Showing levels - realistic progression

[Pehsness]

Honestly, the fact that I’m lessoning more then once a week, own a trailer (and a horse who will get in it) and can even CONCEIVE of showing next year is pretty wild dreams to me. I’m living my childhood fantasies, just on a smaller scale.

He’s like the gymnast that gets ok marks because of technical correctness. So we may get past training, but he’ll cap out somewhere. Which is totally fine, because the point of this is to soak up as much as I possible can and then transfer it to a younger horse.

[joiedevie99]

Enjoy!!! I’d enter one show at Intro, and then consider moving up to Training 1. Intro C isn’t the most friendly test, and Intro A/B will mostly be filled with people who can’t canter. Training 1 is a tremendously friendly test. As you get comfortable there, consider Training 2 or 3.

In terms of progression, who knows with horses! A talented horse ridden by a very experienced rider can be showing I2/GP in ~5 years - basics at 3, training at 4, 1/2 at 5, 3/4 at 6, PSG at 7, I2/Dev GP at 8. The same rider, on a horse with less natural aptitude, can spend 2 years between 2nd and 3rd level trying to develop the push and the straightness for the change. Then maybe that horse continues on the prior timeline, or maybe that hose has an Ah Ha moment and jumps up from 2nd to PSG.

A generally broke horse and a competent amateur can often conquer training right away, and first the next year. Then things can slow down when collection comes into the picture.