Attending Horse Shows

Hello everyone, after the last show we attended I had some ideas that I wanted to share with all of you on how we can better streamline and organize our attendance of horse shows. I’ve attached a “Horse Show Checklist” for you to go over; please make sure you have all the necessary equipment for you and your horse. I am also attaching a Show Protocol outline to help answer some frequently asked questions as well as to give new participants and parents an idea of how the show experience works.

I want to thank all of you who have been attending the shows with us as well as all of those who are interested in starting to attend. It was less than a year ago that I moved my business to Circle K Stables and I am absolutely thrilled to have so many dedicated and enthusiastic students in such a short period of time! I greatly look forward to many more horse show adventures and memories with all of you.

Take Care - Sanaa

Horse Show Equipment Checklist

Horse:

-Halter, Lead rope, and Stud chain
-Full Set (4) of Standing Bandages and Standing Wraps for Shipping
(Check with Breanna or Sanaa on appropriate sizing for your horse)
-Hay Bag or Hay Net
-5 gallon Water Bucket with Stud chain (for hanging the bucket)
-Prepackaged bags of supplemental feed (for overnight or multiple day shows only)
-Full Set (4) of Polo Wraps (black or white) to warm your horse up in:
-For Jumpers: Full Set of Jumper boots for competition
-For Equitation: Full Set of Equitation boots for competition
-Light and Heavy Stable Blankets (weather dependant)
-Cooler
-Lunge Whip and Lunge Line (if your horse needs to be lunged)

Tack:

-Saddle/Stirrup Leathers/Stirrups and Cover
-Saddle Pad (fitted fleece pad for hunters and equitation, square quilted pad for jumpers)
-Any additional pads required for your horse (half pad, gel pad, no-slip pad, etc…)
-Girth (hunter and equitation horses must have leather girths)
-Bridle with Bit (include any additional bits your horse may require for showing)
-Martingale (if needed)
-Tack Cleaning Kit

Rider:

-Tall Leather Riding Boots or Jodhpur Boots with Garter Straps (for small children)
-Spurs with black leather Spur Straps (additional sizes of spurs if needed)
-Show Crop (black or brown)
-Show Breeches
-Black Leather Belt
-Polo Shirt or Rugby Shirt (for jumper riders only)
-Show Shirt with “rat catcher” collar or shirt and tie (for boys and men)
-Riding Jacket (If you only own one riding coat it should be Navy Blue)
-Helmet (if you have long hair, you must have a helmet that’s fit allows you to fully tuck your hair up under the helmet)
-Rider’s Hairnets that match your hair color (for girls and women with long hair)
-Black Show Gloves
-Boot Polishing Kit

Grooming Equipment:

-Hard and Soft Bristled Brushes
-Grooming Mitt or Curry Comb
-Hoof Pick with Brush
-Mane and Tail Brush
-Plenty of Clean Rags
-Hair Conditioner
-Fly Spray
-Thrush Medicine
-Hoof Polish (Fiebing’s is the best show polish)

Additional:

-Large Rubber-maid type container to put all of your supplies in (for day shows)
-Tack Trunk (for multiple day shows)
-Change of clothing to wear before and after you compete (so that your show clothes stay clean)
-Sun screen, bottled water, and snacks
-Small sewing kit (for emergency repairs)

***NOTE*** To help prevent loss please make sure that all of your equipment is clearly labeled with your name and/or your horses name!!!

Day-Show Protocol

Preparation:

-Your horse needs to be “show ready” prior to the day of the show. This means the horse should be fully bathed the day before; your horse should also have it’s whiskers, ears, bridle path and legs neatly clipped, and mane and tail trimmed according to the divisions you are showing in. (banged tail for jumpers, trimmed tail for hunters and equitation)

-All of your tack should be cleaned and polished to perfection prior to the horse show. When you are at the show you may need to “touch up” your tack to keep it looking its best, but you do not want to have to be thoroughly cleaning anything the day of the show!

-Riding boots should be thoroughly cleaned and polished in advance; we suggest that you do not put your riding boots on until it is time for you to get on your horse.

Shipping:

-Typically for day shows we will be shipping the horses very early in the morning. Horses may be wrapped in their standing bandages (a.k.a. shipping wraps) the night prior to the day of the show, if your horse likes to chew on their bandages then it is best if you get to the stable extra early and wrap your horse’s legs the morning of the show prior to shipping.

