High Finance Farm Inc

05/10/2026

Go Adele! You gave us 5 great foals so go on to this great new chapter. ColdSpring Mares Inc needs our support for this non profit!

03/31/2026

This year, it will take $175,000 in donations to keep ColdSpring Mares running. That number isn’t just a goal, it’s what it takes to say “yes” when the calls come in. What most people don't realize is that our mares have safe retirement here. Yes, some do go back home with their owners upon retirement but for the grand majority, we are their last stop. Since the beginning, we have retired 73 mares. We honor these mares in service, in retirement, and in their passing. This often includes added supplements and/or medications to keep them comfortable in their golden years. For many, this includes special shoes, special feed, and special care, just like any ageing person or animal. When it's their time, some of our mares pass away peacefully in their sleep and others will need veterinary intervention.

While none of this is pretty, or fun, it's important to be transparent. Owning and caring for horses is expensive no matter where you are in the industry. Our lease fees have always only covered a portion of a mare's care for that year, and when you donate to CSM, you not only provide care for our nurse mares, but you also provide retirement care for mares who have quite literally given their entire lives to the preservation and celebration of their breed/discipline.

Right now, 51 people have stepped up to give recurring donations. That consistency is what keeps our hay coming, farrier visits scheduled, and medical needs covered without wondering if we’ll make it.

If just 675 people committed to $20/month, that would support our entire program in steady, reliable funding for our Support Our Mares General Fund. That kind of consistency would change everything for us. We could purchase a facility, cutting costs by 1/3 of our annual budget, we could take on more mares, help more foals, and add paid internships, among many other opportunities we can only dream of.

So I’m asking, will you join them?

Become recurring donor #52.
One decision. A year of impact.

If monthly giving isn’t the right fit, you can also sponsor a specific mare and be part of her direct story, but either way, you are part of what keeps this mission alive.

We truly cannot do this without you. 🤍

03/11/2026

Out with the old, in with the new. Adding flat as a pool table now. Many inches of old loose and hard pack removed to make room for the new stuff. Thanks Puffer/MGP Ventures for sourcing a contractor in his absence for our project.

Carlson Excavating
Craig
C/ (847) 878-8325

Craig tells me besides arenas drainage and waterline installations are also in the wheelhouse of work executed. He’s a phone call away to get a second opinion on your projects and another quote to compare to others.

01/24/2026

Cold weather riding

01/15/2026

Great perspective

Hard days in show jumping happen to everyone—even Olympic riders. What matters is how you handle them so they make you better instead of burning you out. Here’s a practical, rider-centered way to get through them.

1. Separate performance from worth
A bad round doesn’t mean you’re a bad rider.

Ask: “What went wrong today?” not “What’s wrong with me?”

One refusal, rail, or time fault is information, not a verdict.

Mantra: I can have a bad day without being a bad rider.

2. Read the round like a professional
After emotions settle (even 10–15 minutes helps), break it down:

Rider error? (line, pace, eye, distance)

Horse moment? (fatigue, confidence, spook, misunderstanding)

Training gap? (adjustability, rideability, strength)

👉 Write down one thing to fix and one thing that went well. Always both.

3. Protect your horse’s confidence
On hard days:

End with something easy and positive (small jump, flatwork win, a pat and walk)

Avoid drilling the mistake

Praise effort, not perfection

A confident horse forgives tomorrow what today didn’t go perfectly.

4. Don’t train while emotional
Anger, frustration, or embarrassment lead to:

Over-riding

Micromanaging

Loss of feel

If emotions are high:

Walk

Breathe

Get off if needed

Good riders know when to stop. Great riders stop early.

5. Reframe the day
Instead of:

“That show was a disaster.”

Try:

“That show showed me exactly what to work on.”

Every successful rider you admire has had:

Eliminations

Eliminated horses

Confidence crises

Seasons they’d rather forget

They just didn’t quit.

6. Zoom out
Ask yourself:

How was my riding 3 months ago?

