First Show Down, Many Left to Go! April 24 2017

Show season is upon us!

And by that we mean that the 2017 season has officially begun for basically every region of the US. Some barns are perhaps dragging their heels waiting for their favorite “first show” and haven’t yet started their season yet, but basically every state that hosts shows has had their first of the year. Which means that the excitement (and occasional stupidity) of first show jitters is upon us all!

We decided to check in with our 2017 TJC Elite Athlete, Haley Berget, after her first show of the season and see if the horse show jitters got to her. Here’s what we found out.

Photo purchased by Berget family from Jon Mccarthy Photography.

Did you get any horse show jitters before your first show? How did you deal?

I started my season off at Mid-America Spring Fling in Madison, WI. I get very nervous for the first show - because I ride a new horse each year, I never really know how they'll act for the first show. I had a lot of nerves but I was more excited to get in the arena than anything.

How did it go?

First class he was super excited but it went well and we worked through the class.  Next one we had our first pattern in the show arena, we worked through the pattern and he did super well, he was very patient and worked with me through the Good Hands pattern! I'm very proud of him and extremely excited for the rest of the season!

For more info on the Good Hands Figure Eight (and how to perform it), check out this post.

Last time we checked in you didn’t know who you would be showing.  Who did you show and what's he/she like?

This year I am riding a new horse named Felix aka Snapchat! He's very young and very energetic. He's new to equitation and I'm excited for this season with him to see how he progresses in becoming an equitation horse.

After getting in the ring, what do you feel will be your biggest challenge this season in the show ring?

Since Felix is new to the whole showing scene, the hardest thing this season will be getting him used to all the noise and activity around the show arena, ultimately getting him to be more focused, and also more confident in the show arena!

What are some of the goals you set for yourself for your next show?

For my next show, my goal is to keep him balanced and to keep him calm. He’s getting very good at patterns and he listens well.

How do you plan to achieve those goals?

I plan on continually practicing, and also using more of my legs so that I can better help him with his balance and attentiveness. Experience will help him too, more shows will get him used to the noises and help him become more confident and calm.

Where are you headed next?

My next show with Felix is FASH in Minnesota from May 11th-14th and I'm excited to gain more experiences in the show ring and with him and continue his equitation career!