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These days, everybody seems to have grooms, but “R” judge and trainer Geoff Case thinks many riders are missing the quiet time spent simply doing for their horses. “Horsemanship doesn’t just happen in the saddle,” he said. “It’s everything you do around the horse that teaches you who they are.”
Case believes that the best riders, the ones who seem effortlessly in sync with their mounts, aren’t just great athletes. They’re great caretakers.
The Value of Doing It Yourself
Case came up in a generation where riders did everything—groomed, bathed, wrapped, and tacked up their own horses. He still believes those habits are the foundation of success. “When you groom your horse, you start noticing things,” he said. “You feel the muscle tone. You feel if something’s tight. You learn their reactions.”
That kind of attention builds awareness and empathy, two things that can’t be taught in a lesson. “If you only ever show up to get on, you’re missing half the education,” he said. “It’s in the details. How they stand, how they breathe, how they look at you when you walk up with the halter.”
He encourages his students to spend as much time on the ground as they do in the saddle. “The more you do yourself, the more connected you are,” he said. “You start riding differently because you understand who’s under you.”
Lessons from the Greats
Case recalled working with Peter Wylde, who won the World Championship and an Olympic gold medal, but still did all his own care. “Peter was the perfect example,” Case said. “He could have had ten grooms if he wanted, but he still groomed, tacked, cooled out—everything. He knew every bump on those horses.”
That level of attention was about pride and partnership. “Peter didn’t separate the care from the riding,” Case said. “He knew they were part of the same thing.”
For Case, that mindset is what defines real horsemanship. “When you spend time doing the basics yourself, you stop thinking of the horse as a piece of equipment,” he said. “You start thinking of them as your teammate.”
Horsemanship Builds Feel
Case ties this back to one of his favorite teaching principles: feel. He argues that the sensitivity riders develop through grooming, handling, and groundwork directly translates into better riding.
“Feel doesn’t just come from sitting on the horse,” he said. “It comes from brushing, leading, wrapping legs. You learn how much pressure they tolerate, when to push, when to back off. That’s all feel.”
He believes that young riders in particular can gain an advantage by engaging in the daily rhythm of barn work. “If you spend time doing the chores, you start to see how horses think,” he said. “You understand their moods and their body language. That’s when you stop riding by habit and start riding with empathy.”
The Cost of Convenience
While Case appreciates that many barns today operate with full-service programs, he worries that too much convenience can disconnect riders from the reason they started riding in the first place.
“It’s great to have help,” he said. “But if someone else is doing everything, you lose touch with the horse. You lose that sense of partnership.” He’s not suggesting riders do away with professional support—just that they stay involved. “You can still have a groom and take care of your own horse,” he said. “Pick their feet, hand graze, wrap their legs. Be part of it.”
Then he added the rule he tries to live by: “You don’t have to do everything, but you should do something every day.” For Case, it’s a matter of balance. “There’s nothing wrong with nice barns and nice programs,” he said. “But you can’t let them replace the relationship. The best riders never do.”
Connection Before Competition
At the heart of Case’s philosophy is a simple truth: riders who take time to understand their horses ride better, feel better, and win more often. “When you take care of a horse yourself, you build trust,” he said. “The horse knows you’re paying attention. They know you care.”
That bond shows up in the ring. “When you’ve done all the work—the grooming, the feeding, the walking—you ride differently,” he said. “You ride with gratitude instead of expectation.”
For Case, brilliance in the show ring starts long before the first jump. “The horses that perform their best are the ones that feel seen,” he said. “And the riders who see them best are the ones who’ve put in the time on the ground.”
Want more insight from Geoff Case? Listen to episode 404 of The Plaidcast and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform for conversations with the most influential voices in the equestrian world.
