What’s the Best Advice You’ve Received Before a Competition?
By: Brittany Bevis
From the instructional and humorous to the motivational or calming, it’s always nice to have one final piece of advice before you enter the pen to compete at a big horse show.
We asked our Equine Chronicle readers the following question: What’s the most helpful piece of advice your trainer, or a friend, has given you before a competition? Our Facebook fans had PLENTY to say! Scroll below to gather some inspiration ahead of the NSBA World Show this week.
Kathy Tobin- “Ride every stride! Ride the horse you’re given that day.”
Emma Stamps Dale- “Ride your horse like you’re proud of him! Because after all, showing horses is a privilege. Don’t take a single ride for granted!”
Melanie Thurston- “Keith Miller has to have my favorite piece of advice, ‘Just don’t suck.’ I’m thinking about printing it on shirts as an inspirational quote.”
Angela McCordic Stanhope- “Another Keith Miller classic: No one cares, work harder!”
Debbie Arnold- “You can’t out spend them, but you can outride them.”
Emily Schilling- “Just have fun and smile. What I would give to be in that moment today.”
Kathy Elmer- “For pattern classes. Ride a piece at a time. Then, think of the next piece coming up.”
Dana Didde- “We’re still going to drink beer at the end of the day. Have fun.”
Lindy Reioux- “Ride smart and have fun!”
Taylor Wheaton- “Just go out there and do what you do best. Ride your horse.”
Heather Acosta- “Breathe, smile, have fun… do a shot.”
Sandie Newsom-Mclean- “Take your time, breathe, and enjoy.”
Elaine Coombs- “Your eyes will get you there.” (For pattern classes.)
Crystal Leigh- “Breathe and ride the same horse that you ride every day at home.”
Kelly Predmore- “Ride your horse. Don’t worry about all the other stuff- horses, competition, etc.”
Michelle Johnston- “Ride it like you own it, not like you stole it.”
Gillian Lacey- “Breathe and focus.”
Kessi Kopp- “Hang on. Don’t die.”
Vickie Schuster Egyud- “Have fun. It’s only a horse show!”
Dillon Ryan Holden- “You ride this horse every day at home. It’s no different.”
Rikki Mcnana- “Enjoy it. It’s supposed to be fun!”
Val Newhouse Poeder- “Make your horse. Your horse will make you.”
Diana Mallott Goss- “Have fun and breathe.”
Elizabeth Lynch Gannon- “Slow down your mind.”
Jeanine Kern- “Don’t fall off.”
Desi Isa- “Chin up and have fun!
Lori Leigh Ward- “Pull to the center if it gets bad.”
Janet Martin- “Satisfy yourself before the judge. The judge doesn’t know what you’ve been through or what you’ve accomplished to get here.” (Something my trainer always said)
“Also, upon leaving for a show, I’d say, ‘wish me good luck.’ Dad would say, ‘It doesn’t take good luck. It takes hard work.'”
Val Newhouse Poeder- “We’re not qualifying for the Olympics. Ride the best you have today. It’s always a privilege.”
Lisa Cerdelli- “Don’t try to beat anyone else or the best you will be is second best to them, and you will miss out on being the very best you.”
Dawn Koffel-Alison- “My Mom always said, ‘No matter what, I love you.’ And it was 100% true!”
Amanda Wall- “Ride the horse you have today. It may not be the same one you had yesterday or the day before.”
Amanda Martin McHollan- “The pattern is only 2 1/2 minutes long, so sit up and go for it.” (From Sandra Vaughn.)
Ashley Konczal- “Get out of your head and show. Let your horse do his job.” (From a trainer) “You’re not the best or the worst. Work your hardest and be nice to your horse.” (From my Mom)
Tiffany Schenk Krock- “It’s a privilege to show, not a requirement. Enjoy what you’ve worked so hard for and when you’re done, there is wine.”
Stephanie Griffith- “Just go ride like you practice every day. The horse doesn’t know it’s a big show.”
Holly Saigo- A Tincher-ism- “Trust the training.”
Cas Hank- “The horse show is what we do on our way to cocktails and dinner.”
Ashley Bryant Reynolds- “Show what she gives you.”
Sharon Levee Sadilek- “Go deep in your corners.”
Shayna Marie- “Don’t lose.”
Christina Gannacone- “Don’t get in his way and let him show his [butt] off. And have fun.”
Lana Deppen- “Don’t forget to breathe.”
Randy Ratliff- “Take a deep breath, block out your friends and family, and ride like you do at home.”
