Cost of showing -- adult amatuer

[Soaponarope]

I would say you have your work cut out for you. It’s all just so expensive. I would suggest leasing a horse vs ownership so you don’t get stuck with huge vet bills and or a horse you can’t ride but have to care for. Then find a local circuit that is affordable. If you have bigger dreams and it is appropriate for you, then perhaps plan to do the adult equitation. Not sure where you are, but you can qualify for a regional equitation finals like New England equitation finals or Southeast medal finals via a local circuit and have one big blow out fun event per year where you will get to compete against A show riders. Some state circuits also have a competitive finals.

If you want to do the A circuit find another very profitable source of income, let’s say 50k a year. Or buy a printing press, put it in your basement and start printing money.

[BITSA]

OP: I also work full time and have 2 kids, so totally understand. I also took 25 years off riding before getting back into it as jumping was a lifelong dream (I grew up riding western). The riding is worth it. But I think local shows are the place to start while you get your feet wet. I also don’t know how “nice” of a horse you need to have. I bought a 10 year old, almost no show record mare, who is not fancy, but well broke and amazing. She’s a jumper/eq horse so I didn’t need the fancy hunter type. There may be good horses that you could do a care lease on or even half lease. Trainers often have or know of these horses. You do need a trainer and lessons though. So find someone that will allow you to do your own grooming at shows as that’s a huge part of the cost. Start local and see how it goes. You’ll still get all the fun out of competing and won’t have to move to the poor house. Oh, and if you do have extra hours, learn to braid–really well–braiders are well paid. I show with AAs who pay for their A circuit shows with braiding and working the show back gate. Good luck!

[Scribbler]

Honestly a half lease for $350 and lessons at $45 a pop sounds pretty affordable to me if horse and coach are of acceptable quality. Especially if that’s your total cost on the lease, includes vet care and shoes, and saddle goes with horse.

[findeight]

@Soaponarope

…If you want to do the A circuit find another very profitable source of income, let’s say 50k a year. Or buy a printing press, put it in your basement and start printing money.

Mmmmm…most spend more then that keeping a horse competitive (or at least worth hauling) on that level. Between housing it and keeping it trained up, in shoes and healthy, the hauling, stabling and assorted changes, 50k is more like the years horse budget, not your income.

And full leasing a horse does NOT relieve you of responsibility for all of the above or mean it will be rideable every day all year. It just is less then buying it outright and you can, eventually give it back. Just when you can do that depends on the terms covering illness or injury specifically outlined in your contract. Even with insurance, those bills are yours and can get up there.

One year I did keep track of my horse expenses, that was board, training/lessons, vet and farrier, 10 A shows and maybe 6 “locals” all too far to haul in-out same day requiring 2-5 nights stabling. Showed 1 division plus schooling class, sometimes Ammy division plus a Low Pro division. Midwest area. No big vet bills that year.

I came up with 45k. That was 2002 or 03. Wish I would have paid more attention along the way. I reduced the schedule after that. It was fun though.

If I wanted to get back into it, Id half lease, either flat rate or 50/50 split of monthly expenses including routine vet and farrier but with owner fully responsible for serious illness and injury. Many trainers have part lease horses they will partner with you on, that way they keep control of vet and farrier and that’s actually in your favor.

[CPL713]

Would your current barn not allow you to take a lesson horse to a schooling show, without comitting to a half lease? That is what people mean when they are referencing day leases.

Where I am, many of the lesson barns have school horses that are very capable of being competitive at the weekend schooling shows. The trainer will post a sign-up sheet for any students interested in attending an upcoming show, and students will list their name along with the horse they’d like to take (or maybe will give 2 or 3 names). Trainer then assigns a horse to each student, and off everyone goes to show. Sometimes 2 riders split one horse, if they are in different divisions, which can potentially reduce costs even more.

So you’re paying a fee to lease the horse for the weekend, instead of the month or year. And you know the horse already, because it’s one you have been riding in lessons. That’s how I afforded the (very few) shows I was able to do up until I recently got a horse of my own. If it’s an option, I would strongly suggest it!

Or, if you want the consistancy of 1 horse of your own, ask your trainer to help find a lease where an owner just needs someone to take over the bills on their horse. That can also be a great option if the “bills” aren’t too exorbitant. I did that with my former horse for 6 months when I just needed to get him off the payroll. The barn owner connected me with a teenage client who wanted a BTDT horse to learn the jumpers on and “own” for a summer before college. If I wind up pregnant in a few years, I am hoping to find someone to do the same with my current horse while I am “grounded”. At least then you aren’t paying a lease fee on top of everything else…

But, like someone above said, $350 for a half lease is actually very reasonable. And it’s great, because you aren’t totally responsible for all of the vet, farrier, boarding, etc.

It sucks. It’s all so expensive. I totally feel your pain. I am extremely fortunate that we can afford my horse and still keep a roof over our heads, but I struggle with the guilt and thinking of what else my husband and I could be doing with this money. And even though I know I’m not poor, I sure feel poor now that all of my money is tied up in keeping my horse alive.