Is my horse improving overall?

Am I learning consistency, feel, and timing?

Progress in show jumping is not linear—it looks like steps forward, plateaus, and occasional backward days.

7. Take care of you
Hard days hit harder when you’re:

Tired

Hungry

Stressed

Comparing yourself to others

Simple fixes:

Eat

Hydrate

Step away from social media after bad rounds

Talk to someone who understands horses

8. Keep perspective
Show jumping is:

A partnership

A long game

A sport where mistakes are visible

But it’s also:

A privilege

A teacher

A place where resilience matters more than ribbons

01/01/2026

🤔

Unmounted Lesson Ideas: What to Do When You Can't Ride At All

The forecast is brutal. The footing is a skating rink. Your student's horse is lame. The arena is literally underwater. You can't ride. At all. Now what?

You could cancel - lose the income, disappoint the student, break the weekly routine. Or you could get creative and teach an unmounted lesson that's actually VALUABLE.

Here's the thing: Unmounted lessons aren't filler. They're not "less than" riding lessons. They're opportunities to teach horsemanship, deepen understanding, and build skills that directly translate to better riding but what do you actually DO for 45-60 minutes when you can't get in the saddle? Let's break it down...

THE MINDSET SHIFT
Stop thinking: "We CAN'T ride, so this lesson will be disappointing."
Start thinking: "This is a chance to work on things we never have time for during riding lessons."

Great riders aren't just people who can sit on a horse well. They're horsemen who understand:
1. How horses think and learn
2. How equipment works and fits
3. How to handle horses safely on the ground
4. How movement and biomechanics function
5. How to problem-solve when things go wrong

CATEGORY 1: HANDS-ON HORSEMANSHIP SKILLS
These are practical, physical skills that make students better horse handlers.

> Grooming Clinic
Not just "brush the horse." TEACH grooming:
- Why we groom in a specific order
- Different brush types and their purposes
- How to read the horse's body language during grooming
- Finding heat, swelling, cuts, or sensitivity
- Mane and tail care techniques
- Hoof picking and what to look for
Make it interactive: Have them groom while you point out things they're missing. Teach them to FEEL differences in coat texture, muscle tension, temperature.

> Tack Fitting and Adjustment
Most riders have NO idea how tack should actually fit. Teach them:
- How to check saddle fit (wither clearance, even panel contact, no bridging)
- Proper bridle adjustment (where each piece should sit)
- Bit fitting basics (width, thickness, mouthpiece styles)
- How to tell if a saddle pad is positioned correctly
- Girth tightening (when, how much, safety)
- Stirrup length for different disciplines
Make it hands-on: Have them tack up while you critique and correct. Then have THEM explain why each adjustment matters.

> Leading and Ground Manners
Even some advanced riders often have sloppy ground skills. Work on:
- Proper leading position and technique
- Teaching the horse to stand still for mounting
- Backing the horse from the ground
- Moving hindquarters and shoulders independently
- Leading through obstacles or tight spaces
- Emergency stops and control techniques
- Ground tying or standing on a loose lead
Make it progressive: Start easy, add challenges (leading over poles, through cones, backing through an L-shape).

> Lunging Skills
If the student is intermediate or advanced, teach them to lunge properly. Cover:
- How to hold the lunge line and whip safely
- Positioning relative to the horse
- Reading the horse's body language on the lunge
- Adjusting pace, size of circle, and transitions
- Identifying correct vs. incorrect movement
- When lunging is helpful vs. when it's not
- Free lunging
Make it real: Have them lunge their horse (or a school horse) while you coach. They'll realize it's WAY harder than it looks!

Desensitization and Obstacle Work
Great for building confidence in both horse and handler. Set up obstacles and work through:
- Tarps, pool noodles, flags, crinkly objects
- Leading over or through obstacles
- Teaching the horse to stand calmly near "scary" things
- Problem-solving when the horse refuses or spooks
- Rewarding bravery and try
Make it educational: Talk about pressure/release, reading calming signals, when to push vs. when to back off.

