Question: I feel so unprepared prior to entering the ring to show my horse. I watched the other riders and they appear to really know how to get ready. What should I do to be better prepared?
Answer: After recently attending a Championship show, I watched multiple exhibitors question their skills as well as their horse's abilities in the warm-up pen before the class. Some of their competitors' horses were spinning faster or stopping harder and farther than their horses. This sucked them into a frenzy of making their horses spin faster or stop harder.
FOCUS ON YOUR PLAN
Showing is where your preparation and hard work meet the opportunity to show off your skills and to be judged on your abilities up to that certain point in time by one of your peers. I noticed so many riders worrying about how and what others were doing in the warm-up pen that they were jeopardizing their ability to achieve success, by focusing on what everyone else was doing. The important thing to remember is each horse is an individual and only you what your horse needs for preparing to show. If all horses performed the same on all levels, there would be no reason for a competitive show.
FOCUS ON YOUR HORSE
Not always will what one person is doing with their horse work for you and your horse. For instance, if a horse is spinning faster than your horse, there is a difference in riding two handed to school in the warm-up pen and putting your hand down to show in the arena. We would all do great if we were being judged while riding two-handed during our warm-up; however, your run is neither won nor lost in the warm-up pen. Similar to this is any other athletic sport. Games are not won by how the team performs at practice; only game day matters in terms of win-loss records.
FOCUS ON YOUR TRAINING
The prep work that you have done in the days, weeks, months or even years prior to the show need to be executed as you have been trained and not influenced by others getting their horses ready to show. I have seen hundreds of horse and rider teams leave he best of themselves in the warm-up pen; seldom does the high-speed training session carry over into the show pen. Have faith in your own abilities and training and be sure to focus on your own needs rather than getting flustered and nervous because of what another horse and rider are doing while they are practicing.
FOCUS ON YOUR RUN
Your ability to focus can only be strengthened while in the warm-up pen amid the chaos of the other riders and horses. If your horse is a big stopper and a so-so spinner there is nothing that you can do in the few minutes prior to entering the show pen that will change what nature has bestowed upon your mount. Instead, think of showing off your horse's best skills and try to guide your horse through the not so great spots, by not over doing what you want. If your horse is a 0 stopper eveyday of his life there is no point in asking him to be a +1/2, because you will end up marking a -1. A losing deal every time.
Remember, " You're never as good as everyone tells you when you win and you're never as bad as they tell you when you lose." - Lou Holtz
Ride Hard, Be Safe, and Have Fun - Steve Kutie
Answer: After recently attending a Championship show, I watched multiple exhibitors question their skills as well as their horse's abilities in the warm-up pen before the class. Some of their competitors' horses were spinning faster or stopping harder and farther than their horses. This sucked them into a frenzy of making their horses spin faster or stop harder.
FOCUS ON YOUR PLAN
Showing is where your preparation and hard work meet the opportunity to show off your skills and to be judged on your abilities up to that certain point in time by one of your peers. I noticed so many riders worrying about how and what others were doing in the warm-up pen that they were jeopardizing their ability to achieve success, by focusing on what everyone else was doing. The important thing to remember is each horse is an individual and only you what your horse needs for preparing to show. If all horses performed the same on all levels, there would be no reason for a competitive show.
FOCUS ON YOUR HORSE
Not always will what one person is doing with their horse work for you and your horse. For instance, if a horse is spinning faster than your horse, there is a difference in riding two handed to school in the warm-up pen and putting your hand down to show in the arena. We would all do great if we were being judged while riding two-handed during our warm-up; however, your run is neither won nor lost in the warm-up pen. Similar to this is any other athletic sport. Games are not won by how the team performs at practice; only game day matters in terms of win-loss records.
FOCUS ON YOUR TRAINING
The prep work that you have done in the days, weeks, months or even years prior to the show need to be executed as you have been trained and not influenced by others getting their horses ready to show. I have seen hundreds of horse and rider teams leave he best of themselves in the warm-up pen; seldom does the high-speed training session carry over into the show pen. Have faith in your own abilities and training and be sure to focus on your own needs rather than getting flustered and nervous because of what another horse and rider are doing while they are practicing.
FOCUS ON YOUR RUN
Your ability to focus can only be strengthened while in the warm-up pen amid the chaos of the other riders and horses. If your horse is a big stopper and a so-so spinner there is nothing that you can do in the few minutes prior to entering the show pen that will change what nature has bestowed upon your mount. Instead, think of showing off your horse's best skills and try to guide your horse through the not so great spots, by not over doing what you want. If your horse is a 0 stopper eveyday of his life there is no point in asking him to be a +1/2, because you will end up marking a -1. A losing deal every time.
Remember, " You're never as good as everyone tells you when you win and you're never as bad as they tell you when you lose." - Lou Holtz
Ride Hard, Be Safe, and Have Fun - Steve Kutie
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