If you’ve shown a horse more than a handful of times, you probably know your horse will start getting a bit anxious going in the pen, anticipating maneuvers and/or knows what the sound of cattle banging around at the far end of the arena means. Suddenly, when you walk into the arena, your horse turns into a creature that is unrecognizable.
When that happens, you need a schooling show or two and now’s a perfect time of year to do just that! When I had a training barn, I was always on the lookout for a local show or an AQHA show, because you can enter multiple classes, and they’re much less expensive than national association shows.
It’s important when you go to one to make it as close to the real thing as possible, meaning an announcer is on a PA, use your horse’s show bridle, wear your chaps up and be nervous (even if you’re not!). It’s surprising that they know when you’re there to school. I used to frequent these and if I was using it for schooling, I’d be all kicked back and wondered why my horses didn’t misbehave? Ha! That’s when I realized, I was part of the problem! So, don’t be too relaxed about it.
Next, have a plan. If your horse anticipates lead changes, plan to counter canter at least halfway around the new circle before you let them change. If they kick out, park them and back them up. Then go try it again. If they get chargey on the rundown, stop them and back them up to the end and start again. If they get scotchy on the rundown, plan to go all the way to the fence. I used to buy 2 slots back-to-back so I could take my time and really work on things.
Another time to use schooling shows is before an important first show of the year. That used to be the Stallion Stakes in March for the NRCHA and a lot of trainers used to wish they’d gone to a schooling show or two before that one!
So, if you want your horse to be his best when it counts, be sure to utilize these opportunities. In their absence, get a group together and go to each other’s arenas and whoop and holler for each other! You might just fool your horse the first time or two doing that!
Let us know how it goes and Happy Thanksgiving!
Sandy and Barb