[CPL713]

@mmeqcenter BAHAHA YES. I should have just showed that to my husband before we got married.

[Princess_Sparkles]

I think your best bet is a part lease (“part board” is what it is called where I live) so you get some riding time without spending too much. Most part leases I know of get to ride 3 days a week and don’t chip in for farrier or vet expenses (though of course it depends on your contract of course).

As far as lessons go, they are of course nice to do every week but if you have a flexible coach, try doing a lesson every other week or once a month, and keep your ear to the ground for clinics you might be able to attend as well–try to get the most bang for your buck. I did an entire season showing where the coach I liked and was working with was 5 hours away from me. She coached me at shows and I did clinics with her when I could. Of course I would have loved to have a lesson every week, but logistically and financially it wasn’t possible, and with this arrangement I got help at the shows when I most needed a focused and directed warmup and the coach got to know me and my horse outside of a show environment at the clinics.

Since you aren’t desperate to do A shows, you should be able to find something kind of affordable to do. I don’t know what the options are in the US–I am lucky enough to live in Ontario, Canada where our recognized shows span from Gold (A shows), Silver (provincial level, still quite competitive and qualifies for year end Championships which is a massive show, 1000 horses from all over the province) and Bronze, which is very local, affordable, and basically a schooling level, but still a recognized competition with safety standards, qualified officials, etc. The bronze shows in my area even pay prize money. There are unrecognized schooling shows as well, which are super cheap but the quality of judging, footing, facilities etc varies (I’m talking like $40 for a division in my area).

If you are staying local and not staying overnight, you can save quite a bit on hotels and stalls. Work off your trailer for the day if possible. Shipping will probably be the most expensive part unless you know someone with a trailer who is willing to lend or drive you for gas money.

If you truly want to show for the fun and the experience, and don’t care about doing A shows, it is possible for an adult ammy with other financial responsibilities to do it. It depends what you want to do. Unrecognized one day schooling show 10 minutes from home? That’s a $100 day if you pack your own lunch and don’t take a coach. Want a recognized show and coaching? Might have to drive a hour or more, entry fees are more, and have to pay a day fee for a coach. . . budget closer to $500 if it’s a one day.

[PoochPaddock]

@findeight

If I wanted to get back into it, Id half lease, either flat rate or 50/50 split of monthly expenses including routine vet and farrier but with owner fully responsible for serious illness and injury. Many trainers have part lease horses they will partner with you on, that way they keep control of vet and farrier and that’s actually in your favor.

^^^ This.

I half lease for a flat fee per month to the owner - month to month. No responsibility for vet bills, shoes, etc. Occasionally I pitch in on things like chiropractic, masseuse, etc., when and where I can but it’s not an obligation. If I show in my division and she shows in the long stirrup division at the same show, we split everything down the middle. If I show him without her, i’m responsible for all HS costs and vice versa. He’s not super fancy but he does his job, is a solid citizen and jumps well enough. It gets me to the horse shows without feeling like i’m on an inferior horse (rated but only in my city - i’m in Houston so plenty of A and AA shows here). If I ride my a-- off and don’t miss and get all changes, we’re good for some non-primary color ribbons and an occasional good ribbon in the hack in a fairly competitive 2’6" modified adult ring. Lots of good company here in that division.

It’s worked well this way for almost a year and we are both very happy with the arrangement. Honestly, even if I could afford all the expenses for a full lease or ownership, there is no way i’d have the time or be inclined to be at the barn 5 to 6 days a week. As a 40 something adult, I need to have a life outside of my horse time.

If you can find a suitable arrangement with a suitable horse that allows you the kind of scenario mentioned above, I highly recommend it!! It’s been a lot of fun and the obligation is minimal (relatively speaking). If my financial situation changes, I can bow out gracefully.

Caveat: It’s still not inexpensive. I’m still spending the equivalent of rent on a decent 1 BR apartment in my city just to do the half-lease and any lessons I take. If I go to a horse show, well, that’s another type of barn bill entirely. But at the end of the day, it is infinitely more economical to do it this way than all-in.

[Soaponarope]

@findeight

Mmmmm…most spend more then that keeping a horse competitive (or at least worth hauling) on that level. Between housing it and keeping it trained up, in shoes and healthy, the hauling, stabling and assorted changes, 50k is more like the years horse budget, not your income.

Yes, I meant the 50k a year was the horse budget. When I’ve leased I’ve also had terms included that stipulated I would pay vet bills up to x amount and that if the horse could not perform due to a long term injury the lease was over.

[costco_muffins]

Do you have a good local circuit? Talk to them about volunteering. On our circuit, we are entirely volunteer run and the core group of folks (five families) get comped showing in exchange for the countless hours of work. That is the only way I can afford to show.

