What’s the Best Advice You’ve Received Before a Competition?

By: Brittany Bevis

From the instructional and humorous to the motivational or calming, it’s always nice to have one final piece of advice before you enter the pen to compete at a big horse show.

We asked our Equine Chronicle readers the following question: What’s the most helpful piece of advice your trainer, or a friend, has given you before a competition? Our Facebook fans had PLENTY to say! Scroll below to gather some inspiration ahead of the NSBA World Show this week.

Kathy Tobin- “Ride every stride! Ride the horse you’re given that day.”

Emma Stamps Dale- “Ride your horse like you’re proud of him! Because after all, showing horses is a privilege. Don’t take a single ride for granted!”

Melanie Thurston- “Keith Miller has to have my favorite piece of advice, ‘Just don’t suck.’ I’m thinking about printing it on shirts as an inspirational quote.”

Angela McCordic Stanhope- “Another Keith Miller classic: No one cares, work harder!”

Debbie Arnold- “You can’t out spend them, but you can outride them.”

Emily Schilling- “Just have fun and smile. What I would give to be in that moment today.”

Kathy Elmer- “For pattern classes. Ride a piece at a time. Then, think of the next piece coming up.”

Dana Didde- “We’re still going to drink beer at the end of the day. Have fun.”

Lindy Reioux- “Ride smart and have fun!”

Taylor Wheaton- “Just go out there and do what you do best. Ride your horse.”

Heather Acosta- “Breathe, smile, have fun… do a shot.”

Sandie Newsom-Mclean- “Take your time, breathe, and enjoy.”

Elaine Coombs- “Your eyes will get you there.” (For pattern classes.)

Crystal Leigh- “Breathe and ride the same horse that you ride every day at home.”

Kelly Predmore- “Ride your horse. Don’t worry about all the other stuff- horses, competition, etc.”

Michelle Johnston- “Ride it like you own it, not like you stole it.”

Gillian Lacey- “Breathe and focus.”

Kessi Kopp- “Hang on. Don’t die.”

Vickie Schuster Egyud- “Have fun. It’s only a horse show!”

Dillon Ryan Holden- “You ride this horse every day at home. It’s no different.”

Rikki Mcnana- “Enjoy it. It’s supposed to be fun!”

Val Newhouse Poeder- “Make your horse. Your horse will make you.”

Diana Mallott Goss- “Have fun and breathe.”

Elizabeth Lynch Gannon- “Slow down your mind.”

Jeanine Kern- “Don’t fall off.”

Desi Isa- “Chin up and have fun!

Lori Leigh Ward- “Pull to the center if it gets bad.”

Janet Martin- “Satisfy yourself before the judge. The judge doesn’t know what you’ve been through or what you’ve accomplished to get here.” (Something my trainer always said)

“Also, upon leaving for a show, I’d say, ‘wish me good luck.’ Dad would say, ‘It doesn’t take good luck. It takes hard work.'”

Val Newhouse Poeder- “We’re not qualifying for the Olympics. Ride the best you have today. It’s always a privilege.”

Lisa Cerdelli- “Don’t try to beat anyone else or the best you will be is second best to them, and you will miss out on being the very best you.”

Dawn Koffel-Alison- “My Mom always said, ‘No matter what, I love you.’ And it was 100% true!”

Amanda Wall- “Ride the horse you have today. It may not be the same one you had yesterday or the day before.”

Amanda Martin McHollan- “The pattern is only 2 1/2 minutes long, so sit up and go for it.” (From Sandra Vaughn.)

Ashley Konczal- “Get out of your head and show. Let your horse do his job.” (From a trainer) “You’re not the best or the worst. Work your hardest and be nice to your horse.” (From my Mom)

Tiffany Schenk Krock- “It’s a privilege to show, not a requirement. Enjoy what you’ve worked so hard for and when you’re done, there is wine.”

Stephanie Griffith- “Just go ride like you practice every day. The horse doesn’t know it’s a big show.”

Holly Saigo- A Tincher-ism- “Trust the training.”

Cas Hank- “The horse show is what we do on our way to cocktails and dinner.”

Ashley Bryant Reynolds- “Show what she gives you.”

Sharon Levee Sadilek- “Go deep in your corners.”

Shayna Marie- “Don’t lose.”

Christina Gannacone- “Don’t get in his way and let him show his [butt] off. And have fun.”

Lana Deppen- “Don’t forget to breathe.”

Randy Ratliff- “Take a deep breath, block out your friends and family, and ride like you do at home.”