-We will arrange for horse trailer/trailers to transport your horses. It is your responsibility to prepare your horse properly for shipping and be there the morning of (unless you have made prior arrangements) to assist in the trailer loading process.

-It is your responsibility to transport all of the equipment needed for your horse and yourself to the show.

-We will arrange for hay for the horses and a mounting block to be brought to the show for everyone’s use.

Arrival:

-Upon arrival at the horse show we will unload the horses right away, once the horses are out and tied to the trailers it is your responsibility to immediately make sure that they are supplied with hay (you will need to fill your own hay bag or net) and have access to a full water bucket.
FYI-For safety hay bags/nets should be hung above the height of your horse’s shoulder, water buckets should be about chest height.

-Also, please note that the horses should never be left unattended while tied to the trailer. Please make arrangements for someone to watch your horse if you need to leave the area for any reason.

-If your horse needs to be lunged it is your responsibility to lunge it; if you need assistance lunging please make prior arrangements with a more experienced student to help you. (Breanna and I will help if we can but we are usually very busy prior to the start of the show schooling horses and riders in the show rings)

-If you need to school your horse in the show ring prior to the start of the show, you will need to be prepared to tack up and ride your horse immediately upon arrival. (note: feeding and watering the horse should always come first)

Showtime:

-We will post an approximate schedule of when you and your horse need to be ready for your classes on a dry erase board on the main horse trailer. It’s also important to note that the show schedule is subject to change at any time depending on participants cancelling or adding classes throughout the day, therefore you should always be prepared in case you need to ride earlier or later than expected.

-Make sure you know which classes you will be competing in. If you have time prior to getting on your horse you should try to familiarize yourself with the courses (courses will be posted near the show ring gates) that you will be competing over. Breanna and I will go over the courses with you prior to your classes but it is always best to be prepared early.

-Hunter and Equitation students need to remember:
-You can warm your horse up in polo wraps but they need to be removed prior to your hunter classes.
-Equitation boots should be put on for the Equitation over fences and Equitation on the flat classes only.
-Martingales need to be removed for all flat classes.

-Jumper students please pay attention to when the jumper ring is set for your classes and available to be walked. They will usually allow you to walk the course during the down time between classes while they are adjusting the jump heights and changing the jump numbers and timers.

Finishing Up

-When you are all done with your classes for the day you can go ahead and take your horse back to the trailer and groom it, rewrap its shipping bandages and pack up all of your equipment so that you are ready to go when the last student finishes competing for the day.

-When we arrive back at the barn please make sure to clean and return any borrowed equipment promptly.

Payment

-When we register for the horse shows you will need to fill out an entry form as well as provide an open check to the horse show venue. At the end of the horse show you can go to the show office and close out your check (this check will be used to pay for your classes and any additional fees charged by the show), if you do not close out your check then we will do it for you.

-At the end of the horse show you will receive an invoice from our stable (Sanaa Pharayra Stables) for day fees/coaching fees ($50/day), horse transportation expenses, and any additional charges related to the show. Payment for these services is due by the end of the last day of the show.

Teamwork

-Horse shows are a very busy time for trainers. We will always do our best to make sure that each student and their horse receives the attention from us that they need to do their best at the show. Some of you have the benefit of having shown many times in the past while others may be attending their very first show; we can all benefit immensely by working together as a team. If you are finished showing for the day or if you have some “down time” before your classes please take the time to see if you can help any of your fellow riders. We all love horses and riding and enjoy the memories created by each adventure to a horse show and there is nothing better than being able to share those memories with your fellow barnpals!

USEF Year Book Questionaire

I recently filled out a questionnaire for the year book that is currently being put together for the United States Equestrian Federation members. The three questions that were asked on the form got me thinking about how my endeavors in the horse world began and how far I have come since then. Here are my answers in my own words:

How and when did you get started with this sport?

I was born an animal lover and from the earliest time I can remember, I was obsessed with horses. My Mother enrolled me in riding lessons when I was 9 years old; I rode an old paint mare named "Bonnie" who taught me the basics. I remember watching a National Geographic special on horses that had a segment on Show jumping in which Eddie Macken and his legendary horse "Boomerang" were featured; from that moment on I knew that I ultimately wanted to ride Show jumpers.

