One of the great things about Virtual Obstacle Shows is that you are not required to be in full show turn out to compete. As in, you don’t have to have a button down shirt, chaps, jacket, hat, show sheen, bands or braids or hoof polish. Our members love this about competing with us. You are not discouraged from any of these turn outs on your team, but it is never required. That said, it needs to be understood that a rider or handler that put effort into a clean and neat turn out on both themselves and their horse is likely to get an extra point somewhere in their score card.
A conversation recently had me pondering how people who prepare for a competition are often scored higher, because they appear to be ready.
Preparation begins well before you go to ride your pattern. It comes from practicing maneuvers in weeks and months leading up to that competition, so that when you need to use it in a pattern, it comes easy to you and your horse.
Preparation is studying your pattern and contemplating how you will best set it up in your environment to show off your horse to his advantage. Maybe you will draw it out for your area. Maybe you will set it up as soon as you get it and walk it several times making adjustments for better approaches or more or less space between obstacles.
Preparation is planning when you will video and who will be available to help you. Do you save it for the last day? What if it rains, your videographer can’t show or your horse picks up an abscess? Do you do it immediately with no practice runs? (As an aside, we are often asked what to do if your videographer is unavailable? We will accept a submission with a stationary camera, but our judges can only judge what they can see.)
Preparation is knowing what you will wear and what tack will be on your horse. If you are going to do chores before videoing will you bring a change of shirt? What if you had forgotten to change your reins and didn’t realize it until you got on your horse? Now you are frustrated and losing time because you have to fix it or deal with it.
Be prepared. Have a plan. Put steps in to place and your ride will go smoother with less stress and more enjoyment!
Show Preparedness
Learn more about VOS: www.virtualobstacleshows.com