Cost/benefit analysis of horse showing?

[BeeHoney]

@Training Cupid I apologize for offending you. Obviously there are exceptions to every rule. Clearly, there are some people of more moderate means who are able to show by making sacrifices elsewhere in their lives. However, I would venture to point out that there are fewer and fewer people like you. As costs have risen, it’s harder and harder to pay for a show by braiding, grooming, or prize money. It’s one thing to scrimp a bit to pay $500 or $1000 for a show, much harder when it’s $2000 or $3000. A person who can scrimp a bit and come up with $2000-3000 is in a different financial ballpark than someone who can scrimp a bit to come up with $500 or even $1000. Also, while it is possible to save some money by taking a DIY approach, that is getting harder to do.

I don’t think you can compare having a Birkin/ LV bag and an iPhone to horse showing. A Birkin bag is, let’s see, $15,000? (Based on a quick google search–handbags are not my thing!) That’s peanuts compared to buying an A level show horse (ballpark at $30,000 - $75,000), boarding/training it ($10-20,000/year), shoeing, vet, farrier, saddle, bridle, show clothes, etc. The $2000-3000 per show of expenses is just the cherry on top.

FWIW, I compete at the A shows, so perhaps I’m insulting myself as well when I talk about the competition. I’m simply pointing out that because growing numbers of potential competitors are excluded based on finances, it becomes less meaningful and less interesting. Of course, there are many incredibly talented riders at any A show–many riders who are just a pleasure to watch and to learn from. However, pretty much NO ONE is excluded from an A show due to skill. If you have the funds to buy a superstar packer and can pay the entries, and can hang on over a very basic course of 8 2’6" jumps that all have ultra well defined ground lines and many related distances, you can show. It is not uncommon to see less than skillful riders propped up on very nice horses. This is fine to me, I’m more concerned about the competitors who are excluded due to cost.

I absolutely have nothing against people who spend their money at horse shows, especially since I am one of them. But, I feel like our OP’s post is timely as I have recently started to feel a little cynical about the money that I spend on showing. I think it’s a good question. There ARE other ways to have a lot of fun with horses that do not cost as much. Hunting, trail riding, local shows, eventing, dressage, hunter paces, etc.

[Training_Cupid]

@BeeHoney Thank you for the response. I appreciate your point of view, but I still think you’d be surprised how many people of ordinary means find a way to make it happen. And also take nothing away from people like Georgina Bloomberg, et al; yes her money allows her to buy the finest horses and devote more time to riding, but she also has a talent and has worked hard to hone her craft.
I hope you find joy in your riding, whether that means taking a break from showing or however else.

[showidaho]

In our house we discuss it as a ‘dollar-to-fun’ ratio. You want to show? What’s the dollar to fun ratio as compared to, oh, say a vacation to somewhere tropical or exotic? Only you can decide your personal dollar-to-fun ratio and what is worthwhile.

[BeeHoney]

@Training Cupid

@BeeHoney Thank you for the response. I appreciate your point of view, but I still think you’d be surprised how many people of ordinary means find a way to make it happen.

Thank you for the thoughtful conversation.

From the inside POV (I’m a BO) it has been my experience that there are a lot of very wealthy horse owners that present themselves to the world as having “ordinary” means. They drive older cars, and don’t ever flaunt their wealth. Many of them are quite careful with their money, talk about scrimping and saving, etc. If I weren’t the BO and seeing all the bills go through, the horses bought/sold, etc., year after year (and on occasion simply knowing the “inside story” because I have a long term relationship with the client) I would assume that these people were of “ordinary” means. Sometimes the person IS of ordinary means, but has a generous & wealthy relative discreetly sponsoring their equestrian activities. In my own experience based on what I see, when people of truly more regular means try horse showing, they often burn out after a season or a year, or maybe even two years–it’s unsustainably expensive.

I am not trying to be negative here, or to discourage anyone who is making it work. But I think that costs are an issue for our sport.

[Sunflower]

I remember a parent at the barn where I had my horse years ago explaining how they were driving their car around on bald tires to afford the expenses of their new horse for their daughter. Yikes! This was a pretty basic horse and they were only aiming at very local shows, nothing rated. They had chosen to pay horse expenses instead of buy new tires. They had stars in their eyes-- they thought daughter was going to rise to the top of the glamorous show jumping world out there and live happily ever after.

Of course the odds against that are high.

The focus on riding can be so much about showing that it is hard to get a focus that there are many other options out there on how to enjoy horses. All of them valid as hobby choices, since the point of a hobby is personal enjoyment.

For myself, if the hobby is causing any financial stress and strain… it needs to be rethought. It is not doing what it should, which is to promote relaxation and well being, not the opposite.

Somehow horse showing seems to cause a loss of perspective-- like with the parents and their bald tires. In a rational world, who opts to drive on bald tires to pursue a hobby?! That kind of choice is not heroic or praise worthy. It’s not safe, it’s the wrong choice. People can make very skewed cost/benefit analysis choices to justify doing an expensive hobby…

[JenEM]

@showidaho

In our house we discuss it as a ‘dollar-to-fun’ ratio. You want to show? What’s the dollar to fun ratio as compared to, oh, say a vacation to somewhere tropical or exotic? Only you can decide your personal dollar-to-fun ratio and what is worthwhile.

