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Suggestions for Broadening Experience

My mare and I have a lot of fun showing on our local circuit. We show in the 2’6 - 2’9 hunters and we’ll stay there for a while. She’s has it all figured out, but doing a 2’9 course is still pretty new to me.

But, I would like to broaden our experience to different venues and shows. I have the budget for one rated show a year, or maybe a couple clinics. But I’m not sure what would be the most fun, or the most beneficial.

Give me some suggestions! What have you done to expand your horizons that you enjoyed most?

Taking my dressage horse cow sorting was about the most fun I’ve with him! I also enjoy camping trips with him.

Have you tried XC schooling?

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Trail riding and camping have been the most fun thing for us.

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We have tried cross country schooling, and it was lots of fun.
I would love to try the cow sorting - I have a feeling she might like cows …\

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Eventing. It is less expensive, and the skills transfer. Cross country schoolings are a lot of fun too. I found anything eventing related to be much less expensive and more accessible. We also did a ton of eventing clinics as well. It definitely depends on your area though.

I have a young horse and our main discipline will be the jumpers with a side of hunters, but we kept him at the 2’6’’/2’9’‘ish height this year while he gets more broke and we figure each other out. I’ll chicken out when the cross country jumps get too big, but for that height I found eventing to be more fun than a 2’6’’ course of outside diagonal outside diagonal quarterline (just me, personally!)

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Because (reasons too long to explain and not relevant) I spent some time a few years ago riding with an amazing trainer whose background was reining. It was truly life changing for me and my horse (a former low level dressage horse and current low level jumper).

Don’t be afraid to step outside your current discipline.

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Don’t rule out the fun and benefits of good old fashioned trail rides. It helps with fitness and confidence of rider and horse, and if you find a good crew it can be so fun. Plus the cost is right!

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Depending on how far you have to trailer out … gas still $5/gallon here :rofl:

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We used to take our hunters team penning every now and then. It was fun even though I was quite terrible at it. Our trainer said it’s nice to forget “riding” and put your focus completely on something else (chasing cows) and you learn to ride so much better.

So much depends on what is available in your area. I live in Maryland just outside of DC which is quite equestrian friendly. there are a lot of different disciplines so its easy to play dressage one day, go xcountry schoioling and there’s a cool obstacle course near me - haven’t been yet but some friends have gone and love it.

Agree with cross country schooling, trail riding and I’ll toss in going to a dressage schooling show. Start with a lower level test for starters

I have done a bunch of “cross training” with my young show hunters over the years, including cross country schooling and competing in some hunter trials (judged like a show hunter but over an outdoor cross country course), dressage lessons (very very helpful for young horse education and muscular development), jumper shows (where we went around slowly like an equitation class to jump more interesting courses and different style jumps), trail riding (mostly at the walk only and including things like stream crossings and little bridges helps build confidence and fitness) and yes learning to lock on a cow as if I was going to rope it (I have no roping skills however). ALL of this stuff was grand fun and built their confidence and my relationship with them.