for quite a few years and when I stopped long enough to breathe and think about it, I quit dead and didn't look back.
Too much time, money and hard work and mean, resentful competitors for a little bit of fake satin!
There are so many more things you can do with a horse rather than just showing and it's great you have the foresight to know this. Trail riding is my favorite time to decompress and if I do want a low key semi competition I go do a hunter pace.
 
#15 ·
I have to admit, some of it is me. I am not competitive at all and would almost rather NOT show, or limit it to one shows season. Right now we sort of got swept into the show season and now since she started accumulating points it feels like we are "in it". I'm not sure I want to be in it. Its expensive, LoL. And I just feel like I had a personal "aha" moment as I sat there all day watching these kids. It was a long day for a total of 10 minutes in the ring. Ya know what I mean?
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#16 ·
I understand completely! Our barn is targeted to youth and the coach encourages the kids to go to local shows. My show fees range from $100 for 4h (including coaching fees) to around $800 for our "big" 3-day show. And that's low compared to many. I know one parent who spends a minimum of $1,500 per show because her trainer prefers the big breed shows that are further away. The trainer fees alone would be too much for us!

Talk to your daughter, write down the pros and cons of each choice and see what makes sense for your family.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#20 ·
Honestly I think shows are so good for kids on so many levels (assuming you have the right motives and right attitude). I never push my kids to show but I encourage them to try at least one before they make an opinion. More often then not they fall in love with it, although I do have the occasional kid who just doesn't like it and that's ok. But our barn has a great group of kids who are all friends and they love to encourage one another. Our show community is really excellent and a lot of the kids have made friends from other barns. Shows are just a really fun place to be around here! It's a great place to learn that winning isn't everything, how to lose graciously, how to win graciously, how to deal with disappointment, how to be happy for your friend, how to always love your horse even if they aren't being good, how sometimes life isn't fair, how sometimes you get things you don't deserve (good or bad), horsemanship outside of home, how to polish yourself up to make a good impression, how to work past your nerves, how to handle your fears, how to perform under pressure, what it's like to be up at the crack of dawn and work your tail off all day... These are GREAT life lessons kids learn from showing. On top of what others said about it being a great way to test your skills and such.

Hunter shows are hard when you don't fully understand what the judges are looking for. Yes, it is subjective. But it is much more black and white then most people think it is. I highly recommend any horse show mom to pick up a copy of Judging Hunters and Hunter Seat Equitation by Anna Jane White-Mullin. It gives you a very detailed description of how judging works and what they're looking for. It helps to keep people from thinking things like "my horse didn't do well because the judge doesn't like Paints" or "you have to have the most expensive clothes or the judge won't like you". Or if you get a chance, talk to someone who judges (not the judge at the show!) to get an idea of what they're thinking! It's amazing what they see (or don't) and what they're thinking!
 
#21 ·
Our trainer does a very good job at explaining how they are being judged and I've learned a lot over the years about riding in general. I'm at almost every lesson, and she does a great job of giving feedback to kids and parents. Her pony is still green and just will never win under saddle. But we don't care about all that. We love him and he's great for us for now (we lease). And especially at the schooling shows, there are a lot of inconsistencies with judging. but again, we dont care. She would love to get blue every time, but it does not matter. I am just questioning showing versus not showing. Is the cost worth the benefit? When I had my revelation at the last horse show, I talked to my husband (who wasn't at the show). He thinks a couple a season would be good, but not every show is necessary. Allie said she likes showing but she doesn't have to do them all the time. So I feel like we are finding a compromise, which feels good. It's easy to be swept into it though. There is one girl at the barn who is all about competing, winning, riding the best horse, and all that. I feel like she is lost in all that and then doesn't focus on the horse being a living animal to bond with and enjoy. Allie likes to just tool around with her pony. Not every time she saddles up has to be better than the last. She just enjoys him. And I want her to know that that's ok too. And I want to encourage that. I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm not competitive by nature. But thanks for the book recommendation. I might pick it up just to get better informed.
 
#23 ·
I showed a bit as a kid, but stopped when my parents bought a place where we could keep our horses. They sat me down and explained that we could either buy this place where I could ride everyday, but there would be no more lessons or shows. They were asking my "permission" although I doubt it would've really mattered if I'd said no.

I really enjoyed showing and lessons. I wasn't top notch yet, we didn't have money, I didn't ride the nicest horses in the barn, and more than once the horse that I'd schooled up to be one of the nicer horses would be taken away by one of the wealthier families. As a 12 year old that bothered me a lot. As a 33 year old I can see what that taught me. Anyways. I really enjoyed it and I am not a terribly competitive person nor did I have a bunch of good friends at the shows.

I haven't shown beyond the rare county gaming show since and I still enjoy riding regularly. In my teen years I would go out on the trail all day exploring with my horses, I taught them all sorts of stupid things, and reveled in our mutual freedom. As an adult I enjoy teaching both my horses and myself to be better than what we were. Beyond that I genuinely enjoy spending time with them.

If given the opportunity to show again I'd do it, although it would be more for fun than anything else and always with the best interest of my horses foremost in my mind.
 
#24 ·
You know if your daughter isn't into it I wouldn't push it. I personally love having a set goal to work towards so keeping a regular show schedule is great for me. Well, it's also my job... :lol: but even if it wasn't I would love to show all the time! I find myself getting a little lazy and unmotivated during the winters. So if your daughter isn't interested in showing that much because she honestly isn't THAT into it, and she's learning at home, and she is completely content just being around her pony I wouldn't push it. If she deep down wants to show but is discouraged bc her pony is green and not a good mover, or she's afraid of failure, etc, well, those would be different issues. It sounds like she just loves being around her pony and having a good time and that's such a wonderful thing. IMO the cost is only worth the benefit if she is truly enjoying it and wants to do it. I think you're probably ok going either way.
 
#25 ·
Hunter really is mostly about showing. Maybe you could find a barn that teaches general English riding that would be less competitive. I'm not competitive either and being pushed to compete turned me off of riding at one point.

I don't see any benefits showing at all. It makes people do stupid things like push their horses too hard, always spend money on the latest fashionable equipment, and pull their horse's manes so they look ugly whenever they're not braided. Not to mention that it's nearly impossible for judges to be objective. Yes, sometimes riders need to be evaluated, but that's what rider levels are for.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top