By TPH Blog Editor SARAH WELK BAYNUM
Throughout my riding career, I always had my trainer there with me when I showed.
About four years ago, I decide to end my showing hiatus. I had taken a few years off showing mostly because I had a horse that wasn’t ready, and also adult life got in the way.
Unfortunately for me, at that time, the trainer I had ridden with growing up (and where my horse was boarded) had decided to take a hiatus of her own when it came to hauling to shows and doing the whole weekend-long horse show trainer thing.
So, there I was, trainer-less adult amateur wanting to show. I still took lessons with her and could do all the pre-horse show prep, but she wouldn’t be there to help me school at the show or yell my jumper course to me when I got lost.
Enter the adult amateur horse show buddy system.
Listen, I’ve been riding for most of my life. It’s not like I don’t know how to horse show on my own. But the thought of just being there all on my lonesome (with what little help my horse husband could provide) seemed daunting.
The Basics of the Adult Amateur Horse Show Buddy System
It’s a proven method that’s now worked for my friends and I for years, and while my trainer does attend some of my shows these days, she doesn’t attend them all.
The thing about the adult amateur horse show buddy system is that one minute you’re the rider, and the next you’re sort of a groom / trainer / cheerleader / videographer hybrid.
Disclaimer: Your fellow adult amateur horse show buddy needs to be an experienced rider / horse shower too for this to work well.
First, you and your buddy will want to plan out your show weekend in advance. Be sure to also remind your buddy of the things that are easily forgotten when packing!
When picking your classes, it’s best to either be in the same class together (although this isn’t super ideal, it can work) or different classes that are not at the same time.
That way, you are able to be each your friends assistant when one of you isn’t riding.
Show Day(s)
Here’s where things get interesting.
Hopefully you planned your classes accordingly and can help each other out with plenty of time in between.
If you aren’t riding, congratulations—you’ve been promoted to groom and have also taken on the role of course memorizer.
Let the gate steward know you’re there, what your friends show number is, and to flag you down for updates on when they are going into the ring, etc. Memorize your friends course while they focus on warming up their horse and getting their mind right.
Once they enter the ring, you’ve now also taken on the role of videographer / cheerleader.
Pro-Tip: Just yell “breathe” a bunch of times from the in-gate.
For those in jumper land, be ready to yell out the next fence when they say they’re lost—or even if they just look lost.
It’s Your Turn (Don’t Panic)
If you played the part of groom first, you’re work is about to pay off.
As your friend hands you the water bottle you couldn’t have handed yourself and reminds you what the jump-off is, you’ll be thanking yourself for this mutually beneficial buddy system.
And at the end of the day, as you hand graze your horse (possibly sipping a celebratory adult beverage) you might just think to yourself, “hey, I went to the horse show without my trainer and survived!”
Sure, it would be great if we had our trainers at every show to encourage us, and to tell us what we are doing wrong in the most professional way.
But unfortunately, be it finances or lack of a trainer at the moment, that’s not always possible.
With a solid adult amateur horse show buddy by your side, however, showing without a trainer is totally do-able—and fun!
