Confidence Is Built at Home

From understanding your cues to preparing mentally for competition, confidence comes from the work you put in long before show day.

As a rider, I don’t believe confidence exists without knowledge. When you understand why a cue works — like closing your right leg to keep a horse from leaning right — it has purpose and meaning.

That’s why preparation is so important. The riders who catch my eye as a judge aren’t using big cues. They’re quietly communicating with their horse through soft hands, good timing, and an awareness of cadence. Their confidence comes from preparation, and preparation comes from knowledge.

The Details That Separate Great Rides

In today’s ranch riding and trail patterns, it’s the subtle differences that help a rider stand out in the class. Everyone can learn the pattern and go over the obstacles we have — so ask yourself: What will grab the judge’s attention and push my score higher?

The best patterns flow effortlessly because they’re built on riding with purpose, body control, smooth transitions, and softness.

Take the trot log, for example. It’s in every ranch riding pattern, and cadence is key. If your horse is dragging his toes when you go over the log, you’re probably going to hit it. As a rider, you must be ready to adjust his stride by looking ahead and gauging your distance using your seat, hands, and legs.

The goal isn’t simply to get over the obstacle. It’s to maintain rhythm, balance, and forward motion while making it look effortless.

Preparing Your Horse for Competition

There are two things you need to consider when practicing at home. The first is the physical training that goes into prepping for a show. If your horse isn’t physically fit, you’re going to struggle with competing in multiple events in one day — especially when those events fall in the middle of a hot summer day.

Conditioning isn’t just about stamina. A fit horse is better able to maintain balance, carry himself correctly through maneuvers, and stay responsive throughout a long day of competition. The more physically prepared your horse is, the easier it becomes to execute the details that can make a difference on the score sheet.

Training Your Mind for Show Day

The second thing you need to remember is the mental side of competition. If you’re not practicing your mental approach at home, you can’t expect yourself to be mentally ready to compete come show day.

By that I mean practicing how you enter the arena. You need to learn to trust yourself when people are watching you and practice your emotional control under pressure. When you walk into that ring trying to exhibit all the things you’ve practiced — the maneuvers, the transitions, the obstacles — make sure you can stay grounded when things don’t go as planned.

If you face a bad obstacle, you need to be able to mentally recover and continue building your score to the end. In the versatility ranch horse all-around, sometimes being fifth instead of 10th is a huge difference in your overall outcome.

The ability to regroup after a mistake, let go of what just happened, and focus on the next maneuver is often what separates a good run from a great one.

About the Author

As a youth rider, Cindy Hale’s father was instrumental in developing her love of horses. After college, she began training and giving lessons, and attended her first AQHA World Show as a professional in 1988. In 2001, she earned her judge’s card in AQHA and the NSBA, and has held them for 25 years. In 2023, the Texas-based trainer was named the AQHA Professional Horsewoman of the Year.