Posted by Katie W
on 1/10/2008, 7:25 pm, in reply to "Re: Showing horses"
70.48.193.46
Hi Ellen,
Your best bet, by far, would be to find a good riding instructor.
Lessons can be expensive - especially if taken frequently, but some barns allow you to work them off. For example, you clean stalls, or do other barn chores, in exchange for free lessons.
Showing is personal choice. There are many accomplished riders who don't show, but many others also enjoy the challenge. Showing is something you work up to, and should only attempt once you - and your coach - are confident in the skills of you and your horse. There's no sense in jumping into it prematurely and risking injury to yourself or your mount.
Just learn whatever you can about horses. Read magazines or books on them. Watch horse shows on TV. Even just watching a few horses in the grazing field can be a learning experience - picking up on their body language and habits. Take whatever opportunities you can.
Apart from that, there's not a whole lot of advice I can offer (hopefully someone else can though!) unless you've got specific questions. Showing and riding are such broad topics that it would be impossible to cover "everything" on a message board. Hands on experience is paramount with something like this.
Take care and good luck,
Katie
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