Horse show people, can you enjoy horses without horse shows?

[anon68314200]

I am pretty sure that (in the USA at least) expansive horse show circuits are one of the big contributors to the deterioration of horsemanship.

Trainers (very frequently) have to get students into the show arena as soon as possible. The excitement of showing, the build up, ‘goal’ setting, special events and facilities, rules and memberships, all provide a structure of hoops for clients to jump thru/over. These obstacles, very often, provide the momentum that keeps people coming back to the barn, taking lessons, leasing, buying, etc.

Unfortunately, the basic question of competence gets pushed to the side. If you have been around the block, you have seen it at every level. From the beginner riders who can barely hang on while white knuckling it around a jump course, to heavy seated, heavy handed, brace back dressage riders spur/pulling their way through a test, to weak riders on six figure mounts with their feet rubber banded into stirrups, etc, etc, etc. Almost no discipline is immune. And at every level, you will see riders, trainers, and competitors utilizing all manner of gadget and tactics to ‘get the horse to do it.’

If we consider that Covid 19 COULD make horse shows (as we know them) a thing of the past, will you still be interested to ride and train? Would you do it if there were not ribbons, year end awards, etc? Do you enjoy horsemanship enough to pursue it without the ‘hoops’ of the show systems to propel you forward?

[Coanteen]

Given that I’ve never participated in a horse show in my decade-plus of riding (including owning, though not atm)… yes.

[16_Hands]

Well sure. I was a die hard trail rider and rode an inexpensive horse before and could do that again. Yes, I like competing and training my horse but if shows were to disappear altogether, eh, so what?

[pluvinel]

@Isabeau Z Solace

…
If we consider that Covid 19 COULD make horse shows (as we know them) a thing of the past, will you still be interested to ride and train? Would you do it if there were not ribbons, year end awards, etc? Do you enjoy horsemanship enough to pursue it without the ‘hoops’ of the show systems to propel you forward?

Horse shows have always been secondary to me…

I consider the pressure to compete is what turns people to consider a horse into “just another piece of sports equipment.”

My interest in horses is to learn to become a better horseman/person. The elimination of horse show/competition will contribute an insignificant or irrelevant role in my continuing interest in working with horses.

[pony_grandma]

We have hundreds of miles of beautiful trial riding within 25 minutes to an hour from us that spending big money to ride is a moot point. No ribbons - just breath taking beauty, wild life and clean air. Once people get to experience real rides over terrain and time spent relaxed in the saddle it opens up their senses. And it’s a $25 annual tag!

[Somantu]

Yup. Have been riding and owning horses for over 30 years. Take lessons 1 to 3 times a week in non-COVID times.
Never shown, never wanted to show.

[2DogsFarm]

BTDT in my “youth” (late 30s), have a shopping bag full of ribbons in the basement including many tricolors.
Mostly Hunters, but some Dressage & 1 rated Event in that bag.
More recent prizes - 2004 to now - from schooling shows, Fair, are upstairs, but these all were For Funsies.

Last rated show was ADS Pleasure in 2017, my then 3yo mini’s debut.
I would like to do a Century Ride with my TWH.
We have 6yrs to qualify

Showing has never been my primary reason to have horses to ride & now drive.

I enjoy doing the annual County Fair because:
*Fun with friends
*Cash payback
*Corn dogs & Root Beer floats

[pony_grandma]

But yeh - since this is directed to ‘show people’ DD events and horribly misses her friends in that sport. As well as I volunteer and I miss my fantasy life.

[GoodTimes]

Yup. I ride or at least go to the barn 5+ days/wk, have had horses home in the past, worked as a groom/BM, etc. At most I’ve done a few seasons with 10-15 shows. Ever since aging out of juniors and having to pay for everything myself that has dropped to 5 shows/year, give or take.
I don’t show for the ribbons. I do it for the camaraderie, new venues, getting some nice pictures, etc. I don’t need to do it though, it’s an infinitely small portion of the actual time that I spend with my horses.

However, I don’t think this is the end of horse shows.

[TMares]

@Coanteen

Given that I’ve never participated in a horse show in my decade-plus of riding (including owning, though not atm)… yes.

You are not the demographic she was querying.

ETA: looks like you weren’t the only one not grasping the question lol

[tabula_rashah]

I don’t show but I compete(endurance, ctr, orienteering) a lot. I can certainly still enjoy riding without it but I really, really miss it especially because this was ramping up to be an epic year. Even my DH (who does not ride) said he missed going camping at rides with me this spring

As to this part If we consider that Covid 19 COULD make horse shows (as we know them) a thing of the past, will you still be interested to ride and train? Would you do it if there were not ribbons, year end awards, etc? Do you enjoy horsemanship enough to pursue it without the ‘hoops’ of the show systems to propel you forward?
I would still ride and train although I might not pay as much strict attention to mileage done, recording pulses etc. I don’t do it for ribbons, etc anyway- there isn’t much of that in endurance as it is. It’s more like, hey you rode an hopped up orangutan for 10 hours and survived, here’s a tee-shirt. And yes, I find the knowledge and the horsemanship rewards on their own- continued learning is always important

[anon68314200]

@TMares

You are not the demographic she was querying.

ETA: looks like you weren’t the only one not grasping the question lol

I changed the title after if appeared that mostly trail riding/non show people were answering. I am mostly interested in hearing from the people who have shown as a significant portion/focus of their training/riding agenda. A lot of people do not live in beautiful rural areas where spectacular trail riding is accessible. Or, they have very little experience outside of an arena. OR, they are completely dependent upon their trainer setting goals. Etc.

