Bloopers Reel – Equine Edition

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146 – March/April, 2018

By Erica Greathouse

There’s nothing like a blooper reel at the end of a movie to provide a good laugh and help us realize that we’re all humans and everyone make mistakes. The truth is, whether someone is an actor, athlete, corporate professional, or a top exhibitor in the horse industry, everyone has his or her own version of a blooper reel. The Equine Chronicle interviewed several top exhibitors and asked them to fill us in on their less than glamorous moments in the show arena. So, sit back, grab some popcorn, and enjoy this horse show industry blooper reel.

Equipment Failures and Wardrobe Malfunctions

In order to present a polished look in the arena, plenty of time and energy is spent managing every detail- from the exhibitor’s outfit to the horse’s tack. However, even the most meticulous planning can’t prevent the occasional oversight that can lead to bloopers in the arena. From broken tack to realize that even the best-laid plans can go awry.

Professional trainer Ashley Dunbar-Clock of Pilot Point, Texas, had a moment that she will never forget, when she was showing in a Senior Western Riding class, early on in her career as a trainer. “Right as I went to lope off, my bridle broke, and the bit dropped out of my horse’s mouth. It was just hanging there,” Clock explains. Although it was a moment she hadn’t planned for, she decided, in the heat of the moment that the show must go on. She was able to finish her pattern without a bridle and had a good laugh when she got out of the arena. Bobbie Emmons, a professional trainer from Plymouth, California, had a similar experience when she was showing in Junior Western Riding at the APHA World Show. “I was first to go, and I was getting ready to go in the gate. I picked up my hand, and my bridle broke and fell off in the dirt.” Frantically, her then-assistant,Clint Ainsworth, ran back to the barn to get another bridle while Emmons sat on her horse, bridleless, waiting for him to return. “Thankfully, the blooper ended there with all eyes on me, with no bridle. Once we got a new bridle, the ride was good,” Emmons laughs.

Click here to read the complete article
146 – March/April, 2018