> Trick Training and Clicker Training Basics
This is FUN, builds the horse-handler bond, and teaches incredible timing and communication skills. For beginners to clicker training:
- Explain how clicker training works (marker + reward)
- Teach proper timing (click at the exact moment of the behavior)
- Start simple: targeting (touching a cone, ball, or your hand)
- Progress to easy tricks: head down, back up, shake hands
- Discuss when clicker training is helpful vs. when traditional methods work better

For students with clicker experience:
- Work on more complex tricks: Spanish walk, bow, smile, fetch
- Teach them to break tricks into small steps (shaping)
- Problem-solve when the horse gets confused or stuck
- Discuss how trick training improves regular riding (better communication, sharper timing, engaged horse)

CATEGORY 2: THEORY AND UNDERSTANDING
These lessons build the KNOWLEDGE that makes students smarter riders.

> Equine Anatomy and Biomechanics
Use diagrams, videos, or a real horse to teach:
- Major muscle groups and how they work during riding
- Skeletal structure (why we sit where we sit, why legs go where they go)
- How different gaits work (footfall patterns, timing)
- Where the horse CAN and CAN'T see
- How saddles distribute weight on the horse's back
- Common injury areas and why they happen
Make it relevant: Connect anatomy to riding problems they're experiencing. "Your horse hollows his back when you post - here's WHY and what we can do about it."

> Video Analysis
Pull up videos of the student riding or professional riders and ANALYZE. Watch for:
- Position flaws and their impact on the horse
- Timing of aids
- Balance and weight distribution
- What the HORSE is doing in response to the rider
- Comparing correct vs. incorrect movement
Make it interactive: Pause, discuss, have THEM identify what's happening before you tell them.

> Aids, Cues, and Communication
Teach the theory behind HOW and WHY aids work. Cover:
- How horses learn (pressure/release, timing, consistency)
- Natural vs. artificial aids
- Independent aids (using one without affecting others)
- Timing - when to ask for what
- How seat, leg, and hand work together
- Common mistakes that confuse horses
Make it experiential: Have them practice on each other or a barrel - feeling what different rein actions feel like, how seat shifts affect balance.

> Nutrition and Horse Care Basics
Most riders have no idea what their (school) horse eats or why. Teach:
- Basic horse nutrition (hay, grain, supplements)
- Reading feed labels
- How much a horse should eat and why
- Signs of colic, dehydration, or illness
- Seasonal care differences (blanketing, hydration in winter, heat management in summer)
- Hoof care and farrier schedules
Make it practical: Show them actual feed, explain your barn's feeding program, have them calculate what THEIR horse needs.

> Show Rules and Etiquette
For students interested in showing, this is GOLD. Cover:
- How to read a dressage test or course diagram
- Scoring and how judges evaluate
- Ring etiquette and rules
- What to wear and why
- How to prepare for a show
- Common disqualifications or mistakes
Make it real: Walk through an actual test or course on foot. Have them memorize and "ride" it in the arena.

CATEGORY 3: MENTAL SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE
These lessons work on the MIND, which is often the missing piece.

Visualization and Mental Rehearsal
Teach them how to practice riding... without riding. Work on:
- How visualization works and why it's effective
- Creating detailed mental images (using all senses)
- Mentally rehearsing specific skills or courses
- Building confidence through mental practice
- Rewriting negative experiences with positive visualization
Make it guided: Lead them through a visualization exercise. Have them mentally "ride" a course or movement while you narrate.

> Goal Setting and Progress Tracking
Help them create a roadmap for their riding. Work through:
- Setting specific, measurable goals
- Breaking big goals into small steps
- Tracking progress (riding journal, video logs)
- Identifying strengths and areas for growth
- Creating accountability systems
Make it actionable: They leave with written goals and a plan to achieve them.

