Has anyone had a bad experience or panic attack at a first horse show?
I had a girl this weekend go to her very first horse show and she was fine until we headed for the in gate and she panic and jumped off the horse of course everyone there including the judge was very understanding and encouraged her to get back on and ride and she did fine in the class and got first ( she was the only one in the class but her ride was fine. but she came out totally upset crying and saying she ruined the horses name and that she did horrible I thought it might help her to here some of your first time stories to help her through, It was only a schooling show and this show really caters to beginners and first timers.
I was at a show and one of my friends was riding her gelding (it was her first show in 3 years, but she used to show allot on this same gelding, she was 26) and mid course (in the jumpers), she stopped, jumped off, and passed out!. we ran in and caught her horse, who was wondering what was going on and carried her out. apparently she had gotten so nervious, she was holding her breath, and had forgotten to breath!
Comments
Comment from Sarah W
Time January 13, 2010 at 4:47 pm
I always get freaked out a shows, my last show i freezed up and did horrible… I went to jump a course and i didn’t do anything right, i didn’t put enough leg on, i held the horses head the entire time and he refused 2 jumps… i was so nervous that i made very stupid mistakes and it was horrible…
But it was just a show and tell her so many people do bad… and even if people do good they see the worst in themselves.
And u just gotta learn from your mistakes.
And its just like stage fright, if you love it keep doing it and you will get better.
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Comment from Nicole E
Time January 13, 2010 at 5:10 pm
I was at a show and one of my friends was riding her gelding (it was her first show in 3 years, but she used to show allot on this same gelding, she was 26) and mid course (in the jumpers), she stopped, jumped off, and passed out!. we ran in and caught her horse, who was wondering what was going on and carried her out. apparently she had gotten so nervious, she was holding her breath, and had forgotten to breath!
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Comment from black bunny
Time January 13, 2010 at 5:38 pm
My daughter had the same panic attacks. She was team penning the time, at a competition…her first time in front of an audience/judges. Not near the pressure I assume of someone who’s judging your "riding."
She forgot everything she was taught. And when a steer got away from her, she got more "freaked out." It was like she remembered what to do…about 5 seconds after she needed it. To top it off, her girth was not tight, and the saddle slipped to the side. She ended up on the ground, and stood by her horse as the other two riders tried to complete the penning. When time was called, she had to lead her horse out of the arena. She had an "outstanding" melt down. Swore she would never go out and compete again. But she did. [After lots of encouraging from coaches, team mates, and even strangers who had seen the meltdown.] She was still nervous, but each time it got better…and within about 5 times of competing…she was having fun!
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Comment from KDS
Time January 13, 2010 at 6:23 pm
I always used to have panic attacks at shows when I was younger. And I can remember panicing once before I went into a class and ran off, told my mom I was sick and wanted to go home. I would be so nervous in that first class everytime and do just terrible (usually get a pretty low place), and then once the first class was over I would do much better and not be nervous at all. I can easily see where someone can be nervous because a lot of people are looking at you and you might be nervous because you could loose. People are judging you and that can be a scary thing. Well, once you loose, its not so bad and it doesn’t kill you and your not going to ruin anything. Happens to everyone at some point. The only thing she can do is go through with it. Showing guts and doing it will make her feel better than refusing to go in that ring. And it goes away with time and practice. And getting over that fear of the public eye helped me with other things as well: like playing other sportsand the frightening act of public speaking.
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Comment from Xhorse -loverX
Time January 13, 2010 at 6:38 pm
Well, it wasn’t my 1st show i think it was my 2nd one. I was on my (used to be) favourite pony Geronimo. I was cantering on to my 8th jump and then he refused. He jumped out to the side and I fell off. I got back up and after the last jump he galloped off. (People had to stand at the jump to get him to jump it!!! =()
At least I didn’t fall off again. By the way it was a pony camp show but everyone at the yard was watching!
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Comment from Vigmeltinbang
Time January 13, 2010 at 7:26 pm
My first show was absolutely awful! Actually it wasn’t as bad as my sister’s so I will tell you about hers.
Our two mares are very herd bound and freak out when they can’t see each other. So as you can imagine, our horses would absolutely not concentrate on anything except for where the other was and would not listen to us at all.
So my sister was doing her senior showmanship and I since I was in junior, my mare was not with hers. Well, Leader (my sister’s mare) did not like this very much and basically walked all over my sister and actually ploughed right into the judge! It went on and on. The class seemed to take so long. It was so bad! And after the show, the judge said to my sister, "If that was a real show (because it was just a schooling show) then I would have disqualified you" and my poor sister was crying. I mean – her first show! Show a little compassion!
Anyway, now we have worked very hard and the horses are basically over their herd-boundness. Luckily.
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Comment from Katy D
Time January 13, 2010 at 4:04 pm
oo wow. tell her that it happens to so many riders. i remember i was scared shitless at my first show. i was shaking and i thought my horse was going to take off with me (he was a a seasoned vet at shows and wasnt doing anything). i rode ok, but i remember being so scared and it honestly wasn’t that much fun the first couple of times. it just takes experience.
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