I think this is a really good way to look at it. It’s the same way my SO looks at the expense of a boat, or we look at the expense of vacations, or other people do mountain bikes or planes or whatever. I expect zero monetary return on horse showing, I do it because I enjoy it. If I had a horse I was planning on selling, then maybe I would see some monetary value in putting a USE show record behind it, but still wouldn’t look at it as something where I was going to recoup my costs–I’d be doing it because bringing one along is a fun process to me.

As much as I truly enjoy showing, though, even if I had a trust fun and no mortgage and didn’t need to work for a living, I cannot see myself enjoying the nomad horse show lifestyle, being on the road 50 weeks a year. That’s not just crazy expensive, it would be completely exhausting, and I don’t know how people do it. I appreciate living somewhere that more often than not, I’m hauling in one day to a show (whether A or local), and coming home to my own bed at the end of the day. And I’m sure my horse appreciates coming home to her own stall and pasture, too.

[pds]

@showidaho

In our house we discuss it as a ‘dollar-to-fun’ ratio. You want to show? What’s the dollar to fun ratio as compared to, oh, say a vacation to somewhere tropical or exotic? Only you can decide your personal dollar-to-fun ratio and what is worthwhile.

I think this is my point or question. With everyone complaining about the cost and sharing the negative experiences they have at shows, how in the world can it be enjoyable let alone fun?

If someone paid a lot of money to go on vacation to a nice resort and had similar bad experiences they would be asking for refunds and/or would not go back. Right? They have many other resort choices in the area for the next vacation.

What I see happening is the loss of local quality two or three day rated shows that most of us regular folks can afford. These mega shows gobble up dates, extend schedules and raise costs. The effect, you don’t have another choice.

[Sunflower]

Somehow a lot of the horse showing seems to have become a display of conspicuous consumption, rather than a display of horsemanship. It just seems to be a venue to boast of lots of money, or at least the appearance of lots of money. Things like blingy helmets, this or that saddle, this or that saddle pad, which have to do with appearance rather than function are one symptom of this. Another is importing a horse- for the sake of saying it is imported-- rather than an actual need to have left the country to have found a suitable horse.

So is the attitude that Ocala is so downmarket. Etc.

When these values permeate the horse industry, there is little chance that the high cost of anything is going to change.

[RiderInTheRain]

@showidaho - we use the “dollars to fun ration” description in my house too! It is part of the reason that I am currently foxhunting on ponies rather than eventing or showing on TBs!

I did a (very) little bit of hunter showing as a child, then moved to eventing in my teenaged years. I had always assumed that at some point as an adult I would both return to recognized eventing and do some showing at rated shows in the jumper division as I had a lot of fun riding and grooming for jumpers during one of my working student positions. However, talking to friends who do the whole A showing routine has me currently feeling no desire to do so mainly due to the expense, especially when if/when I have that kind of $ to spend on my hobbies, I could instead spend it on a trip hunting in Ireland or a fun riding trek vacation in a lovely place, which I think for me personally would be more fun for those dollars.

I do love going to shows and watching or helping friends. It is always inspiring to see great horses and great riding. But I will never be in the financial situation to show at that level without significant stress and strain on other parts of my life. So while I do admire those from more ordinary means who make it work, it seems both a more realistic and healthy goal for me to focus on other horse related activities that aren’t as expensive.

[blondewithchrome]

@Sunflower

So is the attitude that Ocala is so downmarket. Etc.

When these values permeate the horse industry, there is little chance that the high cost of anything is going to change.

This is what kills me - hearing this sort of thing (or, God forbid, Gulfport or somewhere NOT in Florida for the winter) meanwhile so many of us would DIE to even get to show a week at Ocala during the winter instead of freezing our rears off at home this winter!!!I digress.

@pds, I can’t even begin to let myself think that if showing is expensive, the less “fun” or enjoyable it may be…I think it’s just the way it is, and for those of us who have come to terms with that, we’ve adjusted expectations/budgets/show plans to do what we can with whatever our budgets may be, because we love it for what it is, not what it costs. Not that the costs don’t make me slightly ill, but - the joy of it outweighs that every time :yes:

[vxf111]

@costco_muffins

I do it for the social benefits. My horse show family is amazing and I love working alongside them.

I do it because I believe in giving back. If the series I run didn’t exist, the financial support for our major urban horse park would dissipate.

I do it to share the love of horses. There were many many people who helped me on my path of learning about horses. I do it to honor them and teach the next generation.

I do it because I enjoy challenging myself and my horses. It is exciting to see how I have progressed and to see if I am improving. I go to clinics for the same reasons.

These are the best reasons. I will also add “for the pictures (and memories of my horses)!”

I’m lucky to live in a place with a thriving local unrated show scene and I have never once been tempted to forgo it for rated shows BECAUSE the cost to fun ratio is so much better. There is nothing “more fun” for me at a rated show.

[DMK]

honestly, I think if the “cost/benefit” analysis of showing at rated h/j shows was in fine health, you would see corresponding growth in USHJA, but I understand that has not exactly been the case!

So each individual may have a different reason why they do/do not show at rated shows, what they define as “cost” (hint it is not always money spent) or define as "benefits (also not exclusively defined as money earned), but in aggregate, I think fewer and fewer people are finding an equation that works for them…