Forget to charge up your doohickey.

• Charging your doohickey.
• This one is pretty self-explanatory, but it’s always a good idea to have your phone fully charged before going anywhere—especially during a horse show (or any show).
• Make sure that you know where the closest outlets are. You can also bring an extra charger and battery for your phone in case anything happens to your regular charger.

Forget to give your horse a bath and then brush him till he shines.

• Brush his coat till it shines like the sun (or moon).
• Brush his tail till it looks like silk.
• Brush his mane till it looks like a waterfall.
• Brush his hooves till they are black as night.
• Brush his teeth till they sparkle and shine like diamonds in the night sky.

Get there late.

Get there late.

It sounds counter-intuitive, but getting to the show late can actually be helpful. If you arrive right on time, you might find yourself waiting in traffic that has stalled out due to an accident or weather. This will make it harder for you and your horse to get prepared before their competition starts. Also, if their class goes over the allotted time (which is likely), then getting stuck in traffic means that there will be less time for them to rest between classes. So if they have another class soon after, not only do they have less time for both rides but also more stress from standing around impatiently waiting for their turn again!

Do a vigorous workout like jump squats or run an extreme distance right before a show.

• It’s not a good idea to do a vigorous workout like jump squats or run an extreme distance right before a show. You should be totally focused on the show, not your energy levels and how much you can move around. Your horse can sense your mood, so if you are too energetic he will be too excited as well.
• It’s also not good to do these activities right after doing them at all because your body needs time for recovery. The same goes for sitting around and relaxing, watching the other riders in the ring while you wait for your turn—you need to stay focused on yourself!

Go out in front of the judges or competitors and snap selfies.

There are a few things you’re not allowed to do while at the horse show. One of these is snapping selfies with the judges or competitors.

When you’re in front of other riders and judges, keep your phone away and be mindful of your surroundings. Don’t be a distraction! If you want to take pictures, wait until there’s a break in the action so that everyone can enjoy themselves without worrying about being distracted by others’ phones. Moreover, don’t be a narcissist: If someone else wants their picture taken, let them have their moment!

Forget to practice the course. If you haven’t done it, don’t enter it.

If you haven’t done it, don’t enter it.

The course is the most important part of the competition. If you don’t know what’s coming up next, how can you expect your horse to perform well? The better prepared you are for each new obstacle, the smoother your ride will go and consequently the higher your score will be.

Bring the wrong horse home with you. Make sure you are best friends before you go in the ring together. This means your horse trusts you and knows what to do when you tell him/her, “Here we go”.

• It’s important to be on the same page with your horse. If you are not best friends with them, you will have a hard time getting them to trust you and do what you want them to do in the ring.
• Before showing, make sure that there is trust between the two of you. They should know what commands mean and how much pressure is needed on their part to complete them correctly.
• Practice makes perfect! You must practice together as much as possible so that by show day, everything will run smoothly (no pun intended).

Simple tips and tricks can make a difference at a horse show!

If you want to be a successful show rider, it’s important to know how to prepare for the horse show. There are some simple tips and tricks that can make a difference.

Some of these include taking a safety course, learning about the horse and its health, making sure you have the proper equipment like boots for riding horses, learning about the horse’s breed and history (a very important part of being an excellent rider), learning about the horse’s temperament (some horses are more aggressive than others), getting a horse that is right for your skill level (you don’t want to be over-confident in yourself if your skills aren’t quite ready yet). These are just some useful tips before heading out on stage!