How far can I go in showjumping?

[findeight]

So glad you thought about what was pointed out carefully and took the first step up the ladder in changing coaches.

Since you do not have to worry about moving a horse, it will be easier to take lessons from at least two trainers and spend some time observing their teaching and barn management. Take the time to go spectate at a show but spend your time watching the warm up rings and seeing which trainers suit your needs and which you feel you just aren’t going to click with, With the added stress of preparing to jump in a class at a show, you can really see which trainers are cool, calm and supportive. Which ones can channel the riders nerves and get them focused and has them on a suitable horse. You will also see some who yell, bully and send riders into the ring on under prepared and/unsuitabe horses and a few that couldn’t care less.

Ask questions but just staying quiet, watching and listening to those around you will be the best education. When you visit a possible barn, ask where they are showing and go watch. Picked my last two trainers by watching them warm up riders at shows. Wasted years in bad programs before I figured that out. I learned I did better for trainers who were direct and honest about my skill and my horses. Not so good for those who thought I needed my hand held, didn’t need to hear the truth or blew sunshine up my rear.

Pick one that suits you and who you feel gives you what you need to motivate yourself. Really like sit down meetings to set goals every year. No brainer in the business world, not so much in even show barns where it would keep everybody on the same page and goal oriented. Trainer that matches your short term and mire distant goals can work with you and put you on the proper horse for where you are and move you further along.

Your previous trainer just wasn’t on the same page as you and could do nothing to move you along. Just not a good fit, might have been initially but not now. Frankly, there’s no need to set getting bucked as a goal or step on the ladder towards your goal. Bound to happen at some point but wouldn’t go looking for it.

One word here…never burn a bridge with any horse professional. You never know who you might be doing a buying or selling deal with years from or need to move your horse to in an emergency ( brush fire or mudslide for example). The horse world is small and we have looooong memories. Stay professional in the demeanor department. You’ll see plenty who stray far from that, even Pros…

[centaursam]

Findeight, some great advice, thank you!

I’m definitely one for honest and direct feedback, even if it’s pointing out that I’m terrible at something.Good call on going to watch trainers as they warm up riders at shows, I’ll be sure to visit a few. Setting goals is also important to me, I’ll make that evident with whomever I end up settling with.

I didn’t burn bridges with my trainer, we’re still on great terms. I thought she’d be mad that I was wanting to find someone else but she was very respectful and provided me with a few trainers to check out.

[bingbingbing]

I only read the first and the last two pages. And I am excited for you. You have gotten great info here.

And a bit off the topic I have to say I love this quote of your’s: Its easy to disregard the influence of others, especially in small details that add up over the long run.

[KingRocker4Life]

can you give us a video?

[centaursam]

@KingRocker4Life

can you give us a video?

A video of what?

[KingRocker4Life]

A video of you riding. It is not easy for anybody to give advice on riding without seeing a video. I am not gonna give you any advice because I am not that experienced but for other people looking to give you advice it might be nice to give them a video for reference.

[Scribbler]

@KingRocker4Life

A video of you riding. It is not easy for anybody to give advice on riding without seeing a video. I am not gonna give you any advice because I am not that experienced but for other people looking to give you advice it might be nice to give them a video for reference.

The OP didn’t actually ask for feedback on his riding. He is an adult beginner who has been taking lessons for a few years, and the advice he got here was to look for a good h/j barn. His question wasn’t really “am I good enough now to show at high levels?” it was more, what is theoretically possible for an athletic adult with the time and the cash to devote to this sport? If you read the whole thread, you will see where the discussion went.

[GoneAway]

@centaursam you know you’ve received some excellent advice thus far and I’m impressed with both your enthusiasm and your attitude. You seem very open not only to change and suggestions, which isn’t always the case around here. Additionally, I personally feel that being coachable (being open to feedback and taking it to heart and making the changes) is arguably more important in this sport than physical ability. Being physically talented is important, yes, but it’s worthless if you’re not a good student of the sport.

Others have said it, but I’ll reiterate it: stay an amateur. You can still climb the levels of the sport without going pro, and eventually (if skill and finances allow) compete in the big jumper classes against professionals while keeping your amateur status. It’s not worth it going pro. I was a professional for a few years after college, and while I’m glad for my experience, I would never go back. Plenty others won’t as well because for many, it’s just not worth it. Additionally, as someone who came to the sport late, with no show record and no name in the industry, you would struggle to get clients and sponsors. It’s a difficult reality and one more reason to just keep your amateur status.

Lastly, I think it’s great you parted on good terms with your dressage trainer. I would highly recommend you keep in touch with her and after you find a good jumper barn to ride full time with (if you haven’t already), do consider taking a dressage lesson from time to time (maybe once every few weeks, whatever works for your schedule). The flatwork is so, so important for a good jumper rider to know, but the level of quality flatwork (dressage) you get at a straight hunter/jumper program may vary considerably depending on the program. It is 100% worth it to keep one foot in that dressage door to make you a better, stronger, and much more educated jumper rider. You don’t need to ride in dressage tack and you don’t need to ride tests, but it’s so useful to know how to develop a horse on the flat, how to isolate different parts of the horse, and how to help better develop them as athletes through correct dressage work. It increases not only their strength, but their adjustability, and you understand how to better balance. A well educated horse and rider make for more successful jumper rounds.

Now if your chosen jumper barn uses a lot of basic, correct dressage on the flat then you might not need to take dressage lessons, but it’s just another tool for your toolbox for you to consider.

Good luck and have fun!

[centaursam]

Some great advice here, thank you @GoneAway !

I read through the thread you linked about pro vs. amateur and I was quite surprised to read some of the responses. I definitely want to stay amateur, as in I don’t want to be doing this full time and rely on it as my sole source of income. But the goal, as you have said, is to climb the levels of the sport and get to where I am competing against pros.

I will admit that I took dressage for granted and didn’t appreciate how much it translated into better jumping and riding in general. Once I find a barn to ride with for the foreseeable future and get a consistent jumping schedule going, I’m going to see if I can work in a lesson of dressage with my previous trainer (stealing your idea :))

[Wanderosa]

@centaursam

Some great advice here, thank you @GoneAway !

I read through the thread you linked about pro vs. amateur and I was quite surprised to read some of the responses. I definitely want to stay amateur, as in I don’t want to be doing this full time and rely on it as my sole source of income. But the goal, as you have said, is to climb the levels of the sport and get to where I am competing against pros.

I will admit that I took dressage for granted and didn’t appreciate how much it translated into better jumping and riding in general. Once I find a barn to ride with for the foreseeable future and get a consistent jumping schedule going, I’m going to see if I can work in a lesson of dressage with my previous trainer (stealing your idea :))

My trainer rides with Silvio Mazzoni. I don’t remember the exact words he used, but it was something like, “show jumping is just dressage with stuff in the way.”

[2DogsFarm]

@Wanderosa

My trainer rides with Silvio Mazzoni. I don’t remember the exact words he used, but it was something like, “show jumping is just dressage with stuff in the way.”

Or, as my all-around trainer (Hunters, Jumpers, Eventing, Dressage, rode to the Hunt) used to say:
“A jump is just a canter stride”

[centaursam]

Haha my previous trainer always said the hardest part of jumping isn’t the jumps but rather the time/space spent between jumps which involves a lot of dressage skills.

I was just always so eager to jump, I never took the time to appreciate/internalize what I was learning in dressage :ambivalence:

[findeight]

Great, you are learning. Never stop.