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If you ask trainer and “R” judge Geoff Case how to become a better rider, he won’t tell you to buy a better horse. He’ll tell you to ride more horses—especially the tricky ones.
“The best riders aren’t the ones who only ride nice horses,” he said. “They’re the ones who learn from every horse they sit on.” The goal is growth. And the fastest way to grow is to stop waiting for ideal conditions and start learning from whatever you have right now.
The Imperfect Horse Is the Best Teacher
Case’s training philosophy is rooted in experience, not ease. “If you only ride perfect horses, you don’t actually learn that much,” he said. “You get better by figuring things out.”
He remembers his early years, when getting on a variety of horses—green, lazy, spooky, or stubborn—wasn’t optional. It was how you earned your education. “You got on whatever needed to be ridden,” he said. “That’s how you learned timing, feel, and patience.”
That trial-and-error process, Case explained, teaches a kind of adaptability that can’t be coached. “You start to realize there’s no one-size-fits-all answer,” he said. “Every horse requires something different from you.” Those lessons stick with riders far longer than ribbons or medals. “It’s the uncomfortable horses that teach you the most,” he said. “They make you think. They make you better.”
Curiosity Beats Perfection
Case believes curiosity, not perfection, is what turns good riders into great ones. “You have to want to understand what’s happening under you,” he said. “That curiosity is what makes you improve.”
When something doesn’t go right Case encourages riders to ask questions instead of getting frustrated. “Don’t get mad, get curious,” he said. “Ask yourself, ‘Why did that happen?’ Then try to fix it.”
That self-reflection, he added, is the real mark of a thinking rider. “It’s easy to ride well when everything goes right,” he said. “The real riders are the ones who figure it out when things don’t.”
Green Horses, Real Lessons
Case often uses green horses to build both skill and empathy in riders. “You learn so much from bringing a horse along,” he said. “You learn patience, timing, and how to reward the try.”
He emphasizes that riding greener horses helps people understand the “why” behind the feel. “When you have to teach the horse, it teaches you,” he said. “You start to understand what works and what doesn’t.”
For young riders or working students, Case says those opportunities are invaluable. “Don’t turn down a chance to ride something just because it’s not easy,” he said. “Every tough one makes you more educated.”
Then, laughing, he added, “The green ones will make you pull your hair out—but they’ll make you a better rider while they do it.”
He recalled the early days of his own career when those experiences shaped his instincts. “We didn’t have fancy strings of horses,” he said. “We had whatever came in that week. You learn to ride what’s in front of you, not what’s in your head.”
Learning Never Stops
Even now, after decades in the sport, Case still rides with the same curiosity he encourages in his students. “I learn something every day,” he said. “That’s what keeps it fun.” He believes that riding is one of the few disciplines where growth never really ends. “There’s always another layer,” he said. “You can always get better at feeling, timing, communication—whatever it is.”
Case encourages his students to see every horse as an opportunity to practice that mindset. “The good ones keep you sharp, and the hard ones keep you humble,” he said. “You need both.”
Progress Over Perfection
Case says the riders who thrive are the ones who stay focused on progress, not performance. “Everyone wants to ride perfectly, but that’s not how learning works,” he said. “You learn by doing, by trying, by making mistakes.” That willingness to ride imperfectly is what builds real confidence. “If you only ride when things feel great, you’re not really training,” he said. “You’re just maintaining.”
He tells his students that the best riders aren’t fearless—they’re flexible. “They’re not afraid to mess up,” he said. “They just don’t quit when they do.” That’s what separates professionals from passengers. “The pros make the horses better,” he said. “They don’t wait for perfect. They create it.”
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.
