How competitive are you??

[Bossanova]

For those of you that compete- in any discipline.....

I have learnt that being competitive just gives me false hope, used to enter everything with the aim of winning, now that I never win anything, I'm quite satisfied if I feel my horse and I have performed well. Thinking about next year though, I'll be pretty miffed if I cant get a few decent placings, bored of never coming home with rosettes anymore!!

 

[LauraBR]

As someone getting back into baby local stuff I'm pleased to get home alive and to have made it round whatever I'm doing lol.

I am a competitive person though. When we went clear last weekend my friend and I hung about and then dashed horses home and sped back to see if we were in the rosettes lol- just in case!

Bloomin optimum time, I was 20 seconds off

 

[I_A_P]

in my opinion, and at the moment anyway as long as i am happy that the day has gone well then i am pleased, and by that i mean that my horse has lived upt o what it can do and not done a bad job and we are safe and sound.
however i am still compeitive and i stil have the urge to win, i suppose im not just someone who feels like they have to win every time!

 

[vic07]

I almost can't be bothered to go xc unless have good dressage and sj. And I certainly won't go fast unless in with top 10 place! Never enter horses unless I feel they are ready either. Try and produce a horse for a competition in the best possible frame of mind and condition every time. Don't let them compete carrying injuries - therefore hopefully win lots.......having said have had a very unsuccessful year.

But I am often happy as long as we have a positive result and come home happy and in one piece!

So am now really confused about how competitive I am?

 

[Weezy]

Personally I think you SHOULD have the will to win but REALISE it isnt the be all and end all - TBH I dont remember the last time I actually won a competition as I tend to always move up a level when a horse is improving so am never in a comfort zone (if that makes sense??) I am happier to feel I have achieved something than to win something, but those pretty ribbons are a lovely end to a happy day!

 

[Bossanova]

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So am now really confused about how competitive I am?

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Exactly how I feel!!!

When I have a good day, there's always something that I know I could have done better to be placed higher- generally xc time, lost out on two rosettes last month as I wasnt competitively going for the time and then kicked myself after!!
Also missed an important qualification by going for a slow clear- what was I thinking?!!

 

[I_A_P]

weezy i completely know where u are coming from, with doing my BE this year i have done 3 intros and have been relatively happy with each one and it is no longer a chalenge at all anymore for the horse, ehnce im moving up to PN (okay i admit im now worried as she turns into little miss arguementative this time of year) but throughout the season i have felt happy to move up.

if i just wanted to wn win win i could do intro all next year also and i would probably evntually be right at the top..but it wouldnt feel like i had ahceiived something!

 

[vic07]

Horses are more important at the end of the day. Would be so p****d off if I had run the legs of my ponies and hadn't been placed! For example went xc on good dressage and pole down sj and went slowly as no hope of a prize.....if gone clear inside time would have been 11thish!

Think you have to aim to win, produce to win and then be prepared to change your plans on the day.....when horses being horses it doesn't go to plan! Also never believe in pushing a baby for speed if needs the confidence of a slow clear. I would only regret it at a later date!

My overriding feeling when I have won sections.....was that was so easy! If it is meant to be it will be! Luck is a necessity!

 

[tigers_eye]

I used to be destructively competitive if you know what I mean. Then as I went up the grades and you have to think about qualifications, and legs, and such things (and it started being my money on entry fees, not parents

) I started to have two different frames of minds: one for "bringing on" competitions, and ones where there was no ulteriour (sp) aim if you see what I mean. I won a lot more when I was on ponies that's for sure! I have to say show-jumping is the discipline where I am most competitive, after all if you're doing dressage and someone does a better test you can't change that, however I love the challenge of going faster in a jump-off, finding that tighter turn, sharper angle etc. Seems to have been a while since I've had a horse I can really trust to leave them up though

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[I_A_P]

i always try to do whats best for my horse,when i first got her i just wanted to do lots of small things and everyone was going..oh u should be doing this and that etc etc and i was wondering where the hurry was? i was just tryng to build both of our confidences up..those people are now the ones which are having problems as they just want to push push push their young horses and with one person i can c problems occuring, maybe beacuse they are too competitive?

also i turned down a few team opportuntites recently as it would just be doing something completely pointless as it was a 2ft9 HT, some people could not understand why i didnt want to be on the team, but even if i acheived the best possible, i would never feel that sense of acheivement

 

[Molineux]

I am quite a competitive person - however it all depends on how I have ridden!

