The first competition is always the hardest. Indeed, this is the first time that we are in front of an audience and in front of other competitor. The pressure is also greater in the rider than the horse itself. And manage these emotions is not always an easy thing.
Good training for a successful competition
Show jumping is one of the favorite sports for equestrian riders. This sport requires many skills from the rider as the horse. Indeed, the two need to be in total harmony if they wish to succeed their jumps. Long hours of training and practice are needed to be born a flawless complicity between horse and rider. The rider ever to listen to his horse to know when to jump and how to motivate him to do so. On the eve of the competition, it is natural that the jitters begin to be felt. Some people even have trouble closing the eye. About us, the horse has been brushed, scrubbed the hooves and perfectly braided mane.
Preparations on the competition day
The competition takes place in the morning, and I got up early. After a little grooming, I prepared the horse for a ride. This walk was a kind of warm-up to the mount. Then I put her competition equipment, including a magnificent used french saddles I had bought for the occasion. In the field of the competition, I was really nervous. But when the bell have rung, my horse and I had taken as a deep breath before we go. When we did the first jump, the rest of things happened as in training. We focus on what we were doing, never mind about the rest. When we did come to the end of the course, I was surprised that it was faultless. That is an experience I'm about to forget.
