20/05/2026
Itās easy to feel like the show ring and true horsemanship are at odds.
Somewhere along the line, a narrative took hold that to be competitive, you have to compromise your principles. That to get the ribbon, you have to push a little too hard, rush the timeline, or sacrifice the horseās mental well-being for the sake of the score.
But it doesnāt have to be that way. In fact, it shouldnāt be that way.
I stepped away from competition many years ago with the goal of pursuing a deeper level of horsemanship. Fast forward to a few years ago when I told one of my teachers, Charles de Kunffy, that I felt like I didn't need the "nod" of a judge to validate what I was accomplishing. He softly responded, "That's how you know you're ready to do it." It was that quiet encouragement that has brought me back into the competitive arena.
Competition shouldn't devalue our horsemanshipāit should test and support it. The show ring is simply a different arena for our horses to be learners and for us to be their trusted guides.
When we let the pressure of competition take over, the partnership fractures. We start focusing on forcing a result rather than supporting the effort. Thatās when the horse becomes anxious and tense, and the rider feels defeated or shut down.
But when we keep our classical principles as the absolute primary focus... everything changes.
Suddenly, a test or a class isn't about proving our worth or dominating the horse into submission. It becomes a beautiful, honest mirror. The judgeās score is just feedback on how well we are communicating, how balanced our training is, and where our horse might need a little more time, space, and quality education... from that person's perspective, of that ride, on that day, in that arena.
Your competitive goals are valid. Wanting to move up the levels or earn a certain score or title is a great thing. But those goals must always be built on the foundation of principle, and the horse's confidence as a learner.
The greatest victory isn't the ribbon. Itās leaving the arena with a horse who is just as soft, willing, and trusting as when they walked in. A horse that feels good about themselves because of the experience you just shared with them.
āļø How do you keep your horsemanship principles front and center when the competitive pressure is on? Let me know in the comments below. š
