Even though the East Coast is still shoveling the last of this winter’s snow, show season is right around the corner. As horses and riders start gearing up for this summer’s competitions, equestrians everywhere are meticulously planning out which shows they’ll be attending in 2022. A lot goes into choosing which horse competitions or pony shows to attend. Careful attention to detail can mean the difference between a great show season and a bust.
The United States is host to a lot of different climates. Riders in Florida have been blessed with the ability to show all winter long, while those equestrians in Michigan have to wait a little longer before they can head to their next horse competition. Generally, most spring and summer show seasons can start as early as March or April, depending on the weather and the facilities available. For venues with an indoor, they may be able to start their spring pony shows earlier, or even host a winter competition series.
In order to get ahead of the curve and get a jump on your next show season, many riders start planning their schedules in January or February. This way, they’ll be able to ride at as many competitions as possible without missing out on early shows due to poor planning. Plus, there’s no better way to beat the winter blues than by scheduling a summer full of exciting horse competitions!
When choosing which shows to attend, it’s important to be honest with yourself and evaluate your goals carefully. Competing in classes that are too much of a challenge for you and your horse will just set you up for failure, but competing in classes that are too easy will prevent you from improving as much as you could.
A good rule of thumb is that you should be training just a little higher than you’re competing, particularly with very dangerous equestrian sports like eventing. For example, if you would like to show in a 3’0 over fences class, you should be comfortable jumping 3’3 when training at home. This ensures that you and your horse will be confident at your next horse show without selling yourself short and entering into a class that is too easy.
When evaluating your current skill set, ask yourself a few simple questions:
Your training is an excellent resource when it comes to planning which horse competitions you’ll attend this season. Not only is your trainer a trusted resource with more experience than you, but they’re extremely familiar with your horse, your riding style, and your past experiences. They may have even been with you every step of the way! They’ll be able to provide you with an honest evaluation of you and your horse and advise you on what level you should be showing at this season.
It’s also a good idea to coordinate with your trainer for the show season. It’s much more convenient for you both to attend shows they’ll already be at. That way you can trailer together, enter together, and support each other on hectic show days. Depending on the trainer, it may even save you some money.
No matter how carefully you plan your horse show season, it won’t help if you don’t have all the tack and gear that you need! At Breeches.com, we believe in increasing affordability for equestrians everywhere. Save money on high-quality products this show season. Check out our collection of show coats, tall boots, show shirts, breeches, saddle pads, and more.
We created the horse show planner below to make your life a little easier and to help you stay organized over a hectic show season. Download it for free, print it out, and fill it in to keep all the details for your 2022 horse competitions in one easy place. Click the picture below to download your planner or click here.
For more horse show season tips, check out this blog.
Comments will be approved before showing up.