> Fear and Confidence Work
For nervous riders, this can be life-changing. Discuss:
- Why fear happens and how to work with it
- Breathing and relaxation techniques
- Building confidence through small wins
- Identifying triggers and creating coping strategies
- The difference between healthy caution and limiting fear
Make it practical: Practice breathing exercises, visualization for scary scenarios, positive self-talk techniques.

CATEGORY 4: CREATIVE AND FUN
Not everything has to be serious! Mix in some lighter activities.

> Horse Treats or Enrichment Projects
Make horse treats together, create DIY enrichment toys, or build simple agility obstacles.
Why it works: Hands-on, creative, builds connection with horses, teaches about horse preferences and enrichment.

> Barn Scavenger Hunt
Create a list of things to find or identify around the barn:
- Types of hay or bedding
- Parts of tack
- Grooming tools and their uses
- Safety equipment locations
- Signs of good vs. poor hoof health
Why it works: Makes learning fun, tests knowledge, gets them moving and exploring.

> Horse Care Day
- Let them shadow you or participate in barn management:
- Feeding routines
- Stall cleaning and why bedding matters
- Turnout routines
- Checking water buckets
- Basic first aid kit inventory
Why it works: Builds appreciation for horse care, teaches responsibility, shows the work behind riding.

HOW TO STRUCTURE AN UNMOUNTED PRIVATE LESSON
Don't just pick one thing and drag it out. MIX activities to keep engagement high. Keeps it varied, hands-on, and valuable. Sample 60-Minute Unmounted Lesson Structure:
10 minutes: Grooming while discussing horse body language and health checks
20 minutes: Tack fitting - have them tack up and adjust everything correctly while explaining WHY
15 minutes: Leading and ground work - practice precision and control
15 minutes: Theory discussion or video analysis relevant to their current riding goals

SETTING EXPECTATIONS
When you know riding isn't possible, message students ahead of time:
"Hey! Footing/weather isn't safe for riding tomorrow, but I've got a great unmounted lesson planned. We're going to work on [tack fitting/lunging skills/video analysis] which will directly improve your riding."
Managing expectations prevents disappointment and shows you're being intentional, not just winging it.

PRICING UNMOUNTED LESSONS
Should you charge the same as riding lessons? My take: Yes, IF the lesson is valuable and well-planned. You're still teaching. You're still providing expertise. You're still giving them your time and knowledge. If you throw together a half-hearted "let's just brush the horse" lesson? No, don't charge full price. If you're teaching real skills, theory, and horsemanship? Absolutely charge your normal rate.

Unmounted lessons aren't Plan B. They're opportunities to teach things that make students BETTER RIDERS and BETTER HORSEMEN. Students who understand horses beyond just riding become your best, most committed, longest-lasting clients.

So next time the weather's terrible or the arena's unusable? Don't cancel. Get creative. Teach horsemanship. Your students will thank you for it.

**Instructors: Need some new mounted or unmounted lesson plan ideas to refresh your program? Visit our online lesson plan library > link is in the comments!

12/30/2025

✨ The Mindset Shift That Could Save Lesson Barns ✨

I’ve seen a flood of posts lately about the quiet crisis in the lesson-barn world.

Barns are closing.
Owners are losing money on lesson programs.
The economy is tight, and horses are starting to feel accessible only to those with very deep pockets.

These concerns are real. They’re valid. And for many barn owners, they’re the reason lesson programs are being shut down entirely.

I like to think I’m an optimist and while I certainly have my moments of questioning whether the costs meet the means, I believe lesson barns can survive.
Not by working harder. Not by sacrificing more. Not even by raising prices.
But by changing HOW we define what people are actually paying for when they “pay for a lesson.”

The traditional lesson model looks something like this:
You pay $XX to ride for XX minutes per week.
If you miss your lesson, you don’t pay - or you get a make-up at a time that’s convenient for you.

It feels easy. It feels flexible.
And it is exactly why lesson barns are disappearing.

Because when you pay for a lesson, you are not paying for 45 or 60 minutes of an instructor’s time.

