Why do you compete

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rockysmum

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Questions in the title really.

I have just been spending a boring Sunday morning doing housework and planning what I will do next year. I have taken over my daughters little show cob who is 21 and plan to do a bit next year.

I was considering doing VHS and the Olympia veteran qualifiers, our girl could probably do it, although I doubt she would qualify with me on board. Same goes for CHAPS although she could probably qualify in the veteran.

Then I stopped and thought, what do I actually enjoy about showing. I have probably been to just about everywhere as groom and driver for my daughter.

I dont actually enjoy local riding club, unless my friends are there and then I might as well go on foot. I dont really enjoy the specialist shows where there is nothing to do but watch other showing classes. Show jumping and dressage at the local riding centre on a rainy winter night is my idea of hell. I enjoy National Champs evening performances etc but the daytime is not for me.

To be honest our little cob feels much the same, she loves evening performance and shows like the Great Yorkshire where there is loads going on and lot of atmosphere.

So I have decided we both like going to shows for the day out. Both pony and me like to watch the vintage tractors, dog racing etc and go in the ring with a brass band playing and loads of kids, balloons etc etc.

So my plan of attack for next year is the local agricultural shows, Otley, Arthington, Weeton, Bingley etc etc. Just hope there are classes for us.

What about everyone else.
 
I like competing as I feel it gives us something to work towards and some nice days out.

I know we could just go to the beach etc but I do love the thrill of a competition even on the small scale.
 
I've always been competitive and don't really understand how some people aren't tbh ... As I've always said 'it's not the taking part that counts it's the winning!!' getting that red ribbon and galloping around the arena with a sash flying has to be the best feeling in the world - made all the sweeter if you've done all the work to get there yourself...
 
Various reasons really - I'm competitive, I have an excellent horse so might as well make use of that, it gives me something to aim towards and most of all we both enjoy it :) Just need to get transport and finances sorted so I can get back on track and compete properly next year!
 
I love competing (only local level) and feel it's nice to have a goal to aim for, I wouldn't 't bother riding if I wasn't competing, just riding aimlessly about would bore me stupid. I appreciate not everyone feels like that :eek:
 
I am a competitive person, I have (imo) some fantastic gorgeous horses who deserve to show off!

I love the buzz, the bathing and plaiting up before hand, the groundwork and schooling in preparation, the sleepless nights before the shows, the religious tack cleaning, polishing and buffing, buying LOTS of baby oil.

I love getting them dressed for their journey - I love unloading them and the subsequent "look at me" prances and dances from them!

I love the burger vans, candyfloss stalls and trying to fend off the horses from eating my dinner!

I love the anticipation, who will be pulled in first, did i take enough time off, could i have gone inside to get to that fence on 1 stride rather than 2?

I love it!

I love unloading, tucking them into a lovely deep warm bed with a belly full of food and curly manes after unplaiting - finally rolling into bed just before midnight.
 
I compete because I personally don;t see the point of doing anything just for the hell of it. Im super competitive and always push for more. I have never done anything just for fun dancing, skating etc etc
 
Dancing Queen said:
I am a competitive person, I have (imo) some fantastic gorgeous horses who deserve to show off!

I love the buzz, the bathing and plaiting up before hand, the groundwork and schooling in preparation, the sleepless nights before the shows, the religious tack cleaning, polishing and buffing, buying LOTS of baby oil.

I love getting them dressed for their journey - I love unloading them and the subsequent "look at me" prances and dances from them!

I love the burger vans, candyfloss stalls and trying to fend off the horses from eating my dinner!

I love the anticipation, who will be pulled in first, did i take enough time off, could i have gone inside to get to that fence on 1 stride rather than 2?

I love it!

