Lessons from Showing My Yearling at Halter

Last year, I had the pleasure of showing a horse who was honest in the pen. No vices, didn’t fidget at center, didn’t anticipate lead changes. Just a nice, solid citizen. She was a blast to ride. Now, she was a total asshole on the ground, pulled back when tied, would try to attack other horses, and would literally rear in turnout to try and intimidate the other horses, and could only survive on specialty shoeing and a very expensive limited diet of certain hay and meds. BUT, she was amazing in the pen. Horses, am I right?!?

(Side note: please email me back any stories you have about crazy horses so I know I’m not the only one with an odd duck).

Anyway, it was nice to have a horse that I could take places and she didn’t freak out at banners in the show pen, or the loudspeaker system, or the change in lighting from the outdoor warmup to the indoor pen, or being solo in the arena. And that is because, despite not being properly socialized as a child (aka foal), she sure was hauled around and taken to enough horse shows as a youngster. Thank goodness for redeeming qualities.

Well, so I find myself in the present with a yearling who I’ve ponied all over and who has literally already seen more backcountry than most horses will see in their entire lives. He stands tied like a dream, hops in and out of the trailer, and is an overall good boy.

But, he hasn’t been taught yet about horse showing. I know this, so I signed up to take him to a horse show. And because I’m crazy, I also signed up to take some of my kids with me, too! But seriously, they are great kids, and I’m glad they came. My plan was to show in the halter and showmanship and get him experience in an unfamiliar place, get time in the ring, and that would be a win!

(The context you need for the rest of this story is that I know almost nothing about halter. I described it to my children as a beauty pageant for horses. To which they assured me that our horse would - of course - win, because he is the prettiest. (He is).)

So I called up my best friend to try and rope her into going with me. I told her I was doing the halter, but I knew nothing. She said her daughter showed one of their horses as a yearling in halter and did great, and would be willing to give me some pointers. I was thrilled and said, “Yes, please!”

So they came over one day, and my horses proceeded to immediately begin to embarrass me. Which is great practice for showing, really. The baby was an idiot, and decided that my children standing around watching was suddenly, out of the blue, VERY SCARY, and required full focused attention. After having been the sweetest horse for months, he tried getting mouthy and nipping. And I was left wondering where my well mannered little dude had gone and who was this rude lil’ thing currently making me look like an idiot. Well, I got some pointers about how the class would be run, and how to help my horse practice standing square, and we were (sort of) set.

I was so grateful to them for coming over, though, because it really smacked me upside the head with how my horse was super well-mannered for me generally - in the home environment he knew and was accustomed to. But with my friends over, it changed the dynamic! And so his behavior changed. (Wise observers may question if my behavior changed, as well).

This is just like going to a horse show!! I was shocked at the value and education we got out of inviting someone over. We can walk circles around the little man all day long, but oh boy, my friend walked around him as a judge would in a halter class, and that was very suspicious to him and he wanted to squirm and wiggle and move all day. So, pro tip: have a friend come with you. Do something different and be surprised at what you learn. Self-experimentation can help you discover all sorts of gems and areas for improvement.

Well, my horse is good about walking and trotting next to me, and we have the beginnings of a set-up, and we’ve introduced pivots. So with our mediocre preparation, we set off on our adventure. I wasn’t worried, though, because I knew the main benefit of going was just going and the education we’d get was the most important.

Well, we get there just in time because traveling with kids meant we left a little later than desired. But we made it! Grabbed my number, brushed off the baby and trotted off to the ring.

It was amazing! Now I most definitely do not mean perfect. But it was amazing and we learned so much! We walked in and Baby was worried! He whinnied, and forgot how to properly set up but he did his walk and trot pretty well and we ended up 1st.

We came back for the overall geldings championship for halter, and I was such a newbie I didn’t know I was supposed to stand in a certain position for the lineup. And the baby continued to want to look at everything and nibble on me and I felt myself feeling so red and hot! We earned 2nd overall, and totally separate from any placing, I felt so proud of myself, and him, and for just doing it!

It’s so easy to dismiss ourselves. To say, “I’m not good enough,” or “I’m not ready” in some form or another. But those are all excuses and ways we hide. Noone is ever truly ready. Action creates clarity. And by going in the pen, I learned exactly what I need to work on at home. Things came up that just simply don’t happen at home. Even for me, as a mental performance coach, it put me in a situation where I was challenged. I became a beginner again. I describe myself as a recovering perfectionist, and it was hard for me to confidently make eye contact with the Judge, as my horse was dancing around, or as I felt embarrassed with his (totally normal) baby antics. Being a beginner is such a powerful place to be because it is a place and mindset filled with learning and opportunities. When we can approach being a beginner from a place of gratitude and not shame, we can embrace all being a beginner has to offer us.

And I made sure to express my gratitude for the opportunity to “show through” all my horse’s antics. (Know you are not alone if your horse acts like an idiot when you “go to town” and attend a show). I was grateful for the opportunity to prove to myself I can do hard things. To practice becoming more mentally resilient. To begin the process of seasoning my horse.

Because made horses are MADE. They are created! They do not spring forth fully formed like Athena from Zeus! And yes, you better be mentally tough to take a young one and get ‘em all trained up and solid in the show pen. You gotta be ready to take the stares, and giggles and side-eye from folks looking down at you while your horse learns about the world.

Because it takes time and effort to get them out. It can be scary for a young one. Going somewhere they’ve never been. Going from a bright outdoor light to a dark, scary indoor. Going from the potential comfort of a “herd” of horses in the warm up to being all alone and potentially cougar food in that arena. Feeling the nerves and anxiety of their person and wondering what they should be worried about. It’s a lot for a horse to learn to handle, emotionally. (And yes, Baby did come home and nap most of the next day processing his big adventure. What a cutie-pie).

And you know what else? It takes some time and effort to season a rider as well. For all the same reasons and more! So please, give yourself and your horse a little grace. Lean into the process. For it absolutely is a process. Love the process, have some fun, and ride your horse.

Until next time,

Happy Trails,
Nicole