You are paying for:
• A school horse who is fed every day
• Clean water and safe housing
• A facility to ride at
• Professional daily care staff
• Farrier work
• Veterinary care and injections
• Tack, grooming supplies, fly spray
• Arena footing and maintenance
• Insurance
• Utilities
• Facility upkeep

And the list goes on.

When you don’t show up, none of those expenses stop.
Buddy the school horse still eats.
Still needs shoes.
Still needs vet care.

So who pays when a rider doesn’t?

The barn owner does - usually with a budget consisting of a few dollars, some baling twine, and hay soaked in quiet desperation.

Eventually, the math breaks. And no one can justify owning horses for other people to ride at a loss.

Lesson Horses Are a Fixed Cost

Lesson barns must start charging based on the true fixed cost of maintaining a horse for public use, not on attendance.

If you sign up for a gym and don’t go - you still pay.
The gym still provides the building, the equipment, the staff, the utilities.

Lesson barns are no different.

In fact, they provide a premium service:
• Carefully selected, trained horses
• Safe, maintained facilities
• Quality tack and equipment
• Professional instruction
• Access to horses without the full financial burden of ownership

When you don’t show up or you go on vacation the horse doesn’t stop costing money.

Lesson programs remove the weight of ownership from the rider.
That weight doesn’t disappear.
It lands squarely on the barn owner.

And if a horse must work extra to accommodate make-up lessons, the system is already broken. School horses deserve rest. Two days off per week should be non-negotiable.

If I Could Rewrite the Rules to Save Lesson Barns, Here’s What I’d Do:
🐴 Charge monthly tuition, based on lessons *available* per week
🐴 Tuition is due regardless of attendance
🐴 No make-up lessons and horses receive two days off weekly
🐴 Offer horsemanship, horse education, or groundwork classes as a suitable way to "makeup" lost horse time, which is a way to still offer education without doubling down on the horse's work schedule
🐴 30 days’ notice required to discontinue lessons
🐴 Price programs based on the true monthly cost of each horse, divided by how often that horse can responsibly work (this will vary regionally)

This isn’t about price gouging.
This isn’t about being unreasonable.
This isn’t about making horses inaccessible.
This is about the reality that if you are riding a lesson horse, it is not unreasonable to have SOME commitment to making sure the horse is cared for appropriately.

In many cases, it doesn’t even mean raising prices unless the program is already undercharging.

Yes, it is true that horses cost money.
But if we clearly communicate what riders are truly paying for and structure programs accordingly, lesson barns don’t have to disappear.

They might actually have a fighting chance.

Edit: no, this model does not mean charging students $1,500 a month to ride once a week. It can be done as low as $250-$350 a month in most regions, which is a very reasonable and affordable price to access horses.

12/29/2025

Things you may want to know

"As a trainer, I keep very few secrets from my clients. Where some may be more tight lipped or filtered, by nature I’m more of an open book. This is true for myself professionally and personally. It has served me well at times… and at other times caused me some issues. For the most part, my willingness to communicate and be transparent to the people who have entrusted me with their horses and their kids over the years has given me the ability to build a business based on honesty. That’s something I’m very proud of. However, there are a few hard truths that I don’t talk about so openly. I think some of these truths transcend past my personal experience, and are very relatable to most trainers. Also, they may be valuable for clients to take into consideration. So, I’ve decided I want to share them with you today.

1. When you have a bad lesson, I think about it probably more than you do.

When you struggle through a lesson, fail multiple times in an exercise, or fall off, you might think your trainer just lightheartedly rolls their eyes and after giving you a brief pep talk, moves right on with their day. We really want you to think we do this! Because it’s hard enough that you left your lesson feeling down on yourself and frustrated, it’s not our job to add our personal feelings to it. But… when I’m driving home that night, I’m thinking about your next lesson already. What can I do to fix it? Should I explain things differently? Did I raise that jump too quickly tonight? I don’t want you to have your confidence dashed. I’m doing mental gymnastics to get you and your horse back on track hours and sometimes even days after a bad ride. Maybe even long after you’ve moved on from it. We want you to succeed and we don’t want you to know that at times your struggles become our struggles too.

