Since I started riding in the late 1970s, I have always shown under the guidance of a trainer. It was never even a question. You rode with a training barn, your trainer went to the show, and you showed under their direction.
That was simply how it was done.
Personally, I love being coached. I enjoy having someone on the ground schooling me, helping me improve, and giving me direction. At the same time, I am becoming increasingly aware that many of us may have been programmed to believe that we simply cannot attend a
You do not haul to a show alone.
You do not school your own
You do not walk into the ring without someone standing at the in-gate.
After decades of riding this way, it can almost feel as though we have been trained to depend on a trainer—not only for instruction, but also for confidence.
Since moving Tino to a friend’s property, I have not been in a formal training program for well over a year. I have decided it is time to push myself outside my comfort zone and enter a
I am choosing to call it therapy.
The Fastest Hair Net to Put On!
No knots, no pins, and no last-minute struggle under your helmet! This washable, no-slip hair net offers heavyweight control with a cool, comfortable seamless browband. It works for short, medium, or very long hair and comes in eight colors.
One size fits all— and it’s my hair net pick!
Next month, Tino and I will attend a three-day
Fingers crossed that this experience builds my confidence rather than completely destroying it.
To make the situation even more interesting, Tino is currently living at a friend’s home with wonderful access to trails and places to ride out, but there is no formal arena where I can regularly jump or prepare for a show.
My original intention was to trailer back to my old barn and school over fences before entering anything. Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to do that, so our careful preparation plan has not exactly happened.
Yikes.
This entire experience has made me wonder: when we are in “full training,” are we also being trained to believe that we need someone on the ground at all times?
Have we become so accustomed to having a trainer by the ring that we feel an enormous sense of insecurity when they are not there?
For me, some of this anxiety may go all the way back to my childhood trainer. When you grow up believing that showing is something you only do under a trainer’s supervision, it can be difficult to imagine doing it any other way.
But is that feeling unique to me?
Are riders unintentionally being taught to rely too heavily on their trainers? Or is having a trainer at the show simply the safest and most sensible way to compete?
And then there is the uncomfortable question: are riders sometimes encouraged to feel dependent because it provides job security for the training barn?
I honestly do not know the answer.
Good trainers provide valuable support, knowledge, preparation, safety, and experience. I would never discount the importance of that. However, I also wonder whether capable, experienced riders should occasionally be encouraged to trust their own judgment and learn how to manage a
Next month will be the true test.
Will I survive my rounds?
Will I ride better than expected?
Will I completely crash and burn?
I have absolutely no idea, but I think it is time to find out.
My Go-To Hay Net at Horse Shows
This is my hay net of choice for every show. It keeps hay in front of my horse throughout the day, helps reduce waste, and makes the stall so much easier to keep clean. Simple, practical, and one less thing to worry about during a busy show weekend!
From hauling Tino, grooming him, feeding him, and caring for him, to schooling myself, memorizing my courses, getting to the ring on time, and walking through the gate without a trainer beside me—I will be responsible for all of it.
Then I will enter the arena and allow myself to be judged, all on my own.
That may be the most frightening part of the entire adventure.
Still, perhaps confidence is not something another person can hand us. Maybe it is something we develop by doing the things that make us nervous, trusting the knowledge we have gained, and discovering that we are more capable than we realized.
I would love to hear from other riders in the hunter-jumper world.
Have you ever shown without a trainer? Did you feel liberated, overwhelmed, or completely unprepared? Do you believe riders have become too dependent on trainers, or do you feel that showing with professional support is an essential part of the sport?
Check back next month to find out whether Tino and I sailed around our courses, stumbled our way through the weekend, or packed up the trailer and questioned every life decision that brought us there.
Whatever happens, at least I will finally know that I was brave enough to try.
My Grooming Kit Must-Have!
The Epona Tiger’s Tongue quickly lifts dirt, loose hair, dried sweat, and stubborn marks without creating a cloud of dust. It is gentle, easy to use, and perfect for last-minute touch-ups at the barn or horse show. Definitely one of my favorite grooming tools!
Leave a Reply