Advice for first show???

[horserider]

I have never done a show before as my yard doesn't really do any and i dont have my own horse. I am doing my first show in afew days and im not nervous but just wondering if you have any tips. Btw i am doing two inhand classes and one ridden. Its just people from my yard so not scary but most have already competed before. Im not a bad loser and am taking it as a bit of fun but its always a bonus if i do well. Thanks in advance

 

[MissyThea]

have fun!!! breathe, relax. watch a few classes before your own, to chill yourself out and also to see how things work. i don't do inhand or ridden so i'm not much help there. remember to take a grooming kit with you, you'd be surprised how many people forget them!

you'll do great... and make sure to get pictures of the day! even if you don't get a prize, remember..the real rosettes are won at home x

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Be neat and tidy even if you don't have the right gear and wear your show outfit a few times for rides before the show day, so you have a chance to get used to it because it can feel weird and affect your riding suddenly riding in different gear.

On the day, be aware of the horses work load and tailor your warm up accordingly. If a riding school horse is going in several classes it doesn't want an hours warm up before each one! Tailor your warm up to your class. So if you're jumping make sure you go over a fence of the height that matches your class at least once so the horse knows what's coming up. If it's dressage try to get the horse responding instantly to your aids by using lots of transitions. Assess the horses temperament if it's an unfamiliar horse or it's mood if it's a horse known to you. Horses can have a personality change in a show atmosphere. Think does the horse need a chance to settle with some steady trotting, a chance to look at some spooky thing just outside the ring, does it need waking up with transitions and constant changes of direction (if it's the type to go to sleep even if a bomb was to go off)? Find out who the ring steward is and watch out for them calling you into the ring, staying nearby when it's close to your turn. With that in mind, find out who is before you so you know when you're up next.

For the run up on inhand showing classes try to get the horse's head in front of you don't drag them along. Keep the horse inbetween yourself and the judge, they want to see the horses legs not yours :smile3: For the riding class (is that a showing class too or something else?) try to be accurate in whatever you do. You're not going to dramatically improve your riding or reschool the horse between getting on for warm up and entering the ring so when in the ring forget about what's going good/bad that day, knowing you've done your best in the warm up and just focus on staying relaxed, keeping correct position and being as accurate as possible with whatever movements/fences you're riding.

Good luck, hope you have fun.