05/25/2026
At a pre show season meeting, I asked my clients to think about their "why". Why horse show? Why spend the money? Why take the time and effort to do this for a ribbon at best, an injury or a fall at worst? And this weekend I was thinking about my list of Why. It's a long list and in no particular order.
1. The Team. In an individual sport, I see so many teams at the horse show. From barn swag, to cheering for each other, to helping get hair done, to setting jumps and cleaning up horses, leading problem ponies back and forth from the stabling areas, hand walking and grazing, commiserating over less than stellar rounds. I see barn families but I also see the bigger community. Riders lending equipment, riders hopping on to school tricky ponies, trainers working together at the ingates and problem solving horses/tack/clients. My clients who came to me from other barns received wonderful feedback from old trainers and barnmates. And the whole horse show community ... in-gates and show management and office staff and ring crew ... all trying to give everyone a positive showing experience. And in a crisis ... a fall, a weather issue, a horse in trouble, there is truly no greater community.
2. Life Skills. Sometimes things go really well. Sometimes they don't. Sometimes you ride great and get rewarded. Sometimes you don't. Sometimes you try really, really hard, and still fail. Sometimes you fall. And this sport teaches you to get back up, dust yourself off, make a plan, and move ahead. Mental toughness. Physical resilience. Strength. Wisdom. Knowing when to keep trying. Knowing when to ask for help. Knowing when to admit defeat. The world is tough. So is this sport. But it's also wonderful and exhilarating and challenging and humbling. If we can learn to celebrate the wins, and work through the defeats, we are sure to succeed in horses and in life.
3. Friendships. Some of my best friends are competitors. Other trainers. I love sharing this experience with them. It is a sport of highs and lows. No one who hasn't done what we do can truly understand. To the young trainers out there .... make friends. Talk to trainers. It will keep you sane like nothing else.
Many of my other friends are clients. Past and current It is a blessing and a curse of this industry. We are so involved in our client's journey. And none of us have time for anything much outside of the industry. I am so grateful to all who have been friends over the years. The relationships are complicated, and not all survive long term, but they sure matter. When I started in this industry, my clients were close to my age and many were friends. Then over time it became the parents and older adults who were my peer group. Now I think it's close to grandparent friendship time. lol. But friendships across generations are also an integral part of barn life. and they matter.
4. The Horses. Rain. Snow. Wind. Heat. Cold. Early mornings. Nervous riders. Mixed messages.
They deal with all of this and more. And watching them give their all for a ribbon they care nothing about, that makes my soul happy. When I watch great race horses run, or reining horses spin, or cutting horses on a cow, eventers jumping things I cannot even comprehend, dressage horses dancing. All of it makes me grateful. When I watch a walk trot pony take care of a tiny rider on a windy day. When I watch a horse that has developed from a baby to a 3' hunter and beyond. When I watch a horse and rider bond, and develop skills, and become a team. That is a huge part of my why.
5. The Failures. What we do with the failures defines us. As riders, as trainers, as parents, as horse people. Virtually every client I have ever taught has failed before they have succeeded. I sure have. We learn. We work harder. We get stronger. We try again. We can be perfect at home, but when we do this in public, and are judged, it amplifies everything. And when we solve the problems, and put it all together, and finally win those coveted ribbons ... it matters. Not because of the ribbon itself, but because of what it stands for.
I love to compete. I love to win. I love to teach. I love to train horses. I love to watch the plan come together And obsess about it when it does not Is it hard? Absolutely. Do I also hate it sometimes? Absolutely. I hate falling and failing. Both for myself and for my clients. But as long as I am in this industry, I want to go to horse shows. And that is my why.
