# First show/ showing on lesson horses?



## HaylsSnow (Aug 27, 2018)

Hi! So I would absolutely love to go to my first show this summer but I am a bit confused, do you need a lease horse/your own horse to show? Or can you go to shows on lesson horses? I’ve just had my first lesson at a new barn, and I absolutely love this barn. I’ve been riding for almost 2 years, and just left my old barn because of the trainer/owner but she always took the riders to shows on the lesson horses. (Everyone except me pretty much) We walk, trot, canter, jump and I need some more improvement in my sitting trot again as I havent rode for a few months so Im rusty. I was hoping that I could finally go to my first show in the summer. Any opinions or tips?


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Talk to the instructor about your desires to see what this establishment does.
Most lesson barns do shows and take their lesson riders...
You "rent" the horse for the classes you will ride in, then others also rent and do the same.
You share the horse and hopefully the expenses of the day.
You are responsible for your class entry fees, your instructors coaching fee, partial rental of the horse to ride, partial cost of shipping, partial cost of prepping the horse to show {bathe, clip, braid, wrap} and then returning the horse to the barn and for the prep of braids to be undone and if the horse needs stall wraps applied after a strenuous day...
Well, you pay a portion of that too as you rode that horse.
But it starts with speaking to the instructor of your wishes and wants...
Good Luck.
:runninghorse2:...


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

As posted above you would normally share the horse(sometimes you're lucky enough you don't have to), and share the braiding and trailering expense with the other rider you are showing with and sharing the horse with. Sometimes there might be a few other small fees added on like a horse user fee for the day etc, but that can differ quite a bit from barn to barn. Do you have some friends at the barn who have shown before using a school horse who could maybe answer some questions?


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Depending on the lease you may be sharing horses just the same if the horse has multiple partial leases or the owner shows as well. Most lesson barns that show as mentioned charge a fee for you to show on a lesson horse and you share the horse with other students. Usually not an issue if the other students ride at different levels or if at the same level they are showing in different classes or classes where only one horse at a time is shown (dressage, jump course). Here the shows may be large enough that one class (like w/t/c) will have three different groups because there are too many horses entered to be shown at the same time so one horse could go in the ring three different times for the same class. Hard on the horse if they are being shown in so many classes but most instructors will limit the riders sharing to prevent this. When my child's lease horse came up lame days before the show he was encouraged to ride one of the lesson horses and because the show was at his barn the BO rearranged the schedule so the classes that horse was in covered two days not one as there were already three others riding the mare. Even though he hadn't ridden the horse in over 18 months he went and rode her a couple of times before the show and still did really well. Made for confusion when it came time for saddling up and getting ready to go in the ring keeping up with who was on her when.


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## Willrider (Oct 25, 2018)

You can almost always show on a lesson horse, that’s what used to do until I got my own show horse.


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