2. I pick my battles.

If you have a trainer who seems to nit pick or one who more readily lets things slide, I can guarantee you that both of those types of horse professionals are holding back. We want to call you out when you put your saddle away dirty. If you’re whispering to friends while auditing a clinic, we want to shoot you a look because you should be listening and learning respectfully instead of chatting. We pull out our phones to text you that you left your horse with a sweat mark after your ride, but often times put our phones back in our pockets without hitting send. Trainers are perfectionists. The good ones are, anyway. We have to be, in order to do what we do. Most of us were brought up with trainers who were pretty tough on us.

I remember once when I was about 15, I left my bridle out on the cleaning hook after a ride and forgot to put it away. It was an innocent mistake for a spacey teenager to make, and not one that I’d done before. But when I arrived to the barn the next day, my trainer had disassembled the whole bridle and hung each piece from the rafters of the hay loft. It took me most of the afternoon and some questionably unsafe ladder placement to retrieve them. I was tearful and quite embarrassed, but I never left that bridle out again. These days such “drastic” measures in teaching students to be more thoughtful and responsible aren’t as common. But one could argue that lax horsemanship is more rampant. So, I kind of understand where my trainer was coming from with that stunt. I did learn something, after all. I may not be hanging bridle parts from rafters… but there are days I think about it.

3. We blur the lines between work and our personal life, and we pay the price.

I try to answer texts from my clients in a timely fashion. That’s usually because my phone is glued to me at all times. iPhones have a feature, one we all know too well, that tells us our weekly screen time. I hate knowing this number. Most weeks it’s 8+ hours a day. I’m videoing horses during lessons, looking up horse ads online, calling and texting clients, farriers, chiropractors, various vets. Whether I’m physically at work or not, it makes no difference. I’m always working, to some capacity. This lifestyle has become the norm for me, but I often times realize I’m cheating myself and my family out of quality time together. A dinner at a restaurant where my phone stays in my pocket is something I owe to them, but don’t often do. When the texts message “ding” sounds, I instinctively reach for it. It could be the vet! I’m waiting to hear back from a seller about an offer that was made this morning. I have a client worried sick about an upcoming horse show and I’m trying to reassure them not to stress. It’ll just be a minute, I tell them, I swear. This makes me great at my job, but admittedly leaves me lacking in the mom and wife department.

I’ve realized at this point in my life and career that I have to get more comfortable leaving someone on read so that I can be present at home, and creating healthier boundaries. So when you call me at 9pm worried about your horses loose shoe or wondering what blanket he needs tomorrow… I don’t always want to answer. Some things can and should wait."

📎 Continue reading this article by Ariel Univer at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/01/24/things-your-trainer-may-or-may-not-want-you-to-know/
📸 © The Plaid Horse

12/27/2025

To warm up or not to warm up??!

In a recent episode of The Plaidcast, mental skills coach Tonya Johnston and rider Laena Romond offered a refreshing reminder about something riders often misunderstand: the warm-up ring does not tell you how your round is going to go. It’s not an omen. It’s not a verdict. And it’s definitely not a measure of your worth as a rider.

Warm-up, they explained, is simply information—a place to understand what your horse feels like that day, what you need to adjust, and how to prepare your mind and body for the round ahead.

For many riders, the warm-up becomes the emotional center of the whole day. One mistake can derail confidence before the rider ever walks in the ring. Tonya sees this constantly. “Warm-up isn’t a prediction,” she says. “It’s not supposed to feel like your round. It’s just giving you information.”

That shift changes everything. Instead of searching for proof that the round will go well, warm-up becomes a place to gather data. What kind of energy does your horse have today? Are they relaxed? Fresh? Behind the leg? A little looky? The warm-up ring helps you answer those questions—not solve your entire ride before it happens.

