Earning The Win: Why Trusting The Process Is The Key To Long-term Happiness In Horse Showing

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244 – May/June, 2025

By Elizabeth Arnold

It’s what every equestrian competitor dreams of—you enter the arena and magic happens. Your horse is locked in and responding to every signal you give. You have the perfect rail position, perfect pace, and perfect rhythm. Your trainer nods and whispers ‘looks great’ from the rail as you pass. As the results are called, you and your horse come out on top. Your fellow competitors smile and congratulate you. You step down from the saddle, pat your horse and hug your trainer. It’s an indescribable feeling of pride and achievement.

But what happens when this perfect scenario occurs early in an exhibitors’ career? Maybe it’s their first outing with a new horse. Maybe it’s their first time competing in a new class. Lightning rarely strikes twice, and it can sometimes prove hard to replicate early successes. After a big early win, many competitors find themselves asking, where do we go from here?

The Equine Chronicle spoke with a youth and amateur exhibitor and an AQHA Professional Horsewoman to hear their experiences with navigating early success and why the concept of earning a win is so important to an exhibitor’s long-term success and longevity in the industry.

Youth Exhibitor Cara Christensen

Click here to read the complete article
244 – May/June, 2025