There are so many different things we can do with our horses that give us pleasure, I think it must be one of the most versatile sports there is.
When I got Raf my only wish was to be a happy hacker and didn't know much about anything else, but I ended up with a YO that shows and have been pretty gobsmacked to learn what goes on - make-up, extensions, horses having their forelocks or tails cut off by rivals etc. YO travels far and wide to shows, stays away, spends a fortune on travelling, stabling, entry fees etc. Sometimes she comes back happy and sometimes disappointed because her pony 'wrong legged' it or the judge put inferior ponies in the line above better ones etc. TBH nothing I have heard about showing fills me with any desire to have a go (not that we could with Raf's sticky out toes!)
Then after getting Raf I saw a video of me riding him and thought, eurgh I better have some lessons, which kind of dragged me reluctantly into appreciating the benefits of schooling, enough to have a well behaved horse, even if I was 'just' hacking. After a while I got tempted to try some dressage and now doing a little bit of jumping. I find the dressage and jumping competitors varied - some are like me and just want to have fun and improve themselves a little and some are very serious and competitive - and very focused on having the 'right' tack and attire. On the whole I've found the jumping scene to be friendlier than the dressage, but that might be because the jumping competitions I go to last all day with the easy classes early on so I don't see much of the serious folks.
Then there's endurance - I think of that as being the 'hippy' side of the sport. Endurance riders seem to go out of their way to have 'alternative' tack and clothing. I feel a bit out of place with my normal leather bridle, treed saddle and riding boots, although I'm comfy and I think that's what counts? Anyway, endurance is the friendliest sport I've partaken in. I just don't feel the urge to compete, nor to do the long rides where you repeat the route, the whole point for me is to explore somewhere new and enjoy it. I've just got the WEG endurance on the tv and many of the riders have their heels up, hands anywhere - being a technically correct rider certainly isn't something to be worried about.
I've been away on a x-country camp and was rather over-awed by the very serious horsey folk there - I thought I was obsessed but they talked incessantly about conformation, breeding, rides and jockeys - I was definitely out of place with my one horse (and an Arab to boot) and just me to ride. Had great fun though, it was certainly an experience.
I don't know anything about Western (although I'd love to try cutting), racing, driving etc.
I'm just not sure where I fit in - I think distance riding would be my forte but that's something I haven't been able to try and never will unless I manage to reach retirement age in reasonable health!
When I got Raf my only wish was to be a happy hacker and didn't know much about anything else, but I ended up with a YO that shows and have been pretty gobsmacked to learn what goes on - make-up, extensions, horses having their forelocks or tails cut off by rivals etc. YO travels far and wide to shows, stays away, spends a fortune on travelling, stabling, entry fees etc. Sometimes she comes back happy and sometimes disappointed because her pony 'wrong legged' it or the judge put inferior ponies in the line above better ones etc. TBH nothing I have heard about showing fills me with any desire to have a go (not that we could with Raf's sticky out toes!)
Then after getting Raf I saw a video of me riding him and thought, eurgh I better have some lessons, which kind of dragged me reluctantly into appreciating the benefits of schooling, enough to have a well behaved horse, even if I was 'just' hacking. After a while I got tempted to try some dressage and now doing a little bit of jumping. I find the dressage and jumping competitors varied - some are like me and just want to have fun and improve themselves a little and some are very serious and competitive - and very focused on having the 'right' tack and attire. On the whole I've found the jumping scene to be friendlier than the dressage, but that might be because the jumping competitions I go to last all day with the easy classes early on so I don't see much of the serious folks.
Then there's endurance - I think of that as being the 'hippy' side of the sport. Endurance riders seem to go out of their way to have 'alternative' tack and clothing. I feel a bit out of place with my normal leather bridle, treed saddle and riding boots, although I'm comfy and I think that's what counts? Anyway, endurance is the friendliest sport I've partaken in. I just don't feel the urge to compete, nor to do the long rides where you repeat the route, the whole point for me is to explore somewhere new and enjoy it. I've just got the WEG endurance on the tv and many of the riders have their heels up, hands anywhere - being a technically correct rider certainly isn't something to be worried about.
I've been away on a x-country camp and was rather over-awed by the very serious horsey folk there - I thought I was obsessed but they talked incessantly about conformation, breeding, rides and jockeys - I was definitely out of place with my one horse (and an Arab to boot) and just me to ride. Had great fun though, it was certainly an experience.
I don't know anything about Western (although I'd love to try cutting), racing, driving etc.
I'm just not sure where I fit in - I think distance riding would be my forte but that's something I haven't been able to try and never will unless I manage to reach retirement age in reasonable health!
