Rising Under Pressure
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202 – July/August, 2025
How some of today’s top youth exhibitors handle the pressure of competing in the show ring.
By Megan Arszman
On horse show days, there’s always a buzz of activity surrounded by the slow churning of emotions that bore inside each exhibitor as they go through the motions: Grooming and tacking up their horse, changing into show clothes, walking through patterns in the dirt, and then swinging into the saddle.
As the exhibitor settles into the saddle, the pressure sets in and sometimes nestles into their mind.
If you’re that exhibitor, your heart rate quickens and sweat beads form on the small of your back. You’re trying to think of every piece of your pattern, recalling everything your trainer taught you about your position in the saddle, and praying that you signal everything correctly to your equine partner so he can do his job as you try to do yours.
The burden of not only performing patterns correctly while keeping your legs and upper body still and emoting an air that it’s all easy for you–and also commanding a thousand-pound teammate to show just as much confidence–can be anxiety-inducing. Perhaps you don’t feel apprehension when you’re competing at a smaller, local show, but the pressure exacerbates as the trailer pulls on to the State Fair Park lot. We all know that shows like the AQHYA World Show, All American Quarter Horse Congress, and AjPHA World Show can add an even bigger, glaring spotlight on each exhibitor because they mean more.
As we enter Championship Show season, some of the top youth exhibitors share the methods they use to deal with the pressure of stepping through the entry gate at the major events. Read on to discover their tips and tricks.
Click here to read the complete article
202 – July/August, 2025
