Show team - schooling or circuit

[zahena]

I'm pondering what to do with my show team. Last year, I took two girls who were very green and broke their maiden on our local circuit with mild success. The girls were very nervous and that nervousness potrayed into refusals (sitting forward too soon) and other small issues. I was proud by the end of the season when they cured their issues and showed some confidence.

Now this show year, my team has changed entirely again. We have three new riders and three new horses. One team is very solid for pony hunter (the pony is very fancy and has all the right moves) but the other three teams are either new or green.

So my quandry is this. Do I let them continue on the local circuit where, at this point, they are somewhat outclassed by fancier horses with better training and let them do their best or do I take them schooling for a year and not ruin any baby or pre-green years? And in the meantime do as much as I can to train their horses to be better for next year?

I have one soon to be fancy (once I spend more time training him) Appendix QH who could easily jump 3'3" with the right rider and could do well at baby green, one large pony hunter who could be a competitive horse with some miles (also green) and the other girl is still waiting for her contract to complete on the purchase of her fancy hunter who has "been there done that".

I was leaning towards letting them go to our local circuit for the year, but it would seem to make more sense to get them solid at schooling shows and then move them up to a more competitive show next year. We are not a "points chasing" barn but I'd like them to at least be able to ribbon constitently. Part of me feels they might be overfaced right now at the local scene but part of me wants them to also try rising to the challenge.

Thoughts......

[luvs2ridewbs]

as inconvient as this is, split your show kids. Take the kids that are ready to the rated shows and have the other kids groom for them. Then the next weekend, take the schooling show kids to some unrated shows and have your rated kids groom for them. It will build their friendships and their confidence.

[findeight]

Agree, split them up.

As much as it is not good to overmatch the greener ones and waste their time and money, it is not fair to hold those ready for it and better monted for that level back.

They will get bored and may find another barn.

While you can't be all things to all people, you have to do what is right for your clients so alternate the shows and leave the ones not appropriate for that level at hime.

[zahena]

Well the one that I have that has the fancy pony has lately been giving me problems in classes. Refusing to canter jump, crying, and falling off. She really IS ready to move to that next level but she's also scared.

My other rider is still waiting on a contract for her horse, so even if she picked him up tomorrow, she'd be a little overfaced at the big shows.

But agreed, maybe I should split them up. I always think they are ready and then they get to the show and they act like they've never schooled over harder stuff at home......

[HunterJumper106]

You could go to a few schooling shows with all of them and let the fancier ones get some experience then take them to the bigger shows when they are ready and continue taking the less experienced ones to the schooling shows...that way its a win-win. The ones who can go to the bigger shows can get some experience and become more confident then go to the bigger shows.

OR

You could do them all in the schooling shows for a year--get some experience under their belts and let them gain confidence--then next year do the bigger stuff. If you do the small stuff you can always mix in a couple bigger shows for fun/experience too.

Why don't you ask them/their parents what they think too...their is more money and travel involved in the bigger shows and their parents might think it is better for them to get experience and spend less money than spend more money and have them be overfaced/unhappy.

[Spud&Saf]

Why not make the bigger shows the incentive, as in "Once you can do A, B, and C at a schooling show for at least 3 shows in a row, then we will go to an A show".

Make them rise to the challenge. The accomplishments don't need to be ribbon oriented, but rather performance oriented. The ones that are determined will make it, the ones that aren't won't.

[zahena]

Hmmm, good point! I think one of the biggest challenges is just that green and green don't make blue and they get frustrated. One of them did very well last year but when things didn't go her way, instead of saying what went wrong, she'd blame her mare. This year she's on a scatter brained horse who is a harder ride and I'd love to see what she blames off on him!

We're a "backyard" barn at best, we'll probably never go to an A show. We've got a few nice lessons horses that the girls ride but that's it. The one who is buying a horse has a nice one she's looking at but the others have non-commital parents but yet want them to win ribbons!

[joiedevie99]

Take a field trip to a bigger show with the kids and their parents. Have everyone (moms and dads too) pin the class and write down their reasons why 1st beat 2nd, etc. so they don't forget- then talk about it. Once they have 'pinned' a class they are much more likely to internalize why Joe beat their little Suzy.

[zahena]

Here's the problem with that. Out here, everyone just goes. So if you're in 2' Maiden or 2' open, no one would ever know but the ring steward and the judge. And you have to know the course to know if they are doing their first or second hunter round or their equitation round or their medal round. It's very hodge podge. People typically take their rounds by barn and everyone just jumps together instead of having everyone in say class 13 ride, then pin, then next. Instead it's just a free-for-all!

[joiedevie99]

Thats certainly an interesting way of doing it. What about the hunter hack classes? Or eq flat?

[zahena]

"Interesting" is right. I was used to fairly regimented. As in "Number 82 you are up, 84 you are on deck and 56 is in the hole". That way you KNOW when your ride is. You can watch other rounds and know who pinned in your class and why. Anyway, enough of that.....

Eq and flat are done seperately and pinned in the class. After the flat classes they just call out classes and you go to the booth to pick up your ribbons. Sadly, impossible to tell who rode what! I just walk up and get my girls' ribbons.

[iridehorses]

definetly take them all to a few schooling shows, making sure they all know you just want them to have fun and there is NO PRESSURE. often times, if parents arent there, there is less pressure, at least for me.
once the ones ready to move up feel confident (this doesnt mean they have to be winning), they should go to some small rated shows. dont start them out with a big circuit, definetly start small!
i agree with whoever said have the ones doing the local circuit groom for the others, this way they will become close and see some more experienced riders go around courses no problem and hopefully get used to te horse show scene.
vice versa for the rated kids to groom for the local kids.

GOOD LUCK! and i hope they gain some confidence!