[Highflyer]

I don’t really foresee horseshowing being shut down forever, and really I think the small local stuff that I do will reopen pretty quickly after the stay at home orders are lifted. Some of it may take a little tweaking, but a lot of the unrecognized dressage shows, for example, don’t generally have more than twenty- thirty people max on the grounds at any point, counting officials, volunteers, competitors, and grooms/ moms/ spouses etc.-- and that could certainly be reduced with careful planning.

Right now there’s not just no showing, there’s also no real trailriding (state parks are closed to horses), no lessons, no hacking with a friend, I’m trying to be super careful which means not really jumping, etc. Plus it’s rained, a lot, and I don’t have a ring, just a couple of big fields that are pretty soggy. I have one horse that’s very spooky and tense and one that’s very hot and difficult. And yeah, I am pretty discouraged. I can’t really ride them hard enough to take the edge off, yesterday an eagle dropped a fish out of the sky when I was riding the spooky horse, the hot horse wanted to gallop instead of jog and had a minor meltdown…

So yeah, I don’t know. The spooky horse is not ideal but is okay to trailride or potentially foxhunt and mostly okay to hack, as long as he’s ridden consistently. The hot horse is really only fun to jump, and even then only when he’s ridden daily and the stars align properly. He’s as brave as a lion and as explosive as a bomb, a great athlete but not really pleasant to ride in company or anything unless he’s galloped a couple of miles first.

I’m pretty sure I’m stuck with both of these horses for their lifetimes or until I euthanize them. If I did, and there was no showing, would I get another horse? Maybe, maybe a nice middle- aged QH or cob type that was the same whether you rode it once a week or daily. I like horses and they’ve always been part of my life, but I really enjoy the goalsetting aspect of competing and it’s hard to imagine spending the amount of money and work necessary to maintain them and take lessons without some kind of outside goal.

[hunter51]

I show about every other weekend in the spring, summer, and fall as an adult amateur hunter but I 100% do not need shows to be happy. I do miss showing but I really enjoy just spending time with horses, whether it’s on the ground or in the saddle. Lessons are also very fulfilling for me - I just like learning and improving. I feel this might be different for juniors who really thrive on that competitive drive.

[LilyandBaron]

I think the thread title works, though I didn’t see the original title. But wow, your post, OP - do you want a fight? I’m sure someone will raise their hand, say yep, I can’t ride to save my life but have money to burn, so if I can’t get in a fancy ring at a huge venue and pay a BNT to see I survive my endeavors on my $100K + creature, I’ll probably just invest in fancy cars or yachts instead.

I think there’s a valid, less hate-filled question in there, though. What will the impact of limited competitions/circuits be on equestrian sport? How will trainers adjust, and will owners/riders want to continue if they can’t compete? I don’t think competition is gone forever, though. I imagine it adapts, and this year is certainly weird.

Separate from impact across the industry, I would be curious to know what the super wealthy clients you are describing will do with their horses? I know some barns are closed anyway, so the staff/trainers are doing training rides. But if the person who has a serious job that normally just flies in to show - will that person still visit the horse at home? Or do they not care about the horse other than as a competition vehicle? But I doubt many of people with that lifestyle or outlook are on COTH…

[conniemary]

@Isabeau Z Solace

weak riders on six figure mounts with their feet rubber banded into stirrups, etc,

The only riders who are allowed to have their feet rubber banded into stirrups in competitions are para, so this seems a bit distasteful.

[2tempe]

I show dressage fairly regularly in “normal times”. Fortunately for me I am still able to ride and train these days, and the time is well spent - working on some new stuff, the never ending project of improving my seat, going for some hacks before it gets too hot down here, and just the sheer bliss of hanging out at a pretty farm with a horse that always makes me smile.

[pluvinel]

@TMares

You are not the demographic she was querying.

ETA: looks like you weren’t the only one not grasping the question lol

The world is not binary or black-white…eg., either you show or you don’t show.

People will train…and/or show…and/or trail ride…and/or clinic…and/or…etc.

Which is why people are answering the way they are.

Most people that I know are people who are interested in training and bettering their horsemanship…who also happen to show.

I show and have shown to put a show record on a horse. I have competed at BLM’s to get ribbons for myself…but these days, I show for the camaraderie of meeting up with friends I see once a year.

[Arlomine]

Could care less, personally, though I support my students who enjoy it, and I think it’s a good litmus test for your training (I’m a trainer).

If clinics ceased, I would be devastated.

[DMK]

@pluvinel

Horse shows have always been secondary to me…

I consider the pressure to compete is what turns people to consider a horse into “just another piece of sports equipment.”

Meh, the pressure to compete doesn’t make you consider a horse just another piece of equipment, the quality of your horsemanship (or lack thereof) leads to that issue. Poor horseman can also be found not competing, in no pressure situations, out on the trails with unthrifty, unfit overbitted and undertrained horses, and that’s not because they are not competitors, it’s because they are not good horseman. Horsemanship is net of discipline.

I compete and some years I compete a lot. I have a competition schedule and I put a decent amount of pressure on myself to meet those goals. I put an appropriate amount of training pressure on my horse to meet those goals. But I have zero problem adapting, changing, responding to whatever the horse needs regardless of my pressure to compete.

Right now I’m mixing it up, switching from CDE season to dressage season, so I’m doing some walk trail drives, some dressage and some trail riding. I love trail riding (just came back from 5 miles in the mountains on a lovely day) but it’s the balance in my competition/training life.

I’m still goal oriented and like to use competition as a degree of validation/feedback on where I am in meeting my goals, and I’m not gonna lie, I’d love to have a show on the schedule soon. But I’m ok with not showing as well, it’s not like riding schedule or plans change either way.