As a junior rider I did it all on horses: English, western, trail competitions, packing in the mountains, dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation, I even worked on a cattle ranch for a summer. When I was 17 years old I got my first full time professional job, running a riding school. Over the years I worked my way up the ladder to the point where I now have my own training business. It has been quite a journey; I can't imagine what my life would have been like without horses in it.

Who is your mentor and what have they done to help you?

Interestingly I have never really had that stereotypical mentor type person in my life. There were however a lot of individuals along the way that encouraged me and helped me along the path of a "horse life". If I had to pick one tid bit of advice that was given to me that has helped me the most, it would be the words of my Mother telling me over and over again,” No matter how great of a rider and horse person you ever become, you must never stop learning; It is impossible to know all there is to know about something, it is your duty to always continue learning." Taking these words to heart really empowered me to learn to help myself and that ability is certainly what has helped me the most.

What about your discipline do you enjoy most and what achievements/accomplishments are you most proud of?

There are many things about the sport of Show jumping that appeal to me, I suppose the thing that I have always liked the most about it is that since it is a scored sport as opposed to a subjectively judged one, the winner is absolute. No matter what your riding and training style or what type of a horse you have if you win you win, and no one can say anything about it. It's kind of like that saying "the proof is in the pudding", there is no room for human opinion.

My greatest accomplishment in this sport would undoubtedly be the vast distance I have traveled from where I began to where I am now. I grew up the only child of a single mother; we didn't have a lot of money. As soon as I was old enough to push a wheel barrow I became a working student so that I could help earn my riding lessons. I never had that nice junior horse, I got the horses that no one else could or wanted to ride. Yet these early triumphs of adversity molded my skill set well enough that I was able to start a professional training career at a very young age.

If I had to pick the thing that I disliked the most about my sport, it would definitely be the fact that it is so expensive. I hope in the future we are able to find ways to subsidize jumping competitions so that they will be open to individuals from a wider range of economic backgrounds. The whole idea of "sport" in my mind is an even playing field in which true talent and dedication win. We all need an ideal to work towards, that so called proverbial carrot dangling ever so near in the distance...this is mine.

The Imprint We Leave On Our Horses

“A horse learns to be what he is everyday”…wise words from a true horseman that I had the privilege of learning from when I was a young rider. But what does it really mean “-what he is everyday”? Essentially this tid-bit of information alludes to an often misunderstood concept, that of the imprint that we leave on our horses. Animals, in particular horses, have much greater memories and attention spans than they are often given credit for. In our daily interactions with horses, whether handling them from the ground or while on their backs, we leave our very own “print” on our horses. It is extremely important to remember how much our animals really do absorb from their experiences with us. Anyone that has pursued this sport for any length of time has some familiarity with the phenomenon of hitting “plateaus” in their riding, a period in which things seem to stay in a frustrating zone of mediocrity without much forward progress. Things such as this happen because of a general lack of understanding of how we influence these animals, as well as how the horse perceives what is being asked of it. Horses are creatures of habit, we have the choice to continue reinforcing already existing habits (which may even include undesirable behavior) or, we can thru skilled and choreographed riding, lay down the frame work for new “positive habits” that will cultivate the natural talents of the animal and build them over time into a better athlete and willing participant in the endeavors of sport.

My goal as a teacher is to help my students communicate with their horses in a way that clearly tells the animal what is wanted of them and then quickly rewards them for their cooperative behavior. I often see communication problems between horse and rider because of the rider not understanding the “rewarding” part of the communication process. The way we communicate with horses is primarily thru the sense of touch. The natural aids, the legs seat and hands, as well as the artificial aids, crop or whip and spurs, are all ways to communicate thru touch. As riders we are often quick and persistent to ask things of our horses, but unfortunately not as quick and generous in rewarding them for a job well done. This often leads to confusion in the horse, and tends to create those “plateaus” in our progress that we have all experienced.

When I speak of “rewarding” the horse it is important to note that I am not necessarily referring to giving the horse a treat or stroking or patting it on the neck (although I have used both methods to help train an animal from time to time). For me the most important and practical part of a reward…is the release of the pressure of the original aid given for the particular thing being asked. For example lets say I am riding at the walk and I decide to ask my horse to halt, I keep my weight centered deep in my sitting bones and I apply even pressure to both sides of the bit until the horse comes to a full stop (This is what I refer to as the “asking” phase of the movement), once the horse has responded to my request I will then immediately release the pressure on the reins and put my hands back into what I like to refer to as the “neutral position”. It is this “release” of pressure that tells the horse that it has done its job. It is by repeating this system of “asking” and “releasing” over and over that explains to the horse what is wanted of him and in turn sensitizes him thru understanding to listening to a lighter and lighter aid.