Laena agrees. “Warm-up is just information,” she says. “It’s not the story. It’s just the beginning of it.”

Tonya emphasizes that riders often expect warm-up to feel smooth, polished, and confidence-building. But that’s rarely how it works—especially in busy show environments where the ring is crowded, horses are fresh, and distractions pop up in every corner.

She reminds riders that warm-up is not designed to be perfect. In fact, imperfection is part of the process. “If something feels off in warm-up, that doesn’t mean anything about your round,” she explains. “It just means you now have information you didn’t have before.”

That might be noticing your horse is tight and needs more leg. Or seeing they’re too energetic and need a moment to breathe. Or realizing you need to take a breath and reset. None of that predicts the future. It prepares you for it.

One of the biggest traps Tonya sees is riders attaching too much meaning to warm-up mistakes. A late distance or a chip suddenly becomes a catastrophe. The spiral begins: Why did that happen? What does it mean? Am I ready?

Tonya encourages riders to interrupt that pattern by shifting into neutral thinking. Rather than interpreting the mistake, simply ask: “What do I do now?”

This keeps riders anchored to action instead of emotion. Instead of telling yourself a story about what the mistake means, you calmly make the adjustment the moment calls for.

Laena relies on the same approach. She explains that confidence shouldn’t hinge on a single jump in warm-up. It comes from experience, preparation, and the ability to refocus. “You already know how to ride,” Tonya says. “Warm-up doesn’t change that.”

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/12/16/why-the-warm-up-ring-isnt-a-prediction-of-your-round/
📸 © The Plaid Horse

12/21/2025

A different perspective

Many riders make steady progress in their lessons at home, and some never feel the need to show. Geoff Teall understands that “many students who never show” and simply enjoy the process of learning. For these riders, competition is not a requirement. But Teall also makes clear that horse shows provide learning opportunities that riders cannot fully recreate in a controlled schooling environment. Competition adds challenges, variety, and perspective that help broaden a rider’s skills and understanding.

Showing is not the only path forward, but it offers a distinct form of education that complements regular instruction rather than replaces it.

At home, most riders ride in familiar patterns without realizing it. They school in the same ring, over the same jumps, and within a routine that becomes predictable. Teall explains that when riders practice on their own, they “inevitably tend toward a particular consistent pattern or program.” While this consistency can help reinforce skills, it can also limit exposure to new questions.

A horse show disrupts that predictability. Teall notes that “other course designers are never going to build a course exactly as you would,” and that a show ring “won’t be exactly the same size as you’re used to.” These changes require riders to adapt, think, and respond in real time. Even the layout of the warm-up ring, the placement of jumps, and the feel of the footing introduce variables that cannot be replicated in a home environment.

This new setting encourages riders to expand beyond familiar habits and routines.

Teall emphasizes that one of the great values of competition is that it places riders “in a situation that you did not create yourself.” At home, riders have significant control over their schooling environment. They set when they ride, what exercises they use, and how they structure their work. In the show ring, those decisions belong to others.

Riding in a situation shaped by someone else forces riders to adjust rather than default to comfortable choices. It encourages them to rely on the skills they have practiced piece by piece, using them to navigate questions they did not choose. Teall explains that this experience helps “perfect skills that won’t bloom in a tamer environment,” underscoring the role of competition in sharpening a rider’s abilities.

One of the most immediate differences in competition is the course itself. At home, even varied schooling sessions carry elements of familiarity. At a show, the course designer’s decisions determine the track, the questions, and the flow. Teall stresses that these challenges broaden a rider’s education and expose them to lines, approaches, and turns they may not choose for themselves.

This diversity allows riders to experience how their horses respond to different types of questions. Over time, riders become more aware of how each element—whether a forward line, a long approach, or a turn off the rail—changes the balance, pace, and feel of the ride. That awareness helps them refine their skills at home and prepares them for future courses.

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/12/15/what-competition-teaches-you-that-schooling-at-home-never-will/
📸 © The Plaid Horse