# So far I've not been a very good show person...



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Does your trainer come to shows with you? If not, maybe they should and see what happens in the show ring and work on each individual issue. It helps to have someone video you as well, then have your trainer watch it with you and go through the class and see what to focus on during lessons.


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## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

He's never come before, though I think we'll be at a few of the same ones coming up. I'll talk to him about it. I'm pretty sure that would help!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## KenzieAndPip (Dec 19, 2013)

Some people might see this as a horse problem but sinse you've pointed out that your horse seems to react to you, that says a lot of things. 
I'm no professional, but it sounds to me that you may have a form of anxiety. Try to see if this nervous, perfectionist and panicy feelings present themselves outside of riding. I haven't shown yet but I can imagine how easy it could be to bring on an anxiety attack. You're breathing and heart rate increase and you begin to tense up. Of course. This is unusual for the horse and makes them act up. Trying to correct muck ups when your beginning to panic makes it very easy to make mistakes and you end up being even worse. 
My advice to you is to look up some coping mechanisms on how to relax and keep calm. It may not even be anxiety but just staying cool will probably benefit you and your horse greatly. If you think it may be more than just when riding that you feel this, see a doctor and they can refer you to a specialist to help you. I know it sounds stupid but it certainly helps, I know from experience. 
If you feel it may be your horse, maybe it's being around lots of horses. Try going to smaller shows or gymkhanas or join in on a trail riding club. Go riding with a friend just do whatever you can to get your horse used to being around strange new horses. 
They could also be sore or turning sour so a vet visit might not be a bad idea, even if you think there's nothing wrong, it could be worth it. And we al know how important it is to give both ourselves and our horses a break. 

I'm just throwing out lots of different possibilities that you may like to think about.
Hope I helped! A bit. Haha.

_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

KenzieAndPip said:


> Some people might see this as a horse problem but sinse you've pointed out that your horse seems to react to you, that says a lot of things.
> I'm no professional, *but it sounds to me that you may have a form of anxiety. Try to see if this nervous, perfectionist and panicy feelings present themselves outside of riding. *I haven't shown yet but I can imagine how easy it could be to bring on an anxiety attack. You're breathing and heart rate increase and you begin to tense up. Of course. This is unusual for the horse and makes them act up. Trying to correct muck ups when your beginning to panic makes it very easy to make mistakes and you end up being even worse.
> My advice to you is to look up some coping mechanisms on how to relax and keep calm. It may not even be anxiety but just staying cool will probably benefit you and your horse greatly. If you think it may be more than just when riding that you feel this, see a doctor and they can refer you to a specialist to help you. I know it sounds stupid but it certainly helps, I know from experience.
> If you feel it may be your horse, maybe it's being around lots of horses. Try going to smaller shows or gymkhanas or join in on a trail riding club. Go riding with a friend just do whatever you can to get your horse used to being around strange new horses.
> ...


I do have social anxiety, but it really hasn't bothered me while riding, even if other people are around. I am an over-analyzer and perfectionist outside of riding also. 
I've tried trying to calm myself, by deep breathing and thinking positive, but it hasn't really helped. I have this great fear that my horse will act up, therefore he usually does. I know I don't ride him the same at a show as I do at home, but I don't know how to fix that. At home I'm very confident and focused and so is my horse, but that all crumbles at shows. I know that since I'm showing, I can't correct him like I do at home, or make sure everything's just how I want it, maybe going back and doing it over.


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## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

I sort of feel like I don't have control at shows. Not phsycially, of my horse (although a few times in the past I haven't, but not now) but mentally. At home, I get to decide when to walk, trot, canter, circle, change direction, etc, and I can do it when my horse feels 'right.' At a show, there's someone else (judge/announcer) telling me what to do when, and also sometimes I feel that we aren't allowed to stay in one gait long enough to get settled in. This, combined with my nerves, and a little of being in a new environment with new horses, I believe is my problem. How to fix it? I have no idea.

I will say that I remain pretty focused at shows, but my confidence level plummets as my nerves increase.


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## KsKatt (Jun 2, 2014)

Lots and lots of little shows.Think of the shows as training and NOT a win-lose situation. Just like putting miles on a green horse, you need show miles.


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Yup-it is hard to change your thought process. I used to feel the same way you did…I wanted to, but then the nerves got the best of me and our performance suffered. I did not show for years. Now I have changed disciplines-the people are very encouraging and supportive and I go with e close friend who is really helpful. I now go with the attitude of "we'll see". Meaning-I take the horse, and take it as it comes. If I feel like it-I enter. If not-we school and come home. I am much more relaxed than I ever used to be. I also am not one who has to win…..I just want to make a good showing, meaning, in my case-get through the pattern without messing up and get a score. Shoot-I had not been on my horse more that a handful of times over the 8 months he was at training. The trainer was bringing him to a big show-much bigger than I would normally choose, but he was coming from out of state, and I was to pick up my guy there. So-I got on-schooled and never looked back. Horse went in a coliseum (huge stadium type arena) he had never laid eyes on before. I was not nervous at all. Just enjoyed the ride. And we did get a score. Not a great one-but I made it through and had fun. That was all I care about.

So-go to have fun and ride your horse. Concentrate on the 2 of you.


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## gssw5 (Jul 30, 2013)

The guy I was taking lessons with for a while told me he does not get nervous before or during a show, because if you have done your homework and you have a good horse you will do well, if you don't have a good horse and have not done your homework then you know what to expect. Either way getting nervous is not going to help your situation.

For some reason after he told me that I no longer got nervous because I knew I had a good horse and had done the work. Now if my stomach tries to get in a knot I think about all work we have done and it makes me feel more confident.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

howrsegirl123 said:


> I won't go as far to say I dislike showing (which I don't) but it's come to the point where it's almost not fun. I've had too many bad experiences and disappointments that I dread the shows coming up. I want to show so badly...but I want my horse to be more consistent and dependable, and I want to be less nervous and picky. I want to show in everything and branch out, but I can't even get through a walk trot canter class without getting nervous and my horse anticipating and acting very much unlike himself. It's a viscous cycle-I think of the all the things my horse could do wrong, he picks up on that, he does those things, and because he does those things I worry that he'll do them next time. The wonderful, mannerly, talented horse at home and at the trainer's is not the same horse I get on to show. I want to be able to show and be confident and have fun, and not worry about everything that might (and probably will) happen. Help!


This is the picture you need to get out of your head.


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## tmhmisty (Jun 8, 2014)

The best thing I did for my nerves and my horse was to pick a small show and decide that you are not there to compete but to school. Go into your class and decide that whatever happens you are only there to fix issues as they arise you are not there to place. Of course be respectful and stay out of the way of the other riders that are there to compete!


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

You have all the control at home and call all the shots. You then go to shows and have to ride on someone else's terms. What might help is to take away some of your control at home and get used to riding on other's terms in small doses. I don't know what type of showing you do, but for example, if you jump have someone else plot out a course for you and then ride it. Just give some of the power to someone else and ride what they say to ride. It puts a little uncertainty into your ride at the safety of home and gets you more comfortable with no making all the decisions.


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