Choosing The Most Suitable Event For You And Your Horse

Competing in events with your horse can be a very rewarding and satisfying experience as it could not only improve your riding skills, but also strengthen the bond between you and your horse. Find an event that suits you and your horse, whether you like to complete intricate dressage movements, jump hurdles or rope calves.

Hunt seat sport is divided into two classes, namely jumping classes and flat classes. The horse's grace and ability displayed while jumping will be judged in jumping classes whilst flat classes judge the teamwork between you and your horse on the ground.

Another competitive event to consider is hunt seat competitions, which requires special clothing for yourself and equipment for your horse. Your attire would include a white riding shirt, breeches, wool riding jacket, riding boots and a hunt cap or helmet. Both the breeches and jacket should be a dark colour, usually black or blue. Your horse would require a snaffle bit, a hunt seat snaffle bridle and a hunt seat saddle.

Dressage events would be a good choice to consider if you really enjoy completing complicated and demanding routines whilst working very closely with your horse. Dressage demands a lot of patience, practice and dedication as it is considered the most challenging event. The rewards compensate for the hours required to achieve a competitive level.

Dressage will require a dressage bridle, a dressage saddle and a snaffle bit for your horse and a white shirt, a stock tie, white breeches, black dress boots, a black jacket and a black derby hat for yourself. Beginners could wear tan breeches and a hunt cap instead of white breeches and a derby hat.

Saddle seat events are ideal for people who have a flashy horse and love to show off. There are two types of classes in these events, equitation classes and pleasure classes. In equitation classes the judge looks at your control over the horse and your seat and therefore you are the one being judged. The horse in turn has to obey commands with enough grace and style to impress the judges. A show saddle and a double bridle for your horse and a white shirt, jodhpurs, saddle seat coat, Jodhpur boots and a derby for yourself is needed for saddle seat events.

Western style riding is divided into classes for Western pleasure, equitation and horsemanship. The rider is judged during equitation events whereas the horse's abilities are emphasised during pleasure events. Horsemanship classes judge the rider's skills in handling his horse from the ground.

Barrel racing, pole bending, reining and calf roping are option available for the more active horses and riders. Close teamwork between horse and rider is a prerequisite for these events. Western events will require a saddle and a mechanical hackamore or traditional bridle for your horse as well as a Western shirt, jeans, chaps and cowboy boots for yourself.

Should none of the above-mentioned competitive events appeal to you, you may consider cross country jumping, show jumping, eventing and competitive driving classes. These classes are challenging in their own way, but eventing is probably the most difficult, requiring horses and riders to have plenty of stamina and be well rounded.

The most important is to find the event that best suits you and your horse as this will result in quality time spent with your horse.