So You're Going To A Horse Show?

Starting from scratch, or picking up where you left off, this is your guide to making your horse show debut – or comeback – a huge success.

From grooming to what to wear, this tailor-made guide ensures you step into the show ring feeling impeccably prepared and self-assured, ready to showcase your skills with confidence and grace.

Here's the thing:

when I returned to the horse show in 2022, I knew I wanted it to be different.

It's no longer about winning points, chasing titles and championships. It's about rekindling a passion, taking on new challenges and making incredible memories with people doing the same thing.

It's all about the experience now.

And no part of that experience included stress, anxiety, frustration, or overwhelm.

So I went on a mission to know everything I needed to know, and re-learned everything I already knew, but in a new way, so that I showed up confident and knew that I deserved to be there.

✅ I went back to basics to relearn horse show 101. Judging criteria, scoring and what IS a Hunter derby anyway?

✅ I got a handle on horse show time - seeing the bigger picture helped me get where I needed to be when I needed to be there (sans panic).

✅ I took on the mental game using tools and techniques for staying focused, calm, and confident. No more self-doubt, and anxiety- just clarity and celebrating wins every day.

✅ I uncovered all the hidden fees and sneaky expenses so I didn’t drown in invoices post-show. I made a financial plan so the bill wouldn’t rain on my parade.

✅ I got organized and prepared: packing list for horse and rider, what to wear, and routines that set me up for success daily.

Navigating the busy schedule and demands of a horse show can be chaotic and overwhelming, impacting performance and overall enjoyment of the experience. But with ‘So You’re Going To A Horse Show?‘, you can seamlessly navigate the ins and outs of the show circuit, maximizing your performance opportunities and savoring every moment of your equestrian journey.

Say hello to stress-free show days as this guide empowers you to have a plan, and ride out the horse show experience with ease and confidence.

IT'S SHOWTIME!

What's inside?

A Brief History of Show Jumping
Horse Show 101; Judging Criteria and More
Preparing Yourself and Your Horse
Finding Your Rhythm; Navigating Horse Show Time
Mindset Matters: Routines and Rituals for Equestrians
Post Show Reflection and Improvement
Preparing Your Horse Show Finances; Running the Numbers

PLUS: complete Packing Lists for the horse, rider and back at the barn, What To Wear in the hunter, jumper and equitation ring, and 25+ terms you need to know in the Horse Show Glossary!

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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

KATIE, ADULT AMATEUR

“A perfect introduction (or reintroduction) to the hunter/jumper world.”

CARMEIN, ADULT AMATEUR

“Chapter IV: Mindset Matters; Equestrian Routines and Rituals: AHHHHHHHH, I am in love with this chapter.”

HALEY, NEW TO SHOWING

“..a great start to opening the conversation with your trainer about showing. I rode as a child, but I wish I had been more prepared as an adult for my first rated shows.”

“ENTER THE RING LIKE YOU WANT TO BE SEEN, NOT LIKE YOU’VE BEEN PUSHED IN”

GET STARTED NOW

When I returned to the horse show in 2022, despite having grown up in the hunter ring, years of horse showing as a junior, and grooming internationally, coming back to the horse show I felt like the new kid on the mounting block. I was surprised at how out of practice I was, and how disorienting it was to jump back in. And adding to that, I felt embarrassed about how little I knew about the way things worked now, given all my experience.

Also, one major thing was different. As an adult, I wasn’t wasting any time surviving the learning curve. As the official ‘credit card on file’, this time around, I wasn’t settling for anything less than having the time of my life at every show I went to. Now, I’m doing way more than just surviving the horse show, I’m enjoying every moment of it.

And then I wrote a book about it.