[Proffie]

I very good friend of mine showed in the A’s for two seasons by splitting everything 50/50 with another rider in the same financial boat – they shared the lease on a nice horse, and split all the shows down the middle. It meant fewer classes for each of them, but it allowed them both to experience the “big time” for a couple of years.

[ToTheNines]

I have a trainer friend in that part of Colorado, and see her Facebook posts. Seems like you have a great local circuit, and competitive and friendly atmosphere!

[BeeHoney]

I totally get what the OP says, but OTOH, be careful not to overestimate how great showing is. Before you worry about showing, worry about leasing (or buying) a suitable and compatible horse that you can learn from and learn on. Worry about getting lessons with a good trainer and maybe doing the occasional clinic. Then, worry about shows. In terms of upping your “horse game,” showing is going to give you the least bang for your buck.

[Sunflower]

I remember the feeling of, if I do not do it now, I will never do it, when it came to trying to play in the rated shows, and throwing all I had at doing just that. I played for a little while. It left me feeling unhappy, and very disillusioned. I stopped enjoying my horses as everything became about a ribbon. At home, my free time was churned up by HAVING to ride ( at least in my own head) and riding my horses became a chore, an obligation, and it all stopped being fun. But somehow once on the roller coaster it was hard to stop. Maybe it would have been possible to pull back and find some middle ground, but I did not. I quit showing, I quit riding, for a long, long time I really wanted nothing to do with horses at all.

At some point, early on, I enjoyed it. The glamour, the glitz, though, that is not really there. The reality is early mornings and late nights, with “success” a very fleeting thing, only as good as the last course, with another one always looming.

This was just my journey. Not everyone’s is the same.

I did in time find my way back to horses, but now it is all very different for me. I have done some unrated shows-- and I felt that “bug” begin to bite, where doing rated shows seemed to be the natural goal, the natural progression, and I pushed myself and my horse in that direction… and… stopped.

Because I could feel my attitude shift again, the whole obligation, the lack of fun, seemed to be creeping into it all, and I did not want that.

That is just me. I am sure it is very different for others, it is all an individual thing. But for me-- no. I enjoy my horse in a different way, at a different level, without shows on the horizon as a goal. We may go to the odd unrated show but even that has become something that does not have a lot of appeal.

In a show oriented barn, there seem to be narrow horizons, that there is one way to be with a horse, goals you could pursue, goals you should pursue. And yet, the horse world is a bigger one than the world of the rated shows-- and there are many ways and many levels at which to show.

I did not ( and do not) find showing a very rewarding thing in the end-- I was left with a pile (some times) of some ribbons, and an empty and hollow feeling, and any sense of satisfaction or reward very fleeting, with an eye always on what had to be done next, what show was coming, what riding issue had to be addressed, whether I had the right horse for the show goals I was supposed to be setting.

I walked away. And that is a valid choice too. All that glitters…

[Brutus614]

I’m sure you’ve already done this, but have you talked to your trainer about this? It sounds like you’re already in a program, and looking to do more. Maybe your trainer will have some ideas on how to make it happen?

You also might think about ways to add a “side hustle” to help with the finances. Braiding and clipping are excellent suggestions, but not something I have the skills to do and the time/ (or patience!) to learn. Instead, I started an Etsy store and do some small freelance graphic design projects on the side. This year, I’m expecting about $1k in revenue – not much, but it certainly helps!

[findeight]

Just to throw this in the mix…there are other ways to ride and show then Open, rated HJ shows. OP is in a good QH area, and they have HJ classes. No misunderstanding here, cheaper is not the right word but it’s not as stupid expensive. There are more mid level trainers, unfortunately leasing to show is not a practical option. But if you love horses and want to show unrated, there’s ways besides the most expensive discipline.

Also found more welcoming trainers in that world on the mid level that don’t micro manage, and charge for, every detail of their clients horse lives as if they were Beacon Hill at the Medal Finals instead of a mid level teaching barn.

[OTTB2]

I find my show bill varies on how well I do, If I do bad I buy alcohol if I do extremely well I buy alcohol to share with my trainer. Thus the most affordable shows are when I do right in the middle.

[HJdaydream]

@OTTB_

I find my show bill varies on how well I do, If I do bad I buy alcohol if I do extremely well I buy alcohol to share with my trainer. Thus the most affordable shows are when I do right in the middle.

I.am.DYING. :lol::lol::lol:

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

@OTTB_

I find my show bill varies on how well I do, If I do bad I buy alcohol if I do extremely well I buy alcohol to share with my trainer. Thus the most affordable shows are when I do right in the middle.

There really needs to be a “comment of the day” award on COTH because for today, this is it.

[Hunter_Happy1]

I manage to do the adults but don’t have kids.I also am at a barn that really caters to the working amateur and we are very lucky to have some A and AA rated shows within 30-45 minutes driving distance (at 3 separate venues) that we don’t have to pay for stalls. Trainers will drive back and forth 3-4 days consecutively to save clients money on show fees.