All around horses?

[BobwhiteQuailLover]

So..... the day after my parade, there was an awards banquet, and I got the MOST DEDICATED RIDER award!!!

Anyways, I can't get that award next year, so I am trying to earn the ALL AROUND RIDER award NEXT year, ad that means I have to compete in hunter/jumper, dressage, AND gaming.
Can anyone give me ideas on how to train my Toby and me?
BTW, I can't tell my trainer what I want to earn next year, so that is why I am asking.




Thanks!!!

 

[BobwhiteQuailLover]

I JUST want to know how you guys trained IF you did!!

 

[welsummerchicks]

The best thing is to get lessons in each thing, it's just not something one can cover in an internet post.

At one barn I was at where people were going for that sort of multi-sport club award, there was a dressage instructor and a hunt seat instructor, and the riders took lessons from both of them. Some instructors know both well enough to teach both.

It's usually intro and training level dressage (walk trot canter, round circles, smooth transitions from one gait to another, etc) and it's usually not having to jump huge huge.

 

[michickenwrangler]

What sort of things do they have for gaming? Is it fun stuff like egg and spoon or is it more serious like barrel racing?

Why can't you tell your instructor?

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I would just do what training you can and compete. It's difficult to get really good in ny one thing when you concentrate on so many. I enjoyed pleasure and speed. Most people picked one or the other, but I picked both. We weren't amazing at either, but I had fun. I also won the all around horseman award a few years because I was so involved and people saw me having fun. They actually created a 4-H award for me one year because I did so many things and even fell off a few times doing them, but I always had a smile on my face. They called it the spirit of 4-H award I think.

So just learn what you can, tell your trainer what you are interested in learning more about, and have fun. You won't become an expert in any one of them because it's really a lot, but as long as you are having fun, the awards and ribbons don't really mean that much.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Quote:
I assumed it might be that the instructor is the judge? Maybe??

 

[Celtic Hill]

Find a dressage trainer, everything will fall into place once you work on dressage, Dressage isn't something you can compete in successfully with out a trainer.

 

[BobwhiteQuailLover]

Quote:
It is barrels and poles

 

[welsummerchicks]

Dressage is indeed not something one learns and wins at, from a book or the internet

 

[verthandi]

Just work on your riding and communication with your horse. A good foundation will make it easier to adapt to the other disciplines that you wish to compete in. A good gaming horse still needs to know how to move off your leg and seat and be able to be rated to the speed that you need. Speed does not win the class, good turns and accuracy does. Consistency in all transitions is one of the keys to any class that you wish to ride in, whether is it dressage, huntseat, western pleasure or gaming. The best team penning horse I every rode was my dressage horse. (biased of course) She was light and supple and got the job done without losing her mind. Refine your riding and see where it leads you. Get comfortable in your chosen field, then explore the others.