In looking out the window at the sky-high piles of snow, it’s hard to imagine that soon the crocuses and daffodils will start to emerge letting us know that Show Season is upon us! What are we waiting for? The horses have already started shedding!
To get our horses ready we put their shoes back on, shed them out or body clip them, increase their work schedule, and maybe even add some supplements to their diet. The question becomes “What are you doing to get yourself ready for show season?” Remember, if it only mattered how you prepared your horse for a show, all we would do is bring the horse to the ring and turn them loose. When it comes to the formula for show ring success, your horse is only half the equation!
There’s a bit of a vicious cycle that happens in the equestrian world and it goes a little like this:
Late Winter – Dream about show season. Select the shows for this year. Mark the calendar. Look at the budget. Wish show season would hurry up and get here. Think about your horse show friends and how great it will be to see them again. Think you should probably ride a little more often.
Off to the Show!
Spring – Pull out the show clothes and wonder if they’re going to fit after a winter of reduced activity. Decide to spend a little more time in the saddle. Wish you hadn’t done quite so much feasting over the holidays. Wonder if there’s any possible way you could get to the gym this week. Panic that show season is starting. Try to get through a class without messing up.
Summer – Tell the dry cleaner you need your show clothes back pronto because you’re leaving for another show in two days. Enjoy catching up with your horse show friends and watching them connect with the horse they bought at the end of last season. Eat yet another hamburger, hot dog, pretzel, pizza slice, bag of chips, fried dough, bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, or plate of pasta from the exhibitor party. Have that class where, by the second direction, you just want it to end so you can leave the ring. Wonder if you riding clothes will still fit at the end of the season.
Where Does the Time Go?
Fall – Look back at the show season and wonder where it went. Look forward to a little downtime over the winter and marvel at the fact that you can spend two consecutive weeks sleeping in your own bed. Think about how next show season can be better.
Does that sound at all like your experience? Our show seasons are typically filled with a lot of ups and downs. Often we start off the year a little rough and then work hard to try to make up some ground. Starting off on the right foot at the beginning of show season can make all the difference in your year. Hitting the in-gate in a state of confidence, focus, and fitness will set the tone for a successful show season full of pride and progress.
As a Holistic Equestrian Coach, I have created a “6 Weeks to Show Ring Success” virtual coaching program to support equestrian women realizing their goals with their horse. This program is ideal for the equestrian who knows that deep down inside there is another level of performance just waiting to rise to the surface. This is a program for the person who has left the ring after a class and thought “I could’ve done better”. This is a program for the person who feels that they have hit a plateau in their level of achievement or haven’t nearly reached their potential. And this is a program for the equestrian who simply wants to get healthy enough to continue to enjoy horses well into their 70s and 80s.
Convenient!
The best part is – you don’t have to go anywhere. No scheduling someone to take care of your animals. No taking off from work. No worries. All the information comes right to you through your email and/or your telephone. Learn in your car, at home, or while cleaning stalls. This program works for anybody.
To find out more about the program and to download a free recording of my Trifecta of Show Ring Success Secrets teleseminar, along with the user guide, go to
www.ShowRingSuccess.net
Remember: Be Well… Ride Well!