Yes, blue ribbons, the vibe at elite championships and excitement that can be felt only when galloping a lap of honour are truly outstanding experiences which should be celebrated, but these are not the only reasons why us equestrians show. The little moments and memories are what make the showing experiences really outstanding and unique. And there are tons of little reasons why we choose to spend our weekends, money and energy at the horse shows rather than on a night out. These are a couple of them:
- For that peace of early morning showgrounds.
- For the moments you finish your round and you hear all of your teammates cheering on you.
- For those quiet bonding moments between you and your horse just before you start tacking up for your round.
- For the thrill and excitement when watching your teammate finish their winning round
- For chitchats with new people on a hack before a show
- For a smell of a showsheen on a freshly bathed horse
- For a dedication your horse gives you
- For those minutes filled with excitement and stress when waiting at the in-gate
- For learning that sometimes luck is a huge factor when it comes to winning, and accepting that it is okay.
- For experience and lessons learned from watching others ride
- For cleaning the tack the day before next to your horse stall and awaiting for what the next show day brings you.
- For the moments of humbleness after the win you anticipated so much doesn’t happen
- For these hand-grazing rituals after a long day at the showgrounds.
- For laughs and inside jokes among you and your team members.
- For the hoof sound on the pavement.
- For the long trailer rides to and off the show grounds with your friends.
- For the excitement of watching Grand Prix classes and the atmosphere
- For those rounds full of bad luck – those are the ones
- For that pat full of gratitude you give your horse when you finish your course.
- For those moments sitting and analysing your results.
- For all the positivity and endless support your team, family and friends give you.
- For those life lessons, we could learn only at the horse shows
- And lastly, we show and ride for the thrill of being in the company of such an amazing and majestic animal as a horse. This reason alone is what makes riding and showing really worth it.
With all these reasons in mind, there is no better way to end this article than with a quote by Canadian trainer Anthony Lothian that we stumbled upon on this website some time ago – ‘’Horses teach you a lot. A very little of it actually has to do with horses.’’ – and it is completely true, without horses and all the opportunities provided by this wonderful sport, so many life lessons would not be learned. Always take every opportunity this sport gives you with gratitude! With this outlook, no matter what lady luck has to say on the show day, there always will be millions of wholesome reasons why you ride and show!