I love unloading, tucking them into a lovely deep warm bed with a belly full of food and curly manes after unplaiting - finally rolling into bed just before midnight.
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Pretty much this! ^^

im quite competetive although i dont admit it very often. i love the plaiting up the bathing the making them look pretty, i love them all tucked up the night before covered in bandages and lycra hoods and full neck rugs and clean beds. i love the burgers you get a shows the big flat round ones that you don't seem to beable to buy anywhere but a show, i love watching the classes and learning and picking my top four, i love the anticipation for the top three, when you know you've put in a good performance, i like the buzz of a jump off hoping no one tops your time, i love all the people we catch up with at shows, i love beating people who told me i couldn't do it and my horse would never ammount to anything, i love the rosettes hanging in the front of the lorry as we drive out, i love getting them out of the lorry at home and the feeling when its been a good day and how proud i am to own such lovely animals, i love the curly manes afterwards, i love uploading all the pictures in the evening that my personal photographer (dad) has taken ;) and i love planning the next day out. i dislike the sunburn on my face i always seem to come home with no matter how hot/cold its been and the state of my bank balance at the end of the season :S

but most of all, i like people to tell me how pretty my pony is ;)

getting all goose-pimply reading these, cant wait to get my then 4yo out undersaddle! its been so long!! in hand is fun, but ridden is sooo much better!
 
I don't get out much but for me it is about giving my horse new experiences and new places to go - which she loves.

I can't be bothered with the whole faffing about with plaits etc as its just something for fun for us and I love the buzz of atmosphere.

It also gives us different things to tackle - such as our first working hunter - I was worried about fence 4 which was like a seat and neither of us had tackled anything like it or its size. Pony went over it and we ended up disqualified over a simple fence. I came out grinning like a chesire cat because of what we had achieved.

First, last, pretty ribbon or not, if my pony behaves and we do something that's simple to someone else but is a real achievement for us, then THAT means more to me than anything.

When it comes to competing I can't eat and feel really ill but afterwards, there is nothing to compare to that feeling of elation that we did it.

I'm hoping to have transport next year and so can get out XC. :D:D:D:D
 
I've been competing good horses and ponies for a good while, but never really got anywhere. The highest I got was 4th. I gave up for about 9yrs and only this year started competing again properly (21 now). I was riding Ned out on hacks, but being the "problem horse" I was very very scared about jumping him in shows, since I'd seen his other rider having a hard time.

I go into the ring and fail miserably! I thought "Right, that's it. I'm sticking to hacking" Ned's owner insisted I have another go and I reluctantly agreed.
To my surprise, he was a super star!! And I won 2nd :D
Second place on the horse who 'doesn't jump'! HAH! Now I'm hooked and I've won 2nd place again since then :)
Hopefully next year I can get a 1st :D
 
blitznbobs said:
I've always been competitive and don't really understand how some people aren't tbh ... As I've always said 'it's not the taking part that counts it's the winning!!' getting that red ribbon and galloping around the arena with a sash flying has to be the best feeling in the world - made all the sweeter if you've done all the work to get there yourself...
Click to expand...

Haha. My sentiments exactly. I can't understand why people have horses and don't compete (this is a failure in me before you all yell that I'm rude) so that is why.

Plus BH seems to really enjoy going out. He's only tried it 4 times but he is a nosey parker and seems to like watching the world go by!
 
I guess as some sort of validation that I am doing something right? I bought a horse to show jump with. Our jumping is not going the way I would like and we now pooter around some low level dressage partly because I don't get so nervous and partly because my Dad refused to take me showjumping anymore.

I have hardly competed this year (and when I did it was mostly dressage) and have been enjoying my horse as much as I can, but at the same time feel like I am wasting my time and money as I am not going out there to try and do well at shows. It's very confusing tbh.
 
hmm and competing is most definitely addictive :)
I always swore I was never a competitive person, would never be interested in competing. Then this summer I got out to a few local shows and some xc. Now I just cant stop thinking about it, have calendar of events, all money goes towards entry fees and lessons, rosettes are hanging in room with photos, pony is kept smart and trimmed etc etc. I think for me a lot of it just trying to prove myself, and my pony aren't complete idiots all the time :) And I love the dressing up and long shiny boots hehe!
 
I compete because I LOVE that feeling of fear and adrenaline - and then when its all over and you feel all happy and tired and re-live all the best bits (like flying round XC!)
 
Hmm, having read all of these I have suddenly realised that I dont compete

Oh yes I love the rosettes and trophies but that isn't what I go for.

My daughter competes

Me, I just want to pretty the pony up and have a nice day out.
 
i compete as i buy and sell horses abit so i buy them bring them on do bsja upto newcomers depending on the horse then put them up for sale again, as this puts a record on their card and is more of a sellin point :)
 
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