If I am in a Showjumping ring and I have seen someone I know riding in the same class as me then I want to do my up best to beat them lol

If I go XC and I have a nice round and I am still breathing at the end I am glad I got round!

So I would say I am more competitive SJ than XC for some reason!

Dressage I give up!

 

[Sarah_Jane]

I am afraid to say its not the taking part that counts! I can appreciate that at times a good performance and a horse going well is very important but ultimately at the end of the day the aim is to be successful at the highest level possible.

I love my horses but could never be a happy hacker I have to have things to aim for.

 

[Rambo]

When I was younger I used to get extremely depressed if I didn't win or get placed. Now, I appreciate the art of 'bringing horses on' a little more, and get pleasure from a good round. That's not to say I don't want to win, but I do realise that I can't always do that, and producing a good performance is more important than always producing a rosette

Just as well really, coz I can't keep up with half these youngsters against the clock now lol!

 

[Bossanova]

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I love my horses but could never be a happy hacker I have to have things to aim for.

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I aim for things and feel the same about never being able to just stay at home and do nothing, but my goals tend to be personal ones, not competitive ones if that makes sense? For example, my one and only aim with Boss has always been to complete an advanced- he's never going to win an intermediate section due to his dressage but we have been placed at novice level several times and that has always felt like a bonus rather than what I've set out to acheive.

I actually blame my horse for my lack of competitiveness!!

 

[Weezy]

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my one and only aim with Boss has always been to complete an advanced

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EEEEEEEEEEEEK! Well fingers crossed the lay off with me will bring him back in a fighting spirit next summer and you can do just that, HOWEVER, can you come up, say twice a week to keep the dressage up to scratch

 

[Sarah_Jane]

I agree a lot of my aims are to achieve things ultimately I guess compete in a 3*. However my aim for this year was to do an intermediate - I now want to win one (never managed this at Novice so unlikely). It will motivate me to work on my dressage this winter though which otherwise I would try and forget!

 

[I_A_P]

the funy thing for me is that when i was younger i never even wanted to compete, and no i would say i am quite compeitive, i just maybe dont show it, but i think i have always looked at competitiveness as a bad thing mostly due to RC and PC experience just from seeing what it makes people like!!

 

[Bossanova]

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my one and only aim with Boss has always been to complete an advanced

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EEEEEEEEEEEEK! Well fingers crossed the lay off with me will bring him back in a fighting spirit next summer and you can do just that, HOWEVER, can you come up, say twice a week to keep the dressage up to scratch

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I had a marvelous plan earlier today- how about you get more horse totally fit and ready, take him to Bicton for me, he wont suspect a thing and I'll don the top hat and tails and spin him round the advanced. He wont have time to get stewed up, he will be so shocked, he may even do ok.....

 

[MagicMelon]

I make aims and do expect to achieve them (like for example, a certain horse to be at a certain level or do a certain event before whatever date etc.). On my established horses I do aim to win, I think you have to! But at the same time if my horse go very well for me and try their best then Im still very happy even if I dont win on a particular day. With the baby horses, my aim is just for the horses to have a nice confident day out and getting rossettes is a bonus but not an expectation so to speak. I am very competitive though, although have got a tiny bit less so nowadays! I find I used to go all out in jump offs etc. to win but nowdays I try to verge on the slightly safer side and now get a few more 2nd's etc. than I used to!

I think you have to be competitive to win consistently. If you have a good horse then you will do well sometimes, but overall I think you need the drive in you as well.

I also couldnt be a happy hacker - I love competing, it gives me targets which I enjoy achieving.

 

[Rambo]

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I also couldnt be a happy hacker - I love competing, it gives me targets which I enjoy achieving.

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Everything I do with the horses is done with a view to competing

If it wasn't for the comps, i wouldn't ride...