An example of what happens over time when a rider does not clearly ask and reward with their aids is a horse that has a “hard mouth” or a horse that is “dead to the leg”. Although horses are born with predispositions to certain personalities (such as being naturally sensitive as opposed to having more of a quiet or even cold personality), no horse is born dull to any of the aids, they become that way from being ridden by a rider that does not clearly communicate with their aids thus confusing the horse, ultimately causing them to “tune out” their rider!

As you are riding it is helpful to think about your aids as the language you use to speak with your horse, throughout your entire ride you and your horse should be “conversing”. If I am asking my horse to drop his poll and lift his back up and engage his abdominal muscles, I will at first apply pressure with my driving aids (legs and seat) and press the horses energy forward into my hands, I will then close my fingers creating an “asking aid”, once my horse responds by dropping his head and lifting his back I will then immediately release the pressure on his mouth and lighten the intensity of the forward driving aids, rewarding him for a job well done. It is the “releasing” part of the equation that tells the horse “YES, you did what I asked of you, thank you”; this is what motivates a horse to listen to his rider. Horses, after all, are not that different from us. Would you be motivated to work hard for a person that did not reward you in anyway for a job well done?

In my mind the ultimate goal of any horseperson should be to become the kind of rider that can make a horse better and better each time you sit on its back. In order to attain this level in your riding you must first learn to “live in the moment with your horse”, staying conscious of what you are doing at all times. It is important to understanding that your horse’s needs may be different from day to day and moment to moment. Make sure you have a clear goal for each phase of your ride and reward your horse often even for making small amounts of progress. As your horse begins to understand you more clearly you will find that he will in turn become much more enthusiastic and responsive to what is being asked of him. A true rider and horseman does not think of himself as he rides, a true rider and horseman thinks only of his/her animal and how to help that animal thru “communication” become all that it can be each and every day. Your arms and legs do not belong to you, they are instruments of communication between you and your horse. As such they must be handled at all times with the utmost care. Let us always strive to communicate clearly to our horses and to reward them generously for their efforts…

What is the best joint supplement?

When it comes to supplements for horses I like to first seek out the advice of my Veterinarian before feeding anything new to my horses. I know that in recent years the most popular supplement for joints have been the Chondroitin/Glucosamine supplements. My veterinarian also told me recently that the supplement “Lubrisyn” was becoming very popular for performance horses. Lubrisyn is made with Hylaronic Acid, one of the most common substances used in injecting horses joints (its basically synthetic joint fluid and the theory is that it helps lubricate the joints).

I have been involved with horses for over 20 years now and I have seen a lot of fads come and go. Personally I think that it is best to keep it simple when it comes to supplements. The fact of the matter is that while joint supplements may help improve the longevity of a horses joints, they wont make an unsound horse sound again. The best thing that you can do to keep your horses joints healthy is proper conditioning. Many people think that conditioning only strenghtens the heart, lungs, and muscles, but long term consistent exercise also strengthens the horses tendons, ligaments, bones and joints.

When I am creating a conditioning program for a horse I take into account the horses ability and what it is going to be used for. You also need to consider the horses present fitness level; are they in good shape already or are they out of shape, are they over or under weight? What is the horses age? It takes an older horse longer to get in shape than it does a younger one. The most basic rule of conditioning is to start out with a work out level that the horse is comfortable with and gradually increase the level and length of the workout over time until the horse is comfortable at the new increased level of exercise.

Another technique that I use often is to diversify the work out, don’t do the same thing everyday and try to switch up the workout as much as you can. I am a big fan of trail riding to help a horses soundness and fitness, also cavaletti trainig is an excellent thing for jumping horses. You don’t have to do the same amount of exercise every day either, if you have a day where you work your horse extra hard, maybe the next day you just go on a long walking trail ride. Keeping it interesting also helps keep the horse mentally stimulated and happy with his work.

For more information on conditioning I highy recommend the book “Conditioning to Win”, by Equine Research Inc.