Horse show planning is fun but also so daunting for me- I have two kiddo's and a hubby to plan around.
I am a planner my nature but at time I have to just see how the cookie crumbles lol!
My goal this year is to attend as many of the SAHJA show series shows as possible... maybe a year end award if we can swing it?
So what are your show plans? Do you see what is available as you go? Plan as a barn? Give a schedule to your trainer?
How do you do it? Do share!
I am somewhere between planner and flying by the seat of my pants! In the beginning of the season I plan out my 'wish list' of events and shows, and then whittle it down as time goes by depending on schedule, budget, and other factors that always change!
ReplyDeleteI really like to be a planner. But for the past many years I've had elderly horses, so it's hard to plan. They love to be lame when we're wanting to go away. Or my heart horse Rio, who's retired, likes to try to kill himself when he hears I'll be taking one of the others to a show without him... Hopefully he'll give that up this year, and I can get the new babies out to some shows! With a plan preferably!
ReplyDeleteI'm a little in between on this too. Mostly because I am at the mercy of my trainer and her truck and trailer... but that said, she's great at pushing me to do as much as I can and will help me as often as she can. I worry about making too many concrete plans because Riley might hear about them and start figuring out how to get out of work:) Luckily, withe venting the entry dates aren't too far out and you can sometimes jump onto things last minute! I'm a planner by nature though and I like to be able to set goals and chip away at accomplishing them!
ReplyDeleteWe plan early because we're such a small group that 1 person not going might mean we stay home. So we coordinate between the regulars and my trainer's judging schedule.
ReplyDeleteThat said, it's always a last minute decision to actually reserve stalls. So much to consider between fitness, preparedness, weather, etc.
I want to be a planner, but I'm having a really hard time with schooling shows not actually post their schedules. Since I can't show rated except for dressage, I rely on schooling shows and a lot of them just wait until a month before to have a show and I have to go with the flow.
ReplyDeleteOH do come to the SAHJA shows! Come to one a Stallion Station so I can cheer on you on!
ReplyDeleteI had to plan super early due to not having my own trailer and also my coach's schedule. I sat down in January and picked out all our "away" shows/clinics. There is a local series though that I plan to attend only if the mood strikes me in the week leading up to each show :)
ReplyDeleteI do plan, but at the same time, I fly by the seat of my pants! Haha. If I can make it and have the time for it, I'll do it :)
ReplyDeleteI love that last pic of the ribbons!
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