I do now manage to get pleasure from things such as sponsored rides, or going for a blast round a x-country course for fun though.................so long as I know there's a show jumping competition somewhere on the horizon

 

[star]

i would say yes, very. i always aim to do well and am upset if we dont. doing well doesn't always mean winning though - if i feel we got a good placing in good company i'd be more satisified than if we won a class where the competition wasn't up to much. as long as my horse goes well and i feel we were marked fairly then i'm happy. i'm more competitive against myself than against other people.

 

[Malibu]

I enter eventing becuase i LOVE it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I bloomin love it with passion! My Malibu is a honest chap; not a dressage diva but he was soooooooooooooooo honest and my aim when going to the event was to improve every time! A better dressage or a new type of xc fence cleared! If we got a place it was a bonus BUT I am very ambitious and i LOVE to win so i put my LL into it and trained, practiced, got Maly at his best etc to insure this and if it didnt happen i would look at why and try and improve!

So although i have fun and pleasure, i have a bigger grin when i win!!

 

[Weezy]

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I had a marvelous plan earlier today- how about you get more horse totally fit and ready, take him to Bicton for me, he wont suspect a thing and I'll don the top hat and tails and spin him round the advanced. He wont have time to get stewed up, he will be so shocked, he may even do ok.....

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OK so you DO mean that I take him, make him pretend we are going for a jolly SJ sesh and then you get on - I mean you are NOT implying that I have to do any of that XC stuff are you

(checks her will is in order)

 

[Bossanova]

Oh yes no dont worry, I will clamber on board, but he's not to realise what its all about

Hmm, me thinks my cunning plan has several flaws but oh well, I can dream!!

 

[LEC]

I am ultra competitive - I hate doing badly. I always have targets in my mind at what I want to be doing and how I want to do. This season it was to get my horse to PN level and he is now there. Eventing I do not worry about beating others but its about beating myself, taking the straight routes, getting better scores, jumping clear etc. I know eventing that if you have done your very best in every phase you are in with a shout.
But I don't do anything to play at it - I have to do it properly and put 100% into it. I played rugby for 5 years and did not even think about horses - doing England Trials, playing for SW, captaining club etc but then I had to retire so found something else. Every sport I am bad at I will not play! Going jogging with mates I have to win! Gosh I am really bad!

 

[tigers_eye]

I went through a phase of having to give F a jump as near to his dressage test as poss (I'm talking 10 mins!), then going in - then he was chilled! Surely for this to work though Weezy will have to go and do one of their 3-day shows before the event? And I'm not sure there will be any... Otherwise I actually think it's a bloody good idea!

 

[Bossanova]

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I went through a phase of having to give F a jump as near to his dressage test as poss (I'm talking 10 mins!), then going in - then he was chilled! Surely for this to work though Weezy will have to go and do one of their 3-day shows before the event? And I'm not sure there will be any... Otherwise I actually think it's a bloody good idea!

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That may work- they have an easter one which may fall before the event....hmmm it could be an idea!! Failing that, we could always go pop round the int at Hambledon or something, at least thats a bit closer to Weezy!!

 

[Weezy]

Hey I will go anywhere - you just tell me where - I am happy to do whatever is necessary to help you to achieve your dream of getting that Adv under your belt

 

[Bossanova]

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Hey I will go anywhere - you just tell me where - I am happy to do whatever is necessary to help you to achieve your dream of getting that Adv under your belt

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Tbh I think we have missed our chance of going advanced- technically we arent qualified and unless he's a changed pony (I'm hoping....) then I refuse to go through the process of fitness work with him again!!

Nope, shall have to rely on Moon to take me advanced

And you never know, I may get into this sj lark once you've schooled him into a pro-sjer for me

 

[Weezy]

Oh God just so long as it isnt anything I have done that prevents you going - one thing I can assure you of tho, is that unless you specifically request it, he certainly will NOT be eventing fit in June!!!!!

And yes, you so will get into the SJ lark - I will get the qualifications sorted and its up to you missy to go get the glory in the finals as he will be back with you then